Fall 2020 Home Business by Home Business Magazine

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Home-Based Business & Opportunity Magazine

FALL 2020

AFTER

SUCCESS

COVID19

Starting Up & Achieving Business Success in the COVID-19 Era

UNCERTAIN TIMES START-UPS— PG. 18 INFORMATION-PRENEUR Innovative Ways to Sell Products NICHE MARKET PR Connect with Overlooked Media!

CREATIVE GROWTH TACTICS Thrive During the Pandemic. INTERVIEW: DAN AYKROYD

LENDER READY Steps to Stable Finances

Actor and Successful Businessman! — Pg. 16

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Contents

Home-Based Business & Opportunity Magazine

Magazine

Fall 2020

FEATURES

During and 10 Success After COVID-19. Starting Up & Achieving Business Success in the Era of COVID-19. Interview with Dan Aykroyd. On His Ultra-Premium Crystal Head Vodka, His Favorite Memories from His Illustrious Acting Career & More.

Money in 18 Making Uncertain Times. Ten Businesses to Make a Living from Home or Online.

COVID-19 Economy: Be a part of the economic recovery.

BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES

Confidently Build

Dan Aykroyd: “Creativity is at the heart of everything we do.”

WORK-FROM-HOME SUCCESS STORIES

Your Business During COVID-19. Six steps to help you grow and thrive.

Credit: Crystal Head Vodka

H elping People Through Apparel.

Peace by Piece. 22 For Those on the 23

41 Letters to the Editor. 43 Classified Ads.

Move.

Journey into the 28 Online World.

Brand Building: Think outside the box.

29 Building Connections Through Blogging.

MARKETING & SALES How Your Business 30

Can Sell Your Products.

28 30

Passion for Boosting 35 Brands.

Use informational content.

Niche Market PR.

Discover the overlooked media key to business growth. Informational Content: Entertain and inform audiences about your products.

MONEY CORNER

Philanthropic Brand: Graphic designer creates clothing line for a cause.

G et Lender Ready Now. Here is how in seven

steps.

Start-up Funding: Build a foundation for financing before you need it. www.homebusinessmag.com

HOME OFFICE Product Reviews. 34

Ideal products for home business owners.

Strategies for 36

Running a Compliant Business from Your Home Office. Ensure continuous operation, productivity, and profitability Business Compliance: Maintain good standing with of your business. entity, tax, and licensing authorities. Fall 2020 | Home Business

Magazine Volume 27 Issue 4 Fall 2020 www.homebusinessmag.com

The Home Business Team ®

Publisher Richard Henderson United Marketing & Research Company, Inc. Editor-in-Chief Stacy Ann Henderson Managing Editor Sherilyn Colleen Publicity Editor Shannah Carol Graphic Services Slice, Inc. Production Manager Jon Crossley, Ultra Graphics Digital Ad Production Angel Macias, Ultra Graphics Art Direction Richard Rabil, SliceWorks Advertising advertise@homebusinessmag.com Phone: 800-734-7042 Shannah Carol homebusinessmag.com/magazine-advertising homebusinessmag.com/online-advertising Digital Newsstand Jean Garcia, Zinio Newsstand Circulation Manager John Stratton Subscriptions Publication Fulfillment Services Int. Call 888-881-5861 - M - F 8am-4pm PST. For International, call 714-226-9782. Fax: 714-226-9733 Email: homebusinessmag@pfsmag.com Reprints Betsy White, The Reprint Outsource, bwhite@reprintoutsource.com Mailing Lists www.homebusinessmag.com (Click on “Mailing Lists” to order) Mailing List Manager Nancy Spielmann, Statlistics n.spielmann@statlistics.com List File Manager Travis McMillian, Lee Coats Newton Digital Media Manager Jim Clark, GTxcel Carolyn Rothenberger, GTxcell E-Readers Bob Mehta, Supremus Group Rachel Unclebach, Libre Digital Internet Manager Sam, Fixrunner SEO Emmylou Grimm, Logical Position Social Media Shelby Cara Home Business Expo Dan Storm, eDirectory IT/Computer Operations Jim Easton, letmefixyourpc.com Virtual Operations Mike Davidson, VDI Networks Eric L., VDI Networks Online Security Sitelock Customer Service customerservice@homebusinessmag.com Phone: (800) 734-7042 Fax: 714-388-3883

Editorial Gerri Detweiler, Jennifer Fortney, Cleo Anderson, James Gilmer, Carla Williams Johnson, and others.

LETTER FROM PUBLISHER

Worried You Won’t Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic? Don’t Let Your Business Sit in the Passenger Seat During This Crisis The coronavirus pandemic has definitely been a major blow to the economy and businesses worldwide. Many industries are struggling, and entrepreneurs may be wondering if their companies can make it through this difficult time. There is also so much uncertainty as to how long this crisis will last. Will it be months? A year? Longer? However, despite the unknown, you can (and will!) succeed throughout this pandemic and beyond with careful planning. This is the focus of our cover story. The future … you have the opportunity to succeed is unclear on where the during this time when you keep a pandemic might go from “half glass full” perspective. here, but you have the opportunity to thrive during this time when you keep a “half glass full” perspective. Now more than ever, it’s so important to see areas of your business that can change to accommodate the “new normal” we are now experiencing for the foreseeable future. We cannot just wait and hope for the best — it’s time to sit in the driver’s seat and take calculated action!

“

”

How can your business adapt and pivot to stay successful during this time and after the pandemic? Could you introduce a new product or service that will pique consumer interest and work well with today’s social distancing measures? What kinds of technologies can you implement for your business to enhance productivity and, in turn, increase profitability? If you’re now already thinking of answers to these questions, that’s the spirit! It’s time to forge ahead and plan, plan, plan! We cannot let coronavirus be the downfall of our business — rather, seek out the opportunities that lie in daily life and discover new ways to keep your business moving forward. We hope that this issue of Home Business Magazine inspires you and helps you during this challenging time. Keep your head up and vision moving forward. We will get through this!

Richard Henderson Publisher, Home Business® Magazine

Notice to Readers

HOME BUSINESS® Magazine is sold as information only. The publisher, United Marketing and Research, Inc., considers its sources Distribution reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur; consequently, readers using this information Texterity, Inc. do so at their own risk. The publisher has not done a background check on listed companies (which includes advertisers), nor does it 144 Turnpike Road, Suite 140 know people at all the companies. The publisher cannot assume any responsibility in any manner for the actions of any of the listed Southborough, MA 01772 companies, and the publisher cannot guarantee the outcome of any correspondence, arrangements, or subsequent transactions the Tel: (800)609-8994 reader may make with any of the listed companies. HOME BUSINESS Magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher ® Home Business Magazine is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, financial, accounting, tax, or other professional service. If medical, legal, or other expert Home Business Magazine (ISSN 1092-4779) is published by advice and assistance are required, the services of a competent qualified professional person should be sought. United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., The publisher, United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., assumes no responsibility for any changes of offers, nor for any 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044. companies/advertisers that may go out of business. All correspondence regarding questions or problems on a company’s (including 4 issue (1 Year) Subscription Rate: $9.99 advertisers) program, products, or services should be directed to the company, not to the publisher. Advertisers and advertising 8 Issue (2 Years) Subscription Rate: $15.99 For Subscriptions: 714-693-1866, M–F agencies assume liability for all contents of advertising and for any claims arising therefrom. It is up to the user of this publication to Periodicals Postage Paid at Lakeville, Minnesota, investigate the product or service offered, and to make sure the company is reliable and that the product or service meets the user’s and at additional mailing offices. requirements. United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., is not responsible for the delivery of merchandise, starter kits, supplies, POSTMASTER: Send address changes to or other products and services ordered from advertisers. Home Business® Magazine, ©1993-2020. Reg. # 4180563 and 4145799. TRADEMARKS: Home Business, Serial Number 74/713646 and Home Business 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044. Magazine, Serial Number 75-086596, issued by the United States Department of Commerce, Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks. Produced in the United States Mark Type(s): TRADEMARKS: Conform to the minimum requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R. Sec. 2.76 (e); and formal requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R. Sec. 2.76(b) and (c). All rights reserved. No part of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed, in any form or by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing of the publisher, United Marketing and Research Company, Inc., Lakeville, MN 55044. Articles appearing in this publication express the opinions, experience, and research of its authors and not necessarily the opinion of HOME BUSINESS® Magazine. Home Business 2020 www.homebusinessmag.com 88 Home Business | FallFall 2020 www.homebusinessmag.com ®

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Success During and After COVID-19 Starting Up & Achieving Business Success in the Era of COVID-19 By Shannon Vissers, Merchant Maverick

F E AT U R E

ometimes, circumstances force you to completely change your life and career — whether you wanted to or not. This past year has been a life-changer for so many American workers and entrepreneurs alike, as the COVID-19 pandemic altered consumer habits drastically and shuttered the doors of countless businesses. Nobody knows how many of these businesses will remain closed for good, but unfortunately, many businesses, large and small, have already decided they had no choice but to close their doors indefinitely. While the COVID recession surely won't last forever, the major economic disruptions and lifestyle changes to the small business landscape may be forever changed. Take, for example, the food industry. Many consumers will likely still prefer the convenience of ordering groceries and takeout online, even once all the stay-at-home orders are lifted. And I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to picture eating at a buffet anytime in the near future. The devastating effects of this recession cannot be overstated; however, many successful businesses have formed during recessions. For example, innovative tech companies like Uber, Venmo, and Slack were all started during the Great Recession that took place from 2007-2009. And indeed, many forwardthinking entrepreneurs are already discovering new niches during the COVID economy and founding businesses to meet those needs.

According to Census Bureau statistics, business applications for the second quarter of 2020 were 4.8 percent higher compared to the first quarter of 2020. Nearly 900,000 new businesses formed this past spring — during the height of the shut-down.

… many “ forward-thinking

Keep reading to learn how to successfully start a business during these unprecedented times, and how to ensure it continues to thrive post-pandemic.

entrepreneurs are already discovering new niches during the COVID economy and founding businesses to meet those needs.

”

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

While the COVID recession surely won't last forever, the major economic disruptions and lifestyle changes to the small business landscape may be forever changed.

New Markets, New Opportunities First things first: In case you're not sure you should start a business right now, I'm here to tell you that this is actually the perfect time to start a business — especially a homebased business. But first, you have to identify your niche. New markets are opening up and others are expanding due to coronavirus. An obvious example of an existing market that has expanded during the pandemic is the food

delivery market. But it doesn't stop there. Think about other types of businesses that people need right now: ■

Online tutoring businesses

■

Telehealth

■

eCommerce

■

Virtual meetings

■

Childcare

■

Medical supplies

The so-called "COVID economy" is still evolving, but other sectors could grow or crop up as a result of the pandemic. Consider all the time people are spending at home and the new stresses and challenges the current situation presents. New products and services are stepping in to meet those needs, and there's no reason you can't be a part of the economic recovery that's already taking place. You just have to find your niche. Continued on page 12

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Fall 2020 | Home Business

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Success During and After COVID-19 Continued from page 10

F E AT U R E

Managing Startup Costs During COVID-19 The cost of wholesale goods has plummeted during the current recession. Sales for many types of items have dropped, as anxious customers hold on tightly to their money, and demand for some goods has evaporated almost entirely New products and services are stepping in to meet those needs, and there's no reason you can't be a part of the economic recovery that's already taking place — think party supplies, audiovisual equipment, wedding-related products, etc. While falling prices are not good for the economy at large, low prices can be a boon for businesses that purchase wholesale goods. You may be able to secure an excellent deal on a certain product you need to start your business, especially if you purchase in bulk. Some other types of startup business costs that may be lower-than-usual during coronavirus could include business equipment and business property. If your business is home-based, those costs likely won't apply to you, but it's definitely worth considering, especially if you plan to expand your business out of your home eventually. It's also important to note that while some business costs have plunged, other costs have increased during the pandemic: Food costs and shipping costs are a couple examples.

Securing Financing During COVID-19 Depending on your financial situation and startup costs, you may need to take out a loan to start your business. Like many other business costs, financing costs are also lower due to COVID-19. The federal prime rate — the interest rate banks use to extend loans to their most creditworthy customers — has been at only 3.25 percent for most of 2020, after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates in March in response to the pandemic. For comparison, the prime rate was 5.50 in July 2019. What does this mean for you? Business loans are cheaper than ever, and you'll pay much less in interest than you would just a year ago, though it can be harder to get a loan. While interest rates are low, banks have tightened their borrower qualifications, making it more difficult to get approved for a loan. So where should you look for financing? Generally, businesses can find the best 12

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

New products and services are stepping in to meet those needs, and there's no reason you can't be a part of the economic recovery that's already taking place.

deal on a loan from the Small Business Administration, or from their local bank or credit union. But with brand-new startups, it can be difficult to get a bank loan, especially during COVID-19. You will probably have more luck obtaining from an online business lender or even an online personal loan, such as Lending Club or Upstart. There are also various crowdfunding programs for businesses, like Fundable and Kiva.

Writing a Business Plan Every business, large or small, needs a business plan. Don't be intimidated, because you really don't need to be a great writer or master strategist; many businesses can get by with a one-page business plan. Even if you aren't applying for financing (which will require you to submit a business plan), writing a simple business plan will help you get organized, focused, and prepared to launch your business. Here's the basic structure your business plan should follow: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Business Overview Objectives Experience Target Market Competition Financial Summary Marketing Strategy

To start out, write a few sentences or bullet points under each header. You can expand on each topic later on as you develop more ideas for your business or when you have more time to put together a comprehensive plan.

Registering Your Business Registering a business during a pandemic

sounds like it would be a pain, as many government offices are operating at reduced capacity. Fortunately, you should be able to complete most or all of the registration steps online. Registering Your Business Name. Most small businesses are sole proprietorships. As a sole proprietor, you can do business under your legal name, in which case you won't be required to register your business name. Or, you can register a company name as a DBA or "doing business as." If you want to register your company's name — a good idea if you have a unique name you don't want anyone else to take — you'll have to do this with your state or county clerk's office. Check first and make sure no other business is already using this name. Applying for a Sales Tax Permit. If you sell tangible goods, you will likely be required to file for a state sales tax permit, even if you only sell online. These rules vary from state to state. Applying for a Local Business License. You may also be required to register for a local business license and pay local business taxes in your city or county. This also varies from region to region.

Optional: Trademarking Your Name and Logo. Optionally, if you want to trademark your business's name or logo on a national level, you'll need to apply with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Other Types of Registration. Depending on your industry, you may also need to apply with other industry-specific business licenses. And if you plan to have employees, you will also need to register with the IRS Continued on page 14

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F E AT U R E

Success During and After COVID-19 Continued from page 12

Writing a simple business plan will help you get organized, focused, and prepared to launch your business.

to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN). While this won't be necessary for most home-based startups (you can just use your SSN to file your business taxes), having an EIN is still beneficial and adds credibility to your business.

Establishing an Online Presence Having a strong online business presence is essential — especially during COVID-19. Rather than buying in-person or visiting a storefront, customers are looking to buy online while they stay safe at home. Social media is one quick and easy way to put your business online, but you'll also need a capable website through which you can sell and establish your authority to customers as a legitimate brand. Registering Your Domain. You can register for your own web domain through any web hosting provider. Having a domain name that's the same as your business's legal name adds to the legitimacy of your business and helps with brand recognition. It's even a good idea to check the availability of your business's domain name before choosing your business name.

Build Your Website. If you don't have web design experience or the budget to hire a designer, there are a lot of web builder software programs that make it easy to create your own business website, whether you need an eCommerce site you can use to sell online or a simple informational page to tell the public about your business, your hours, contact information, and other key things. Some examples of programs you can use to create a professional website include Shopify, Wix, Weebly, and Magento. You can register a domain through any of these services, or 14

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

you can use a domain you already own. Optional: Use Your POS Website. Another option, if you use a point of sale (POS) system like Square that lets you take in-person payments, is to use the website your POS system sets you up with. In the case of Square, they will set you up with a basic mobile-friendly website that could work just fine if you just want to get a basic website up and running fast.

Buying Business Insurance You will likely need to buy business insurance even if your business is home-based. The type of insurance you need depends on your industry. For example, a home-based travel agent will need to buy professional liability insurance to protect herself if a client claims the agent's professional services caused him damages. If you sell products, you may need product liability insurance to protect your business against a claim of damages caused by a defective product. Do you own a home? Your homeowner's insurance policy should cover at least some of your business equipment, but only when the equipment is physically at your home. Renter's insurance doesn't cover business property at all, though. To obtain a business insurance policy, you can shop around online, or contact your current insurance provider to see if you can get an add-on policy that will provide the type or types of business insurance you need.

Choosing Cloud Software Most of today's business software is cloudbased, meaning your data is stored online and

you pay to use the software on a monthly, or sometimes annual, basis. For many businesses, you can access all the software you need to run your business on just a laptop or even an iPad. I mentioned a couple types of cloud software you might use as a new business owner — web-builder software and point of sale software — but it doesn't stop there. Some other types of cloud software you might use include: ■

Accounting software

■

Invoicing software

■

Scheduling software

■

Email marketing software

■

Shipping software

■

Inventory software

■

Project management software

You probably won't need software from every one of those categories, but at the very least, most businesses will need website builder software to create a professional website, and accounting software to organize your finances. One of the benefits of cloud software is that being web-based, there is usually a free trial of the software you can test out before committing. If a software product you're considering offers a free trial or demo, make sure you take advantage of the trial period prior to purchasing.

Accepting Payments Typically, businesses need a couple of things to start accepting payments: a business bank account and a merchant account. Both of these are relatively easy to procure, and you'll Continued on page 38

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Fall 2020 | Home Business

Interview with Dan Aykroyd Dan Aykroyd on His Ultra-Premium Crystal Head Vodka, His Favorite Memories from His Illustrious Acting Career & More

F E AT U R E

enowned for his starring roles in classic films like Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers, and Coneheads, Dan Aykroyd has made a major name for himself in the entertainment industry. On top of this, the celebrated actor is the creator of Crystal Head Vodka, an ultra-premium vodka that features a stunning skull shaped bottle. Sold in 70 countries and honored with multiple prestigious awards, Crystal Head Vodka has made Aykroyd a heavy hitter in the alcoholic beverage industry.

vodka. Our original vodka is crafted from locally sourced Canadian corn, offering a silkysmooth vodka with a hint of sweetness and vanilla. Aurora, with its iridescent bottle that has a metallized finish, uses the highest-quality English wheat, offering a crisp, drier and bolder vodka. All of our Crystal Head expressions are blended with the pristine water from Newfoundland, Canada, and filtered through Herkimer diamonds. Crystal Head Vodka is always free from any oils, sugars or additives. Nothing but pure spirit.”

Home Business Magazine had the chance to catch up with Aykroyd and get the inside scoop on his distinguished vodka label. He happily shared what inspired him to get into the vodka industry, Crystal Head Vodka’s exceptional aspects that differentiate it from the competition, and tips for others looking to market their own line of alcohol. He also shared helpful advice for those aspiring to get into the entertainment industry!

HBM: What inspired you to get into the vodka business? DA: “It all started when I wanted to bring Pátron Tequila to Canada. Before long, I was trying to find a premium vodka that I could serve my guests, but there wasn’t anything available that had a clean taste. Before creating Crystal Head, every single vodka I had tried tasted off. They all had this fake, overly viscous, artificially sweetened taste and smelled like perfume. I know now that this was due to the use of glycerol, which produces an oily finish, limonene, and sugar, used to sweeten and mask impurities.

HBM: Tell us about your ultra-premium vodka, Crystal Head Vodka. What sets it apart from the competition? DA: “Creativity is at the heart of everything we do. It’s why we craft the purest, smoothest vodka with one-of-a-kind packaging and imaginative thinking — only the best to hold our multi-award-winning spirit. Crystal Head uses only the highest-quality ingredients to create unique expressions of ultra-premium

We decided to produce something that friends and family could enjoy, which is why we created Crystal Head. With Crystal Head Vodka, we set out to create a pure and clean liquid by eliminating any additives and relying on the purity of our manufacture to create an award-winning vodka.”

“For a Canadian vodka maker to receive an award from a Russian panel is most satisfying and speaks to our uniqueness.” — Dan Aykroyd 16

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

Credit: Crystal Head Vodka

HBM: What has been your greatest achievement with your vodka brand? DA: “There have been so many amazing achievements but by far the greatest was Crystal Head Vodka winning the Award for Excellent Taste out of 400 beverages at the Prodexpo Bar Show in Moscow, Russia. For a Canadian vodka maker to receive an award from a Russian panel is most satisfying and speaks to our uniqueness. Winning this prestigious award in a country with such a long history of producing great vodkas is a significant honor.” HBM: You have also starred in many popular, classic films. What have been some of your favorite memories from your entire acting career?

“ Creativity is at the heart of everything we do.” — Dan Aykroyd

Credit: Crystal Head Vodka

By Shannah Henderson

DA: “My strongest memories are of the talented people with whom I collaborated across a range of creative disciplines — writing, acting, producing, directing, set designing, cinematography, costumes, stunts, editing, music scoring, advertising, marketing, promotion, releasing and exhibition. These collaborators were the best in the industry at the time.” HBM: What other projects do you have in the works? DA: “We are extremely excited for the launch of our third expression, Onyx. The bottle is a celebration of the powerful, warrior crystal, with its luxurious black finish and matching crest-debossed cap. It shares its powers of intuition, focus, positivity and protection to those who keep it close. Onyx holds connection to our earth with its protective energy that allows in no light, keeping it safe from harm. Crafted from Blue Weber Agave sourced from a single farm in Mexico, Onyx acts as a symbol of the human journey. It is a focus on positivity, calling on one’s inner creative spirit. We are bridging the gap between vodka and tequila by introducing consumers to something entirely new to create with. Combining the flavor of tequila with the smoothness of our vodka allows for a modern take on traditional tequila cocktails and classic vodka cocktails. Onyx offers notes of fresh green grass, nuanced white pepper, and hints of citrus on the nose. It develops into the subtle, yet unmistakable earthy grip of agave with a touch of spice and sweetness. This is like no other vodka you have tasted.” Visit https:// www.crystalheadvodka.com. Shannah Henderson is a passionate writer and advocate for small businesses. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, she focuses on entrepreneurs, new products, lifestyle and entertainment pieces. Contact: shannahch@gmail.com

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Making Money in Uncertain Times Ten Businesses to Make a Living from Home or Online By Ruth Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neil

3. Writing Articles

y family has been fortunate to not have lost a lot of work during the Covid-19 pandemic; however, I do know many families who were the opposite. For some, unemployment isn't enough, for others it's non-existent. Those who are smart have found ways to make a little extra money from home using their hobbies and talents. Let's face it, after things get back to normalish, having that little extra income still won't be a bad idea. There are several ways you can, or even prepare to leave the nine to five and work for yourself.

Have you always wanted to be a writer? Here's your chance. Writing is not in any sense of the word a get rich quick scheme, but it can add to your income or even become a full-time business. If you have knowledge people want, you can make a living writing. If you are going to be serious about it, purchase the Writer's Market Guide that lists all sorts of magazines and blogs that are looking for writers to fulfill their needs. You could also start a blog of your own. Find a niche and fill it. Make money by using affiliate links to products related to your writing. It takes time to build up a blog following. Share it on as many social media sites as you can, write excellent copy, and eventually you might be able to earn a decent income.

1. Canning and Selling Food at Farmers' Markets

The virus shut down work for my sister-in-law. She was also unable to get unemployment. But she found a way to make money with some on-the-side work. Even if you are living in a small town, there are plenty of opportunities. Their village hosts a Farmer's Market once a week. They did have to adjust their schedule by emailing customers an order form that listed what all the vendors were offering that week. People placed orders that were then boxed up and placed in the customer's car as they drove through the parking lot. My sister-in-law got in on the vendor side of things by making and canning jellies, pickles, relishes, and vegetarian chili. She would buy ingredients based on the orders she received and added a couple hundred dollars to her weekly income. She plans to continue doing this, adding chocolate and peanut butter fudge when the holidays roll around. When visiting flea markets or farmer's markets in the past, I have also seen vendors with homemade breads and treats, such as cookies and cakes. 2. Instacart or One of Several Other App-Based Jobs

I wasn't familiar with app-based jobs until one of my friends started doing it. Due to the virus, her husband lost half his income. She had previously

4. Online Teaching If you have knowledge people want, you can make a living writing.

worked for Instacart, trying to make a few bucks a week to do fun things with her kids, so it was natural for her to pick up even more orders with it. Instacart is an app where people can place a grocery order and someone will shop and deliver those groceries to their front door, usually within an hour. During the pandemic, it was a financial life saver for my friend. She was able to make about $600 a week. Another friend of mine began working with DoorDash. This is an app where people can place a restaurant order and someone else picks it up and delivers it. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a bad idea for when you're feeling lazy, don't want to cook, and don't want to go anywhere. It wasn't a bad gig for my friend, either. She was able to make about $200 for two hours' worth of work. Of course, with any app-based job, how much you make depends on where you live and how many orders you can pick up. Larger cities will obviously produce more orders than small towns. To get the most benefit, work for more than one app at the same time.

Are you talented as a teacher? There are several online programs you can sign up to teach from your home. VIPKid is one resource a friend of mine used. She had one little one at home and was expecting another. She had previously been in the school system, so it was an easy transition for her. There were set times she had to teach, but it was normally early in the morning or later in the evening, allowing her time to take care of her family and still bring an income into the household. With so many choosing to homeschool their children, even before Covid-19, online teaching offers many possibilities. If you are knowledgeable in a certain area, create a curriculum and offer to teach it to homeschool groups. Set all your classes up through Zoom, Google Classroom, or another similar online communication site. Set a fee for the class and collect payments electronically. This would also be a good option for students that need tutoring one on one, which can also be done fully online. 5. Starting an Online Store to Sell Homemade Crafts

This is something I do regularly. Sometimes I Continued on page 20

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Making Money in Uncertain Times Ten Businesses to Make a Living from Home or Online Continued from page 18

need to get away from the screen or just need to let a writing idea simmer, so to my sewing room I go. Sewing quilts and making other crafts is relaxing for me. Unfortunately, I don't have space to keep everything I make. There are several sites for online stores, such as Etsy, ArtFire, Amazon Handmade, and Zazzle, just to name a few. Create your products, take great pictures, write thorough descriptions, and set up your online store. Collecting payments is easy when using a company like Square or PayPal. You can send invoices to customers for easy online payments. To make even more money selling crafts you've made, find alternative outlets. Look for online vendor events as well as local in-person ones. If you use Square for payments, they'll send you a card reader so you can take in-person payments that way. You do need a smartphone and a cell signal. Try different events. Some will be more profitable than others. For online events, the cost is minimal, it normally lasts longer than a local vendor event, the reach is long, and you don't have to pack up all your stuff or leave your house. 6. Meal Delivery

Another friend of mine started a home-based business during a time when she was temporarily laid off. She loved to cook for people, and to keep herself busy while waiting to return to work, she prepared meals and delivered them to friends, family members, and some people she knew that could use a pick-me-up. Her services blossomed and people asked her to deliver meals and be paid for it. This was perfect when everything was in lockdown and restaurants were closed. People were tired of cooking for themselves and she was more than happy to do it. She could easily create a local Facebook page, post a menu, and take orders for the nights she was cooking. 7. Babysitting

Babysitting may not seem like something that could make you much money, but it can be an option for you. While many businesses are closed, many are still open. And those essential employees may need childcare. You will find 20

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9. Building Websites

Have a knack for technology? Think about starting your own business offering a service many people need but aren't able to provide for themselves. With so many home-based businesses going online, they all need websites. Fortunately for you, not everyone has the know-how to build one. Build your own website being sure to include a variety of samples of what you can do and put your name out there. Post advertisements on social media to reach as many potential customers as possible. 10. Recording Audiobooks

Meal Delivery: there are several ways you can, or even prepare to leave the nine to five and work for yourself.

that many parents only need a few days a week. When children are in daycare, parents have to pay for the entire week regardless of how many days the child attends. This is where you can be mutually beneficial. Charge a set fee per day and keep your numbers down to about two to three children per day. Charging $40 per day per child, you could earn $600 a week. You may want to check with your locality to see what the laws are and how many children you can watch without registering as a daycare. 8. Customer Service

Like to talk on the phone? There are a large number of companies that are transitioning to at-home customer service employees. Nationwide is just one of them. A friend of mine worked at a local office years ago. When the office decided to close, they chose employees to continue working for them from the comfort of their own home. Each company will tell you what the necessary requirements are, but be prepared with good high-speed internet service and a home office space.

If you have a voice that is easily recognizable and people remember, look into reading for audiobooks. Authors post their needs on sites such as ACX or you can post a portfolio on Brilliance Audio. If the author chooses you, they will either opt in with a flat fee or with a royalty share where the two of you split the profits for the audiobook. Audiobook narration is good for residual income. The more you do, the more you can make. Don't let any type of pandemic or difficult times get you down for too long if you're out of work. The above is just a few of the ways where you can make a living from home or do all your work online. No matter how bad times may get, there is always work to be done if you look hard enough. If you work even harder, you can make it a new way of life for you even when times are the best. Wouldn't it be nice to work for yourself only a few days a week? Look into at least one or two of these things and get started. The more you do now, the better off you will be later. The next time something drastic comes up in your life or the world, you will have no worries over your future finances. Ruth O'Neil is a veteran homeschool mom who has been a freelance writer for more than 20 years, publishing hundreds of articles in dozens of publications as well as several books. When she's not writing, she spends her spare time quilting, reading, scrapbooking, camping, and hiking with the family. Her newest series of devotionals is based on classic literature. You can visit her at http://ruths-reallife.blogspot.com/ or on her website at http://ruthoneil.weebly.com/.

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SUCCESS STORIES

Helping People Through Apparel Graphic and Fashion Designer Designs Alternative Clothing Line for a Cause By Dai Baker

or years, Achaia Murphy had the idea of starting a clothing line but never got started. During her undergraduate studies, she took two years of industrial design, which would later help her with her clothing. She would create various sketches of clothing items for her dream clothing line but would never actually execute the vision. Two things holding Ms. Murphy back from starting the alternative clothing line was not knowing how to start a business and not feeling as if she was ready to begin yet. Ms. Murphy was working as a freelance graphic designer when her boss asked her what her dream was. She told her boss about her clothing line and Jack Rabbid Clothing LLC was born. Her boss provided her with the push and mentorship she needed to become an entrepreneur. Using her graphic design experience and old sketches, she created a launch collection, and thus her first collection of designs was presented

to the public. However, Ms. Murphy wanted her clothing line to have a charity aspect. Not wanting to choose just any cause she decided to focus on one with meaning to her — suicide prevention. Many of Jack Rabbid’s designs feature the semicolon or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline logo to bring awareness to suicide prevention and the national hotline number. Ms. Murphy has received permission to feature the logo on her clothing items. A portion of the proceeds is donated each quarter to the national hotline so that the organization can continue doing its work. To save on start-up costs, Ms. Murphy currently utilizes dropshipping methods to avoid having too much inventory on hand and to save space as she is operating the business out of her home office. She uses her extra time gained from not having to fulfill orders by focusing on marketing and social media to bring in new customers. Jack Rabbid Clothing is currently only sold online at JackRabbidLLC.com. A Jack Rabbid

Achaia Murphy is the Founder and Creator of Jack Rabbid Clothing LLC.

customer can be described as someone who prefers to wear alternative, punk, or grunge clothing. In three years, she hopes to reach more people through raising awareness and donating money to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Ms. Murphy hopes to one day partner with the retail chain, Hot Topic, and other specialty retail boutiques to reach a larger market. Visit https:// www.jackrabbidllc.com.

Peace by Piece Entrepreneur Creates Company That Inspires Women with Beautiful Artist-driven Images

hile working through a particularly challenging period related to her job overseeing large-scale grants for women’s health programs in developing countries, Lindsey Simmonds found solace at her puzzle table. During this time, Ms. Simmonds would walk in the door from work and head straight for her puzzle. Soon she began to crave puzzles as a form of self-care during monthly trips to Africa, in hotel rooms, and after long days at work. Then, she ran out of her favorite puzzles. A burning personal desire for an inspiring, calming activity is what fueled the creation of Wander Puzzle, a line of stunning puzzles featuring illustrations by international female artists personally selected by Ms. Simmonds to share a feeling and connectiveness to a bigger purpose — building a better world — peace by piece. After her initial idea, Ms. Simmonds set out to find manufacturers,

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

but kept second-guessing herself. One day in July of 2019, Ms. Simmonds was on a long bike ride and was struck by inspiration. She decided wholeheartedly that she would give puzzle manufacturing a try. After securing a manufacturer and connecting with two well-known female artists, Rafaela Mascaro and Roeqiya Fris, to design the first puzzles, Wander Puzzle was on its way. A few months later, in December 2019 Ms. Simmonds began to panic because she would not be able to release the beautiful puzzles in time for the holidays. Little did she know that just three months later the COVID-19 pandemic would bring with it a resurgence of interest in tactile activities. In March 2020, Wander Puzzle was selling 100 puzzles a day and ran out of stock by mid-April. By the time she was able to refill the stock, there were hundreds of back-orders. Ms. Simmonds managed the growth while continuing to work at her

Lindsey Simmonds is the Founder of Wander Puzzle.

Photo Credit: Geoff Johnson

By Jacqui Somen

development job. She spent her days on the phone with governments coordinating PPE for African countries and her nights sorting out shipping and distribution complications. This summer Ms. Simmonds signed on 35 new retailers and is in conversation with several large retailers to stock their shelves for the 2020 holiday season. Ms. Simmonds is happy to take on the fast growth and the challenges that come with it. She knows that through Wander Puzzle she is making the world better, creating peace by piece, and supporting women throughout the world. Visit https:// wanderpuzzleco.com. www.homebusinessmag.com

For Those on the Move

n the ever-changing, socially conscious world of 2020, consumers are increasingly searching for ways to cut down on inconvenience and shift focus to products which are environmentally sustainable. Ian Rollin Berry, founder of oral hygiene company, Brushee, has managed to see continued growth throughout the global pandemic by being able to satisfy his target audiences through each of these pathways. Mr. Berry began his company nine years ago at the young age of 21. He was in his final semester of college and preparing to continue his education to earn a law degree when he envisioned Brushee for the first time; just like that, he was enthralled. So much so that following his graduation from the University of Tampa’s sports management program, Mr. Berry forewent his admission to the University of Maryland School of Law and decided to launch his business from his home in Tampa, Florida and continues to grow Brushee in Orlando. Almost a decade later, Brushee is a thriving, African-American owned company which sells a pre-pasted, disposable pocketsized toothbrush that also comes equipped with floss and a toothpick.

Brushee offers a pre-pasted, disposable pocket-sized toothbrush equipped with floss and a toothpick.

Brushee, which launched in November 2019, saw nearly 100% month-to-month growth as recently as February and continues to grow, even as a start-up in the middle of the pandemic. By strategically positioning itself in the market, Brushee has been able to capitalize on increased e-commerce activity selling its products on its website, Brushee.com, and www.homebusinessmag.com

SUCCESS STORIES

Entrepreneur Creates a Prepasted, Disposable Pocket-sized Toothbrush By Emma Shirkey

on Amazon.com. Furthermore, this product is marketed towards several different target audiences including on-the-go professionals, invisible/clear aligner users, mothers, and families. However, Brushee offers convenience and fresh breath to all, and its feedback team loves hearing creative new ways Brushee impacts lives. Aside from sales growth during the pandemic, Brushee has been able to expand its reach in several other ways. Primarily, internet partnerships with influencers, YouTubers, and bloggers have brought Brushee’s low/no cost advertising to new levels. By working with individuals who focus on sharing products with larger audiences, Brushee has been able to insert its product into the social media feeds of over 500K readers combined. Additionally, this new sector of Brushee’s marketing plan has shown to be beneficial by garnering attention from publications such as the Tampa Bay Times, which profiled Brushee and Mr. Berry earlier this summer. The company has also been working diligently with large retail corporations to offer its products to consumers on the store shelves nationwide. Other large name organizations, such as Clearbanc (the largest E-Commerce Investors in the world), have taken notice of the company; and backed Brushee in scaling its customer acquisition and retention efforts through Facebook. The collaboration of Brushee with these three brands not only shows the significant impact they are having on the consumer-packaged goods industry, but also displays the natural business sense of Mr. Berry and his team. Recently, Mr. Berry has taken it upon himself to share this wisdom as Brushee has introduced its summer internship program, which allows undergraduate students to hold remote positions. Though the company is based in Florida, interns work digitally, which has been a particularly unique aspect of Brushee’s expansion during coronavirus. Though many other companies removed their intern programs, Mr. Berry feels that service is at the core of Brushee’s mission and without the addition of new, young associates working with the company, he would not be paying proper homage to his company’s roots as he was an undergraduate himself when Brushee was born.

Founder and CEO Ian Rollin Berry launched Brushee.

has managed “to Brushee see continued growth throughout the global pandemic by being able to satisfy its target audiences.

”

Over the last several months, Brushee has been able to highlight its low environmental impact with the help of its online partnerships. Brushee is made of 52% HIPS (high impact polystyrene) plastic that is entirely recyclable and safe for human use, which is obviously critical to oral hygiene products. The remaining percent of each Brushee consists of the bristles and floss string, which the company actively is working to equally turn into recyclable materials by investing a percent of each purchase into research and development towards said goal. Managing all of these projects while maintaining the growth of his company has shown Mr. Berry is a champion of at-home business. While managing his business, he equally takes ownership and works as a consultant through another self-started company BerryGood Consulting. Founding two companies at the age of 23 is not the work of an average man, nor is it the work of a complacent worker. What started as the dream of a twentysomething has turned into a career in business foundation and leading a company to capture the attention of Fortune 100 names and working tirelessly to end up next to them on that same list. It is through these efforts that Mr. Berry shows time and time again that he, and his companies, are bound for greatness. Visit https://www.brushee.com. Fall 2020 | Home Business

BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES

Confidently Build Your Business During COVID-19 Six Steps to Help You Grow and Thrive By Carla Williams Johnson

read somewhere that if 2020 were a drink that it would be vodka in a water bottle, when you’re expecting it to be water. Could you imagine? You started out the year with so much hope and promise and then, somewhere along the lines you feel like you’re getting hit from all sides. Covid-19 has done quite a number of us, making us feel like we’ve somehow entered into the “twilight zone” *cue eerie music here*. For some of us, it has been a disaster of titanic proportions. Throw in politics and protests, and it seems like you can’t catch a break. For others, however, this has been the most epic roller coaster ride of their lives! They’ve never been so visible or have made so many connections in their business before. This is because the pandemic has forced them to make significant changes in the way they show up and market themselves, and boy have they been killing it in their businesses. Now if you fall in the latter: Congrats, keep doing what you’re doing and making that impact; however, if you’re one of those who only just started and are still trying to figure things out then no worries, I’ve got you. Here are six super simple steps to help you grow and thrive, even during this pandemic. 1: Get to Know Your Target Inside Out I say this over and over again to all my community, your audience is everything, so you need to know everything about them. There is no possible way you can be everything to everybody, you have to get specific so let’s look at a few things:

Limited resources “ mean that you’re going to need to get creative with promoting your business.

”

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Demographics: These are things like the age, gender, income status, etc.

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Psychographics: What are their values or what do they believe in?

■

Behavior Patterns: What do they like to do in their free time?

Understanding these will tell you who they are, where you need to be, and when will be best to connect with them. 2: Have an End Goal in Mind While I understand that your goal is to ultimately make money, there’s a process to all of it. What I mean is that what you do may be slightly different depending on what phase you are in business and what you’ll actually be promoting. So, ask yourself, what is the purpose of advertising? Are you launching a new product, or have you been around a while and you’re focused on building brand awareness? Maybe you’re having an event and your end goal is to fill the room (virtually of course...we can’t be too careful during this pandemic). My point is that you’ve got to get very specific as to your objectives. Understand how much money you would like to make, how many tickets you would like to sell for the event, or how many units you’d like to sell by a specific date. This will not only help you craft your copy and content to suit, but working backwards it can help you figure out when you should begin promoting and how much you will need to charge to reach your goal. Remember, strategy is key.

The pandemic has forced business owners to make significant changes in the way they show up and market themselves.

It might be a good “ idea to poll customers

to find out where they found out about you so you can show up more there — especially now since some of their habits may have changed during the pandemic.

”

3: Identify What Has Worked for You in the Past If you've been here for a while, take a look back to see what has helped you gain some traction over time. Have you been posting on social media or maybe you’ve printed and distributed flyers? If you’ve had some degree of success, then by all means double down on your efforts.

If you’re just starting out, then this might be the best time to ask persons you would like to work with where the best place is to connect with them, and start there. I have found that the informal approach works best, so don’t be afraid to ask a question to get real and honest feedback.

It might be a good idea to poll customers to find out where they found out about you so you can show up more there — especially now since some of their habits may have changed during the pandemic.

4: Get Rid of What Has Not Been Working for You Seems simple enough but you’d be amazed how many people stick with things because it Continued on page 26 www.homebusinessmag.com

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BUSINESSES & OPPORTUNITIES

Confidently Build Your Business Continued from page 24

seems “easier to do” or because “they’re accustomed.” When building a business, you have an abundance of time and energy to invest in your business, but unfortunately both of these investments are non-replenishable so be sure to invest them wisely. If you have been living on social media with no success or you’ve been cold calling and direct messaging and it’s not giving any results, then maybe it’s time to look at something else. Go back to the previous points to help you determine who and where your target is. Ask some of your past or even potential clients what would be the best way to connect with them; it may be as simple as doing a pop-up shop to get directly in front of them or using another media. 5: Have an Advertising Budget I cannot tell you how many people I’ve met who absolutely refuse to say how much money they’d like to invest into promoting their business. Honestly knowing this can help you determine what you can realistically do, especially because you’ll need to invest consistently over a 90-day period in order to see results. Work with a figure that you’re comfortable with. Even if it's a small amount, you’d be amazed at what a small advertising budget and well thought out plan can do. Also, don’t feel ashamed if you have no budget at all. Most startups don’t, but there are quite a few things you can still do to promote your brand. You just need to be creative…which brings me to the following sixth step.

Getting featured in the media is also a great way to build brand awareness, credibility, and authority for your brand. 26

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Growing a Home Business Through Virtual Connection By Cleo Anderson 1. Targeted Social Media Activity Get targeted with social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Look for followers who are following and interacting with similar brands to yours — this shows that there is a genuine interest in products or services like yours, and where the content you may post will be more valued. Make sure that your website is easily findable and clickable on your social media pages. Post compelling content regularly and be sociable! 2. Secure Relevant Media Allies and Coverage Reach out to journalists and editors who cover what you're selling. Interact with media in a thoughtful and tactical way. Use Google to find articles in the types of media titles you would like to appear. Then, make a note of who wrote the article and write a concise, polite email to them introducing yourself and your service or product. When they do agree to write about you, make sure that a link to your website is embedded in the article — direct traffic back to your main website wherever you can. 3. Get Serious About LinkedIn LinkedIn is a goldmine in terms of making crucial business connections, knowing what's going on within your field of work, and much more. Ideally, you want to build your connections to 500+ (send out

6: Get Creative Limited resources mean that you’re going to need to get creative with promoting your business. Consider collaborating with other business owners to leverage their communities and to show up in front of whole new audiences. Just a few months ago, I was tagged as a sponsor of an event where I donated a bonus gift item, and I was able to take advantage of all the advertising and promotion of the event and was able to connect with so many persons who now see me as aligned with this great event. It did wonders for my reputation, so this is something you may want to consider. Getting featured in the media is also a great way to build brand awareness, credibility, and authority for your brand. Best of all, many journalists are looking to feature business owners right now, particularly to discuss how they’re coping during this pandemic. Many

invitations to connect with key professionals and accept invitations from the same). You get to post your good news and insightful comments, which are transmitted not only to your immediate contacts, but to their connections and contacts too. 4. Share Your Media Coverage with the World Once a nice article comes out about you and your product or service, shout about it! Post about it on LinkedIn, add a clickable link to it on your Facebook and Instagram pages, and display it on your Twitter page too. Then, go one step further and actively direct people to click on the article link. Be sure to create a media page on your actual website, where you can showcase past and present coverage. 5. Social Proof Is King The key to growing your business and increasing sales is to be top-of-mind when people are buying what you sell. Establish yourself as an expert in your field. Social proof — evidence that others have found value in what you have to offer — is highly effective in modern times. Be interviewed on relevant podcasts, work with influencers to tell their followers about your product, and publish positive testimonials. Cleo Anderson is the CEO and Founder of multi awardwinning Lifestyle PR agency The Anderson Media Group (theandersonmediagroup.com). An expert in her field who has worked with brands big and small within all things lifestyle, Cleo has also been featured in Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ katherineparkermagyar/2020/07/29/how-this-black-femalefounder-created-an-award-winning-luxury-travel-agency).

of these features are free — you just have to know where to look. There are so many ways to engage with your audience, so think “outside the box” and figure out how you can stand out in your market. There you have it: six pretty simple steps to help you build your brand even now. Trust me, it’s doable and you’ve got what it takes. So, get going. I’m ready to see you take the world by storm. Carla Williams Johnson is a Media Marketing Specialist based in Trinidad & Tobago. She founded Carli Communications (https:// www.carlimedia.com), which offers advertising and marketing advice to entrepreneurs and business owners who are interested in building a business in the “real world.” She considers herself an advocate for business men and women who are desirous of promoting themselves by offering sound, unbiased advice, focusing mainly on methods to identify ideal clients, online and offline approaches to boosting visibility, and the creation of practical marketing campaigns designed to increase revenue. She's been asked to share her knowledge with numerous publications including Home Business Magazine, Forbes, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and Thrive Global.

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Mega-influencer Sisters Build Namesake Digital Agency

mra and Elma Beganovich started their journeys on a very traditional trajectory path — one was an economist working on World Bank projects and the other was an attorney studying to obtain her LLM in Securities and Financial Regulations at Georgetown Law. At that time (in late 2012), the social media landscape was just beginning to unravel, with Facebook planning the launch of its Pages.

was almost spring, Amra called me and could hardly breathe. She was finishing her run in Central Park and exclaimed, ‘we have our first advertising offer — a post on Twitter for $99!’ She could hardly contain her excitement because it was at that point that she understood, probably better than me, if we knew how to make $99, we now knew steps to make $1,000,000 and so on,” says Elma.

It was late evening on a weeknight in December 2012 when Amra, after talking with her friends about how traditional lifestyle media no longer related to professional women, decided to stay up all night and figure out HTML and CSS coding to take their first blog live. Three months into blogging, the Beganovich sisters saw their site take off, garnering over 100,000 unique monthly visitors. Shortly afterwards, brands like Rodial, Deborah Lipmann, and Paris Hilton (who had her own line of purses) approached the sisters to work with them on an exchange basis. This was the turning point when these young women entrepreneurs understood that blogging and social media stardom could very well be a business.

Fast forward to today, with over 2.3 million followers, the Beganovich sisters earn $20,000 per post and work with mostly corporate clients while focusing on their namesake brand, Amra and Elma, a digital agency that is largely focused on social media, branding and influencer marketing, servicing clients like Johnson & Johnson, Huawei, P&G, VF Corp and EssilorLuxottica.

However, the road to success — their first office in Times Square, the first reporter from Financial Times visiting them in their Times Square office, and winning corporate clients — wasn’t as straightforward and had many bumps along the way. “We had no idea where we were headed and not the slightest intention of becoming a digital marketing agency,” Elma says. “Neither Amra or myself came from traditional marketing backgrounds, working for a large media company or advertising agency, so we understood the business models in the advertising world. As Amra and I grew our following, we outgrew many of our small clients (mostly start-ups and small businesses). The repeated request was, ‘how can we continue working with you?’ And ‘can you replicate your own success on our social media and grow our following?’”

“I remember thinking that if the companies were willing to expend their resources, both labor and the cost of product, to work with us and be published on our blog, there must be monetary compensation in this,” says Elma.

The answer was “yes”. As the sisters signed their first agency contracts, they had to make their first hires. Along the way, they realized that with social media management, the other essential component was content creation. Hence, they expanded their services to include content production for social media and other digital channels, as well as influencer marketing because they were already very intimately familiar with the booming industry.

It wasn’t until April 2014 that the company saw its first dollar. “I remember one evening, it

The lesson learned? “You never know which direction the path will lead you,” says Elma.

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

Amra and Elma Beganovich are the Founders of A&E.

Photo by amraandelma.com

By Alicia McCarthy

Photo by amraandelma.com

SUCCESS STORIES

Journey into the Online World

“We started out creating content and posting it on our blog, turned into influencers with the rise of social media, and then launched a digital agency as social media exploded into platforms for advertisers. I don’t think anyone knew where Facebook or Instagram was headed in late 2012. Instagram just launched in 2010, and I remember Amra and myself were among the first influencers on the platform. There was barely anyone there. Influencer marketing wasn’t even coined as a widely-used term in the industry, and marketers were still not convinced that social media wasn’t just a fad for college students.” In other words, don’t be afraid to embark on your own journey not knowing exactly where the road will lead you, and be prepared that something else may turn up — another opportunity! “Today, as the agency continues to face new challenges in light of COVID-19 and the economic crisis, we have to continue to adapt to the new normal. I think even in times where so many see doom, one has to be optimistic and always see both sides of the coin — is the glass half empty or half full? I think there is a lot of opportunity nowadays with the surge of online shopping and record-breaking social media activity. Facebook reported that Instagram Live and Facebook Live views doubled in late March during the outset of the pandemic. Hence, we continue to advise our clients not to go dark on social media and take advantage of the bustling online activity — don’t wait until it is too late to adapt,” says Elma. Visit https://www. amraandelma.com. www.homebusinessmag.com

Building Connections Through Blogging

n today’s digital era, blogging is the perfect way to share your thoughts on a topic with the world and build your credibility as an expert in an industry. Blogging can even be a lucrative side hustle or full-time job for those who consistently publish posts. One wellknown blogger, Stephanie Fatta, has risen through the ranks in the beauty blogging sphere and has found major success with her online publication, Beauty Brite. This beauty & lifestyle blog covers top makeup and skincare products, wellness, and more. Home Business Magazine had the opportunity to catch up with Ms. Fatta and get the exclusive inside on her journey with Beauty Brite. She was happy to share what inspired her to found her popular beauty & lifestyle blog, her favorite part about blogging, and the biggest challenge she has overcome with Beauty Brite. In addition, she goes on to share helpful tips for those who are ready to start their own blog.

By Alicia McCarthy

Do not go into blogging to “ ‘get rich’ or ‘get famous.’ Find your passion. What do you like to write about? — Stephanie Fatta

”

Today, Beauty Brite is a family, lifestyle, and beauty blog. We are lucky enough to have a team of women from all over the United States who write with us. We all come from different backgrounds and life experiences. Beauty Brite writes about our favorite products we are using. We share how to use products and what works best for us.

Stephanie Fatta is the Founder of Beauty Brite.

As a blogger and consumer, we can be selective about the products we choose to use with our families. There are so many brands to choose from, so why not choose the best for your family? Of course, it’s important to consider your budget, so we try to weigh the pros and cons of the products.”

HBM: As a blogging expert, what are your biggest tips for those who want to start a blog?

HBM: What are some of your favorite posts you have written? SF: “I am very passionate about natural health and beauty. Some of my favorite posts are about essential oils and the use of oil diffusers. Also, as a houseplant addict, I also love writing about my favorite houseplants! And yes, I have another blog just for that hobby!” HBM: What is the best part about blogging?

HBM: Tell us about your blog, Beauty Brite. What inspired you to start it? SF: “When I started Beauty Brite, I literally had no direction. My first intention was to share homemade beauty recipes that I found and tried. I also wanted to share my own personal reviews of products that I tried on my own. I was (and still am) a mom on a budget, so I would purchase products on sale or with gift cards. www.homebusinessmag.com

SUCCESS STORIES

Renowned Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger Encourages Entrepreneurs to Find Their Passions

SF: “The opportunity to work with a great group of women who write with us. They are amazing. They actually help alleviate the ‘workload’ of trying and writing about products they review. I don’t see blogging as ‘work’ — I see it as a chance to try products I probably wouldn’t have discovered or purchased on my own. I also love the friendships I have made over the years. These days, I have a small group of blogger friends. We’ve been friends for years and our one hobby brought us together.”

SF: “I would highly recommend just jumping in feet first. Do not go into blogging to ‘get rich’ or ‘get famous.’ Find your passion. What do you like to write about? Go self-hosted. Hosting on a free blogging platform is not sustainable. Your blog can be deleted without notice. When you are selfhosting, you have full control over your blog. You own your own content.” HBM: What has been your greatest achievement with your blog? The biggest challenge you have overcome? SF: “Going self-hosted. My only regret was that I waited so long to do it. I didn’t switch to WordPress until a year into blogging! My biggest challenge is going with the flow and adapting to the changes. I do my best to not compare myself to anyone else. Blogging gives me a voice. I am a naturally shy, reserved, and quiet person in real life.” HBM: Where do you hope to see your blog in 3 years? SF: “Great question! I hope to see all bloggers thriving. We are in tough times, so I hope our industry comes out of this stronger than ever. I also hope we can find more amazing writers to join us. We love what we do.” Visit https:// www.beautybrite.com. Fall 2020 | Home Business

MARKETING & SALES

An Exercise in Subtlety How Your Business Can Use Informational Content to Sell Your Products By Laura May

elling products is an exercise in subtlety. You can’t shout a person into making a purchase, nor can you scare them or trick them. More often than not, a successful sale is the result of the subtle use of informational content — pieces of content that have been designed to offer an answer to a specifically searched question or query that just so happen to promote a product as the perfect solution to a problem. This isn’t something particularly new. There has always been advertising based around the concept of introducing a problem and providing a product as a solution. However, as the internet grows, new forms and the creative expression of creators have led to new and innovative ways of selling products through informative content. By looking at a number of different types of informational content, we’ll discuss how your business can use it to promote and sell products to inquisitive audiences. Blogs The beauty of blogging is the versatility of the format. Blogging can be anything from on-page content on a company website to affiliate marketing material on an independent, home-business platform run by respected experts. Framing your written content around a question can be one of the best ways to attract readers looking for a quick answer, who will then be more inclined to read the article for detail, leaving them susceptible to content advertising. Expanding your understanding of search intent and what people are thinking when they type a question into Google is crucial for achieving these aims. Whether long or short form, blogs with some authoritative or expert opinion behind them have become a crucial element of the conversion pipeline. Say a customer is looking to research the best multi-purpose DIY tool. A comparison blog listing a number of different available tools or highlighting one particular industry leader is a great way to not only promote the product but consequently the brand associated with it and writing about it. Writing

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

about the qualities of your own products in a blog may sound shameless self-promotion, but it’s an effective way of communicating key traits about your products. One of the most important things to consider when writing blog posts is the format. Certain types of content will serve particular aims better. Listicles, for example, are great ways to address lots of different products and work well for customers who want options. This is particularly effective for seasonal gift guides. Long-form, authoritative content can also help your brand and people within it as thought leaders on certain topics, which can enhance the effectiveness of product content down the line. This type of blogging helps to build a relationship with the audience. When creating informational content always make sure there is a clear conversion purpose. Calls to action throughout the article are a must. It’s not enough to keep the audience on that blog; you have to be able to move your audience throughout your website and onto product pages. Videos Video has emerged as one of the most popular forms of content on the web in recent years. Many platforms and outlets came under criticism for what may have been a misinformed “pivot to video.” However, it cannot be denied that video is one of the best methods of communicating an idea to an audience while making your informational content memorable. With new innovations such as personalized video that play to particular customer preferences emerging in 2020, there are no signs that video is slowing down. Ideas that are presented visually are often easier to get across, and video is able to combine that with authoritative and assuring narration. Video gives your products a visual form and offers you the opportunity to show them in action. This is significantly more effective for convincing audiences than leaving it up to their imagination with text and images. It’s easier to be different with video. Viral sensations such as Dollar Shave Club created videos that are equal part informative and

Video is one of the best methods of communicating an idea to an audience while making your informational content memorable.

entertaining. The crux of the ad that draws in new audiences is the subversive humor, but intertwining that with brazen facts about the business, product, and a special deal makes the brand more appealing to the audience. In short, video is a more overt method of getting ideas and important product features across without lecturing the audience. If you’re a creative enterprise looking to do something unique, it’s one of the best avenues to approach to sell your products. Infographics As touched upon in regards to video content, visuals make it easier to get complicated ideas across. That is no more true than with infographics. Traditionally used to communicate theories and data, infographics are a subtle way to tie in products with informative content focused on studies and research. They allow you to address a theory, present the data, and offer products as a solution to the problem. Infographics make data easy to digest for even the most uninformed audiences. These images are like blogs distilled into bright, colorful formats. They allow you to put prominence on particular issues, without having to completely www.homebusinessmag.com

MARKETING & SALES

Tips for Optimizing Your Content restructure your blog or break with typical video format conventions. It’s a much more appealing way to present ideas that will feel like a much-needed break after an hour trawling through walls of text. Again, it’s another creative way of presenting your brand and key product features. There is no set style for infographics, giving you complete creative freedom to design something that fits your brand and works the data into a format that suits you. Using recognizable faces, icons, and brand names is another way to make this content grab attention. This inventive example from LinkedIn uses food groups to create a striking comparison to their services, which is both memorable and easy to understand. Podcasts Once marked as a niche or alternative to the mainstream, new media innovations have exploded into popular culture. Podcasts, in particular, have gone from largely independently produced enterprises appealing to small audiences to some of the most regularly consumed media on that planet, spawning hit series and production companies developed entirely with producing podcasts in mind. This presents brands with not just another avenue for them to disrupt product information and innovations though, but one they can have full autonomy over.

o create the kind of content that entertains to the point where audiences want to invest in a product, you need to adhere to certain principles of the web and add your own spark. Learn about the principles of writing for the web. Headings, short paragraphs, and a writing style that can be skimmed for key information are essential for making sure consumers get the most out of your content before moving further into the sales channel. This website (https://www. icompario.com/en-ie/fuel-cards/circle-k) features a brilliant example of how to break down what might be difficult to understand concepts for many consumers, buying a fuel card. Think about what is more visually appealing to your audience. Let research guide this. Online content can benefit a lot from the use of heat maps that analyze the habits of visitors. If your audience isn’t spending a lot of time on your blogs about the “10 Best Products In Your Range,” then try adding some images of them in action that will hold their attention. Visual content gives people something to hold onto when they’re doing research and get tired on pages and pages of text.

Making it big in podcasting doesn’t require huge financial backing or mass media support. While that is helpful and many podcasts that do have such support infiltrate the market easier, there is nothing stopping a business, marketing team, or individual from starting a podcast and getting into the same spaces as mainstream hits. Podcasts present a great avenue for passing on information about products and services as they give audiences direct access to the brand’s voice and have such a loose format that can be molded to suit your business’s criteria. With quality production and genuine hosts, you can come across as a business that cares about your products and make sure the key messages don’t get diluted through the typical filter of mass media. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from appearing on other podcasts. This can, in fact, be a great way to infiltrate other audiences, much in www.homebusinessmag.com

Build around keywords associated with your brand and products. Incorporating the right keywords will dramatically improve your visibility in search results, boost your website ranking, and give you the appearance of an authority on the subject. In terms of content creation, keywords give you an anchor to build your piece around, giving it something to tie back to that you know there is tangible interest in online. Optimize essential parts of your content with your keywords. These parts include the page title, meta description, and content itself, ideally featuring the keywords early in the article. Make this look natural though, as keyword stuffing can harm your content. Tagging visual and video content with the right keywords can help it appear in search results on platforms such as YouTube and Pinterest. If you have content that is out-of-date but feels like it could be salvaged for a new project, don’t be afraid to update it with new data and industry knowledge. This can save you significant time that would have been spent working on new content. Laura May is Digital Editor at Just Another Magazine (https:// www.justanothermagazine.com).

the way advertising through an influencer would — just in a more informational sense. Podcasts are a unique form of content, as they act less as a crucial part of the conversion pipeline and more as a seed that plants in the head of their audience. You’re not looking to sell the persons on the product then and there, but make them aware of your brand and align the product with a perception of quality.

Podcasts present a great avenue for passing on information about products and services as they give audiences direct access to the brand’s voice and have such a loose format that can be molded to suit your business’s criteria.

Conclusion Informational content might not feel as natural a method of selling products as slapping a discount on it or upping your ad spend; however, it is a great way to both inform and entertain audiences in a manner that helps them understand the products and not feel like they’re being pressured to buy. Laura May is Digital Editor at Just Another Magazine. They write about beauty, fashion, lifestyle, relationships, travel, trends, and anything else that matters to you. Name throwing you off? Don’t take it too seriously – they intend to stand out from the crowd. Visit https:// www.justanothermagazine.com.

Fall 2020 | Home Business

Get Lender Ready Now Here’s How in Seven Steps

MONEY

By Gerri Detweiler

he image of a bootstrapping entrepreneur starting a business at home is an iconic one, and many businesses not only start that way, but stay that way. That was my approach when I started my own home-based business, which I ran for more than a decade. People would often tell me they envied me for what seemed like an easier work life without a clock to punch or managers telling me what to do.

For many business owners, those concerns are magnified in these uncertain times.

But those of us who have taken that leap know the reality of being self-employed and running a home-based business can be much different. For many home-based businesses, money — including cash flow and financing — are a constant source of stress.

The large majority of small businesses in the U.S. operate without a formal legal structure. It’s easy to start that way, and easy to put off creating a business structure later. But when it comes to financing, it’s crucial to understand that until you create that formal legal structure — LLC or S Corp, for example — there is no legal distinction between you and your business. They will always be closely intertwined.

In my business, I often worked on large projects for corporate clients and some were much slower to pay than others. More than once I found myself walking from the mailbox back to the house filled with frustration and disappointment that a check from a key client had not arrived. When you’re self-employed, your business and personal finances are inexorably linked. In September 2019, Nav surveyed small business owners about the intersection between their personal and small business finances. Of those who responded: ■

More than half (56%) were forced to skip a paycheck in the past year.

■

Their top 3 personal financial worries were managing debt (75%), saving for retirement (63%), and cutting back on personal or family spending (62%).

“

For many homebased businesses, money — including cash flow and financing — are a constant source of stress.” 32

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

If there’s anything we’ve learned this year, it’s that you can’t over prepare. And when it comes to financing, one way to do that is to build a foundation for financing before you need it. In other words, get lender ready. Here are 7 steps to accomplish that:

1. Incorporate

There may be tax and asset protection benefits to forming your legal structure. When it comes to financing, the benefit is that you will increase your lending options. There are some lenders, for example, who simply won’t lend to an unincorporated business.

2. Stick to a Business Bank Account Roughly one in five business owners don’t have a business bank account. But if you want to qualify for top-tier financing, you’ll need one. Many lenders will either require business bank statements or will ask you to link your business bank account to verify revenues. And once you do set up that account, use it strictly for business expenses. If you need to pay a personal bill, pay yourself from that account and then pay your bills from your personal funds.

3. Use a Business Credit Card If possible, use a dedicated credit card just for business purchases. A small business credit card can be ideal, but if you can’t qualify for one right now consider using one of your personal credit cards strictly for business purchases. If you’ve been mixing personal and business credit card purchases on the same card, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much easier your bookkeeping will be.

When it comes to financing, one way to do that is to build a foundation for financing before you need it.

By using a business credit card you can also build business credit, as many of these cards report payments to business credit bureaus.

4. Make Friends with a Bookkeeper Yes, I’m a financial writer. Still, there were two tasks I dreaded most in my business: chasing payments from clients and bookkeeping. While I never learned to love bookkeeping, as I became more competent with the accounting program I used, I found I dreaded it less and less. The year I was able to turn my information over to my accountant in January instead of July (with extensions) was a cause for celebration. If this isn’t your forte, consider hiring a bookkeeper. But make sure you find someone who works with businesses like yours, is reliable and can help you streamline the process. Then get them the information so information is updated monthly. Ensuring your books are up to date is one of the most important ways you can prepare your business for financing. Lenders may require up-to-date financial statements or recent tax returns, and you’ll want to be able to hand those over quickly. www.homebusinessmag.com

5. Brush Up Your Business Plan If your business plan is out of date — or if it’s all in your head — it’s time to put it on paper. To be fair, many business financing options will not require a business plan. But one thing this exercise will do is force you to really think through how your business would use additional financing to grow.

6. Check and Monitor Credit Both business and personal loans often require good credit. Entrepreneurs are often surprised how often lenders will check the owner’s personal credit for business financing (including small business credit cards), and that some lenders check business credit as well. Because many businesses and individuals have experienced financial problems this year, many lenders are tightening credit requirements. If you aren’t monitoring both personal and business credit, you should. Review your credit scores monthly and make sure you’re checking with all three consumer credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. For business credit, the major bureaus are Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian. The good news is there

f you’ve never checked your business credit, you may find it a different experience than checking your personal credit. There are 3 key ways business credit reports differ from personal ones:

1. Creditors Not Named Your business credit report will list individual accounts by type of account, but it won’t name the creditor. Here is an example of what that may look like:

MONEY

Writing a business plan can help you answer the crucial question: “How will you use the funds?” A well-thought out answer to that question can help you land coveted bank financing, but even if it doesn’t, it will help you understand how to leverage additional capital to grow your business while avoiding debt that can drag it down. There are many excellent resources for writing a business plan, and help can often be found through SBA resource partners.

Business Credit Reports Vs Personal Credit Reports

Account Type: Automotive Repair, Services, and Parking Current status Slow up to 60 Date reported 06/30/2018 Current balance $11,193.00 High credit $24,027.00 Past due $8,331.00

2. Payment History Summarized Under payment history you’ll likely see an acronym: DBT which stands for “days beyond terms.” This is the number of days past the due date you paid your bill or invoice. For Payment Status example, if you have net-30 terms 99% and you pay on day 32, your account Payments Current: will list 2 DBT. And then it may be 1-30 DBT*: 1% summarized by the percentage of 31-60 DBT*: 0% times it was paid on time. Here’s an 61-90 DBT*: 0% example of how that may look on a * Days Beyond Terms business credit report:

3. No Regulation A strong consumer protection law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, covers consumer credit reports. It gives consumers the right to free personal credit reports annually, along with timely investigation of disputes and corrections of mistakes. It also limits the amount of time negative information may be reported. There is no similar law for business credit reports, though, so you will need to be more proactive when it comes to checking and monitoring your business credit reports. Nav is currently the only source for checking free business credit reports from the three major commercial credit bureaus. Gerri Detweiler serves as the Education Director for Nav (https://www.nav.com).

are more than 138 places you can monitor your credit for free, including Nav.com.

7. Apply for Financing Before You Need It Getting a line of credit, vendor accounts or even a small business credit card can provide you with a little extra insurance if things change quickly — as we know they can. www.homebusinessmag.com

The old adage that “banks don’t want to lend you money when you need it” contains a kernel of truth. If you wait until you really need a small business loan, you may find it harder to qualify. Many entrepreneurs are still facing tremendous uncertainty, but others are doing all right and may think they don’t need

financing. Again, we’ve learned this year how important it can be to over prepare. Getting a line of credit, vendor accounts or even a small business credit card can provide you with a little extra insurance if things change quickly — as we know they can. Gerri Detweiler has been guiding individuals through the confusing world of finance and credit for 20+ years. She is the author or coauthor of five books, including her most recent, Finance Your Own Business: Get on the Financing Fast Track. Today, Gerri serves as the Education Director for Nav (https:// www.nav.com), an online platform that matches small business owners to their best financing options and gives free access to personal and business credit scores.

Fall 2020 | Home Business

PRODUCT REVIEWS

Stay Agile and Productive Each Workday with the ADAPT 560 Headset from EPOS

s a busy entrepreneur, it is so important that you employ business tools that help you maximize efficiency and work output each day. The ADAPT 560 headset from EPOS is one must-have essential that will help you be as productive as can be this autumn and beyond. In addition to ensuring clearer business calls than ever before, this pioneering headset will make it easier for you to stay focused in noisy environments.

mobile devices — you can connect to your mobile and softphone simultaneously! The headset’s BTD 800 USB dongle also connects to your PC.

Optimized for UC, the ADAPT 560 headset also has a dedicated button that will launch Microsoft Teams instantly via the BTD 800 USB dongle. This feature will help you stay connected to your team members so you can easily collaborate on projects. On top of this, the With its discreet, foldable boom arm and headset’s EPOS Voice™ technology will enable two advanced microphones that optimize you to interact with your surroundings without ADAPT 560 Headset from EPOS speech intelligibility, the ADAPT 560 headset having to remove your headset. This feature is will ensure that your office and mobile calls great for when you have to help your child with are of the utmost clarity. The headset’s Active Noise Cancellation homework after doing a work call. microphones and sound-isolating plush ear pads will also help you Featuring an impressive battery life of up to 46 hours, the ADAPT 560 focus if you are near loud noises (great for parents working at home headset will provide reliable performance whenever and however you with kids doing remote schooling in the next room). work. It also has a range of up to 82 ft (device dependent), so you can A must for high-quality calls, comfort, and concentration, the stay connected even if you have to do a quick task around the house. You ADAPT 560 will keep you agile so you can move through all of your can also easily store the headset in its portable, compact carry case that work tasks and always deliver on every professional parameter. You includes the USB dongle and USB-C cable. This innovative headset retails will also appreciate how it offers multi-connectivity that allows you for $329.00 at https://www.eposaudio.com/en/us/enterprise/products/ to switch effortlessly between your favorite Bluetooth 5.0-enabled adapt-560-bluetooth-headset-1000207.

Nextbase’s 622GW 4K Dash Cam Will Help You Stay Safer Whenever You Drive

o you have to regularly drive to meet with clients and suppliers? If you would like greater peace of mind on the road, Nextbase’s brand new 622GW 4K Dash Cam is a must-have for ensuring safety and reassurance whenever you’re behind the wheel. Packed with critical safety features, this dash cam records the road ahead while you drive to help with insurance claims in the event of an accident (or theft when parked).

have what3words geolocation, which provides your exact location to a 3m square site without the need for a data connection (crucial for emergency services to find you).

Another critical safety feature is the dash cam’s Nextbase Emergency SOS, which quickly dispatches your precise location and other Nextbase’s 622GW 4K Dash Cam details to 911 services if you are unresponsive. The Emergency SOS system goes through an anti-false positive master process to detect incidents and then send an Nextbase is a world leader in dash cam technology, and the 622GW 4K emergency alert. On top of this, the dash cam has a 3” touch screen and is the most accurate, powerful, and highest image quality dash cam an Intelligent Parking Mode that automatically records any bump or in the market today. It features ultra-clear 4K recording (at 30fps) physical movement on the vehicle when it is left unattended. and 1440p HD at 60fps or 1080p HD at 120fps for super slow motion The 622GW 4K Dash Cam also has impressive technological in the event that you need to capture even finer details like license advancements, such as built-in Alexa, Bluetooth 5.0, and Wi-Fi 5GHz plates. This groundbreaking dash cam also features a 4K Enhanced for 10x faster footage transfers to your phone and the MyNextbase app. Night Vision Mode and an anti-glare polarizing filter for improved The MyNextbase suite allows you to view and share your videos on your vision on the darkest roads. smartphone, PC/Mac, and online. This dash cam is also compatible You will also appreciate the 622GW 4K Dash Cam’s Extreme Weather with any Nextbase Rear View Module to offer all-around protection. Mode that uses special defogging algorithms to provide the clearest The 622GW 4K will enhance safety during your drives and retails for possible image in heavy fog and other intense weather conditions. $399.99 exclusively at https://www.bestbuy.com/site/nextbase-622gwIts image stabilization also reduces vibrations from your vehicle to 4k-dash-cam-silver/6412920.p?skuId=6412920. further improve footage clarity. This is also the only dash cam to

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

www.homebusinessmag.com

Passion for Boosting Brands

hen Laura Graham -Prentice was struggling with a decision about making a career change years ago, a friend posed a great question — “If you won the lottery and wanted to continue working, what would you do”? That led her to make the move into the non-profit sector (NFP), taking her passion for brand building and applying her communications expertise to help transform the way charities used emerging technology. Fifteen years later she was working for the largest YMCA in North America and looking to make another change. She realized she could help more charities that didn’t have the resources to hire her full-time by starting up a home-based business.

By Meghan Steel

“make marketing communications strategic, accessible, effective, accountable and easy to implement.” Initially to keep the start-up costs low, she focused on offering strategic coaching to midsized non-profits that needed to re-assess how they were investing their communications resources (large non-profits are generally categorized as MUSH — Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals). Many had voiced a similar problem — they needed to increase “brand awareness”. Some had even gone a step further and had invested in updating their brand and now had a new logo and a modern look, but no idea how to turn this investment into reaching new audiences, attracting new donors or program participants or even measuring their R.O.I. Without a clear communications plan as part of their overall strategic plan, they were not sure what of their current marketing efforts was working and what wasn’t. A dilemma even many for-profit CEOs share, as voiced years ago by John Wanamaker who said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.” Staff were also reluctant to tell their CEO what wasn’t working as it could potentially impact their role. And as more and more marketing shifted due to new technology, they were often also afraid of the unknowns and change.

While non-profits make up 5.4% of the country’s GDP and 8.5% of Canada’s GDP, they are by design working to stretch every donor dollar. Of course, leaving behind a regular paycheck was a worry, but she met with a wide range of freelancers who were both encouraging and generous in sharing their learnings. As she prepared for the move, she set up a new website as a virtual business card and began to reach out to potential clients through her network. Ms. Graham-Prentice let potential clients who could not afford a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) know her new purpose was to www.homebusinessmag.com

As she started off networking, her original goal was to focus on getting qualified clients by referral. She had the privilege of working with incredible teams over the years and wanted to continue working with a few “great” clients. But like every marketer, when she got a cold call she made sure she asked how people had heard about her new business. She mistakenly assumed most would be word-of-mouth and people would perhaps check out her LinkedIn profile to do some basic research. She was surprised to learn more CEO’s found her through her Twitter, an account she had mainly used to connect with media journalists and not thought of as a “promotional” channel. Ms. Graham-Prentice is now a huge advocate for home-based businesses and as COVID-19

SUCCESS STORIES

Consultant Creates a Business Inspired by the Needs of Non-profit Brands

Laura Graham-Prentice is the Founder of brand.re/wire.

has disrupted many career paths, she has in turn mentored many looking to make the shift to the NFP sector. As many have now adjusted to working remotely, they are also interested in learning what it’s like to run a home business. For her it has enabled a better work-life balance. She no longer has young children at home and has for years managed a schedule that was very flexible. She has found she can easily manage early morning or evening board meetings that accommodate the busy schedules of those volunteers. She is also very comfortable with technology and has had years of experience working with geographically dispersed teams. In working closely with clients, she has also found she still finds herself very much feeling connected as part of a team. But she admits she doesn’t miss having to commute to an office during rush hour. While COVID-19 has disrupted all businesses, Ms. Graham-Prentice feels the future is bright for freelance business consultants. When nonprofits don’t have the perfect complement of staff, or are already overloaded with the crisis of the day, freelance experts who understand the challenges, can coach teams and can seamlessly step in to do the work are invaluable. Visit http://www.brandrewire.com. Fall 2020 | Home Business

Strategies for Running a Compliant Business from Home Ensure Continuous Operation, Productivity, and Profitability of Your Business

HOME OFFICE

By James Gilmer, Harbor Compliance

he COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every facet of American life. Everything from how we dine out and socialize with each other, to the very paradigm of doing business has changed. Now several months into an ongoing crisis, many small businesses have adopted a remote working arrangement, either in direct response to state and local regulations or as a way to keep non-essential employees safe. Small business owners face the particular reality of running a business and managing employees from their home office. In addition to navigating a fully remote world of providing profitable products and services, small businesses must also develop ways to ensure ongoing compliance with the various federal, state, and local requirements needed to operate. Traditionally, compliance has been viewed as a non-core, administrative function. In the age of COVID-19, however, it steps into the limelight as a way to ensure continuous operation and even profitability. Small business owners should adopt a strategy to ensure compliance throughout their company and support those initiatives with the techniques presented in this article.

File Secretary of State Annual Reports Your business is generally required to file an annual report with each state in which it has registered. Most states require business entities to file annually, though some have irregular due dates, such as every two or ten years. Secretary of state reports are information updates designed to keep your business’s public record current. They are also required to maintain good standing in that jurisdiction. Unsurprisingly, you will encounter statutory deadlines that vary by state and even depend on the type of legal entity you have. This complexity increases when your business expands into multiple states, or when you manage a portfolio of companies.

In every state your company does business, it must maintain good standing with entity, tax, and licensing authorities. This generally allows the company to keep operating legally. It also preserves the limited liability protection of owners, officers, and directors. While every business faces unique requirements for its location or industry, most can expect to do the following in each state.

File and Pay Tax Returns In almost every state, your business will be required to pay taxes on its income, the sale of products and services, and other specific activities. Most tax accounts are administered separately, which means your business needs to register and file returns in each state, and often with multiple agencies within that state. In many places, like California and the District of Columbia, failure to maintain tax compliance impacts your corporate good standing and your ongoing right to do business.

Maintain a Registered Agent for Service of Process Business entities are required to appoint and maintain a registered agent in each state where they are registered. The registered agent receives important legal notices, such as service of process, on behalf of your business and forwards them to you with enough time to respond.

Maintain Necessary Licenses and Permits A business license gives your business or nonprofit the authority to operate or provide its goods or services legally. You may need a general business license for your particular location or to conduct a specific activity. Depending on your product or service, you may already have these licenses and permits in place. As you transition to a remote location,

The Basics of Legal Entity, Tax, and Licensing Compliance

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is especially important to know who your registered agents are. Most states allow you to designate any physical address, as long as it is not a P.O. Box or a virtual office. It is possible that your business’s publicly listed registered agent is currently its physical place of business. Of course, while you are busy running your business from your home office, it is equally likely that no one is at your usual address to fulfill the registered agent’s duties.

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

Small businesses must develop ways to ensure ongoing compliance with the various federal, state, and local requirements needed to operate. check with your state, city, and county to check whether you need any additional licenses to operate your business from your home office.

Hiring and Managing Employees from Your Home Office There’s a terrific upside to hiring and managing employees from your home office. In a remote arrangement, you can consider hiring outside your local area, giving you access to a wider talent pool. From the employee’s perspective, they may enjoy the flexibility of a remote schedule, save on commuting costs, and even reward you with higher productivity. From a compliance perspective, do some due diligence before hiring a remote employee. In addition to your usual process of interviewing, background checking, and onboarding employees, review the requirements of the state where that employee lives and will work. Depending on your situation, your business may be required to open state withholding and unemployment tax accounts in order to pay wages. Many states also require that out-of-state employers foreign qualify their legal entity and appoint a registered agent. When hiring a new out-of-state employee, a proactive approach is essential. Every state has varying processing times to open your www.homebusinessmag.com

payroll tax accounts and issue the tax identification numbers needed to pay your new hires. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extra strain on government agencies, especially unemployment offices. It is not uncommon to experience processing delays extending several weeks or more.

Creating Systems to Support Organizational Compliance

your business needs a system to manage entity registrations, registered agents, tax deadlines, and licenses. Many companies utilize spreadsheets or calendar software. As your company grows, you may consider investing in purpose-built compliance software to manage your compliance obligations. This gives your employees (and yourself) the peace of mind that key deadlines are being met. Consider, too, that attorneys, accountants, consultants, and insurance providers play a role. These vendors may directly handle some elements of your legal entity, tax, or licensing compliance. The right technology solution will give them the critical insights needed to provide their services to your company.

Technology to Drive Compliance Insights With so many diverse compliance responsibilities,

Records Management Individuals responsible for preparing and

9 Tips to Ensure Proper Compliance By James Gilmer Tip 1. Ensure that you have appointed a reliable registered agent who can perform its role in each state. This helps you avoid missing the delivery of critical legal notices and provides your business with coverage as you deal with limited availability of in-office resources. Tip 2. Establish a process to manage secretary of state annual reports on an ongoing basis. Ensure that you have designated key individuals to file them on time. You may also need to invest in technology to ensure that all parties have access to the company information needed to file. Tip 3. While you’re running your business from home, ensure that you have a process to register, maintain tax identification numbers, and file returns on time. Consider contacting accounting and tax professionals for advice and investing in software to handle ongoing reporting. Tip 4. Similar to your other legal entity and tax compliance requirements, ensure that you have a system to track and manage renewals of your various licenses. The last thing you want to do is find yourself out of compliance for an expired license! Tip 5. Review your employment situation

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with legal counsel as you hire employees in other states. Tip 6. Before hiring that top talent in another state (and we’re not saying don’t), take some time to research the requirements and get the appropriate registrations and tax accounts in order. This will improve your overall time-to-hire and help your new employee earn their first paycheck on time. Tip 7. Disparate systems for tracking compliance deadlines can lead to the loss of good standing and other negative consequences for your business. Using a central system for managing compliance reduces your overall risk. Tip 8. With one system to store and track records, you reduce the risk of missed filings and misreported information. You also have better oversight of your employees’ activities. Tip 9. A remote working environment may require additional management oversight. Be sure each employee understands their respective role, and that each employee has access to the tools and policies to make them successful. James Gilmer is a Compliance Specialist at Harbor Compliance (https://www.harborcompliance.com).

Policies and Procedures Much of the business information needed to stay in compliance is considered confidential, if not highly sensitive. Anything from social security and tax identification numbers to financial statements and contracts should be properly secured. Only individuals who need it to do their jobs should have access to it. In a technological era, security is paramount. Ensure any system you implement is designed to keep company information secure.

HOME OFFICE

With staff and company resources in disparate locations, management is charged overseeing company compliance from their home office. This creates a need for systems to manage various compliance tasks and deadlines. Only you can determine the right mix for your business, but you might expect to address the following areas.

filing various reports and returns should have access to company information in a central location. This includes any organizational and ownership data needed to prepare and submit state compliance filings. Consider also storing copies of corporate records, such as your articles of incorporation, bylaws, contracts, or resolutions. State agencies, banks, vendors, and even customers may require copies of these records on short notice.

Many businesses also have a sensitive information policy and employee training programs, both of which are designed to train and guide employees on the proper handling of sensitive or confidential data. In the event of a breach or an employee infraction, these tools provide parameters for rectifying the situation.

The New Normal With so many businesses being run from a home office, management should develop systems and processes to ensure critical compliance deadlines are met. This helps ensure the continuous, efficient operation of your business. And, when it comes time to hire that star employee or negotiate that next large opportunity, it could be a source of competitive advantage. In an era of COVID-19, remote work is the new normal. But, with the right practical improvements, your company can leverage compliance to drive productivity and profitability into the future. James Gilmer is a Compliance Specialist at Harbor Compliance (https://www.harborcompliance.com), a leading provider of compliance solutions (https://www.harborcompliance.com/registeredagent-service) for companies of all types and sizes. Founded by a team of government licensing specialists and technology trailblazers, Harbor Compliance has helped more than 25,000 organizations apply for, secure, and maintain licensing across all industries. James is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations leverage compliance to enhance their fundraising and program activities and educating the sector on compliance issues. James is also a Co-Founder of Berks Sinfonietta, Inc.(https://www.berkssinfonietta.org), a nonprofit chamber orchestra located in Reading, Pennsylvania. © 2020 Harbor Compliance. All rights reserved. Harbor Compliance does not provide tax, financial, or legal advice. Use of our services does not create an attorney-client relationship. Harbor Compliance is not acting as your attorney and does not review information you provide to us for legal accuracy or sufficiency.

Fall 2020 | Home Business

F E AT U R E

Success During and After COVID-19 Continued from page 14

want to shop around a bit for the best rates and terms. Alternatively, you can start small and use your personal bank account to accept payments. You also have the option to forgo a traditional merchant account and instead use a third-party payment processor such as PayPal or Stripe to accept payments online. However you accept payments, make sure you keep good documentation and keep your business and personal expenses separate. Keep in mind also that even if you don't do so immediately, you should eventually open a business bank account.

“

Having a strong online business presence is essential — especially during COVID-19.

”

platforms to advertise promotions, new products, and more. You can also use eCommerce software to sell directly from Facebook or Instagram.

Marketing Your Business Online Your target customers are spending lots of time online these days, and technology makes it easier than ever to market your new business to them. Online marketing is a vast topic that isn't really possible to cover adequately in a single article, but broadly speaking, you should consider using the following strategies: ■

■

Branding: Create an eye-catching logo which customers will associate with your business. You can use this logo on your signage as well as your website. Social media: Build a following on Facebook and Instagram and use these

■

SEO: Write search engine-optimized content for your website and use content marketing to blog about topics that will bring traffic to your website. PPC: Buying pay-per-click ads on Google can ensure that potential customers searching certain keywords will see your website on the first page of search engine results. Business directory websites: Maintain a presence on websites like Yelp and Google My Business so local customers can easily find your business and find out what hours

5 Tips for Doing Business During a Pandemic By Shannon Vissers, Merchant Maverick

1. Be on the lookout for good deals: You may be able to secure certain products you need for your business at a discount, especially as other businesses are closing or manufacturers need to unload products they haven't been able to sell due to reduced demand from their usual customers. 2. Stay on top of trends: Trends are evolving fast during COVID-19. There are houseplants, Tik Tok dances, Zoom, banana bread, fashion masks, and staycations, and you can probably think of a lot more. Even if these trends aren't directly related to your business, you might be able to incorporate them into your marketing. 3. Be community-minded: Community is more important than ever, as many people are feeling isolated and may be hurting financially as well. Make sure to express to your customers that you are there for them during these challenging times, and make sure you walk the walk, too. That could 38

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

mean donating a percentage of profits to a charity, offering a generous policy that lets customers pay in installments, or even giving away some items for free. 4. Go live: Livestreaming on social media is a free and easy way to reach out to customers and showcase your products or services. You might also consider using video conferencing software to host free webinars. With so many people bored at home, you have a captive audience ... literally. 5. Have a contingency plan: What will you do if changing circumstances force your business to change course? A backup plan is essential — as is having a diversified business model that doesn't rely on a single sales channel. The rainy day we've all been told to prepare for finally came in 2020, and in a big way. Even once the virus is in our rear-view mirror, we should never forget the lesson we learned this year about how fast everything can change.

you are open. This is especially important if you have a physical business or standard hours in which you operate. ■

Email and text marketing: Send existing customers messages about promotions, discounts, and more using email and text to keep your business on your customers' minds.

Depending on your level of marketing expertise, you might hire a marketing or branding expert to help you advertise your business. However, some things are really easy to do yourself, such as setting up and updating your social media pages and maintaining a presence on Yelp. You can also use inexpensive email marketing software such as Mailchimp, and your website builder program probably has digital marketing tools which you can choose to purchase as an add-on.

Future-Proofing Your Business It's difficult to think about the future right now when everything seems uncertain. Will the coronavirus and social distancing stick around for a few more months and then be vanquished by a vaccine? Or should we be thinking more long-term? We just don't know. But what we do know is actually a lot. We know that the internet is here to stay and that customers will continue to search for business products and services online. We know that people will continue to need essential services, like food, education, and childcare, as well as fun extras like retail therapy and other entertainment. And we also know that disaster events like the current pandemic can close brick-and-mortar businesses literally overnight. To adequately prepare for a somewhat uncertain future, most successful businesses will have built-in social distancing and maintain the ability to operate remotely in the case of extended closures. Having a scalable business model, making sure your business has sufficient insurance, and building a cash reserve can help you prepare for future events — pandemicrelated or otherwise. All in all, home-based startups are in a strong position to thrive and grow despite the current crisis. Who knows, you might just start the next Uber! Shannon Vissers is a writer for Merchant Maverick, a comparison site that reviews and rates credit card processors, point-of-sale systems, mobile payments services, and small business software. Visit https:// www.merchantmaverick.com.

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Checklist for Creating Your Home Office Workspace* Questions

Yes

N/A

■ Are the people living with you on board with you working from home?

F E AT U R E

■ Are you the sort of person who can work at home despite distractions there? ■ Do you know how much space you need to operate your business from home? ■ Do you have sufficient space for your business needs? ■ Will your home office meet tax deduction rules? ■ Do you have or can you get the right desk and chair? ■ What electronic equipment is needed for your business? ■ Do you have enough storage space? ■ Do you have the right lighting for your business needs? ■ Do you have to accommodate business visitors to your home? ■ Did you decide how to decorate your office? ■ Did you think about personalizing your office? ■ Do you have enough Internet speed at home for your business needs? ■ Do you need an additional telephone line? ■ Do you have the software you need to run your business productively? ■ Do you have security devices to protect your home office? ■ Have you made plans for data backup? ■ Do you have an IT expert you can call upon for help? ■ Can email marketing help you? ■ Do you have a marketing budget? ■ Are you going to use paid ads online? ■ If you are using paid ads online, which venue(s) will you use? ■ Are you going to use paid ads in other media (e.g., local newspaper)? ■ Do you have a plan to regularly review your marketing efforts?

* This Checklist excerpted from Home Business Magazine’s “Home-Based Business Start-Up Guide.” To order your paperback or eBook version, go to Amazon.com or visit HomeBusinessMag.com

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Fall 2020 | Home Business

MARKETING & SALES

Niche Market PR The Overlooked, Low-hanging Fruit Media Key to Business Growth

“I

Another tactic: Industry outlets often want original expert content. Writing an article — with the reward of exposure — can position yourself and your company as an industry expert and give more credibility to the new service you’ve just launched.

Working with small businesses daily, I appreciate that everyone wants that one big national media hit that will make their product/ service and grow their business. It’s the holy grail everyone wants, and it used to be easier to achieve…pre-pandemic. Today, thanks to major reductions in ad sales and subscribers, the media are furloughing and laying off, again. More journalists are going freelance and it can be hard to locate and get in contact them, or they are leaving the industry altogether. Meanwhile, those left are churning and burning stories because, even though there isn’t enough revenue at their respective publication or station to retain staff, news doesn’t stop. Fewer journalists are trying to do the reporting of several across a number of platforms and channels, even outlets, and bombarded by thousands of businesses and PR professionals daily, making it hard to stand out. (If you want news coverage, support journalism by subscribing!) Now, I’m not saying that you’ll never get national media exposure. What I am saying is that if your goal is to sell your product in the market, where no one knows you and, on a budget, you need to consider a realistic strategy. You don’t go from the starting gate to the finish line automatically. Smart companies look for the “low-hanging fruit” to reach their audience quickly and directly (aka niche media). Niche media are trade and consumer, topic-specific media outlets. They are hungry for content, latest news and products, and industry market trends to cover. Example #1 of Niche Media If your product is for pets, you should target pet industry publications and the many consumer pet media. Build a relationship with them and become a reliable source for inclusion in even more stories and product round-ups. Why this works: Retail buyers, industry influencers, other media and businesses read these, which can lead to interest from retailers who

By Jennifer Fortney thousands of company decision makers and potential sales.

want to be in The New York Times.” “Can you get me on ‘Oprah’s Favorite Things List’?” All things I’ve heard…A LOT over 20 years. And I get it. Really.

Home Business Fall 2020 ®

If your goal is to sell your product in the market, where no one knows you and, on a budget, you need to consider a realistic strategy.

want to buy and sell your product. Pet-loving consumer subscribers are more likely to go to your website and buy from you directly. Why? Because they are your ideal customers. This is the media exposure that matters most: Hyper-targeted — generating awareness, driving sales and growth, providing valuable content for your website, blog and social channels, helping to grow your audience and ultimately build a community of ambassadors around your product, who will be more than happy to tell others how great you are. Case study: I achieved more than 70 opportunities in one year for a client in the pet industry, and a good chunk were industry publications. The credibility these stories and inclusions provided led to big time interest and sales from major retail buyers, and even more media. Example #2 of Niche Media Let’s say you’ve launched a new, unique service for the construction industry. Sure, you think it should be on CNBC because it could disrupt the market, but the reality is that you first need the industry’s buy in — their interest and business, track record of sales and use — to develop a trend story that might peak interest with a producer at CNBC. And the best way to make that all happen is by getting the attention of construction industry media. Why this works: Getting a story in even one of these publications can result in reaching

Example #3 of Niche Media One final example — not to be discounted — is hometown media. Your local media are always looking for great stories of individuals, innovation, and businesses in the community. In fact, they often want to be the first to hear about what you’re doing before it gets any national attention. Why this works: Local media write stories about local news and consumers love to support local businesses. If your hometown loves your product or business, then they will support you all the way. Case study: I have a female-led startup, the Crawligator, that has been in my mentorship program for a few years now. Last summer, with some guidance, she landed herself on the local ABC affiliate’s “Chicago Made” segment. Her customers loved the product so much that they shared the company on the ABC network’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” Facebook page for the “Made in America” segment. After seeing the local ABC segment, the national producer asked the company to make a video that could be edited and aired on the national newscast that evening. Before you create a public relations strategy for your business, consider exactly where your customers are and how to reach them quickly and easily to drive sales. Once they help build and grow your business, then you strive for your holy grail and hit up Today show. Consistently named one of the top 25 PR agencies in Chicago, Jennifer Fortney is President of Cascade Communications (https://www.cascadecomms.com), a boutique, virtual Story Agency, and author of “Pitched: A Simple DIY Guide to Public Relations for Small Businesses”. In her 20+ year career in PR and marketing communications, she has worked with top Fortune 1000 and a variety of small businesses and startups across the country and globally, generating millions of media impressions. A Journalism major from The University of Kansas, she worked in broadcast and sports and corporate PR agencies. She is a speaker and guest lecturer and was the PR Instructor at SCORE Chicago for 5 years. Jennifer was a regular contributor to NBCChicago. com “Inc. Well” blog, the Chicago Tribune, and is an expert and contributor to several small business and startup media outlets.

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TODAY! GET STARTED

Home Business 46 Pg. 46 / Podcast ––Pg. TV TV / Podcast

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I Loved Your Article Hi, I’m Josh Ternyak, and I just read your article: “Best Mattresses For People With An Active Lifestyle,”and shared it on Twitter. I really liked that you covered leading mattress brands in a way that shows readers the differences and similarities. Anyways, just wanted to say hi and let you know that your blog post was an enjoyable read. Josh Ternyak joshternyak.com

Remote Meetings Are the New Normal With COVID-19 here for the unforeseeable future, businesses are rethinking everything. More and more employees are working from home, which means people who once met face to face must now meet virtually. The good news is that platforms like Zoom and Google Hangouts make it easy to hold these meetings. The bad news is that leading virtual meetings requires a skillset many people don't have. Remote meetings are inherently different from in-person meetings, and this means they are often poorly run. That’s a serious concern even in normal times, but in times like these, it can be disastrous. It’s crucial that leaders get meetings right, right away. Another bit of good news (which we need plenty of right now) is that well-run online meetings can be extremely beneficial. According to the Harvard Business Review, online meetings can be even more effective than in-person meetings when done right. Howard Tiersky Entrepreneur Founder of FROM: The Digital Transformation Agency and Innovation Loft Coauthor with Heidi Wisbach of Impactful Online Meetings: How to Run Polished Virtual

Working Sessions That Are Engaging and Effective—Zoom|Webex|GoToMeeting|Skype| Google Hangouts impactfulonlinemeetings.com

Strategic Thinking Do you get it? Translation: Are you strategic? How often have you overheard a group talking about a leader and saying, “She/he just doesn’t get it”? Do they say that about you? Well, are you tactical or strategic? Does it even matter? A survey conducted with 400 talent management leaders found that the #1 most valued skill in leaders today is strategic thinking. Unfortunately, research with 154 companies found that only 3 out of every 10 managers are strategic. So, yes, the ability to think strategically is essential. The real question is how can you continually hone your strategic thinking skills in order to thrive in today’s ever-changing business landscape? The fact is most managers are now required to be more successful with fewer resources. All managers have resources (time, talent, and capital) to varying degrees within their organizations. So, technically, all managers are strategists. The reality, however, is that not all managers are good strategists. Herein lies the pearl of great opportunity: The deeper you can dive into the business and resurface with strategic insights, the more valuable you’ll become to your organization. Rich Horwath Strategy facilitator Keynote speaker CEO of the Strategic Thinking Institute Author of StrategyMan vs. The Anti-Strategy Squad: Using Strategic Thinking to Defeat Bad Strategy and Save Your Plan www.StrategySkills.com

Looking Forward to the Next Recession The highest-performing companies don’t fear recessions — they look forward to them. The idea sounds counterintuitive, we know. What possible reason would a business leader have to want an economic downturn? The answer is simple. A recession, properly planned for, can present opportunities for growth that would otherwise take a decade or more to pan out, like mass purchasing expensive assets for cheap, acquiring other

companies, and convincing top-shelf talent to join your team. You can plan ahead and set your company up to not only survive the next recession but use it to fuel your growth. Jonathan Slain and Paul Belair Authors, speakers, and business consultants, Coauthors of Rock the Recession: How Successful Entrepreneurs Prepare for, Thrive During, and Create Wealth After Downturns www.Recession.com

Taking “Free Babysitting” Worldwide Wana Family Network is a global Public Benefit Corporation of four female founders spreading affordable childcare through community-driven babysitting swaps. It reaches 20,000 families nationwide with their community-driven Komae app, where families meet, playdate, and trade childcare for “time points” instead of dollars. Wana doubled its reach with the purchase of Komae, Inc last year; now Wana is expanding internationally with acquisition of London-based Sitster Ltd. Reminiscent of neighborhood babysitting co-ops popular in the 80’s, families using the app take turns caring for each other’s children. One couple’s movie night and another parent’s shopping trip are kept equal with points by the hour, and families that swap evenly use the network completely free. Erin Beck Founder and CEO, Wana Family Network erin@wanafam.ly http://wanafam.ly

DEAR HOME BUSINESS

225+ D HOME-BASE -UPS BUSINESS START

How to Prevent Real Property Theft 101 Did you know it is possible for someone to steal your lot, home, and other property by virtue of them occupying your land? The legal theory is called Adverse Possession. Contact a local attorney to find the laws in your state. If you want to prevent a trespasser from becoming the owner of your home, and in consequence your home office, or the home of a loved one, simply check the property and oust any trespasser. Adverse Possession takes time, so don’t waste yours and check on your property today! Kyle Lawheed, Esq. Attorney kylelawheed@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-lawheed5258a486

We appreciate your feedback and work-from-home success stories for review and consideration. Please send both via e-mail to: editor@homebusinessmag.com, or via postal mail to: HOME BUSINESS® Magazine, 20664 Jutland Place, Lakeville, MN 55044.

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