Home Based Business Versus a Corporate Gig, Why Choose?

Although there are glimmers of light with regards to the economic conditions that have caused financial hardship for so many, there still exists the need for most people to ‘make more money’ and find a way to do it while already holding down at least one full time job. Working in some existing corporate structure in the capacity of management, labor, or skilled trade, and balancing the demands of family, community, and life in general, the demand for earning more money is great but resources are few and far between when it comes to increasing one’s personal wealth. Let’s be honest, most individuals do not work a second, or third job, unless it depends on their survival, because the 24 hours in a day are packed with existing work and family demands, but far too many folks lie on the brink of losing their homes, deteriorating health, and emotional frustration due to the rising cost of living, and the decreased capability of their buying power, or plain cash in general.

I submit that one of the best ways to add additional capital and income for anyone who is employed by any kind of corporate structure is to start and build a home based business. There are three key reasons why a home based business is more important than ever before and why you need to start one soon, or revive the one that is collecting dust:

· Plan B: As long as you are employed by someone else, for all practical purposes you are employed as long as your services are deemed valuable; meaning you are helping to make money for the company or are perceived as adding value in some sort of way. The minute that you are ‘perceived’ as not contributing to the bottom line by whatever definition is given, you become expendable. This does not have to happen in a one off manner, but we have all heard about entire divisions, or even companies being terminated because they did not fit with the ‘strategic direction’ in which the company was moving. Regardless of loyalty, seniority, or even contribution, the economic conditions of this decade have been relentless in delivering pink slips to both knowing and unknowing individuals. Through May of 2012 there had been 6769 mass layoffs in the US (reported by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics). The definition of a mass layoff is when 50 people or more file unemployment due to efforts taken by an employer.

On the flip side, sometimes peace of mind and your mental state are the driving forces to create separation from a toxic work environment. Keeping one’s sanity and emotional well-being intact may necessitate the separation from an employer. Passive or active separation is not the point; the point is that loss of income and in some cases benefits can be a gut wrenching experience that can only be made better by the replacement of lost income. Knowing that there is an alternative stream of income, like a home based business, that can be leveraged when a ‘traditional’ job goes away is the kind of peace of mind that truly is ‘priceless’.

· Doing more with less is not sustainable: The days of surplus and bigger is better are over for many. Although we are forced in our corporate work environments to ‘do more with less’ translating that to home makes for additional stress and a feeling like we live to work, instead of living to do the kind of work we want. Inflation has decreased somewhat over the last year, but anyone who has gone grocery shopping, car shopping, or just to the movies can tell you that everything costs more money. Educational costs are up, medical costs are up, and it just seems as though it takes more money to do everything in life. Because employers can and have held salaries flat and in some cases decreased wages, the need for additional sources of revenue are great in order to make ends meet. Time is our greatest resource. It cannot be controlled, at least not today and the decisions that we make with the time that we have, has a direct correlation to our quality of life. Home based businesses give individuals the greatest degree of flexibility when it comes to earning additional revenue because of the flexibility to work the business around existing work and family demands. There is no sign of relief or regression when it comes to the cost of living; therefore increasing the household capacity for revenue is a responsibility that everyone must make. Managing the cost side of the equation is just as important, but you can only cut but so much. Unfortunately, even the best managed 401K, IRA, pension, savings program, investments, and Social Security (if it is around) may not be enough in and of itself to sustain you in old age (especially if a major illness occurs). A home based business can provide the necessary income, and in many cases a residual income that can mean the difference between living the good life in retirement and having to work the rest of your life.

 

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