An Ideal
Work From Home Solution
Debra Cohen, President of Home Remedies shares her story.
Six years ago, I was riding high as the VP of a Manhattan
publishing firm--large salary, executive office and international
travel--I thought I had it all. But after the birth of my first
daughter, I soon realized that living a corporate lifestyle was
going to take too much time away from my new family and it was time
to make a change. On the eve of my 29th birthday, after much soul
searching and with the support of my husband, I left my career in
Corporate America in exchange for a far less glamorous
pursuit--motherhood.
It wasn't long after I became a full time mom that the bills
began to pile up and my self-esteem began to plummet. While I loved
being at home with my daughter, I still longed for the
stimulation--not to mention the income--of a career. But what type
of business could a mother launch on a low budget and limited free
time? Fortunately, I discovered a solution right in my own home.
We had just purchased their first house and--like many
homeowners-- were struggling to find reliable home improvement
contractors. When we finally found a responsible contractor, I felt
compelled to share his name with other homeowners in my community.
From that humble start and with a loan against my husband's
retirement savings plan, I decided to take a chance and launched
Home Remedies of NY, Inc., a Homeowner Referral Network (HRN)
linking homeowners with pre-screened, reliable home improvement
professionals.
Home Remedies, which is like a personal concierge service for the
home, fills two important niches in the home improvement
marketplace: 1) It serves as a reliable source for homeowners
looking for reputable contractors, and 2) Its an outsourced sales
and marketing force for pre-screened contractors.
Home Remedies was successfully up and running in less than 3
months and after it's first year in operation, the HRN business took
a unique turn when I realized that my business concept could help
other moms looking for a way to earn money from home. I decided to
document the HRN business in a comprehensive manual so that others
could benefit from my experience. The Complete Guide To Owning And
Operating A Successful Homeowner Referral Network© was published in
January 1998 and provides a turnkey system for anyone interested in
launching a successful HRN in their area.
I run my referral business on a part time basis (approximately 25
hours per week) and in my first year of operation, Home Remedies
grossed $28,000 in referral commissions alone. This past year, my
HRN grossed $72,000. Best of all, I've been able to offer more than
200 other moms (and dads) the opportunity to stay at home and raise
their children while enjoying the rewards of a successful home based
business which is something that I just can't quantify.
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Debra Cohen is President of Home Remedies of NY, Inc. and author of
a The Complete Guide To Owning And Operating A Successful Homeowner
Referral Network. For more information about her business, visit the
HRN website at
www.homeownersreferral.com or contact Ms. Cohen directly
at (516) 374-8504.
