Once upon a time, almost every business was a home-based business - at least in the
sense that people generally lived where they worked. From farmers to shopkeepers, there
was very little separation between the spaces where business was conducted and the
spaces we called home. One only has to look at the downtown and other commercial
districts of most cities; most storefronts are topped with living quarters that once served
as home to the proprietors’ families but are now rental units for tenants who have very
little connection - if any - to the business located below them.
As populations increased, businesses flourished and the economy evolved, the trend
of “living over the shop” began to fade. Financial success led many entrepreneurs to buy
or build larger homes away from the store. As companies expanded, they added additional
locations or required larger workspace, and employed more non-family members, who
lived elsewhere. For many people, working for someone else became more attractive than
hanging out their own shingle. Industrialization also played a part, as factories employed
hundreds and thousands of workers who lived elsewhere.
And thus the commute - 10 minutes or ten kilometres - to work, typically for someone
else, became the norm.But in recent decades, through a combination of technological
advances, societal developments and economic changes, the home-based business has
come back into vogue.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to share my passion for the vegan lifestyle
with other people,” says Missy McDonald of Honey Bee Vegan Meals. “I love cooking and
baking, so to do that as a business was very natural.”
Honey Bee started as an idea for McDonald several years ago, but her maternity leave
after the birth of her son last year seemed the optimal time to explore the options. She
and her husband launched the service, which offers vegan baked goods and meals-to-go,
in conjunction with the summer season, allowing them to offer their products at the
market as well as through their Facebook page.
A life event is often the catalyst for an entrepreneur - a family expands, a job is lost, or
a relocation occurs. The idea of being one’s own boss, or earning income from a beloved
hobby is attractive. “There’s something very satisfying earning money from something
you created,” says McDonald.
It’s difficult to know exactly how many Canadians pursue a home-based business
each year. The labels self-employed, working from home, freelance and entrepreneur are
often used interchangeably, making it unclear how many people work at home for
someone else, or how many people are self-employed in an operation that’s run outside
their home. It’s safe to say all home-based business owners are entrepreneurs, for
example, but not all entrepreneurs base their business at home. The best Statistics Canada
has been able to conclude, as of 2012, is that almost 3 million Canadians are
self-employed, which could encompass everyone from restaurant owner to a freelance
painter. At the very least, that’s a lot of people working for themselves.