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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Stay at Home Moms and Home-Based Businesses

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Women in business are becoming commonplace. What’s more, a significant portion of women business owners are those operating from their homes.

We interviewed Lesley Spencer, the founder and director of Home Based Working Moms (HBWM) at http://www.hbwm.com, the leading home business site for women, to share her insights on how women can succeed in a home business. Lesley also operates a number of other sites, including HBWM Canada: www.HBWMcanada.com Mom’s Work-at-Home Kit: www.MomsWorkAtHomeKit.com, and Mom’s Work-at-Home Site: www.MomsWorkAtHomeSite.com.


What advice do you give stay-at-home moms looking for a business that they can start at home?

The best advice I can give is to research the home business market and decide what you would be interested in doing. I strongly suggest that people find a business they TRULY enjoy. Most people who jump into a “quick way to make money” fail. They fall victim to scams. They start something that does not earn an income. Or they find the business they started is not something they enjoy and making money at it becomes a real chore.

What are the hottest home businesses now for moms and women in general?

There seems to be a growing number of virtual assistants, web designers as well as direct marketers.

How has the Internet opened doors for moms wanting to work from home?

The Internet has enabled people to work virtually from home. With the tools of email and websites, a person can communicate internationally and have the same advantages of larger businesses. It also enables a mom to work at home around her children’s schedule in the comfort of her home.

What are the most popular Web-based businesses that women are getting into?

Some of the more popular web-based businesses include web design, online stores and sales.

Can you give any tips on how stay-at-home moms can succeed in their home business venture?

  • Plan ahead if possible. It takes time to develop a new business. Network as much as possible and start meeting people who may be future customers or clients. Tell everyone you know what business you are planning to start.
  • Review your home business options. HBWM’s Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkatHomeKit.com) was created to help moms find the perfect home business for their individual needs.
  • Get business counseling. SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives) offers free counseling (www.score.org). Also check out the many resources at www.sba.gov.
  • Be aware that just because you work from home does not mean you will not need any type of child care help. Children need and deserve attention. If you are working while your children are home and awake, hire a babysitter, swap child care with another at-home parent or use a part-time Mother’s Day Out /Preschool program.
  • Spend dedicated time each day or each week marketing and working on growing your business. Periodically review where your business is and where you would like it to be. Decide how you will handle growth. Will you hire help, refer work to others, increase your price, etc.?

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