Is anyone an Entrepreneur?

[catnapper]

I have my own design business. I LOVE it. Though you have to be prepared for busy days and dead days. I had a two week period last month where I had a whopping 10 billable hours. Thank God I also am trying to get my arwork business going too. Be prepared for 12 hour days. Or more. Even though I've not been doing many "billable" hours lately, I still have 8 full hours a day of administrative work, marketing work, etc.

You have to be self motivated - nobody is standing over your back making sure you have everything on schedule.

Then there's the problem of judging inventory and cash flow... Do you have enough inventory for the unexpected call for 100 bags of treats? Do you have the finances to BUY 200 pounds of ingredients up front before you make the extra 100 bags of treats?

Packaging -- whats it going to look like? Will you hire someone to design the logo or do it yourself? Even though you are thinking of doing it intrnet based, you'll need a cute package for people to remember you. Most often people buy gourmet treats as gifts, so they want it to be pretty as well. Then they give it to someone, if the packaging is cute, the gift receiver might use you to buy other gifts, etc.

Are you single, married, living with roomates? The biggest draw back I've found is when the people I live with think that because I'm home all day that I have plenty of time to do hundreds of little favors. I'm home, so I can easily run to the bank, the post office, call the insurance company, etc. I have as much tim as THEY do, but they don't believe that. Yes, I have freedom to make my own hours.... but that doesn't mean my clients understand when they call the office and I'm not there because I had to run out for one of hubby's famous "favors" Oh... and the kids think I'm home to run their forgotten science homework to school... or to wash their uniform the night before their game (even though they had a WEEK to get it into the laundry basket! ) Everyone thinks you are home = you can do things they can't. Its very frutrating!

If you are single, find out about insurance first and foremost. Do not go without insurance! Its expensive but a neccessity!

[kimboe]

WOW, You totally made me open my eyes! I never even thought of someone wanting 100 bags, But what IF?.......
Hmm....i have alot of collobarating to do.

[Logan]

Good food for thought, Kim. You expressed it in a much better manner than I did, but that is exactly what I was trying to say!!!!!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Are you single, married, living with roomates? The biggest draw back I've found is when the people I live with think that because I'm home all day that I have plenty of time to do hundreds of little favors. I'm home, so I can easily run to the bank, the post office, call the insurance company, etc. I have as much tim as THEY do, but they don't believe that. Yes, I have freedom to make my own hours.... but that doesn't mean my clients understand when they call the office and I'm not there because I had to run out for one of hubby's famous "favors" Oh... and the kids think I'm home to run their forgotten science homework to school... or to wash their uniform the night before their game (even though they had a WEEK to get it into the laundry basket! ) Everyone thinks you are home = you can do things they can't. Its very frutrating!

This is very very true. Justin has an extended contract now and he has an office in the company's building. When he has contracts that he does from home it is very hard for him to keep a good schedule.