I work at home. I know that sounds like it’s not really a job at all. I have a home business that is not a whim, a hobby, or a way to pass the time. It is a legitimate business.
What is the first thing you think of when someone says they work at home?
- Sleeping late
- Working in P.J.’s
- Frequent breaks (manicures, massages)
- Time for all the things you always wanted to do
Sounds great, right? Although there are times when these things are true, I’m here to tell you that it is not all it’s cracked up to be. Working from home is not a fun job as you always imagined.
Blogging As A Business
How about when you hear that someone has a blog? What do you think of? A past time? An online journal of sorts? Not a business at all, right? Or, maybe you think that blogging is an easy way to make money.
Is a blog a business? Surprise! In itself, no! Let me give you an example. Here are the steps most people who start a blog thinking they are starting a business take; (p.s. I too did some of these things, but thankfully, I wised up before I got to some of them).
- Decide that you are tired of working for “the man” and you are going to start your own business by blogging. Or, in my case, I need money to supplement retirement and buy groceries.
- Start a blog.
- Spend weeks and weeks, all day,
everyday writing and researching (the word on the internet is “content is king”!) - Scratch your head because you checked Google analytics (that’s what tells you how many visitors have found your website/blog) and 10 people have seen what you’ve spent hours, days, weeks, and months writing.
- Read more about “how to make money blogging”
- Throw Google AdSense (that’s why every website has those annoying ads!) everywhere you can find a spot. Become an Amazon affiliate and paste Amazon ads where ever you can find some white space on your blog.
- Search for and find a boat-load of affiliate programs
- Throw all the affiliate links on there that you can squeeze in.
- Read blogs from people that swear that they make money and tell you how to do it. Try a few, plan to implement a few, but never do. Keep dreaming about making money, rinse and repeat.
- Write some more, “content is still king”. Spend hours and hours researching everything you write! I thoroughly research every little thing I write about on my blog! We are talking about your Chihuahua! The advice, information, and tips must be accurate!
- Check AdSense, WOW you made a dime! Check Amazon, Yea! You made $12.00, let’s celebrate!
- Read some more about how to make money blogging. Oh! It’s the sponsors that you need! That’s how to make money! Duh!
- In order to attract sponsors, you must have at the very least, 200,000 viewers on your website a month.
- Work your butt off trying to figure out how to get more traffic (viewers) to your site.
- Plant your butt on the chair in front of your computer day & night, 7 days a week trying to get more traffic!
- Good news! You’re all the way up to 2,000 viewers a month, and that only cost you blood, sweat, and tears, lots and lots of tears!
- You’re literally losing hair; you no longer can sleep at night, and what??? You gained 10 lbs.! How did that happen, I hardly take the time to eat anymore?
- Throw up your hands and forget it! Screw this crap! This is just too much work for no pay. Everyone who says they make money blogging is all lying, cheating, scum! They’re all scammers!
What I’ve Learned
Wanna know what I learned? In order to make money, you have to actually sell something of your own! What a concept, right? Either physical products or digital products, (I write and sell books— working on #3) or both. And it has to be something that people (people being your audience) want to buy.
Okay, that was fun, (not!) but let’s get back to the subject of having a home business. From the above, you get some idea of why it’s not easy!
I have certainly learned a lot and as a result, my business (yes, it’s a blog and a business!) is becoming a success. Nope, not making millions yet, but, hey, who knows?
I do still have sponsors and affiliates, — every penny helps — but now I am particular about whom I partner with. First of all, they have to pay me lots more than 4-6% (Amazon’s commission) of the products I sell for them. And they have to be products that I do or would buy myself.
They have to be products that I believe would be of some benefit to my loyal readers. Yes, I have those now and thousands more than 2,000 a month! Sorry, not telling ya …
And, I have my own products to sell. I sell products that people who have Chihuahuas want and need. Not just willy-nilly, whatever will sell products.
What about just the concept of working from home, no matter what the business is? Here are some misconceptions and the facts:
Busting The Fantasy
Fantasy #1 – It’s easier than working at an office
Some aspects of working at home are easier. I don’t have a boss looking over my shoulder, or have to listen to a co-worker tapping her pen all day. No more office politics to deal with either! I can take a break when I feel overwhelmed without worrying about getting in trouble with the boss.
I can run out in the middle of the day for a Starbucks (not that I do that) if I want to.
But, being my own boss requires some tough self-discipline and determination. I could play games on my I-pad all day or browse through Facebook all day, but if I do, I pay for it later. I may have to pull an all-nighter the next day to catch up.
If not, I could have some unhappy clients, subscribers, sponsors, and partners wondering why what they have been promised is not getting done.
I would love to drop everything and go to lunch with you or run an errand for
Fantasy #2 it’s not really working
Raise your hand if you’ve ever goofed off at work? Played some Facebook games or apps, maybe? Done a little personal online shopping while no one was looking? Oh, be honest.
If I am responsible and accountable and if I want my business to be a success (yes!), then I can’t play games. I actually work harder than I ever have at an office job. Why in the world would I waste my own time?
I challenge myself to produce the best work possible. This has translated many, many times in the last 3 years into working all day late into the night with little to no breaks and sometimes working 7 days a week (remember steps to blogging above? Been there, done that!).
Fantasy #3 You Can Do Whatever You Want Whenever You Want To
Oh, I admit, I can make that midday, midweek doctor’s appointments that I never could when working in an office job, but that doesn’t mean that I can throw my to-do list out the window and just go get a
Everyone I work with, clients, sponsors, and partners keep 9-5 hours, so that is when I need to be available for business calls and emails.
Think I have no distractions? Hey, I’ve got three dogs, a cat, and a husband, what do you think? I still have a house to clean and laundry to do. I’m thankful I don’t have children at home. I honestly don’t know how women with small children work from home, honestly, I don’t! And the best part of my job is seeing my sweet puppies napping beside me or wrestling the cat off my desk.
If I have a project I’m working on, it’s all too easy to “just tweak” it a bit after dinner or after my husband (and dogs) have gone to bed.
Fantasy #4 You Have Better Work-Life Balance
When you work from an office you know that when you get home you can turn your “work” brain off. Evenings and weekends are yours to do what you want — yeah, I know housework, laundry — guess what, I still have housework and laundry too.
Contrary to popular belief you cannot create, design a website, publish it and people magically find it. All that in itself is a lot of hard work!
When you first start your own business it’s a hustle to get it started and growing and attracting clients, sponsors, and partners. Most of all loyal readers. I have those and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!
So, there you have it. That’s blogging as a business and working from home all in a nutshell.
Please, don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT complaining! I love, love, love what I do. I would not have gone through what I’ve gone through in the past three years if I didn’t! If nothing else, I have sheer determination!
If I had a nickel for every time someone said to me:
- Must be nice to sleep in
everyday - You’re lucky, I’d love to work in my P.J.’s all day (
okay, if you must know, some days I do exactly that) - I wish I could just do what I want to all day
Do You Still Want to Work From Home?
If after reading this you still want to start a blog as a business, I’d be happy to help you avoid number 1 through number 18 and do it right the first time.
Just don’t expect to make any money for at least a year or so. And be prepared to work your butt off while you’re waiting for the money to roll in. That’s the reality.