<p>Small businesses are desirable because clients and customers can get to know the owners/managers, choose the business that provides the right products and services, and support their local economy.&nbsp;</p> <p>Values and priorities are in the foreground, creating trust and accessibility for customers. When a product or service is guaranteed, there is lower risk, which equals more sales.&nbsp;</p> <p>Working at home can help make your business shine in the dull, big-box business world, endearing you to folks who share common values, interests, and a desire to strengthen the economy, right here at home.</p> <p>Working at home is great for commuting as well as the "pajama factor" (staying in your pajamas just a little bit longer), but it's also great for the environment, your bank account, and your health.</p> <p>Even though many aspects of working at home require more discipline, additional desks and computers, and more organization, there are so many other great things that might not be on your radar.</p> <p>* Working at home reduces CO2 emissions by an enormous amount. Not only are you not commuting, but you're probably eating less processed food, from farther away, you're not having to buy new clothes, and you are probably spending less money in general.</p> <p>* If you would otherwise be renting an additional space, you're not using those extra utilities, office equipment, etc. You can be flexible with your space. If&nbsp; a local cafe that works better than a home office, you reduce the need for an extra space at all (but then increase the commute time).</p> <p>* You have more flexibility around family and friends. When you create your business for optimal online capability, you can do business any time of day, allowing yourself to make phone calls during business hours, but then doing the office work when you have more time after hours.</p> <p>* More and more folks are creating multiple streams of revenue and a home business might be just the extra income you're looking for.</p> <p>* Working for yourself is a different beast but you are free to examine just what EXACTLY is important to you: family, sustainability, flexibility, and reducing overhead are just a few things that may come to mind.</p> <p>Though you may be working with other people (clients, employees, contractors), a home environment is a lot nicer to work in. The lighting is better, the air quality is better, and the general atmosphere is usually more personal. All these factors increase productivity and overall health, which is plus when you have a small business.</p> <p>Being able to stay home when you are sick, while still making sure everything is running smoothly, is really helpful.</p> <p>It's also nice to work at home with regard to safety of your neighborhood. Knowing that you are home is a community bonus for for elderly neighbors, kids, and disabled folks who live on their own. Creating an environment where people care increases property value of homes, too.</p> <p>When you start a family and can't afford to be away from work for months at a time a home-based business can keep you connected without taking away from spending time with your new addition. If you have older kids who aren't in school yet, you can take turns with family members or your spouse so that someone is always with the child, without having to pay the high cost of outside child care.</p> <p>Even though some studies show that working for yourself takes more hours than working for someone else, you are able to fine-tune and tweak what isn't working much faster, creating a more efficient business overall. Doing that at home means you can create a small office, buy a laptop, have your phone calls forward when you're out of the house, set up your office virtually, backup virtually, and much more. You can make your business work exactly how you need it to and change it if it's not working for you.</p> <p>Working from home is now a very common way to work and there are magazines, books, websites, and social networks that can help you make the most of it.</p> 2009-01-05T19:50:44Z -13.0793 264 2718 true 12 23414 staying-close-to-home 4 2009-01-08T17:24:43Z 2009-01-08T17:24:43Z

As the economy shifts we have an opportunity to re-evaluate the most important aspects of small business. Working at home is a great way to address many different but integral aspects of successful business.

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