Letters

Home Office Computing, Jan, 1991 by Alan Zoldan, Ray Harwood, Jerry Morse, Douglas Harter, Tess Geer, Suzan Rollins

LETTERS

MORE STORIES OF FIRED! INTO SUCCESS

Recently, after being "merge purged" from yet another starting-over opportunity, I decided that I had had enough. Despite a precipitous drop in income, I plunked down some rainy-day savings for a Tandy 2800 laptop, bought some business cards, "Mac-published" some spiffy letterhead, and decided to launch my second venture--freelance copywriting.

Two weeks later, I happily came across your "Fired! Into Success" October issue on the newsstand, and would have bought it immediately--except that I'm already a subscriber!

You did an excellent job describing the roller coaster of anger, depression, fear, doubt, hope, and exhilaration that typically accompanies such a phase and yet is too often underreported or ignored by the media. Dan Dern's "32 Steps to Self-Employment" (October 1990, page 47) was alone worth the price of the issue, and I was pleased to find myself answering "did it," "doing it," or "planning to" to most of the questions. And the cover went right on my bulletin board, where I hope it will remain for years as a goal and daily affirmation.

As I sit here tapping away in my new home office, I feel quietly empowered, as if my new venture will work if I do my best to make it happen. After all, it already has several things going for it--low overhead, some steady clients, no partner, and 100 percent of me! Who's to say that a good tightrope walker can't get to the other side, even without a safety net?

Thank you, HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING, for letting me know that there are others walking it, too.

ALAN ZOLDAN

A2C MICRO MARKETING

Nyack, New York I just picked up the October issue of HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING; it was great, as always! "Fired! Into Success" talks about corporate cutbacks--exactly how I became an independent computer consultant in February 1989. I've managed to maintain a steady income while funneling extra cash flow into a small copier, a fax machine, and more Macintosh software. And I actually have time to really prepare for the community-college classes I've been teaching, too.

"The Mommy-and-Daddy Track" was especially interesting. Fortunately, I am now able to spend many more hours at home, since our 14-year-old son with muscular dystrophy requires more physical assistance every day. I have to juggle a lot of tasks. Personal, family, and teaching tasks compete with "do-it-yourself" accounting, newsletter production, correspondence, and consulting work. But I've vowed never again to work a traditional job as long as I can possibly work at home, or at least in my own independent office.

RAY HARWOOD

DATA BASIX

Tuscon, Arizona

FANS IN HIGH PLACES (CANADA)

I read your special anniversary issue (September 1990) on Austrian time. When I returned yesterday from the Alps, my copy of HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING was waiting for me, and softened the blow of being smack-dab in the middle of Toronto after spending a month abroad.

Austria is really beautiful. The air is exceptionally clean, and one feels alive, energetic, and eager to meet any challenge in the world. I'll be a son of a gun if your special edition hasn't produced the same powerful reaction.

Can this be patented?

JERRY MORSE

Toronto, Ontario

A CPA IS NOT NECESSARY

I usually am quite satisfied with the information I receive from HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING. But your October issue greatly disappointed me. I felt your judgment was very poor in the article entitled, "Improve Your Finances with the Right Accountant," by Charlotte Pierce.

The key word in the title is accountant. Had the title been CPA, it would have been different. Most of your readers have small businesses or work from their homes. The idea that they should hire a CPA is unbelievable. CPAs have a very important purpose in the business field, but interim statements or monthly profit-and-loss statements prepared by a CPA would put most businesses in their graves.

The points discussed in your article are good, but I strongly urge your readers in the market for an accountant to consider all the members of the profession; not just CPAs.

DOUGLAS J. HARTER, E.A.

Phoenix, Arizona

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

I noted that in your "Workstyles" column (October 1990, page 88), Nick Sullivan insisted on perpetuating the myth that the Family and Medical Leave Act, which President Bush vetoed, would have given employees "up to 10 weeks of unpaid leave" to deal with family emergencies.

What Sullivan failed to mention is that, under the Act, employees were to have their full benefits continued at no additional cost to them. With benefits topping 30 percent of total payroll costs in some areas, one could hardly call 10 weeks off at 30 percent of your salary "unpaid leave." The costs of continuing benefits in these situations would be absolutely untenable to small businesses such as mine, which began as a home-based company.

TESS GEER

COMPROMARK INC.

Dublin, Ohio

HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING WAS MY INSPIRATION

I discovered HOME-OFFICE COMPUTING several months ago and, although at the time I did not work from home, I found it more interesting than any publication I subscribe to. Now I am an avid reader.