Though local businesses along Columbus” major highways may seem to be the retail epicenter of the Friendly City, Lowndes County”s seat also boasts a network of somewhat less visible business offerings.
Home-operated businesses serve an important role in several Columbus residents” lives. From perfume to house keys, some of the area”s home-based entrepreneurs offer a wide range of products.
What began as a way for some Columbus residents to earn extra income while enjoying the perks of self-employment has turned into lengthy business ventures for a few.
Columbus resident Carolyn Latham began selling Avon products nearly 12 years ago after responding to an advertisement in the Meridian Star, she said. While she began selling only a few products each month, she now routinely sells more than 100 items each month.
“I started either 11 or 12 years ago when my oldest daughter went off to college,” Latham said, noting her children, 32-year-old Teneka, 19-year-old Titus and 16-year-old Sarah are no longer children.
“I had a little one back then, and I wanted to do something that would allow me to make some money but still be able to stay at home and care for my son,” Latham added. “I saw an Avon ad in the Meridian paper, and I talked to my husband (Richard) about it. He said it would be a good thing to do since it would allow me to stay home with Titus.”
Fellow Columbus resident Lori Pierce has been selling Tupperware products out of her home for more than seven years. Although Pierce admits she sells “only a few” products each month, she said the home business provides her with a few benefits.
“I mainly started selling them so I could have access to the discounted products for myself and my family,” Pierce laughed. “But I guess there is something to be said for keeping a business going for seven years.
“I honestly don”t consider it a real source of income like I would a full-time or part-time job,” Pierce added. “But it does give me a little bit of extra money while still letting me be a full-time stay-at-home mom.”
Although local locksmith Al Lathan does not operate his business entirely out of his home, he agreed he shares many of the same benefits enjoyed by home-based entrepreneurs.
“I started being a locksmith about 17 or 18 years ago,” said Lathan. “I just always wanted to be a locksmith, and that”s really all I”m interested in doing.
“I have a shop over on Third Avenue South with all my equipment in it, but I basically just go there whenever I need to make a key or pick up equipment,” Lathan added.
Although many small-business owners across the country have been experiencing troubles in the face of a global economic downturn, local home-business owners have not taken a hit, they said.
“Right now, I am doing pretty good with my business,” Latham said. “I sell perfumes, clothes and shoes, makeup, skin-care products and many other things.”
Through the Avon system, Latham works out of her home and deals directly with customers interested in the company”s products. Latham receives a commission payment relative to the amount of products she sells each month.
“Since I have been doing it for so many years, I have a pretty good base of customers who buy from me pretty regularly,” said Latham. “But I still go around door-to-door sometimes and do some selling at schools and things like that.
“I would definitely say that you have to be pretty outgoing to hold this job,” Latham added. “I didn”t start out with that big customer base. I had to really work hard in the beginning to get it established.”
“Business is usually pretty good, because everyone needs a key made and almost everything has a lock on it,” Lathan laughed. “I don”t think that”s going to change any time soon, so I think my business will be around for a while.”
Although local home-based business owners said they must put in effort each month to keep their sales up, operating a home business has numerous benefits.
“I originally started doing it so I could stay home and care for my young kids, but I liked it so much that I”m still doing it today,” Latham said. “I have time to go out and do things during the day basically whenever I want to.
“I”m not tied to the clock, either,” Latham added. “Plus, it lets me spend more time with my family than I would be able to if I was working in an office somewhere.”
Lathan also praised the freedom of owning his own business, saying it allowed him great freedom to balance work with his personal life.
“It definitely frees up a lot of time for me to do other things,” said Lathan. “I”m also the pastor of a church in West Point, and I always feel like I have enough time to do both.
“But you also have to be really flexible with your work hours in this line of work,” Lathan added. “Sometimes people will get their cars locked up in the Wal-Mart parking lot at 11 o”clock at night, and I”ll go out there and help them get back into their cars.”
Latham, Lathan and Pierce agreed they likely will remain self-employed for many years to come.
“I actually love it. It”s a great way to make extra money and still have the time to do the things I enjoy, like spending time with my family,” Latham said. “I definitely think I”ll be doing this for a while.”
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