I have a lot of people ask me how I’ve managed to be successful with my home-based business. Truth is, about 70% of the people who start a home based business THINK they don’t “succeed”. What exactly does succeed mean? This is important to know because success is what you decide it is.

Succeeding means whatever you want it to mean. If having your home-based business means you can support your own love of the product you sell, then you are successful! YOU must decide. Don’t compare yourself, don’t try to be someone you are not.

If you are going for a level of success where you are earning a full-time or part-time income, then you must pay attention and you MUST make a plan. Running a home based business is simple, but it isn’t always easy.

It does take an investment of time, money and patience. As far as time goes, you should be able to devote at the very minimum, 10 hours a week to your business. That should bring you a part time income. Invest more time and you’ll see an increase in your income.

As far as money goes, you can decide what you can spend (I personally believe you need to be experienced with some of your product line):

• Use the products daily.
• Get any accessories you need to share your product line.
• Invest in a calculator, pens, manilla folders, etc. to run the office part of your business.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but just know that starting a business does require an investment. You are investing in your future, you WILL reap the rewards later!

MAKE A PLAN. Talk to your upline and decide how you will get started.

SHARE what you are doing with your friends and family.

HAVE an OPEN MIND and be PATIENT. Not every one of your friends is going to jump at the chance to host a party for you or meet with you to find out what you are doing. Don’t get frustrated because of someone else’s words or opinion.

This is the BIGGEST mistake people make. I can’t tell you how many talented people have quit their business before it ever started because their family member or friend criticized them! Don’t let anyone else steal your dream. If God placed this in front of you, there was a reason!

Be ready to be CONSISTENT.

• Consistently do training classes.
• Consistently talk about your new business to others.
• Consistently talk to your upline for support and guidance.
• Consistently hold parties or informational meetings.
• Consistently work!

If this means 1 hour a day for you or 3 hours one day and 1/2 an hour the next, MAKE a plan for working. I used to have to tell my family that I was going to my office for the next hour to make phone calls. They knew not to bother me and I knew to not spend more than an hour making calls.

The work you do today, you’ll still see the benefits of it over the next 3 months. Sometimes you won’t see the benefit for the next 3 months! That is why consistency is SO important. You want to always be growing and exposing your business to new people.

A home-based business in direct sales or network marketing is hard to get going strong sometimes because consistency plays such a BIG part of the plan. Consistency and Goals are key.

KNOW what you are working for. The work you have to do to get it going will reward you TREMENDOUSLY later on. I can remember working about 20 hours a week and making close to 6 figures a year! That was about 4-5 years into my business.

All the work I put into it was totally WORTH that result!

Get coaching from your upline or someone above you who is building a business. They WANT to help you! They KNOW what it takes!

YOU CAN DO IT! It’s a scary first step sometimes but you have to have faith in the seed that God planted in you. You have to have faith that you can push forward and achieve a life that you’ve only dreamed of. You have to BELIEVE in your company AND in yourself.

Don’t let anyone else’s negativity drag you down. WHO CARES what anyone else thinks? If you love your products just know that there are a LOT of other people out there just like you!

Take a chance and start that business! What is the worst thing that can happen? You decide you hate it but your home is filled with products you use and love! That’s not too bad! Plus, everything you’ve invested is a great tax deduction!

Stay strong, stay positive and have faith!