Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

There are many reasons why we might want to work from home. The most common is likely to be young families that have to juggle family duties, such as school runs, with the need to earn a living. For others it might simply be the Utopian idea of not being answerable to anyone but themselves and being able to work at the times that suit them.

The downside of this is of course the danger that home life could take over your work time. It calls for a very disciplined approach in order to separate your work time from your home life. But for those that can successfully manage this work-life vs. home-life tension, it can provide a great compromise. Some of the qualities you will need to run a business from home are:

• Flexibility -The ability to juggle home life and business and deal with interruptions
• Focus & Discipline – It is vitally important that you can be disciplined enough to protect your work time from distractions and maintain focus on your work.
• Determination – A high sense of commitment and drive to succeed will ride you through the more difficult times which every developing business goes through.

The second challenge is of course having a business idea or model that can work successfully as a home based business.

If you have your own ideas then you will have a good starting point for developing your own business. You will, though, be faced with the challenges of trying and testing your business idea, making inevitable mistakes, and fine-tuning your business model to make sure the mistakes don’t happen again. Providing you can withstand the associated cost of any mistakes, you could end up with a sound business.

For those who find that prospect a little daunting, there is another way of starting up a home based business which can remove some of the pain. A franchise business is one that was started up like any other business, has had its share of mistakes and has been fine-tuned to the point where it’s become a proven and profitable business. Some business owners decide to ‘franchise’ their business at this point. This is similar to licensing the business in that other aspiring business owners can take on the proven business model and brand and run the new business.

If you are interested in finding out more about how a franchise could help you start up your own work from home business, you can check out our home based franchises section as a starting point.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

It seems not a day goes by that I don’t have at least one email drop into my inbox promising a new way to make money from home. Not surprisingly the attraction is obvious:-

1. Appeals to those with home commitments such as young familes or family members that need constant care.
2. Work from the comfort of your own from home.
3. Administer your own time. You can work daytime, evening, night, whatever suits your lifestyle.
4. Every penny you earn is yours to keep (Once costs and tax are taken out of course! ).

No surprise then that home based business opportunities are rife on the internet, simply because they draw us to a more desirable life-style. Of course, not all of the ‘opportunities’ will be kosher. So the challenge is, how can you know what will make a good work from home opportunity?

Well, if you understand that working hard is a major factor to making a business work, then there are some decent internet based opportunities to be found within franchising. Most of these franchises fall into 2  categories and are targeted for the most part at commercial buyers:-

Web Marketing Franchise opportunities

These are ultimately providing web site marketing services to businesses for example web site design or search engine optimisation.

Business Directory Franchises

With more and more people online, the web is becoming an ever more important element to local businesses in order to be seen in their community.  Web based business directories provide advertising to local businesses via a high profile website within their local area. Purchasers consequently are mainly the local business owners.

The good thing about looking for a franchise opportunity when compared side by side with other business start-ups are that they should be based upon a proven business concept. The franchise owner has proven the business idea can work and can be profitable. All that remains is for you to commit yourself to that franchise system in the same way the franchise owner did with their original businesses. On top of that, a franchise ordinarily carries support and training so that you are fully clued up with how the franchise business is intended to operate.

The work from home factor of an Internet franchise opportunity can provide a great deal of overall flexibility. Should you have a young family it could allow you to deal with your time and business at the time it most closely fits your schedule. Running costs can be kept low as there is no necessity to rent dedicated trade space. Naturally you have to consider the operating times of your potential clients when considering the best times to carry out your work.

After you have thought through what time of work will suit you best to enable you to work from home, remember that it takes a good deal of hard work to succeed in running any business. With the most suitable home based franchise together with your hard work and dedication, you could well be running a successful internet franchise opportunity from your own home.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

We have all seen the Ads which go something like… make thousands without even leaving your own front door. If I had a pound for every email I’ve had which goes something along those lines I’d probably be a very rich man indeed! Unfortunately, the vast majority of these ‘opportunities’ turn out to networking or pyramid schemes which benefit those at the top at the expense of those who sign up further down the line. They promise much, sound plausible, but very often fail to deliver.

So how can you sort the wheat from the chaff? What will stop you buying a bad egg? Here’s a couple of things to look out for that may give you cause for alarm when looking at different business opportunities:-

• Does the opportunity claim to require minimal work in return for huge amounts of cash? (With no real information on how you will make money).
• Does the opportunity have clear direct contact details? (i.e. phone number and real address, not a PO Box)
• Will they happily give you contact details of real people who are already being successful running the business that you can speak to as references?
• Do they seem interested in your suitability for running their business? Or are they more interested in whether you have the money to invest?

And here’s a number of things that may indicate an opportunity that’s worth checking out further:-

• A proven and documented business model (such as a franchise business)
• A willingness to be transparent about how they operate and be able to show clearly how you will make money
• A willingness to provide references, i.e. other business people who are already running the business or franchise, so that you can verify their claims
• A willingness to invite you to see their company offices/setup to verify they are a bonafide outfit with support and training systems in place

Of course, ultimately you will have to trust your gut instinct and make sure you do as much background checking as possible. Don’t be bought by big promises especially when there appears to be sketchy evidence to back it up. Investing in any business is not without risk, and if in doubt its best to seek professional advice.

This is where a good franchise system can really help. A franchise should be built around a proven business model, provide a good level of backup and support and should have no problem providing references of successful franchises who are already trading and running their own businesses.

Whatever you choose, whether it be franchised or non-franchised, be prepared to work hard to make it succeed. I have yet to come across a business which truly provides money for doing virtually nothing.

A good rule of thumb to bear in mind is: If it seems too good to be true… then it probably is!

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

While many people may be happy to carry out their work sat behind a desk, there is a certain freedom to the thought of getting out and about and meeting customers face-to-face. Van based franchise businesses can give you just such a freedom, although like any job you are still likely to have some paperwork to do which means you might not be completely free of the desk!

A Van based franchise can provide alot of variety, and might include:-

Getting out and about

Some people just enjoy driving about and so a van franchise can work very well. Having a little time to yourself where you drive from one customer to another can be relaxing as long as you can cope well with traffic when you encounter it!

Customer interaction

A van based franchise will usually feature delivery of products of services directly to a customers home or business premises. This can be great if you enjoy meeting new people and being able to talk face-to-face.

Work from Home

Many van based franchises allow you to work from your own home. Your interaction with customers is generally at their own premises or via the telephone which means you mat not need a dedicated office and may find working from a spare room in your house to be quite adequate.

Manage your own time

Having a van and getting out to visit customers means you will probably have to manage your own schedule. This may be a challenge aswell as a benefit. Your time might be flexible but remember that you will need to work hard if you want your business to be a success.

If you have been thinking about starting up your own business, you enjoy meeting new people, you like the sound of operating out of a vehicle and the idea of a home based business opportunity appeals to you, then a van based franchise might well be the type of franchise you have been looking for.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

In the year to February 2011 the number of people self-employed in the UK rose by 120,000 over the previous year according to the Office for National Statistics. It’s clear that self-employment is continuing to rise and its easy to see why.  The recent recession resulted in many, from both public and private sector alike, being made redundant and looking for something new to do, and some of these have decided to start up their own business. In addition, many have simply decided they wanted a change from working for an employer and made the switch to working for themselves. The move to self-employment is likely compounded further by the fact that jobs are harder to come by and competition for what vacancies are available is increased.

Interest in homeworking is also on the increase for those considering self-employment. It’s attraction is driven by a number of factors including the flexibility of lifestyle and the benefit of keeping business overheads low since there are no premises to pay for.

The franchise industry boasts a good range of franchise opportunities that can be operated from home so, if you are considering homeworking, what kind of suitable franchise business could you look at?

Internet Franchises

An Internet franchise focuses on supply of Internet services primarily to other businesses. This might be website design or consultancy services or providing online advertising via local community based websites. Many of these types of opportunity can be run from your own home.

Training & Coaching Franchises

Providing business training or management coaching can in many cases be run as a home based business opportunity. Training and coaching are often performed on-site at a customers premises so having an office can be unnecessary. It might be that you can book your appointments from home and then visit customers offices as necessary.

Distribution Franchises

Distribution franchises involve provision of products to businesses or direct to consumers. Depending on the nature of the product, a corporate storage space may not be necessary and it could be possible to function from your own home and using a vehicle such as a van to deliver your wares to your customers.

These are just a few of the many different types of franchise businesses that could be worked from home, in the UK. For further options its worth checking out other home based franchises that you can find listed on franchise directory websites.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Whatever type of business you run, whether it be a business idea of your own or a franchise business, choosing where to spend your working day can be a critical element in your business success.

Of course, some businesses dictate the type of working premises for you so in these cases you have little choice. Retail franchises for example, where you sell products or services to members of the public, may require a retail shop front or unit in order to showcase your offerings to potential customers.

Working from home is often a popular option since it offers a balance between the need to earn an income but also a way to accommodate the demands of family life, for example those families with young children. In franchising, these are often known as home based franchises.

Even if you have the chance to work from home, you will still need to consider if its the best option for you. Here are some things you may want to consider:-

Working from home

Pros

• You work when it suits you – Flexibility of time
• No travel costs of getting to and from work
• Low overheads – no business premises/office costs
• Tax efficient – you may be able to reclaim some costs of living against tax

Cons

• Family/Home life could be a distraction
• Using a home address can give a ‘one man band’ impression to customers
• Working from an office
• Can be difficult to separate work from home

Working from an office

Pros

• Dedicated working environment – no work unrelated distractions
• Work/home life physical separation
• A professional image to potential customers

Cons

• Office overheads and running costs
• Travel costs of getting to and from the office
• If you have family duties to attend to might mean more travelling

These are just a few considerations to think about. Ultimately, the best type of people that work from home are those that are highly work motivated, can retain their focus on the job in hand and that can mentally separate their work and home life effectively. If you are someone that is easily distracted and needs more physical boundaries to keep you on track then its likely you will find running your business or franchise from a dedicated office more productive.

If you have any other pros and cons to contribute to this article please feel free to comment!

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Working from home is ideal for those who have family commitments such as those with young children who are at school or maybe older family members who require some care. However, not everyone is cut out to work well from home and some cope with the compromise better than others. So what are some of personal qualities that can help you when working from home:-

The ability to seperate home life and work life

If you work from home, maintaining the divide between work life and home life can be difficult. On one hand it could be a temptation outside of work time to just go and finish off a few work things that you know need doing or on the other hand you might find something more attractive to do around the house than carry out your work tasks. The following points may help:-

• Have a dedicated room or space that is your work area as this may helps to give a physical seperation between work and home.
• Make sure other family members know when you are working so as not to disturb you.
• Some people find it helps to put on suitable work attire to put yourself in ‘work-mode’.

Highly Motivated

Being highly motivated is what will drive you to succeed. Without motivation, you will likely find 101 other mundane chores to do around the house rather than get working.

Not afraid to get Selling

I’ve yet to see a money-making business that doesn’t rely on selling something whether its physical product, information or provision of labour time. Unless you have a unique product which sells itself, you will be either convincing buyers that they need whatever it is you’re selling, or convincing buyers why they should buy from you rather than a competitor down the road. To really be successful, selling is something you will have to either be good at, or be willing to learn quickly!

Willingness to work hard

Whether you start up your own business from home or start up a home based franchise, the only way it will ultimately succeed is if you work hard at it. This is especially true in the early days especially when you are unknown to your market and have no existing customers.

Working from home isn’t for everyone, however with the right determination and plenty of discipline it can be a great work/home life compromise. You can begin your search by browsing from a range of home based business opportunities.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

As someone who uses the Internet every day, I see many different money making opportunities relating to the web. For the most part they turn out to be network or pyramid type schemes which depend on recruitment to make any real money. For the first recruits to the network it can be lucrative but the further you get down the line the more disappointed you are likely to be. I have no doubt there are actually some which are genuine and that work over time, but I’ve become highly suspicious of anything that seems to promise fast rewards for minimal work.

Of course the attraction is clear:

• Work from home
• Manage your own time
• The money you make is yours and yours alone

No surprise then that these types of opportunities are prolific online, simply because they appeal to our greed and attract us to a more desirable lifestyle.

Although many of these ‘opportunities’ might leave you disappointed, there is hope if you are prepared to put in some hard work.

There are some good web based opportunities to be found within franchising. Rather than an empty ‘get rich quick’ scheme, these tend to lean toward the building of a solid business over time. Most of these franchise opportunities fall into two camps and are targeted primarily at business customers:-

Web Design & Marketing Franchises

This is basically providing web site design services or marketing services. This could be as simple as providing turn-key website solutions or marketing services such as search engine optimisation.

Online Business Directory Franchises

With more people online, the web is becoming increasingly important even for local businesses to reach their community. Online business directories operate locally to promote local services to the local community. Customers therefore are primarily the local businesses.

The advantage of choosing a web based franchise over some other opportunity is primarily that it’s a tried and tested system. The franchisor has proven the concept can work and can be profitable. All that remains is for you to follow the system in the same way the franchisor did with their initial pilots. In addition, a franchise usually comes with support and training so that you know first hand how the business is designed to run.

The working from home element of an Internet franchise gives you much flexibility of course. If you have a young family it can allow you to manage your time and work when it best fits your schedule. Overheads are kept low as there is no need to rent dedicated premises.

Whatever work you decide to do from home, remember that it takes good old fashioned hard work to succeed. Every business venture carries an element of risk but you can help to reduce the possibility of failure by researching thoroughly the business opportunity you are looking to take on and then committing yourself to making it a success. With the right franchise business and an attitude of hard work and dedication, you could be running a successful web based franchise business from your own home.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Working from home seems to be a hot topic at the moment. In fact, a recent article by HR Magazine reports that 1 in 5 employees would like to work from home although the vast majority are prevented by their employers. Thats around 4.5 million people!

There are many reasons why someone might prefer to work from home. Maybe they have young children and need the flexibility to work around school times and, understandably, many regular full-time employers are not prepared to allow their employees to turn up at 9.15am and leave at 3.00pm. Or you might have family members who for reasons of illness or  can’t be left for long periods and so need someone around. It might just be as simple as you want to eliminate the expense and hassle of all those journeys to and from work.

For one reason or another, many people decide to start up their own business from home because it then allows them to have the flexibility they require or desire.

Of course, there are pros and cons to working from home. On the upside it does indeed allow you much flexibility and the freedom to manage your time as you wish. On the downside, this flexibility can be your downfall if you do not manage your time well or if you find it difficult to motivate yourself.

If you are considering starting up your own business then you may also be considering a franchise business as an alternative to ‘going it alone’. Franchise opportunities offer the flexibility of working for yourself, with the added benefit of working to proven franchise systems coupled with training, backup and support.

There are many franchises which lend themselves to working from home. Here are a few franchise business ideas that can work well as home based franchise options:-

• Van Franchises – visiting customers to provide services or delivering products using transportation and your home as a base.
• Consultancy Franchises – Franchises which usually involve visiting business customer premises can often be based at your home.
• Childrens Music Club Franchises – Well suited to mothers who also wish to work.
• Internet Franchises – Many internet based franchises can be operated from home.

Remember that whatever work from home business option you choose, its success will ultimately depend on your commitment to succeed. Motivation and keeping focused on the job at hand can be a big challenge for anyone working from a home environment. With the right attitude, staying motivated and good old fashioned hard work you can make your home based business a success.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Many individuals view working from home as an ideal lifestyle option. Though there are a few employers that may allow their workforce to carry out work tasks some, or all, of the time from a home office, it usually means leaving behind employment and working on your own or becoming self-employed.  Acting from home as self-employed is not a choice for the weak of heart and in actual fact making the jump from the safety of employment with its certain monthly salary may turn out to be one of the biggest life decisions you might ever make.

Certainly there are various advantages to self-employment, but one of the key reasons that people decide to “go it alone” is the freedom to manage their own time. Where you have a family or young children, this can obviously be very desirable as it allows for school trips or attending to other family issues with no need to get permission of an employer. Not surprisingly its time versatility than can also be one of your biggest enemies. This is because, without an approach of persistent enthusiasm and willpower, you might not spend sufficient time in the business to ensure it expands successfully.

The leap from working for someone else to ‘going it alone’ can seem on the surface to feel like walking with your eyes closed – disorientating and hoping you’re going in the right direction!  Particularly in those first few months, operating a business on your own can end up being a little hand-to-mouth; working hard to make sufficient every month to satisfy your direct financial obligations.

A franchise business is another choice you may want to consider as there are many “work from home” franchise businesses around if you look. A franchise system should be founded upon a successful business system which gives it a better prospect of accomplishment and should come as a package with necessary training and an operations manual. These factors unite to present a business which you run on your own but using the backup and help of the proven system and network that may help you feel not so much of an island.

Needless to say, you could have your own thoughts of what you would like to do and have adequate confidence in them to go it on your own. No matter whether you opt to setup a franchise business or if you believe you’ve got what it takes to work entirely solo, exactly the same fundamental values will be appropriate if you wish to be a success at performing from home. You’ll need devotion and determination in order to make the business do well, and motivation and focus to ensure you keep the mind on the job in hand.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Working from home is becoming increasingly popular not least because of the flexibility of lifestyle it can afford you. For those with family needs such as small children or family members requiring regular care, working from home can present a good compromise since it allows you to earn an income, yet be available and on-hand should your home life demand it.

Aside from the benefit of lifestyle flexibility, working from home also keeps down business costs since there are no commercial premises to be rented or leased. In addition, it may also be possible to claim a proportion of your domestic running costs against your business if you use a dedicated part of your home, such as a spare room, loft or garage in order to operate your business from.

For those who are used to working for an employer, the shift to working from home and running a business for yourself could be a life changing experience. However, this change could be good or bad depending on your preparation of your new business and your dedication, determination and discipline in making sure you work hard to achieve success.

Home based franchise opportunities provide just such a way for an individual to start up a business from home but with the added security of using a proven franchise system.

One of the most difficult aspects of working from home is that most people do not have all the skill sets required to run a business effectively and are usually stronger in one area. For instance, some people who are fantastic at selling and talking people through to making a buying decision may not be very organised and find account tasks very difficult. However, someone who is good at designing or inventing a new product or service may be very poor at selling and marketing. A franchise opportunity can also have added benefit here as the franchisor can help you to assess what needs you have in your business and may offer assistance and already have established relationships with providers of business services to help fill the gaps in your expertise.

Some people are better suited to the work from home lifestyle than others. Working from home does demand a high level of discipline and the ability to seperate your work and home tasks. If you are not disciplined then home life will almost always eat into your work to the detriment of your business productivity.

With the right attitude, a work from home franchise business can be a positive life changing decision. Dedicate yourself to working the proven system for the best chance of success.

Nick Strong, MD - Select Your Franchise

There are a good number of franchises available which allow you to be van based. This typically involves working from home with the mobility of a van or similar transport in which to visit customers.

The main advantages of van franchises are that many allow you to work from home and don’t require a separate office or commercial premises. This obviously keeps overheads down whilst allowing you the professional image of arriving at a customers location in van that will usually be kitted out in your franchise brands’ livery.

There are many different types of van franchises, for example:-

Automotive Maintenance and Repair Franchises

Automotive franchises generally cover on-site, small repairs to vehicles such as dent repair, windscreen repair and such like. A van is used to transport yourself and the necessary equipment to the customers location such as a home or office to carry out repairs on-site.

Home Maintenance Franchises

Home maintenance franchises cover everything from handy repairs, plumbing, electrical work, building work as well as home, garden and drive renovation/maintenance. Any equipment used for the job is typically transported to the customers address in your van.

Distribution Franchises

Distribution franchises are usually business-to-business type franchises which are supply of bulk consumables or trade goods to business customers. They typically involve transportation of the goods inside a van for delivery or sale at a customers premises.

These are just some of the many van franchises available. If you have decided a van franchise would suit you best then start by browsing the selections available in the market. From this you can narrow it down to a few options that appeal to you and look into those further. When considering a franchise, its important to research thoroughly. You might like to refer to our 10 Steps to Choosing a Franchise article which will help you to make informed choices and help you to choose an option that will suit you best.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Many people look at working from home as an ideal lifestyle choice. Although there are some employers that will allow their employees to work some or all of the time from home, it typically means giving up employment and working for yourself or, being self-employed. Working from home as self-employed isn’t a choice for the faint hearted, in fact making the jump from the security of an employed position with its guaranteed monthly income might turn out to be one of the biggest roller coaster rides of your life (I speak from experience!).

Of course there are many advantages to working from home which I have dealt with in an earlier posting (see: work from home ), but one of the main reasons people choose this option is the flexibility of time that it affords them. This can be particularly attractive for family life since it allows for school runs or juggling of other family issues without having to ask the permission of an employer. Of course its time flexibility than can also be the biggest problem because without an attitude of constant motivation and determination, you may not spend enough time on the business to ensure it grows effectively.

Making the jump from employment to self-employment can feel like nothing short of a leap of faith; a ‘jumping off a cliff’ experience.  Especially in the early days, running a business for yourself can feel a bit hand-to-mouth; working to earn enough each month to fill your immediate financial obligations.

A franchise business is another option you might wish to consider as there are many work from home franchises available. A franchise system should be founded upon a proven business concept which gives it a better chance of success, as well as providing training and an operations manual. These aspects combine to present a business which you run for yourself but with the backup and support of a proven system and network which can help you feel not so much of an island.

Of course, you may have your own ideas of what you would like to do and have enough confidence in them to go it alone. Whether you choose to start up a franchise business or whether you decide you have what it takes to work completely solo, the same basic principles will apply if you want to be a success at working from home. You will need commitment and determination to make the business succeed, and motivation and focus to ensure you keep your mind on the job in hand.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

In my last post we looked at some of the advantages of a working from home franchise or business. Today we will look at some helpful ways to stay motivated. Although running a working from home business or franchise can have many advantages, motivation and staying focused can be one of the biggest challenges. There’s always plenty of distractions: the washing up from the night before; that little something on TV that you might want to watch; those few phone calls you needed to make; and others! In fact, even the most mundane household chores can suddenly seem most attractive if your motivation to work is low.

So here are a few helpful hints part gleaned from my own working from home experience and from hints that others have suggested in the past which I have found helpful no matter if its a franchise business or a business idea you have setup yourself.

Work and Home Separation

Having a dedicated space for your work seems logical but its essential to help focus the mind and put yourself in ‘work mode’. You might allocate a spare room in the house, or a converted space in a garage is another popular choice. It’s important that this space separates you from the home distractions such as the home phone, TV and other family.

Timetable your work time

If you were employed you wouldn’t be able to just nip off and do something else when you feel like it. So take a disciplined approach: have a work timetable. If you need it to fit around family life thats fine but make sure you allocate the appropriate times of the day for working and stick to them. Make sure your family also know that this is your work time and to not disturb you. Even a “Working” sign on the door might help if you feel it necessary.

Dress for work

This isn’t for everyone but some people certainly feel that putting on a suit or the kind of clothes they would wear for work makes them feel more in ‘work mode’. Of course its easier to slop about in your casual clothes but if it helps to motivate you there’s nothing wrong with putting on suitable work attire.

In summary its really about providing a separation between both work and home life. Of course, you need to enjoy the flexibility of time that running a work from home franchise or business provides but don’t allow your work time to get eaten away by distractions. The above simple tips should help you to stay focused and motivated.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Working from home can present some great opportunities but it does require alot of motivation. Having worked from home myself some years ago I can testify first hand to the benefits of this growing lifestyle choice. So lets look at some of the advantages of a work from home franchise or business:-

Time flexibility

Working from home means you can dictate your hours and work. Of course your time maybe dictated by some degree as to when is the best times to contact customers and so forth, but other than that you can work at the times which best suit your lifestyle. It’s also great for working parents since you have greater flexibility to cover school runs and such like.

Low overheads

A Working from home franchise or business means you can keep overheads low by not having to pay out for any commercial office space or premises. If you dedicate a room or space in your house as office space you may also be able to claim a proportion of rent/mortgage, power, heat and light back against tax (an accountant can usually advise you on best way to handle this).

No traveling to work

If you are decide to work from home, you place of work is never more than a few steps away so this can represent a great saving on traveling or commuting costs.

More Time

No travel requirement will give you extra time in your day. This could either be used for work or taking a bit of extra personal time. You could even use it as a flexible slot of the day that you could use for either depending on the demands of your work from home franchise or business.

Relaxed and less Stressful Lifestyle

The home environment is great for feeling relaxed and may help you to work more productively without the stresses and pressure of an office environment.

Save money

Unless your very organised, when your working from an office the easiest option is to pop to the shop to buy a prepacked sandwich or snack at lunchtime. This can add up to quite an expense over a month. When working from home its much cheaper to be able to pop to the kitchen and rustle up a sandwich or something from food already in the house.

These are just some of the advantages of a work from home franchise or business, however, many can find motivation a real issue.  It’s easy to get distracted by all that ‘stuff’ that needs doing around the house. In my next article I will look at some helpful tips to stay motivated when working from home.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

Working from home is an increasingly attractive option. The flexibility of running a business with no premises to pay for and being able to balance family life, especially if you have children, seems a most attractive proposition. So what options do you have if you are considering working from home?

Work from Home Employment

There are some employers which will allow employees to work from home, some or all of the time. Taking advantage of the Internet and the way it makes possible collaboration and ease of working together online, some employers are now recognising this as a way to reduce need for office space but still expand their workforce. It’s worth noting that although this may provide a certain level of flexibility, the employer will most likely have in place ways to ensure you are working during the agreed hours, or that you are working to meet defined targets.

Self-Employment

Many people decide to get out of the rat-race of working for a boss and to start up their own business. This ultimately affords you the most flexibility, however the fact you are not answerable to anyone else could also make this your achilles heel. If you are naturally entrepreneurial this can be a good choice as you are likely brimming with your own business ideas. With hard work, dedication and, most importantly, discipline to carry out your day to day work tasks, you can be successful. Ensure before you start you have a clear marketing and sales plan since its one thing to have a great product or service, but quite another to convince people to buy. Even with the best product and service in the world, it will require lots of hard work to market and sell your product or service.

Franchise Opportunities

A work from home franchise opportunity is basically an already proven business formula and brand that you can effectively buy into. By paying a franchise fee, you will buy the right to operate a franchise business usually within a local geographical area. The advantages are that you will be running a business that has already been tried and tested as successful and also most franchisors do provide on going training support so that it should feel like you are not completely operating on your own. Its wise to get professional advice and research your options carefully however to ensure you are investing wisely.

Whichever work from home business route you choose, success is usually determined by the same critical factors: Discipline, Dedication to the job and… good old fashioned hard work!

Naz Daud - Owner, CityLocal

Many dream of foregoing their office jobs for one where they can telecommute. Those whose office is located a few steps from their bedroom save the time and fuel wasted in a daily drive to and from the office. Many parents also like to work from home to be closer to their children. Working from home, whether it be a franchise business or traditional self-employment, is also perfect for those who hate to dress in a shirt and tie everyday to report to an office. The decision to work from ones house needs to be carefully weighed, since it is not a viable option for some. With a few tips and ideas in mind, though, almost anyone can alter their environment to be better able to base ones business at home, and this will save money and time on commutes while spending more time with ones family.

Staying Focussed

One of the largest problems with a working from home business or franchise is staying on task. Many people find it difficult to concentrate on their work, especially if they have young children or pets in the house who constantly need attention. The fewer distractions one has, the easier it will be to remain motivated while working from home. It is important that one has a clearly defined office space. When the home office worker is in this area, the family should know to not disturb him. Some have enough space in their homes to devote a spare room to a home office. This is ideal, since the door can be closed against any distractions. Others have to use a corner of a room in which to locate their desk, computer, and other home office needs. If this is the case, one trick to encourage family members to leave one be would be to wear “work clothes”. This can be anything from a specific hat to a shirt and tie. Wearing these clothing will let others know that the person is “at work” and is not to be disturbed. Some find that dressing in business attire even when working out of the house helps to put them into the mindset for work.

Working Hours

Another good method to stay motivated while working from home is to have “office hours”. These might be from 9 am to 5 pm like in a regular office, or they might be from 9 pm to 5 am if one is a night owl. Whatever these hours are, one needs to closely adhere to them. This will let one specify time for work and time for play. During the working hours, one needs to devote oneself to working in the home office and doing nothing else. One method some use is to pretend that they have a boss looking over their shoulder while “on the clock”. If one has difficulty sticking to a schedule, signing a time card daily might help to establish a routine. Once accustomed to working those hours, writing down ones working times can be abandoned. A written record also helps one to review habits over the past month.

Take a Break

Just as having a specific schedule is important, so is knowing when to stop. Some people want to work past their scheduled time. While this might be profitable, it takes away time which might be spent with friends and family. Part of working away from a traditional office building is to balance ones work with fun. In order to prevent burnout and stay interested, it is important to know when to have fun.

Following these tips can help one to stay focused and motivated while running a work from home franchise or business.

Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss – Read more about the CityLocal Franchise Opportunity.

Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise

With the pressures of modern day living, more and more people would like to be able to work from home. There are many home based franchise opportunities and other businesses which have the flexibility to be run from a home office.

Of course there can be quite a few advantages to this lifestyle choice:-

• Flexible working hours – can fit around your lifestyle
• No need to answer to anyone else – you are the boss!
• You benefit directly from the work you do
• Lower overheads – no office or premises rent to pay

It would seem like the ideal scenario yet some of us are more suited to the work-from-home lifestyle than others.  Two main qualities for working from home are:-

• Motivation
• Discipline

For a home based franchise or work-from-home business to succeed the owner must be dedicated to its success. He or she must be motivated each day and disciplined to carry out the business tasks without getting distracted by home life. This is easier said than done since everyones motivation can go up and down from one day to another and its the discipline to get on with work on bad days which is often the most challenging.

For those with the discipline and motivation to make it work a home based franchise business can be a great way of running a business for yourself yet with the lifestyle advantages of being based at home.

If you are interested in looking at some of the work-from-home opportunities available to you, you can start by browsing our home based franchises section.

Naz Daud - Owner, CityLocal

The Technological Revolution

The technological revolution has changed the way we work. People now have the freedom to work from home as the rise of laptop/computer usage and mobile phone communication at low tariffs means that all communications are readily available. The majority of  companies that operate on a large scale are more focused on the results achieved as opposed to the hours put in. Therefore working from home is not seen as a problem but merely an easy solution.

Obstacles

If you choose to follow this path, there can be a few obstacles to overcome as the working environment will inevitably change. It could prove to be rather difficult to hold a business meeting at home. If you have a family and children, there may be significantly more noise or on the contrary, you may feel isolated if you are in a solitary confined space.

You may also encounter distractions as your partner or spouse may need you to run a few errands or take messages on their behalf. They may want more control of the house so you may have to work around whatever else is going on with regards to the daily running of your household. The arrival of unexpected guests may also throw you off track and to accompany this, your family may think that you are no longer in work mode.

Benefits

On the counter argument, running a franchise business from home enables you to take care of your family whilst working so the work against leisure balance becomes more neutral. It can become less stressful to operate from home as it  alleviates the stress of driving to and from work, especially on days when encountering severe traffic jams.

You can feel more relaxed at your home as you do not have to dress in a particular manner, you are able to dress as you see fit. Your time can be spent more productively as instead of travelling to fast food shops to get lunch, you can simply learn to cook at home. This means you have room to exercise if you wish to, as you can take breaks on your own time. There are also no rates or rents, resulting in cost effective working conditions.

Solution

Operating from home is not however, suitable for all jobs and in order to reach a compromise, many large companies now allow you to work from home a few days out of the week, so long as you also attend the office the rest of
the time. This has a positive effect on overall results as you are able to participate in important meetings but can also avoid a few days of traffic mayhem by working from home.

Some companies have not adapted to this newly found working structure and still persist that an employee must be within their view and working coherently at their desk. They fail to recognise that home working can be very powerful in terms of the productivity rate and focus on the project at hand. If employers work together with their employees to integrate both working from home and attending the office, it may prove to elevate the level of success achieved by the entire company.

Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss – Read more about the CityLocal Franchise Opportunity.

Naz Daud - Owner, CityLocal

Work from home business opportunities seem to be everywhere these days, with adverts and banners, emails and websites all offering miracle get rich quick schemes that get you out of the doldrums and have you reaping millions by this time next year. Of course, many of these business ideas are flawed, and sadly there are many scams. The most difficult part, if you have decided to pursue the idea of working from home is to work out which are the likely businesses to go places, and which are less likely to succeed. Avoid those schemes that seem to offer the world.

As the old cliché goes, if it sounds too good to be true, then it almost certainly is. Make good use of testimonials – find out about those who have already committed to work from home programs, and see what they have to say. Internet technology may have made it easier for fraudsters to try to sell off scam ideas, but it has also made it easier for genuine people like us to share ideas and experiences. Use forums and discussion groups where people discuss home businesses, and take on board their advice and experience.

Remember, working from home isn’t the same thing as staying at home. In many cases those who work from home tend to find themselves working longer hours, working harder, and feeling far more tired at the end of the week than those who simply turn up to an office and clock out again eight hours later. The difference, of course, is that you’re making a real difference to your business, to your customers, and for yourself, with job satisfaction the reward most people never see.

One of the biggest myths is that all home workers are huge risk takers. It is often considered that someone who gives up a perfectly well paid and reliable day job or career to stay at home and become entirely reliant upon their own wit and determination is taking a massive gamble. Certainly it would be true to admit that there is always going to be an element of risk, and no doubt the first Monday morning you wake up and realize you have no commute, no trip to the office, and no boss telling you to work harder or get that report in, it will feel very strange.

Strange, but perhaps not as unsettling as knowing that at the end of the month you won’t have that same pay check arriving in your bank account! But to suggest that these people are reckless gamblers, taking unnecessary risks is quite untrue.

The fact is that the vast majority of people who decide to leave the humdrum life of office work, making money for other people and getting little personal job satisfaction out of the whole deal are very careful planners. Rarely does someone decide (without careful planning) on a Friday to quit their job and work from home, handing in their notice and waking up on the Monday jobless.

That would certainly be a foolish way to enter into such an arrangement. Instead, it is often the case that these people have spent many weeks, maybe months and even years investigating, asking questions, carrying out research, planning their finances, carrying out calculations and worst case scenario exercises. They have investigated the whole idea so fully that by the time they start, they have a wealth of experience and understanding already behind them.

It can often be the case that people who choose this lifestyle have tried it part time for quite a while. This is an excellent way of switching from a daily, normal job to a working at home franchise, and spending a little bit of time each week, maybe during the evenings or weekends, exploring and developing the ideas and methods which have been chosen as the means to earn money will help to prove or disprove any theories and fears, and provide a more substantial means by which earnings and risks can be weighed and calculated.

In most cases people decide to create a transition period, downgrading their normal full-time position to part time, and subsidizing their income with their own earnings. Indeed, all these methods are used to limit unnecessary risks and unknown factors, and this means that those working from home have a much better understanding of just what the unforeseen issues might be, and have put into place methods to overcome those troubles, allowing a smooth transition into their home based franchise business, with no nasty surprises and unexpected issues to worry about.

The only unforeseen matters could end up being seasonal shifts in customer habits, economical matters beyond anyone’s control, holidays, finding time off, and managing your time with discipline and rigor. You may also find having your family on top of you can also be a hazard, and it will be important to involve your entire family in the process to make sure they understand and appreciate the issues involved when you finally choose to work full time at home.

Naz Daud is the founder of CityLocal. This Franchise Opportunity is for people who would like to work from home and be their own boss – Read more about the CityLocal Franchise Opportunity.