Guest post- Working Remotely: How to Keep Your Connection Secure

We love sharing tips on working from home efficiently and ensuring that your information is secure and your connection safe is an important consideration if you are going to work from home. Our guest blogger, Cassie, from securethoughts.com shares some excellent tips on keeping your connection secure. 

Cassie is a technology enthusiast who enjoys sharing her knowledge of internet security and work at home tips. 

Working Remotely: How to Keep Your Connection Secure

I would like to thank Jozi WAHM for sharing this article with her wonderful readers. I’ve found the blog to be a fun read filled with all sorts of different tips and anecdotes that are useful to know about. In particular I’d like to recommend this post about actually getting work done at home.

If you get to work from home, there are a lot of benefits, such as not having a commute and working in a comfortable environment, but you also have to contend with the added responsibilities. Chances you are working from a personal device and a home connection, and so it is your job to make sure that everything related to your job is safe; otherwise, you could suffer the consequences of a company data breach.

Here are a few ways you can help keep your connection secure: 

Be Conservative with Your Network Information:

Your home network information is how people get into your network, for good or for ill. Chances are that a skilled hacker with that information can go in from a street or two away and steal many of the files you use for work with the right equipment, depending on how you have things set up for sharing on your home network. If that data gets out there, it is hard to get it wiped clean from the internet where such data is often sold to the highest bidder.

You don’t need to tell everyone who walks into your house your network name and password. They can get by without internet for a while and likely have a data plan anyway. They might not be malicious, but they are out of your control and thus a potential security risk if they don’t take as much care as you do (which is a distinct possibility). If they persist, explain your situation, and if they do not understand, ask them to leave and meet them elsewhere in the future. Your job and home security isn’t worth the company of such a rude person.

Use a VPN on All of Your Devices

If you work remotely, that doesn’t mean you are working from home. There is a great likelihood that you meet clients or customers in public settings such as coffee houses or restaurants. These places have public networks, which can be useful but are also incredibly risky to use, as hackers can easily intercept data over an unprotected network. This data could include a great deal of work information, not to mention your financial data, to make you the victim of an identity thief.

The best defense you have against such a threat is called a Virtual Private Network (VPN). What a VPN does is use an encrypted connection to make your computer connect to an offsite secure server which will process your requests for you. This encrypted connection allows you to safely browse the internet on any network without having to worry about anyone looking in. It also has the added benefit of being a service that will mask your IP address, so that you can access regionally restricted content and websites that are censored by certain governments. You will also be able to avoid government surveillance in many of the more restrictive countries out there, which may be vital to certain professions that make their home their office.

You should know that they are great for home use for the same privacy and security benefits, and that using one that is well-reviewed will put your mind at ease when it comes to your data security.

Take a Look at Your Old Files and Connections

Sometimes it is not an attack on our connection or computer that can lead to problems. Sometimes it is just an oversight on your part because something was left around or a connection not closed on your computer. Your dropbox folders should be dealt with whenever a contract ends, and the best thing that you can do is to have a personal policy to clear out or store away any old files that might have important information on them. If they might be useful or important in the future, place them on a flash drive that is stored away from anything with an internet connection.

Now might also be a good time to make a clean cut and change all of your passwords and security question answers. Go through all of your different cloud services or similar sharing software and cut old connections. The goal is to cut off past problems and security holes so you can focus on a secure future.

 

Thank you for reading, and the best of luck to you with you work regardless of where you work.

The Work From Home Series- Getting Paid!

I haven't done a 'Work From Home" post for a while and though one is overdue.

Today I am going to discuss what might be the most crucial part of running any business, whether from home or anywhere else- actually getting your clients to pay you. After all your blood, sweat and tears in starting up a business, you do actually want to be paid for your work. 

If you do the work, obviously you will get paid for it, right? Wrong. Bad debt is one of the factors that is most likely to sink a small business. If your business is new, you might be slightly lenient with credit terms, hoping that this will help you build goodwill with clients. Unfortunately, when it comes to paying up, there are too many out there that are inclined to take advantage and this is one area that you can't afford to always play the nice guy- like that (slightly annoying) LunchMoney Lewis song goes... I've got bills I've got to pay... I've got mouths I've got to feed.

Here are some suggestions for making sure that you get your money in when you need it:

FROM THE WORD GO

The best way to ensure that you get paid is to make sure that expectations in terms of payment are made clear from the very beginning to avoid misunderstandings later on.

• Make sure you keep careful accounting records and that clients are invoiced straight away.
• Make sure that you are clear about any terms of supply of credit.
•  Do a credit check before providing credit to anyone- or at the very least for any big deals. 
• You can consider investing in debt collecting software.

WHEN A CLIENT FAILS TO PAY

You may have sneaky clients who try to withhold paying bills as long as they can so that they can benefit from interest derived. Perhaps they simply forgot to pay, payment was overlooked or there is some minor problem that can quickly be ironed over. Here are some steps that you can take while there is still room for giving your client the benefit of the doubt:

• You may want to start by sending a friendly e-mail reminding them that that payment is still outstanding and reattach your invoice and banking details for ease of reference.
• If they still don't pay, you may want to give them a phone call or even a visit for large sums outstanding. At my first job after university, we had a lot of bad debtors (which happened to be large corporate clients with plenty of money). My boss used to have me physically drive over to the clients for a courtesy visit, engage in chit chat, hand over some promotional material and then slip in a pile of invoices before leaving- sneaky but effective.
• If a client admits to having trouble paying due to financial reasons, you may want to work with the customer to come up with a mutually agreed payment plan- rather that than not getting paid at all!

TIME TO GET NASTY

• If the above does not work, you may need to hand the client over to a debt collection agency or an attorney. 
• In a worst case scenario, you may need to litigate to  get your money in. This will destroy any relationship with the client, but at this point they are obviously not the type of client that you want anyway. However, this should be a last case scenario as it can be time consuming and you will incur legal costs along the way.

Ten Real Jobs You Can do From Home

So the feedback I have been getting from many potential WAHM'ers is that they would love to work from home, but don't have any ideas as to what business they can start. While the possibilities are endless, for those that lack inspiration, we have put together some ideas for businesses that can be run from home.

A word of caution, if you are searching for work from home jobs on the internet, the bulk of what you are likely to find is scams. Be wary of any business that asks you to pay an upfront fee to join etc as any real employer will not require this.

So what can you do then? The possibilities are as wide as your imagination and what people are willing to pay for.

1. Do you have any specific qualifications? You could use these unique skills to start your own specialist business. (I run a consulting business in my field of study from home, albeit in a non-traditional way). For example, an accountant could set up a bookkeeping business or a teacher could give tuition from home (or even online).

2. Do you have any special and unique talents? If you are an amazing artist, an exceptional baker or great at making stuff with your hands, you can use these skills to make and sell something that there is a demand for.

3. Is there something you are incredibly passionate about? Use this passion. If you are great with small children, perhaps you could set up a small daycare facility. If you love ballet or surfing or - whatever it is you like, why not set up an online store relating to your passion? You could also pass your passion on to others and make money at the same time- offer sewing lessons, guitar lessons or baking classes.

4. Is there a clear gap in the market for something and you know that you can fill that gap? Use that as your cue. For example, if you live in a small town with not a single person renting out party supplies, you could fill that gap. If you are surrounded by full time workers with no time to cook, offer a hot home cooked meal or pre-packed lunch service. Private, flexible religious classes for children with busy extra-mural schedules are also in great demand.

5. Writing!  If you have a writing background you could do freelance writing, proof reading or copyrighting. If you are inspired, you could even write a book- this is even easier in this day and age with e-publishing. As an income supplement, you could start a blog and earn income from advertising, affiliate programmes, sponsored posts etc.

6. If you have a flair for sales and a good network of people to sell to, you could become an agent for the products of various companies (the usual make-up, pots, weight loss products etc- find something that nobody in your area of influence is selling already). Even better, be your own boss, source your own products and start your own sales based business (either a physical one or a web-based business).

7. If you have decent computer skills and the right equipment, you could provide typing, transcription or data capturing services, or work as a virtual assistant (i.e. handling administration such as emails or scheduling appointments on behalf of a busy executive). Note: be careful with data capturing, while there are lots of legitimate opportunities, there are also scams out there.

8. If you are able to do web design, you could design or test websites from home.

9. Translator- if you are multi-lingual and have good language skills, you could transcribe documents. Try sites such as Translators Cafe.

10. There are some legitimate oppurtunities online. If you are a good photographer, you could sell stock photographs online to sites such as Dreamstime, Shutterstock etc. Or you could do freelance work through sites such as freelancer.com

Working From Home Series- Ten Tips on How to Actually Get Work Done

I previously posted a broad guideline as to getting started with working from home.

So now you have all your ducks in a row, business registrations sorted, a website and a home office. How do you manage to practically get things done from home?

• Do not fall into the trap of slumping on the couch in your pyjamas or tracksuit every day. You may be able to afford to sleep in for a few more minutes as you do not need to beat morning traffic, but start your day as if you are going to the office. Shower, get dressed, put on your make up (if you usually wear make up). It may just be a mindset thing but you will feel more productive and more confident.

• Plan, plan, plan. You should have set goals for the month, for the week and set a (flexible) schedule at the beginning of each day setting out what you need to achieve for the day. Be realistic and make provisions for any disruptions in your day that you know are going to occur (like school pick ups or doctors appointments). Similarly, figure out when your most productive times are and schedule key tasks for those times. Then- stick to your plan.

• That having been said, life happens and you have to accept that. Especially if you are a parent, there will be days where a cranky, teething baby or a school emergency derail your plans completely. Have a plan B, see to the most urgent tasks at hand, manage any expectations from clients by keeping them informed of any deadline shifts and then get back on track the next day.

• Out of sight, out of mind. As you might not physically be seen every day like those who work in offices or retail spaces, it is easy for potential clients to forget that you are there. While you do not want to harass people or appear to be spamming, some gentle reminders that you are there are crucial. This does not have to be direct marketing, perhaps posting an article on LinkedIn or forwarding a joke or article of interest to a client will mean that they remember you when your services are needed. Hopefully, the next time they need the services that you provide, you will be the first person they have in mind.

• Speak to others who have started similar businesses (possibly in a different area if it is a fiercely competitive market). While this may seem intimidating, they will likely be honored that you consider them as role-models. 

• To use your time most efficiently, diarise intensive work slots where you are completely focused on the task at hand with no distractions. Use these slots for more complex tasks. It is easy to think you can multitask, but distractions such as having the television or radio on or even social media feeds can hamper productivity. Log out of Facebook and Twitter completely during these slots unless you need to be active on there right then for work purposes.

•  Be flexible in your working hours. If late nights or 5 am is your best chance to get work done, then work at those times. However, you also need to be available during regular hours so that your clients can actually communicate with you.

• Delegate where possible. For example, if you can afford to get help with the housework a couple of times a week (or to watch kids for a short while), you can free up valuable time to get work done.

• Use technology to free more time. Use your laptop, smartphone or tablet to enable you to work while getting other tasks done. Have Wifi available across your property so that you can send off emails etc while watching your children play outside.

• If you are working with your children around, set boundaries for older children (for example that they need to be quiet if mommy is on the phone). Have pre-planned activities ready for them to keep themselves happily amused with minimal adult assistance. With babies, a wrap may be a good hands-free investment. Use nap times to your advantage to get the most done.

Working From Home Series- Getting Started with Your Startup

We previously blogged on the idea of working from home and what you should consider before making the decision to do so (see previous post here). 

So now you have had that big epiphany as to what business you will start and have made the big decision to work from home. You have a business plan in place and have done your market research (if not, go one step back- a business plan is crucial!). You have set aside some space at home for your home office and are ready to get started.

What next? Well, you will have to sort out some of the more tedious details. First get lots and lots of coffee (and make sure you include a good coffee machine in your office equipment list) and then proceed to the steps below.

(Note: the below information is of a general nature and should not be construed as legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional where required). 

• Branding is a whole topic on its own, but to begin with, you will have to create a brand for your business by creating a name for your business, a logo, a website, get business cards, a business letterhead etc. 
• Consider how you will keep your business financial records and whether you can do this yourself or if you need the services of a part-time bookkeeper going forward.
• You will need to set up a business bank account. It is worth your while to shop around and compare pricing and also the services the various banks offer to start up businesses. Your bank may turn out to be an invaluable business partner in the initial set up phases as it is in their best interest for your business to thrive. If you require funding, while banks are not your only option, it is the most common choice.
• Regardless of your business type, you will need to check what the requirements are in terms of income taxes, VAT etc. and do the necessary registrations in this regard via the Receiver of Revenue. (You will do this after your company registration if you are going to be trading as a company).
• Do some research as to the compliance requirements for your business and how you will be affected by legislation like the Companies Act or the Consumer Protection Act. Depending on the industry, certain licenses may be needed. Seek legal advice if necessary.
• If you are employing staff, you will also have to register for UIF (unemployment insurance fund), PAYE (pay as you earn), COID (compensation for injuries and diseases).  These are done via the Department of Labour.
• Consider whether you need business insurance, including liability insurance and key person insurance.
• You will also need to consider whether your business will require BEE certification. While small start ups are typically exempted from having to apply for a BEE certificate, it may give you a competitive advantage to do so.
• Finally, how will you trade? You might choose to be a sole proprietor, close corporation, private company, partnership, trust etc. Each of these options have important consequences and it is important to know what the pro's and cons of each option are (and also ensure that you understand the tax consequences of each). Once you have decided on the type of entity, you will need to proceed with the necessary name reservations and registrations (if any). We will go into some detail regarding the options as to the type of business entity below.

TYPES OF BUSINESSES

1. Sole Proprietorships

This is the simplest form of business and has no formal requirements to start up. Basically, you are the business and there is no separate legal structure, making it a very easy and simple option. You will have to pay taxes on your income but this will not be separate from your personal taxes, some of which you can set off with business expenses.

The downside is that your personal assets are not separated from your business at all and if the business fails, your personal assets are at risk. If you are married in community of property, your spouse's assets are also at stake. 

The new Companies Act requires trading as names to be registered with CIPC if you trade in a name other than your own.

2. Close Corporations (CC's)

 
This form of business has been discontinued and new CC’s may not be registered. You may buy and transfer membership of an existing CC but there is no real benefit in doing so.

3. Partnerships

A partnership may be set up between two to twenty individuals going into business together. Like a sole proprietorship, there are no real formalities, although a written partnership agreement is not a legal requirement, it is recommended that you do have one in place, preferably professionally drafted.

The downside is that, like a sole proprietorship, the assets and liabilities of each partner are linked to the business and creditors may attack personal possessions if the business fails. You are also liable for all of the partnership debts, even if incurred by another partner. The partnership also ceases to exist if one partner dies, in which case a new partnership has to be constituted.

4. Private Companies ((Pty) Ltd)

 
The new Companies Act aims to make it simpler to set up a private company. The advantage of having a company is that the company is a separate legal entity, so your assets are separate from those of the business and in most cases, only the capital that you have invested is at risk. Trading by way of a company can create a more professional image and instil confidence in potential clients. If you trade by way of a company, there will be a lot more formalities required, board meetings, resolutions etc. However, this structural formality may be a blessing in disguise as it will force you to operate in a disciplined manner.

The company will be owned by one or more shareholders and managed by one or more directors who will run the company. For a home business, it is likely that you will be the sole director and sole shareholder.

So how do you start a company? The company has to be registered with CIPC (you can do this yourself and the forms are available from their website but it is time consuming, especially if you are new to the process). It is recommended that you consult with an attorney or chartered accountant who can advise you on the best structures for your company and handle all the paperwork needed in order to register. You will need to submit annual returns and companies of a certain size will need to be audited.

Note: there are various other types of companies, including public companies, personal liability companies (those ending with "Inc") and non profit companies (those ending with NPC") but we have looked primarily at private companies as these are the most likely fit for businesses run from home.

5. Business Trusts

A business may also be set up as a trust, which is formed by way of a trust deed registered with the Master of the High Court. This vehicle is often used for family businesses as it allows for some form of business continuity from generation to generation. There are also slightly fewer formalities than with companies.

On the flip side, trusts are taxed at a high forty percent in South Africa. In addition, you need to know what you are doing as a poorly drafted trust deed can severely restrict your ability to conduct business. 

Are you ready to work from home? The Jozi WAHM's Guide to Getting Started

In this day and age, with all kinds of technology making it easy to stay connected without physically being at the office, the decision to work from home may be an alluring one for many. Being able to spend time with family, spending less time in traffic, determining your own working hours and saving on rental and petrol costs may be motivating factors for such a decision. With proper planning, the decision to stay at home may be a rewarding one. However, before deciding to do so, there are many aspects that need to be considered.

Making the decision to work from home was one of the biggest decisions of my adult life and took many months of deliberation and planning. Even so there are some things that took me off guard. 

If you are considering working from home, here are some things that require some serious thought while compiling your business plan. Note: This is just a broad checklist and specific aspects of the issues below will be covered in future posts.

• Firstly, do you have the right personality type for this? Extreme extroverts might miss the daily interaction with others at the office and may feel isolated if there is not enough interaction with others. Conversely, extreme introverts might find it difficult to engage in the conversations needed to get the ball rolling and interact with clients. You will also need to seriously assess whether you are self-motivated enough to actually get down to working when there is nobody policing whether or not you actually do so.

• Then, obviously, you need to consider what type of business it is which you wish to pursue. Your skill set, personality type, education and the market demand in your area will all help in determining this. Adequate market research will be required to determine whether your business idea is a viable one and this is often one of the primary determinants of whether a business can thrive. You will need to determine who your target market are, whether they will buy into your product.You also need to figure out if the service you are offering is one that people will be willing to pay for, how much they are willing to pay and whether this will be lucrative for you.

• Be wary of business areas which have already reached saturation point. At the same time, if you are considering a business type that not many others are doing, this could either mean that your business is novel and unique or that it is a bad idea and that others know better- you need to figure out which!

• You will need to calculate what the start up costs for your business will be and consider how these will be funded. Will you need to apply for any credit facilities and how will these be repaid? Bear in mind that it is likely that you will not see a profit for at least the first year of operation, so you need to consider how your expenses will be covered during this period.

• The type of business enterprise needs consideration. While a sole proprietorship may be the simplest way to operate, the possibility of a company, trust or other enterprise may be considered in order to limit personal liability. However, the consequences and responsibility that comes along with these vehicles need to be understood and it would be prudent to consult with an attorney to consider the pro's and cons of each potential option. In addition, your attorney can help you to establish whether any registrations or licenses are required and any regulatory and compliance aspects your business will have to adhere to going forward. 

• You will need to consider your property- where at home you will work from and whether the way your home is set up will practically allow for you to work from home. Certain business types may require that your property is zoned for business and you will need to check whether this is the case. If you are selling goods rather than offering services, you need to consider whether you will have to keep physical stock and whether you have the space for this. Regardless of the business type, a dedicated work space is ideal, preferably one which is in some way separated from the rest of the home. 

• You obviously need to ensure that you have all the relevant tools of trade, which will be determined by the business type. Most businesses will require fast and reliable internet connectivity and you will have to research what the best option for this is in your area. 

• If you have the type of business that will involve have clients in and out of your home, you need to consider whether your family's privacy will be infringed and even more importantly, security. Do you have parking space for potential clients and will this be disruptive to your neighbours?

• If you are planning to work from home with children around, a whole extra level of complexity will be added to your business planning. Will you work with your children present or will you have assistance? Even with a nanny to help with my one year old and with my four year old at pre-school in the mornings, this aspect is far tougher than I had anticipated. Given that spending time with my family was my primary motivator for leaving my office job, I find it difficult to banish myself into isolation and usually end up allowing the constant disruptions from my children. As a work at home mother, you will need to figure out for yourself how to balance this aspect (for a few tips on this aspect, please see my previous blog post on the topic here). You also need to set boundaries against disruptions from the beginning so that extended family and friends are aware that just because you are not physically at the office, you are working. 

If you have all the answers to the above questions, then working from home may well be the way forward for you.

The Jozi WAHM's Golden Rules for Working From Home

So far most of my posts have been child-centred. This one is too, in a way, as it focuses on how to get work done from home with children around (especially if the reason you are working from home in the first place is to spend more time with them).

• If possible, get help, at least part of the time (I am still working on this one as Squish refuses to stay with my nanny/domestic worker most days so I am more productive just working around him). 
• Have a designated work place reserved only for this purpose and with all the tools of the trade close by. If you have a proper home office, this is fantastic, but if not, have a corner of your home designated for this purpose.
• Plan your day and what needs to be achieved. Get your most important tasks done at the times when you anticipate the least distractions (for me this is late night or mid-morning when Noodle is at creche and Squish is napping).
• Have activities pre-planned for the children which will allow you to complete a task. I have toys categorised so that a specific type of toy is easily accessible when required.
• Maximise your time by working smarter. Shop online to save time. 
• Multi-task where possible. I reserve simpler tasks which can be completed from my phone or tablet for when supervising the kids playing in the garden etc.