Meet two types of home-based business

There are two types of home-based business owners, the laissez faire homegrown and the ambitious solo professional. It seems no matter which we are, others assume our businesses are a mere folly.

The ‘homegrowns’ home business is a convenient way to make a few dollars and the ‘solo professionals’ are committed to their home-based businesses and choose to work from home because it suits them.

It’s an attitude thing.

The ‘homegrowns’ tell you they are not available at 10 o’clock because they have to have their legs waxed. The ‘solo professionals’ don’t provide any superfluous scene-setting information.

The homegrowns give the impression they are fitting you in to their day and the solo professionals are focussed on your needs.

Of course both types have a legitimate right to exist and to operate however they like. But the problem is that the former are spoiling it for the latter.

Because home-based businesses aren’t weighed down with overheads, many out earn larger out-of-home businesses and because they get to keep most of what they make the turnover of a home-based business can be a fraction of that of an office-based one and can still make its owner more money.

Flying solo can be flat out smart. And doing it from home even better.

While the life balance issues and the flexibility are desirable, there is no reason that home-based businesses cannot equally be about making lots of money. We don’t have to apologise for that.

Those flying solo need to decide whether they are a homegrown, just grateful for the few extra dollars coming into the household, or whether they are solo professionals, who have chosen to make their contribution to the world from their home-based office. Flexibility doesn’t have to be traded for poverty. Repeat after me. “It’s okay to make lots of money however you choose to make it.”

After four years of paying my landlord’s mortgage as well as my own, I have moved my work back home (yes, for the usual flexibility reasons) and now run two businesses at home while I attend to my considerable, varied and never-ending mum duties. On hearing the news, most people sympathise, assuming I am ‘giving up’ or that it was ‘too hard’.

Two things are certain. One, that this year I will make and keep – substantially – more money than I did last year. Two, that I will throttle the next person who asks me how my ‘little’ business is going (and kick their shins as well if they add the ‘sigh, I hear you’re working from home now’).

It makes no difference to anyone where our desk is or what we are wearing when we’re working at it or what time of day it is when the work is done, unless we allow it to by behaving more homegrown than solo professional.

What does matter is the work we do creates value for those we do it for, that we can be contacted when we’re needed and we front up for meetings at client offices looking like we could fit in there if only the thought of organisational life didn’t make us feel a little off colour.

Flying solo? Yep. Zooming.

Karen Morath of M Power consults, trains, speaks and coaches in public relations, personal effectiveness, life balance and all things empowering.

16 comments | Add your own 1 2 3 | Next» View all»

Brilliant article - I think a common gripe amongst people working from home! I was recently asked by a family friend, "So have you found a job yet, or are you still just working from home?". But I do think attitudes are gradually changing. Peter Crocker from Sydney | Read my articles
You're so right, Karen - in my 6th solo year and my wife still doesn't think I have a proper business ! I don't know why people need to dress up, sit in peak hour traffic and then pay an unnecessary fortune in office overheads, merely because they think it impresses other people. My clients appreciate my flexible availability and the fact that I am happy to be judged merely on the quality of my work. Come to think of it, my wife's right - I work when I need to and I love what I'm doing - how that can be a 'real' business ? Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Excellent article Karen. I couldn't agree with you more. I suppose that the felxible lifestyle that you get from flying solo from home could appear a cop out and a breeze to people who've never tried being responsible for everything in a business, including making the money come in. I guess we can just smile knowingly and be happy in the knowledge that we belong to a very fortunate and balanced group who have it all! Karen Morris from Sydney | Read my articles
Amen! I'm so glad someone else has spotted the 'tone' from office dwellers. For all those who want to just be a homegrown business, instead of saying you have to get your legs waxed just say you have a meeting from 10:00am - 11:00am and can meet your client after that. Trust me, it works, and it will not onyl help you but also all of us trying to establish credibale and professional home based businesses. B rian Matthews from Brisbane
Karen.
A great article, I live in a large country town in Victoria, I operated a business from a rented shop/office for more than thirty years. I decided to
make the move to "the home office" last September. While the adjustment period was a challenge because of the mind set we have with the ritual of the daily rush to get ready and "go" to the office, I now enjoy the work from home routine, we've slashed the overheads, and have more time to do other things. The best part is the flexibility we can offer clients for consultations and appointments. We run a mix of businesses which include two online Internet enterprises, and continue to operate the
established business previously operated from the office. Col Croucher from Wangaratta. Vic
I totally agree Karen. We started our business 11 years ago as a home based IT support business. This was great. We then tried staff & really that's when you need to look at an office.
Our clients really didn't mind that we were home based - in fact a lot of them were envious. It is essential to have that professional image though. We still got up & got ready for work as would usually - we just had a 5 sec commuting time! Like anything though there are swings & merry-go-rounds for everything & let's face it business is all about working the angles to your advantage. Janene Brown from Tamworth

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