With over 38 million home-based businesses in the U.S., and a large percentage of those raking in mid-six figures in revenue each year, working in your pajamas has never been more popular than it is right now. Having ultimate control over your future, your income level, your advancement, your time, and your quality of life may sound too good to be true. Well, let me be the first to tell you it isn’t.
I was just a few months shy of my 50th birthday when I started my first business. Not only that, but I had recently filed bankruptcy due to the housing crash in the mid-2000s. Like millions of homeowners and businesses in America at that time, I had zero money. That was one of the most defeating feelings I had had ever gone through in my life. But I restructured my debt and kept focused on the road ahead. And a little over 10 years later, I saw my business with Steve reach $51 million in sales in 12 months.
But is a work-from-home lifestyle right for you? Here are a couple of things to think about when considering making the leap to becoming your own boss:
Get Motivated!
That first day you don’t have to punch in, or prepare for that 9am company huddle, or respond to your team manager’s email, it really sets in that you are your own boss. But now what? This isn’t vacation after all, it’s a business, and you need to begin thinking and acting like an owner. With a work-from-home lifestyle comes great rewards, but also great responsibilities as well. Your motivation to see your business succeed today is the foundation for what happens to your business tomorrow. And no, this doesn’t mean you still can’t sleep in once in a while!
Get Organized!
There is no one but you (unless you have a business partner like I did) to make sure you followed up with those client emails, mailed the invoices on time, or ordered ink for the copier. Organization is key to keeping yourself in line. Keeping a tight calendar and current to-do list is Entrepreneurship 101 stuff, so make sure to you’re the kind of person who enjoys keeping track of many moving parts and comfortable holding yourself accountable.
This is just a taste of what it takes to fully be able to enjoy a work-from-home lifestyle. The question now becomes: Do you want to continue doing what you’re doing currently? If you want to stick with Plan A that was drilled into all of us from an early age—go to college, get a good job, get a retirement…then good for you. That’s how ninety percent of America works. We need you out there doing that.
But if you’re still thinking that there is something more for you, if these words opened your eyes to a different way of thinking, then you have a choice to make…where to buy your new pajamas!