Entrepreneur Moms

I didn't exactly start from scratch - i fell into it through personal experience and then embraced it. I will tell you that in-home businesses are the only sector of the economy that is growing. Direct sales is a huge business as people take control of their finances and their schedules, and because the corporate world no longer has any loyalty to employees.

Advice I can give you - make sure it is a product or service absolutely necessary and that it applies to everyone (men, women, kids). Otherwise you cut your prospects down by 50% or even 90%! Make sure it's something that is consumable so people want to reorder every month - if it's a one-shot deal, then next month you start all over finding new customers. Make sure it's not something that is seasonal - for example, if it's something people love as holiday gifts, you have a great November and then struggle all year long. If it's a luxury item, people will give it up in tough economic times. If it's something you offer through home parties only, then be prepared for your friends not always wanting to host for you - they may be reluctant to coerce their friends into attending something where a purchase is 'expected' especially with so many people out of work.

Make sure there is training from any company you sign up with. Investigate the compensation plan - make sure it's wide open and not just a binary system (you get 2 people under you, then they get 2 people, and so on). You won't make any money if it's all hinged on 2 people. Make sure the company is part of the Direct Selling Association, which is an invitation-only watchdog organization for the top 200 companies among the thousands out there. The DSA ensures ethical business practices. See if the management team is stable or if it's a revolving door. If the company trades on the stock exchange (NASDAQ or any other), then they aren't a scam and are validated by the Attorneys General of all 50 states. Check the distributor retention rate - if it's only 20%, you know people don't make money or don't get support/training. If it's 60%, that's great.

Wellness is the next $1 trillion industry as baby boomers are aging, and as people are more disappointed by the medical establishment. Despite supposedly "good nutrition", we have epidemic rates of diseases, from diabetes to allergies (food & environmental) as well as ADD & autism, to name a few. Thirty years ago, every kid took a PB&J sandwich on white bread to school, and bought a carton of milk. Now we have peanut-free schools, gluten-free families, lactose intolerance, and too many kids with "adult" diseases like depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Something's wrong here!

I am a nutritional consultant for a visionary food science company. I don't charge for my services but I make a commission if people purchase products. I pride myself on customer service and follow-up - I'm not out to sell something once. I spend a lot of time doing training, and my company's training is open to the public who want to take a look at it - that tells me a lot about the company's honesty and openness. The company is research-based and not into fads or trends. There's never been a legal claim against it or an injury/death, and the FDA inspections have been stellar (FDA uses them as a model for other companies). Those are the types of accolades you want your company to have. You also need to be sure that the company is committed to its distributors. For example, one nutritional company is now moving its products into WalMart - what happens to all those at-home people who wanted and invested in a business from this company? Their careers are shot. Another filed for bankruptcy and is reorganizing. So you need to be sure you have a business that is solid, well-run, and didn't go for quick profits over the well-being of its distributors. You need a company with a good history. And not one that is already saturated with distributors in your area.

Any in-home business is based on your commitment and drive. So you need to analyze your strengths as well as your desires, and find a good match. You need to be committed to it and figure out how you're going to market yourself and find customers.

If I can give you more info, let me know. Good luck with your search!

I started my direct sales business 9 years ago and took it full time 5 years ago. I couldn't be happier! We had nothing and I do mean nothing. I had a 1 yr old baby and was working 60-70 hrs a week. We were barely making enough to pay the electric bill, let alone buy food. I started the business to buy groceries. Now, I'm paying 2 mortgages and 2 vehicle payments with the money I'm making :)

Previously I worked full time in advertising. I have never been able to be home after school, etc.

I lost my full time job in January, but I had started selling Mary Kay a few months before on the side. I love it and am making money- but it is NOT for everyone!

You hear a lot of people knock businesses like Mary Kay or Pampered Chef, but in my old job (advertising) I actually worked with a lot of women who had their own businesses, and I can say that some people have the personality and discipline for it and some people just DON'T.

Whether or not you would be good at ANY HBB or self-managed business depends a lot on HOW you personally work. Some people require a lot of supervision, some don't. Some people do well with setting their own schedules and can manage money and inventory and some people are bad at it. The important thing is to know which person YOU are.

I will also say that a lot (IMO) depends on the company and whatever sales unit or support group you have. In ANY business, you will always have some people who are just looking to sign you up, and then sort of leave you to your own devices. You do NOT want that!

You want to choose an established business that has a good support system from the main company. Go to their website and see what they offer their consultants- how much information, what are ordering requirements, how are commissions handled, etc. And honestly, it needs to be a product that you yourself LIKE and USE and BELIEVE in- don't pick something just because you think it will make you $$. I have worked in sales and advertising for years and it is VERY difficult to sell something you don't honestly believe it

The second thing is your LOCAL support system, your 'team' or 'unit' or 'cluster' that you are recruited into. Go to some meetings and events BEFORE you sign up. I would NEVER sign someone into our Mary Kay unit until my director and I got to know them a little and made sure that they knew what we're about and that we all LIKE each other and want to work together. Seriously- if those are not criteria that are important to a group, I would not join it.

You want a unit that holds regular meetings with an emphasis on training, product knowledge and also SUPPORT. Sure, we have friendly competitions within the unit, but we all really support each other and are HAPPY for one another's successes.

So- maybe this is for you and maybe it isn't. But I hope these criteria help you a little if you start shopping around for a self- managed business. There will always be people filled with sour grapes or who tried to do their own business and are convinced they got ripped off- but mostly, they either just weren't suited to do it in the first place OR they just didn't manage their own money well. Remember, the best thing about managing your own business is just that- YOU manage the business, the money, everything.

Good luck! I hope you find a good fit for yourself! I love working from home :)

Starting from complete scratch is very tough. The start up costs are tremendous. I am like Diane. I had an opportunity fall into my lap and I ran with it. The beauty about home business opportunities, you do not have to worry about storage, distribution, advertising material, a research and development team, IT department, training department...it's all done for you.

As mentioned before, the Network marketing business are the ONLY ones growing in this ecomony. Paul Zane Pilzer, well known economist and predicted the .com boom, stated that there will be one million new Millionaires...but only in the network marketing area and only in the beauty and wellness industry. I chose the beauty and wellness industry because #1 I fell in love with the products, #2 I knew that the baby boomers who are 1/3 of the population and control 2/3 of the spending are aging and will do whatever it takes to slow it down or reverse it.

My daily life is pretty normal - at least to me. I get up at 6 to get the kids off to school. I have my coffee and check emails in the morning, go to the gym, make some phone calls to set up appointments or sometimes I have appointments...I try to make them lunch or early afternoon appts, come home, soccer, skating....one to two nights a week I work my business doing workshops (shows), but only on the nights I do not have kid related stuff.

Am I happy????? Absolutely!!! How can I not be. I am there for my kids when they need me, and I bring in a great income using products I use every day. Where else can I get a free trip to Nassau Bahamas just for doing my job, or a White Mercedes for taking control of my business and helping others?

If I can help you in any way, please let me know. Best wishes!!