Your goal is honorable. You want to start a business that lets you stay at home, spend time with your family, provide care for your children, and help with your financial responsibilities. So, why do you have to negotiate through so much garbage to find a true business opportunity?
Blame it on the Internet. The Internet made it possible to find new ways to do business (that’s the good news), and the Internet made it possible for more unscrupulous businesses to reach more people than ever before (that’s the really bad news.)
If you are trying to research a home business opportunity, you’ll find lots of people that are willing to help. Unfortunately, most of those people have their own agenda — and it’s not to help you build a successful business.
If you are trying to figure out if a home business opportunity is real or a scam, use the following criteria:
Do they want money up front? If they are offering information (or training) on starting a specific business and all you have to do is send them $99.99, forget it. These “businesses” are selling the promise of a successful home-business, but there’s absolutely no substance behind their claims. The businesses they promise to “teach” you are vague, with outdated references, referrals and leads.
There are lots of legitimate businesses that have starter kits to purchase – but you are buying actual product, not just information.
Do they make ridiculous promises? Your grandmother was right – if it sounds too good to be true, it is. You’ll see lots of scams that promise that you can earn thousands of dollars a month, almost immediately. It’s hard work to start a business and keep it going. If someone tells you that you can do it with almost no work at all – run. There’s no way it can happen.
Looking for a home business doesn’t mean you have to be a target for every scam artist out there. In the next blog, I’ll tell you about some of the most popular scams out there and how to avoid them.