We laugh ourselves silly when a sitcom features a home-based business gone awry. We have all received emails inviting us to join one. We avoid certain friends and family members because they want us to enroll in their newest “money-machine.”
Uncle Harry shows up at Thanksgiving with a tale of how he just got burned by a home-business scam. He laments that his garage is overflowing with $4,000 worth of products he already purchased but can’t sell and the company he represented is now out of business.
We certainly hope that you will not buy into the scam that cost poor Uncle Harry $4000. Besides he can’t even use his garage anymore. In today’s world it is easy to become entangled in questionable home business ventures that promise a better life, time freedom and off-the-charts income.
TV Infomercials feature forever cheery people telling us how they make more money in six months than most people earn in a life-time. Beautiful people sit around a huge pool drinking mint juleps beside a multi-million dollar home. They chant and rant that their miracle business will set you on the path to great riches.
And then there are the leaflets, flyers and direct mail pieces stuffed in our mail boxes that promote the next great opportunity for instant wealth. Laughably, my favorite advertisements are the hand-lettered signs on telephone poles that explode the message, “Earn $5000 your first month in the business” or “Work from home and earn executive level pay.” It seems to me that people who make executive level income could at least have their signs printed professionally. Uncle Harry is a sucker for these posters!
It is because of these advertising excesses and misleading messages that we often say, “Hogwash” when we hear of yet another home business opportunity. Our immediate reaction is “scam” or illegal “pyramid.” These reactions are understandable, especially if a person has been stung in a home business misadventure like Uncle Harry experienced.
Of course, a certain level of skepticism is appropriate in our scam-ridden society. But a negative knee-jerk reaction to all home-businesses is unfortunate. We must be careful not to throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water. There are many legitimate opportunities that can prove to be financially beneficial – especially in today’s economy.
As government regulations and oversight have tightened, most home-based scams have dried up – not all but most. The bad guys have moved on to bigger ponds, like “phishing” for your bank account number through fake emails. And that has left the good guys of the legitimate home-based business industry to thrive.
The work-at-home revolution is in full blossom and millions of people are benefiting by it. Many of the legitimate home-based businesses are a unique combination of Direct Selling and Network Distribution. They offer excellent products, fairly priced with a 100% money-back guarantee. These companies endure because they are honest, customer focused and financially stable.
Granted, not many folks get rich in a home-based business. However, career-minded associates can make a six-figure residual income after a few years of consistent part-time effort. More commonly, associates can earn $500.00 to a $1,000.00 per month working part-time from home. In today’s economy a few hundred dollars a month can make a significant impact on the quality of life for hard-pressed families. A recent news brief declared that many families could have avoided foreclosure with an additional income of $600.00 per month.
Business analyst Robert T. Kiyosaki, author of the best selling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, makes the point that many of these legitimate home businesses fit his definition of a “perfect business.” Associates can launch their business for a minimal investment and work from the convenience of their home on a flexible schedule. Their commute is from the breakfast table to their computer workstation. No prior business experience is required to be successful. Associates can work full-time or part-time. Home business operators are their own boss.
The “partnering” company takes care of all manufacturing, quality control issues and order fulfillment. There are no costly facilities to lease and maintain or heavy equipment to buy. There are no worries about employees, employee benefits and meeting payroll. You do not have to pay for expensive insurance programs or worry about government regulations, licenses, certifications and tax problems.
Many of these “perfect” home businesses are “turn-key” business models that are streamlined, simple to operate and easily duplicated. They offer unique, consumable products that sell easily in a huge and expanding market. The most successful companies are in complete alignment with current social marketing trends and employ the latest technology. Many of them, like Watkins, are name brands that have been around for a long time with strong market recognition.
Corporations that offer a home business opportunity enroll associates to be consumers of their products. These associates also have the option of building a team or network of other associates who also become consumers of the products. In many cases, for an investment of less than a $100.00, a person can launch a “turn-key” home-business and earn significant supplemental income in the near-term with the potential for long-term residual income. Most importantly, these business models are affordable for the average person.
However, business seekers must proceed with caution. There are still bad companies preying on the gullible and uninformed. Do not get trapped in a bad deal like Uncle Harry with a garage full of products that he can’t sell. Do your research. Sift and sort until you identify an excellent company that is a good fit for your personality, style, resources, needs and goals.
Fully evaluate any company that may interest you. Contact the company’s headquarters and ask for information. Use the Internet to identify governmental agencies and consumer protection groups that may provide you with reliable information on companies that you are evaluating. Speak with associates who are already in the company and get their feed-back. Only sign-on with a company that has a history of integrity, customer satisfaction, excellence and stability.
We live in a difficult world. People are highly stretched and stressed. The economy is in turmoil. Unemployment is soaring and foreclosures are commonplace. Many families live from paycheck to paycheck. It is not a happy time for a lot of folks.
However, there is hope! Amid all of the turmoil there are excellent home-based business opportunities. The current economic crisis actually sets the stage for hard working folks to take control of their finances. The challenge is to find the right company. With the right business system, personal dedication and consistent effort you may look to a brighter financial future.
Check out Watkins! It may serve you well!
