Small business

‘Tis the Season to be Cranky?

December 22, 2010 By Lisa Leave a Comment

Almost every blog post on Working Naked has something to do with improving the way you work from home, growing your business or making your business run more smoothly. Today’s post isn’t so much about running your business as it is about dealing with others who run a business.

Yesterday I picked up a gift I’d ordered from one of my favorite stationery stores. I looked at the order to make sure my friend’s name was spelled right and told the owner of the store how much I liked the gift. She thanked me several times for being nice to her.

Was she serious? I didn’t give her a standing ovation, a high five or even a pat [Read more...]

Filed Under: Working at home, Working with clients Tagged With: holiday season, Small business, working with others

How Are You Protecting Your Small Business?

December 16, 2010 By Lisa Leave a Comment

Guest post by DeAnn Flores Chase

As a small business lawyer, I work with entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals on a daily basis. For new business owners, I advise that an entity be formed from the start. For existing business owners, I advise that an entity be formed as soon as possible. Business owners have several business entities to choose from, including corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs). In my opinion, it is critical that a business owner choose one, and not do business as a solo proprietor or partnership.

A properly formed and maintained business entity, such as a corporation or LLC, can provide the following benefits: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Making money from home Tagged With: creating an LLC, DeAnn Flores Chase, incorporating a business, Small business, small business entities, working from home

There’s Always Room for a Home Office

December 6, 2010 By Lisa

Some people tell me that they don’t have space in their home for a home office. But no matter what size home you have, there’s always room for a home office.

Filed Under: Making money from home, Working at home Tagged With: Home office, Home Office Tips, Small business, working from home

How a $5 Gig Can Lead to More Business

November 24, 2010 By Lisa

A few days ago I needed someone to handle a small graphic design project with a quick turnaround. My business coach (you’ll learn more about him in a future post) suggested I find someone on Fiverr. I clicked on the site and found people with talents I didn’t know existed.

The services (actually gigs) on the site range from creating music for your next video, to getting advice on how to get your story or event covered in the local news, to creating a blog. Then there’s a guy who will post a sign on his “badass motorcycle” and take a picture, a guy who will call someone and take the blame for you and another person who will mail your pet a Christmas card. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Making money from home, Working at home, Working with clients Tagged With: Fiverr.com, Home office, Small business, working from home

How Will Your Next Idea Help You Make Money?

November 22, 2010 By Lisa

A good friend of mine has been annoying me for months. Whenever I throw out a new idea for my business, he asks me how it’s going to help me make money. Aaargh!

After a recent phone call, when I was about to delete his phone number from my cell phone, I realized he was right. I’ve been more concerned about how much I’ll enjoy following through with a new idea, than considering how the idea can improve my bottom line.

Thinking of an idea is one thing, while actually implementing it is another. Now when I think of a new aspect of my business that I want to pursue, I put the idea through a short series of questions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Making money from home Tagged With: FileZilla, Home Office Tips, Small business, Turning ideas into profit, working from home, YouTube

You Don’t Have to be Embarrassed to Work From Home

November 8, 2010 By Lisa

While I was traveling cross-country to work with a client on her home office, I spoke to the person sitting next to me. He told me about his business and I asked him whether he worked from home.

He seemed flustered and didn’t give me a direct answer. Then he admitted he works from home. I could tell that he was embarrassed to be home-based.

Sure, there are a few reasons why you could be embarrassed about working from home, but there are several reasons why you shouldn’t.

First, why you could be embarrassed: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Making money from home Tagged With: Home Office Tips, Small business, working from home

How to Make Working From Home More Interesting

October 22, 2010 By Lisa

I love working from home. My no-commute arrangement gives me the freedom to work whenever I want. But sometimes all that freedom can be incredibly boring. Sure, social media can adds a little spice to each day, but there have to be other ways to make working from home more interesting.

Wendy Sullivan, freelance writer and blogger, takes a more creative approach to beating boredom by celebrating Topless Wednesday and No Pants Friday. (She takes Working Naked to a whole new level!) Her not-so-G-rated approach to working from home inspired me to find out what other home office pros do to fight home office boredom.

– Music. I max out my free 40 hours of Pandora within the first week of the month.
- Twitter. Lame, but it does make you feel somewhat like you’re talking to people.
- Hula hooping. I have a client who teaches hula hoop classes. It’s so much fun, so from time to time I hula hoop in the middle of the day.

—Sarah Early, dodeline design [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office design, Making money from home, Time mgmt./Productivity, Working at home Tagged With: fighting home office boredom, Pandora, Small business, Twitter, working from home

What Are You Doing to Invest in Yourself?

October 21, 2010 By Lisa

Most of us who own a small business invest countless hours and money in our business. We may spend more time on a project than we originally thought it would take — I know I do — but when it’s your own business, the extra time you invest in a project, usually pays off in the long run.

While you’re busy investing in your business, what are you doing to invest in yourself? There are a few ways to build your personal stock.

Take classes. Whether you go back to school to earn a professional degree or take a few classes to sharpen your skills, the time and money you invest in school should pay off. You can offer more services and maybe even raise your rates.

Virtually attend Webinars. If your schedule and budget are tight, enroll in free Webinars that you can take day or night.

Create a space where you want to work. If you dread walking into your home office every [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office design, Home office organizing, Home office setup, Time mgmt./Productivity, Working at home Tagged With: Home Office Tips, Invest in yourself, Small business, working from home

Tips and Tricks for Your Next Business Trip

October 6, 2010 By Lisa

Last week I traveled to four cities in six days to give seminars to entrepreneurs and home-based corporate employees. The people I met during my sessions were sharp, savvy about business and eager to share the challenges they face while working from home.

Sure, I hear from home office folks through this blog and e-mail, but there’s nothing better than being face-to-face with others who, like me, don’t have to face a daily commute.

While I was on the way home from my last seminar, I thought about what I had done to make my trip go a little smoother. Consider the following tips the next time you’re out of town for business or for pleasure. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Making money from home, Time mgmt./Productivity Tagged With: Entrepreneurs, Small business, staying organized while traveling

Organizing a Home Office Can Take More Space Than Time

September 29, 2010 By Lisa

A good friend of mine who could be the poster mom for organization, called me last week to tell me that she couldn’t get her office under control.

I couldn’t believe it. She’s always been organized to the point of making a few of her friends mad because they can’t keep up with her.

This is someone who’s always on time, never misses a deadline and doesn’t do projects halfway. She’s even a borderline perfectionist.

After talking with her, I figured out why her home office had gone from straightened out to stressed out and gave her a few suggestions. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balancing home/office Life, Home office design, Home office organizing, Home office setup, Making money from home, Time mgmt./Productivity Tagged With: Home office organizing, Home Office Tips, Small business, working from home