Its not a new invention by a long shot, but many more people are now working from home, running their own businesses. It used to be the domain of women – mothers – in particular. I’ve known mothers who bought toys and children’s clothing at liquidation then sold them on eBay, for example. When I was a boy my mother kept a Watkins operation going from our house. Its still a popular option.
But for many people there is little good reason to pay for a separate office when your home will do. When I was a consultant I kept my office in my home. I know of several home-based entrepreneurs who even have staff. Sometimes staff come to the employer’s home to work, in other cases they work at their own homes.
Home-based is a common practice in the service industry. Management consultants often operate from home and meet clients at their own offices or meet out for coffee of lunch. You can rent meeting space by the hour at co-location suites which are getting quite popular in urban areas.
Rural areas can be very homey. What is a family farm if not a home-based business? I had my hair cut once in a rural home-based business. On another occasion we bought a pair of moccasins at a village home.
Some people wouldn’t like to entertain customers in their homes. It may be a bit of an intrusion. If you don’t have to meet your customers in person, or you’re okay with visitors, and if your customers don’t care, then why worry?
As more work is being conducted over the web, it may not matter much where you are. With a smart phone and a tablet or laptop computer, you can go anywhere and stay connected. And that is where Wayfinders cloud really comes in handy!
