Product Description

You quit? That's it -- time to turn that American daydream into your day job. Home-Based Business For Dummies takes you from the hammer-and-nails of legally and financially establishing your business to putting that shingle on the door to your home office. With top-selling books and a radio show among them, the authors offer their years as career, consulting, and self-employment experts in this book.

When you're your own boss, a few of the new experiences you can expect are managing taxes, health insurance, and cash flow until revenues are generated. Home-Based Business For Dummies puts you ahead in each area. High on the list of high-tech and high-touch ways to launch your business are building a Web site and making the most of contacts and referrals. You can also benefit from these top tens: ten myths about the solo entrepreneur, ten ways to stay motivated, ten freewheeling freelancing tools, and more than ten dos and donts.

Maybe you walk poodles and then give them a perm. Maybe you're the kind that takes your massage table with you. Whatever you love, there's a way to make it your home business and keep it turning a profit.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #650593 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 359 pages

Review
"...full of encouragement and information to help you through all the stages of setting up your own home-based business." (www.sixtyplussurfers.co.uk, June 2005)

From the Back Cover
"All the information and advice you need … Don't stay home without it!" Cliff Ennico, host of PBS TV's Money Hunt

Packed with low-cost ways to harness the power of the Web

Get 25 cost-saving tips for setting up a home office

Become a successful entrepreneur in the comfort of your own home Setting up a business at home is the easiest, least expensive way to become an entrepreneur. But how do you get started? In this friendly guide, three home-business pros show you the way, from finding a great business opportunity and exploring e-commerce options to dealing with legal stuff, finances, and other nitty-gritty.

About the Author

Peter Economy (Pacific Beach, CA) is a business consultant and freelance business writer who is the coauthor of Managing For Dummies® and Better Business Meetings with Bob Nelson and the author of numerous books and articles on a wide variety of business topics. Peter combines his consulting and writing expertise with more than 15 years of management experience to provide his clients and readers with solid, hands-on information. He received his bachelor's degree in economics from Stanford University and is pursuing his MBA. Peter can be reached via e-mail at bizzwriter@alumni.stanford.org.

Paul and Sarah Edwards' career and self-employment books have sold over a million copies. Their weekly column is syndicated by the Los Angeles Times News Syndicate, and they write monthly columns for Entrepreneur's Home Office and Price Costco's Connection. They have been regular commentators, guests, and hosts on CNBC, HGTV, and Lifetime and appear frequently on radio and TV shows across the country. Since 1988, they have produced and co-hosted their hour-long show, Working From Home, on the Business News Network. Occasionally their show, broadcast from their Southern California home, is enriched by the barks of Billy, their toy Manchester terrier, and Blue, an Italian greyhound.;

Paul and Sarah Edwards' career and self-employment books have sold over a million copies. Their weekly column is syndicated by the Los Angeles Times News Syndicate, and they write monthly columns for Entrepreneur's Home Office and Price Costco's Connection. They have been regular commentators, guests, and hosts on CNBC, HGTV, and Lifetime and appear frequently on radio and TV shows across the country. Since 1988, they have produced and co-hosted their hour-long show, Working From Home, on the Business News Network. Occasionally their show, broadcast from their Southern California home, is enriched by the barks of Billy, their toy Manchester terrier, and Blue, an Italian greyhound.

Customer Reviews

Not bad for a beginner
If you're completely clueless to running your own home-based business, this is a great beginner (hence the title "for Dummies"). I found the book to work best when you already have an idea for your business. As with similar books, it's great to have a general idea of what type of business you'd like to pursue before reading the book; it will help you better shape your idea.

The book did spend a lot of time talking about how to deal with family problems, creating a quiet workspace, setting work hours and how to get through a project when you have no desire. While some people might find this beneficial, it read like "filler" to me.

All in all, though, it's worth checking out.

Be Your Own Boss!
I would classify this book as more of a general overview of all the important things you need to consider before actually starting your business. For particulars you will definitely want to contact a good business attorney and a good accountant. Not to mention, you'll need to interface a lot initially with your local city/state governments to get tax forms and your business license.

This book seems to work best if you already have an idea for your business. Granted , they do throw out a few ideas for things like medical billing and place an emphasis on what could be described as services geared towards either elderly folks, or dual income families who are too busy to deal with traditional family type things. If you already kind of know what you think you want to try, this book will primarily help you fine tune your thoughts, and bring them to reality.

The section on Managing Money is probably one of the best things anyone can read. Obviously, if you're in business, the goal is to make money. By understanding the basic accounting principles presented in Part II of the book, you'll be well on your way to managing your business money wisely.

For general knowledge, my favorite part of the book was Part V. Here you will find Top 10 lists that describe common myths and pitfalls, and even success producing ideas to help you on your journey as a home based business owner. If you have a family, you'll want to take note on the section about what I would call, "The good way to set up your office." Which means, keeping distractions from the spouse and kids to a minimum while you are working at home.

There is a section on marketing, but in lieu of just that section alone, I would definitely recommend "Guerilla Marketing" by Jay Conrad Levinson. It's a very dry read, but there are a lot of interesting and unique ideas for getting word out about your business with out spending much (if any) money. And when you're in business for yourself, the more advertising you can get for free, the better!

I really like the way the authors describe how to get in to the home based business. Meaning, the idea of working at your full-time job (which you may or may not like) while you test the waters with your own venture on the side. That's excellent advice because if your business idea doesn't take off, you're not stuck without any income. Plus you can stay under your current employer's medical plan (A HUGE money saver!)

Overall there is so much information in here, it will be hard to take it in all at once. Likewise, as I stated earlier, the most important thing to remember is make sure and check with a professional accountant and lawyer in your area before/as you get started so they can help walk you through the particulars in your area. Every city and state is different in terms of setting up a business when it comes to taxes and getting your license.

Bottom line is, if you are semi-seriously considering starting a home based business, do yourself a favor and pick up this book and read it through. You'll get some good advice and knowledge on what it takes to be your own boss. Of course the other thing you can do is, talk to other small business owners in your area. Take them to lunch and learn as much as you can from those who are successful small business owners.

Very impressed
I will launch my business in March 2005. I am very excited and nervous. Yet, believe it or not, this great book calmed me right down. It will be a wonderful reference that I go back to time and time again. I was one of the lucky ones that actually found this book BEFORE opening the business. It will save me from making some mistakes. Thanks!