Hello all I just wanted to say what a privilege it has been to blog here at Home Biz Notes with Mary Emma Allen, my co-blogger. It has been a wonderful journey. The b5 Business Channel team are a fabulous team. Some of my b5 colleagues have now become great friends. I have loved interacting with you, our readers. Thanks to all who visit Home Biz Notes to read, comment or interact. Thanks also to all the writers and home business owners who have written guest posts and have become honorary members of our team. I wish you all the very best in your Home Business ventures (and adventures). Grow Your Writing Business & The Writers Cafe If you’ve enjoyed my posts, you can also catch me at my personal blog, Grow Your Writing Business Weekends... [Read more]

We were keen to know more about you as Home Biz Notes readers so asked How long have you been in home business? POLL RESULTS Thinking about starting a home business 12% of all votes Less than 1 year in home business 12% of all votes 1-3 years in home business 6% of all votes 4 or more years in home business 71% of all votes It seems the majority of readers who took our poll, are old hands at home business. Some of them have also shared their insights in comments and guest posts. On the other hand, a significant percentage have been in home business less than 3 years. So it seems we have a broad cross section of readers at various stages of their home business development. We feel honored that you consider Home Biz... [Read more]

One of the perks of working at home is having your pets around. But what if you have a cat who like to dance on your keyboard? Or be within arm’s length for a scratch on the tummy? The clever folks at Refined Feline realize it’s the cat who’s boss and needs a special perch of its own to supervise your work. This is a pretty neat setup, and for dog lovers, this works for small dogs too. It’s well known that animals make good companions, especially in the home office if you’re working solo with no one else around. I know writers who read their work aloud to their pets when they want to see how something sounds out loud. They say pets are always willing to listen and make a good audience. If you’re a mad keen... [Read more]

I’d heard of Etsy, but only recently took time to start exploring. They bill themselves as “your place to buy and sell all things handmade.” Goods include quilts, jewelry, furniture, handbags and much more. The Power Of Competitions As Marketing Do you know what got me there? Yes, that’s right – a competition. Many Etsy sellers have been proactive in offering their wares as blog giveaways and competition prizes. What a great idea to get people exploring your site. These savvy craftspeople made sure that one of the stipulations for entering was to visit their site and choose their favorite item. I found once I was at the site, I kept exploring. I can see Etsy in my Christmas shopping future. They have a new customer... [Read more]

Dan Florio has some useful tips in his article on coffee shop laptop etiquette. It’s well worth reading. It’s an interesting look at using a coffee shop as a virtual office from the perspective of the staff and other customers. No one likes someone who hogs a table all day. Don’t you hate it when people talk loudly on mobiles in public places? Here are some other insights into playing nice in coffee shops whether you’re a regular or a visitor. The bottom line is it costs the owner money and he’s providing a service to all his customers, not just those who use wi-fi, so it has to be a win win for all concerned. Be fair with your use of the coffee shop owner’s bandwidth. Be aware of others (staff and customers)... [Read more]