I BUSINESS
H ome
RUTH LITTMANN
A
Special to The Jewish News
sk most students
what they think
of homework, and
they'll probably
say, "It's a drag."
Ask tutor Una Dworkin
what she thinks of home-
work, and she'll provide a dif-
ferent perspective.
"When it comes to teaching,
I've never worked a day in my
life," says Mrs. Dworkin, who
has been running a home-
based tutoring business out of
her home for 31 years.
Mrs. Dworkin joins other
Detroit Jewish women in giv-
ing new meaning to the
adage: A woman's place is in
the home. Barbara Gash, of
Personalities, operates a
custom-made clothing
business from her house.
Gayle Harte, of the well-
known Gayle's Chocolates,
understands well the slogan
about women at home. Her
business grew out of a love for
cooking and entertaining.
These are just a few stories
of many. Statistics show that
34.3 million Americans run
home-based businesses.
Ventures like these are
becoming more popular. In
fact, the number of home-
based businesses has risen 47
percent since 1989, according
to Charles Cole, director of
marketing for the monthly
Home-Office
magazine
Computing.
Mr. Cole maintains that the
ever-increasing number of
dual-income families, reces-
sionary layoffs that have
spurred thousands of the
estimated eight million
unemployed Americans to opt
for self-employment, and age
demographics account for the
growth.
He explains that most
home-based business owners
are in their 40s and grew up
with a 1960s mentality.
"They're independent-
minded and independent
workers;' Mr. Cole said. After
a decade and a half of post-
college job experience, it
makes sense that many in-
dividuals from this genera-
tion would open home-based
concerns.
Another reason Cole gives
for the growth of these
businesses is technology. As
prices for personal computers
and facsimile machines drop
and accessibility rises, many
people have discovered that
home-based businesses prove
cost effective.
After 10 years of running a
home-based fashion concern
in Bloomfield Township, Bar-
bara Gash has proven that
her place is, in fact, in the
home — and in business.
"I work on every level, in
every room. There are clothes
all over the house. My dining
room doubles as a store," she,
said.
The enterprise, called Per-
sonalities, specializes in
ready-to-wear and custom-
made clothing and embellish-
ments. Mrs. Gash describes
her line as: fashion with a
personal touch.
"I've always valued the in-
dividual look;' she said.
To that end, Mrs. Gash
designs and decorates a
medley of loose-fitting casuals
in fleece, wool jersey, and
cotton-polyester.
Though she finds her self-
styled profession rewarding,
Mrs. Gash wouldn't have im-
agined herself cut out for the
fashion industry when she
graduated from college about
30 years ago.
After she earned a bachelor
of science from the Universi-
ty of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Gash
worked in a cancer laboratory
before encountering a com-
mon dilemma: to marry and
have children or pursue a
career.
Like millions of her female
peers, Mrs. Gash set aside
career aspirations to start a
family.
While rearing four
daughters with her husband,
Robert, Mrs. Gash channeled
her life-long penchant for arts
and .crafts into volunteer
work as a "Picture Lady" at
her daughters' elementary
school.
She taught students about
art history, which also en-
abled her to participate in her
children's educations while
honing her public speaking
skills. The seminars broad-
ened her base of contacts,
which in turn led to her bi-
monthly column on sewing,
published in the Detroit Free
Press.
The newspaper column,
which she has been writing
for eight years, led to several
freelance pieces in Vogue
magazine, as well as to re-
quests for her leadership at
large sewing conventions.
In 1984, Mrs. Gash and a
girlfriend decided to form a
partnership and enter the
home-based fashion business.
Una Dworkin has been tutoring
out of her home for 31 years.
The partnership lasted four
years.
"We were excited, stimu-
lated. We couldn't wait to get
started. But then came the
nitty-gritty," said Mrs. Gash,
admitting her prime concern
at the time: Would people ac-
tually pay us money?
Her lack of training in
business management was
another source of angst.
"I learned in a hurry how to
keep the books, keep accurate
records . . . collect sales tax
Photos by Mars ha Sun dq u ist
Home-based
businesses are
popular with
many women.
ti n!
Lisa Kramer, 16, gets a little extra help from tutor Una Dworkin.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
55