Nearly half of home-based business owners are struggling to separate their work and personal lives, according to new research.
A report by BT Business found that 56% of home-based ventures began because the entrepreneur wanted a better work/life balance. However, 45% find it difficult to separate home and work life when they actually start.
The biggest concerns for the UK’s two million home businesses varied across different regions, according to the report.
Financial stability was cited as the biggest hurdle by businesses in the West Midlands. Scottish businesses were most concerned with work/life balance, and home-based entrepreneurs in London worried most about finding new customers.
A separate survey from Barclays found that many hobbyists are turning their passion into small or home-based businesses.
Figures, taken in the third quarter of 2007, showed a 16% increase in gardening and horticulture services sector start-ups when compared to the same period last year.
Marketing director for local business at Barclays, John Davis, said that ever-increasing demands on leisure time have increased demand for gardening and construction services, creating a market for enthusiasts seeking to commercially exploit their expertise.
“A growing number of enterprising people are leveraging their knowledge in this field and looking to combine their favourite pastime while capitalising on the current trends brought about by a time-poor society,” said Davis.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2008