Starting a Home-Based Business from Scratch

Does working from home sound appealing to you? Before you make the leap, read these tips from Glynnis.

Starting a Home-Based Business from Scratch
By Glynnis Whitwer

There are several ways to make money from home: telecommute for a company, invest in a multi-level business like Mary Kay or start a business from scratch. That’s what my husband and I did when we started www.RoseLaneCottage.com.

I love the cottage-style look, and have read decorating magazines for years. When we wanted to make some money from home, we started with something I loved, and started selling home accent pieces with a cottage look. However, we quickly realized after starting the business, that our decorative office products were the most popular items on our site. So now we focus on those items.

A business you start from scratch can combine things you love, or a dream you’ve had for years. It could be assembling gift baskets, planning children’s parties, or making and selling specialty cookies. A start-from-scratch business almost always starts with your unique talents or experience.

If you have never owned a dog, never worked in a pet shop, and never had experience or instruction in obedience training, then you probably shouldn’t start an animal behavior business. Just because you want to learn a skill doesn’t mean you’ll be successful at it. In other words, start with something you know.

You may have the perfect vision of the business you want to start. If not, the possibilities are almost endless. But how do you make a decision on what’s right for you?

My friend and fellow author, Janet Drez, author of “Putting the Pieces Together: A Christian Woman’s Guide to a Successful Home-Based Business” advises women on what type of home-based business to choose. She recommends asking yourself questions such as:
• What did you enjoy most about the last two positions you held?
• What did you like least?
• What did you study in high school or college that you enjoyed?
• What hobbies do you enjoy?
• What do your friends and family tell you you’re good at?
• What is your family background? Traditions?
• What are your spiritual gifts? (1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11)
• What types of people do you enjoy being around?
• Do you need a business which is done mainly in your home (bookkeeping) or are you able to make appointments?
• If there were no limits or feasibility issues, what type of business do you think you’d like to start?
• Where would you like to be in two years in all areas of your life?

Armed with this information, you can proceed to brainstorm the variety of business opportunities available. If you need some ideas, here is a list of businesses that women have successfully run from home.

• Catering
• Florist
• Gift Buying
• Party Entertainment
• Photography
• Accounting/bookkeeping
• Computer Instruction/Consulting
• Foreign Language Translation
• Personalized Stationery
• Website or Blog Design
• Ballet/Dance Instructor
• Cheerleading/Coaching/How to Try Out
• Clothes Recycling – Children
• Interior Design for Children’s Rooms
• Etiquette for Children
• Memoir Writing
• Tutoring


The ideas are unlimited. Start with prayer, and then take steps towards owning your own home-based business.

Click here to buy work@home A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work at Home.

Glynnis Whitwer is the editor of the “P31 Woman” magazine, and the author of two books, including “work@home” and “When Your Child is Hurting.” Glynnis has worked at home for over 10 years, and her husband Tod joined her in 2005. Together they raise five children, run an environmental consulting firm and an online store: www.RoseLaneCottage.com. Read more about Glynnis at www.GlynnisWhitwer.com.