SOME Keys to a Successful Home Business

Are you considering starting or just starting a home business? These days, a lot of people are talking about one opportunity or another. As one who has been working from home for a long time, I can assure you that there are many things that you need to be sure you're doing as you embark on a home business.

Remember: a home business isn't just something that you just consider puttering with in your spare time. Right from the start, you should begin envisioning your home business as something that will develop into a substantial source of income for you. Otherwise, you'll treat it like an occasional activity instead of something that can and should be taken seriously.

If you are really serious about it, and if you do it in all of the right ways, you will find that your home business really CAN be successful, and it can be a great way for you to improve your financial and personal life.

So, if you want to be sure that your home business is actually going to succeed, there are several things that you have to do carefully.

First, you always want to be sure that you are in it to win, and not "dabble" with or otherwise take lightly. If you are going to start a home business, the best thing that you can do in order to make it successful is right from the get-go to make the decision that you are going to do your best. One of the keys to this is always operating with the attitude that you are already a top name, recognizable and successful business.

This means being professional at all times - even if you are working from home, you should still "dress for work" (in other words, get out of the pyjamas and actually act like you are going to your office - which you are), and always answer the phone as though your next big sale or prospect is on the other end (in other words, smile, speak clearly and politely).

Keep your eyes on the prize, and consistently think of the next steps that you can take in order to really make yourself successful. For example: What advertising strategies are your colleagues using successfully? Are these strategies YOU can adopt? What are the leaders in the industry doing that you are not doing but can do? What isn't working? What mistakes have you learned from?

Also, you want to be sure that you are always presenting the best face that you have in your small business. This goes along with your day to day professional behavior. For example, if you are doing video marketing, carefully scrutinize your recordings before you post them. You want to make sure that as you go through your small business you are weeding out anything that doesn't say the right thing about you, and making sure that everything that gets put out there is correct and says something good about you.

This is going to take a lot of time on your part, but it is also part of building up your reputation. Remember - people don't join opportunities, they join other people! Be the type of person you want to work with, and you shall attract those people. You want to make sure that no matter who is looking at your business or your name, they are going to see only good things.

You want to be sure that no matter who you deal with, what you do, or how you feel about it, the consequences end up putting you and your business into a good light.

Last, you have to make sure that you are playing by the rules and doing everything right straight from the start. You have to be sure that every step you take with your home business is a step that allows you to get the most out of your home business and that allows you to grow.

Don't cut corners, don't exaggerate and tell people you're earning 6-figures a month in an effort to impress them (even if it's true, it's called enticement, and that's a no-no!) and for Heaven's sake do not fall into desperation marketing techniques such as spamming. Call it what you will: lying or exaggerating - either way, it will come back to haunt you in the end.

If you follow these steps you will see that your home business truly CAN grow to be a successful home business, and that you can grow right along with it. And doing it right means you will be helping a whole lot of others along the way, too.

And isn't that what it's all about?

Working from Home in the Travel Industry

When I was a kid, one of my fantasies included working in a travel agency. At the time, my only experience in travel was going down to "The Shore," as we called it growing up in New Jersey. I pictured working in a sunny office, helping eager families choose their motel or bungalow for their summer week or two in Ocean Beach or Wildwood.

My experiences in travel have broadened somewhat since childhood, but my interest in marketing vacations hasn't changed. Just the methods have. Perhaps you’ve noticed that some of the travel agencies in your town have closed their doors. Up in the northern White Mountains of NH where we have a home, we’ve seen two travel agencies leave town.

Considering how easy it is to find good travel deals on line, this turn of events is not surprising!
Nowadays, we book almost every trip we take online with the vacation travel club we belong to.

We did feel a little bad when we saw the writing on the wall, and noticed the “For Sale” sign in front of our former travel agent’s building. We had always enjoyed working with her, and seeing what exciting trip she would come up with for us.

For several years, as the internet changed from something I vaguely heard about in the news to my primary tool for my livlihood, I heard the whispering – “travel agents will be doomed by the internet!” or “travel agents will all be going out of business.”

Of course, that’s utter nonsense, since there are plenty of areas where the population still supports a local travel agency - and there are plenty of people who still want someone else to prepare their travel arrangements.

Just not in our rural area.

But, why the doom and gloom? If you love travel (whether or not you have experience as a travel agent), then why not hop on the “Working at Home Online” train?

There are plenty of opportunities working from home in the travel industry these days. Spending less than 5 minutes in an online search will prove that to you!

You’ve seen the advertisements touting the benefits of working from home on line – but you need to focus. For example, if you like NASCAR, but there are no NASCAR related jobs in your neighborhood, then find products in that niche and begin selling them online!

If you like travel, then focus on a travel product. Don’t let the lack of travel agencies deter you. There are PLENTY of opportunities for working from home in the travel industry – and yes, they are now online. You can easily find any number of travel related MLMs and affiliate programs (for all you NASCAR lovers, I don’t know if there are any affiliate programs for you!)

Before you jump headlong into the “internet working from home” pool, but after you’ve weighed the advantages of working from home – along with the benefits of working from home (and there are many! But that’s a different story.), please check the credentials of whichever program floats your boat (pun intended, if working from home in the travel industry is what you want!).

Make sure that your program – whether it’s an MLM or affiliate program has a solid, stand-alone product. One you can confidently offer to the person who just wants to go on vacation without worrying about whether or not you’re going to try recruiting him or her to join your business, or take a timeshare tour.

For example – and I refuse to name companies here – I know people who regularly ask me to join their travel businesses in true MLM fashion. They know I love travel – and typically, they know that I’ve had a lot of experience in MLM. For me, I have noticed that personally contacting people I know in an attempt to interest them in my “working from home opportunity” dilutes my relationship with them. I don't want them avoiding me when they see me at the supermarket.

Hey, that’s just me. You may have different feelings and levels of success with that.

And that’s fine.

BUT… If the friend happens to have an opportunity and can use customers as well as a sales force, I’m all in! I have a very dear friend who is a member of a travel MLM, and if her price on something beats mine, I’m in. For one of my last vacations, I booked a car through her site and got a 2 week rental for less than $200. No joke.

I just want to be sure that whatever working from home opportunity I choose has a stand alone product.

Because I enjoy travel so much, I want to be able to offer someone who loves to travel an opportunity to do JUST THAT. Travel.

Stand alone product. And, so that is what I market. You can buy it, or not buy it. You can join as an affiliate – or not.

Hey, if the customer is interested in learning how to earn commissions marketing the luxury vacation membership him or herself, I’m all over it. But, it remains their choice – and not until they bring it up.

Because, there are so many people out there who really just want to travel – and they want a good deal. Which we have.

One of the best analogies I ever heard in relation to this is “Don’t try to sell a steak to a vegetarian.” It’s true. Remember: Not everyone wants a work at a home business opportunity. So, why try to sell them that?

But, they might enjoy travel, and might be seeking a way to enjoy luxury vacation travel for a lot less than they’ve been paying.

So, keep these things in mind when you are looking for ways you can be working from home in the travel industry – or working from home on line in general. Once you have decided on what you are going to market online, you'll need to put a system in place - an internet marketing system and plan of work to market successfully. But that's a chapter all its own.

Start with an opportunity offering a high quality, stand alone product. It’s critical.

What I did about a Telemarketing Call. After all, I'm an INTERNET Entrepreneur!

This is a draft of my thoughts which I've just submitted for publication. Perhaps it will resonate with some of you! :) It's all true, by the way...

This morning, I received a call from “Unknown Caller” as the caller ID displayed. My first reaction – as I’m sure many of you may recognize from your own experiences – was to ignore the call. “After all,” I thought smugly, “who would be calling me without allowing me to see his or her phone number?”

With shame, I admit to you that my first thought was, ‘Hmmm… must be someone trying to sell me something.” And my next shameful thought was, “I’ll just let the machine pick it up – after all, I’m busy working on my internet marketing strategy.”

Ahh, yes. That obnoxious, self-righteous thought that “I’m an internet marketing expert. I don’t have time for sales calls…” Shame on me!

Ok. Important Lesson #1:
Ask yourself – and please be honest with your answer, because no one but you will know how you answer: If or when you receive a similar phone call, what is your first thought? Do you think similarly, as I did? Or, do you look at the phone, smile, and think, “This may be the very call that is going to bring me some new business or other good news!”

There’s no need to discuss your answer. I’m glad to report that I corrected my initial thought, released the smug attitude, and began quickly thinking in terms of the call being one that changes my life for the better.

Let’s move on…

Fortunately, my husband – who is a pretty wise guy (I mean that seriously), said, “It’s probably for you!” He answered the phone, and sure enough it was for me. Well, as it turns out it was a telemarketer after all! It was a woman who mentioned that she had my name as one who was interested in earning some extra money from home. She asked if that was the case with me.

I will step back just a moment and mention that I have had this call – or a variation of this call – at least 50 times within the last year. And why is that? Why, because I am interested in earning money from home – have been for years – and am probably on a list somewhere that shouts out: “Live One Here!” or “Call This One!”

Important Lesson #2:
If you are a business builder, in an internet marketing venture, in a direct sales or network marketing organization, or otherwise deal with prospects and customers – it really could be just about anyone on the phone. Yes, it could be a telemarketer. It could also be a prospect who found your website and just wanted to speak with a human to see if one was actually there.

So, the point is, you should not only expect these calls, but you should answer them. I’ll explain in a minute. First I acknowledge that I am well aware of the strategies that teach us to ignore the phone or turn it off when we are following a schedule designed to maximize efficiency. And I agree with that. I’m talking about other times.

You may be wondering why I believe you should “waste your time” talking with telemarketers and callers such as the one I spoke with this morning.

Here is Important Lesson #3 – and possibly the most important point:
Think about your business. Maybe some of you are in a business where you do not have to call people in order to gather customers or prospects – if so, lucky you.

But I’ll bet a lot of you do have to call people. You may need to invite people to a home business presentation, if that’s how your business works. You may need to call a company and get past the receptionist – who already knows you are in sales – to your eventual prospect.

So, here it was – not even 9:00 am, and this cheerful voice was calling me and asking if I was still interested in earning extra income from home. Wow! Right there – I had to give her 10 points – no, 100 points! Because here is the point:
She DID SOMETHING. She actually picked up the phone, and made the call.

Hey, I don’t know about you, but cold calling is NOT for me. I find myself feeling sick just thinking about it. But this morning, the caller woke up and told herself she was going to do it, and she did it. Just like that! Her voice was pleasant. Confident. Did she actually feel like smiling when she placed that call – probably only one of many? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Because her voice was smiling, and I could pick up on it.

Here is another question for you – again, only you need to know the answer: When you receive calls like that, and – assuming you answer them – how do you treat the caller? Do you hang up? Do you yell at the caller, telling him or her to never darken your telephone threshold ever again? Cuss at the caller?

If this is how you respond – or have responded in the past, why? Why respond in that way?

From a common sense, just plain ol’ good-manners, polite, golden-rule standpoint, it’s just plain rude. You probably wouldn’t talk to your best customer that way. You probably wouldn’t talk to your top producer that way. And, you probably wouldn’t talk with your next hot prospect that way. Would you?

Ahh. But, here, it wasn’t your customer. It wasn’t your top producer. And it wasn’t your next hot prospect. But – you were. You were the next hot prospect – or so the caller hoped. You were the potential next customer. You were the next potential top producer.

And so was I, when the phone rang, just before 9:00 this morning.

And so, you may be wondering how I answered the call.

I smiled before I spoke. Because – again, I had no way of knowing how this call might affect my life. I wanted to be prepared for it to affect my life in the best possible way! Plus, it’s always good to put a smile on your face before answering the phone – your smile shows in your voice.

I said, “Hello!” The caller gave me her well-practiced scripted question. I smiled and answered, “You are right! I have indeed been interested in earning extra money from home for a long time – and I’m glad to report that I’ve found a business that I’ve committed to, and am now concentrating on. I’ve decided to concentrate solely on that – so I will not be considering any other opportunities! But, I wish you the best of luck in your work!”

And it was true. Every word of it. I hope it gave the caller the strength and confidence to make the next call.

And I hope this little case-study has given you, dear reader and fellow entrepreneur, some food for thought as well. Because, one way or another – we are all hoping that the next prospects we call or run into will join our opportunity or buy our product. We are all hoping that the next people we speak with will treat us with respect, accept our invitation to our next home presentation, and have a smile in their voice when we make that call.

Your Mindset and Thoughts: The Most Powerful Tool You Have in Internet Marketing

Here is the copy of an article I just submitted to an eZine - hopefully you will find it helpful!

Ok. So you have bought into an internet marketing program. You did your homework, and found a product that you really would like to sell, because you enjoy using it – or would like to use it – yourself.

You went ahead and jumped right in. You bought the whole program, and you also bought into an automated marketing system. You feel great about this! The system you bought is the perfect vehicle for getting potential customers to your site!

So… You straighten out your folders, neaten your desk, sharpen your pencils, and then you… You what? What do you do?

Hmmm. Perhaps you log in to your site – maybe it’s an affiliate program back office where there are lots of links to training tips. Perhaps you start searching the internet to see who else is marketing your product, and to see how they’re doing it. Your mind begins buzzing with confusion.

Perhaps you see a bunch of people out there all of a sudden, and it seems like everyone is marketing – gulp – the same program. “Oh no!” you may wonder. “How can I compete with them?”

A chill runs through you. What do you do now? Your thoughts go from excitement to fear to doubt…

Ok. This is where your mindset comes into play.

The first thing you do is take a deep breath, and let it out – and while you are letting it out, you say to yourself, “Well, of course there are other people using this system! Of course other people are marketing this product! If they weren’t, there would be no demand for it! If there wasn’t any competition, I’d be in big trouble, because that would me no one wants the product. Boy, am I glad I have a product people want!”

Do you get it? First of all, to put the fear of competition to rest, understand that competition is important! When you market your product, you are not going to use the exact same words in your advertising as everyone else does! You are not going to have the exact same ideas for ezine articles or press releases that others do!

You will have your own moments of inspiration. You will have your own ideas for what might be a good advertisement. You will have your own story to tell. But – not if you keep harboring fear and doubt.

The important thing here is to have your mindset right. Here are some quick tips (and believe me, if you ever have browsed through the “Self Help” section of a bookstore, you’ll notice that there is no shortage of material on this subject! – so, when I say “quick tips,” I mean it! Take these as starting points!). And please remember – we are only concentrating on mindset and thoughts in this article.

We’re going to concentrate on getting your THINKING straight.

In a nutshell, this is the age old wisdom repeated in volume after volume of self-help works: “What you THINK about, you BRING about.”

Ever heard that? It’s in the Bible, quoted by the famed James Allen in his landmark book “As A Man Thinketh,” and many, many others. If you’ve ever heard of the movie “The Secret,” this is one of the main topics. If you have ever heard of the universal law of attraction, this is one of the primary points.

Your thoughts determine your ultimate outcomes. Have you ever heard people say that they want something, but their voices say otherwise. They may say, “Oh, yes! I just know I really want to succeed,” but their faces are saying, “Yeah, right. It’ll never happen to me.”

Don’t laugh! Have you ever caught yourself in that negative thought habit? Thinking things such as: “If I’m lucky…” “Well, we’ll see what happens…” “I’d better not get my hopes up too high…” – stuff like that?

Well… STOP IT! Decide to release or surrender any negative thought habit you have RIGHT NOW. You must if you are going to master your thoughts and mind – rather than have THEM master YOU.

“Kath, that’s not so easy,” you may be saying. Perhaps not on your first go around. But, once you get into the habit of correcting and releasing your self-limiting thoughts, and replace them with “can do” thoughts, it’ll get easier.

But, to begin with, you need the right thoughts to think - to replace the negative self-limiting thoughts with, right? Of course! So, this is where you take your goals and intentions, and put them into words of abundance so that you can begin to feed your mind with positive self-fulfilling thoughts (Note: The topic of proper wording for goals and goal-setting will be covered in a different article.).

Let’s say you have a goal to earn $1,000 extra this month. Instead of saying to yourself, “Oh, I sure would like to have $1,000 extra this month,” picture yourself looking at $1,000 deposit in your checkbook, $1,000 added to your balance column – and think, “Oh, it sure is nice having this $1,000 extra this month!” (Another Note: You need to FEEL it, too – and yes, there is a lot of literature out there on this, as well.)

Picture having the $1,000 – instead of wanting the $1,000. The mind doesn’t play favorites – if it sees you wanting, then wanting - or the feeling of wanting – is what you will continue to have. Do you really want to want it? Or do you prefer to have it?

You see, all things you can perceive with your 5 senses that are man-made began with a thought. For example, a table or a chair didn’t just appear one day out of thin air.

Someone, somewhere along the way had to have had a thought about a structure or tool that would somehow make life a little more comfortable. The thoughts might have been of a more comfortable posture, perhaps a more comfortable feeling while eating. Maybe sitting on a rock gave them the idea of a more comfortable feeling. The thoughts probably were not about “wishing” to be more comfortable. They probably thought about the postures that made them more comfortable, and opened their minds until the inspiration came to help them develop the tools. Again, this is just a simple example. But, again, primitive man’s thoughts were probably fairly simple too.

Which brings me to the next point – While you are training your mind to think in terms of your present state of abundance as a result of your business success (Again, think in the present – not the past or future.

Think in terms of “having,” not “wanting.” Think and picture having your goals right now. Practice!), don’t cram your thoughts with worry about how you are going to achieve your goals. You could not even possibly begin to imagine the multitude of ways you might find to achieve your goals. Remain completely open minded to what is out there. Help, guidance, intuition, etc., may come from a place you least expect it.

This is not “fluff.” It’s real. May I give you a true example of something that just happened to us? I’ll make it very short. We had a small property to sell, and were told over and over that we’d have a tough time in “this poor economy,” (by the way, another limiting thought), and in “this area, where nothing is selling!”

We chose to ignore such things, and we pushed on. While working on the house, and engaging a realtor to sell it, what kept going through our minds was this: “This is the perfect little house for someone who really is looking for an easy-to-heat, easy-to-maintain place here…This house is great for someone who wants a place in move-in condition…” etc. When I tell you that we had an offer within 1 week of the house being on the market, I am not exaggerating. Furthermore, the person who bought it was born on that very street – 4 doors up – and had been wanting to come back to that town for years.

You see, we absolutely refused to listen to nay-sayers. We had the idea and thought that this was going to work out. We never wavered on our faith that this was the perfect house for someone, and that the perfect someone would appear to purchase it. We completely released and surrendered any thoughts as to where this person would come from - and the person came from two states away! There is no way we could have even remotely imagined this buyer. We handed him the keys to the house today (as I write this article).

And that is just ONE example. There are many others. Don’t you want to have your own examples to tell others?

So, this is how important your thoughts are. Replace any fears about your marketing efforts by thinking about all the great things your product has to offer. Begin picturing people finding your website, and purchasing your product. Begin picturing the emails as they come in, informing you that you have an order! Begin seeing your checkbook balance grow. And – as you do so, keep your mind open to the possibilities as they come to you with regard to the actions you will take. And remember to not try to second-guess how or where or when these customers and prospects are going to come to you.

Embrace your competition. Look at what they are doing with an objective eye – one that is not fearful, but is curious. Hmm. What are they doing? Is there something that strikes you as an interesting method they are using? Use your competition as a learning tool. Be glad for competition, because it means your product or opportunity is in demand.

Once you get your mindset and thoughts working WITH you, with YOU mastering your mind and thoughts, instead of being mastered by them, you will soon find that you are ablaze with ideas and energy to help you get to your goals more quickly.

Remember to stick with it! Again, you may not have any idea where, who, how, or when your customer is coming – just keep those thoughts of abundance going. Keep your mind open. Keep the faith. And, while you are releasing all your previously limiting thoughts and replacing them with positive ones, keep working towards your goals with the knowledge you have, knowing full well that the knowledge you need will be revealed. Because you now have success on your side!

Finding Legitimate Home Based Businesses

I have been receiving a lot of emails and ads lately from people who know that I have some history in network marketing and home based business in general. I guess up here in New Hampshire, where the area boasts beautiful scenery - but not a whole lot of diversity in employment options - a lot of us are attracted to the idea of working at home.

Naturally, when someone gets involved with a network marketing group (aka MLM), the phones begin ringing while new representatives call up the top 10 people on their list (MLM folks, you know what I'm talking about!) :) and give invitations to their various home meetings.

I cannot tell you how many of these meetings I have been invited to - and how many times I have personally invited people to my own meetings. There is nothing wrong with this - many fortunes have been made in this way!

If I do not join a particular organization, it's not necessarily that I'm not interested in selling the product itself - in my case, it's just that I do not want to have to contacta network of people I know. I think I'm pretty much done with that method of marketing (I don't have a very thick skin for rejection).

But, because I do love selling, my own preference is to market via the internet.

Ah. Usually, when I'm having this discussion with someone about internet marketing, I get this question, "But Kathy, aren't there a log of internet scams out there?"

My answer is: "I don't know. I don't look for internet scams. I look for legitimate products, legitimate companies, and legitimate home based businesses." Kind of using the Law of Attraction... If I were thinking about being scammed, I'd probably find all sorts of ways to be scammed. Personally, I find lots of terrific products, and equally terrific companies.

As an aside: Because I enjoy copywriting, I do tend to look at my daily direct mail pieces I receive here at home (aka "Junk Mail"). And, because I do look fairly carefully at this stuff to see how other writers are promoting products and opportunities, I have to say that the ONLY time I have personally seen MLM or Network Marketing organizations that are scams or untrustworthy are some of the "Get Rich Quick" schemes, chain letters or astrology reports (from psychics who tell me that they are sincerely alarmed about what is about to happen to me - and that they can help me, but only if I respond to their offer) I've received via Direct Mail.

Most of the programs I've been involved with or invited to view are all high class, first rate programs with excellent products. It's just that a lot of them don't resonate with me on a gut level.

As an example, I love candles in my home - but I'm not interested in selling them. The same goes for jewelry. I just don't really care about it.

Now we can talk about selling things via Internet Marketing though! I love internet marketing. Again, I prefer to see the positive, real products and opportunities - and not spend my time looking for scams.

So, how can a person find a great internet marketing opportunity? Well, for starters - ignore all your spam emails. If you don't know the person writing to you, or it's just an advertisement for the latest "get rich quick" scam - just delete it. Don't spend any of your time or energy on it. None.

When you are searching for a product, check out the scam or ripoff websites to see who is saying what about a product or company (keep in mind that there will always be people who are merely complaining - ignore them. Go for the well-balanced, well-thought-out responses.

Check out the Better Business Bureau Online - and again, keep in mind that no one is perfect. Even the best business opportunity or product will have someone who is a detractor or has a complaint. Hey, it's a big world out there, and lots of people having lots of reactions to things. So, look for balance. If it seems like there is a heavy leaning towards problems with a company, and not a good enough rating, then keep on searching.

That's good for starters... I'll write again on this topic, because there is a lot to say! Suffice it to say that doing your due diligence BEFORE you join an opportunity is the prevention that is the best medicine!

What's In YOUR Self-Development Library?

I belong to a number of entrepreneurial and self-growth communities, and I'm always interested in hearing about what people are reading and learning from. What inspires them?

I started thinking about my own journey on the spiritual and entrepreneurial path, and noticed a trend in the types of books I was attracted to. I thought I'd share them with you now. If you are a person attracted to spiritual matters, home based business, self-development, the Law of Attraction, Quantum Physics, then some of these might sound familiar!

My all time favorite - probably because this book REALLY started me on "the path" is Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of the enlightened organization, Self Realization Fellowship (SRF). I continue to bow to this amazing guru, and learn something new every time I pick up the book (or anything else that comes from SRF).

Other favorites on my shelf include:
The Sedona Method, by Hale Dwoskin
Creating Affluence, by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Quantum Healing, by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Think & Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill
The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Master Key System, by Charles F. Haanel
Mystic Christianity, By Yogi Ramacharaka (a pen name of William Walker Atkinson, a leader in the "New Thought Movement" of the early 1900's)
Money Freedom, by Patricia Remele
The Unmistakable Touch of Grace, by Cheryl Richardson
The Science of Getting Rich, by Wallace Wattles
Ask and It Is Given - Learning to Manifest Your Desires, by Esther and Jerry Hicks (The Teachings of Abraham)
A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, by Eckhart Tolle

As I look at this list of books (oh, there are many more!), it occurs to me that the reader may come away with the impression that all I care about is money since so many of these titles deal with financial gain.

But, while monetary gain IS important in this world (after all, how can I GIVE if I don't have something to give to begin with!?), I have come to understand that everything is interconnected - that there is no separation between anything.

And all of these titles - while there may be a reference to material wealth in the title - delve far, far deeper than the superficial "want for money."

When I talk about home based business (especially internet based business and marketing), my thoughts and excitement are not just about what's in it for me, but what's in it for others, as well. The more, the merrier!

What's got me so excited about home based business (especially Network Marketing - aka MLM)? In case you have missed my other entries, it's the fact that we are finally aligned with a business that's based on truth, integrity and value. Learn more here: http://www.truthtowealthonline.com/ or here: http://www.PresentingGRN.com

So what DOES one do with an English degree?

I was just looking over my profile, and I chuckled at the part where I mention receiving a B.A. in English. Really... What WAS I thinking?

Actually, what I was NOT thinking was "Internet Marketing," or "Home Based Business." No. I think I had "Writer for National Geographic" on my mind - but since I feel out of place in Corporate America, I guess I'm glad it didn't go that way.

But, once - while working as a helo scheduler on the Ice (see my profile about Antarctica) I had the distinct pleasure of being on a helo trip with an absolutely brilliant National Geographic photographer (I think George Mobley is the name...), and watching him work really was an honor.

When I was about 7 years old, my dad asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told him, "Either a fairy princess or a writer." He then wisely suggested that being a writer might be the way to go.

But who knew, in the late 1970's, what a writer would be doing in the 2000's? A short journey in the land of the freelance magazine writer proved quickly to pay about $2.00 per hour. That was my first foray into the world of "home based business." Surely, I was good and stuck if something didn't happen.

I almost gave up. I nearly bought into the idea that I just needed a "good job." Oh... the shudder of it all...

I played around with a variety of early models of home based businesses such as mail order. Once, my first husband and I tried an early model of network marketing. I think, if I could locate the bottles of the fiber wafers we stocked up on, they would probably be pretty moldy now - but the guy who introduced us to the concept was pretty successful. He drove a new Chrysler that his commissions paid for. Considering the fact that we drove around in a '72 Duster, that Chrysler looked pretty good.

I think that very short experience set the stage though. I have ALWAYS loved the concept of network marketing or direct selling as a home based business. Of course I never succeeded in those early years - but I never forgot about it (thank goodness!)!

Fast forward to the world of the Internet. It was on the Internet that I learned about the skill of copywriting (aka advertising writing). I love it! I have finally found a use for my writing skills. I now use them to create all the text on web pages on my Portable Garages website, http://www.portablegaragesandshelters.com/.

As far as my GRN business landing pages (http://www.truthtowealthonline.com/ and http://www.PresentingGRN.com hint... hint... hint) I have to hand the kudos for the development and writing of them to others! I've had a lot of people comment on the retail page (to sell vacation memberships to people who are not interested in the business opportunity end of things) - and while I wish I could take the credit for it, I cannot! Again, the great work of other copywriters: http://www.FineResortVacations.com

I use my skills when creating ads, running pay per click campaigns, doing internet research... and all sorts of things! I used help others develop resumes and cover letters - but I don't do much of that anymore. It's far too tempting for me to tell clients to forget about a 9-5 job and go for a home based business - preferrably an internet based marketing business - instead.

Anyway, to any of you aspiring writers or English majors out there - don't lose hope! While teaching is a grand and necessary occupation - it's certainly not the only one! Get some copywriting classes under your belt, join with a good home based business opportunity (pick me! pick me!), and broaden those horizons!

Truth & Integrity in my Home Business - Why Write About It?

Me? A "blogger?" A friend said, "Why not? After all, you like to write - and you can type fast."

Well. This is only half-true. The true part is everything the friend said. The part that's not the half-true part is the "friend" part.

Actually the friend who said this was an imaginary friend - the one who lives in my hyperactive imagination and tells me all sorts of wonderful things about me when no one else will.

This is probably because I live in a very isolated part of the country and hardly ever interact with real people - but that's why I do business online! Where else can I get customers?

I digress... Perhaps we can chat more about that later.

But this helps me get straight to the point - which is Truth & Integrity in Business. The reason I'm really doing this.

I stopped working the "9 to 5" stint over a year ago. It just didn't resonate with me anymore. Probably because there was no money in it.

Every single J.O.B. (translate either "Just Over Broke" or "Jerked Outa Bed" - take your pick) I have had in the last 15 years started with:
1) Grant funds and
2) The hint of a glorious future ahead - uh... IF funding continued. Which it never did. Ever. And I suspect I'm not the only victim of this sad state of affairs.

So. All the stuff my guidance counselor in High School would have said if he had actually ever taken the time to speak with me (stuff like: "Go to college, and get a good job with a good company and good benefits - give them your best, and come time for retirement, you'll have a nice pension with nothing to worry about...") was the FIRST pack of lies I believed regarding business.

I've heard a LOT of lies in my life. Lies from kids, lies from an ex - and lies even from my imaginary friend who talked me into "just one more grant-funded job - because this one will be different."

But, I don't want to harp on lies. Being the positive and philisophical thinker that I think I am, I prefer to accentuate the positive, and talk about Truth and Integrity.

I actually practice truth and integrity in my home based businesses. That's why I named this blog the way I did.

I suppose if I ever become a real jerk, I can rename it. But, after all I've gone through to make it in business, and to build some business ventures that really do reflect truth, integrity, and value - I sincerely doubt that I'll turn to the dark side.

If you happen to be someone who wonders, "Gee, How can I also become a person who operates a home business based on Truth, Integrity, and Value?" I invite you visit my sites and explore a great opportunity with a terrific stand-alone product - and I invite you to get in touch with me to get your questions answered. The company has integrity. The product has value. We operate from Truth. A winner!

This is a blatant advertisement - I want you to visit my sites. I want you to examine the membership. I also want you to know that there is a growing population in the home business industry who are awakening to a higher consciousness - and our lives are amazing and peaceful.

Start here: http://www.truthtowealthonline.com/ - or, here: http://www.PresentingGRN.com - and check the retail site here: http://www.FineResortVacations.com It's fun!

If you happen to be in the market for a nice portable garage, greenhouse, motorcycle shelter or party tent, visit one of my other sites - where you will see how I put my money where my mouth is: http://www.portablegaragesandshelters.com/

Well. That oughta do it for now!