Many of us, with home businesses, must coordinate our family schedules and needs along with our business commitments.  Hope Clark, writer, editor and newsletter publisher, writes about meeting the deadlines of her writing business while family gather around her for the holidays.
As I read Hope’s Editor’s Piece of Mind, Ho-Ho-Ho,  in her current issue of FFW Small Markets, I related.  I, too, have had to write with family around for the past 13 years, in our multi-generational household.  I’ve even written at the computer with toddlers on my lap.
Hope does have some good suggestions about getting your work done and still enjoying …read more

In my previous post, I pondered on how to tie my enthusiasm for my one-room school heritage into my blog and my writing/speaking home business.  I listed various ways I could do this. 
Then it occurred to me…make a scrapbook, illustrated journal or CD about my heritage.  Then teach others how to do this with their school memories and provide scrapbooking kits.  These scrapbooks don’t have to be about a one-room school education.  These could include any school memories.
This also could expand upon my idea of providing kits for teaching scrapbooking in nursing homes.  In other words, Themed Scrapbooking.  The brainstorming could …read more

As I progressed with my 20 minutes per day organizational plan in my home and business, I discovered “art from the past,” when I did oil and water color paintings for sale (and fun), along with designing greeting cards and notepaper for shops and my own use. 
Since then I’ve illustrated some of my books and reproduced art on cards for myself.  However, this rediscovery of my designs has me thinking about adding art to my home business.  I’ve been analyzing at My Organized Biz whether this is practical, potentially profitable, and possible to organize into my schedule.
Sometimes an idea keeps nudging …read more

In a post at Small Business Boomers, Should You Pursue One or More Businesses, I wrote about small or home business owners being involved in a number of businesses, some at the same time and in other instances at different times in life.  I posed the questions whether this was a good idea, or should a business owner stick with the same business.
Shawn, one of my readers, gave this interesting input.
I think the answer to this question pretty much depends upon whether the businesses are in any way related or if they will end up pulling the business owner in too many …read more

As you’ve read in Home Businesses I’ve Pursued, I’ve been involved in a number of ventures over the years.  Would I have been better to have stayed with one or was I right in becoming involved in a number of them, some of which I operated simultaneously? 
Some people might say I’ve jumped around a lot and didn’t stick with one thing.  Others would realize that times change, the economy changes, our lives change, regulations change and markets change.
Changes in Technology
I can’t think of any that I could pursue just as I did when I started, especially any home business I …read more

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If you or your family entertain thoughts of writing…to write about your home business, to relate stories, or for pure fun, you might enjoy the series I’ve begun at One Book Two Book, Mary Emma’s Writing Tips. 
Although the weekly tips, prompts and activities are slated for young writers, they will work for anyone.  If you home school your children while working from home, you may find them of interest.
These activities will appear at One Book Two Book each Sunday. I also will suggest books and web sites where you can find help and inspiration, too.
I’ve written many articles and stories about …read more

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“Be polite and smile, girls,” my mom would caution my sister and me when we complained about a customer at her small country grocery store.  “Remember, the customer is always right.”
So we took heed, smiled and kept our voices calm.  Occasionally we bit our tongues…or at least it seemed so.
However, sometimes the customer isn’t always right and you have to make a decision…are the complaints justified?  Do you want this customer or don’t you?  Is there a diplomatic way to handle this?
Hope Clark wrote a thought provoking editorial, Watch That Knee Jerk for her Funds for Writers Small Markets. 
As a supplier of a product (stories), …read more

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I’ve been writing travel articles for years and once was editor of a regional travel publication.  Currently I write a travel column, Vagabond Traveler, for American Roads Travel Magazine.
I decided to expand upon this and write The “Green” Vagabond Traveler as a blog and see where it goes.  Although the blog features traveling and what I encounter in my travels, it also touches upon “green” as it affects various aspects of our lives.
Even though I sometimes feel “green” is concentrated on almost too much in our lives, our work, our travel, our recreation, our clothing, and interior decorating, it seems …read more

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Add Advertising, Affiliate Links, Your Own Information, Products, etc. (Part 5)
By Lindsay Buroker
(Lindsay left a comment on one of my posts here at Home Biz Notes. When I visited her blog, Writing for Your Wealth, I thought, “This information is great for online writers.” So I invited her to write a guest post.
Actually it has evolved into six parts because Lindsay has so much to share. Read the Introduction to this series
Also Part 1, Apply the Profit+Passion Principle to Choose a Niche
Part 2 , Write Content that Matters to Your Audience
Part 3, Build …read more

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Build a Community (Part 4)
By Lindsay Buroker
(Lindsay left a comment on one of my posts here at Home Biz Notes. When I visited her blog, Writing for Your Wealth, I thought, “This information is great for online writers.” So I invited her to write a guest post.
Actually it has evolved into six parts because Lindsay has so much to share. Read the Introduction to this series
Also Part 1, Apply the Profit+Passion Principle to Choose a Niche
Part 2 , Write Content that Matters to Your Audience
Part 3, Build Traffic to Your Blog with Incoming …read more