ShareThisDear Professor Bruce: I want to express my entrepreneurial side but am wary about going all out on my own. Are there any options to "ease my way" into managing my own business, such as companies that help you obtain an existing client base while providing flexibility for choosing when I want to work?Answer: With the emergence of broadband technology, there are more and more options in partnering with "umbrella companies" to help you start your own business. Let's say you don't have that "why didn't I think of that?" idea but still have the entrepreneurial spirit - you want to manage your own time and resources, and have control over your finances. If you like working with people, you can become a home-based call center agent with a company that contracts with its agents (as opposed to working as an employee), such as Arise Virtual Solutions. In most cases, you only need a computer, phone line and broadband connection to get started. You would essentially serve their existing clients as an independent customer service representative through the use of call routing technology. For example, you might give roadside assistance to a stranded driver in Maryland while working out of your home in Wisconsin.According to Mary Bartlett, vice president at Arise, "after initial screening, training, and incorporation for Arise, you're on your own to choose from a list of name-brand clients such as Walgreens, Home Depot, or Verizon to select when you want to work and how often. Your compensation is based on performance, so you're truly in control of your own success, and Arise provides all of the computer applications needed to stay connected with its clients, such as scheduling and chat." On the other hand, if you have a passion for products such as beads, seeds or ski gear, you could initiate your own eBay storefront. EBay attracts millions of potential customers everyday through its brand recognition, and enables you to set up a virtual shop where you choose the inventory, pricing, look & feel, and level of customer interaction. These options allow you to flex your entrepreneurial spirit but still maintain the security net of built-in clients and technology to connect to them. Just remember -- regular small business tax rules apply when you work independently, so work with a qualified accountant to ensure your home-based business runs smoothly. For further information, please visit www.arise.com.Bruce Freeman is president of ProLine Communications, a marketing and public relations firm in Livingston, NJ and co-author of Birthing the Elephant (Ten Speed Press). E-mail questions to Bruce(at)SmallBusinessProf.com.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
Can you ease your way into entrepreneurship?
Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 05/21/2008 - 16:18
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
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Umbrella companies
The ultimate in outsourcing! I understand that people need to make money, but the faceless, nameless telephone support call is not often a recipe for worker satisfaction. However, I'm excited that this opportunity exists for people hoping to make the transition from working for the man in person, to working for the man at arm's length. A step in the right direction, in any case.