HOME BUSINESS OFFERS REFUGE FROM RECESSION
The article appeared in local newspapers and tells a realistic story of how a Shaklee business can help during these tough econmomic times.
The latest economic indicators for May bring some hopeful tidings, but also some significant concerns. The U.S. unemployment rate is as high as it has been in 25 years, and there is continued concern about sizable job losses to come. The recession has been a source of severe stress for many throughout the country.
According to the recent Multi-Sponsor Surveys’ 2009 Economic Impact Market Segmentation Study, 49% of employed adults expressed worry about potential job loss, while 32% admitted to “significant” financial troubles.
But amid numerous reports of havoc and despair created by the current economic climate, Jack and Pat, a local small-business entrepreneur here in The Woodlands reports a very different experience during this recession.
“If it weren’t for the additional income my health-and-wellness business generates, I think my family would probably be in a very different place,” says Pat seitzinger, who operates a Shaklee business out of her home.
“My business helps us not only continue to pay the bills on time, but it also generates additional income which we save to have on hand for unexpected situations, or use when we want to do something special, like take a trip, buy a new car, or remodel the kitchen—things that would otherwise be outside of our budget.”
Seitzinger credits her home business for helping to alleviate much of her family’s stress and says her business has eased financial concerns while providing flexibility—qualities that can insulate a family from the changing tides of the economy. Most people who run a business from home work only part time, so there’s freedom to plan business activities around the busy schedule of a young family.
“When I began my business,” says Seitzinger “it was on a very part-time basis. Since I started, I’ve increased the amount of time I spend working with it. Using the Internet and communicating my business online makes my work much more efficient and flexible at the same time, making it possible for me to work on my business pretty much whenever I have downtime from my other responsibilities. Plus, it was easy and inexpensive to get started, and there’s no need to make space in our home for any inventory since the company ships directly to my customers.”
Home businesses have drawn considerable interest from people who may be having a difficult time finding employment and from those looking for an income opportunity that also resonates with their personal beliefs—characteristics that most jobs likely do not offer.
“Because I recommend products that help people to be healthier, that help our environment to be cleaner, and for homes to be safer, I feel good about what I do. And because I also offer the chance for other people to do what I’m doing—to achieve independence in a way they may not have thought possible—there’s an incredible feeling of satisfaction in knowing that I can help make a real difference for people looking for extra income right now.”
According to the 2009 Economic Impact Market Segmentation Study, 60% of adults are now interested in operating a home business in response to the economic downturn.
“To me, there’s a great sense of security knowing that my business is backed by a company that has a proven track record and more than 50 years of experience giving people the means to thrive, even during the most difficult economic times,” says Seitzinger. “Shaklee has grown during each of the prior recessions since it was founded in 1956.”