Visit the Shaks

Yahoo recently posted an interesting list: The happiest jobs in America. According to Yahoo, the top 10 jobs belonging to the happiest people are:

10. Airline pilots/navigators
9. Industrial engineers
8. Mechanical and repair
7. Science technicians
6. Actors and directors
5. Special education teachers
4. Architects
3. Travel agents
2. Firefighters

And the #1 happiest occupation is CLERGY.

As you might guess, for most of these jobs, compensation isn't the main factor in determining contentment. And I thought of that in terms of my freelance writing. I could make a lot more money with my home business, but then I wouldn't have as much time with my son. And that sort of defeats the purpose of working from home.

Do you like your job?

Many people in home business like to gift holiday gifts to clients. It can get expensive, but there are ways, in these times of economic and financial uncertainty, to create thoughtful, simple gifts on your own. Get Rich Slowly offered 34 ideas for do it yourself holiday gifts, and here are the few that I think are especially appropriate for a home business:

1. Homemade truffles.
2. Made from scratch cookie kits (I did this last year for neighbors).
3. Gift basket.
4. Homemade hand warmer, scarf and/or hat.
5. Personalized calendars.
6. Stationary sets.
7. Teacup candles.
8. Handmade cards.

Do you have any ideas for holiday gifts from your home business?

One of the things that many home business owners overlook is the need for business insurance. Many with a home business mistakenly believe that their homeowners insurance will suffice. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as many policies are not designed to protect the home business. You might be unpleasantly surprised should something happen.

Home Biz Notes points out that you should consider these types of business insurance for your home business, depending on your needs and the size and scope of your operation:

* Property coverage.
* Liability coverage.
* Business interruption.

You might want to consult with a professional about what you should do to make sure that your home business is adequately protected.

On this Veterans' Day, it is appropriate to a take few minutes and consider the great things the men and women of the Armed Forces have done for us. Veterans have protected us and our freedoms, and all too often they do not get proper recognition and thanks. This can be especially true for disabled veterans.

Franchise business opportunity for veterans

One of the great programs that has been brought to my attention recently is franchise program offered by Little Caesar's Pizza. The program is designed to help veterans -- especially disabled veterans -- start their own businesses. The Department of Labor reports that only 82 percent of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan with disabilities are seeking jobs or have jobs. This is compared with the 91 percent of veterans without a disability.

In this time of economic trouble, it is good to know that there are programs that can help veterans get back on their feet and make the often-difficult transition to civilian life. Here is what a press release says about the program:

The Little Caesars Veterans Program was created by Mike [Ilitch] to thank military men and women for their patriotism and the sacrifices they and their families have made for our country. The program offers qualified honorably discharged, service-disabled veterans a substantial benefit of up to $68,000 and a $10,000 benefit for all honorably discharged non-service-disabled veterans towards the start-up costs of opening their own franchises.

So, thank a veteran this Veterans' Day. And consider doing what you can to help those that have given so much to help us.

One of the issues plaguing many right now, small business, home business or independent contractor, is the fact that hours are being cut, and another round of layoffs is on the way. This makes things increasingly difficult in terms of how much workers are expected to produce as this economic downturn continues.

And, unfortunately, they aren't getting paid for expected increases in productivity, reports MarketWatch:

Workers' real compensation has fallen over the past year, suggesting that workers were not able to demand greater wages to offset the higher prices they paid for energy and food. If employees don't get raises to match the increase in prices, the inflationary spiral is severed.

I am a self-employed freelance writer, but that doesn't mean I'm not seeing some of the effects. One of my regular clients has significantly cut back on the amount of work he has for me. Which means I am trying to make up for it elsewhere. And, I'm sure that home business and small business owners are scrambling to find ways to protect their employees AND the bottom line.

In this economic climate, however, I don't know how effective those efforts will be.

I love The Office. So, if you have 10 minutes to waste (and even if you don't) I hope that you enjoy these funny moments from Seasons three and four.

Happy Friday!

Now that Barack Obama has been elected the 44th president of the United States, the analysis has begun: What will change and what will stay the same? For my one-person freelance writing home business, not much is going to change. I don't make the $250,000 needed to initiate new taxes, and since I don't have employees, I won't be getting a very generous tax credit for insuring them.

But small business is a huge part of our economy, though, and I know that there will probably be some changes for many people. And of those things may be a small business rescue package Obama proposed in October, reports CNN Money:

Obama's new plan calls for the SBA's loan guarantee programs to temporarily eliminate the fees they charge lenders, and for the agency to increase the guarantees it offers to banks that lend to qualifying small companies. Additionally, he wants the SBA to expand its facility for directly lending money to small companies through its Disaster Loan Program.

This plan has largely been glossed over, but it does look like, for some with small business concerns, there is a measure of relief to look forward to.

When first starting out with a home business, it can be difficult to find everything that you need at an affordable price. One way you can expand your resources, suggests Kelly McCausey at WAHM 2.0, is to offer to barter.

That's right: You can exchange a product, service or knowledge for something that you need. McCausey points out that right now, common skills in demand include:

* Blog design.
* Wordpress customization.
* Writing.
* Graphic design.
* SEO

If you have these skills, you might be able to barter for something that you need, such as marketing help, or advertising space. A word of caution from McCausey, though:

Your level of skill and experience will correspond directly with the value of the resources you’re able to swap for.  When you’re new and inexperienced, you have to make your barter offer especially attractive.  This may mean that you give more than you get.

So think about what you can offer -- and then see if you can work a deal.

Yesterday, we had a look at some of the psychological advantages of having a separate home business workspace. But there are more than just psychological advantages. There are also very real financial advantages to keeping your home office separate from the rest of your home.

Financial advantages of a home office

When you have a separate home office, you have specific tax advantages. My home office is in its own room. Because of that, we can figure out how much each of the following can be deducted from our taxes:

* Portion of the mortgage payment.
* Portion of utilities.
* Depreciation for computer.
* Depreciation on the printer/fax
* Monthly Internet usage

It is important to note, however, that in order for you to take advantage of a separate home office space, you need to keep things strictly business. For example, half of my home office is taken up by storage. So I actually measure the 5 x 7 area that counts as my actually home office space (rather than the entire 10 x 14 room) and take that square footage as a percentage of the home.

Also, we bought my computer specifically for use in the home office. My husband doesn't use it for anything. He has his own laptop for his needs. Our Internet usage is determined by the fact that 85% of the time the Internet is used at home, it is for my business.

You can see how keeping business separate from home life, you can reap certain financial rewards.

You've probably heard plenty of times how important it is to have a separate home business workspace. And it is important. Indeed, Amy Fontinelle at Investopedia points out that there are two main category advantages to having a separate home business workspace:

1. Psychological
2. Financial

Psychological advantages of a home office

The psychological advantages of a home office that is clearly designated as such draws a clear line between your work life and your family/home life. Sometimes you have to know when to quit. When you have a home office, it is easier to leave that work behind. Sometimes I even shut the home office door so that I am not tempted to head back in and do more work.

Another psychological line is one that works on other people. My husband started taking my work from home job much more seriously once I had an office with my own computer. When we could point to a room, and I could outfit it as a home office, the whole thing seemed much more "real" to him. It also helps me with neighbors and relatives to have a place I can call my office.

Tomorrow we will look at the financial advantages of having a separate home business workspace.

On days like today, I am rather forcefully reminded that there are no sick days when you work from home. There are still deadlines to be met (especially at the end of the month) and decisions to be made. I love to work from home, but it would be nice to be able to take a sick day.

And, of course, every SAHM, WAHM and WOHM (and most dads, too) knows that there are no sick days for you when you have kids. So there's been homework to help with along with the fact that I've been fuzzy and distracted all day.

I'll get it all done. But it may take a while.

With social media and social networking finding an increasing place of prominence in the world of home business, people are starting to redefine their relationships. I mean, thanks to Facebook, I'm "friends" with people I've never met.

If you are looking to grow your home business network, though, it can help to know the difference between contacts and connections. Here is a definition of both from a posting on Sparkplug CEO:

She said that contacts are those people who you may have talked to or met once and you know each other but not well. A connection is a person who you have a mutual solid relationship (more so as a friendship) with and a person you can count on as a resource.

I like these definitions. They set up some relationship boundaries, and provide workable definitions that can help you in your social networking efforts. The goal is to turn contacts into connections who can be used as resources. And, of course, in the reciprocal world of social media, you are expected to act as a good connection as well.

One of the most concise descriptions of one of the main causes of the financial crisis can be found with this video. Of course, some factors are missing, but the video does a great job of describing the basics of corporate accounting and why we're in this mess. The smiley faces make it fun. :)

Happy Friday!

When it comes to marketing your business, social networking is rapidly becoming a must. And one of the common tools used now is Twitter. But sometimes things get a little heavy-handed on Twitter. In such cases of social media, blogging and marketing, ProBlogger almost always has relevant words of wisdom. Such is the case when it comes to affiliate marketing on Twitter. Here are 8 tips offered by Darren Rowse:

1. Be relevant.
2. Personalize.
3. Genuine recommendations.
4. Be conversational.
5. Indirectly link to affiliate products.
6. Be moderate.
7. Listen to followers.
8. Be useful.

I think #1 and #8 are especially applicable, as is moderation (#6) and being genuine (#3). If you are just trying to sell something, eventually (or not so eventually) people will figure it out and you will likely be shunned. And that does no one any good.

One of the most difficult things for those of us working from home is knowing when to quit. Most of us do not have traditional working hours. We just sort of do things when we can. And sometimes we get caught up and forget to stop working.

This is one of the curses of working from home: You can get just one more article done or put together just one more cute handbag to ship out from an order at your eBay store. In fact, there's always something to be done, and the fact that your work is also at your home means that it can be tempting to just do it.

But, like a more traditional job, sometimes it is important to just step back and assign yourself a "quitting time." Just because you work at home doesn't mean that you always have to be working.

"We're trying to develop this community that can get stuff done," Barry Krusch tells me. "It's real world business practice that can also advance the economy." Krusch is one of the founders of the Intelligent Community Initiative. The idea is to connect business people -- and small and home business people could benefit from this a great deal -- with others who can help them find the resources they need.

I really like the idea behind this initiative. It seems like a good way to get things moving right now, as well as provide valubable resources to people who otherwise would not have access to a certain level of expertise in a variety of areas. The Initiative could help you with market research, press releases, software analysis and more.

In an email, Krusch fleshes out some of the benefits of the Intelligent Community Initiative:

Through its Business Incubation and Facilitation Division, the ICI will provide
a network for businesses that are integral to (and support) the community. A
not insignificant benefit to this approach is that more tightly linked businesses
and individuals beholden to their bonds in the community require much less governmental
intervention. The ICI plan radically reduces the need for government regulations
that limit efficiency.

This is a fundamentally different approach to what we have today, enormous banks
using the government taxpayers’ funds at a time when the economy is already depressed.
If we stay married to this paradigm of screwup and bailout, we will become more
dependent on the government instead of more self-sufficient.

Krusch admits that the iniative isn't quite there yet: "We've got this blueprint, and there are people who are contributing and working to build it up."

But, if it's not there yet, I hope it will be. It certainly looks worthwhile.

What do you think? Is this something that would be useful to you?

One of the things irking many small and home business owners is the lack of attention that they get in presidential politics. NJ.com offers this on its blog:

"Small businesses are the lifeline of the economy," said Cynthia Nannen, who owns a gift shop called the Back Door in downtown Somerville. "And it wasn't until the last debate that small business was even mentioned in this campaign."

It is true that small and home business owners haven't been seeing a lot of play in this election (or any election for that matter). And neither candidate appears to be overly concerned by the really small business -- the businesses that have less than 100 people. Most of the time, a small business in the minds of candidates, is one that has less than 500 people, but more than 100 people. For many of us, the small business is a home business with just one person -- ourselves. That's true for me.

For these folks, then, it is important to look at individual tax policies, since in many cases what you make from your home business ends up being taxed as personal income. And, of course, it is time to make yourself heard and demand attention from politicians.

Another week, another SNL indictment of things related to the economy.

Happy Friday!

If you have a home business, you know how important it is to have a printer. And an all-in-one printer that can scan and fax as well is a definite bonus.

Over at Biz Chicks Rule, there is a contest for a brand new Epson all-in-one printer. Actually, there are two printers up for grabs. You have until Monday to head on over there and enter the contest.

Poverty is becoming a bigger issue by the minute. Billions of people around the world live in poverty, and the problem can seem overwhelming. But if everyone concentrated on a small patch of the world, eventually the individual efforts would add up.

And that means that your home business, no matter how small, can join the fight against poverty. Over at Responsible Marketing, there is a list of 25 things your business can do to fight poverty. There some things that even a home business can do. Here are some of my favorites from the list:

* Cook and distribute meals. You can work with a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. I know that my son's school has programs during the summer and holidays where you can help provide a meal for children who mainly only get good nuitrition while at school.

* Give to a charity. And encourage any employees you might have to donate as well.

* Have a donation program. You can donate some of your goods and services to charities. Additionally, it is possible to offer discounts to your clients who buy goods and services on behalf of others.

* Engage in microfinance. Not only does this help those in poverty, it can also help you create another revenue stream for your business.

* If you've been accumulating reward points, donate them. Many credit cards will allow you to donate your points to charity.

Can you think of ways for your home business to help fight poverty?

When engaging in home business blogging, it is important to have a plan for what sort of voice and style you will have. Additionally, you want to be able to exude a sense of authority with regard to your subject area, coming across as an expert. I really like some of the thoughts and tips on writing offered by Lenin over at Cute Writing:

* Develop a writing style.
* Know your audience.
* Do adequate research.
* Write what you know.
* Be diligent in your efforts.

I think these are essential items if you are looking to improve the quality of your home business blogging. Can you think of some other tips that can help improve your writing?

Last Thursday, I mentioned some of the benefits of exercising in your home office. Today I'd like to offer some tips for exercising while in your home office.

1. Take a break. Take a 10 minute break every couple of hours to do something active: walk up and down the stairs in your house, get up and do some jumping jacks, go through the sun salutation (yoga), play on the Wii with your kids. Find some activity that you can do. This will not only help you boost your metabolism, but it will also get your blood flowing and help out with the problems that can come with prolonged sitting.

2. Start your day with exercise. Get up 15 - 20 minutes earlier and start your day with exercise. This will get you going in the morning. Sometimes I just do five minutes (I like the sun salutation) before I get started with work. It usually helps me be more productive right off.

3. Exercise in the evening. This is actually what I do. If you do this, it should be done at least three hours before you go to bed. I exercise for half an hour right after my son goes to bed. My husband is either doing schoolwork, watching a game on TV or playing video games. So he does that for half an hour and I exercise. Sometimes, I ride the stationary bike while we both watch TV.

4. Incorporate exercise into your routine. Sometimes I put ankle weights on and do little leglifts under my desk. Another thing I do every now and then is take the bus to a cafe with Internet. I walk to and from the bus stop, and I do my work in a different place. Another thing I do is swim twice a week at the university. Afterward, I just set up with the wifi access.

Do you have exercise tips for the home office?

Today and Monday we are going to look at exercising in your home office. Today I offer a brief of the importance of exercise when you work from home.

Benefits of exercising when you work from home

I love being a work from home mom. However, it's a busy life when you have to take care of kids and make sure you get all your work done. And you need time for your partner, if you have one. This can mean that sometimes exercise falls to the wayside. However, if you want to be healthier, it is important take a few minutes each day to do some exercise -- even though you work from home.

Here are some of the benefits you can get from exercising:

* Improve alertness.
* Sleep better.
* Have more energy.
* Increase productivity.
* Deal with sickness better.

Can you think of any other benefits of regular exercise?

Make sure you check in Monday for some helpful tips on exercising in your home office.

Today, in an unprecedented move of global economic cooperation, several central banks cut their interest rates by 50 basis points. The U.S. Federal Reserve was involved in the move, bringing the rate here in the U.S. down to 1.5%

If you have been looking for credit for your home business, this might help. Between the move by the Fed to buy commercial paper and offer short term loans to businesses, plus this rate cut, there are hopes that the credit freeze will thaw a little bit.

And that may mean that you can get the funding you need in the near future.

One of the downsides of working from home is that there can be a sense of isolation. However, there is a trend toward socializing. It's called co-working. You can get together with other telecommuters and home workers and have a good opportunity to beat back feelings of isolation by banding together with others.

If you have a home business, you have probably noticed that things are getting tight. Not only is the economy slowing (and your income slowing as a result of customers spending less), but the financial crisis is causing a liquidity problem that makes it difficult to get more credit. And $700 billion bailout isn't doing much to ease the credit crisis.

The credit freeze is causing a huge problem for many small and home businesses. Here is what Jamila White points out in an interview with Sparkplug CEO:

The current financial crisis is already affecting small business owners’ access to capital. A few months ago, the US Small Business Administration put a freeze on backing SOHO loans (”Small Office Home Office”) — loans aimed at the smallest of the small businesses, which usually are less than $20,000.

When you look at the big picture, the hypocrisy is unbelievable. Here you have small businesses, which are *creating* jobs in this bad ecomony when big businesses are not, getting shut down on access to capital, and then you have the SBA essentially out of money to back loans for small businesses.