The Home Biz Lift Is Beginning
Some weeks ago I speculated that conditions were ripe for a home
business resurgence. Millions of workers have lost their jobs
and are not likely to find new opportunities soon. Add to this a
growing interest in staying close to home after the September 11
attacks. Suddenly family is more important and tall buildings
are less appealing. Launching a home-based company is a logical
solution to these dual concerns.
So I called Stacy Henderson, editor-in-chief of Home Business
Magazine, to see if she sensed a greater interest in home
businesses lately. The magazine is owned by Stacy and her
husband, Richard, who acts as publisher for the bi-monthly
publication covering the how-to and what-to of home-based
enterprises. Henderson noted there was a clear increase in
inquiries about home business. "We've noticed that people have
inquired more about starting a home-based business during the
months from September to the present, in comparison to this same
time period in previous years."
She speculated that some of the interest in home business was
likely due to the events of September 11. "Neither Richard nor I
have any statistics to support this, but we personally feel the
9/11 tragedy could be a contributing factor. It's certainly
caused Richard and me to re-examine our own priorities and to
renew out commitments to our family and our responsibilities at
home."
Henderson suggested that in addition to September 11, the
economy itself is motivating people to consider starting a home
business. "During the nine years of publishing Home Business
Magazine, we've noticed that whenever the economy slows down,
the interest in the home business market tends to accelerate,"
said Henderson. "People who have lost their jobs are seeking out
home-based business alternatives. Nearly six percent of the U.S.
workforce is now unemployed. Millions of workers are in danger
of losing their jobs, and many of them will take their first
look at home-business businesses."
In addition to the motivation of employment problems and a year
to be close to home, Henderson said technology now makes it
easier for people to compete in a home-based environment.
"Wireless communication, high-speed Internet connectivity, and
more powerful personal computer and office equipment have now
made home-based business owners and home office workers as
competitive as any in the economy today," said Henderson. "This
increases the potential for future home-based business growth."
During the high craziness of the dot com boom, I had some fun
imagining a changed world in which people worked from home in
the midst of their families. I observed that this was a very
natural way for human being to live, that for thousands of years
people worked at home with their families, and that perhaps
technology would finally allow us to return to a more familiar
lifestyle. The act of going away to work each day, after all,
was a mere 100-year interruption from our natural state. Now it
was time to get back to the farm.
For the part five years, I have made my living from home while
raising young children. Most of the women I know, and at least
half of the men, view my situation as enviable. For me it was
partly choice, partly opportunity. For writers, working at home
is not that unusual. I didn't have to give up a bustling career
to work at home. The Internet further allowed me to participate
in business journalism internationally. I remember getting out
of the shower one morning and having my five-year-old daughter
tell me that Erika called. "Erika who?" I asked.
"Erika from Sweden," she beamed. Sure enough, a source had
returned my call and had a charming conversation about Daddy in
the shower.
Over the years, my picture of people returning home to work is
slowly coming true. And from my personal poll of friends, family
and acquaintances, it's not happening nearly fast enough. There
are now forces of technology, opportunity and personal interest
pushing the trend. Don't be surprised if a good portion of the
laid-off workforce decides to stay at home and work once the
economy gets back into growth mode.