SEC - S15/W1 - How I Make Money From Home

Steemians know by now that I always say that any business can be a successful business! It all depends on the operator.
If this business can happen from home, you will not only have the cake but also the icing that goes with it. You will be renting from yourself.

On the 16th of January, which is only a couple of days ago, we moved into our new home. For those of you who don’t know, we swapped the bright lights of Johannesburg for the blue ocean on the Dolphin Coast (Ballito).

Like all potential homeowners, we had our criteria when we were looking for the perfect property.

It must be close to a beach ✔
It must be a property that is not in a secure complex ✔
It must be close to a shopping center and school ✔
It must be a property where investing in the property will be returned tenfold should we want to sell it ✔
It must have four bedrooms or three bedrooms and a study ✔
It must have space to build, or it must have a unit on the premises ✔

We were so lucky as we found a property that ticked all of the above boxes, and the offer we made was accepted.

I’ve mentioned that there must be space to build, or there must already be a little unit on the premises.
Ballito is a well-known and popular holiday destination, and I had one thing in mind: creating an extra income. Not only is it always welcome, but most importantly, I knew it was a “product” that was in demand.

The aim: To attract holidaymakers, families of four, and their pets

The mission: To give our guests the best time possible so that they will return. To go that extra mile.

A bonus was that the people we bought the property from were already doing some sort of holiday letting. I thought I could just capitalize on what they were already doing.

The homework

After investigating what they were doing previously; the name, the bookings, the turnaround, returning guests, etc. I decided to start all over again. It was not good to continue with what they had.

1. There was no guest list
2. The name was not the right name
3. The unit was not practical
4. They were not well-known
5. There were bad reviews on the internet
6. They could not provide me with an income statement
7. The advertising was not what it should be
8. I asked for the transfer of the domain, which just didn’t happen

The planning

It was clear that more homework had to be done.
This time around, I had to look at who my competitors were and what they were offering, what the holidaymakers were looking for, and what the news was as far as the hospitality industry. Once I had all the information, it was time to start with the planning.

We then also slept in the unit one evening so that we could experience what our guests would be going through.

And that is how 8Ocean Drive was born.

• A fully equipped self-catering one-bedroom unit
• Perfect for a family of four
• Catering for pets as flying with cats and dogs domestically, is now allowed
• Unlimited Wi-Fi
• All DSTV channels, Netflix, and Showmax
• Purified water
• Equipped with an air conditioner
• Courtyard/entertainment area with braai (barbeque)
• Alarm system
• Safe parking
• Assistance with washing
• 200 m walking distance from the beach
• Lookout point overlooking the ocean
• Fridge shopping before arrival
• Free pick-up from the airport

Of utmost importance to me was that our family must still obtain our privacy as we are living on the premises.

The action

It was time to put everything in place. We first changed the sliding door of the unit so that it opened from the other side, right to left, so that I could fit two chairs. These chairs can be pushed together to form a couch. It is now much easier and more relaxed to view television.

I fitted the kitchen with an air fryer, as that is now the latest way of cooking. I also replaced all the bedding with new ones and changed the décor.

Lastly, I did what was necessary to make the unit pet-friendly. My husband and stepson helped to close the gate and palisades so that the yard was also safe for smaller dogs. We don’t want the dogs of the guests wandering the streets. We also made sure that our dogs had a special place so that they didn’t interfere with the dogs of the guests.

Subsequently, we have also installed a swimming pool and will soon start building laundry that guests can also use.

The marketing

The only thing left was to market the unit.

🗣 I designed a website and registered a domain
🗣 I listed the unit with travel agencies (international and local)
🗣 I created a Facebook page, which, by the way, got hacked
🗣I joined local and national referral WhatsApp groups
🗣I advertised the unit on various Facebook holiday letting pages
🗣I launched a contest and gave a 4-day mid-week stay as a prize
🗣I ran smaller ads in church brochures in areas like Johannesburg
🗣I asked my friends and family to spread the word
🗣I created a video that I could send to potential guests

Lastly, I make sure that the prices I advertise are just under the prices of my competitors.

Once guests have booked, I constantly keep in touch with them. This is either to tell them that the holiday is getting closer or that they must travel safely. I will also send them a location pin with the password for the internet.

The finance

You will not succeed in your business if you don’t keep control over your finances.
I always make sure that I get at least three different quotes, and as far as possible, I try to keep what must be done “close to home.”

As for cleaning, I now charge the guest a cleaning fee that covers the fee of a cleaner deep cleaning the unit after their departure.

I keep a record of the income and the expenditure. I know exactly when guests are arriving and departing, if they have paid all the fees, and what my profit is on each booking.

I am sure you are dying to know if the business has been a success.

Well, it has not even been a year yet, and I can honestly say that business has been good. For example, from the 15th of November until the 17th of January, we were fully booked. We had 23 sets of guests in less than a year, and we have guests who have already booked for December 2025.

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect this outcome.

To keep on going!

I can say that I have the cake with the icing. What is important is to keep it there. No matter what the business is, you cannot afford not to keep an eye on it.

My Steemian friends, you can make a success of running a business from home, provided that

1. You do your homework
2. You plan carefully
3. You take action
4. You invest your time in marketing
5. You control your finance
6. You keep on going!

For those who have businesses, I gladly share my business lessons on “How to Start Your Own Business”

Good luck!

^{All images are my own and designs made with Canva}

I invite: @heriadi @max-pro @khursheedanwar

Thank you to all the Steemians who invited me to this contest:

@shabbir86 @saintkelvin17 @uzma4882 @kidi40

Account summary:
Club100
Transfer to vesting: 1,795.000 STEEM
Normal transfer: 49 STEEM (Competition and charity)

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