I began my home-based business last May. I design and manufacture handmade bead jewelry. Beadweaving has been my hobby for many years and in the year before I took out my business licence, many of my family and friends had commissioned pieces from me. It gave me the courage to take the next step and go into business. It was a strange shift from being a local TV producer to bead artist, but now when I do video projects it is because the project interests me and not because I need to do it for the money. Creating jewelry is fun and rewarding and I enjoy the sale days at craft fairs as well. Imagine making money by sitting out in the sun and fresh air while you talk to people about your favorite hobby? I'm glad that I made this dream of mine into a reality. 

I am just starting to see my initial investment into the business being paid off and am heading into the black. It has all been very exciting. I thank goodness for the internet that has made it all possible and for the people over at S.C.O.R.E. that have been such a great source of information!

My days are stress free and I have the time to attend to personal matters or handle emergencies better than when I worked 9 to 5 for a company. I find that I need to keep a structure to my day. I have a set goal of how much product I need to create each day. It is a reasonably high quota, but not one that I can not meet in 1/2 days time. The other half of my day I devote to sales. My breaks are scheduled at certain times of the day just as if I were at an office and I force myself to take them. I am more focused when I do so. I also do not make jewelry in the evenings any longer. This was the hardest thing for me realize since when beading was a hobby, that was the time of day I would do the most work. 

I think that what I love the most about this whole thing is that I can sleep in until 8am, drink my morning coffee, pet my dogs...and NOT have to go anywhere, doll up in make-up or commute 40 minutes to an office! Sheer heaven. :) 

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