Golden rules of running a business from home

Tony Paull is a person a met on google + in the  Community.
Tony is a Consultant who works with small and Medium size businesses. He recently shared a list of what he calls tips on how to run a business from home. This is a GREAT checklist for both those who are starting a home based business as well as for those that all ready run one.

I strongly recommend reading this  post here: Tony Paull's blog.

The article has the following key points in the checklist. As a small or home business owner there are enough “big issue” problems to deal with on a day-to-day basis, so to help get some of the more mundane, but still important headaches out of the way, here are some of the ideas that were shared. 

1. Choose your office area carefully. Make sure your workspace is comfortable and something you look forward to spending time in. The more isolated from the rest of the home the better. This also helps to keep the “young ‘uns” out. It is important that the rest of the family understand that this is a work area and not a storage room for family accounts, books, toys or old CD players.
2. Separate home from business. This applies to expenditures, furniture, support equipment (computer, printer, fax, etc.) and of course life style. Install a separate landline for business use only. Use an answering machine with a professional message or alternatively outsource your messaging system to a call centre. 
3. Above all else this is your home. Remember that although the home is also your office, it is “our home” to the rest of the family. As you don’t want intrusions into your business area, don’t take your business into the family area. 
4. For the single home business owner. Keep the noise celebrations with your friends down to a conservative “roar”. Remember your neighbors! 
5. Don’t be afraid to work elsewhere. Sometimes it relieves the tension or removes mental blocks to take your work elsewhere – the garden, next to the pool or at a coffee shop, or even the local library. Use what works for you! 
6. Having a home based business is not a crime or a sign of failure. There are millions of folks all over the world running very successful businesses from their homes. Don’t be embarrassed by the fact that you work from home. In fact, flaunt it! 
7. Be professional. One of the potential drawbacks of a home business is the lack of a suitable meeting venue. If you are able to convert an unused room or area into a quiet and professional looking meeting room than do it. If not, look for venues elsewhere – your Chamber of Commerce offices, a hotel with a meeting room or conference facility, are examples. 
8. Create a working administration system. If you are not sure how best to set up your admin support and backup structures, get help. You really do not need to fall foul of the taxman because you can’t find that shoe box that contains your receipts. 
9. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Be clear on what you can do (or what the other members of the family can do) and what is outside of your experience or expertise, and accept that you will need help from external sources from time to time. Shop around before committing to third party providers. 
10. Ensure you insure. There are a lot of insurance companies that offer special deals for home based businesses. You need to adequately cover your equipment but you also need to look into cover for yourself, i.e. life cover and Key man insurance. This is critically important if you are the primary breadwinner. Also keep in mind that if you have employees working from your home or you have suppliers or customers on the premises, you may need to cover them through policies such as Third Party insurance. 
11. Know the local law. It also helps to get to know your “local Bobby”, especially if you have expensive equipment in the house or customers and suppliers parking outside. Be careful that your home business is not encroaching on municipal by laws but even if not, be considerate towards your neighbors. All the grinding, cutting and welding you will do manufacturing steel gates in your garage is really going to annoy them and is bad neighborly behavior. 
12. Get the numbers right. If accounting is not your thing than employ a professional from the start. Many a smart idea has gone south due to bad financial management. 
13. Work on your public profile. The only way people or other small businesses are going to buy from you or use your services is if they know about you. Home businesses tend to focus on the market in their immediate vicinity so look to engage with the local business fraternity such as the Chamber of Commerce, Industry Associations and local forums. Be visible in your community gatherings, for example, sponsor local school sporting events which has the added benefit in that they will probably allow you to advertise at the events. 
14. Set clear rules for employees. Whether you employ full time or part time staff be sure to explain the rules of your home to them. Certain rooms are out of bounds, clean up after themselves, meals will only be had in the kitchen and don’t park on the neighbors lawn or block their driveway entrances. No drinking of alcohol at work, unless of course they buy it (just kidding), but jokes aside, it is a practice that should be avoided even when celebrating your million dollar contract. The associated noise or inebriated employees driving in a suburban area with the likelihood of children on the streets is not a good idea and won’t impress your neighbors.