5 Tips for Working at Home

What do Apple Inc., Google and Hard Candy have in common? They began in homes. Apple’s founders built their first computer in a living room. Google first operated in a garage. The creator of Hard Candy concocted nail polishes in her bathroom sink. Seven out of 10 new companies today are home-based, according to Gallup surveys. It’s a trend that’ll likely grow as technology improves and businesses look for ways to cut costs. But before you commit, here are some of the daily issues faced by home-based entrepreneurs.

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THE ISSUE
► 1  “My children and pets interrupt while I’m working,” OR “My friends think I can yak on the phone all day.”

THE SOLUTION Move your desk to the most remote area of the house. Or, if you have an office, put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and keep it shut. To limit personal calls and time spent on the Internet, set up a clock timer near your desk to go off after 15 minutes.

REAL LIFE “I make calls during the day when my children are at school and do paperwork at night when they’re at home,” says Stephen Doversola, founder of Affluent Oahu.

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THE ISSUE
► 2  “I’m on my own when my computer malfunctions,” OR  “I no longer have an I.T. department on-call.”

THE SOLUTION Hire a computer-solutions company that is familiar with your home office setup. Invest in backup and storage devices based on your company’s needs. Educate yourself about technology online or take computer-related workshops.

REAL LIFE “I use a program called yousendit.com, a free service that allows me to e-mail large files to my clients,” says Aubrey Hawk, owner of Aubrey Hawk Public Relations.

 

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THE ISSUE
► 3  “I don’t want people to know I work from home,” OR  “I’m concerned about my home’s security.”

THE SOLUTION ­­For security, use your home address on company letterhead but never print it on advertising and promotional materials. Get a P.O. Box but use it at your discretion, as P.O. Box addresses sometimes hurt a company’s credibility. Meet clients in public places or rent a conference room.

REAL LIFE “‘Hoteling,’ where clients rent office space or conference rooms on demand, is very common now,” says Daniel Kaneshiro, managing partner of Resource Suites, a virtual office in Waikiki.

 

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THE ISSUE
► 4  “It’s hard to network with industry colleagues when you’re at home,” OR “I no longer bump into potential clients on the street.”

THE SOLUTION Designate certain days of the week for industry luncheons and client meetings. Schedule dinner meetings and after-hours functions on the same day. Build a network with other home-based entrepreneurs. They may turn out to be your best support system.

REAL LIFE “Set up a schedule for days when you make sales calls and go out on the street,” Doversola says.

 

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THE ISSUE
► 5  “The laundry basket is full, and the dishes need to be washed,” OR “Now that I’m solo, I find myself working 70-plus hours a week.”

THE SOLUTION Hire an assistant to do housework and run errands several times a week. If childcare is an issue, set up an agreement with other home-based entrepreneurs to watch each other’s kids on a rotational schedule. Working nonstop or neglecting housework are common issues for sole proprietors.

REAL LIFE “If you think about your hourly billable rate, it doesn’t make sense to fluff pillows,” Hawk says.

 

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