The pros and cons of homework p1 - Military - Start Your Own Business - Military Times Edge

The best thing about working at home: Allen Alvarez gets to see his twins every day.

As a Marine sergeant, Alvarez disbursed payroll for Marines on travel. Today, as he awaits a medical discharge, he operates a Fetch! Pet Care franchise from his home in Boyds, Md. At first, he needed a home-based job to cope with the physical toll of chemotherapy. Now he wouldn’t give it up.

“My neighbors commute into the city, they are gone all day and they don’t get to see their families until late at night,” he said. “I get to spend time with my wife, and I get to help raising our children.”

Some 15 million U.S. businesses are being run from basements and kitchen tables, according to the Small Business Success Index, an ongoing measurement of the U.S. small business sector. They run the gamut from franchise operations like Fetch! to independent accounting and design businesses.

While the options may run broad and deep, so do the challenges, according to Diana Ennen, author of “So You Want to be a Work-at-Home Mom: A Christian's Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business.”

First, there are the distractions. “You really have to be motivated. You have to be the type of person who does not get easily sidetracked. The laundry is calling, your favorite show is on. You don’t want to fall into that,” she said.

On the flip side, there is the risk of burnout. When you are always at work, how do you know when to stop? “You do see a lot of workaholics when people work at home,” she said. “You absolutely have to set your boundaries. Don’t check e-mail after eight. A weekend is a weekend.”

Alvarez keeps things in balance by structuring his time. He is vigilant about keeping a planner, and makes sure to block out family time alongside his work commitments. “For me, the family comes first. That’s why I got into this business of having my own franchise in the first place.”

Space to work

The effort to start a home-based business requires much of the same planning that goes into any business venture. Is there demand for the product? Can you deliver profitably? How will you market the enterprise? But it also has a number of unique considerations.

To start, bathrobe entrepreneurs should check the zoning laws in their area. Some cities may restrict business operations in residential areas, or may put strict limits on traffic and parking, Ennen noted.

For Alvarez, as for many others, space was a primary concern. He happened to be looking for housing at the same time he was setting up his business, and he found a place with a finished basement he could use for phones and files. “As a business owner, you don’t want a client to call and hear babies crying in the background,” he said.

SCORE, a nonprofit business mentoring association, recommends renting a post office box to use on your promotional mail and stationary, and installing a dedicated business phone line to present a professional front.

Before opening the doors, an entrepreneur will need to have handy the names of computer gurus, financial professionals and others who can help do the heavy lifting on specialized tasks.

“Otherwise it all falls on you,” Ennen said.

One of the perils of running a home-based business is the lack of an IT support line, she said. “When the computer breaks, you don’t just go down the hall and ask someone to fix it. You are the one who is responsible for getting it up and running.”

For all its challenges, the home-based lifestyle can be a real boon, especially to those coming out of uniform and looking to make up for the months they have had to spend away from loved ones.

“Because military people travel so often, a lot of times they may really value working from home, because of the time spent together with their families,” Ennen said.

Warning!

Those looking to start a home-based enterprise may find themselves the target of scams, most of which promise big rewards — rewards too good to be true.

The Federal Trade Commission warns of several schemes that promise home-based work in exchange for an investment in supplies or training. The would-be home entrepreneur may invest hundreds of dollars for equipment and supplies to do craftwork like sewing or sign-making, and then never get paid for the work. Another scam promises home-based work processing rebates. You pay for training, and the work never materializes.

Rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. For examples of common frauds, and what questions to ask to determine legitimate opportunities, visit http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv14.shtm.