Moreover, you have to know where to draw the lines.  There are plenty of people looking for the best deal, but they will keep pushing no matter who they are actually dealing with in order to get a better deal, even if it is seriously at your expense.  It doesn’t really matter that much to them.  So there’s a point at which to say this is the price, pay up front, or I’m not wasting my time even getting started. 

In this economy, you also should never accept checks, especially from people you know.  It’s harder that way.  All in all, you shouldn’t accept checks anyway.  But if you know what you’re doing and you have a good business sense to take care of things that might get messy, a photography business can be easily quite profitable.

But of course they will give you your money back and in the case of lost cargo, you will get more money back for your investment.  There are some legitimate deals that you should still only put money into if you can afford to lose it.  But in general terms, if a home business is asking you to put money into it first and pay for some kind of package or whatnot, then chances are it’s a scam.  Now if it’s a well known and legitimate company that uses a payment plan for referrals, then you’re usually fine.  But if it’s some kind of training program that requires investment first, then yes you are getting scammed.

The lists go on.  Some people had more money in the beginning than did others, and some businesses with more money in the beginning still fail.  It should be remembered that most small businesses in general fail.  But the simple reality is that every big business came from somewhere.  They didn’t just magically pop up one day, and for the most part their original owners were not always rich men or women, they had to come up with the start up costs from loans and otherwise.

The reality is that small businesses take time to get started, and if you are running things out of the comfort of your own home, you can certainly schedule yourself.  But especially in times of a struggling economy like you see now, it is important to remember your bills rather than focusing on your pride.  It is also important to recognize that a lot of small businesses in general fail within the first couple years.  So it’s important to always have a backup plan.  This being said, of course, work is required for any small business success.  So while you shouldn’t devote your exclusive attention to the business at hand, keep a handle on reality and how much time you will need to spend.

As for me, I realize that you have to work like you’ve never worked before.  You have to apply yourself, and for the first while, even years, it is going to be all blood, sweat, and tears.  You won’t necessarily be able to hire help, you will have to know how to do a lot of it yourself, and while family and friends might help, it is unlikely that people will donate that much time without pay.  It’s a simple fact of life.  This is a fact many don’t realize for some reason.  But even if your business is not labor intensive, there is also the fact that you will simply have to take out a rather sizable loan unless you’re rich and this is a game of some type for you.  That alone is daunting.

1. Find something you are passionate about-if you don’t have the passion, you won’t invest yourself into your business and therefore you won’t work as hard, which businesses really do require.  You will be considerably happier when you go to work, and you will therefore be far more productive in general.

2. Find a viable market-whether you like the market or not, if nobody cares but you, you are not going to make a sale.  So while it is important for you to like your work, it is also important for others to feel to some degree the same way.

3. Set Goals-You need direction.  If you know exactly where you are going, you can see better results and achieve success at a higher rate.  Goals should be specific, measurable, realistic, attainable, and have a certain and reasonable time range.

4. Persistance-If you give up the first time something doesn’t go the way you planned, you will never make it.  So don’t give up, be persistant, and get what you are working for now. 

If you follow these basic rules, you are far more likely to succeed in your home business efforts.  You may well become another one of those businesses that fails.  But it will not be for lack of the right efforts, and even in this bad economy, you are more likely to be one of the great exceptions that may even thrive in times of bad economies.