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August 30, 2014 0 Comments

How to Run Your Home More like a CEO

4 Tips for Time & Budget Management from a Business Development Strategist

All successful CEOs have one thing in common: They’re able to maintain a big-picture perspective. It’s also something successful moms like you have in common if you run your home like a business, says Zenovia Andrews, a business strategist, speaker, author and mom who coaches entrepreneurs and CEOs on time and budget management.

“In business, CEOs implement a process that achieves efficient time and resource management in the most cost-effective way; sounds a lot like a mom, doesn’t it?” says Andrews, founder and CEO of The MaxOut Group, a company devoted to empowering and teaching entrepreneurs development strategies to increase profits.

“If every mom were a CEO, America would rule the world!”

Andrews, author of the new book “All Systems Go – A Solid Blueprint to Build Business and Maximize Cash Flow,” (www.zenoviaandrews.com), suggests the following tips for moms to better manage money and time.

•  CEOs utilize apps, and so should CEO Moms. When a CEO’s personal assistant isn’t around or, if it’s a small business and she doesn’t have one, then apps do nicely. There are several apps for moms, including Bank of Mom – an easy way to keep track of your kids’ allowances. Set up an account for each child and track any money they earn for chores or allowance. The app also allows you to track their computer and TV time as well as other activities.

•  Measurement is the key to knowledge, control and improvement. CEOs have goals for their businesses and Moms have goals for their family members. In either case, the best way to achieve a big-picture goal is to identify action steps and objectives and a system for measuring progress. Want to improve your kids’ test scores, help your husband lose weight or – gasp – free some time for yourself? There are four phases to help track progress: planning, or establishing goals; collection, or conducting research on your current process; analysis – comparing information from existing processes with the new one; and adapting, or implementing the new process.

•  Understand your home’s “workforce.” A good CEO helps her employees grow and develop, not only for the company’s benefit, but for the employee’s as well. Most people are happiest when they feel they’re learning and growing, working toward a goal, which may be a promotion within the company or something beyond it. When they feel the CEO is helping with that, they’re happier, more productive, more loyal employees. Likewise, CEO Moms need to help their children gain the skills and knowledge they need not only to succeed in general but to achieve their individual dreams.

•  A well-running household is a community effort; consider “automated” systems. In business, automated systems tend to be as clinical as they sound, typically involving technology. Yet, there’s also a human resource element. Automated systems are a must for CEO Moms, and they tend to take the form of scheduling at home. Whose night is it for the dishes, or trash? One child may be helpful in the kitchen, whereas another may be better at cleaning the pool.

It’s easier than you think to run your home like a business. Using these tips, you will quickly become CEO Mom.

About Zenovia Andrews

Zenovia Andrews, www.zenoviaandrews.com, is a business development strategist with extensive experience in corporate training, performance management, leadership development and sales consulting with international clients, including Pfizer, Inc. and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. A sought-after speaker and radio/TV personality, she is the author of “All Systems Go” and “MAXOut: I Want It All.”

Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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July 15, 2014 0 Comments

5 Social Media Lessons for At-Home Businesses

If you work from home, online marketing may be key to your success. Strategic use of social media can maximize your reach and resources including skills, successes, contacts and supporters (particularly those who can give you a professional reference). You don’t need to blanket social media. Your time is limited, so focus on key sites you are comfortable using and attract the type of customers you want. Here are five strategies to get you started.

Link In to Other Businesses

If you aren’t already on LinkedIn, you need to get on it. “LinkedIn is today’s Yellow Pages,” says Brad Friedman, a Denver-based social media consultant. “Business introductions are made, potential deals discovered and new employees or employment opportunities” happen on LinkedIn.

According to the latest stats from eBiz/MBA, LinkedIn is the third most popular social media site in the U.S. If you aren’t familiar with it, think of it as a business-minded version of Facebook. It’s free, easy to use and offers great online networking resources.

Even the Smallest Business Needs a Website

Get a website. It will help people find and contact you because even the Yellow Pages is online!

While today’s DIY technology makes it relatively easy to build a basic website, consider outsourcing this to a local firm that specializes in small business marketing. This way, you will (1) make a contact in the community, (2) support another local business and (3) get it done right by someone you can physically meet with if necessary.

A competent Web service will provide or refer you to a skilled writer who will ensure your site content is appropriate, relevant to your business, and optimized for search engines with keywords and metadata to boost visibility in Web searches. Request a WordPress-based site, which provides a back-end content management system that you can easily maintain on your own.

Use your site to blog about your product or service. Ask customers for permission to feature them and how they use it. Write about issues that customers need to know about, and provide links for more information. Invite them to comment or guest blog.

Make a Separate Facebook Business Page

If your business is a B2C (Business to Customer), you will likely benefit from a Facebook page. Be sure to create a separate business page for it: don’t combine business with your personal profile. Use Facebook’s tools and suggestions to create a page that works.

Why Facebook? Because it’s nearly impossible to be entirely free of it. According to the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of all American adults and roughly 73 percent of teenagers use Facebook. Even half of all Internet users who aren’t on Facebook live with someone who is.

A Facebook page extends your business reach and acts as a kind of super magnet for your product or service. Keep your page tightly focused. Take for example a company like LifeLock. People who visit their Facebook page get the information they expect and judging from the numbers who Like it, find value in it.

Make Real-World Connections Through a Business Meetup

Meetup.com helps organize social and business groups in a given geographic area. Use it to find a business group that matches your interests. Many Meetups are free while others charge a small fee to help cover meeting room costs and other expenses.

Also attend Meetups that attract the kind of customer you are looking for. It’s not unusual, for example, for a writer to attend a Web developers’ Meetup and vice versa. In addition to finding potential customers, it’s an opportunity to learn about the issues customers face and gain insight into their interests and concerns.

These social sites will allow you to get “out” even if you work from home. Online marketing provides a great way to market yourself while being able to stay home with your family.

Check out these other great articles about marketing and social media as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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June 11, 2014 0 Comments

4 Great Apps Every WAHM Needs in 2015

Not that long ago, work-at-home-moms relied on giant wall calendars, fax machines, decent computers and plenty of caffeine to get in a full day of productivity. Now, working at home means having a handful of the best devices and dozens of organizational apps that reach across your computers, tablets and smartphones. WAHMs keep discovering ways to stay on top of both work and family commitments—caffeine still required, of course—so there’s no excuse for not using them.

The following four work from home apps are perfect work-at-home-moms who are ready to start 2015 with a boost in digital organization.

Evernote

Being a WAHM involves lists—lots and lots of lists. Thanks to Evernote, WAHMs can access to-do lists, notes, schedules and all of the other mom stuff from any smart device. Evernote allows users to manage expenses, including those omnipresent piles of bills, receipts and invoices, and it can even help plan a trip to see the in-laws next summer. Available on both Android and iOS, the basic Evernote app is free, and upgraded versions with more bells and whistles can be purchased. Plus, since it is available for all devices, anything done on one device can then be accessed on another simply through the app.

Imagine that: she can be in line at the grocery store and planning an upcoming project on the new iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S4 or Windows phone she got over the holidays, and in the afternoon, she can continue planning from a tablet or laptop while she’s using her phone to schedule dentist appointments.

Dropbox

When it comes to must-have apps for WAHMs, Dropbox is definitely top pick. This amazing and innovative program lets users upload important work files, photos and documents and then share them easily with co-workers, employers, clients and more. Everyone who signs up for Dropbox automatically gets 2GB of space for free, and the app can be accessed from computers, tablets and mobile phones. Because who has the time to sift through piles of paper?

Google Calendar

For WAHMs who have relied on a huge white board calendar with different colored dry erase markers, Google Calendar is a terrific replacement. The Android app has more than 132,000 5-star ratings and allows busy work-at-home-moms to see daily, weekly and monthly schedules all in one easy to read place, and even includes maps to where they might be going to a meeting with a client, or to drop off their son or daughter for band practice. Once reservations are made for date night with hubby at a local restaurant or trip plans are finalized, they will be added to the calendar automatically through Gmail. The app also allows WAHMs to flip back and forth between different types of calendars including daily or several days at once.

Cozi Family Organizer

The Cozi Family Organizer has an average rating of 4.5 stars from more than 30,000 reviewers, and for good reason. The free app was winner of the Appy Award for the Best Family App and the BMA Gold for Best Mobile Calendar. This awesome program features a color-coded calendar that a WAHM can use to expertly keep tabs on her kiddos’ play dates alongside her own upcoming work deadlines, to-do lists and shopping lists. Just give each child or task a color and see at a glance what “teal Tommy” or “red Rachel” will be doing that day. For those who wish to do away with the ads that are part of the free version, they can upgrade for $29.99 to a premium version with additional features called Cozi Gold.

Let us know more work from home apps that you find useful in your home-based business. We are always looking for ways to make our workday more productive.

Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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June 11, 2014 0 Comments

Keys to Getting a Virtual Call Center Job

Many people have asked me how they can get a virtual call center job from home.  Others have advised they were not hired though their skills matched those requested.  Unlike a call center building, virtual centers have an unlimited area in which to recruit meaning there are 100s seeking the same position as you.  The odds of getting a job change from 1 out of 2 at a center to 1 out of 50 for virtual call center.  Below are seven keys to getting a call center job as a virtual agent.

  • Be professional and smile when you speak with the recruiter.  Although it seems silly, the truth is your voice is friendlier while smiling.  This is very important when the recruiter is sitting 500 miles away and only “knows” you through the phone.  Note the recruiter has 100s of applications to fill very few spots.  You want to shine above the rest.  The recruiter is not your friend and is choosing people who will make her/him look good.  Your professionalism is important.
  • Practice, practice, practice answering questions on the phone with a friend.  Be sure the friend is articulate and honest.  You will need to answer with authority, at the correct sound level, and again, with a SMILE.  It isn’t as easy as it seems, so don’t be afraid to practice.
  • Know your computer.   You will be expected to know how to open several browsers at one time and easily search the internet for answers while speaking with the interviewer.  Remember, this is an interview for speaking with the companies callers, and everything you do should reflect capability, understanding, and quality.
  • Be compassionate and empathize with the caller. “I’m sorry you are having this problem.”  “I’m sorry you had to call for an answer.”  “I’m sorry for ___”  This is the number one reason people do NOT get a virtual call job.  You must show you will be empathetic with the caller.  It does not matter who is at fault, who doesn’t understand, or who performed the negative issue.  Your job is to tell the customer you are sorry for the problem and immediately advise you will be “happy to help them”.  There will be several recruiting questions that are tied to the above, so practice this with your friend.  Make it automatic.  Many potential agents think they didn’t cause the problem so why should they say sorry.  Because that is YOUR job, so be prepared to do it

Caller … I dropped my computer on the floor and it does not work.

Agent … I am sorry you are having this problem.  I will be glad to help you.

Caller … I have called several times and the issue is not resolved.

Agent … I am sorry you are having this problem.  I will be happy to help you.

Caller … My dog ate the owner’s manual.

Agent … I am sorry this happened to you.  I will be happy to help you.

Get it? Do it!

  • Answer questions honestly and succinctly.   A good answer is complete but does not need to be long.  Plan on every question taking no more than 2 sentences to answer.  When an answer becomes longer, it wanders off topic and brings up questions in the recruiter’s mind.  You want to answer the question and then stop.  Silence is your friend.  If the recruiter needs more information (Can you give me an example?) then give a short example.
  • Prepare for the trick questions:  Why do you want to work for us? And tell me your worst personality trait (or something like that).  The first answer should refer to how much you enjoy working with and helping people.  The second question is a trick, so never fall for it.  You need to answer this with a positive trait like … My worst quality is that I love to work many hours and have a hard time saying ‘No’ when asked to work more.  Or, “I have a personality of a fixer because I always want to solve people’s problems.”
  • Always have a question available at the end.  The interview will end with the recruiter asking if you have any questions.  This is your chance to ask pertinent questions ie “Will I be able to work additional hours?”  “I am interested in this company as a career, will there be chances for advancement?”  These types of questions are very positive in the recruiter’s eyes because they refer to areas that help the company.  Never ask about vacation, benefits, or money.  These items can be discussed once you get the position.

Good luck.  Be positive, professional, most of all smile during the interview. If you follow these instructions, you will stand out among applications and be able to secure a virtual call center job while working from home.

~~~~~~~~~

Backus and Associates provides consulting services for companies who are investigating or launching virtual call centers.  Our 10 years of experience managing within the virtual setting enables Backus and Associates to bring the needed expertise for planning and initiating a virtual culture including: executive planning sessions; management training; agent surveys/meetings; and Operations, IT, Recruiting, and Training preparation.  Backus and Associates partners with management to design a virtualization plan and follow through with the implementation processes.  Backus and Associates also assists companies who currently have virtual programs with the goal of increasing quality and agent performance while removing areas that reduce program success.  Contact is … bill@backusandassociates.com.  Visit the website at … www.backusandassociates.com

Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.

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June 2, 2014 0 Comments

How I Grew my Virtual Business by 50% in 3 Months

In 2013, I boosted sales by 50% in 3 months, while also cutting my stress and workload by about 25%.

Before I get into the details of how to make money online, first you should know about a very special group of 15-year-olds running a Billion-dollar business.

Yes, that’s Billion with a “B”…

Miraculous Billion-Dollar Teens

In their personal lives they can be air-headed and make bad decisions clouded by hormones.

For some of them it’s a miracle they even graduate from high school.

YET…

When they yank on their work uniform suddenly they’re *the* heartbeat of McDonald’s, one of history’s greatest business successes.

Collectively, this teenaged staff (still too young to buy booze) are serving 70 Million people every single day!

…while getting almost ZERO complaints and making a tidal wave of sales… day after day after day… predictably, successfully, profitably.

YET…

You and I – as smart, proud entrepreneurs and salespeople – struggle to manage our load of 20 – 30 active prospects, projects, and customers at any given time.

We follow-up inadequately with new opportunities, we often ignore our best customers, and quickly fall behind on paperwork and filing taxes.

What’s wrong with this picture?

It’s simple.  The solution is SYSTEMS.

Let me use fiery NASCAR driver Danica Patrick to explain…

Tim VS. Danica – It’s ON Like Donkey Kong

Let’s say Danica challenges me to a 1/4 mile drag race – fastest down the strip wins.

She gets to drive her fire-breathing, 750-horsepower NASCAR race car.

Me, a far inferior driver, is allowed to race my everyday, 200-horsepower Mustang.

I would get destroyed.

BUT…

If we swapped cars, I’d crush Danica.  Every. single. time.

How can that be?  After all, she’s *such* a better driver than me!

Well, a car is nothing more than a big system, made up of a bunch of smaller systems: cooling system, fuelling system, steering system, etc.

When I’m driving Danica’s 750-horsepower race car, I’m a fairly average person running a world-class machine – just slam on the gas and keep it pointed straight down the track!

Because the race car’s systems makes it SO easy to go really fast, instantly I’m smoking Danica every single time.

When Danica’s in my (much, much slower) 200-horsepower Mustang, she’s a world-class driver running a fairly average machine.  Even though she could handle so much more, she’s completely limited by the system she’s running.

And *this* is the major difference between entrepreneurs and McDonald’s….

You Are Handicapped By Your Systems

You are like Danica driving an everyday Mustang.  You’re a world-class talent being completely held back by the systems you’re running in your business.

You’ve probably got ho-hum systems to get new customers / clients / investors.

Ineffective systems to complete paperwork and reporting.

Maybe even inefficient systems to produce your product / service.

But McDonald’s?

They’re a bunch of 15-year-olds driving Danica’s 750 Horsepower race car – fairly average workers driving world-class systems, producing world-class business.

The Kids of McDonald’s make Billions while entrepreneurs burn the midnight oil scratching out a living.  Always remember…

Stellar systems, driven by average people,

Will always beat

Stellar people running average systems.

My Path to Systems and Increased Profit

Since 2003 I’d read The E-Myth (Micheal Gerber), Built to Sell (John Warrilow), The 4-Hour Workweek (Tim Ferriss).  All of these books were inspirational but short on details.  I struggled.

My marketing business – Tim Francis Marketing – was growing.  In 2012 it hit a plateau.  I couldn’t possibly take on another stitch of work – I was maxed out.  Or more accurately – my business model was maxed out.

Then in 2012, I read Work the System by Sam Carpenter, which rocked my world.  Best book on small business systems out there.  I immediately took the Work the System Group Coaching, offered by Sam Carpenter and Josh Fonger.

Over the course’s 3 short months I adapted the general lessons they taught – intended for any kind of small business – specifically for my 100% online, virtual business.  I’m sure you’d agree running a business entirely online with staff around the world in multiple time zones is far different than a brick-and-mortar factory or warehouse.

With my first few systems in place, I was now ready to hire staff.  I turned to HireMyMom.com and had two winning applicants working for me within weeks, each executing systems I’d created just a few weeks previous.

In the end, the revenue of my small marketing company soared by 50%, and my work week lightened by about 25% – from around 60 hours to only 45 hours / week.

Today the process continues.  I haven’t reached Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Workweek, nor have I reached Sam Carpenter’s 2-Hour Workweek… yet.  But I’ve made some colossal strides forward and sincerely hope I can help you learn how to make money online too.

Onwards and Upwards,

Tim

– – – – – –

Tim Francis teaches How To Systemize Your Virtual Business at http://www.SmoothOnlineSystems.com.  Tim also runs his marketing company, which has clients in CAN, USA, and AUS, spanning from $150K in sales all the way up to $100MM.

Check out these other great articles about home-based business as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.

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April 30, 2014 0 Comments

Why Having a Third Space is Good for Your Business

Have you ever thought of using a coworking space or a business incubator to give you that “third” space for your home business? We all know working from home really is a big challenge. If you have young kids in the house, taking a conference call is hard to schedule between nap times. You want quiet to be able to do your work and knock out that client project. But you don’t want that eerie quiet that suddenly sets in when you go, “uh-oh, what are the children doing” and you find the dog getting a makeover. When you do get out of the house to take that client meeting, you are either meeting at the client’s location or you have picked your local coffee shop. Neither place really gives you a chance to show that you are a professional running a professional enterprise. Plus, when working only from home, it’s just you having to work on your projects all by yourself. One of the biggest benefits of working in an office environment is that you are surrounded by your peers. You can bounce ideas off of them, have conversations, and get inspiration on how to tackle problems. Adults need adult time too, away from the kids every now and then.

What you need is a good “third” space to give you the things that your home office just can’t give you. There are many kinds of “third” spaces out there that help get your business moving to the next step. Think about joining a coworking space that has a good vibe and gels with the business you are building. There are coworking spaces that cater to programmers, artists, makers, marketers, and professional services. Some of the best coworking spaces have a nice mix of these kinds of people in them. Coworking gives you a chance to have that professional adult time and work on business problems and get access to a professional office environment, conference rooms, and have a real business address. You know, someplace that you would feel good having a meeting with a client. Many of the coworking spaces offer programs to help you with your business. Session speakers, hackathons, and other networking events are usually part of the membership fee.

Also over the last few years, business incubators have opened their doors up to more than just tech companies. The incubator I am involved with has a mix of tech, legal, marketing, healthcare, and retail companies. In the same vein of coworking, you get a professional space with some additional support from programs that might be offered by the local venture capital firm, university or community college to help with your business. All good resources to have, especially if you need to have a summer intern to knock out that branding project you have not had a chance to get around to.

It is long winded, but here is the point. Get out and socialize your business. Make connections, build a network of like minded entrepreneurs that are willing to help each other. The best place to start is in a coworking space or business incubator. Make the time for yourself to pursue your business objectives. Even if it is just one or two days a week, you’ll find that being a solopreneur isn’t so lonely when you find others that are just like you trying to solve the same kinds of problems.

Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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April 23, 2014 0 Comments

The Working Stay-At-Home Mom: Turning Passions Into Paying Positions

Compared to the societal ideals of 50 years ago, women today can choose independence by choosing at home professions. Women are no longer cast into the roles of housewife or stay-at-home mom. Modern day independence provides women with opportunity, whether they choose motherhood, a career or both.

In 2011, working mothers served as breadwinners for 40 percent of family households, according to 2013 Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends analysis. Breadwinner moms were comprised of married mothers who earn a higher income than their husbands (37 percent) as well as single mothers (63 percent). The trend of breadwinning mothers has understandably been linked to an increasing presence of mothers in the workforce. Nearly half of the U.S. labor force is made up of women, and the employment rate of married mothers has increased by 43 percent between 1968 and 2011.

Even so, stay-at-home moms and working moms typically remain polarized. In motherhood, you’re either pro stay-at-home mom or pro working mom—never both. The discord fosters resentment, judgment, envy and guilt from both groups. With all of these harbored negative feelings, why do women have to choose either/or? Here are four ways stay-at-home moms can not only participate in the workforce, but nurture their passions by choosing at home professions—an even greater reward.

Etiquette Consultant

For a mother raising her children to be upstanding members of society, teaching manners and morals are invaluable lessons. Take your family lessons on decorum and start an etiquette consulting business. Etiquette expert Catherine Holloway teaches professionals, adults and children how to create opportunity by acting with diplomacy and civility in social situations. Jacqueline Whitmore coaches professionals on business etiquette and protocol designed to spur business growth. Fine-tune first impressions, conversation skills and even body language. Etiquette services can also include advice on proper thanks yous and gift-giving customs, from writing traditional thank you cards to ordering flower delivery for professional settings.

Health Entrepreneurvegetables

If you love to color your refrigerator with greens and stay active with the family, delve into a business dedicated to health and wellness. Not only can you make a difference in your family’s lives, you can change the lives of others. Brand and build a website that features your family’s nutritious recipes and inspirations for staying healthy. Other business outlets for a health-passionate advocate include establishing an online retail store for T-shirts and tanks crafted with unique wellness-related designs. Or perhaps you have an idea for a marketable nutritional product or supplement. Entrepreneur Joyce Emily fueled her passion for nutrition by creating the superfood drink Basic Greens. The juice drink became Emily’s brand, empowering people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Professional Organizer

You may as well call yourself an organization pro. You constantly return misplaced toys to bins and rearrange cupboards to fit an influx of plastic cups and bowls. You’ve developed the problem-solving skills to declutter, downsize and maximize space. Why not earn some cash with your craft of expert organization? Sara Pedersen offers hands-on organization assistance and simplification services through her business Time To Organize. She cites U.S. News and World Report and states professional organizing as one of 20 hot jobs for the future workforce. On Pederson’s Career FAQs, you can learn how to enter the professional organizing industry, including how much you can make and required certifications and training.

Wardrobe Stylist

Inundated with motherhood and homemaking demands, a woman can lose her sense of style. Perhaps you’ve been in her (worn out) shoes before. Ya know, when heels are inconceivable and sneakers have even replaced cute ballet flats. By starting a styling business venture, you can offer sensible fashion advice and inspiration for real women who are just like you. Urban Darling provides in-person and virtual styling services, as well as online lookbooks for an “elegant young professional” and many other types of women. Help the fashion-impaired with closet audits, personal shopping and event styling. If you have the look and eye to be a professional fashion stylist, check out Complex Style’s list of tips on how to make it happen.

Now, it’s your turn. Choose one of these at home professions or select from the countless others available to you as a stay-at-home mom. You’ll find so much reward and satisfaction.

Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.

 

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February 13, 2014 0 Comments

Is a Home Business Good for Your Marriage?

Candid Couples Give Relationship Advice on the Effects of a Home Business on their Marriage: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

There are many things to consider when starting a home business. What type of home business will you start? What equipment, inventory or supplies will you need? Who will your potential customers and clients be? Who will be your primary competition?

However, one question few women tend to think about is, “Will my home business be good for my marriage?”

The answer depends on you and your approach to home business. You can count on your home business changing your life to some extent. It will add additional duties to your day, leave you with less time and may change your priorities. But does that mean it will be negative for your marriage? Or can it actually be good for your marriage? We asked some seasoned home-based working moms to give us their relationship advice and got some surprising answers.

“My home business has had a very positive effect on my marriage. When my husband arrives home from work I can’t wait to share some of the successes of the day. Also, I can contribute so much more to the family income. That takes an enormous pressure off of us,” Diana Ennen, Owner of VirtualWordPublishing.com shares.

Laurie Hurley of HomeTutoringBusiness.com adds, “We are more in tune with each other now that I work from home. It has been very good for our marriage.”

Another home business owner shared that it has actually brought them closer together as a family. “We bounce business ideas off of each other and everyone, including our three children, feels like it’s their business as well,” Julie Held, Owner of Stuff A Friend, added.

However, along with the positive, there are some negative ways a home business can impact your marriage. A very common mistake many people make is putting their marriage on autopilot when they start a home business. Some may wrongly believe their marriages are strong, secure and don’t need regular attention. The truth is no matter the stage, marriages need nurturing, affection and attention.

“I allowed my business to take over my life, and I neglected my family and my home. My husband was very patient through it all, and that made me really wake up. Now I make sure that I am connecting in a meaningful way to my husband and kids every day,” Darlene Hull, Owner of Mom-Defrazzler.com shares.

Another member shares how her home business saved her marriage. “We were on divorce road when I started my home business. Now we are conscious of where we need to improve because of things we’ve learned through my business self-development programs. I think we are happier now than when we first married,” Jhanna Dawson, owner of HighDesertBandB.com, adds.

So how can you ensure a happy marriage and a successful home business? We asked some members of HomeBasedWorkingMoms.com for their suggestions. Here are their tips:

  • Nurture your relationship and plan quality time and regular date nights with your spouse.
  • Have the same goals for your family, your marriage and your future together. And never let your spouse feel he is second behind the business. Jan Van Blarcum, CreativeTutors.com
  • Set specific hours to work and be diligent about keeping those boundaries in tact. Darlene Hull, Mom-Defrazzler.com
  • Prioritize family time and coordinate activities with your spouse on a family calendar. Jhanna Dawson, HighDesertBandB.com
  • Outsource when needed. Hire a house cleaner, nanny or an assistant. We put our family first and remember to keep our priorities: God, spouse, family and work in proper order. Jodi Stott, Isagenix
  • Talk about everything and discuss your options. Julie Held, Stuff A Friend
  • Look to the Lord when you don’t see eye to eye. Holly R. Boyd, A1Organizing.com
  • In business, learn to say no and mean it. In your personal life, learn to say yes and mean it. Candy Beauchamp, OffAssist.com
  • When you are with your spouse or kids, be 100% with them. When you are working, focus 100% on your work. Lisa Druxman, StrollerStrides.com

Regardless of what stage your home business is in, sit down with your spouse to discuss these bits of relationship advice and other pertinent topics. It could help you avoid significant conflicts in the future. And who knows, maybe your home business will help make your marriage even stronger too.

Lesley Pyle is the founder and president of HBWM.com Inc. which includes the national association of Home-Based Working Moms helping moms network, learn and grow in their role as a Home-Based Working Mom and HireMyMom.com connecting at-home Mom Professionals with home-based jobs and projects in virtually every career field.  Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, and many others.  Twitter @lesleypyle and @hiremymom

Check out these other great articles about tips for moms as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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February 5, 2014 0 Comments

To Stress or Not to Stress?

Today it seems that no matter who we are or what we do, we have more stress in our lives than our parents or grandparents did. How to relieve stress often alludes us. In order to relieve this stress, it is good to understand what leads to stress.

There are many factors and demands that cause stress in our lives: things such as demanding careers, relationship conflicts, financial worries, health concerns, parenting challenges, legal issues, fear of the unknown and so many others. If that were not enough, the stress and worries these situations cause further diminish our ability to function well and to be healthy. In fact, stress can cause depression, fatigue, irritability, withdrawal, insomnia, appetite changes, headaches, lower sex drive and many other ailments and diseases. Some studies suggest that as much as 80% of all major illnesses are attributed to stress. Take note of that again — as much as 80% of all major illnesses are attributed to stress! It is quite obvious — stress is NOT good for us, and we are wise to get rid of as much of it as possible.

So how DO you relieve stress? First, do you know what things in your life are causing you stress? Think about it and write down those things. Next, go through your list and write possible solutions and ways to ease stress for each of those stress causers. Then, make a plan to do those things. That plan may look like a daily reminder that you read, post-it notes on your computer or a daily quiet time of prayer.

For those stress items that we cannot remove from our lives and for the unexpected stress that creeps into our lives, try these tips:

  • When you feel tense or stress, stop what you are doing, close your eyes and take several deep breaths. Inhale slowly counting to 10 and exhale slowly counting to 10. Try to do this at least three times. You may need to do this several times a day.
  • Start an exercise program. You may be amazed how much stress is relieved when you exercise. The endorphins that are released can reduce your stress, improve your mood and give you an energy boost.
  • Play relaxing music or soothing sounds that calm and relax you.
  • Plan a day off or at least plan some time just for yourself and do whatever is relaxing to you: sleep in, lay in a hammock, have coffee with a friend, take a bubble bath, have a glass of champagne, go for a hike, get a manicure or read a book
  • Count your blessings. Record things you are happy and thankful about. Read them daily and add to your list as you recognize new blessings and things to be thankful for. The goal is to have a longer “thankful” list than “stress” list. Focus on the positive and remind yourself of the positive things in your life often.
  • Simplify your life. Are there unnecessary things in your life that you could remove? Are you over-extended or over-committed? Are there things in your life that you can outsource to simplify your life? Are your children in more than one extra-curricular activity? Is that adding more stress than is worth it?
  • Find more joy. Are there things that can truly add joy to your life? What are they? Are you focusing too much on work or negative things in your life? Are you taking time to stop and enjoy your life, your family, and your children?

Use any or all of these tips to relieve your stress. Make today the day for new beginnings and for removing as much stress from your life as possible. Find joy. Make joy.

Lesley Pyle is the founder and president of HBWM.com Inc. which includes the national association of Home-Based Working Moms helping moms network, learn and grow in their role as a Home-Based Working Mom and HireMyMom.com connecting at-home Mom Professionals with home-based jobs and projects in virtually every career field.  Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, and many others.  Twitter @lesleypyle and @hiremymom

Check out these other great articles about stress relief as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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January 28, 2014 0 Comments

Taking the Dread out of Deadlines

What do you think of when you hear the word “deadline?” If you are like most people, you probably get tense, stressed and get the “dread” attitude. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Deadline-oriented work from home projects can be your friend, and they can be a valuable motivator. As a solo-preneur, if you don’t set deadlines your goals will never be met. We know that’s not what you want.

So let’s talk about the types of entrepreneurs and their personality traits in regards to deadlines. There seems to be three different types of entrepreneurs when it comes to the topic of deadlines.

Type 1 Entrepreneur

You see a deadline, procrastinate to the very last moment, stress out to meet it, but you succeed with your best work.

Problem: While you’re producing your best work, your health and well-being begin to suffer due to unnecessary stress. Your family, home and other personal responsibilities may suffer from your poor time management as well.

Recommendation: Set your deadline in half: by hours or days. Make this your new deadline and stick to it. Complete your task, let it sit overnight for final reviews and revisions, and your best work will be met with time to spare. More importantly, you will have less stress and better health.

Type 2 Entrepreneur

You see a deadline, get to it right away, finish the job early with extra revisions, and produce your best work with time to spare. With the extra time, you seek out more deadlines and repeat your cycle, over and over and over again.

Problem: While you’re also producing your best work, you are prone to taking on more responsibilities and duties. You try to fit two or three more deadlines within the initial one deadline assignment. By over-committing, your health, business, and family life begin to suffer.

Recommendation: Finish deadline number one and pass it in prior to its due date if you’d like. Now, celebrate! Take a much needed break. Enjoy extra family time, personal time, or just relish in the luxury of having a silent moment to rest and relax.

Type 3 Entrepreneur

You have so many deadlines to don’t know what to do, where to start, and your completed assignment is sub par work.

Problems: By over-committing yourself, you’re constantly stressed out, your reputation and work begins to suffer, deadlines are missed, mistakes are made, clients dwindle, and you can’t manage your business, household and family relationships successfully.

Recommendations:

  • Delegate work: outsource duties, utilize interns or paid professionals at an hourly rate lower than yours.
  • Seek a business mentor, coach and/or advisor. Don’t know where to find them? At HBWM.com (Home Based Working Moms); we have a Panel of Experts available for general Questions and Answers, and individualized coaching for hire.
  • Join a network organization with like-minded people and similar business structures. I find that other home-based working moms willingly share their tips, tools and resources to help you succeed in business as well as at home. For example, at HBWM.com, we have forums for you to network with thousands of moms so you can stay motivated, accountable and empowered.

I, too, found myself fall into each of the above categories at different stages of my business growth. Through trial and error, I found success in applying my own recommendations to meet my deadlines.

So, don’t hate deadline-oriented work at home projects—be motivated by them.

Lesley Pyle is the founder and president of HBWM.com Inc. which includes the national association of Home-Based Working Moms helping moms network, learn and grow in their role as a Home-Based Working Mom and HireMyMom.com connecting at-home Mom Professionals with home-based jobs and projects in virtually every career field.  Pyle has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Home Office Computing, and many others.  Twitter @lesleypyle and @hiremymom.

Check out these other great articles about productivity / time management as a work from home professional. Also check out our current job postings for mom professionals.

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