Right starting of a home business (Part II)
START A BUSINESS WITH START UP MONEY
Most home businesses do not involve extensive startup costs, so
you most probably will be able to "bootstrap" your fledgling
operation using your own money, but if you can't, use...
Credit cards. Be clever in this, try to limit charges to items
that will pay for themselves, generating income as quickly as
possible.
Personal loans. If you or a spouse have a good credit record,
and an existing job, banks will usually give you a personal
Home equity loans. If you own your home, see if you can
refinance it, and this will give you a startup capital.
Microloans. If you need an amount smaller than $ 25,000 the US
Small Business Administration and a variety of private
foundations offer microloan programs, that are not based on your
personal assets but rather on good character and proven
management ability.
THE IRS
If you meet the basic criteria established by the IRS to start a
business like a home office, you can deduct the cost of
operating and maintaining that part of your residence used for
business. So you can claim your deductions, whether you live and
work in a house, apartment or condominium
In order to be able to start a business and claim your
deductions, the portion of your home you wish to claim as a tax
write-off, must be used exclusively and regularly for business.
And that portion of your home where you start a business, must
be either your principal place of business or a location where
you meet with customers or clients in the normal course of
business activities.
If you qualify to start a business with a home-office deduction,
there are many expenses that you can deduct
Mortgage payments and capital improvements, pro rated for the
portion of your residence used as an office. The cost of
operating your car Dues you pay to professional and trade
associations.
Note: You must be sure the IRS considers you a self-employed
individual or independent contractor rather than an employee.
This rules can be tricky, so it's wise to consult your
accountant for clarification before you start a business.
START A BUSINESS AVOIDING UNNECESSARY RISKS
Get Needed Insurance Your homeowner's or apartment dweller's
insurance may not protect you against the following
contingencies:
Business property: You must consider purchasing business
property insurance to start a business and cover your computer
and other office equipment and furnishings.
Liability for accidents or injuries to customers or business
visitors. Consider to start a business purchasing a rider to
your policy to cover anyone who comes to your home on business.
Damaged or stolen business property. Even your car will not be
covered if you use it for business, if you don't indicate that
on your policy and start a business paying the additional amount
required.
Malpractice or errors or omissions This kind of insurance s will
cover you against claims that your product or service harmed
someone or caused a business loss.
Disability insurance can cover you against loss of income should
you become disabled.
Partnership insurance will protect you against suits arising
from the actions of any partners you have when you start a
business.
START A BUSINESS ASSURING YOUR PAYMENTS
You will avoid many problems with customers and clients, if you
start a business with a good contract.
You can obtain pro forma contracts on computer software
A written contract is always better that a verbal one
If you start a business with a contract, that will make your
customers take you more seriously
When you start a business with a contract, spell out specifics
such as...
What product or service will you provide When will you provide it
How you will do it What it will cost When and how, customers or
clients are obliged to pay you
Consult an attorney or colleagues about the kind of contract you
should use, to start a business. You can as your professional or
trade association for information
START A BUSINESS PROMOTING IT
Utilize on line promotion resources Utilize off line promotion
resources Utilize word of mouth use face-to-face contact to
establish relationships that can generate leads. Talk with
people about what you do and listening carefully to find out how
you might serve them. Get referrals from satisfied customers.
DON'T START A BUSINESS LIKE A WORKAHOLIC
Don't be fanatic! Take a break every few hours, and that will
increase your productivity and your creativity.
When you start a business, make time for your private life Start
a business with a firm schedule, but establish and respect a
fixed stopping point every day
Start a business making sure clients know your work hours.
Because you live there, your are not supposed to receive them at
any time. You must learn to say "I will look at it tomorrow" or
"We can talk about it on Monday"...
Hey, you are your own boss, working from your own home! So start
a business with plans about taking some time for doing something
you enjoy, such as gardening, playing with a pet, or sitting in
the sun.
Remember that relaxing on a regular basis, has therapeutic
effects
START A BUSINESS USING TECHNOLOGY
Use as much as the following as you can:
For standardized documents, your can use the templates that come
with your word processor
The spell checker, grammar checker, and electronic thesaurus
features that come with the software
Special preprinted stationary
A computer
Letter -opening machines
E-mail and Internet
Programmable telephones
Bubble jet or laser printers
Electric staplers
Letter folders and dictation equipment.
And accept payments with credit cards using ClickBank. To learn
how to do it, click over the following link:
http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com/hts/clickbank.html
THERE'S NO NEED FOR ISOLATION
Don't Become Isolated and Lonely: Keep in Contact To avoid
feeling isolated, when you start a business working from home,
you should take the initiative and become involved in the world
around you. Here are seven ways to start a business keeping in
contact with peers and colleagues:
You can join professional, technical or trade associations, and
community organizations.
Read specialty newsletters, journals and magazines to keep you
informed about what's happening in your field.
Go to courses, workshops and relevant seminars
Try to maintain contacts with peers with regular breakfast,
lunch or dinner meetings
Join forums or networking group that meets on a regular basis.
Don't neglect the importance of personal and professional
friendships.
If you have more to lose through the lack of knowledge than the
cost of an expertise, it's time to hire one.
If the time you spend on repetitive matters exceeds its benefit,
hire an employee, so you can take on an extra project.
One of the best things about self-employment is that you can
tailor your work to fit your own values, priorities and
lifestyle.
Start a business finding a match between the life you would like
to live and what the world needs and will pay for
Written by Dr. Roberto A. Bonomi