The Perfect Time to Start a New Career

In January, Kelly Hogan picked up her 2011 pink Cadillac. For the Mary Kay Cosmetics independent beauty consultant, the car was a reward for personal sales success and for her mentoring of other women in the business. The pink Cadillac is the most well-known of Mary Kary’s “Cinderella Gifts,” which are bestowed upon team members as rewards for their sales success.

Hogan, who was featured in FOXBusiness.com’s Small Office Home Office profile series,has been working from home for Mary Kay Cosmetics for 12 years and has been a director for eight. She left her job as a corporate trainer and revenue manager for a large company to open up shop at home. What began as a chance encounter with a shy temp at her firm, who was at the time selling Mary Kay, she says turned into a life-changing event – she asked the temp for a brochure after seeing some cute lipstick on her desk, and never looked back. Now, not only is Hogan able to work around her personal life, which includes a husband and four children under the age of 10, but she can also afford to hire someone to help with household chores, the children, and office work when the need arises.

Here are her tips for starting up a business of your own.

No. 1: Don’t wait until “the perfect time” to get started. There’s NEVER going to be a perfect time.

“Most of the time, I have found that the hardest part of anything is getting started,” Hogan said.

No. 2: Once you’ve made the decision to work from home and begin your business, make the decision to really make it work. Don’t just “give it a try.” Maintain F.O.C.U.S. (Follow One Course Until Successful).

“I see too many people close down their businesses and quit before they really even gave it a viable chance,” Hogan says. “Any business requires time to cultivate and develop. Be willing to take a risk on you and never quit.”

No. 3: Set aside an area you can call your office. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be functional.

No. 4: Work when you schedule yourself to work. Just like any business that thrives on appointments, there will be some that postpone or cancel. Still discipline yourself to work.

No. 5. Have a positive attitude! It’s been said that you can do everything right with a bad attitude and fail, but then turn around and do everything wrong with a great attitude and succeed. Make the choice to be positive!