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Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Free Sample Newsstand Locations Books Advertise Contribute Our Blog Editor's Commentary Back Issues Our Writers RSS Feed Return to Home Page Visit the rest of the Life Media Family Stay informed and inspired with Natural Life. Type in your email address for our free e-newsletter. Here's a sample. from Natural Life magazine, September/October 2008 Start Your Own Business and Change the World by Wendy Priesnitz Do you have an idea for a business that you think could change the world? Join the club! Self-employment, entrepreneurship and social enterprise are hugely popular these days – among recent college grads wanting to make their mark, Baby Boomers looking for a more satisfying career change, moms and dads who want to stay at home with their children, and all sorts of people who want to deliver goods or services for a social purpose. And most of these folks have an eye on doing something that’s green – sustainability consulting, carbon offsets, home energy audits, bio-fuels, wind power, organic food, natural baby products or a vegetarian restaurant. No matter what sort of product or service you want to sell, and how big or small your ambition is for your enterprise, some common principles apply. Your unique business idea What is your unique idea or unique twist on an existing idea? And what makes it different from all the others? Is it better, cheaper, not available in your area, more fun, more reliable? The benefit to your customers Forget about the benefit to you (which will, we hope, be fame and fortune, or at least independence and satisfaction). Your eye should be on how other people or businesses will benefit from your new enterprise...and if those prospective customers will value what you are offering enough to pay what you have to charge. That information will provide you with your marketing focus and a way to measure your success. Why you? You will need some basic business skills (or the ability to pay others who have them), money (at least enough to pay both your living and business expenses for at least a year if you’re jumping in full-time), knowledge of and passion for your business idea, some risk tolerance, the ability to sell (either yourself or your product/service), good health and physical stamina, the ability to learn quickly and on the fly, ability to deal with stress, determination... To read the rest of this article, subscribe to Natural Life's online edition. Wendy Priesnitz, is Natural Life’s co-founder and editor. She helped pioneer the home business movement in the 1980s, taught and coached micro business owners for over 20 years, wrote a weekly small business column for 10 years and is the author of Bringing It Home: A Home Business Start-Up Guide for You and Your Family.  Read some of her articles about home-based, small and green businesses. March/April 2010 January/February 2010 November/December 2009 September/October 2009 July/August 2009 May/June 2009 March/April 2009 January/February 2009 November/December 2008 September/October 2008 Copyright © 1976 - 2010 Life Media |  About Us  |  Contact  |  Subscribe  |  Advertise  |  Contribute  | |  Sustainability Statement  |  Ethics Statement  |  Privacy Policy  |