| Sometimes to understand the future we have to | | | | consultants, independent contractors, or organized |
| have some historical perspective. | | | | as small business entities with very specialized |
| We often forgot that before the 19th century, | | | | services designed for the project outsourcing of |
| and prior to the industrial revolution, nearly all | | | | larger companies, often not even industry or |
| offices were small offices and/or home offices, | | | | country specific. |
| with very few exceptions. Now that small | | | | The SOHO or online virtual office is not just for |
| business and the self-employed represent the | | | | consultants and independent contractors any |
| backbone of the current economy, it seems that | | | | longer. The members of many other occupational |
| history does indeed repeat itself. | | | | ranks, and especially online business owners now |
| The US economy no longer is dominated by giant | | | | help comprise this diverse sector. |
| corporations. The US Small Business | | | | A large array of products and services also are |
| Administration (SBA) reports that fully 99% of all | | | | designed specifically for the "SOHO" market. Many |
| independent enterprises employ fewer than 500 | | | | books are published specifically targeted to this |
| people. This accounts for 52% of the US | | | | business model, everything from general business |
| workforce according to the SBA. | | | | advice to guides on setting up fairly sophisticated |
| Additionally by the end of 1999, the service | | | | computer systems, telecom systems, and |
| sector had grown to 104.3 million jobs, | | | | Internet and Intranet systems. |
| representing 81% of non-farm employment, and | | | | The small business entrepreneur generally has |
| the goods-producing sector, which includes | | | | demanded and usually has always benefited from |
| manufacturing, construction, and mining | | | | high technology, allowing small business to be |
| represented 25.2 million jobs, or only 19% of | | | | competitive. |
| non-farm employment. | | | | So, if you do not own a farm, chances are that in |
| I do not know how many farm related jobs there | | | | the future you will be working in the service |
| are, but I do know that 81% and 19% add up to | | | | sector and quite possibly from your home office. |
| 100%. | | | | This probably holds true in most other developed |
| This tells me that since at least the year 2000 | | | | countries as well, due to an increasingly |
| probably over 80% of jobs are now service | | | | underemployed labor force and shrinking job |
| related and less than 20% of us are now | | | | markets. |
| employed in manufacturing. That means as a | | | | The online virtual office is here to stay and is for |
| nation we do not really manufacture much any | | | | anyone that seldom needs an office. If you own a |
| more. Can you say trade deficit? | | | | laptop with wireless connectivity you may be |
| We no longer have an industrial economy, just like | | | | lucky enough to work pretty much anywhere, if |
| we will never again have an economy based on | | | | you have access to the Internet. |
| agriculture. | | | | But let's take it one step further for those who |
| The advent of the personal computer in the mid | | | | would dream of living where they wish, and |
| 1990s, along with breakthroughs in voice and data | | | | working online from wherever they are. Work is |
| communication, created opportunities for | | | | no longer necessarily site specific. |
| businesses to decentralize and allowed for a | | | | Is it really just a dream? Not any more. |
| return to the trend of the small office concept. | | | | More and more people are finding that with |
| Since the end of the 20th century the term | | | | increasingly more affordable technology, VoIP |
| "SOHO", an acronym for "Small Office/Home | | | | services, videoconferencing, and reliable worldwide |
| Office" has come to be used to define this | | | | courier services, they at one time or another |
| important business niche. | | | | may find themselves working from a beach, or a |
| New technologies will continue to create a demand | | | | mountain top...and in some cases may rarely have |
| for individuals who work from home or in a virtual | | | | to make an appearance at the traditional office |
| office. Many people are now employed as | | | | again. |