Summer Survival

One of the toughest things about working from home is...well, working from home. Especially during the summer. I'm here because I want to be the one that drives my kids to and from their activities and plans fun events with them. But I'm torn because in the midst of all the summer fun, I still have deadlines and work requirements. Here are a few survival tips that are helping me stay sane this summer:

1. Lighten the load whenever you can. I have a couple of smaller projects that I'm deliberately putting off until my children are back in school. Giving myself permission to do so has made me feel less guilty about the fact that they are not done yet.
2. Ask for help. Little things make a big difference in keeping things running smoothly. My kids are now helping by folding laundry, sweeping the floors and emptying the dishwasher. Though none of these tasks takes much time, they produce valuable work time for me during the day if I don't have to do them all myself.
3. Communicate regularly. I often have phone interviews lined up--and that means I'm not available to my kids. I let them know what the day is going to look like ahead of time when possible so that they know when I'm available to them and when I'm not. It's less frustrating for all of us if I don't have to interpret sign language when I'm on a call!
4. Hire help. When work and family compete for my attention during the day, I've hired friends' high school or college age children to help. They've picked up my kids and brought them home after day camps and one is even taking my son golfing (since neither my husband or I golf). This has eased my stress on several occasions and enabled me to help a young person earn a little extra cash.
5. Be kind to yourself. I know that I'm living this summer imperfectly. But I also know I'm doing my best to juggle competing demands. Instead of feeling guilty or critical regarding what each individual day looks like, I choose instead to take an overall look at the summer. And so far, it's been a good one!

What strategies are you using to make it through this summer?

http://www.makingworkathomework.com/

Three Reasons You Can't Afford that High Maintenance Client

In my opinion, the following is a "must read" for everyone who is self-employed. I'm reposting it with permission:

Several years ago, when I was in business for myself, I had a client who was really “high maintenance.” By that, I mean he was someone who had unreasonable expectations of me and my company. Unfortunately, I didn’t see that on the front end; I was too focused on “the opportunity.”

Within the first thirty days, however, t became obvious we had a problem. I sat down with the client and a few of his staff members to review where we were. I had worked hard—more than the size of the account warranted—in an effort to super-please him. I was confident I had “hit it out of the park.”

Not so much.

The client was very unhappy. Not only did he not praise me for what I had accomplished, he didn’t even acknowledge it. He focused exclusively on what I had’t done. Talk about the-glass-is-half-empty. I was stunned.

Not surprisingly, the client fired me a few months later. It was very painful. But as difficult as that experience was, it did lead to some positive outcomes, starting with me beginning to understand the need to clarify expectations from the get-go.

But here’s where it gets interesting. A few years later that same client came back to me and practically begged me to take him back. Stupid me. I did. (I’m not proud of it.)
I naively thought this second time would be different.

He’s changed, I told myself. I even assured my staff—and my wife—that he had changed. Besides, I reasoned, I have also changed. I’m a better manager this time around.
I was wrong on both counts.

The client had not changed. He was still the unreasonable, demanding tyrant he had always been. Yes, he could still turn on the charm when he needed to, but fundamentally, he was a narcissist. Nothing I could do—or could ever do—would change him. It was all about him.
But I hadn’t changed that much either. I am pretty good at creativity and execution, but I am not super human. I had not suddenly acquired super powers. In fact, in some relational experiences like this, I am admittedly a slow learner.

But, regardless, here’s what I distilled from that second experience:

1. Some people are just high maintenance. They operate out of their “woundedness,” to borrow a phrase from John Eldredge. I am never going to please them. I will only deplete myself trying.

2. High maintenance people are a distraction. They suck up more than their fair share of resources. In fact, if I let them, they will suck up everything I and my team have to offer. They are a bottomless pit.

3. They keep me from serving others. I am better off to say “no” and spend the time searching for low maintenance clients—or at least reasonable ones. It’s really not fair to my other clients or my teammates to keep these “Me Monsters” around.

I don’t mean to sound unkind, but there are just some people you are not called to serve. You can spend all your time caught up in the drama of their demands and accusations, or you can move on. The sooner you cut the cord and fire them, the more productive—and happy—you’ll be.

No matter how big the opportunity appears to be, it’s just not worth the maintenance involved.

© 2010, Michael S. Hyatt. All rights reserved. Originally published at www.michaelhyatt.com.

Toughest Challenge?

Recently I asked the Making Work at Home Work blog ring bloggers this question:

What has been the toughest challenge you faced over the past year as a work-at-home mom and how did you solve it?

Over the next few posts I'll be sharing their responses! Scroll down for another response.

Teresa Huff had this to say ...

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome as a work at home mom is fear. Fear of failure, fear of making a wrong decision, fear of making a fool of myself, fear of making a client mad…whatever the reason, it rears its ugly head and tries to convince me that I can’t. I used to believe it a lot. But the last few years I’ve learned that fear doesn’t need to dictate my decisions. Fear doesn’t provide opportunities and open doors I never thought possible. Fear doesn’t lead me to find the perfect career fit for me. Fear doesn’t get me anywhere or make me any better at what I do. I’ve learned to develop confidence in my skills and abilities. I’ve learned to ask God for guidance and then listen when He gives it (although that is still a constant challenge!) I’ve learned to build a support network of other professionals in my field, seek opportunities to continue learning, and help others along the way.

It didn’t happen overnight…and building confidence is a process I’m still working on. But experience, successes, and even some failures have made me more confident in my abilities. It’s not the end of the world to fail and it doesn’t mean I’m bad at my job. I have learned that it’s ok to stand up for myself. I’ve learned to weigh the pros and cons, calculate the risks, and make a confident decision based on what is best for me and my family. I’ve learned that it is a good thing to keep my family a priority and expect my clients to respect that. I’ve learned that I can be a professional and still work from home in my sweats with a sick child home from school on the couch and a toddler digging through the pantry for a snack. Sometimes I have to swallow fear and jump in. I have adopted the mindset of, “If I don’t try, I know it won’t happen. If I try, at least I stand a chance.” I have learned to TRY.

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

Teresa Huff is an independent consultant who specializes in grants & strategic planning.

Thanks Teresa! What about you - what has been your biggest challenge?

Toughest Challenges?

Recently I asked the Making Work at Home Work blog ring bloggers this question:

What has been the toughest challenge you faced over the past year as a work-at-home mom and how did you solve it?

Over the next few posts I'll be sharing their responses! Scroll down for another response.

MariLee Parrish had this to say ...

My biggest challenge as a work-at-home mom this past year has been trying to find a balance between work and family life. My company is very busy and I've recently had to hire help. That has given me a lot of time back, but I still struggle with the daily questions like: what are we going to have for dinner? how will I find time to get to the grocery store? how much educational t.v. is too much for a toddler? can I fit in a play date this week? etc.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't solved these issues yet...but I am working on them. I try to create me "to-do" list for the next day before I head to bed. I strive to create a menu for the week on Monday and make sure I have all the ingredients. I start the morning by committing my day to the Lord and inviting Him to be a part of everything I do. And I make sure I fit a little bit of "play time" into each day, too.

MariLee Parrish is a Christian author and the owner of The Christian Moms Business Resource. www.christianmomsbusinessresource.com

Thanks MariLee! What about you - what has been your biggest challenge?

Toughest Challenges?

Recently I asked the Making Work at Home Work blog ring bloggers this question:

What has been the toughest challenge you faced over the past year as a work-at-home mom and how did you solve it?

Over the next few posts I'll be sharing their responses!
Julie Arduini had this to say ...

Balance was my challenge as I transitioned to full time writer.

I assumed with both kids in school I could take my writing goals for the year and crank them out in two months. My plan also included daily trips to the YMCA, weekly meetings, and keeping up with the house work. By the end of September I was frustrated. I didn’t meet any major writing goals.

During that season we installed carpets and replaced furniture, a process that took longer than I wanted. Kids got sick. School and church groups called, knowing I was “free” all day with children in school. By Christmas I let myself stress trying to do it all and please everyone. I was impatient because I blocked my own goals with lack of balance.

I needed to break free from my perpetual hamster wheel.

Our senior pastor announced he was going to take a book that revolutionized his own life and use it for sermons, Sunday school classes and home group scenarios. I didn’t pay much attention because it seemed like more to do, and I was looking for a way to control what I already had going. The pastor went on to ask if I would lead the home group for women. The book was Peter Scazzero’s Emotional Healthy Spirituality.

I agreed to the group. My husband and I prepared the lessons for my group sessions. As we listened to the sermons and tackled the workbook, I learned essential principles to put my writing and my life back on track.

I’m still working through the book. I learned just because it’s for a good cause doesn’t mean I’m personally called to do it all. I’m reaching deadlines and creating additional projects. I’m experiencing Emotional Healthy Spirituality and am enjoying balance.

I’m a writer and public speaker encouraging audiences with the surrender platform. My website is http://www.juliearduini.com.


Thanks Julie! What about you - what has been your biggest challenge?

Find the Right Coach

In my last post I talked about working with a coach. This time, we'll address how to find the right coach for you. I suggest the following:

Referrals. Ask friends and colleagues if they can recommend anyone to you. Listen to conversations. If you hear someone mention that they work with a coach, ask if they'd be willing to share the name and contact information. Referrals are by far the best way to find a coach.

Identify specifically what you need help with. Do you need help increasing your income? Decreasing your expenses? Someone to brainstorm marketing ideas with? Or, do you have plenty of ideas but lack the follow through to do them? In this latter case, you'll want someone who can use a little tough love to hold you accountable for getting things done. The more specific you are regarding where you need help, the more likely you'll be to find a coach that's a good fit for you.

Search online. Do a search for coaches online. You'll find plenty! Pick a few sites to go to, read about each coach and his or her philosophy, and watch the videos. You'll get a sense of who you might feel comfortable working with. Narrow the list to these possibilities.

Request a complimentary introductory session. This is THE most important step. I "met" by phone with several coaches before finding mine. One coach spent the whole conversation talking about herself. Another spent the entire time saying, "If you decide to work with me, then..." And a third was not at all focused during our conversation, which led me to believe our coaching sessions would be the same way--frustrating for me.

Make the decision. Know that your coaching relationship won't last forever. This makes it easier to decide who you will work with. Pick the coach you are most interested in. Then, ask if you can sign up for a limited number of sessions (a minimum of three). You'll have a good sense of how the relationship is working after several sessions.

Be willing to do the work. When you enter a coaching relationship, you're making a commitment to help your coach help you. And you're making a commitment to doing homework between sessions as well as to do the heavy thinking required to help take your business to the next level. Coaches see lots of people who are willing to pay for help, but fewer who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Your work with a coach only pays off if you're invested and willing to sweat along with your coach.

Good luck!

www.makingworkathomework.com

Working With a Coach

I took the plunge and hired a coach late last year. She’s been a fabulous addition to my team and is worth every penny. Here’s how I’m benefiting:

Accountability: At the end of each session, we identify 3-5 activities for me to complete by our next session. I don’t want to disappointment my coach or embarrass myself so I find I’m highly motivated to get my “homework” done each month.

Advice: I’m able to outline my thoughts and then ask for her advice. Though she doesn’t always say, “This is what I think you should do...” she is always able to ask pertinent questions to help me come to a decision I’m comfortable with.

Expertise: My coach has small business acumen and more importantly to me, is an expert in online marketing, something that intimidates me. I have a lot of questions about how to implement my online marketing ideas and she’s a great resource for getting the answers I need. When I’m stuck, she reminds me that I don’t have to know how to do everything and that between us, we can find the resources to implement even the craziest ideas.

Companionship: Let’s face it, being a solo-preneur can be a lonely endeavor. My coach gives me someone to bounce ideas off of as well as the comfort of having someone along on the journey with me. Knowing someone else is rooting for me encourages me to continue to strive for excellence.

If you’re looking to help your business reach new heights in 2010, consider hiring a coach. Doing so is a great way to stretch yourself and grow your business.

www.makingworkathomework.com

Succeed By Being Other-Focused

"The best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want."

As we start a new year, the above is worth pondering. What are you helping others get? Healthy? Prettier? More organized?

I help others get clarity in their vision of success and narrow their focus when it comes to their "To Do" list.

Once you're able to identify what it is you help others do, it's easier to market.

If you haven't taken the time to answer this question, now is a great time to do so. It will make 2010 more productive for you.

Here's to a great year!

www.makingworkathomework.com

Entrepreneurship May be Hereditary

I read an interesting article in USA Today recently. It stated that, "Nearly half of business founders had a parent who started a small business first, according to a Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation report released last summer. Slightly more than 15% had siblings who launched a business before they did."

In other words, entrepreneurism may run in families. Also in the article: "'If you had a family member who started a business, you are more likely to become an entrepreneur than someone who didn't,' says Vivek Wadhwa, founder of two technology companies, as well as a senior research associate at the Labor & Worklife Program at Harvard Law School and a co-author of the Kauffman study. 'They provide inspiration, financing and they teach you the ropes.'"

I became aware of the influence I was having on my children when, after a business call, my daughter turned to me and said, "Mom, I like hearing how you talk on the phone." It was a simple, but powerful, statement. Children learn what they see and hear. And my kids are learning to run a business just by watching me.

I don't care if my kids become business owners or not. But I'm glad that they are being exposed to business ownership as an option for themselves in the future. I've told them that I learned much of what I needed to know to run a business by working for someone else first. And I've also told them that I started to work for myself while I was still working for someone else. Both things made my transition to entrepreneur easier.

As you embrace the possibilities of 2010, consider using this year as a time to show your kids about the benefits of being self-employed. They can learn a lot just by watching and listening to you. Invite them into your work space. Let them help when they can. Show them that though the buck stops with you, you also have a lot of freedom and flexibility. And, if you're lucky enough to love what you do, let them see the value of passion and enthusiasm in work.

Happy New Year!

www.makingworkathomework.com

Working Around the Holidays

What's your work policy around the holidays? Several work-at-home moms I know close their businesses for a couple of weeks around the holidays. Others I know put theirs on "maintenance." I do a little of both.

Since I work from a home office, no one but me knows if I'm at my desk or not. Earlier this week, I took a day off to go holiday shopping. I checked my e-mail and voicemail before I left and when I returned. Clients had no idea I was playing hooky.

Though I'm tempted to close my business the last two weeks of this month, I find December is actually highly productive for me. My phone gets quiet, I get fewer e-mails, and consequently, I get lots done! I use it as a "catch up" month. Time to get to the projects I haven't been able to complete. Time to prepare for next year. And time to do the filing I've been postponing for months! (Much of this occurs early in the morning while my children slumber peacefully during the holiday break.)

Though I choose to work through the holidays, more power to you if you decide to take a break. The important thing is that we are intentional and deliberate about both our work and our play.

www.makingworkathomework.com

Schedule Your Own Off-Season

Walter Bond is a former player in the National Basketball Assocation who is now a professional speaker. He's taken the concept of the "off season," which all professional athletes enjoy, and adapted it for his current business model. He writes, "An 'off season' is designed to give you an edge in your career and in your personal life by isolating areas for continouse improvement. It is not a vacation, nor a sabbatical. It is an annual break dedicated to retool, regroup, refresh and refocus for optimal performance improvement."

Many work-at-home moms tell me that they let their business lie fallow between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Admittedly, it's a slow time for me as well and I appreciate the fact that my business slows down just as the holidays are speeding up! And though I've always taken the time to do some business planning during the month of December, I've been inspired by Bond to go even further. He says that each year he takes apart his business and reassmbles it so that he's more effective. I'll admit that I've never gone to this much trouble but I plan to do some serious thinking this year. If you'd like to join me, here are a few questions to get you started:

• What's not currently working in my business?


• What activities are most profitable for me? Least profitable?


• Which activities do I get the most personal pleasure out of? The least?


• Are there tasks that I can contract out cost effectively?


• What professionals, if any, do I need to add to my team (i.e. tax preparer, accountant)?


• How can I market my business more effectively?


• Are my expenses in line with my income or could I benefit by reducing expenses?


• Am I saving a portion of what I make each year? And if so, are some of these savings for retirement?

• Are there revenue streams I should consider adding next year? If so, what is the best way to introduce them, and do I need help creating this revenue stream?

• Is my business stressing me out? If so, how can I reinvent my business so it's a source of pleasure and not stress?

The above questions will get you started thinking about how you might be more effective in the new year. If it's your off-season, this is a perfect time to retool, regroup, refresh and refocus.

www.makingworkathomework.com

Work at Home Advice and Encouragement NOW!

I had the great privilege recently of doing a four-part teleseminar series about successfully working from home with Jill Hart, founder of Christian Work at Home Moms (http://www.cwahm.com/). We discussed everything from child care to marketing to managing the financial side of your business.

Because we know work-at-home moms are busy, we taped the series and are now making it available as an instant download. You can buy one or all four of the seminars and listen to them at your convenience. The seminars are on sale right now.

If you're looking for valuable advice and encouragement or just need a little pick-me-up as we enter the busy holiday season, I hope you'll consider investing in your future as a business owner. And the best part? Your purchase is tax deductible!

Click here to challenge yourself as a work-at-home CEO now: http://thewahgirls.com/listenno/.

http://www.makingworkathomework.com/

Holiday Home/Work Balance Tips

Hi Friends,

As I look ahead to the approaching holiday season, I thought I share a few suggestions for you to consider for your business.

• Give yourself a break. Most employees will get time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sometimes I give myself time off, too. But I'm not always intentional about it. This year, I'm going to actually mark off a couple of days that I'm gifting to myself. I'll turn on my auto reply and get myself out of the office. I know it will feel good and will be rejuvenating for me.
• Make a list of office supply and equipment needs. I know it is difficult to spend money on work when you need to spend money on holiday gifts. But there are two great reasons to make work related purchases this month and next. One, there are great sales. Two, if you've had a successful year in 2009, you can reduce your taxable income by purchasing things you need (and want) for your business.
• Consider developing a one-page plan for next year. I spend one morning each December writing a one-page business plan for myself. I simply identify four or five initiatives that would help my business. I capture them on paper, jot down my action plans, and post it on my wall. This helps keep me focused throughout the year.
• Set a financial goal (unless it will make you a slave to your business). I set financial goals for myself early in my business. But I abandoned them when they became the be-all and end-all for me even though I had two preschool aged children. Instead, I focused on taking the work that came my way. No more, no less. Now, however, I've started setting goals again. And I'm pleased to report that I had my best year ever in 2009! Don't be a slave to a goal. But consider setting one if it will motivate and encourage you or if you have something special you're saving for.
• Take time to be thankful. I am grateful I get to work from home. Sometimes I forget my gratitude when I'm overwhelmed or behind in my work. But I don't want to lose sight of what a privilege it is to run my own business. I plan to keep this in the forefront of my mind as I approach this holiday season.

Feel free to hit the comment button and add a few thoughts of your own.

www.makingworkathomework.com

Would You Like to Write for My Blog?

Yesterday I shared a post from fellow entrepreneur Joy Duling. Becuase I love to learn from other people, I'd like to invite you to submit a blog post. If yours is selected, I'll include information about you and your work and a link to your website.

You can write about anything you like related to being a work-at-home mom. Posts should be no more than 500 words (preferably less). You'll retain the copyright.

Consider writing about the toughest lesson you ever learned as an entrepreneur or the best advice you've gotten. Or how about productivity, organizing, computer shortcuts, or marketing tips? The list is endless. All I ask is that you make the post specific enough to be of help to fellow at-home entrepreneurs.

Send your post to me at mbyers@marybyers.com with "Blog Post" in the subject line. I can't wiat to read your advice!

www.makingworkathomework.com

Rules to Live By

From Mary: Following is a guest post from my friend Joy Duling:

Working from home can often turn into a balancing act. The duties of work and home begin to overlap, and often one can take over. Many moms decide to work at home to spend more time with their families, but end up dedicating even more time to work. Here are a few tips to help you juggle.

1. Get organized. Figure out what your goals and priorities are, in your business and in your personal life, then figure out how to achieve them. Then put your house, office, and life in general, together in a way that will help you achieve your goals.

2. Lists, lists, lists. One you have your plans and goals, make to-do lists. Try to organize your lists by priority. If something doesn’t get done, it probably wasn’t that important anyway.

3. Multitask. At some point, you’re probably going to get burned out doing things that seem tedious or that you just don’t want to do. Try mixing it up. If something is really stressing you out, go on to something else and come back. As a WAHM, there’s always something else that needs to get done.

4. Set work hours, and follow them. Set work hours for times when the kids aren’t around, or don’t require a lot of attention. When your work hours are done, stop working. If you can’t manage to get your work done, you may need to reset your work hours, but you most likely need to look at how much work you can actually take on.

5. Make a separate space for work and family. While it may be easy to work and play in the same area, it helps to have a dedicated office area when you work from home. This will help you focus on what you need to be doing, and even help protect you from getting your work disrupted by your family.

6. Get the family to help. Sure, if your kids are young, they aren’t going to be able to help with much, but even very small children can often help organize the house or dry dishes. Make sure everyone does their part.

7. Take time for you. When balancing work and family, you often forget an important part of the equation: you. When scheduling your work and family, always schedule some time to relax, socialize, and do what you like to do.

8. Make friends. Even if you don’t get to see them a lot, friends are an important part of maintaining your physical and mental health. Remember to take time to keep your friendships alive.

9. Stay positive. One of the biggest keys to success is keeping a positive attitude. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish as long as you believe you can do it. Plus, you’ll be setting a great life example for your kids at the same time.

10. Remember that you are unique. Trying to fit into someone else’s schedule and someone else’s plan isn’t necessarily going to be successful. You need to tailor your plan into your family’s unique needs and find something that works for you.

All great visionaries need someone behind the scenes who helps them create a solid plan to move from Point A to Point B. As a Business Strategist and Managing Director of the professional services firm, A 25 Hour Day LLC, Joy Duling plays that role, helping time-pressed professionals find the focus, systems and accountability they need to achieve their goals. You can learn more about Joy's work at http://www.a25hourday.com/.

www.markingworkathomework.com

Teleseminar Tonight

I've joined with Jill Hart, founder of Christian Work at Home Moms (cwahm.org) and the author of So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom? to develop a teleseminar series for moms who work from home. Tonight is our second program. It starts at 7:30 central and lasts for an hour. We'll be discussing “Realistic Expectations: What You Need to Know about Working from Home Successfully.” You'll learn:

*The Toughest Thing about Working From Home

*Developing an At-Home-CEO Mentality

*6 Childcare Strategies to Lighten the Load

*Setting Policies to Insure Your Success

*Adopting the Seasonal Approach to Growing Your Business

If you'd like to learn more, or register for the program, I invite you to go to http://www.theworkathomegirls.com/. If you register for all four sessions, you'll get the first program in a MP3 format so that you won't miss anything. Hope you'll joing us!

www.makingworkathomework.com

Mind Over Matter

I'm continually amazed that the feedback on my book Making Work at Home Work focuses on the mental aspect of working from home. By far the majority of those who have written to me have said that what helped them the most was the idea that their mindset makes all the difference when it comes to making work at home work.

It does.

When you approach your work with a loving, forgiving attitude, you'll find that you thrive. When you approach it with pre-child expectations and a perfectionistic attitude, you're more likely to be disappointed and frustrated. At least that's what I've found to be true.

One thing I've noticed about myself: I'm harder on myself than I am on others and my expectations of myself are higher than others' expectations for me. In some ways, this has been responsible for any success I've had. But it also makes me my own worst enemy.

Today, I invite you to ask yourself this question: How am I responsible for making work at home harder than it has to be? Then listen quietly for the answers you hear.

When I asked myself this question, here's what I heard:

• Don't be so tense about deadlines. If your clients are comfortable missing them, you need to be too.
• You need to lighten up.
• Recognize that what didn't get done today can get done tomorrow.
• Client satisfaction with you is more important than your satisfaction with yourself.
• The value you think you bring to a project may be different in the client's eyes. As a result, don't be so hard on yourself.

Notice that I didn't give myself an excuse to slack off, miss deadlines, or lower my standards. But I did give myself permision to be kinder to myself. And that's made all the difference when it comes to saving my sanity in my at-home business.

Fellow Entrepreneur Offers Advice

Today I want to wrap up the interview with Revka that posted last week. You may remember she runs Berries and Cream Blog Design. When I asked Revka what she'd recommend to other work-at-home moms, here's what she said:

I would also advise entrepreneurs to start out right by taking the steps I am only now taking: realize that working from home/owning a business means that you will have much less time for volunteer work and other activities; work with your spouse to set mutually agreeable goals, guidelines, and boundaries for your business; and set a specific dollar amount monthly sales goal as soon as possible.

One last piece of advice - free isn't always best. Be willing to invest in your business as you are able, and always get the best {fill in the blank} you can afford. Sometimes the best option is free, but don't make a decision based solely on whether one option is free and the other isn't.

I agree with all of the above as they all were hard-earned lessons for me personally. Doing the above will help you save your sanity and preserve your profit. The sooner, the better!

By the way, Revka is one of two entrepreneurs I know who have an e-mail auto reply that advises clients/potential customers regarding office hours. In addition to running her at-home business, she's the mother of four children, three of which she currently homeschools! Her auto reply indicates that her office hours are from 2-4 and includes contact information for another individual if a client needs to reach someone during this time. This is an effective use of technology and one I use when I'm traveling so that my clients know why I'm not getting back with them right away. Although I leave my cell phone number "just in case" on my auto reply, I've never had a client use it.

Thanks, Revka, for letting me share your story. Now, friends, what's one change you've made to your business that has made a big difference? Leave a comment and let's get a discussion going!

Find Your Strongest Life

Whoops! I'm sure you noticed that the third part of my profile of Berries and Cream Founder Revka appeared ahead of the other posts. I apologize and take full responsibility for that.

I'll be sharing some advice from Revka in a future post but today I want to share information on a new book titled Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham. Marcus is a proponent of working from your strengths, not your weaknesses. And though we can't all do what we love all the time, he's made a compelling argument in this book that we can increase the contentment in our lives by doing what we love and are good at as much as possible. Here's an excerpt:

"The conventional image of a successful woman today is that she's a virtuoso juggler, somehow moving fast enough to keep all the many aspects of her busy life in the air at the same time. Conventional it may be, but it's also quite sad. The core skill of juggling is throwing, not catching. To keep every object in the air, you have to get rid of each one as quickly as possible, barely allowing it to register on your fingertips before you toss it up and away, preparing for the next object to throw.

A strong life is the opposite of juggling. Juggling requires you to keep everything at bay, up in the air, away from you. The secret to living a strong life lies in knowing how to draw a few things in toward you. It asks you to be discriminating, selective, intentional. You can find energizing moments in each aspect of your life, but to do so you must learn how to catch them, hold on to them, feel the pull of their weight, and allow yourself to follow where they lead."

Wow. The above is profound advice. Instead of juggling, I'm working to catch--and embrace--each aspect of my life. Julia Klein of C.H. Brigg Company advises: "Forget the idea of 'balancing' work and family. Think of 'integrating' instead, making everything and everyone an important part of a holistic life."

October has arrived and in my neck of the woods, this means a new season. Thanks to the above, a new season of my mothering life is dawning as well. I'm no longer willing to juggle. Instead, I'm focusing on integrating everything. We'll be looking at how in the days ahead.

Embracingly Yours,

Little Things Make a Big Difference, Part 2

We're taking a look at the little things that make a big difference for work-at-home success. Yesterday I introduced you to Revka, the owner of http://berriesandcreamblogdesign.com/. (That's her in the picture!)

Not only did she start being honest about the fact that she works from home, she also asked her husband if they could discuss her business and their individual views and goals for it. She shared, "It was quite an eye-opening discussion--sometimes painful but quite helpful. At last, we are on the same page and have agreed to a particular set of goals and boundaries for my business."

According to Revka, the discussion has positively impacted her marriage. She notes, "With guidelines in place, I know where the boundaries are and what is acceptable to him in terms of fulfilling home responsibilities and business obligations. When I cross those boundaries, he is now able to remind me where the boundary is. This has reduced feelings of resentment, frustration, and anger on both our parts."

I found the same to be true in my own marriage. Resentment had been building for a long time. When I finally approached my husband for an open discussion about my desire to work and the balance it takes to make it happen, we were able to agree on a system that works for us. But I waited too long to have the discussion and wish I had done it sooner.

Honest communication is essential to work-at-home success. Do you need to schedule a conversation with your significant other? If so, don't delay!

We'll cover the last of Revka's changes tomorrow. Stay tuned!

No More Work-at-Home Insanity,

Little Things Make a Big Difference

A reader recently Facebooked me to thank me for writing Make At Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof. Revka said the book changed her business for the better. Ever curious, I asked her how. She shared three adjustments that have made a big difference for her. Amazingly, they were the same three adjustments I made to my business so that I quit drowning and started living again!

Before I share these changes, however, I'd like for you to meet Revka. She's the talent behind Berries and Cream Blog Design, which offers custom blog designs (particularly custom WordPress designs) and small business web solution packages. The company gives WAHMs and other entrepreneurs the opportunity to have a professional-quality website even on a small budget. You can find her online at http://berriesandcreamblogdesign.com/.

The first change Revka made is that she quit trying to "hide" the fact that she works from home. She wrote, "Instead of trying to do it all, I now acknowledge that my business places demands on my time that prevent me from volunteering for everything. I also acknowledge that I have deadlines and that at times my business takes precedence over housework and even family."

And how has this helped her? "Since I no longer minimize my business obligations, I find it much easier to refuse to take on more responsibilities. This has greatly reduced my stress level, and I do not feel completely overwhelmed like I did when I was trying to do it all and run my business, too."

I found the same thing to be true. Sometimes when you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing to no one, including your self and your family. Be honest about the fact that you work from home. This is the first step to sanity in an at-home business.

Later this week will look at the other two changes Revka made.

No More Work-at-Home Insanity,

Little Things Make a Big Difference, Part 3

Blog designer Revka (you can see her at the right) made three changes as a result of reading Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof. We addressed two over the past couple of days. Today we'll address the third change, which has to do with setting financial goals for your business.



Instead of trying to make as much as possible each month, Revka now has a specific dollar goal. Once that goal is reached, she views any other income as an added blessing, not an obligation. She shares, "I cannot express how freeing it is to set a specific dollar goal for monthly sales. As you state in your book, when you are trying to make as much as you can, there is always a sense of having to take every job that comes along, and that is an enormous load of stress at times. Since I set monthly sales goals, I have been able to pass along work when I feel like it instead of adding unnecessary stress to my life like I did before. What I find curious is that instead of making less money per month, I have actually made more money each month than I did before, even while turning down or passing on jobs. In fact, I have made double my monthly sales goal nearly all of the months since I set the goal (emphasis mine)."

I found the same to be true: when I set a financial goal and was deliberate about not overwhelming myself with work, my income actually went up! And Revka and I aren't the first to notice this. I've spoken with many entrepreneurs who have had this happen. It speaks to the power of clarity, goals, and approaching your work from a position of strength rather than feeling you have to accept every project that comes along. The more clearly I was able to define the type of work I wanted, the more able I was to find it. And the more clearly I was able to define the work, the more able I was to find the kind of clients I wanted to work with and those who would be able to afford my services. It sounds crazy, but it's true.

If you haven't set a monthly financial goal for your business, now is the time to do it. And it also make sense (and a lot of dollars) to take the time to define the type of work you most like to do and the type of client you most like to do it for. Why? Because when you know what you're looking for, it's much easier to find it.

Blessings,

http://www.makingworkathomework.com/

Setting Fees

In my last post I wrote about setting a financial goal. In this post, I'll show how this influences your work.

As we discussed previously, it takes gross income of $60,000 to result in a net profit of around $24,000 (assuming overhead of 30% and taxes of 30%). If this is our goal, this information tells us that we need to produce $5,000 income every month ($60,000 divided by 12=$5,000).

Where's this $5,000 going to come from? Excellent question. And it's one every entrepreneur needs to answer (based on their individual goal).

If you're a piano teacher who charges $15 per half-hour lesson, you know your income is $30 per hour. How many hours would you have to teach to make $5,000? Simple math tells us 167 hours per month. When we divide further, we can see that you'd have to work full-time teaching lessons each week to reach this goal (167 hours divided by 4 weeks= 41.75 hours per week). Since most teachers only teach in the evenings and on weekends due to children's school schedules, we can see that an income of $60,000 per year teaching piano isn't likely, unless you raise your rates. Before doing so, however, you should call around to find out what the going rate is. A rate increase might make it difficult for you to add students to your roster or cause some current students to leave.

Let's take the same goal but look at another scenario. If you're a cake decorator who specializes in wedding cakes averaging $750 each, how many cakes would you have to create to make an income of $60,000? Again, simple math shows us the answer. $60,000 divided by $750 (average per cake)=80 cakes. Is this manageable for you based on current demand, your family's needs, etc.? Only you can answer this question.

One last scenario. Let's say you have a contract to help a web design company write copy for new websites. The company pays you a flat fee of $750 for each website. Currently, you're completing two of these a week, for a total income of $1,500 per week. This means you're making $6,000 per month and will likely meet your income goal in 10 months. Maybe, just maybe, this means you can take a couple of months off in the summer to spend with your children, or at least cut back on your work since you know you'll be able to hit your financial goal (assuming the company continues to send you two websites per week to work on).

There are a couple of things to keep in mind as you ponder these scenarios:

1. There is nothing magic about the numbers I used above. Frankly, I just pulled a number out of the air as an example. Don't feel bad if your number is much lower--or much higher--than the one I used above. Remember, only you know what's best for your family. My income my first year of working at home was less than $3,000. As my children have become more self-sufficient, it's grown accordingly.

2. Your line of work will determine, in part, what's realistic for you in terms of income. Your family situation will also help deteremine what's realistic. Finally, the amount of time you want to spend working will also influence your goals.

3. Goals are not cast in stone. If you see that you've set yours too high and are sacrificing too much to try to meet it, give yourself permission to adjust it. I deeply regret the number of nights I stayed up late working and the number of days I was grumpy because of it--all because I was determined to meet my financial goal. The crazy thing is that it was one I set myself and there was no punishment for not meeting it, nor any real benefit to reaching it other than self-satisfaction. I paid a high price in terms of my marital relationship, however, and I'm glad I was able to see the light in time to make a change.

4. Goals are not meant to just drive you to work hard. They are also meant to help you know when you can ease up. It's been easier for me to give myself persmission to take a few days off or schedule lunch with a friend now that I track my income each month and can see when I'm ahead of my goals.

You've got plenty of time between now and the end of the year to decide what your 2010 financial goal will be if you decide to set one. Think about it. Write down a figure, and live with it a couple of weeks before you finalize it. Then, remember that the goal should be subject to change depending on what happens in your life next year.

Financially Yours,

http://www.makingworkathomework.com/

Setting Your Financial Goals

How much do you want to make next year?

Many work at home moms answer this question with a simple, "As much as possible." But often, as much as possible means you have to work "as much as possible." And, if you let it, "as much as possible" can begin to run your life. You'll always feel like you need to make one more call. Add one more person to your network. Make one more sale.

A better approach, from my standpoint, is to set your financial goal for the year. As you do, keep in mind that on average, most entrepreneurs keep around 40 percent of what they make. About 30% goes to pay taxes and 30% is consumed by overhead expenses. If you earn $100, your profit will be somewhere around $40. To earn a profit of $24,000, you'll have to have income of about $60,000. Kind of depressing, isn't it? But it's better to know this up front so that you can be realistic when setting your goals.

Once you have a number in mind, you can divide it by 12 in order to determine your targeted monthly income. Using the figure of $60,000, we can see we'll need to make about $5,000 a month in order to have a net profit of $24,000 at the end of the year. Dividing this further, we note we'll need to make $1,250 per week.

Why bother with all this math? First, you'll be able to see how realistic your finanical goals are. And second, when you have a measuring stick, it's easier to determine how you're doing. If you're ahead of your financial goal for the month, perhaps you can close the office door early a couple of nights or give yourself a day or two off. And if you're behind, you can decide if you want to work a little harder to get caught up, or to adjust your goal based on your family's needs.

Having a goal has made it easier for me to budget my time--and to set my fees based on what I hope to make. I'll address this in my next post.

Boosting Your Revenue

If you’ve priced your goods and services appropriately, revenue leads to profit and if you are interested in increasing your profit, there are only four ways to do it:

1. Increase your revenue by selling more products or booking more business (this may require you to work more than you currently are)

2. Increase your fees or prices (which may not be possible if you’re an independent direct sales consultant)

3. Reduce your expenses (but not to the point that you compromise your effectiveness)

4. Develop new revenue streams

For the past two years, my goal has been to work less and make more. It’s not that I’ve gotten greedy. I just want to make sure I’m getting a fair return for my labor. And, if I’m going to take time from my family, I want to make sure that I’m adequately compensated.

Sometimes we underestimate our value as work-at-home moms because of lack of confidence or gratitude that we get to work flexibly when others don’t. A friend challenged my thinking in this regard when she flippantly said, “Just because you work in your pajamas sometimes doesn’t mean you work is worth less than someone who gets dressed every day.”

She’s right. That’s why we need to periodically take a look at our income and expense statement in order to insure we’re earning what we’re worth and maximizing our profit. Here’s how to measure your success in this regard:

Determine the minimum you have to work to cover your overhead. My profit was lean the first years of my home-based business because I was caring for a toddler and an infant and I wasn’t able to do much else! Yet I still had overhead expenses such as a second phone line, internet connection fee, and office supplies. When you know how much you have to work each month just to cover your expenses, it is easier to determine how much you’ll have to work in addition to make the profit you desire.

Identify the market value for your line of work. If you were employed by another company doing what you’re doing, what would your salary be? Another way to think of this is to determine the “going rate” for your type of work—and then compare what you currently charge. Though you may be making somewhat less due to the fact that you are not based in an office outside the home, may not be working full time, and have flexibility that many employees don’t have, your income should still be comparable. If it’s not, it’s time for an adjustment. A graphic designer I know increased her fees by 30% when she realized she was under-charging for her services. No one balked. If you’re not a sales consultant whose prices are set by someone else, make sure you’re getting what you’re worth.

Be realistic. Though you may wish to see more products or book more business, doing so will require you to work more than you are, unless you can find a way to handle the increase without additional effort. If you're a network marketer, you might choose to focus on building a bigger team underneath you. If you're an independent service professional, you might decide to market more aggressively but pass the increased workload along to subcontractors instead of handling it yourself.

As you set your goals each year, be sure to recognize your limits in terms of time, energy, and capacity. If you choose to increase your income, be aware that doing so requires other increases as well, including the possibility of increased stress. If you don't want the anxiety that may accompany increasing your current sales levels, reduce your income expectations or increase your fees instead. Keep in mind there may be a point at which the market will no longer bear fee increases. If this is happening to you, consider developing new income streams for your business.

Financially Yours,
Mary Byers

Reduce Expenses

Joy Duling, the genius behind The Productive Entrepreneur (http://www.theproductiveentrepreneur.com/), agreed to be my guest blogger today. I had planned to write about controlling expenses this week--the very topic Joy posted on her blog this week. So, with her permission, I'm posting her ideas here today.

Joy writes:

How to Control Overheads
Overheads are business expenses that are not specifically part of a business project. They're the costs or your business that you're going to have whether you have a customer or not. For example, you're going to have to pay for electricity, office supplies, and facility rentals whether or not you make a sale. Costs that are specifically for a project, like shipping costs for final product, are not included in this cost.

In order to keep your costs down, make it a regular part of your routine to monitor, track, and review your overhead costs. Start by collecting your receipts and recording all your expenses in a ledger or spreadsheet. Divide them up by category, including project related expenses and overhead costs.

Once you have started tracking and categorizing what you spend, you'll probably start to see some trends. Maybe you're spending way more than you thought on shipping. It could be you see that your advertising budget is or isn't being well spent. By knowing where you're spending you money, you can figure out what expenses are worth keeping and which ones might be reduced by looking elsewhere. The key is to continue to monitor what you're spending, and make and monitor your budget regularly.

Outsourcing is a great way to keep your overhead costs down. If you have regular employees, you have to pay to train them and keep them working even if business is slow. Contractors can be hired when you have something to work on, but you don't have to worry about paying them when your business starts to drop.

Another great way to keep overheads down is to shop around. Most people do this at start up and then stick with the same provider for many years. Have you ever noticed that each car insurance company says that they can save you money over other companies? That's because companies will often offer potential new customers better rates than they do their current customers - it's easier to keep an old customer than to convince another company's customer to switch. If you look around to different companies every so often, you'll probably find a better deal.

You don't necessarily have to switch to a different provider to get a better price on supplies. If a company think they might lose your business, they're often willing to cut you a deal. As you're shopping around to other companies, be sure to try to renegotiate prices with your current supplier. This way you may be able to get a better deal with a company you already know you can trust.

You hear a lot of talk about going green and saving energy, but cutting energy use is not only trendy and good for the earth, it's also great for cutting costs. Whether it's investing in low flow toilets or buying energy-efficient light bulbs, making small earth-friendly cuts can make a big difference in your monthly bills.While overheads can be a big chunk of your business expenses, they're usually something you simply have to live with to run a business. But just because you have to have them, doesn't mean you can't reduce them with a few simple steps.

Thanks to Joy's suggestion, I've added reviewing my expenses to my "To Do" list for this week. How about you?

Let the Numbers Talk

It's essential that you have a separate checking account for your business AND that you have a method to keep track of both your income and expenses on a monthly basis. I use Quick Books. And believe me, it is quick! I paid a friend to teach me how to use it and after only an hour and a half, I was able to enter my income and expenses, run my own financial statements, and use the convenient invoicing system. I haven't had any additional traning since then. Though I know the software is more powerful than what I'm using, it meets my needs.

At the end of each month, I run an income and expense statement so that I can look at one simple piece of data: did I spend more than I earned this month? Often, I have. In that case, I look at the year-to-date numbers. Have I earned more than I spent for the year? If so, I'm in good shape. If not, I know I have to watch my expenses more carefully.

I'm surprised at the number of at-home entrepreneurs who don't take the time to look at their numbers--or to interpret what they have to say. As I've said before, it isn't what you make that matters. It's what you keep. Who cares if you're making hundreds of dollars per month if you're spending thousands?

What do your numbers say about your performance so far this year? You do have your numbers, don't you? Set aside 10 minutes this week and let them speak to you. You may be surprised at what you see. And if you are, don't ignore the warning signals. Do something about it NOW, before it's too late. If you manage your business right, you'll have money left over to put in a SEP-IRA, which I'll discuss in the next post.

Financially Yours,

Dollar and Cents

Why should you think about saving if your business isn't making much money to begin with? Because of the time value of money. Let's take a look:

Let’s say you save $2,000 every year for 20 years, and your investments earn 8 percent annually. If you start at age 25 and contribute until age 45 and then save nothing further, by age 65 you’d have roughly $426,000. But if you wait until age 35 to begin saving $2,000 a year for 20 years and then retire at 65, your kitty would amount to about $198,000. In both scenarios your out-of-pocket contribution is $40,000. In other words, the sooner you start saving and letting your money work for you, the more you'll have when it's time to retire.

Though I use my income for current living expenses, I'm also very serious about taking advanatage of the time value of money and maxing out how much I can put away for retirement. It's not always comfortable putting a chunk of change away in a retirement account where I can't touch it without penalty, but I've done it each year since I started my business 11 years ago and now I do it without thinking. It's become a habit--one I like very much now that I can see the results of a decade of saving.

If you're not saving, now is the time to figure out how you can. Start with $10 or $20 per week. But start. You'll be glad you did!

Financially Yours,

Pay Yourself First

Though paying yourself first is one of the common things financial planners recommend, my experience is that very few at-home-entrepreneurs do this with their business. But it's a powerful tactic to strengthen your financial position for three reasons:

1. You'll build a fund that you can use when it is time to upgrade or buy new equipment, and you won't have to borrow to do it.
2. You'll have a cushion so that you won't feel pinched when estimated taxes are due or other payments are required.
3. You'll be able to weather the dry spells that come (and they always do!) between income checks.

When I first started my at-home work, I put everything I earned into a checking account. My goal was not to touch the money for six months. And, if I remember correctly, I almost made it. Doing this enabled me to build a financial reserve which I maintain to this day. I've never regretted it.

Too many entrepreneurs are living paycheck to paycheck. And that's stressful. If this has been your pattern in the past, I want you to get servious about building a reserve by paying yourself first. I don't care if you deposit 5%, 10% 20% or 50% in a savings account for your business. I just care that you do it. Paying yourself first works because you don't miss money you don't have. In other words, if you get a check for $500 and put $50 of it in savings, you won't be tempted to spend the $50 because you no longer have easy access to it. This makes it easier to build savings quickly.

In my next post, we'll look at how saving now puts money in your pocket later. In the meantime, I'd like to know: Are you saving? And if so, do you put away a flat fee or a percentage each time you get paid? Hit the comment button and let us know!

Financially Yours,

Getting Serious About Money

I'm starting a series about money for at-home entrepreneurs today. I hope you'll find the information to be valauble enough that you'll forward it to other at-home workers. More importantly, I hope you'll make some changes in your business so that you can keep more of what you make.

I have two simple ideas for you to consider today. One is so basic that I'm almost embarassed to mention it. But I'm surprised by how many people don't do this. Are you ready? Here's tip number one: keep a separate checking account for your business. This prevents you from comingling personal and business money, makes it easier to handle the bookkeeping for your business, and, if you're ever audited, makes it easier to convince the IRS you're handling your business finances professionally. If you don't have a separate account for your business, make this a priority. Many banks offer free small-business checking so shop around if your bank wants to charge you for opening an account with them.

The second idea is also simple. But it requires self-discipline and therefore it isn't always easy. Pay yourself first. Decide what portion of your income you'll set aside in savings and then do so every time you deposit income. You can use this money to open an IRA, to create a rainy day fund for your business, or to invest in equipment and supplies. We'll discuss this more in my next post, but right now I want you to start thinking about what percentage you'd like to begin saving.

Financially Yours,