Home Based Businesses - Are They The Savior Of The World?

By Lucy Cole-Radice
Posted Friday, September 10, 2004

Think of the future and you might recall images from the movie Blade Runner where billions of people huddle together in high rise buildings that stretch up above the clouds -a colorless city where the sun never shines and the rain doesn't stop falling. Or perhaps you might see a world devoid of vegetation where machines and men clash in a never ending battle for survival as in the movie The Terminator.

With Hollywood taking such a pessimistic view of the world that our prodigy will inherit, we turn to science to fill us with some hope. Yet all we hear are stories of depleted ozone layers, increasing gas emissions and depleting natural resources to cater for an ever growing population. A population that continues to struggle with the constant battle between the 'haves' and the 'have nots,' with alienated youth who wander the suburbs looking for someone to blame and with a government that doesn't quite know what to do.

So what will our future look like for our children and our children's children?

Is there a solution to the woes confronting the world we have created?

Who or what will be the "white knight" to save us from our worst fears?

The answer could lie in a rapidly expanding section of the commercial world - Home Based Businesses (HBB). HBB's are an exciting evolution in the world of business where people of all ages, intellects and personalities compete on an even playing field from the comfort of their own home.

With the proliferation of the internet across the globe in recent times, HBB's have jumped aboard and ridden the WWW wave to new heights. Running a global business from home has never before been easier and millions of people are taking advantage of the many benefits that working from home brings:

These benefits include:
* No qualifications required.
* Small set up costs
* Lower operating costs
* Lower living costs
* Flexible working hours
* Tax advantages

But at a deeper level, the real benefits of HBB are those that affect the welfare of the community that we live in and the world that we depend on. HBB don't just put people back into their homes, they put the heart back into the suburbs.

Let's use a hypothetical situation to illustrate the point.

If a large corporation creates a new arm of its commercial venture in a city and employs 1000 people, then the benefits to the community in terms of employment and spin off income for other businesses are obvious. But what about the detrimental affects such a move creates? That's 1000 more people on the roads each day driving to work. 1000 more people leaving children at home, in day care or to fend for themselves after school. 1000 more homes susceptible to burglary. 1000 more people juggling a hectic work schedule with family and relationship commitments. 1000 more people living in and around the city. What a headache!!

What if those 1000 people were to run a successful HBB?

That would be 1000 less people on the road each day. 1000 more homes with a parent available to support and nurture children when they are home. 1000 pairs of 'eyes' in the community keeping a careful watch over the welfare of the street, block and suburb. 1000 people working in the relaxed environment of their own home and better able to cope with the demands of life. What a wonderful thought!!

So what are the benefits of HBB's to the community?

1. More people in the suburbs
Traditional employment sucks the life out of our communities by forcing its residents to leave their homes each morning for work. HBB's keep the heart and soul of a community alive by allowing its residents to remain home throughout the day.

2. Less traffic on the roads and therefore pollution in the air.
Without the need to drive to and from work each day, residents can give their cars and the environment a well earned rest.

3. Better security
Crime and in particular home burglaries are on the rise around the world. The vast majority of these burglaries take place during the day when people are at work. HBB's increase home security and the security of the community by maintaining a strong "people presence" throughout the day.

4. A caring home environment to raise children
A community that stays at home to work also provides a nurturing environment for children to be raised in. Having parents home during early childhood and at times when young children are home from school ensures that our youth are provided with the best possible foundation for a healthy development.

5. Less stress - better relationships
HBB's decrease the stress associated with working away from home and to the schedule of an employer. Having the freedom to plan your own work day has a positive effect on your mood and your outlook on life. The spin off is happier more content individuals capable of maintaining strong relationships with their spouse, partner, family and/or friends.

6. More quality time
When all is said and done, the most vital commodity in our lives is time. Having time to spend with family and friends or involved in personal pursuits is one of the great benefits available to HBB owners.

7. A decentralized population that takes the pressure off our cities.
If people are no longer required to attend the city or large centers for work, then the population is free to live wherever they please. HBB owners can live on the coast, inland, on a mountain top or even at the bottom of the sea!!

With so many benefits associated with HBB's for both the individual and the community, it is not surprising that HBB's are taking over the world.

In fact, as the title of this article suggests, HBB's may just be the next major catalyst to redefine the landscape in relation to commercial enterprise, environmental preservation and community wellbeing.

If your heart lies in making this world a better place for your children and your children's children, then maybe you owe it to yourself to take a closer look at a HBB.
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About the author
Lucy Cole-Radice is currently operating her own successful affiliate internet based 60 Minute Money Home business from home. She is a business mentor to others who wish to run their own home-based business. For information on your own 60 Minute Money Home business go to (http://success-at-home.org/?refid=bt-567879600)

The author has also written:

Working from home - have YOU got what it takes?

How Stay- at- Home Mums or Dads Can Pay The Mortgage Too.

Want to Work from Home But Feel Alone? The Role of a Business Mentor