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.