Where's the BEEF?

I was on a trip last week and was in a fast food chain (one of the top 5) and while I was placing my order a gentleman came up to the counter. The lady standing next to the cashier helping me asked him what he needed. The man was holding his sandwich open with a half in each hand. The man asked her, do you notice anything? The lady looked down at his sandwich and then back up at him as if it were a trick question. After a far to long awkward moment, he said, there's no burger on my sandwich.

No burger? Where's the BEEF round 2. After sitting down with some of my friends to have our food brought to our table (hint) it struck me, how and the world does a burger get made and put in the bag without the main part....the burger. As our food got to our table and I opened my wrapper, I was excited to see my burger pattie. As I looked around the table to see if everyone else had hit the burger lottery along with me I noticed a friend mouthing the words.... Where's my sandwich?

Oh there was a bag... and there was french fries in the bag, but no burger.

It made me think about all the things your money goes to. While you and I pay 5.00 (or more someplaces) for a combo, our money goes out like Spiderman's web. The rent, the employees, the insurance, the adveristing, the uniforms, the straws, the redoing of orders and on and on.

Wouldn't it nice to think that your money actually went to a more specific area... quality! While every company has operating expeses, I can assure you that a Home Based Professional has only a few. If I sold burgers, 98% of your money would go to the quality of the burger.

So, the next time you're getting bids on a project ask yourself, is my money going to the right places by choosing this company?

Even the downside is good

I was reading an article in the Charlotte Observer yesterday about how the Telecommuting trend is growing by leaps and bounds. That companies are changing from over the shoulder management (which has never worked) to over the Internet management.

Welcome to the 21st Century!

The article went on to say that both companies and employees would have to change the way they thought and worked with each other. The only two negative things they pointed to were attitude and promotions. We agree that if you have to be pushed by someone to do your job, then you may not have the drive to work from home. As far as being passed over for promotions, all I can say is that promotions hardly ever equal more money. I myself was offered a Director of Marketing position without a salary increase. Who goes from mid-level to C Level and doesn't get more money? I digress...

The article was based off of you working from home for a company. There seem to be Millions of us who have cut the cord completely and work from home for OURSELVES.

As we got to the end of the article, there was really no downside to Telecommuting....if it's what you want.

Take the Red Pill (Matrix) and see that there's a big bright world out there.

I Am a Home Based Professional.

Tj Todd
Studio490

Protecting your home based data

Whether it be a Hurricane (been there), fire or a coward breaking into your office to steal your computers, you have to protect your data in more ways than one. The days of simply backing up on tapes, dvd or cds are so last decade.

With online storage services becoming more and more affordable, Studio490 has added a powerful measure of security to it's business plan. Not only do we protect our clients files by backing up once per hour through Time Machine (which rocks by the way), but we now backup our data nightly off-site through a service called Mozy (www.mozy.com). For 4.95 per month, we have a unlimited amount of storage that allows us to safe guard our files in case the unplanned becomes reality.

As a home based professional it's important to stay forward thinking and provide services to our clients that a large company may have a hard time implementing due to it's size and overhead.

I am a home based professional.

Tj Todd
Studio490

The Professional Photographer

With the rise of digital photography, many families now have purchased their own digital cameras.  With the purchase of a well-known name brand camera within a $200-$400 price bracket, a family can purchase of camera with typically between 4-5 mega pixels and limited zoom.  This type of camera purchase is a great family investment to capture those everyday moments and personal times.  However, for that special occasion that is filled with memories that will last a lifetime, professional photography is an option worth high consideration.

For the professional photographer, quality equipment is foremost.  A professional's camera will range between 10-12 mega pixels, adding more quality and clarity to the final product.  Not to mention the cost of the professionals equipment, the skill of the photographer's experience and knowledge will result in a final product that will last a lifetime.  

Many people rationalize that since professional photography can be costly, instead they will just purchase a $200 camera to get many uses from over time.  However, the professional photographer offers much more in quality and convenience.  In my own business, I meet clients at the park for a photo shoot or their location of choosing.  This option means convenience for the client and quality customer service.

In the twenty first century of digital photography, cameras have evolved into much more than "throw away film cameras."  It is well worth the expense to hire a professional photographer to capture your special occasion.  Invest this summer in photos that will last a lifetime and bring smiles to the faces of generations to come.

I am a home based professional in Greater New Orleans.  

Melissa Moskau

CEO / Owner

MNM Productions

I Am A Home-Based Professional.....are you?

So what qualifies a person as a Home-Based Professional?

I know what it means to me:

- 40 hours per week in customer service
- 8 hours per week in Business Development
- 168 hours per week in Networking (that's every hour of everyday for those counting)
- 8 hours per week in bookkeeping
- 8 hours per week reading business magazines, books and websites
- 20 hours per week learning new skills to exceed my clients expectations

As you can see, this is not a part-time or student based commitment. I've run into to many clients who have issues with so-called professionals who take 3 weeks to return a phone call or complete one stage of a project.

A HBP is a committed professional who just so happens to work from their home. They bring the same skill sets, performance and professionalism as they did when they sat in traffic for 45 min one way to do it for someone else.

I'd love to hear what you think a HBP is?

My name is Tj Todd and I am a Home-Based Professional.

Studio490
704-948-1587

The 6,000.00 trip to work

If some of the statistics out there about the Home Professional are not impressive enough for you to consider using one, maybe 3.61 per gallon might push you to become one. How tragic it has become to think about how much it cost to drive to and from work.

I figured it up and I save about 6,000 - 8,000 dollars a year by not having to drive 30 minutes to work each day. With the speculation of gas going to 5.00 a gallon by summer, it might be time to rethink that Home Based Profession.

They say you can count on two things...Death and Taxes. May I offer a third?

Gas prices won't ever go down again.

Welcome to the Revolution

Tj Todd
Studio490

REMOTEBiz - Welcome to the Revolution!

There's change in the winds of business all across country these days and it's not related to economic growth. It's about a work / life balance that has taken a bit of a personal turn. With gas prices going up, the constant need for more roads, , HOV lanes and the cost of parking it's no wonder we all spend more time getting to and from work.

Are we forever tied to this business model?

Over 200 Million Home Based Entrepreneurs say NO!

"Home-based business is a $427 Billion a year industry. That's more than the pharmaceutical industry, food industry, and consumer goods industry - combined! How? Because of the sheer numbers of people in business for themselves who are now working from home. The extremely low start-up costs , flexible hours , and the Internet are fueling the growth of the home business segment. As of 2008 as many as 200 Million people, in North America alone, enjoy the freedom and benefits of owning their own business."

We've all gotten emails that talk about making 5,000 per day while only working 4 hours per day. It's a scam!

What we are talking about here is that most of those 200 Million people are professionals that have made a choice to pursue their career from their home. We are not sitting in our Underoos watching Dr. Phil, we are professionals with many years of experience.

We spend more time networking, staying up to date on business trends, attending conferences and developing our skills. We are the alternative to out sourcing your work to other countries.

What are the benefits to hiring a Remote Professional?

• Wider geographical range of talent
• We pay for our own taxes, insurance, sick days, vacation
• You only pay for our services when you need them
• We are performance based

The next time you think of a Home Based Business, think of the Off-Site Professional as the next stage of Business.

- I am a Home Based Professional

Tj Todd
Studio490