--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAG00005 Date: 06/11/96 From: LARRY JOHNSON Time: 10:49pm \/To: ALL (Read 8 times) Subj: IRS As a soon to be home office entrepreneur, I would appreciate any qualified advice on what requirements / restrictions the IRS puts on home offices. Example, percentage of use? Shared use areas? What things are and are not deductible as business expenses? * Q-Blue 2.0 * --- * Origin: (1:324/127) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAG00006 Date: 06/10/96 From: MICHAEL BOWEN Time: 09:21pm \/To: LAURIE CAMPBELL (Read 8 times) Subj: SALUTATION/BUSINESS LTR -=> Quoting Laurie Campbell to Michael Bowen <=- LC> Obviously the only politically correct greeting is HEY YOU!! MB> The horses might not like that greeting (Hey is for horses). LC> I'm never going to win this. I'd better quit goofing around before Sue LC> gives me a greeting I don't like. LC> -!- Maximus 2.01wb LC> ! Origin: The Alano Club (604)739-1188 (1:153/840) At least it's on topic!!!!!! ... "What?!? This isn't the Files section?!?" --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: The FROG Pond * Rochester, NY USA! (1:2613/270.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAG00007 Date: 06/11/96 From: MARK RUHLAND Time: 08:33pm \/To: THOMAS HOWARD (Read 8 times) Subj: Your Own Home Business Hi Thomas!!! I know I'm *NOT* de moderator of dis here hangout... but dis aint da place for such a post.... SORRY SUE, If I stepped on yer toes:-( TTYL, Mark ... I'd rather have *.bats in my belfry then snow on the roof;-) ___ TagDude 0.90 [Unregistered] with 43 taglines. --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: THE FANTASY ALLEY BBS - PORTLAND, OR - FIDONET (1:105/78) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAH00000 Date: 06/12/96 From: SUE MATTHEWS Time: 11:06am \/To: THOMAS HOWARD (Read 8 times) Subj: Your Own Home Business > NO COST, AND NO RISK, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED? No, we're not interested... and your post is a violation of the echo rules. Don't repeat it. Regards, Sue Matthews Moderator --- InterMail 2.29c * Origin: Com-Dat II - Mail Node, Hillsboro OR, Hayes 28.8 (1:105/330) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAH00001 Date: 06/12/96 From: DAVE GARLAND Time: 03:35pm \/To: ALL (Read 8 times) Subj: Home Business Report for 6/96 HOME BUSINESS REPORT 6/96 Starting a Business Requires More than Just a Good Idea By Michelle J. Bloom Have you been wanting to start a business but feel overwhelmed at all the tasks ahead of you? Don't know where to begin? There are two things that we do in business: the business of doing business and the skill and/or passion, the work itself. The business side of doing business simply supports you being able to spend the majority of your time doing your actual work. Any tasks to starting or, for that matter, running a business, fall into one of four categories: emotional, developmental, administrative and legal. In this article, I will talk about the types of things you need to consider or do in the emotional and developmental categories. The emotional considerations are ongoing, though we know the transition from paycheck to entrepreneurship can be a scary as well as exciting place. The management of our emotions is integral to our business success. The key is to manage emotions such as feeling overwhelmed, fear and doubt so that they do not inform our decision making process. We want to make decisions from a proactive place, not reactive. Other emotions that can become blocks are financial concerns, success, getting support, rejection, security and feelings regarding money. There are many considerations in the developmental category. Locating and organizing office space is one. When thinking about space, consider the pros and cons of the home office or homebased business. The homebased business is like any other except that because of the location, there is low overhead. Most any service- type of business can be done from the home office. When considering this option keep in mind that it can be simply a transitional tool to get you started or you can choose it as a lifestyle. There are many of us who have no intention of leaving our home office and continue to grow our businesses all the same. Like anything, you just need the tools for balancing life and work. Research, research, research. Talk to the people who you think are your target audience, the people who are going to buy your services. What are their needs? What are the skills that you have that will meet their needs? Do some volunteer work in the field of your skill. Here is where you can get hands-on experience. See how things work and what what you do will look like. Don't underestimate this opportunity; very often, the work can turn into paid work and/or you can begin to make a name for yourself in the field. Once you have an idea of what you offer, start researching pricing. There are many formulas out there, but either way, you do need to know what your competitors are doing and how much their clients are willing to pay. Knowing how much you need to pay and what the market will bear will give you the average of what you can charge. In the November 1995 issue, I wrote about one formula for pricing; if you need this, please feel free to call me and I will send out a copy of the article. Otherwise, go to the James J. Hill business library. It is a great resource for business questions of all types. I would suggest taking a tour of the library and get to know some of the librarians; they have a tremendous wealth of knowledge. Consider your long and short term equipment needs as well as your company image and the support materials such as business cards, letterhead, envelopes and thank you notes. Be sure the materials match who you are and what you are doing. Make it unique enough while keeping it simple so that people will recognize your image. The last consideration on my developmental list is the business plan. The process of writing the business plan is what is so important. The business plan demands answers to questions that, if you have researched the answers, can be a guiding light for the future of your business success. By writing the business plan, you will begin to better understand things such as what it is you want to do; who your competitors are and how you differ from them; what you offer; and how you will reach your target audience. I would strongly urge you to go thru this process for yourself, even if you are not looking for money from a traditional source such as a bank or an investor. There are many, many books on writing the business plan. My April 1995 article talks about what a business plan is and how to write one. This list is by no means exhaustive so add other considerations as they come up for you in either of these categories. I will write about the other two categories, administrative and legal in the July article. Still, where do you begin? I would simply begin doing volunteer work for at least a couple of hours a week. This will get you into the thick of things right away. The important thing, however, is to do something. Anything. For an overview of starting a business in Minnesota, call the Minnesota Department of Trade & Economic Development for your free book, "A Guide to Starting a Business in Minnesota." Their phone number is (612)297.1291. -------- Michelle J. Bloom is founder of Creative Business Consulting, a small and homebased business consulting firm and resource center. You may contact her with your questions and comments at (612)722.2213 or by e-mail at michelle.j.bloom@wizinfo.com. -------- This article was first published (in a somewhat different form) in SOUTHSIDE PRIDE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The HOME BUSINESS REPORT is published online by WizInfo CBCS Minneapolis Serving small/home-based business and the Minnesota film industry. 612-721-8859 FidoNet 1:282/2022 AmberNet 105:612/1 Available for freq as BLOOMnyy.TXT (n=month 1..9,a..c, yy=year). Past years ('94, '95) available for freq as BLOOMyy.ZIP. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Maximus 3.01 * Origin: WizInfo CBCS Minneapolis 612.721.8859 (1:282/2022) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAH00002 Date: 06/11/96 From: GRAHAM PEARSON Time: 04:26pm \/To: DARYL BORTH (Read 8 times) Subj: Graphic Programs Hello DARYL! Sunday June 09 1996 13:51, DARYL BORTH wrote to ALL: > I am trying to start a business in desktop publishing, and I need ictures > and programs that can make business cards, menus, resumes, Invoices, > greeting cards, etc. If anyone know some good programs, please tell me!! The best thing for pictures is get a CD of Clipart. I have some, and use my own Word Processor (MS Word) to do the layouts Graham Pearson, System Operator Fifth Dimention above Heaven Inet: gpearson@uranus.esc.k12.in.us BBS Web Site: Http://niesc.k12.in.us/masa/5thdimention Fidonet Netmail: 1:2285/60 ... You have mistaken me for someone who gives a damn --- GoldED/386 2.50 UNREG * Origin: Fifth Dimention above Heaven * Wakarusa,IN *219-862-1005 (1:2285/60) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAH00003 Date: 06/06/96 From: ED DAVIS Time: 07:25am \/To: DAVID DICKSON (Read 8 times) Subj: Line Sharing Device > Thanks for the reply Ed, this is exactly the kind of information > I was looking for. I am going to check out the distinctive ring > service today. Glad I could help. --- * Origin: Nothing in fine print is ever good news. - Andy Rooney 1:261/1002) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 184 HOME OFFICE Ref: DAH00004 Date: 06/11/96 From: GARY HARDIN Time: 09:20pm \/To: RT POLLOCK (Read 8 times) Subj: SALUTATION/BUSINESS Ltr CAPTAIN'S LOG (04 Jun 96): Rt Pollock Opened a Channel to Gary Hardin PR> Gentlepersons? LC> I like it! Of course the animal rights folk might complain LC> that we're being discriminatory, so how about "Gentlebeings" ? GH> I don't know, I kinda like "YO, BUBBA" myself! RP> YO ! Now there's a salutation I can live with ! "YO ! SUGAR !" would RP> appear to be "it" for the "fairer side"...... Then again, that may RP> be too sexist but it sure sounds better than "Dear Madam/Ms" ! I studied at the FoxWorthy Academy of Business and Mobile Home Park! ... ... Smith & Wesson: The original point-and-click interface. --- PPoint 2.00 * Origin: SGA Media Service "On the WEB!" (1:30333/9)