Confessions of a home-based business owner

CONFESSIONS

OF A HOME-BASED BUSINESS OWNER

By Jill Abrahamsen

As someone who has worked out of her home for manyyears, I am no stranger to blurring the lines between business andhome life. I have spent many days working in my pajamas. I’vebeen known to take my laptop to my son’s lacrosse games, and Ihave led conference calls while cooking dinner.

My clients may have been oblivious to the fact that I’m taking care of my personal life during business hours, but the truth is, I never miss a deadline and always produce high-quality work. And I probably put in more hours than if I weren’t home-based. During the years when my children were small, conducting business from home was the only way I could manage work-life balance.

For me, there are so many advantages to working out of my home. Instead of enduring a long commute, I now have the time for a morning workout. I can attend class parties or be home with sick children without falling behind. And when I am expecting a delivery, have a broken appliance, or the cable goes down, I can be home to answer the door without missing a beat.

Running a home-based franchise is an ideal way to own a business and reap the benefits of working from home. There are so many industries that lend themselves to home-based franchising. The choices are vast and diverse—everything from home improvement businesses to financial consulting—so there’s something for everyone.

When considering a home-based franchise, think about your personal work style. Do you like to be around people all day or do you prefer to fly solo? A homebased business can keep you social or isolated. Some keep your phone ringing all day, while others offer quiet computer time. In some cases, you might have a home office but spend most of your time with clients in the field. Knowing how you like to spend your days will help you pick the right franchise for you.

Of course, there is a downside to working at home: No matter what’s happening on the home front, you still have to get your work done. My clients have received emails from me at odd hours, on weekends, even on holidays. I have produced great work in the middle of the night and brainstormed new ideas at the crack of dawn, often rushing to my computer before breakfast to launch them. This style of work can take its toll and personally I think it should be an exception, more than the rule.

Another downside is, for a very social person like me, working from home can get lonely. I’m on a first-name basis with my UPS driver, my letter carrier, and the cable guy. During harder days, my neighbors have seen me charge out of the house just to say hello. But they know the deal, since several of them have homebased offices, too.

The cure? Passion for what you do. If you’re excited about your work, that will propel you through your day. As the old saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” That’s true no matter where your office is based.