“Do You Work?”
Many times in the past, I’ve found myself in a position where I was asked about my career background, or do I work, what do I do, and all the other ways of asking if someone if they have a job.
For a long time I just said I was at home with my kids, because it was too complicated to get into with someone who has a 1% chance of knowing what you’re talking about. But as the world of technology continued to advance at an incredibly fast rate, and it was getting rare to hear of anyone who didn’t use the Internet, I become more outspoken about what I did.
Even so, the first time I decided to speak up and answer with a, “Yes, I work at home,” when asked if I worked. It felt great to get it out there, to feel like I was more than just somebody’s mom. And looking back, I’m not sure what I expected, but the response I received in return just made me feel like a complete moron…
First she laughed like she found the whole idea hilarious, and then went on to babble about how being at home with the kids is work, it’s the hardest job there is, and blah, blah, blah. I was speechless. Did she really think that I considered my choice to be at home with my kids as work?
And much to my disappointment, that wasn’t a fluke reaction. In fact, everyone thought the same thing – that I wasn’t talking about the work I do at home to make money, but rather that being at home with my kids was the work.
Slowly my answer to the big question evolved to where I would say, “Yes, I’m in marketing,” and most of the time it would get left at that. If they wanted to know where I actually did this ‘marketing’ work, I would tell them my home office to which they would say “oh” and that would be that.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been asked the “do you work” question, so I was caught off guard this past Friday.
Now that my kids are older and comfortable going to the dentist, I made the decision to move them from the child-oriented dentist located over an hour away to my local dentist. This was no big deal, but since my last check-up less than 9 months ago, my dentist sold his practice to another dentist in the same building, which means she took over his patients and I hadn’t yet met anyone in her office.
That day, after the hygienist was done with my son, she asked me to come back to meet the new dentist and as we were waiting for the dentist to finish with another patient, she was asking me questions, during which I told her I had 3 kids the youngest just shy of 19 months old. But the questions eventually led to asking if I worked, and without thinking I said I work at home. You guessed it; she thought I was referring to my kids.
So I have to wonder, is the offline working world still completely clueless about the online one?
Or does it go deeper than that…
Do people working regular offline jobs simply refuse to believe that someone without much of an educational or working background, can work from their home a few hours a week, and make a six figure income, because it’s…unfair?
Personally, I think it’s a little of both. A lot of people really are unaware of the online business world, and the potential it has to help you create the lifestyle you want. And then some are just plain ‘ole spiteful about your claims of working at home.
Nevertheless, here you are. YOU chose to see hope and be inspired by the impossible. To question “work” in the normal sense, and become conscious of what you really wanted from your life.
Do you shuffle along the same worn and predictable path as everyone else; or step off of it into the unknown and forge your own path?
Somewhere among the ignorant and unpleasant feedback to what you do, you find peace with who you are, what you’re doing, and how you choose to live your life. How others decide to see you shouldn’t matter because you know what’s real and right for you; and you can smile knowing that you had the courage to break the mold and shape your life into whatever you wanted it to be.
So here’s to following your dreams no matter how much everyone else wants to hold you back!
All my best,
30 Comments
Marketing Plan for 2010
Today marks the very last day of 2009, and I’m super excited about the year to come. I don’t do the whole party thing to ring in the New Year, but if you’re going out, have fun and stay safe!
I recently finished putting together my business plan binder for 2010, so I decided to shoot a quick video to share some of the things inside of it with you. Oh, and I kinda got carried away on the whole working from home thing, so the intro is kinda goofy, LOL! Not to mention my overuse of the word ”so”.
Anyway, I hope you glean a few ideas for your own planning, and I would love to hear your suggestions and thoughts for preparing your business for a New Year.
Product mentioned in Video: I printed out the 8 page checklist from Sales Army Secrets that lists 20 things you can do to help you recruit new affiliates, and placed it in my planning binder for easy reference.
The course is fantasic and is filled with unique and effective strategies that Jimmy D. Brown uses to build and motivate his affiliate force…and how you can use them too. I’ll be putting the information I learned from this course into action this year.
Also, my Affiliate Manager Sweetie course comes with 6 editable email swipe files that you can use to send to potential affiliates to get them on board, and promoting your products. So I plan to refer back to those myself too ;-)
20 Comments
Haven’t Started a Business Yet? Here’s to Keepin’ It Real!
When you first make the decision to work from home, whether it’s starting your own business or working for someone else, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all and sometimes certain aspects fall through the cracks.
Unfortunately, if you don’t take the time to plan out your business and consider every angle of working from home, you may find yourself quickly becoming a part of the 90% of home business owners that fail within the first year.
It’s not about having the motivation, the ideas, and the knowledge to create a viable home business; it’s about having the plan to guide you there. While it’s true that many people who own successful home businesses did so without a plan, it certainly does no harm for you to create one for yourself as a way to get things rolling.
Here are 3 things that you might not take into consideration when you decide to work from home:
1) Do you have the time? You might be thinking, well yes, I’m at home all day. But what about your children, activities, household duties? Are you capable of balancing all those things so that you can run a home business too? Just because you’re going to be working from home doesn’t mean you don’t have to work. The truth is, you’re going to have to work harder then you’ve ever worked before.
Are you ready to miss time with your family or work until the wee hours of morning? Don’t kid yourself into thinking that you can work when you want and still make tons of money. The truth is, you’re going to have to make plenty of sacrifices to get to that point. However, it is possible to set your own hours and make a good income, but it takes plenty of hard work to get there first. So if you’re not ready to make sacrifices in the name of business, then maybe you should reconsider and wait until you are ready.
2) How are you going to accomplish everything? Jumping too quickly into a business can leave you feeling confused and frustrated when things don’t happen the way you want, or expect them to. Outlining a plan for each phase of your business will give you a clear idea on what you need to do to get to, and through each phase.
- Who is your target market? (who will buy from you)
- If you choose to operate completely online, will you get a website, a domain name? Will you need a shopping cart, a merchant, a designer?
- How will you stock your store if you choose to sell physical products? What about photos?
- How will you market your business and finance your marketing efforts?
- How will you fulfill orders and ship them? Will you be able to get to the post office to ship items in a timely manner?
- Do you need any special licenses to operate? What about insurance? Packaging?
There are so many things to consider when you choose to run a business from home, so if you have a plan in place it will be so much easier to accomplish your goals and prepare yourself for any unexpected things that may come up.
3) Are you prepared for growth? A home business is no simple undertaking. It takes sweat, guts, and tears to build up a business to the point that you can actually make an income. Depending on the type of business you have, will you be able to handle it on your own, or will you need to outsource, hire help, or even move into a brick and mortar building?
Do you even want to grow that large, or will you be happy running a small business? This is something you need to seriously think about. For example, if you own a children’s boutique selling clothes that you make yourself by hand, what will you do when the orders start coming in faster then you can keep up with? Will you have someone to help you, will you look for a manufacturer for your designs, or will you have to start handing out refunds? Being prepared to handle growth before it happens will make the transition go smoothly when the time comes.
So before you jump on the work at home bandwagon looking for a fast buck, slow down and keep it real. Ask questions, research, and consider hiring a business coach to help you get started the right way.
No Comments
A Little Clarification (On The Change)
Thanks so much for your support and well wishes on the big changes that are happening around my home. If you haven’t read the post yet, you can get caught up here.
I wanted to clarify a little because I seem to have caused confusion for some. And for at least one person, I managed to get them a bit worried. She wrote to me and said:
“Frankly, I was a bit shaken. It’s not easy to hear that one of the most successful WAHMs I know is returning to employment.”
Now, I don’t want anyone to be shaken by my news because it’s truly not that shocking…nor should it cause worry to anyone else. So in clarification:
I’m not returning to work out of economic necessity – but out of contractual obligation. Although there was a dip in the earlier part of this year, business is still going very well and back on the upward climb. So please, don’t let my news cause you to fear an imaginary demise of your own business. Everything is a-okay here and there is a plan in place to continue to grow my business during my employment (thanks goodness for outsourcing…hey? 
)
We’ve also made a plan to make it work as a family. The boys are in school all day now…and baby will be home during the day with hubby. Hubby will also be attending night classes, so we’ll be doing some alternating shifts at home, but what matters to us is that someone is always home for the kids.
So please don’t worry (for me or for yourself)…we’re just doing what we gotta do for our family. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?
5 Comments
Holy Smokes – A World of Change,
But It’s Under Control
If you follow me on Twitter, you’ve probably heard me lost and confused a few times – wondering what day it was. One day, I had to confirm if it was indeed Friday. Another time, I had somehow skipped a whole week ahead. BLUSH. But blame it on the fact that nobody in this household has had to go to school or work for a couple months. We’ve been living a relaxed, no schedule lifestyle and while that’s loads of fun, it was a bit disconcerting.
Well, in one week from now that’s ALL about to change. It’s back to school time and it’s back to school with a VENGEANCE, I tell you. We’re going to be so overscheduled, it’s not even funny.
Here’s what’s happening:
- The boys are going back to school and this will be Nathan’s first full days as he hits grade 1. Malcolm is on his way to being a big shot grade 3er.
- My HUSBAND is going back to school. Yep, for 3 nights per week, he’ll be at college, studying technical writing.
And here’s the one that really has me thrown for a loop:
- I’m hitting the 9 to 5 grind again. Yeah, I just said that and *I* am still in disbelief. But the fact is, I’ve known it was coming for over 6 years. When my sons were born, I took additional maternity benefits from my employer (above and beyond what is offered through Canada’s Employment Insurance Program). And as part of taking that extra benefit, I am obligated to return to work for a period of time. Guess they don’t want people taking benefits and riding off into the sunset…darn it!
So that means, I’m back at the job for a minimum of 18 months. Thankfully, my husband will be home during the day, so can take the kids to school and be home with the baby. Then at night, I’m in charge. So although there will be some adjustment, the family is being taken care of.
On the one hand, I’m kind of excited about this renewed challenge…but on the other hand, I’m bummed at how this is going to change my overall hourly worth (not too mention I’m going to miss my family like crazy). My business offers so much return on time investment that a job just doesn’t – it’s a decent paying job, but the hourly calculations just don’t match up. But alas, it’s something that must be done.
Anyway, that probably gives you a bit more insight into the changes taking place around here with Melissa coming on board and my focusing on projects that are less about me – removing myself from the equation some. My business activities are going to focus on:
- Planning the marketing and future directions for my business.
- Managing my contractors who take care of customer service, administrative tasks, website updates, a lot of writing and so forth. I’ll be assigning and checking work, but greatly reducing the actual tasks I do in my business.
- Of course, I’ll still be doing some writing too. It’s what I enjoy and do well, so you won’t see me completely disappear.
I’ve had people ask me how I’m going to be able to keep up. How can I possibly run a business with a full-time job and a family? Well, I did for about 6 months in 2003 before the birth of my second son and I was far less organized back then. I’m set up for it now. It may mean a bit of late work on Sunday nights and and some catching up during lunch breaks, but it’s going to be business as usual.
In this last week we have left, we’re enjoying tons of time together and just taking it easy. I’m really going to miss our lazy days, but we’re ready for this new chapter in our lives.
11 Comments
Is it possible to quit your job in 90 days?
Well according to Tony Shepherd, it actually took him 97 days – and I absolutely believe him.
Why?
Because I’ve had the pleasure of working with him behind the scenes on a few of his projects. And let me tell you, he’s the real deal, and you really won’t meet a nicer guy.
His down to earth style and great sense of humor makes his blog a fun read (http://www.tony-shepherd.com), and it’s one of the few I enjoy reading on a daily basis. His weekly ezine is a riot, I love how he mixes humor and real life and turns it into an incredible lesson for online business owners.
Okay, not to keep bragging on him….but Tony really is a successful marketer and 100% worth following (IMHO), which is why I wanted to share his free report with you.
If you’re feeling stuck, and you really want to quit your day job, you’ll want to grab a copy (you’ll be presented with a valuable $1 offer, but don’t let this deter you from getting the report) => Quit Your Job in 90 Days
His report is a great read and will help you put a system into place so you can start getting your foot out of the door of your J.O.B.
Â
Â
 Get your free copy of his report: Quit Your Job in 90 Days
1 Comment
What Do I Know About Improving My Workspace? – Spark an Idea!
Kelly McCausey just told me about Sparkplugging’s Spark An Idea Thursday. It’s an opportunity to share new ideas on a specific business topic…each and every Thursday.
I thought I’d chime in today and ironically, it’s on a topic that I definitely don’t have the traditional advice for. This week, the folks at Sparkplugging have asked us to share tips for improving our workspace.
The topic was inspired by this really great post of some of the authors and interns at Sparkplugging. Well, I could show you a picture of my home office (I’m not using the out of home office anymore as things have settled a bit more at home, so I can some work done!)…but it wouldn’t really show you my work space.
Yes, I have my very own room/office in the house where I can get my work done. I have a nice big desk and plenty of light that comes into the room. I have nice shelves, filing cabinets, white boards, printers, a fax and all that good stuff.
But I pretty much NEVER work in there.
Honestly, I don’t need all that “fancy” stuff while I work. Most of the time, all I need is my laptop and my day planner (for scheduling, to dos, etc.). And sometimes my pink notebook (ideas and notes) comes along. I like to keep things simple and I like to work where I’m comfortable.
In fact, I’m pretty sure I break a lot of productivity rules. Some of my favorite places to work:
- Sitting on my bed with the TV on.
- At a Starbucks or a noisy restaurant.
- On the couch, with the TV on.
- And sometimes at the kitchen table.
…and you know what? I get a LOT done when I set down to work. All the distractions around me, I can handle. In fact, I’ve always worked with noise in the background since I was in high school – it’s almost a necessity for me. I think for an online business owner, it’s the distractions on the SCREEN that can be the real downfall to productivity. When I’m armed with my to-do list (always recorded in my planner)…I’m ready to stay focused and roll.
Now, I don’t suggest that my workspace is the ideal set up for anyone else. It works for me…find what works for you and don’t worry if you don’t seem to jive with the typical and traditional advice on workspace productivity.
4 Comments
Work…fun…you know. ;-)
I just noticed my blog was really lonely for most of the week. Poor blog.Â
It’s been busy around here with Canada Day celebrations, getting the boys ready for the 4th in WA state with their grandparents, a friend’s birthday, yoga and all those things that make up a busy mama’s day.
But add to that, I’ve been really productive in my work time. I’ve been getting a lot of accomplished and have new things in the works…and for some reason, that sometimes make me neglect my blog. Poor thing.
But I’ll be back soon and in the meantime, here’s a couple of new things:
Speedy APLC Publisher Plug-In: All Private Label Content monthly membership received a new feature to their accounts – at no extra charge.
Speedy APLC Publisher is a handy plug-in for your WordPress blog that allows you to instantly publish your PLR content to your blog with just a few clicks of a mouse.
With the plug-in, you can:
1. Mass upload articles – .txt format – All our articles are in .txt format, but you can also use the plug-in for other PLR content, provided it is in .txt format as well
2. Schedule imported articles for publication e.g. Every other day, every 2/3/etc days.
3. Choose your categories. Publish all articles in one category of your choice or individually select a category.
4. Choose your authors. Assign all articles to one author or individually assign articles to author(s) of your choice.
It’s VERY handy plug in that will make it easy for you to use all your PLR content. Your plug-in license remains active for as long as you keep your monthly membership active.
Extra Support on Self-Study Courses for Sweetie Saturday Report Club Members: Sweetie Saturday Report Club Membership already includes a discussion forum where members can discuss monthly materials, ask questions and talk Internet Marketing in general.
I’ve made an extra commitment to my members that whenever they purchase any Sweetie Self-Study course, you can request access to a special student discussion for that course. You can ask questions, get feedback on strategies and more.
It’s a perk that isn’t offered to just any of my students – it’s for report club members ONLY. Now members never have to buy an ebook or online course and feel like they’re left out on your own again.
Well, that’s it for me for now. Also been busy working on the book and the launch of a new PLR membership (All Green Content officially launches this Wednesday).
So tell me, what have you been up to?
No Comments
