These are some of my articles. Please, if you quote from them credit me and give reference back to this site.
These are the first few lines from my E-Book, "Working From Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa"
Welcome to my E-Book, "Working From Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa". You have obviously bought this book because you want to work from home and be your own boss, or because you want to make some money! This book is written by someone who has been in the same position as you and it will show you how to go about achieving that. Good luck and congratulations with the new venture you’ve decided on or are deciding on. You’ve come to the right place. I hope that this book answers all your questions ... "
Want to know more? You will have to buy the book! Either purchase it from http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/jsp/item/Item.jsp?Trade_TradeId=9088281 or contact me at gpaynter@telkomsa.net to find out how to buy it.
This is an article I wrote recently for momz.co.za:
Making the Decision to Work From Home
By Gaynor Paynter
www.typewrite.fusiveweb.co.uk / gpaynter@telkomsa.net
Motherhood in the 21st century is a far cry from what it was 50 or 60 years ago, or even 30 years ago. Gone are the days when mothers stayed at home and tended to the every need of the nuclear family. In today’s world of differing social norms, most mothers need to work, whether it’s assisting in bringing in money for the family, or whether it’s because she’s the sole breadwinner. Pressures placed on mothers today are vast. We are expected to be the heart and soul of the family and keep the household together and we are expected to contribute financially.
Of course there are some women who are still able to be stay at home mothers, but most mothers of today are faced with a very personal choice. Do we go out to work or do we work from home? Do we work in an office and run a work from home venture part time? I believe this is an exceptionally personal choice to make. Many factors surrounding each mother’s decision are circumstantial, and since each mother’s circumstances are different, there is no right or wrong answer.
This is how I decided that working from home was the right choice for me. I worked in an office for over 10 years, and when my children were 6 and 4, I decided the time was right to try my venture. I’d always had an entrepreneurial spirit anyway. So I started out offering general administration to clients, and soon found that the transcription side of my venture was what was the most in demand. Any work from home venture is a vastly demanding thing. Anybody considering working from home because they think it will be easier than working from an office or that they will have more time on their hands needs to rethink now. After much blood, sweat and tears, Typewrite Transcription (www.typewrite.fusiveweb.co.uk) was born!
A work from home venture does not just happen overnight. A number of questions need to be asked before you can make the decision. These include:
- Have You Weighed Up the Pros and Cons?
There are a number of things to be taken into account: I considered the following.
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Pros |
Cons |
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I would be able to be here for my children |
No regular monthly income (at least not to start) |
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No commuting or petrol expenses |
Irregular working hours |
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No childcare fees |
I would have to pay for my own equipment / expenses |
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I could be my own boss |
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I could work the hours I chose |
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I could work in the comfort of my home |
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I had the support of my husband both financially with a regular monthly salary and in every other way. |
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My children would have a freer lifestyle than I believe they would have had if I worked from an office. |
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I would not have to wear corporate clothes |
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- What Kind of Work Do You Want to Do From Home?
This of course is probably the most basic thing you need to know before you start. You have to have a basic idea of what you want to do. Do you want to be a wedding photographer, do you want to start your own décor business, do you want to do an administrative task? What are you good at, what are your qualifications and experience, and what do you enjoy?
- Is There a Market for What You Want To Do?
This is one of the most important considerations. If there’s no market for what you want to do, your idea will not work. Do a little investigation. Chat to other mothers about it. Talk to business owners or persons who you think could benefit from your service. In other words, get a feel for the market and start building up a network of contacts.
- Do You Have the Financial Backing To Do What You Want to Do, and Have You Considered Start Up Cost?
Most start up ventures do not find enough paying clients to cover costs for about four to five months after start. It’s ideal to have financial backing to cover yourself for a period of time, or to start up something with minimal capital outlay involved, such as setting up as a transcriptionist or Virtual Assistant.
There are many other questions to ask yourself, but I believe the above are some of the most important. Once you have answers for these, you can assess them and decide if your venture is viable or not.
Examples of Possible Work From Home Businesses or Services Include:
- Transcription
- Virtual Assistant
- Home Industries
- Desk Top Publishing
- Web Page Design
- Computer Technician
- Translator
- Artist
- Photographer
Resources Available:
Working From Home as a Transcriptionist in South Africa – E-book by Gaynor Paynter of Typewrite Transcription (www.typewrite.fusiveweb.co.uk) http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/jsp/item/Item.jsp?Trade_TradeId=9088281
Transcriptionists and Virtual Assistants of South Africa (TAVASA) – Group for work at homers in these two fields, whether you are experienced or starting out. tavasa-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
If any of these links fail to work or if you’d prefer to contact me privately, please feel free: gpaynter@telkomsa.net.
Gaynor Paynter
www.typewrite.fusiveweb.co.uk
gpaynter@telkomsa.net