Small steps image: sxc.hu

At a business development conference I attended recently, many of the speakers talked about doing something every day rather than getting stymied by this recession and freezing where you are.  So many people react to a challenge or change by stopping what they’re doing, even panicking.

You need to so something, anything business related that will help you regain or continue your momentum.  Sometimes you need to change direction a bit, take a look at what’s in the future, brainstorm some ideas, try something new, or just move forward in what you’re normally doing instead of bemoaning, “Why me?  Why me?”

• Write down a list of ideas
• Jot down goals you’d like to achieve
• Try making a prototype of a new product.
• Research trends for your type of product or service
• Consider how to reach new customers
• Create new displays

What daily steps are you taking to move your business forward?

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More than 47 percent of Americans have considered the small business route since the economic downturn, according to this survey commissioned by the the online marketplace, Alibaba.com, and reported by Sterling Marketing Group. 

Also, the survey determined that more than three fourths of Americans conclude small businesses will be a major factor in reviving the economy.

In the present economy, boomers have begun to consider small businesses as their way to make ends meet, supplement their retirement and savings, and give them a way to contribute to improving today’s economic situation in our country.

Have you been considering a small or home business?  What is your business?

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Boomers in retirement Image: sxc.hu

Especially in today’s world, with the economic situation in disarray and retirement money often much less than expected, change is inevitable.  The change can destroy or buoy us.  We can meet the challenges as an adventure or  fall through the cracks in the sidewalk.

This can be a time for boomers to explore the small business options, those that don’t involve a great deal of investment or overhead, but will give them some much needed income.   This is not to say it will be easy, finding avenues of income that will make up for that lost.  But boomers are up to the challenge!

What are you doing to adjust to change in today’s world? 

(Remember, President Obama said we were going to experience “change” with him!  It may or may not be what you expected, but change it certainly is.)

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I’ve written about this at Home Biz Notes in How Are You Branding Yourself & Your Business?  You may want to take a look and start developing a plan, if you haven’t already.

If you do have a business branding plan, how about sharing what you’re doing?

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So what concerns them:

• Health
• Enough money to live on and how to earn more, thus consideration of a business.
• Ability to travel
• Time with grandchildren
• Ability to maintain their home
• Being independent
• Pursuing dreams they didn’t have time for earlier in life

What are your most pressing concerns as you encounter the boomer retirement age?

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Keeping Your Small Business Going After Surgery

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Did you find a favorite post at Small Business Boomers this month?

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Of course, those which you begin or operate entirely from your home won’t have the overhead that a store front entails.  Some of these may involve equipment that you don’t have on hand.  Also, you may have to look into permits, licenses, and insurances. 

1. Developing a hobby into a business
2. Selling a product or service over the Internet
3. Pet sitting
4. Skincare and make-up consultant
5. Party planning
6. Lawn and garden care or raising flowers to sell
7. Dressmaking and alterations
8. Home decorating consultant
9. Accounting
10. Woodworking
11. Tutoring
12. Teaching classes about your craft
13. Editing and proofreading

What others do you suggest?  What have you developed into a business?

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When I mentioned my surprise that  two ladies my age and I were hired for a summer job, as well as younger people, a friend commented, “They probably feel those your age will be more reliable, get to work on time, work well on the job, and not call out on short notice.”

Do other employers consider this when hiring for a position that can be handled by someone of any age?  If so, boomers do have an advantage or at least an equal chance in the workplace.

Do potential customers/clients feel this way about small business owners who are boomers?  Hopefully they consider us to be reliable when we give our word, feel we’ll do a good job, and know we’ll get the work done or product delivered in a timely fashion.

So if you get discouraged and think all the jobs are taken by younger people, emphasize your qualifications in these areas.

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Like many other Baby Boomers, I have terrible knees. The word “bone on bone” was first told me by my internist a year or so ago, and it didn’t take long for me to decide I needed to get new knees.

At 62, I’m on the younger age of the knee replacement demographic (nice to be told, “You’re a little young for this,”).  But I figured,  “Why live like this any longer?” So I set up surgery on my left knee for mid-September, with the other knee scheduled for mid-November.

One of my big concerns was how to keep my freelance writing and e-book business going during surgery and recovery. At this point, about 5 weeks post-surgery, I wanted to tell you about my experience and give you some suggestions for getting through with your health and your business intact.

1. Plan and work ahead. This sounds obvious, but it takes some doing. For my freelance writing, I write content that includes a blog and articles every week. I worked hard before surgery to get ahead at least 5 days, so I didn’t have to worry about writing from my hospital bed. With other writing jobs, I anticipated what had to be done and did as much as I could beforehand. Sure, it made double work in some cases, but it helped a lot not to have to worry about things not getting done.

2. Communicate with everyone. I sent out emails to clients, editors, vendors, everyone I could think of. People are incredibly understanding if you let them know what is going on. It’s much better to inform people you won’t be able to communicate than to leave them wondering what happened to you.

3. Get help. I turned over all my bookkeeping to my brother-in-law, who works cheap and who is a QuickBooks wizard. And I loaded my VA up with tasks. Of course, you may not have a VA or a brother-in-law, but you’d be surprised how friends and family will pitch in if you ask.

4. Focus on the essentials.  Don’t spend time on items that aren’t necessary right now.

5. Don’t overestimate. The biggest shock I had was how bad I felt for so long, partly because of the drugs I was taking for pain, but just in general too. I had difficulty concentrating on work for very long, and I spent a lot of time sleeping and watching TV (and I NEVER watch TV!).

It has only been in the last week that I have been able to sit for any time in a chair. I do as much as I can every day, and that’s all. I have been able to keep up with my work, but just barely. If I had tried to do more, the stress would have not been helpful.

6. Think long-term. I learned I could make it through surgery and keep my business going. No, it’s not expanding, but that’s OK.

My full-time job has been my rehabilitation. I’m not kidding about that. Getting my knee back in shape has been my first priority, in part because I’m going to be going through this again in a few weeks. I’m not taking on new assignments and I have ended a couple I felt were not profitable enough. It has been a good clarifying experience for me. In the long-run, I figure the surgery didn’t harm my business. Keeping the longer term in perspective helps keep you sane during the psychological ups and downs of the post-surgical period.

When I started back to work at home, it was for only an hour or so a day. I gave up Twittering, reading emails, and spending time wandering around the web. It was amazing to me how much time I had been wasting on that stuff. Letting it go has now been a permanent habit for me. I scan through emails quickly and select only those that must be answered, ignoring the rest. I don’t do social media until the end of the week, and only if I have time. Maybe I’m losing a little business, but keeping my clients and editors happy, and myself healthy, is much better than a few connections on Twitter or Facebook.

(If you have any similar experiences, comment on this post. Mary Emma and I would love to hear from you.)

Surgery.com says: knee replacement operations performed each year in the United States. Although about 70% of these operations are performed in people over the age of 65, a growing number of knee replacements are being done in younger patients. A Canadian survey released in January 2003 stated that the number of knee replacements performed in patients younger than 55 rose 90% between 1994 and 2001. (Comment – I wonder if that 270,000 is the number of knees or the number of patients?)

Post from: Small Business Boomers

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  Also, if they’re working at complex jobs, their minds stay sharper.

Many boomers have reached retirement age or soon will be there.  This information about working and health may be a reason seniors/boomers consider their own businesses, whether starting one that will grow to the hiring of employees or be the expansion of a hobby into a home business.

Most seniors today, unless they already have existing health problems, don’t want to spend all their days in a rocking chair, as I remember my grandparents doing when they reached their 70s.  Grandma did have a heart problem so had to slow down.  I don’t recall Grandpa being ill until he broke his hip, but he could have had an illness a small child didn’t realize.

Boomers today are health conscious and attempt to remain active, involved, and income producing.  It’s interesting that research is proving that there are benefits from their working.

What about you?

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