Understanding the Home Based Business Marketplace:
So here we are, 2009 has dawned and instead of looking forward to a brand new year with new surprises and new opportunities, most of the Western World, it seems, is full of doom and gloom. Every news bulletin carries headlines of falling share prices, unsteady banking news, factory closures, job losses and increased house repossessions and every commentator is telling us it's going to get worse before it gets better. We could all be forgiven for throwing our TV's out of the window, selling all our processions and moving to the North Pole (before that melts too). Is it just me or does it feel like we have been fed a constant barrage of fear from every angle. It's certainly not doing anything to inspire the confidence of the ordinary folk of planet Earth. I don't know about you, but I, for one, have had enough of it and refuse to be drowned by all this negativity.
History has proven that not everyone suffers in an economic downturn and, in fact, some do very well indeed and I am living proof of exactly that. During the last major recession of the late 1980's/early 1990's I owned and ran a commercial credit reference agency that had it's 4 best years ever during that downturn. In this recession I'm poised to do exactly the same, only with a different business. We are now firmly in the internet age and the last 10 to 15 years have seen an explosion in the number of people and businesses trading on the internet. The home based business market has been growing at a phenomenal rate and is set to grow even faster in the next 5 years, particularly during hard economic times. The reason for this is simple and it stems from 3 major factors;
* Companies are downsizing and those employees who are reliant on things like overtime to supplement their normal income are finding this being reduced or even cut out altogether. They are now having to work even longer hours for no extra money, just to keep their jobs. Many are choosing to take pay cuts rather than face redundancy
* Companies are ceasing to trade and redundancy and job losses are on the increase. Unemployment is rising at an alarming rate and replacement jobs are becoming harder to find
* Those who have already been made redundant or taken early retirement and those who live on a pension and savings/investments have found their income slashed by the collapse in the stock market and low interest rates.
As a result, many are turning to the internet as a way to earn money, either to bolster their existing income or to earn a living. It's not surprising really when you think about it as the internet provides the biggest global marketplace on the planet. Sure, not everyone has (or will) become an internet millionaire, but then not everyone has the need or want to achieve that. Many people I know are happily earning as much as they would in a "traditional" job just by selling stuff on eBay! The only difference is that they are their own boss, work the hours they decide and ultimately line their own pockets instead of someone else's. It all depends on your own personal goals, desires and expectations. The internet is merely the vehicle they choose to use for their own journey.
It's a common myth that only computer experts can benefit from an online business, but this is simply not the case. By it's very nature much of the work can be automated and there are many very easy-to-use systems available for the novice to take advantage of. On top of that there is no shortage of individuals offering training and guidance at all levels and, in my experience, it is much more relevant to be able to follow a method than get bogged down with technology.
