| HOW I ACCIDENTALLY BEGAN WORKING FROM HOME |
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Once upon a time I was an avid reader. Like everyone who accumulates books, I have donated in the past, sold some at garage sales for pennies, traded and everything else you could think of. Of course this was a decade ago, then along came the Internet and Amazon.com . For the first time in my life I was actually making rather than losing money on my gently used books. At the time, I was pleased just to be making enough to buy more books for myself. I never pictured myself as working from home.
All the while, my husband Gary was exploring the world of working online. He was always brainstorming and coming up with some fabulous and lucrative ideas. He now owns real-home-employment.com . I had a very good, high-paying job at the time, the kind of one with full pension and benefits, so I honestly did not pay much attention to what he said in terms of myself.
Gary did try to talk me into many opportunities. I looked and found out one could sell just about anything online from vitamins to waterless car washes, but I personally had no interest in a one of them. Frankly, they sounded like a headache. I did not want to chase my friends and relatives with the latest “product” or “opportunity”. I am unable to sell something I don’t truly believe in.
Selling books for a living came by accident to me. I was at an estate sale and bought an antique Charles Dickens for $.50. When I discovered what it was actually worth, I nearly fell over. I still have it, and I don’t think I will ever sell it. However, it flipped the switch, so to speak, in my head. I started to learn everything I could about selling and collecting books.
There is a goldmine to be made online, if, and I cannot stress this enough, you learn how and what to buy. There are a zillion books around that explain this process. Buying smart takes much research, and much more legwork…and after a long day of scouting and buying, you will then be cleaning, restoring, packing and shipping, and of course listing descriptions and all the computer work that comes along with it. Initially, until you have a respectable inventory and reputation, it can feel worse than work. The hard work will payoff, and the payday is very handsome.
While I realize that selling books is not for everyone, there are some universal truths that apply to all home businesses. The best advice I can give to anyone considering working from home is to find something you love. And then…specialize, specialize, specialize. If you don’t believe in what you’re selling you will not be successful over the long haul. Nobody is going to pay you for nothing. Carve out your niche and stand out from the crowd. Find something you can excel at or offer in a better way. Using another persons idea or business plan is only going to make them rich and you deflated and exhausted.
Realize that most successful persons work much longer and harder than they ever did in the 9-5 world. The key difference is when you enjoy what you’re doing, and it’s for you, the hours feel worth it. You’re invested and yet liberated. The only regret I have now is not having the time to be an avid reader. Those days seem long ago and far away. I am not only a bookseller, I also do genealogical work, and I work with Gary on web-businesses. I also have two very beautiful but active boys. The days can be long. However, I have the wonderful feeling of working from home doing something I love, for my family and myself.
Author:Jodi Hughes
Admin: Real-home-employment.com
This article is available for reprint with author’s resource box intact and all links active. Copyright is reserved by author.
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Posted on Monday, October 09, 2006 @ 22:11:43 CDT by Site_Admin |
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