MAKE MILLION$$ FROM HOME! $5000 A MONTH, FROM HOME, GUARANTEED! WORK ON YOUR COMPUTER, AND MAKE $$$$!

I used to read these emails and laugh, wondrous at the willing souls that would fall for such an obvious scam. You see, I've worked at home for over five years as a marketing rep, writer, and consultant, and I couldn't imagine people really thinking they could make lots of money doing "data entry from home" or selling the latest "hot" product. Surely, people really don't FALL for that stuff, do they?

Yup, they sure do.

Friends would send anywhere from five to a hundred dollars to these companies, hoping to find their ultimate work-at-home job. What they did receive was their names on irritating "opportunity seekers" email and snail mail mailing lists, badly photocopied product brochures - but, sadly, no job.

Since I was the only person they knew that worked from home, friends would ask me how I made the leap to self-employment. They'd beg me to help them , telling me their office tales of terror complete with toxin-filled commutes, horrendous office politics, and nasty coworkers.

My friends needed some gentle research guidance to find home business ideas. I suggested 'net surfing, forgetting that others aren't necessarily internet- savvy.

Since I love being online, I thought that everyone knew what a web link was. But when I asked my friends if they ever used Yahoo, they looked at me like I had developed some strange, exotic tic. When I asked their experience with HTML, they thought it was "that song by the Village People."

The computer nerd in me knew that there was a wealth of home business information no further away than my computer, but I also knew that some people need one-on-one help and personal coaching. With that knowledge, a new computer (long since outdated by new technology), and a few business cards, SuccessWorks was born.

SuccessWorks. . .

SuccessWorks is a company dedicated to helping people find their perfect home business match, and I use the internet daily as a wonderful research and networking tool.

In my workshops and writings, I find that people need a little assistance figuring out what companies are scams, what kinds of home business ideas are out there, and to obtain general (but crucial) business knowledge. Happily, the internet, with it's seemingly endless wealth of free information, is a great place to learn home business factoids and fads.

As clients narrow in on their home business needs, I use the internet to discover important market-specific information. For instance, one company sounded fantastic to a client - and she was ready to plunk down over a thousand dollars to start. Until, that is, I gave her the National Fraud Information Center web link (www.fraud.org). Sadly, her dream business was prominently featured, and she went back to the work-from-home drawing board (or computer screen, as the case may be!)

Business Support Networking. . .

Outside of solitary web-research, us 'net nerds can cruise in cyberspace to find like-minded folk to help and assist us - it's a great way to develop a support network and get some invaluable business advice.

Need to talk to someone already doing what you want to do? Send them an email! Want to hit a business chatroom? You can surf to the chat of your choice at www.talkcity.com. The internet is a friendly and closely-knit community - and people are always happy and willing to help.

Throughout my varied surfing, I've found some fantastic websites tailor-made for the future self-bosser: Paul and Sarah Edwards are the work-from-home gurus, and their site is filled with great links and interesting ideas.
Check it out at: www.homeworks.com.

If you need business guidance laced with good-ol'-fashioned humor, surf on over to Idea Cafe (www.ideacafe.com) , and have a virtual java while you cyberschmooze.

If you want to read about other happy homeworkers, go to www.bizine.com. You can find ideas for your own business at the Bizine.com site, and some great (and free!) marketing tips.

Finally, if you need to laugh at all the online MAKE MONEY FAST scams, cruise to the MMF (Make Money Fast) Hall of Humiliation (http://ga.to/mmf/) This site vows to put an end to online scammers - or at least laugh at them mercilessly - and is a hilarious source of solid anti-scam information.

All's Well That Ends Well. . .

After leading local home business workshops, I've decided to expand my classes to the internet. I've found that I can help so many more people through online classes and coaching, and I can send them web links that can be immediately and easily accessed.

And, my friends that wanted a work-at-home job? I'm happy to report that one of them is an artist, with her illustrations featured in an upcoming book. Another friend is preparing a trip to England to research her "single women's tour group" idea (she also uses the internet to discover hidden-away trails and tours.)

They don't read their MAKE MILLION$$ emails anymore, and they don't send away money before they've used the 'net to check everything out - but they've found success, as I have, using the internet to live their dream.

Wishing you a successful day-
Heather Martin
"Winning writing and workshops for a balanced lifestyle"
You can reach Heather at SuccessWorks