The "Biz Opp" Trap
by Michael Gifford
"It's lousy that there is nothing for Moms out there that are willing to work hard, but just need a legitimate opportunity to stay home with their kids."
This was a post on a message board that I frequent. The entire discussion among the participants was devoted to bemoaning the scarcity, perhaps even the non-existence, of sound "business opportunities."
THEY TOOK THE BAIT
I could very easily veer off into philosophy or politics here, but I'll fight the temptation. Instead I'll make a statement that is hard to contradict, at least in the United States. It is becoming rare indeed for an individual to take personal responsibility for his or her life. This is evident in the increased reliance on government, on the commonplace desire to blame someone else for one's troubles in life AND on the need to base one's financial and personal freedom on what another person has developed and is marketing.
Just as the government would have us believe that they know better than we do how to use our money, just as unscrupulous attorneys tell criminals to blame the "system" for their woes, some business opportunity creators have set a trap that is lined with the notion that only a privileged few have the brains to create a worthwhile business and all the rest of us can do if we want to be financially independent is go along with their ideas. None of the rest of us could possibly think up our own business. Sadly, far too many of us have swallowed their bait whole and we are ensnared in the jaws of their trap as evidenced by our jumping from one pre-packaged business to another in search of the one that "really does work."
WHOA! LIGHTEN UP THERE!
After re-reading that previous paragraph, I feel I should make it clear that I am not against all businesses that would be labeled business opportunities. There are some fine ones in existence. Please don't consider this a broad sweeping denunciation. It's just that the statement that "there is nothing out there" is so one-dimensional. It is looking ONLY at what someone else has to offer instead of looking at what ONE'S OWN SELF has to offer.
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
Some of you are at this very moment looking for a way to earn an income from home. What have you been reading? The chances are great that you have been poring over brochures from company after company or scanning page after page of websites in search of that one pre-packaged business that is just right for you.
Before you read another word of these materials, ask yourself, "Have I sat down and made a list of my skills? Have I thought about how I could market these skills?" In other words, read the story of your life first. What have you done? What would you like to do? What business, either one already in existence or one you create yourself, will allow you to make the most of your skills and professional desires?
Perhaps after doing this self-analysis you will find that your skills fit perfectly with a sound "business opportunity." If so, that's great. Then if you choose to join that company you'll at least realize that your success in that business is dependent upon you (provided, of course, that it IS a legitimate company) and you won't be blaming the company if you don't achieve the expectations you had when you got involved in that particular business.
On the other hand, perhaps your self-analysis will prompt you to stop and say to yourself, "Wait a minute, I know what I can do. I have this particular set of skills and I believe that with some effort I can market these skills and make a nice living from home."
Do you see where I'm going with this? Instead of crying that there is nothing you can do from home because all of the opportunities out there are scams, you can take control of your life and go into business from home because YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT YOU WANT! Now, you may not want to read this, but you could even discover that you DON'T have what it takes to be in business for yourself from home. If that's the case, wouldn't it be better to find out now rather than after you have spent years and countless dollars on promises from opportunities that were never right for you in the first place?
TAKE CHARGE TODAY
Are there legitimate pre-packaged business opportunities? Yes. Do they offer the ONLY way to make a living from home? NO.
If you really want your own business from home, then it's time foryou to take charge by looking at yourself first and then go searching for that which best suits you; a business already in existence or your own business that you start from scratch.
About the Author
This article may be reprinted with permission by including the following resource box: Michael Gifford has operated successful home businesses for over 20 years. He currently supports himself full-time from home. He is the owner of www.nobizlikehomebiz.com - an unbiased, "business opportunity free" site dedicated to helping people succeed in business from home. He can be reached at expectgreatness@nobizlikehomebiz.com or by calling 770-606-9195.
