Category: Home-Based Business

Owning my own business has taught me many things about myself. I’ve learned that I can make wise business decisions, I can manage the accounts and taxes for my company, and I can type with one hand while holding a sleeping 6 month old. All of these things have helped me develop into a much more confidant person. My business has also given me the freedom to test my limits and see what I can accomplish.

Running a home-based business has become a large part of my identity. Not in a selfish, “See what I can do!” way, but in a positive sense. It has given me the confidence to know that I accomplish things that I never thought possible. Before I was a work-at-home mom, I wanted to be able to be at home with my children, but I also felt that I needed more. I needed something for me alone that would make me feel strong and confident. I also needed the opportunity to keep in touch with others to avoid the isolation that often accompanies stay-at-home moms.

There are three keys areas in my life that I believe my home-based business has helped me develop:

Passion
When I began my website it truly was something for ME. I wanted to compile work at home information all in one spot so that I could find the perfect opportunity that would allow me to stay at home with my children. However, in running CWAHM I have found that I have a passion for helping other moms work from home.

My business has taught me that to succeed you must give to others and expect nothing in return. This may not seem like a sensible business technique, but it is a biblical principle. Put others before yourself, help others to succeed and you will be successful yourself.
Gina Neef with The MOM Team, told me recently, “I didn’t realize I even wanted “something of my own” three years ago. When I began – it all unfolded… so nice to have my passion fueled.”

Confidence
In college I was shy and very unsure of myself. I felt like there was not any one thing that I was truly good at. My grades were average, my athletic ability was average, and on and on. Being a successful business owner has opened my eyes to the fact that there are things that I am good at.

Melody Spier, owner of Ballyhoo Virtual Services, felt similarly. She states, “Owning a business has taught me so much about myself and my capabilities. I used to let fear of the unknown, fear of success and of failure hold me back, but now that I’m a business owner, I’ve learned that it’s okay to succeed at some things and fail at others. I take each experience and learn from it – what worked, what didn’t? Today if I want to do something but don’t know how, I find someone who has knowledge of the topic and I ask for help. Owning a business has taught me to believe in my skills and myself. My fear of success has long since vanished as well; I can now say that I’m proud to own a successful virtual assistant business.”

Courage
Being a business owner has given me courage. Courage to take chances and go beyond my comfort level. Once I have a few successes behind me, I realized that I could do it all. Also, even my failures make me stronger. I found that my business didn’t shut down with each mistake I made and I always found a better way of doing things. Diana Ennen, president of Virtual Word Publishing, agrees. She states, “Owning my own business has inspired me to do more in all aspects of my life. I love the warmth of success so I try and take the right steps to achieve it. Just as I want the best for my family, I also want the best for my business as well. I’ll often find the courage to go the extra mile and reach far beyond what I think is possible and what I find is that most of the time, I reach those goals.”

Having “something all my own” has benefited me in many ways – passion, confidence, courage – and so much more. I’ve been inspired to do things that I never thought possible. If you desire to work from home you’ll find that it’s worth the time and effort that it takes to get started. Take the chance, step out on faith and work until you succeed.

Work at home moms are still somewhat of a novelty in our society. The concept is growing, but has not yet reached many women in the corporate world. Many times when a successful work at home mom is “discovered,” she becomes an inspiration to her community and may be asked to do an interview on a local radio or TV program.

Going from working in your bathrobe to a public platform can be intimidating, but these simple tips will help lesson the stress.

1. DO prepare ahead of time. It’s important to be ready to answer the interviewer’s questions promptly. You don’t want to be caught off-guard. If possible, write up questions and submit them for the interview. If this isn’t possible, ask for a list of the questions or topics you’ll be covering.

2. DON’T take over. Let the interviewer ask the questions and control the flow of conversation. It’s not your show – you are a guest. Let the interviewer set the tone. Write out a couple of things that you want to make sure to mention and find a good opportunity to mention them briefly. Leave the audience wanting to know more.

3. DO breathe. Take your time, pause when you can. You want to be heard, not leave people scratching their heads when you’re finished. Focus on answering the questions as simply and clearly as possible.

4. DON’T be a know-it-all. Yes, you may be an expert on your topic, but you don’t want the listeners to be turned off by your attitude. Be professional, but try to make it personal. The listeners will relate to you and in turn be more interested in what you have to say.

5. DO smile. Even if the interview in on the radio, you can “hear” a smile. The listeners can tell if you’re enjoying the interview or if you’re shaking in your boots. Start out with a smile and you’ll enjoy the whole experience more.

6. DON’T Panic. Everyone gets nervous and everyone makes mistakes. If you flub up what you’re saying, take a quick breathe and start again. Move on like nothing happened and no one will even remember.
Working can home can be wonderful, but it does not always provide the experience necessary to make one comfortable with public speaking.

With a little practice and these simple tips, you’ll be a star in no time!

Podcasting has been called the wave of the future. The truth, however, is that podcasting is the here-and-now and is gaining momentum across the world. There are podcasts available for just about any topic you can think of from cooking to video games to religion.
Podcasting can have many uses for the home based business owner. It can be useful not only advertise, but to also communicate your business message. Below are 5 tips on how to use podcasts to benefit your business.

1. Reach your niche market – Depending on your product, podcasting can be the perfect way to reach new groups of people in your market. Believe it or not, there are people out there looking for the product you provide!

Podcasts are quickly becoming a new advertising venue as well. A podcast that is listed in podcasting directories such as iTunes can reach thousands, even millions of listeners. This can be a very inexpensive method for advertisers on a budget.

The popularity of podcasts is a steadily growing trend. Many people who are just beginning to learn about podcasts will search for topics of there interest. This is a great way to reach customers that you would not have been able to reach before the advent of podcasting.
As of February 2006, a Google search for the term “podcast” returns over 205,000,000 results. The amazing reality of this is that it is still, in effect, an untapped market that will continue its growth in the years to come.

2. Share your passion – Podcasting is a great way to share what you love! If you are excited about a topic or product, chances are that others out there are, too. A podcast on the topic you are passionate about is a great way to connect with other people that share your passion.
People can hear your excitement over the “airwaves”. I always enjoy listening to a program when the speaker is obviously energized about whatever it is he’s speaking on.

3. Share information – Many home based business have begun because they are filling a need. A podcast can help this information reach the people that it will benefit. For example, CWAHM.com was created to help women be at home with their children while still contributing to their families financially. Many of the sites’ visitors are buys moms who may not have the time to scour the hundreds of pages the site contains. Our podcast, Christian Work at Home Moment, airs once a week and is 24 minutes long. It’s an easy way for moms to learn more about working from home without spending hours on their computer.

Make it a point to research your topic and find all of the interesting and little known facets of passion. Keep your listeners interested and they will want to hear more!

4. Become an “Expert” in your field – Creating a podcast can help to establish you as an “expert” in the area your broadcast covers. You must be willing to take the time, do the research and share information that is valuable and useful to your listeners.
Just as authors become experts by researching and writing on specific topics, podcasters become experts by sharing the information they find with their listening audience. There is a big market for podcasts in a multitude of areas – the next expert could be YOU!

5. It’s easy – A podcast can be started with virtually no cost or investment. In most cases, there is no need to be “tech savvy” to be a podcast creator. It can be as simple as using a phone to record your podcast through a service like Odeo.com. There are, of course, more complicated set-ups, but to begin you truly just need a topic, a phone and a quiet spot to record!

Podcasting is easy for listeners as well. A podcast can be listened to directly from a website or downloaded from iTunes and put directly on an MP3 device.

There are many reasons that a podcast can benefit small and home-based businesses. This growing market is an entirely new way to communicate information to the world. When it comes to podcasting, the sky’s the limit!

Disasters or family tragedies can strike families in many forms – Mother Nature, sickness and even computer problems can cause major difficulties for your business. Do you have a plan of action on how you will handle your home-based business if disaster were to strike? If not, you absolutely need to. Having a plan ensures that you can not only keep your business running, but decrease stress because you have already prepared for the unexpected.

Below are four tips to help you handle the unexpected.

1. Work around the events
Your customers will understand as long as you communicate with them. Be honest that things may take a little longer than usual, but keep your customers updated as often as possible. Communication is the key. Most people will understand the delay as long as they are aware of it.

If you get to the point where you cannot work or cannot finish a project, but sure to be clear and honest about the situation and try to make an arrangement that will be acceptable. Also, let them know as soon as possible so they can prepare. Don’t wait until the last minute to advise them of a potential problem.

If you’re struggling because of a child being sick, try to work when the child is sleeping and don’t stress yourself out to work at other times. Make a schedule of what needs to be done, so that you can accomplish as much as possible during these times.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
As moms, we tend to feel that we should be able to handle everything that is thrown at us. Unfortunately, this just isn’t always the case. There are times when we need to allow ourselves to ask for help. When a tragedy occurs and you are simply overwhelmed, find someone who you trust and ask them for help. Many times, just having someone reply to customers on your behalf can take the pressure off your shoulders.

Allowing someone to help you when necessary can also be uplifting to them as they feel they can be a part of helping in a difficult situation.

So don’t’ shy away from letting others know. We all benefit when we work together and help one another.

When our one-year old had surgery he didn’t handle the pain medication well. He was wide awake for the better part of two days. In this case, I knew ahead of time when the surgery would occur, but I had no idea what his recovery would entail. It was impossible to work while he slept, because he wasn’t sleeping. I realized that I not only needed help business-wise, but I needed help with him as well so that I could get some rest. While it was humbling to admit that I needed help, that I couldn’t do it all, it turned out as a great time spent with family that we would not have had if I hadn’t asked for help.

3. Prepare for the worst
Because we never know what the future holds, it is always better to be prepared. As the old saying goes, “Better safe than sorry.”
One of the best resources to help you prepare is the Home Office Recovery Plan: Disaster Preparedness for Your Home Office by authors Diana Ennen and Patty Gale. This e-book covers all the bases of getting a Disaster Recovery Plan in place now so that if disaster strikes your home business or an emergency arises, you are able to get your business back up and running quickly and smoothly.

Ennen states, “In my case, this guide has been a lifesaver as a resident of South Florida. I have prepared for eight major hurricanes in the past two years with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma taking a direct hit on Broward County where I live. I was without power for two weeks with Hurricane Wilma. Had I not prepared, my clients would have suffered as would my business.”

Gale also knows the importance of this book having lived in New York after 9/11 and had the task of preparing a similar guideline for a company she was working with at the time. Both know the importance in ensuring your business will withstand whatever this hurricane or any disaster (including a theft in the office or fire) has to offer.

4. Get a Plan
There are times when life becomes overwhelming and you simply aren’t able to accomplish everything on your own. It’s for these times that you need to have some type of log of what you do and what needs to be done. Keep a spreadsheet of tasks that you do, how often they are done and mark them completed as you are able. Keep a list of passwords in a safe, secure place. Make sure that your family (or whoever may be helping you during this time) is able to carry on even in the event that you are away from home.

If possible, train someone that you trust to do the things that you do each day (at least the key things), so that when the unexpected arises you won’t be caught off-guard.

Tragedy comes in many shapes and forms, but if you are prepared much of the unnecessary stress can be avoided. When tragedy strikes, you want to be focused on the important things in life, your family and you. By advance planning you are able to do so.

Operating a successful home-based business is a time-consuming endeavor. This is doubly true as work-at-home moms in that we are responsible not only for the success of our business, but for our family as well. We must be self-reliant, self-motivated, and discipline ourselves in order to attain success in both areas.

When running a business from home, it’s easy to let the phone calls, emails and paperwork keep you tied down, making you feel that you don’t have time to take a break or to spend quality time with your family. Maybe you’ve noticed that you spend a little more time than you’d like in front of your computer or on the phone. Maybe you see your kids acting out, trying to gain your attention. Perhaps you are seeing that this isn’t the work-at-home dream you envisioned. You started out with such noble intentions, but maybe the excitement of success in your business has caused you to lose sight of the REAL reason do what you do each day. It happens to so many of us, but don’t worry, help is on the way.

Below are five ideas to prioritize your life and business:

1. Be honest – You probably didn’t start your work-at-home career to climb the “corporate ladder” of your at-home business. Chances are that you started your business with the best of intentions – to be able to be at home with your children, to contribute financially to your family, or simply to have a little spending money of your own. Spend some time in prayer and ask the Lord to show you the things that you need to change.

Take a moment and honestly ask yourself how you’ve been handling the time commitment of owning a business:
• Are you spending too much time on the phone, the computer, etc?
• Are your kids spending more time than usual in front of the TV?
• Do you snap at your children because of the stresses of your business?
• Do you worry about your business – to the point that it distracts you when you are with your family?

2. Make a list – Sit down and write out a list of things that you see that you’d like to change. This can be a list of things you can do differently to limit the time you spend on your business; or a list of ways you can “de-stress” so that you can deal kindly with your family.

3. Log your time – Buy a notebook or create a spreadsheet that you can use to log the time you spend on your business each day. Make a column for each day across the top and a row of half an hour increments down the side. Every time you sit down at your desk, write “IN” in the box that corresponds to the time and day. Every time you leave your desk (or complete a task), fill the appropriate box with the word “OUT.”

At the end of the week, total up the hours each day that you have spent on business tasks. Are you surprised or is it about where you thought you’d be? This can be a real eye-opener and show you in black and white if your priorities have gotten off track. Take special note for how much time you spend on e-mails and things that aren’t billable.

Diana Ennen of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com also recommends that you plan ahead and schedule your time. Prioritize things and have the work that will require the most effort and concentration scheduled for your peak time. Try and not get sidetracked and stay on task focusing on what you need to do. You’d be amazed how much more work you can get done by simply changing how you work e-mails. If you only answer them at set hours, you save yourself from being online all day and not accomplishing much.

4. Take a break – If you get to the end of the week and your time log has you in shock, it’s time to take a break. If you normally work during the weekend, make it a point to take this weekend off. Shut down your email, turn off the ringer on your phone and shut the door to your office. You’ll be surprised at how refreshing this will be.

Use this time off to re-evaluate how you need to be spending your time. Try to plan out when you can work on your business without losing out on time with your children. If your children are in school, make it a point to stop working when they get home. If your children are still small, maybe you can limit work hours to naptime or, if possible, have a grandparent watch them once or twice a week to allow you a bit more work time.

5. Plan an activity – Now that you’re ready to make a change in your routine, why not plan an activity once a week? This can be an outing with your child or just something simple like setting aside time to make cookies together.

If possible, find another work-at-home mom and hold one another accountable to keep to your new schedules. Make a weekly play date where your children can spend time together – you can talk business if necessary or decide to make it a “no business talk allowed” discussion time.

The years that you have at home with your children are a gift as is your business. The time necessary for each will be different for every family and situation. Take the time to find what works for you and set your schedule accordingly. Make it a point to evaluate your priorities every few months to make sure that your time in spent properly. The rewards will be well worth it, when your family not only is proud of your accomplishments in your business, but also more importantly your accomplishments as their mom.