Erica Chase-Salerno, owner of Wyld Acres, a home-based prenatal energy counseling studio, thinks the freedom to do what brings her happiness is essential. “Just the sheer benefit of being able to do this work outweighs anything,” she says. “The biggest benefit [of my home business] doesn’t have to do with tax deductions. It’s really been just a joy, the joy that I’m able to impart and also experience around other people. And the networking, the chance to learn more, to go deeper, and to try new things.” For Shellie Pomeroy, who operates MyStudio graphic design at home in New Paltz, family is paramount—even while she’s running a successful business. “My main priority at this time is my family, so having a home-based business allows the flexibility to put 100 percent into the home, family, and business.” When her kids go to bed, Pomeroy says that’s when she dives into her workload. But the work-at-home option doesn’t come without its challenges.
A Home Divided Pomeroy, like many other parents who operate businesses from home, notes that it’s not always smooth sailing with children—or spouses—around. “When I do have a deadline and have to do work, together we have to find a balance,” she says of her kids, who are ages 10 and 11. “I have to explain to them that I’ve left and gone to work.” Lindsey of Eija Lindsey Studio encounters similar challenges with distractions— she lives with a three-year-old, a boyfriend, and a relative she cares for. “Working out of the house can be difficult, because it’s a constant distraction not to be in an office,” she says. “I’m constantly reminded of other things I have to be doing, like laundry or answering the other phone.” Finding a work-life balance is crucial to success. It starts with setting up an area that is solely used for workspace. Chris Drouin of Beyond Wealth Management spends about 25 percent of his time working out of a home office he’s put together. “Home life creeps into the office and the office creeps into home life,” he says. “You need to be clear with work hours and I think a big thing a lot of people mess up on is that they don’t create a proper office. You need a real copier, storage space for reference materials, and a proper
workspace. A corner desk in your living room doesn’t cut it.” Sometimes the line between home and business is even more difficult to define, particularly when it comes to securing the financing necessary for a home-based business to acquire equipment and other items that require a significant investment. It can be a tricky situation since the process often entails a home business owner putting his or her house up as collateral. “Banks are very cautious but they’re extra cautious today,” says Drouin, who will be moderating a discussion on financing for small businesses in March at SUNY New Paltz School of Business. Trying to do too much is another risk when operating a home-based business. Both Drouin and Bark recommend that business owners inventory what they are and are not capable of doing. “The older I get the more aware I am of where my competency ends and where another’s begins,” says Drouin. “Make sure you’re not out of the scope of your abilities.” For that reason, Bark keeps a log of how much time she spends fixing computer issues and other tasks not directly related to the work she’s paid for. This way, she can find out if it’s feasible for her to learn and attempt to fix things on her own or if it’s better to engage a professional to take care of things that aren’t in her skill set. If it’s administrative work that’s eating away a home business owner’s time, both Bark and Drouin recommend looking into a service like Daybreak Virtual Staffing, which provides personnel for back office tasks. Having someone available to answer the phone, particularly if the business provides contracted services like construction or electrician work, can be the difference between getting a deal
or having the opportunity slip by, says Mehl. She says all employees at Daybreak are trained to each client’s specific business and are able to make appointments and answer customer questions, among other things. Not only that, but “we can make a business look larger and more professional,” Mehl says. A professional virtual office staff can polish the appearance of a home-based business that may only have one overextended owner running the show.
Taking it Home Home-based businesses now employ 13 million people nationwide, which is more than all the venture-backed companies employ combined. Given the factors that are propelling the trend—advances in technology, society’s reaction to economic conditions, personal lifestyle choices—it’s likely to keep blossoming. As the late political economist and author Peter F. Drucker once said, “Innovation is the specific tool of entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service.” Whether it’s seeing a silver lining in layoffs and utilizing the opportunity to establish a startup at home or simply following a dream that might otherwise be unattainable, home-based businesses are paving the way for the enterprise of the future. The workshop “Financing Issues for Small Businesses,” sponsored by the Regional Chamber of Commerce Foundation at New Paltz, will be held on March 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the SUNY New Paltz School of Business in van den Berg Hall, Room 110. Reservations are required, call 845-255-0243 or e-mail info@newpaltzchamber.org. REGIONAL REPORT WINTER 2010
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