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I took my wife out to lunch & asked some good questions...

I have continued to put a lot of thought into this because this is when I need to do the thinking! I don’t want to get too far along and then have to start over again. I took my wife out to a nice lunch today to one of her favorite places in town. Over my blackened chicken Caesar salad I asked her what her dreams were as far as what she would like to do with her life. More specifically I answer that question: what do you think is your calling? Her answers focused primarily on being a great wife and a great mother, which I expected.

When I pushed for further about possible careers, something she would enjoy doing, she talked a lot about real estate. As we continued to talk that afternoon she also spoke a lot about travel. In fact, she began sharing her latest idea about traveling to Jackson Hole for Christmas this year with some of her family. It seems like these two topics, real estate and travel, are of most interest to her. And not just as a hobby or pastime, something that I believe she would be passionate about for the long haul.

As such, I believe my focus is going to be in these two areas because I think this is where we’ll really find the staying power which, as I know from personal experience, is vital to long-term success.

So I did a quick search on Google for work at home real estate opportunities. As I perused these I quickly realized that most of them were geared at convincing you to buy some sort of course or system to learn how to invest in real estate and turn a profit. Who knows, maybe one day in the future as this business develops we may have the funds to invest in some more real estate. For now however I’m focusing on the development of this online business.

The other types of opportunities in real estate that I came across all focused on becoming a real estate agent, opening your own brokerage or buying a real estate franchise. Franchise fees started at $20,000 and went up to $1.5 million. Needless to say, these are all a wee bit beyond our budget right now, but again who knows what the future may hold.

But my search paid off as I came across something that seems to have some potential in the real estate realm. There are some opportunities to train online to become a property locator. I am just now looking into this and will spend some more time researching. If anyone knows anything about this field or could offer some advice please let me know. I took some time to Google property locator jobs to see what was out there, what might be available, and came across a handful of jobs offered by real estate investment companies. I searched craigslist and came across someone who is looking for property locators in our area! I shot out an e-mail and am waiting for their response. Who knows, maybe this would work?

Next I am going to dig a little more deeply into the world of travel… stay tuned!

Now, what would be fun and interesting for my wife?

OK as I have been thinking about this new business launch I’ve been thinking a lot about the ‘WHAT‘ and ‘WHY‘. You might remember one of the WHATs was that it must be fun and interesting. As I was reflecting on what I think would be fun and interesting an important thought struck me: this business is ultimately going to be a gift for my wife! As such, I need to spend some time carefully considering what might be fun and interesting for her. Fortunately we’ve been married over thirteen years so I know many of the things that would interest her and, even more importantly, I know those things that would bore her to death!

Here’s what I came up with:

• Number One: She enjoys the wonderful world of real estate. She likes to look for homes online: she looks for homes in our city, she looks for homes in other cities, she even looks for homes in cities that we’ve never even visited! Her favorite television shows are those on HGTV where they are hunting for a new home. Now, I know the real estate market has been more than a little topsy-turvy of late but I couldn’t make a list of her interests without including it.

• Number Two: She likes to shop (of course what woman can’t say that, right?) Not only does she enjoy it, she’s developed it into an art form! So something shopping related would possibly work.

• Number Three: My wife enjoys health and fitness. She works out at the gym regularly and she likes to cook and eat healthy. Really, she likes most anything that has to do with to do with health and wellness. So perhaps there is a business in this area that would make sense.

• Number Four: A family-related business might also be a good fit. As we have such a large family, she is naturally involved in family-focused events and affairs to a great degree. She is a wonderful wife and mom and loves opportunities for us to do things together as a family. I believe those products and services that focus on families, parents and their children would be of interest to her.

• That leads us to Number Five: travel. One of her absolute favorite things to do is to travel, whether it’s visiting some place new or returning to a city that we’ve visited before she enjoys traveling. Travel is definitely a huge interest of my wife’s and I believe it would be something that would be fun for her.

Some further thoughts as I’ve been spending some time and effort looking into some online work at home forums:

It seems a lot of what many people are doing is writing-related: copy writing, article writing, freelance writing, blogging and the like. My wife is not a big fan of writing. These business opportunities I’m scratching completely off the list of possibilities simply because I know it is not something she would enjoy. And if she doesn’t enjoy it, the business will probably not develop and grow.

I have noticed another type of business quite a lot in the forums where people are working from home: eBay. Now I know I said that my wife loves to shop. I see there are some people who put that gift to work. They are getting some good deals shopping and then turn around and put those products on eBay, making a bit of money in the process. I understand some people have turned that into a profitable business. I just really don’t think that’s something that would make the most sense for the business I am launching. From what I’ve seen and investigated up to this point, I do not feel an eBay business is for us.

As I am launching this new business I have had to take some time to think through my wife’s interests. What at first seemed like just another ‘business step’ has actually been a lot of fun. It makes me think a little more seriously about what she is going to enjoy doing which is very important when it comes time for me to turn this business over to her as a gift.

Moving ahead from here I’m going to try to focus on businesses in the following areas:

Real estate – a ‘big ticket’ type of business, which I am not crazy about, but perhaps I will come across something related to real estate that might work

Shopping – not even sure what night fall in this category but I will keep my eyes open

Health and fitness – there seem to be a lot of opportunities in this field

Family-related – could be a lot of fun if I come across the ‘right’ opportunity

Travel – probably the most exciting area of interest from my perspective but we shall see

Much better. Now I have a better focus and have been able to limit the plethora of businesses out there. Time to continue the research!

on the search

Alrighty, this search is well underway.  I visited some Work at Home forums and poked around.  There actually is a lot to be learned from many of these forums.  I quickly recognized that they seem to fall into one of two categories:

1. Community-oriented forums where members seek to be mutually supportive of one another
2. Crazy forums where everyone is simply trying to pitch their latest business opportunity

For obvious reasons, I prefer the former over the latter.

That being said, here a few that I particularly enjoyed.  Remember, I am still checking them out and the ultimate goal is for me to build this business to the point that it is generating a solid enough income that my wife does not have to work outside the home and then give it to her as a gift! So when I explore these forums I am trying to keep her in mind as well:  What types of communities would she get the most from and feel she could contribute the most?

• BizyMoms.com – I checked it out and there seem to be some ‘bizy dads’ on there as well!
• The Work at Home Parent Well @ Mothering.com – Again, this one seems to include both moms and dads… how refreshing
• WAHM.com Fourm – this one is pretty incredible.  The community seems to be very active and everyone seems willing to help others out.  This forum also has specific boards for highlighting just about every work-from-home company out there… OK, maybe not that many but a bunch!  So if you really want to investigate how people are doing in a specific company or business-type, this is a great resource.

Plenty of good stuff for me to evaluate over the next couple of days as I continue to narrow my search.  In yesterday’s post I said something about reviewing my WHAT list, those characteristics I feel are essential for developing this new business, and I realize I am asking for a lot.  This is good because when I google the phrase ‘work from home opportunities’ a measly 335,000,000 sites come up!  But since I am being picky I can sift through the fluff-n-stuff and get closer to some possibilities.  The time I put in today should be effective in that regard.

Now for a couple of clarifications for those who were wondering.  I am not a newbie to the world of the internet.  I have been on since 1995 and use it daily for leading a non-profit organization, business, research and more.  I also have a strong background in offline marketing and I am pretty well aware of many of the ‘systems’ being touted online as the magnificent-magical-marketing-mega-moneymaker.  I am also aware of the various ways products and services are marketed online although I wouldn’t consider myself an expert.  I have a couple of other personal websites and a couple for non-profits so I understand the basics of hosting, domain registration, submission, etc.  But there is so much I do not know.

I just wanted to clarify that so you can understand my perspective as I plow ahead on this project… BizLaunchBlog…. let’s launch a Biz, baby!

OK… up to this point I have really just been sharing the background of this project. These are important things, no doubt. I recommend everyone thinks through both the WHY and the WHAT before they jump in and begin tackling a business project. But this is where I believe it will start to get a bit more fun as things will be getting much more practical.

I have re-read my WHAT list today and can honestly say I am asking for an awful lot. Really. I am not trying to fool myself… that is a pretty big order to fill. So, the search begins and you get to ride along with me.

Today I decided to keep it simple and start with the most obvious. I went to Google, typed ‘best online businesses’ in the search box and, presto! This is what Google delivered:

I found everything from the top online business schools, to small business help sites, to companies that will host your own ecommerce store to some businesses you could start.

I decided to click on a few of the ads for businesses that touted features from my WHAT list (see my earlier post). Unfortunately each of them required a much higher investment than I have budgeted: $1000 plus. Interestingly, several of them were promoting the exact same business, encouraging others to buy into the business and then promote it to others. Not exactly what I think I am looking for but a somewhat intriguing concept. They seem to have a pretty good product that you receive when you buy into the business, so it doesn’t appear to be some pyramid scam. But I am setting these aside.

I also came across a ‘pharmaceutical’ business you can start. I think you buy the website and promote it and hope you sell a bunch of Viagra or something… not the most appealing. The start up cost is within my budget but there is no real information on the business page. I googled the company’s name but didn’t come up with anything helpful so they are definitely off the list.

I will spend some more time looking about.  I plan to also visit a few ‘work from home‘ sites that have forums.  Not just sites with ads that are trying to sell you something, but a place where there are other people who work from home.  I am sure they could be a good resource.

I will keep you posted… peace.

So, what are the essential characteristics I am looking for in my new business?

As I began assessing the WHY factor I also began thinking through the WHAT factor. What exactly am I looking for in a new business? What are the features most important to me? The WHY factor has been incredibly helpful in determining the WHAT. Following is a list of those things I determined to be essential in launching a new online business.

My WHAT List

• Ethical and Honest: This is HUGE and cannot be overlooked in my estimation. I consider myself a man of integrity and have always tried to live in an honest manner. So the business must be ethical. Interestingly enough the internet is overpopulated with a number of unethical, dishonest and outright corrupt businesses.

• Simple: Notice I did not say ‘easy’ as I am not really looking for a lazy business. I do not mind putting in the effort but it does need to be simple to execute. I do not have the time to go through a ton of initial training just to be able to begin the business. Again, I am very much into learning and very open to training, but the initial learning curve must not be too steep or I will not be able to dedicate the time and energy to get it off the ground. Also, I want to be able to give the business to my wife as a gift so I want it to be simple for her to operate.

• Training and Support: This may seem inconsistent with what I just stated above but here I am speaking of ongoing training and support. I would like to find a business where I can rely on some support or training from others who are more experienced. This may or may not be an actual part of the business… I really am not interested in something like a traditional franchise. I may have to find this support outside of the business but at the least I want to start a business in an industry that has some type of association or group that I could tap into and from which I could learn and grow.

• Efficient: This is a biggie as my time is very limited. Between being a husband, a daddy to six great kids and a minister (basically on-call 24/7), I do not have a whole lot of leftover time. Again, I am willing to put in the effort but the business must allow me to use the little time I have as efficiently as possible. This is why I looked to an internet-based business. I am confident I can use the internet to leverage my time and thus be a lot more productive. So I am looking for a business that will allow me to do just that – leverage my time.

• Flexible: I love the fact that my life is fresh and different everyday… I never know exactly what I will face on any given day. Because my schedule is different day-to-day, I need a business that allows me to work when it fits best into my schedule – often that will be late at night, when the kids are in bed or early in the morning when I can get a jump on the day. I also travel, both with my family and for ministry, so the business would need to be able to survive without me right there every moment or, at least allow me to check in on it via the web. This is yet another reason why I turned to the idea of an online business.

• Low Startup Costs: I know every business requires not only the investment of time and energy but also the investment of some capital. However, I am not in a position to invest a lot of money right now. I am prepared to invest in setting up the legal structure of the business, investing in the business itself and the marketing that will be needed – but I need to keep all of that to an absolute minimum… say initially a few hundred bucks or less. Not much but that is reality for me right now.

• Quickly into Profit: Hear me carefully: I am NOT looking for a get-rich-quick business… those pie in the sky companies that tell you your mailbox will be stuffed with $100 bills by next Tuesday. That being said, I am most definitely looking for a business that will turn a profit relatively quickly. I did not say it had to be a huge profit, but I would like to reach my initial goal of giving the business to my wife as a gift – allowing her to stop working outside the home – in the near future. I cannot spin my wheels but I am very willing to turn those wheels, gain some traction and move into profit. I am interested in re-investing my profits and will be looking for a business that is easily expanded and developed.

• Passive Income: I guess you might say that several of the above points would naturally lead to a business that generates a passive income – that is, producing income even when I am not sitting at the computer typing away or working on it in some other capacity. The internet lends itself to this as people can log on anytime, day or night, from anywhere. I am looking for a business that can engage those potential customers via the website, generating leads and closing sales.

• Fun and Interesting: It cannot be boring or it just won’t happen, right? Easy enough. Now, it may not be the most fun and exciting business, but I at least want to get a little kick out of it.

I think that about covers it for WHAT I am seeking in launching a new business online. The only real question is: Will I ever find HOW to get my WHAT that will lead to my WHY?

So, HOW is the next big question. What business will give me the HOW?

And the HOW question is exactly what the BizLaunchBlog is going to answer… that’s the plan anyway.  So buckle up and hold on for the ride!

Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss out on any of my bumbling mistakes or exciting discoveries!

A little insight into the most important factor in starting my business... WHY?

Now I will let you in on ‘why’ I am launching a new online business. Robert Kawasaki focuses on this concept in his best-selling Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

I am not sure where you fall on the whole Rich Dad, Poor Dad spectrum: Some people support Kawasaki’s advice, others aren’t big fans.  I enjoyed the book and would recommend you get your hands on it if you are serious about launching your own business and taking hold of your financial future >> click here for more info

If you are looking at beginning your own business I suggest you take some time to work through the WHY first. Not only will it help you with the WHAT and HOW but it will also provide you with the drive you will need to keep on keeping-on.

Just a little background info on yours truly, JMichael!

OK… Let me give you a little background of my life as that might give a little insight as to why I do what I do as I work through this business project. Just the basic facts to answer the question: Who?

• I am 34 years old, happily married to an amazing woman and father of six incredible children (yes, you read that correctly – six kids! All I can say is we started young and had our tribe of six in six years… and yes, there is a set of twins in there.)

• In the past I have had success in offline sales and marketing, but my profession is in executive leadership for a non-profit organization.   I have enjoyed some really unique experiences and have learned a lot, working both in the corporate world and in the non-profit sector. My career is both very challenging and rewarding. It keeps me quite busy but is a great joy.

• A Master’s degree is the highest education I have reached to date. I would be interested in working on my doctorate at some point, but life doesn’t allow that right now. I am an avid learner and enjoy trying new things.

• I would say I am pretty familiar with the computer and the internet. I use both daily and depend on them in my profession.   Although I did some very basic web page design years ago, I am way behind the curve and do not know how to code or program. So, I can get around the net pretty well but I cannot build websites, except maybe for basic plug-and-go, template-based pages.

That’s the basics… You will learn more about me as I move along on this journey!

Follow along as I launch my business online!

Let me be the first to welcome you to my reality internet site that focuses on planning, launching and promoting a (hopefully) profitable business online. You will have the opportunity to follow me, step-by-step, as I launch a brand new online business. No, I am not going to wear a webcam around my neck 24/7… however I am going to keep you regularly updated on all that transpires – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Why go to the trouble? Well, I have made the decision to begin an online business and, since I will be going through all of the steps anyway, I thought: why not document the whole process? This will give me an opportunity to review my progress and share what I learn with others. I believe in giving back and perhaps this will become not only a source of information but also inspiration. Even if it doesn’t, I think it will be fun!

I invite you to come along as I start this business project. Feel free to comment on my BizLaunchBlog posts, share them with others, or simply laugh at me as I blunder through the process. I am sure we both will learn a thing or two. Thanks for following along!

Peace,

JMichael