Employee or Owner?

Starting a business is exciting but the challenges start almost immediately. There are many challenges that you face when you want to start a business. Especially an online business. The biggest problem, in my opinion, is the mindset. Unfortunately, most people are coming from corporate America, either having just lost their job or not being able to find one, and think that running a home business is no different from working for a boss. This is where they get into trouble.

I think that most of us are doomed right from birth. We're brought up to believe that we need to go to school, get a good education and then go find some Fortune 500 company to go work for until we hit age 65 then retire. The reality is, with the way the world is today, you're lucky if you can hold on to a job for a year, let alone until age 65.

This kind of thinking is what stops home business owners from having the success that they want. One reason is because of the "work" mentality. In the brick and mortar world, you work a job, you get paid for the work you do. Every 2 weeks there is a paycheck waiting for you to bring to the bank. With your own home business, it doesn't quite work that way. It could be months before you start seeing any return at all. For the person with the "work" mentality, this is usually unacceptable and they end up quitting before they ever really get started.

Another problem with the work mentality is that the person only does what the boss tells them to do. There is usually no independent thought in the process. Well, with your own home business, it's almost all independent thought. YOU have to decide what product to sell. YOU have to decide how to advertise and how much money to spend. YOU have to decide when something isn't working and it's time to try something else. And YOU have to get your butt out of bed in the morning. Nobody is going to threaten to fire you should you decide you "don't want to work that day."

As you can see, the mindset that is needed in order to work your own home business is totally different from what you're used to in the "real" world.

So back to the question. Are you a business owner or an employee?

Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2011

Did you hear that?

We all heard it but did we really listen? What are we listening for? What our customer needs. So did you hear it?

At some point in time we all have to talk with a customer and satisfy a customer's needs. The problem is not everyone is listening. What we hear is a customer wants to buy so lets sell that customer something. What we should hear is what needs the product will satisfy.

If you want to close the sale quickly you will hear your customer say they want to buy body lotion. You may even offer an upsale. During the conversation you missed the part where the lotion is for her sensitive, dry face and the lotion she wants is not the right lotion. If you were listening you would suggest the correct lotion and explain why the suggestion would work better.

Even when a customer does not give up such good information freely, you can still get the info. Simply asking why they love a product will give you clues. If they don't have much money, give them the most bang for their buck. This doesn't mean go cheap. If they love your books for their 3 grandchildren show them sets with books for a lower price when divided vs buying just one at a time and spending more in the long run.

The point is get to know your customer and why they love the products you offer. Doing so will better serve your customer and create a life long customer.

Olivia Vidal
© 2009-2010