Running a Small Business in Your Jammies

A Home Business Article Contributed by Marsha Maung

Running a Small Business in Your Jammies

My friends think that I have it good - my small business seems to be thriving and I am getting paid on a regular basis and I go shopping when they are stuck in the office. Life is rosy and everything is absolutely gorgeous.

From an outsider's point of view.

Burning the Midnight Oil is Normal for Small Business Owners

I tell everyone that I meet, who envies my lifestyle, that I love my work but I don't necessarily love the schedule. Like any small business owners, I often have to burn the midnight oil when I am chasing after a deadline. The honest truth be told: I get paid only when I deliver. Being a small business, delivering on time is an important part of establishing a good business relationship with the client.

Unlike our larger counterparts who can afford to find new clients every single month, small business owners will find it more conducive and more cost-effective if we work hard to keep our existing clients by making them happy. Once they are assured of the fact that you run your small business like a big business, then they will continue to 'dump' projects on you.

THAT'S why we sometimes have to burn the midnight oil to keep up with clients' sometimes insane demands.

Small Business Big Demands

If you're a client, you don't really care whether the person you're dealing with is an employee of a big corporation or running a small business, that's the deal. When you're paying money for services/products, all you care is that you're handing out the cash in exchange for services/products! That's all there is to it. So, as a small business owner, you have understand that the clients CAN and SHOULD demand high quality work from you.

We, small fries in a big pot, should at least PRETEND we're a big corporation. So, I don't let myself call my business a part-time job. Everyone I meet and introduce myself to have to know that even though I work in my pajamas and nightgown, I have to often pretend that I am working for someone else - you know, just to give myself that slight push to deliver my work to my clients.

No Letting up for the Small Business

It's an absolutely NO-NO. It's just not possible for small business owners to let up on the quality of their work. As long as we're keen to keep in business, we have to continue to keep the standards of our work high. The pressure and stress is immense and intense. Envious people don't see the bags under our eyes that we hide under heavy makeup. Envious people don't see the constant schedule struggles that we have to contend with every hour of the day to keep our homes and business organized.

I tell my friends that, even though I am working as a small business owner, I have to act a lot like a big business owner. If I start acting small, then people will start treating me like a small fry.