How to start a business from home? How to determine what skill sets I have?
I see so many posts from you that want to stop working, who need to or want to work from home. And want to do it NOW!
I have a couple of tips and thoughts for you. My experience if from owning a recruiting company and helping women either get back into the workforce or starting their own businesses.
1. What skillset do you have?
👉 First, determine what skill set you have or had. Even after years, your experience can still come in handy.
Here was my tip to moms that had not worked for 20 years (staying at home with their kids).
1. Look at the volunteer work you did for the church, school or organization or for a friend.
2. Think about what you are good at. This might not always be easy, so ask people close to you and you will be surprised by the ideas that they come up with.
3. Create a list of stuff you do and really dig deep. Make it at least 20 item list.
4. Create a list of stuff you enjoy and can't stop talking about.
What are you really passionate about?
Donna (puzzle) & Linda (quilting)
So do you like organizing your closets, or cleaning, or communicating with people.
I met somebody this year who has a cleaning business, and man, that is not for me. But she loves cleaning and organizing and really gets major satisfaction from this.
But here is the amazing thing, because of her clients, she is not a VA and doing social media marketing. So from small opportunities, your world can open up to more.
You can literally start any business just by looking at what can you do and what do you enjoy doing.
2. Where to search for opportunities?
👉 Second, look around your neighborhood. Talk to your vet, doctor, hairdresser. church. Choose somebody you have a great relationship with. Tell them what your situation is (people ALWAYS want to help), tell them your skillset, and they might surprise you with ideas.
For instance, if you had some bookkeeping experience, you can barter with them to start you off. Or start with a very low price and get experience and you both grow your businesses.
That is how I got started in the e-commerce business.
👉Look around you and see what your friends and neighbors need. I know some of the jobs are not glamourous, for instance walking the dog, but you will be surprised at what other opportunities can grow from people you connect.
👉 Look online and do some research.
A word of caution, not all that glitters is gold.
Remember, whatever you are looking at, you have to do it when you don't feel like it and some days are definitely like that. Building your business is slow and frustrating especially if you are on a low budget.
Social media's organic growth is lower than 2%. You will have to advertise even if you just do some really low budget ads.
3. How to approach an opportunity?
👉Not everybody is a salesperson (MLM), or a VA (Virtual Assistant) .
For instance, you have to have some sort of skill set to be a VA, which is basically very organized and focused, really good at content writing, and be ready for any eventuality your customer will throw at you. One thing I have observed a VA needs is a lot of patience and keeping cool under pressure.
Or a social media marketer, but you have to be creative and love researching information. It sounds easy but there is a lot of research for instance who the competition is and what are they doing. you also have to super organized and a great planner. You have to know SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and how to attract customers.
Multi-level marketing always sounds marvelous and easy and not always cheap. You have to be sales-oriented if you want to get into network marketing, and again, be passionate about the product. Most of the time it costs money, but it is a low entry business with a lot of support. You don't need a website technically, and they have done a lot of marketing for you, except it is not really for YOU! You need to do a lot of marketing and it is hard if you don't have a website and you expect people to log in and buy.
Decide how you can help people around you, and negotiate a low price to start and grow together. Tell them you want to build your and their business and maybe you can both benefit!
It might not work with the first you ask, but remember, all they can say is 'No', then try and get somebody that will give you a 'Yes'.
4. MONEY!
It always comes down to money. How much you can invest in your business is probably the most important part. Without money, you can't even start and the reasons are you have to invest in a website, a little bit of advertising, some business cards, and probably a bit of software to schedule your social media at the least.
And you have to consider how much time you have to grow and make money. If you have time, growing organically will take a LOT of effort and time, but you can do it.
Even if you are selling products, you obviously will need shopping cart ($30/month) and you need products. BUT, with drop shipping these days, you might not even have to shell out any money to buy your products before you sell them.
Even if you start selling Multilevel Marketing products or Network Marketing, you will be asked to buy monthly products to stay in the game.
You will not make lots of money when you start. But if you stay consistent and focused, it will grow.
My daughter-in-law grew her business from $350 per month to well over a 5 figure business in a couple of years, with 3 kids, pets and a hubby. And she is still growing and evolving her business.
5. How I started in the eCommerce business.
🧐😎🥳Here is how I built my business in eCommerce and marketing.
I chatted to the shopping platform sales guy who wanted to help his customers. We had a long about what he does and how he got new customers and then I told him what I wanted to do - which was to actually sell something online but I had no idea what, and we created an online relationship.
He started sending me his customers he needed to help but knew they could not afford to get website designers or eCommerce experts to help them. In the beginning, some paid and some did not.
But here is the bottom line, I learned a lot by helping people. I became an eCommerce expert. And with my background in financing and running my own recruiting company, I had a lot of experience helping small business owners.
To become successful, takes a long time, determination and focus. Nothing is easy but you have to start somewhere.
I was fortunate enough to have some awesome mentors along my journey. I bartered with my first business coach, she taught me to stay focused and to create an entrepreneur mindset, and I taught her how to exercise. 😂👏🤩
I hope this helps...let me know what you think 
🎉🎉
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Also in eCommerce Success Blog
What is the difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Products import and export?
By Veronica Jeans, Bestselling Author November 16, 2024
Shopify CSV vs Matrixify Excel: A Comprehensive Guide to Product Management
Managing product data in an e-commerce platform can be a complex task, especially when dealing with large inventories. This article compares two prominent methods for handling product data in Shopify: the native CSV system and the Matrixify Excel approach. We'll explore how these tools differ and why choosing the right one can significantly impact your workflow efficiency.
Shopify vs Matrixify Comparison
Detailed Comparison between Shopify & Matrixify Product Management & Uploads
File Format and Basic Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Data Management Capabilities
1. Product Export Features
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
2. Image Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Advanced Features
3. Metafields Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
4. Product Updates and Maintenance
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
5. Inventory Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
6. Template Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Special Features
Matrixify Exclusive Capabilities
1. HTML Code Optimization
2. Variant Management
3. Publishing Control
Best Practices and Recommendations
When to Use Shopify CSV
When to Use Matrixify Excel
While Shopify's native CSV system provides basic functionality for smaller stores, Matrixify Excel offers a more robust, flexible, and efficient solution for managing product data. The choice between the two largely depends on your store's size, complexity, and specific needs. For larger operations or those requiring detailed control over their product data, Matrixify Excel presents clear advantages in terms of functionality, efficiency, and scalability.
Remember that investing time in learning the more powerful tool can save significant time and reduce errors in the long run, especially as your store grows and your product management needs become more complex.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
What's the main difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Excel?
The main difference is that Shopify CSV is a basic file format with limited functionality, while Matrixify Excel offers advanced features like real-time tracking, multiple sheets, and partial updates. Matrixify also allows you to work with pure Excel files instead of CSV format.
Which option is better for my store?
It depends on your store size and needs:
Use Shopify CSV if:
Use Matrixify if:
File Size & Limitations
What are the file size limitations?
Shopify CSV: 15MB maximum
Matrixify: Can handle gigabytes of data (600,000+ products)
How many products can each handle?
Shopify CSV: small catalog
Matrixify: 600,000+ products in one import
Features & Functionality
Can I update specific fields without replacing entire products?
Shopify CSV: No, you must replace the entire product
Matrixify: Yes, you can update individual fields
How do multiple images work in each system?
Shopify CSV: Requires separate rows for each image
Matrixify: All images can be in one row, separated by semicolons
Can I manage metafields?
Shopify CSV: No metafield support
Matrixify: Full metafield support with column-based management
Import/Export Process
How do I track the progress of my import?
Shopify CSV: No tracking wait for email notification
Matrixify: Real-time progress bar with estimated completion time
Can I cancel an import once it's started?
Shopify CSV: No
Matrixify: Yes, at any time during the import
Data Management
What happens to product IDs during import?
Shopify CSV: Creates new IDs, breaking collection references
Matrixify: Maintains existing IDs and references
How are variants handled?
Shopify CSV: Each variant requires a separate row
Matrixify: Can generate variants from combinations using semicolon separation
Technical Questions
How does each handle HTML in descriptions?
Shopify CSV: Leaves escaped HTML code as is
Matrixify: Automatically fixes escaped HTML code to normal HTML
Can I manage inventory across multiple locations?
Shopify CSV: Limited location support
Matrixify: Full multi-location inventory management
Best Practices
What's the recommended way to update product prices?
Shopify CSV: Must upload full product data
Matrixify: Can update prices alone using a simple price column
How should I handle large product catalogs?
Shopify CSV: Split into multiple files under 15MB
Matrixify: Can handle in single file with filtering options
Troubleshooting
What if my import fails?
Shopify CSV: Check email for basic error message
Matrixify: Detailed error reporting with specific row/column information
How do I fix broken product references?
Shopify CSV: Manually rebuild collections and references
Matrixify: No action needed references are maintained
Integration & Compatibility
Do these work with all Shopify plans?
Both work with all Shopify plans, but Matrixify requires a separate subscription.
Can I use these with other e-commerce platforms?
Shopify CSV: Shopify-specific format
Matrixify: Designed for Shopify but Excel format is more universal
Support & Resources
Where can I find documentation?
Shopify CSV: Shopify Help Center
Matrixify: Comprehensive documentation with tutorials and examples
Is there technical support available?
Shopify CSV: General Shopify support
Matrixify: Dedicated support team with Excel/import expertise
Cost & Efficiency
Which option is more time-efficient?
Matrixify is generally more time-efficient due to:
Faster processing of large files
How do they compare in terms of cost?
Shopify CSV: Free with Shopify subscription
Matrixify: Requires separate subscription but offers more features and efficiency
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