PowerHomeBiz.com developed the six resolutions after interviews and discussions with various home business owners and small business entrepreneurs. The following provides practical tips for businesses to focus on in order to grow and succeed in the New Year:

1. Use resources more judiciously. Home business entrepreneurs often lack resources that they need to take their business to the next level. Hence, it is critical that they maximize the resources they currently have. Marketing campaign effectiveness should be carefully tracked, to ensure that resources are spent only to the types of campaigns that actually bring results. Time, their biggest resource, should be planned well to improve productivity.

2. Seek more learning opportunities. Learning opens the mind to potential opportunities that may not be initially seen. It allows the business owner to get to know their industry and competitors better. Take the time to learn new things about the industry and the general business environment in order to take advantage of new skills and knowledge. Learning can mean subscribing to trade and business publications, reading on the Web and subscribing to worthy newsletters, participating in forums, borrowing books from the library, or even attending a class in a community college.

3. Get a better understanding of what customers want. Many entrepreneurs (not just those home-based) make the mistake of creating products or services that they think people would want, only to find that there is no demand for it. This year, home business owners should find ways to get their customer’s feedback when developing a product or improving their current offerings, whether through customer emails, inexpensive surveys, or interviews with customers.

4. Get a clear handle of where the business is going. Home business entrepreneurs need to keep track of their financial records, in order to determine the direction of the business. Doing so alerts the entrepreneur of problems that can affect cash flow of the business, or factors that can threaten the very life of the business. Financial understanding also provides a concrete measure for entrepreneurs as to what is working, and what is not, in their businesses.

5. Be willing to get help. Home business entrepreneurs, particularly those operating solo, wear many hats. They are the product creator, marketing person, accountant, webmaster, and many other roles rolled into one. It can oftentimes be overwhelming. Entrepreneurs need to focus on what they do best, and seek help for areas that they feel they are not equipped to do well.

6. Take care of the most important resource: you. Starting and running a business can be very stressful. It is important that entrepreneurs give time for themselves. The entrepreneur is the heart and soul of the business. Take a vacation or week off from business. Pamper the body. Get a massage. Go out, take a walk or go to the mall and shop. Whatever it is that you do, you need not be consumed by your business 24/7. By taking a break, the home-based entrepreneur will feel refreshed and enjoy their work more.

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About PowerHomeBiz.com LLC

Power Homebiz Guides at http://www.powerhomebiz.com, is a privately held online publisher of home business and small business information. We provide well-written features, "how-to” articles; "how I did it" success stories, tips and hints, instructions, motivational articles and other information that will help consumers gain knowledge and succeed in their small business endeavor. Our objective is to provide comprehensive step-by-step ideas to help small entrepreneurs succeed in their ventures. Power HomeBiz Guides is published by PowerHomeBiz.com, LLC, a Virginia, USA company that began operations in December 1999. For information on starting and running a home-based business, please visit PowerHomeBiz.com. 

Contact Info:
Isabel M. Isidro
Managing Editor
PowerHomeBiz.com
Tel. 703-346-7497
http://www.powerhomebiz.com
media@powerhomebiz.com

For a step-by-step guide to starting a business, order the CD-Rom "Power Home Business Ideas" from PowerHomeBiz.com at http://www.powerhomebiz.com/Index/practicalbizideas.htm