Business
Assistance:
Home-Based & Micro Businesses in Mississippi
Current
Situation
The way we work is
changing--we are in the middle of a tremendous workforce pattern change.
Since the early 1980s, there has been a resurgence in entrepreneurial
spirit. The 'new entrepreneurism' is different from the past --- this time
we are working from home.
Changes in the economy
and the family have precipitated changes in attitudes toward the separation
of the home from the work place, resulting in the rapid growth of home-based
businesses. In addition, the change from an industrial based economy to
an information and service based economy, and new communication technologies
have dramatically increased work-at-home opportunities. Home-based businesses
are now recognized as a viable source of new jobs and economic growth.
People are choosing to create their own jobs at home rather than seek
employment elsewhere.
Self employment,
including home-based business opportunities, offer flexibility and adaptability
to the rural economy and adds diversity not only to employment choices
but to the mix of services and products available in rural areas. Helping
small, entrepreneurial home-based businesses to start or expand is a community
development strategy that many people either dismiss or don't think of
because it lacks the impact of recruiting a major employer. But, the cumulative
effect of many home businesses can make a difference. [1]
Continued growth
is predicted, especially in rural areas. That's good news for local governments
seeking to expand their economic base. Based on any reasonable measure
of gross sales, jobs created, or earnings, home-based work is making a
significant contribution to the nation's rural economies. [1] The home
has been called by some as "the new American workplace." If the unprecedented
growth continues as expected, most Americans will work at home in the
21st Century. [2]
References:
[1] Biers, K.
and Rowe, B. 1998. "What Does Home Based Business Add to Rural Economies"?
Southern Perspectives. Southern Rural Development Center. [www.ext.msstate.edu/srdc/publications/fallsp98.htm]
[2] Entrepreneur
Magazine. [www.entrepreneurmag.com]
The Mississippi State
University Extension Service has been working with home-based entrepreneurs
since the 1980s. During the 1980s, businesses operated from home received
little assistance from other agencies, and there were few educational materials
and guides available. Most of these home businesses were related to foods,
crafts, textile products, and services delivered from home. Traditionally,
they were low overhead, low capital investment types of businesses that
might have grown out of a hobby or a skill. Incredible changes in the workplace
and growth in home businesses began to take place in the 1990s. Home businesses
now relate to a broad spectrum of business types.
Working from home
is not without challenges. Although the industry as a whole is quite diverse,
and the people, products, and services can be very different, home-based
entrepreneurs share many common problems. Research has shown that home-based
business owners have many concerns, among those concerns are:
- Legal restrictions
at local, state, and federal levels
- Isolation
- Sourcing
- Access to financing
and other financial issues
- Demands affecting
personal/family relationships
- Marketing products
and services
- Pricing strategies
- Lack of credibility
and being perceived as business professionals
- Integrating computer
technology
- Too much business
These issues indicate
the educational needs of home businesses are vast. These needs can be segmented
into three major issue areas --- business, family, and government. In an
effort to address the needs of home-based businesses, Extension educators
focus educational programs on:
- providing business, marketing, management, and technical skills development to
increase profitability and family income,
- assisting
families with the impact of home-based employment on the family structure
and relationships, and
- addressing
the public policy issues associated with home-based work.
Return to top of page
Frequently
Asked Questions
Do I have to incorporate before I start my business?
How do I figure out what to charge for my product or service?
How do I get a loan for my business?
What type of advertising is the best for my business?
What is the difference between a copyright, a trademark, and a patent?
What local permits do I need to go into business?
How do I get a tax number for my business?
Do I have to collect sales tax?
What type of home-based business should I go into?
What are the tax advantages to having a home-based business?
What is a franchise?
How do I go about producing and selling a specialty food product made from a family recipe?
Do home-based businesses need insurance? Doesn't my homeowners policy provide the coverage I need?
Would it be better to hire independent contractors rather than employees?
I want a web site for my business, how do I get started? How do I go about selling products on the Internet?
Return to top of page
Publications
Business Briefs provide
information relating to Mississippi small, home-based, and micro businesses.
Other Publications
Business to Consumer E-Commerce: Selling on
the Internet
Checklist
for Starting a Home-Based Business
Child
Care as a Business
Entrepreneur's Tool Kit
Exploring the Potential
for New Food Products
Home-Based
Business: Basic Start-Up Guide
Selling
Crafts
Sewing
as a Business
Starting a Bed & Breakfast Business
Return to top of page
Other
Information
The following is a
short list of relevant sites on the WWW that provide information and resources
to small, home-based, and micro businesses. These sites are maintained
by educational institutions, non-profit organizations, or government agencies,
none are commercial in nature.
Better Business
Bureau (BBB)
www.bbb.org
Information about BBB (a non-profit organization) programs and services,
including publications for consumers and businesses.
Bureau of Labor
Statistics
www.bls.gov
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the principal fact-finding agency
for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.
The BLS is an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes,
analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American
public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments,
business, and labor.
Department of Commerce
(DOC)
www.doc.gov
Information about programs, and the laws and regulations it administers
relating to commerce activities.
Department of
Labor (DOL)
www.dol.gov
Information about programs, and the laws and regulations it administers
relating to workplace activities.
EntreWorld
www.EntreWorld.org
Information and resources for entrepreneurs from the Kauffman Center for
Entrepreneurial Leadership.
Federal Trade
Commission (FTC)
www.ftc.gov
Current information relating to FTC activities, including updates regarding
deceptive and illegal home-based business opportunities in the marketplace.
Internal Revenue
Service (IRS)
www.irs. ustreas.gov
Comprehensive tax information including tax stats, tax information for
business, electronic services, taxpayer help and education, tax regulations,
and tax forms and publications.
Mississippi Development
Authority (MDA)
www.mississippi.org
Mississippi business information maintained by the Mississippi Development
Authority.
Mississippi Small
Business Development Centers State Office (MSBDC)
www.olemiss.edu/depts/mssbdc
Mississippi Small Business Development Centers provide business services
state wide.
Secretary of State
- Mississippi
www.sos.state.ms.us
Information directly from the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State.
SmallbizNet
www.lowe.org
Information on running, starting, and growing a small business from the
Edward Lowe Foundation.
Small Business
Primer on Legal Issues
www.ces.ncsu.edu/business/welcome.html
Written by an attorney, the information is a primer for current and prospective
small business owners. It gives a quick overview of the legal issues and
concerns faced by a small business.
Thomas Register
www.thomasregister.com
Comprehensive listing of manufacturers of all types of products and services.
U.S. Census Bureau
www.census.gov
Official source for social, demographic, and economic statistics and information.
U.S. Copyright
Office
www.copyright.gov
Complete information about copyrights.
U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office
www.uspto.gov
Complete information about trademarks and patents.
U.S. Postal Service
www.usps.com
Helpful information for businesses that depend on mail as a big part of
business (including services & products, current postage rates, business
forms, postal business centers, and business publications).
U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA)
www.sbaonline.sba.gov
Comprehensive information for small businesses, including business start-ups,
financing, and expansion. Also contains a shareware of library programs
to run a business, information about SBA programs and publications, business
hot-links, and business special interests.
U.S. Small Business
Advisor
www.business.gov
Provides one-stop access to federal government information, services,
and transactions in an effort to make the relationship between business
and government more productive.
The following is
a short list of relevant commercial sites on the WWW that provide information
and resources to small, home-based, and micro businesses:
About Small Business
American Demographics Magazine
American Express Small Business Exchange
AT&T
Telework
Business@Home
Entrepreneur Magazine
Fast Company Magazine
Inc.
iVillage - Work from Home
Microsoft bCentral
M.Y.O.B. Business Software
Quicken - Small Business
Small & Home-Based Business Resources
Working
from Home - Paul & Sarah Edwards
Return to top of page
The
information included is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial
products or trade names do not constitute an endorsement by the Mississippi
State University Extension Service and does not imply discrimination against
other similar products.
| 
