Out of the estimated 30 million Americans who run some kind of home-based business, I was one of four featured in Money magazine's March '96 issue. When the issue was published and became the best-selling newsstand issue in the magazine's history, it was obvious that this was and still is, a hot topic. Of course, the picture of me in a bubble bath on the cover didn't hurt sales, either. But the lifestyle that that bubble bath represented-someone who has the luxury of taking a business call in the tub-drew in thousands of readers who yearned for this kind of lifestyle.

Little did I know that more than ten years later, I would still be fielding questions about starting a home-based business-questions like: "How did you know that you could be successful at home? How did you get started? How did you decide what you wanted to do? How do I ...? How should I handle ...? I've spent hours and hours answering these questions, received piles of letters and megabytes of online requests. And it still hasn't died.

Ages ago, I had thought about writing a book about the foibles of being a home-based entrepreneur. But what I really got a charge out of was mentoring, knowing that my knowledge and experience might help others who were about to embark on "the journey." Working from home is a journey in self discovery. And that's what this book (available from STAIRWELL PRESS) is about.

There are a number of very helpful books on the market today, and this one is not meant to replace them. There are how-to books that describe what to do and what not to do. There are books on which ideas make for good home-based businesses. There are books on how to set up a home-based office. There are books on how to start a home-based family business. But based on our research, there is no book that covers your self-awareness and how it relates to your success as a home-based entrepreneur.

If you're reading this and saying to yourself, "This woman is from the West Coast! Of course she's talking about awareness," you're right. No apologies for geographical reputation. But that doesn't mean that self-awareness in home-based businesses is any less important in other parts of the country. We West Coast folks just tend to admit it more readily!

" A View From The Tub" is not a typical "how-to" book. It will give you practical suggestions, ideas, recommendations and guidelines for starting a successful home-based business. But it is not a paint-by-numbers kit. After all, you're unique, and so are your lifestyle, your experience and your abilities. I may not discuss your exact case, but I will offer you information that you can apply directly to your individual situation.
This book will bring to light the myriad aspects of running a home-based operation, because being home-based requires an entirely different set of rules and considerations than other business settings. This book is meant to be an inspiring and practical guide to working from home.

To order your copy, visit www.aviewfromthetub.com

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About the Author

When Millie Szerman appeared on the front cover of Money magazine wearing nothing but a bubble bath, a red telephone and a smile, the business world sat up and took notice. Szerman, 55, who has been running her public-relations and marketing consulting firm, New Directions, from her home office for nearly 15 years, was enthusiastically celebrated in Money's March '96 issue as one of the country's most successful home-based businesses. The article demonstrated how having the freedom to take a business call in the tub is (or can be) a reality for scores of home workers.

But the Money feature was just the beginning of Millie's plethora of public accolades.

Even before New Directions was born, Millie's aptitude for home-based ventures was evident. For ten years, she ran Golden Spirit, a profitable jewelery and accessories business, from her home. She even sold Amway products from home during the early days of that company's existence. These experiences have helped her to create New Directions, which has turned a profitsince its inception in 1988.

Millie credits her strong sales and marketing background for contributing to her home-based business's profitability. Prior to launching New Directions, which caters to manufacturers of gifts, stationery, decorative accessories, toys and related goods, Millie sold advertising space in Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine, the oldest trade journal in the gift industry. She's sold everything from door-to-door magazine subscriptions, vending-machine and cafeteria services, to pension plans.

The daughter of Czechoslovakian immigrants who fled the Holocaust and landed in New York, Millie has learned how to survive and thrive on little to nothing. Born six weeks early-a mere 12 hours after her parents' U.S. arrival-she defines herself as always being a self-starter and an overachiever. From holding down four jobs in college to denying her college degree in order to gain work experience in her field of choice, she's learned how to do what it takes to be successful and is eager to pass on that information to others.

Millie's work and personal experience has led her to where she is today: a highly successful entrepreneur who has the knowledge and experience to lead others down their own road of success. "A View From the Tub" is Millie's step-by-step guide for helping those interested in starting a home-business (or just working from home) decide if they're cut out for the job. Once that's been determined, she leads them through the practical, emotional and physical aspects of establishing themselves and, if appropriate, running a profitable home-based business. Told in Millie's straight-shooting, energetic voice, "A View From the Tub" is a guide for the future of the working world.

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