Working from home is a great option for small business owners who either do not need a large workspace or store, have personal commitments at home, or cannot afford renting a place for your business. The perks seem to be endless for working from home: flexible hours, no commute, and certain tax deductions. Additionally, if you have personal commitments, you can arrange your work schedule around your family to cater to their needs. It sounds like working at home is a great idea, but before you jump right into the idea, there are a few things you must consider, especially if you plan on having your customers come to your home. Neighborhood & Property Although it is your small business from your house, you must consider your neighborhood, surroundings, and neighbors. To work from home, you need to have a suitable and accessible location for your customers. Consider the attractiveness of your neighborhood and your property and how well it is maintained to appeal... [Read Full Article]

Tips from September 10, 2009 The Small Business tips today discuss working from home: Staying Focused Without a supervisor monitoring you, it's important to stay focused. Be disciplined & keep a work log to document productivity. Music can be soothing and cut out any noise distractions. Studies show classical music boosts concentration & productivity. Stay away from television! If you must watch soaps, TiVO or record them to watch later. Be sure your office isn't in view of any TV. Personal life should be second priority. Don't check personal email & let calls go to voicemail. Follow up off the clock or on a break. Daily Overview: Distractions hinder productivity when working at home. Take control & be disciplined to work. [Read Full Article]

For once, I am not talking about Congress or their $700 billion Wall Street bailout boondoggle that may or may not work. Of course, it doesn't seem to be doing anything for the stock market, but Bush warned us that it would take time to have an effect. Many consider that the biggest scam of them all, but what I am talking about today are some of the most common scams that crop up during economic hard times. These are things, put together into a list by our friends at the L.A. Times, that even Pelosi and Reid can agree are pretty dirty tricks to play on consumers. If you are a small business owner working out of your home, or your credit has taken some damage as the economy picked up speed on the downward spiral, make sure you pay special attention. Credit Repair Scams With the rise of the FICO Score as the primary grade of credit-worthiness, so rose a cottage industry of people claiming that they can clean up your credit, raise your score and open the door to low interest... [Read Full Article]