The Pros and Cons of Working at Home
Before making the transition to the home business lifestyle, you need to thoroughly examine the pros and cons of being your own boss. I want to start with the negative things – get it all out in the open so you see it exposed for what it really is, and then I’ll tell you the truth about the perks involved.
How many times have you seen pictures or videos on websites with people lying on a beach with their laptop, sipping a ‘Rita with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background while they check to see how money they made between lunch and their afternoon siesta?
The reality of that is – yes, you can go anywhere and take your business with you, but do you want to? Every year that I go on vacation, my laptop comes too – not because I am checking my money (that would be here when I got back), but because there’s no one else to manage my business while I’m gone, so they’re all semi-working vacations from here on out.
The Dark Side of Working from Home
Everyone immediately thinks about how great it will be to never worry about rush hour traffic again, and how much fun it is to work wherever you want via laptop. These are some pretty fabulous benefits, but it’s not all perks and profits.
Before I get real with you, don’t let this description of disadvantages scare you into shutting out your dreams before you can weigh the plus side of this equation, too. Make sure you keep reading to the end so that you can make a fair comparison of the ups and downs for yourself.
So here we go – reasons why working at home as an entrepreneur may not be a part of your ideal lifestyle:
There’s No “Guaranteed” Paycheck
When you take matters into your own hands and become a home business professional, it’s up to you to create your weekly cash flow. It might feel like you’re free-falling without a safety net. With your job, you probably get a check even on slow weeks, but when you’re the boss, you only get paid when the company makes sales.
This is one reason I’m creating this whole work at home Internet marketing series is because it’s all about building a business, not “how can I make $100 a day.” You might have some set number you hope to take in, but business income fluctuates.
Do you really want to struggle every day to hit your quotas – or do you want to see a rise in your income that soars steadily over time on average and provides you with financial security?
Many new entrepreneurs look at their success one sale at a time, and when that one’s spent, they have to figure out how to make more – it can be mentally (and physically) exhausting. You need a cash flow you can count on and there is a way to do that with Internet marketing – but it takes time.
There Are No Paid Vacation Days
I mentioned this earlier - when you take time off from your home business, you won’t be able to log a real vacation day. When you’re off, unless your business is automated, your income will stall until you get back on the ball.
If possible, once your business grows, you can hire an assistant to cater to the needs of your customers while you’re away, but if you’re like most hands-on entrepreneurs, you’ll feel like this business is your baby – and entrusting it to someone else won’t be too relaxing for you.
You Have to Take Total Responsibility for Your Own Results
There’s nobody to blame when business gets slow or when problems arise within your online operation. You can’t point your finger at the CEO, at the marketing department, or anyone else.
Your success and your failure rely completely on your efforts and on the value of whatever strategy you chose to implement.
Did your server crash? Customers won’t care if your “tech guy” had a misstep – the site has your name on it, so you’re responsible. The buck stops with you!
There’s No Management Team to Motivate You
It sounds like a dream come true – no gossipy co-workers, no boss looking over your shoulder, and no department head to answer to when your work is late. But it can be more of a curse than a blessing.
In a home business, nobody will be making sure you’re at your desk early every morning, and there will be no manager pushing you to work overtime when deadlines are looming. You’ll have to rely completely on self-discipline, and if you don’t have any, you’ll either develop some fast or find your business in big trouble.
If you label yourself a procrastinator, you’d better learn how to push through it and become productive, instead. I am the world’s worst procrastinator, but when I have to buckle down and get things done, I do!
Now for the Perks of Working from Home
Even with the drawbacks you read above, there are many reasons why this particular career choice is one of the most rewarding ones on the planet. I can’t even imagine going back to a job with a boss – it sends shivers up my spine.
You’re the Boss
Didn’t I just have something similar in the cons list? Yes, this fact carries a certain level of pressure with it, but on the upside, you literally answer to nobody but yourself! In a j-o-b, you might have to follow the “customer is always right” rule.
Well guess what? In Internet marketing, you don’t have to put up with rude customers – you can fire them if you don’t feel you’re being treated fairly. Now this may sound like bad business practices, and if you’re a jerk, it certainly will be.
But every once in a blue moon, you’ll run across one of those people you can’t please no matter what – the kind who complain and lash out and because they’re online and not face-to-face, they’re blatantly rude to you.
You don’t have to take that. Unsubscribe them from your list. Blacklist them from being able to buy from you again. Some of these naysayers are serial refunders and marketers talk – we know who steals from us and who’s an honest buyer.
As your own boss, you make the rules - and that includes setting your own schedule. You even decide where to work - maybe you’ll stay in your home office, or maybe you’ll take the laptop to your favorite coffee shop.
I took mine to Panama City Beach, Florida and had a weeklong vacation with my kids last year. Whenever we’d pop in from the beach to our condo, I’d quickly check emails to make sure my customers were all taken care of and then I’d leave 10 minutes later to swim some more. I checked in 3 times a day – morning, afternoon, and before bed – worked a total of 30 minutes a day in 10-minute increments. That’s worth it!
You Have No Salary Cap
Nobody is going to pay you as generously as you’ll pay yourself. With your own home business, you don’t have to worry about “making the grade” for your next raise or getting promoted to a new position.
Your level of income and success is totally up to you – there’s no glass ceiling. Your income can rise as fast as you want it - depending on how much work you want to put into your entrepreneurial venture.
You Have a Wide Variety of Options
There are many different home business models to choose from. You can even create one of your own. A home business allows you to explore the ideas you like and build a business doing what you love every day.
You have virtually unlimited options when deciding on what type of business to create.
I know I’ve been at corporations where all the employees were scratching their heads wondering why management made the decisions they did – that won’t be an issue here because you’re at the helm steering the boat.
When you come to a crossroads in your business and you see three different opportunities that appeal to you, you get to choose which direction you take and enjoy every step of the way.
Making an Informed Decision
What do you think so far? Is an Internet marketing business something you’d honestly like to try, or would you prefer to look into a simple corporate gig? It’s kind of like those online dating profiles you have to fill out – they have “deal-breakers” in there for a reason – so people won’t waste time.
Did you find a deal-breaker in what I just exposed as drawbacks to working for yourself? Or did the perks far outweigh any obstacle you might encounter?
There’s no shame in deciding a home business isn’t for you. At the same time, if you believe you can succeed online, you shouldn’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise – even yourself.
Take this decision seriously. Remember, you’re considering a business venture, not a new hobby. In the end, it’s up to you to follow your heart and do what’s right in your unique situation.