P.D. Sloss

Home Based Businesses

“Imagine Your Own Home Business”
How to select, start, and run a realistic home business.

LED Adjustable Light

Business tip 17.  Looking for the perfect light?  Try this new LED adjustable light.  It is close to daylight, dimmable, and very adjustable.  Perfect for my art studio, leather work, and office!  I just purchased one and it is so nice I am buying another one!

Click here to see this incredible light.  https://amzn.to/2QZ6qBV

Just got this great smoke / Fume Absorber with Adjustable Table Clamp.  I do pyrography art which is woodburning and it creates smoke.  I had one of these fans with a filter but it was just on legs and could not get it to keep the smoke away from me.  Since this one has an adjustable arm, I can position it perfectly to take the smoke away.  It would also be helpful for soldering crafts to take the fumes out of your face.

Removes noxious fumes and comes with easy to replace filter. It is ESD safe and works great. It also comes with adjustable arm and table clamp.

  • Removes Noxious Fumes
  • Easy to replace Filter
  • ESD Safe
  • Come with adjustable arm and table clamp
  • Works Great

Click here to see the smoke/fume extractor.  http://amzn.to/2ezc8Wi

 

I use my phone camera for my business and had been having to email the photos to myself to get them on my PC.  I found a much better, faster, and easier way to transfer pictures to my PC. A dual USB drive. One small end fits your phone and the other your PC. I hate losing caps for the flash drives so found this one that retracts on both ends. This drive lets you move pictures or files easily between all your devices—from your Android smartphone or tablet to your laptop, PC or Mac computer. It has a 3.0 connector for speed but is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports.

How does it work?  The connectors are retractable (I hate caps) and you extend the small one and insert in your phone.  Select the photos you want to either move or copy and then select this device.  The files quickly copy to the USB drive.  Swipe from the top of your phone down to select disconnect your USB device.  Retract the small connector and extend the larger USB connector.  Insert the USB into a port on your PC and you will see the files or photos.  Yes, it is that easy!  This is going to save me lots of time, not to mention data on my phone.

This one is for my Android but they have them for iPhones also. Click on this link to see this USB drive.  http://amzn.to/2n17gv3

Most small businesses that sell a product need pictures. Those pictures must be good high quality photos to show off the product in the best way possible. For smaller items under 24 inches I found the perfect Product Photo Light Tent.

I had previously bought the old white version that folded flat but when you tried to unfold it you could sometimes get hit in the head when it sprung to life. Then you needed a set of lights to put on the side and over the top. All of this equipment took up a lot of room, the lights were hot, and it seemed I could never get them adjusted correctly and still had shadows. Then there were the flimsy cloth backdrops that seemed to always get a smudge on them and you could not clean them easily.

I found the perfect light tent with it’s own pre installed LED lights and 4 heavy backdrops. I have to take pictures often and this will be a timesaver for me. I received it today and set it up in about 2 minutes, inserted the very nice quality backdrop from a selection of 4 that attaches with Velcro, plugged it in and turned the switch on, put my item in and took a perfect picture. The self-contained LED’s are perfect! No more dragging lights around and trying to get rid of shadows. The backdrops are also a heavier and cleanable rather than the old thin white cloth. I was also happy the cord had an off on switch so I did not have to unplug but just turn the switch off. Click on the link below to take a look at the one I bought:   http://amzn.to/2mQEGy1

Sitting too much can have dire consequences on our health. Sitting contributes to obesity, diabetes, cancer, depression, and can cause many aches and pains. It seems the older we get, the more we sit. Humans were not meant to be sedentary. Sitting for long periods of time can also cause back pain, poor posture, neck, shoulder, and wrist pain.

I know firsthand how bad it can be since I sat long hours at a time when I wrote my book. The longer I sat, the more I hurt and duller my brain became. I thought I was working harder to finish quicker when in reality the more hours I sat, the slower I worked. After a few months of working from 7am till 10 or 12 at night, I started developing pain in my wrists, shoulders, neck, and back. My chair was becoming hazardous to my health!

The scary thing is even our children are becoming sedentary. They sit in school, sit playing games, sit when on the phone, and are getting little exercise. It is easy to see what is happening to all of us from a sedentary lifestyle by looking at the large amount of obese children and adults, not to mention other health problems. I found one way to combat this was to use a sit/stand desk. I bought 2 of the sit/stand desks, one for my office and one for my artwork. I was able to put them together myself. What a huge difference it made! I liked the one in my art studio being up high so well that I have left it up and never sit there anymore. My sit/stand desk in my office will be up for some things and down for others.

The available height adjustments are made by an electric up and down control or a hand crank. I chose the electric, making it faster and easier to adjust it up or down. No excuses thinking it will take too long to crank it up. There is a vast selection of options: a one level large or small desk, two level desk, corner desks, and even a smaller platform that will go up and down and sit on top of a regular desk. Many companies are now furnishing sit/stand desks for their employees since they have found out the implications of sitting too long and how it affects your health.  Click here to see Sit Stand Desks. Take a look…it’s worth improving your health and halting or correcting some the health problems from sitting too much. Don’t let your chair kill your body! Stay tuned for more small business hints and ideas.

A book can be the perfect gift during the holidays, for a birthday, special event, or just because.  Books are inexpensive, portable, easy to send, and useful.  What could be greater than to know you have contributed to someone’s road to success.

My book is available from the following sites and stores:

Amazon

Paperback– Click here to see reviews, a sample of the book, and to order.

Kindle—Click here to see reviews, a sample of the book, and to order.

Barnes & Noble–

Nook–Click here for reviews, a sample of the book, and to order.

Falcon, CO— Equi-Line, 7376 McLaughlin Rd, Suite H

Gunnison, CO— Bookworm, 211 N. Main

Elbert, CO—Sonflower Gifts & Antiques, 24295 N. Elbert Road

Elizabeth, CO— Powder River, 211 Main Street

Telluride, CO— Between the Covers, 224 West Colorado Ave.

Protection of your personal information is important whether you are a small sole proprietor business or a corporation.  The solution to  this problem is to apply to the IRS for a Employer Identification Number (EIN).  In place of giving someone your social security number, give them your EIN.  There are instances where you are required to give an identification number if you do more than $600 per year of business with other businesses.  This dollar amount is subject to change by the IRS.  For example, if you do any work over a set dollar amount for a nonprofit, they are required to have your ID number which they have to report on their tax return or they may lose their nonprofit status.  Consultants are also required to give their ID number to employers.  Your EIN number can be used in place of your social security number for all business purposes which protects your private information.

Use the link below to apply for an EIN with the IRS.  If you have multiple businesses or change your business name, the IRS does not require multiple EIN’s.  Your original EIN is tied to your social security number for IRS purposes.  You can apply and have your number to use within minutes.  Be sure to print out your confirmation page with your EIN number.  You can also apply by mail but it will take considerably longer.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98350,00.html

This IRS page will answer any questions you may have.  Press the “Apply for an EIN Online” link to apply.  It is free, simple, and you will get the number quickly.

Amazon Kindle Bestseller

My book hit the Amazon Kindle Bestseller list!

#1 in Home Based AND #1 in New Business Enterprises Categories

Screenshot–Click on the picture for a clearer view.

Kindle Screen Shot

Amazon Kindle Bestseller in 2 categories.

Sorry I Have to Stop Comments

My site is being bombarded with spam comments so sorry to say, I am not allowing anymore comments or trackbacks.  If you have a real comment, please feel free to use the contact me page to reach me.  I will continue posting new ideas from time to time.  My book…Realistic Home Businesses is now available in the Amazon Kindle version on Amazon’s site.  Look for a new business posting soon.

Are You an Owner or a Worker?

Did you know that more than half of all U.S. businesses are either based out of or started in a home? Many entrepreneurs started multimillion dollar businesses in their garage or on a kitchen table. Apple Computer, Hershey’s, Ford Motor, Hewlett Packard, and Mary Kay Cosmetics all started out as home-based businesses. There are many more but this should give you the notion that it can be done.

Business ownership is not for everyone. You must have certain characteristics and a special attitude to want to start your own business. You must be self-motivated, have the right mindset, work ethic, skills, and commitment. Having the support of family members and friends is extremely important to the success of your business. Make sure you can distance yourself from negative people.

One way to see if a home business is right for you is to start your business as a part time endeavor. Select your niche and write a business plan to see if your business seems feasible. If you can see where this business will be profitable and you will enjoy it, start the business in your spare time. You will know when the time is right to quit your day job when you make enough to support yourself and your income surpasses your day job. Sometimes you may need to take a leap of faith if there are not enough hours in the day to do both your job and your business.

The majority of people think that having a job is stable and safe and owning a business is risky. The security of a job is all in the mind. When you have a job, you have no control over cut-backs, lay-offs, down-sizing, or company retirement funds. When you own your own business, you do have to worry about sales but you control lay-offs, down-sizing, cut-backs, and your retirement funds. Most of the time a self employed person has multiple sources of income from multiple clients. If you lose one client, you still have others and some income left. If you lose a job, your entire income goes to zero. My business is also very rewarding to me. Would you rather own your own business or have a job?