By Sherron Lumley “I’m at work all the time,” says Beth Rountree, owner of Beth Rountree Design in Austin, Texas, a home-based graphic design business specializing in print media. “I had my daughter in 2000 and was on maternity leave when I got my first client, then it ballooned into a business,” she says. “Having the flexibility to stop and be with my family for dinner is huge for me,” she adds. More than half of all U.S. businesses are home-based, according to the U.S. Small Business...

Virtual offices let entrepreneurs save money and burnish their reputation by making a professional and polished first impression By Christopher Freeburn Your business may be small, but you have big ambitions. You want to do business with the big guys, but right now you know your operations don't look the part. Perhaps you are running your company out of your basement, or you've rented the best office space you can afford-adequate to house your business, but not a place you want potential...

by Big Ideas4Biz Today, technology makes it easy for anyone to start and run a business from home. Before you invest time and effort in a home-based activity, make sure you understand legal and tax aspects, as well as practical considerations, so you can avoid problems later on. Deciding to work from home Starting and running a business from home can provide many personal and financial benefits: You can see to family responsibilities (e.g., child or parent care) while making money from...

Before you begin a home based business, make sure you're aware of the personal and professional challenges you'll be facing Although late night commercials on television and unsolicited emails may tell you how easy it is to start your own home-based business, the reality is that you're likely to work as hard or harder at home than you did before you took the leap and went out on your own. The appeal of such independence is obvious: no boss, no commute, no office politics, greater freedom, and...

Home-based businesses are fast becoming a popular way to operate your small company, while reducing expensive start-up costs such as leasing space, lease hold improvements, utility and phone deposits and major office equipment. Thousands of people across the country are finding that working from home provides them with the advantages of earning an income with the flexibility to work when it is best for them and take care of family and other responsibilities that often arise throughout the work...