There Are Many Ways to Start A Business By Ericka Foster and Maggie Allen When you think of owning your own business, you may think of a restaurant or a store. At the other end of the spectrum, you might know someone selling stereos of the back of a truck (do they still do that?) But owning your own business can mean so many things. The beautiful thing about having your own business is that it can be as small or as big as you want it to be. As with ANY self-employment endeavor, start by being passionate about the idea, because you will have to work HARD. Hopefully, your passion for the idea will balance out the hard work required.
Multilevel Marketing: Eyes Wide Open Multilevel marketing (MLM) is also sometimes known as network marketing or direct selling. In these kinds of companies, people ask individuals they know to purchase a product. If the friend likes the product, then s/he can s also start selling it. You may not know the name of the type of company, but you’ve probably heard of them: Avon and Mary Kay. You’ve probably had a friend try to sell you a product as a part of a multi-level marketing company. Not all MLMs are bad news, but you should approach them with a healthy level of skepticism. If you are thinking of selling products through an MLM, do your research. Check with the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau, and your local consumer protection agency to find out if there are any complaints or lawsuits against the company. The important things to remember are make sure it’s not a scam and be realistic about the amount of money that you can make. 6
