Review of our new book - So You Want to Be a Work-At-Home Mom: A Christians Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business by Denise of WAHM-Articles.com
As a work at home mom who is also a Christian, the most difficult part of starting my Virtual Assistant business wasn’t writing a marketing plan, setting up my first website, or even finding my first client. It was figuring out what role my faith in God should play in my new business. The answer seems obvious - of course it comes first! The tricky part was learning exactly what that should look like…That’s why I was so thrilled to discover the new book by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen, So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom: A Christian’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business.
Diana’s Virtual Assistance books and Jill’s online community of Christian WAHMs had been very influential for me when I began working from home years ago. Together, Jill and Diana know everything there is to know about working from home, and they know how it all fits together with faith in God.Every inch of starting a home business is covered in this wonderful book. Jill and Diana walk readers through choosing a business, setting it up, marketing a business, and even how to balance your family with your home business. And through it all runs the idea that for a Christian mom like me, faith in God needs to come first, in everything I do.The information in these pages is priceless for any mom considering a work at home lifestyle. But what was most inspiring for me were the personal stories Jill and Diana share about their own work at home journeys, along with interviews with other successful business owners that are sprinkled throughout.
It was encouraging to realize that these women I had admired for so long had once faced the same problems I had, and had asked the same questions.And the most important question this book finally resolved for me, was the role my faith should play in my business. My faith in God is at the beginning, and in everything I do. Just what does that look like? Some days it’s frustrating. Some days it’s amazing. And there are days when I wonder if my hopes will ever be realized. Then I remember that God’s plans are much bigger than mine, and what He has in mind for me is greater than I could possibly imagine.
If you need encouragement in your own work at home journey, or want to know what it really takes to become a work at home mom, you will love the book, So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom. Visit http://SoYouWantToBeAWAHM.com to learn more about the book and order your copy!
Showing posts with label WAHM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WAHM. Show all posts
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
MomsTown on Radio Show Today
We had the pleasure of interviewing Mary from MomsTown.com. What a fabulous interview. It felt like talking with an old friend as I've seen MomsTown grow over the years. I could so recall being so proud to see them on Dr. Phil and then Montel and all the others. It sure is nice when you get to see someone you know on those shows.
What was especially nice was getting to talk to her about her new book, Live the Life You Crave - It's All About You! I love this book. It was guidelines and tips for all us moms and businesswoman. As I mentioned on the show today often times I would pick it up and I would be going through the same thing and feeling the same way (especially as my kids reached the teenage years.). It was great not to feel alone and also to hear some of their tips. It's available at Amazon if you haven't gotten it yet.
Also, we discussed the economy and how moms are surviving. She offered some great tips that I hope I can follow through on. For example, live in the day. Forget the past and don't fear for the future. Just live for today and you'll be so much more at ease.
She also shared all the new happenings at MomsTown. If you haven't been over there lately, GO!! You'll be so glad you did. www.momstown.com.
Thanks Mary for an awesome interview. http://blogtalkradio.com/cwahm
Diana Ennen, Virtual Word Publishing.com
What was especially nice was getting to talk to her about her new book, Live the Life You Crave - It's All About You! I love this book. It was guidelines and tips for all us moms and businesswoman. As I mentioned on the show today often times I would pick it up and I would be going through the same thing and feeling the same way (especially as my kids reached the teenage years.). It was great not to feel alone and also to hear some of their tips. It's available at Amazon if you haven't gotten it yet.
Also, we discussed the economy and how moms are surviving. She offered some great tips that I hope I can follow through on. For example, live in the day. Forget the past and don't fear for the future. Just live for today and you'll be so much more at ease.
She also shared all the new happenings at MomsTown. If you haven't been over there lately, GO!! You'll be so glad you did. www.momstown.com.
Thanks Mary for an awesome interview. http://blogtalkradio.com/cwahm
Diana Ennen, Virtual Word Publishing.com
Friday, May 09, 2008
Work At Home Parents Many Benefits - Being There for Their Sick Children
Margate, FL (May, 2008) Working parents everywhere are realizing the extra benefits of working from home including being there for their children when they are sick. In fact, Diana Ennen, president of Virtual Word Publishing was recently featured on CBS Channel 4 News in Miami, http://cbs4.com/video/?id=53473@wfor.dayport.com on a segment on working parents and handling sick children and states that one of the biggest advantages to being self employed is the ability to not send her kids to school sick.
Ennen states, “I’ve walked to school and seen the agony on a parent’s face when they have had to drop their children off at school ill, just because they couldn’t take time off from work. Not only is it sad for the parents, but also the other children in the classroom are now exposed to added germs as well. Changes need to be made.”
Apparently lawmakers think it’s a good idea too. Officials from 11 states are considering a bill that would make paid sick days a basic labor standard. Even Presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are involved, coming out in support of mandatory paid sick days. Also Congress may vote on the Healthy Families Act, which would require businesses with fifteen or more employees to give workers at least seven paid sick days per year.
These are changes that all should support. However, businesses don’t need legislation to make a change. A simple change in company policy is all that is needed to protect the health and well being of their most valued assets, their employees and their families. If companies allowed sick days for employees when they kids were sick, we would see a dramatic drop in diseases, and also employees would be more satisfied at work.
Some might also find it beneficial to do as Ennen did and consider working from home. By staying at home, Ennen has been able to work while caring for three children including her 10- year-old daughter Amber. “My hours are my own and the flexibility is just great,” said Ennen. Amber appreciates the added attention she gets and has told me that one of the greatest things about me working from home is that I’m there for her when she is sick. For her to realize that is gratifying.” added Ennen.
Ennen has been working from her home since 1985 when she decided to quit her job and start her own business as a virtual assistant, writing press releases, marketing authors and their books and offering coaching. Ennen has written several books about starting a virtual assistant business including Virtual Assistant - The Series: Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA and The Corel Word Perfect, Virtual Assistant Solution Pack.
To read more about Ennen or view the CBS video in more detail go to Ennen’s site at Virtual Word Publishing, www.virtualwordpublishing.com
Ennen states, “I’ve walked to school and seen the agony on a parent’s face when they have had to drop their children off at school ill, just because they couldn’t take time off from work. Not only is it sad for the parents, but also the other children in the classroom are now exposed to added germs as well. Changes need to be made.”
Apparently lawmakers think it’s a good idea too. Officials from 11 states are considering a bill that would make paid sick days a basic labor standard. Even Presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are involved, coming out in support of mandatory paid sick days. Also Congress may vote on the Healthy Families Act, which would require businesses with fifteen or more employees to give workers at least seven paid sick days per year.
These are changes that all should support. However, businesses don’t need legislation to make a change. A simple change in company policy is all that is needed to protect the health and well being of their most valued assets, their employees and their families. If companies allowed sick days for employees when they kids were sick, we would see a dramatic drop in diseases, and also employees would be more satisfied at work.
Some might also find it beneficial to do as Ennen did and consider working from home. By staying at home, Ennen has been able to work while caring for three children including her 10- year-old daughter Amber. “My hours are my own and the flexibility is just great,” said Ennen. Amber appreciates the added attention she gets and has told me that one of the greatest things about me working from home is that I’m there for her when she is sick. For her to realize that is gratifying.” added Ennen.
Ennen has been working from her home since 1985 when she decided to quit her job and start her own business as a virtual assistant, writing press releases, marketing authors and their books and offering coaching. Ennen has written several books about starting a virtual assistant business including Virtual Assistant - The Series: Become a Highly Successful Sought After VA and The Corel Word Perfect, Virtual Assistant Solution Pack.
To read more about Ennen or view the CBS video in more detail go to Ennen’s site at Virtual Word Publishing, www.virtualwordpublishing.com
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Work at Home Successs
Hi
Part of my New Year's Resolution this year was to "blog" more and also to learn more. It's amazing the amount of information that is out there today for free. You can get free seminars, podcasts, teleclasses, etc. And they are chock full of great information. Yes, most of the places want you to sign up for their newsletters and the free information is bait to do that, but when the information is valuable and going to help my business, that's a newsletter that I want to be subscribed to.
My biggest concern has always been time. How can I listen to these free "seminars" or podcasts and still get it all done. What I've discovered is that it's easy to do. Here's what I've been doing and I wanted to pass it on to others. Save the podcast and listen to it while clearing off your desk or exercising. I normally wake up 45 minutes early and do some exercise tapes. I've discovered I can save those podcasts or webinars for this time and not only am I exercising, but I'm learning at the same time. I often will have to stop to take notes, but what a great way to learn more.
There's so many changes going on today in marketing in the Work-at-Home Industry. You need to stay on top of these all. For example, you need to get involved now with social marketing and social networking. The sooner you learn how to use these effectively for your business, the better. This is my goal this year. When you see the potential it has, you just know that you need to do it!
What other work at home success tips do you have? Please do let us know. I always try and put articles here for you that are helpful, so here's one! Hope you enjoy! And please do send me yours so I can post as well. Send to diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or post on my sites at www.virtualwordpublishing.com or www.virtualassistantstartups.com
Home Based Business Success – Start Yours Today
So many today want to start their own business and fortunately businesses are constantly looking for guidance. One home based business I recommend is starting a word processing or virtual assisting business. It can make a great work-at-home career and the potential just keeps getting better and better. You will now find many famous authors, actors, businesses, and even political candidates beaming about how a virtual assistant is a must have for business success. In fact, in many books now, some are citing that having a virtual assistant is one of your most important keys to success.
Getting started is easy. Fortunately, it’s not expensive either. First of all you need a complete plan of action set out in advance. This ensures that you don't leave any vital steps unaddressed and will have a solid plan of action to succeed. You don’t need anything technical, just how you plan to operate your business including advertising methods, pricing, business hours, equipment and supplies needed, goals, etc.
You want to clearly define your business. There are so many different areas you can go into as a home based word processor or virtual assistant so you need to decide with your skills and your experience what is the best for you. For example, do you want to do strictly word processing or do you want to do marketing too. How about transcription? I highly recommend considering that. Most businesses today do dictate their work and now virtual assistants can transcribe dictation from anywhere in the world. You’d be amazed how easy it is to learn too.
Now, that you have your business plan you need to decide on the name of your business. One thing you need to make sure of is that you can legally have that name. Often I’ve seen word processors start their business and just grab a name and call it their own. That doesn’t work well when someone else has already chosen that name, registered it, perhaps trademarked it, and has been using it for years. First check and make sure that no one already has it, then test it out. Is it easy to pronounce when you answer the phone? Does it sell you well? Does it limit you? Five years from now will you still feel proud of that name? Try it out on friends and ask their honest feedback. Also, go to the various boards and mention it too. For such an important decision it’s worth the effort.
To operate a business you are required by law to have the appropriate licenses. This is your permit to do business locally. It's a simple procedure that doesn't require a considerable amount of time. Contact your city and county officials under occupational licenses for complete details or go online. Most VAs start out initially as a sole proprietorship and then might change later into either an LLC or S Corporation.
Now it's time to set up your bookkeeping. You will want to keep track of all your income and expenses. Save all receipts and pay all your expenses out of your business checking account. A software program such as Quickbooks is ideal for our type of business. Not only does it allow you to keep accurate records, but it also enables you to track exactly where the most money is coming from. This enables you to target your marketing efforts more in that area.
Now you must decide how much to charge. Don't undercharge your services. The Virtual Assisting Industry is a very proud bunch and we want our clients and others to know that when you hire us, you are getting a professional and one capable of making your business better. Clients will pay well for making their business succeed. Determine what is being charged in your area, but also take into account what you are bringing to the table. When you offer specialty services such as web design or say expert proofing or publicity, you can charge more.
It is also important to have an impressive marketing piece. Your brochures, letterhead, flyers, business cards, etc., should look sensational. I personally love VistaPrints at VistaPrints.com. I can afford to get matching business cards, mailing labels, magnets, and even postcards cheap. This makes me look more professional as I have everything the same layout and because it’s so reasonable, I even have different styles for different clients.
Now you need to get those clients. The key to successful marketing is to tell clients what benefits they will receive by answering their main question, "What's in it for me?" Keep in mind, you're not selling your services, you're selling the benefits of your services. What can you offer them that would make their business run more successfully? An example of this would be accurate dependable service done on an “as needed” basis.
One of the most important things is to get a professional website. This will enable you not only to get clients through your SEO efforts, but also to show your clients your services and everything about your business. Look around at other word processing or virtual assisting websites and get some tips. Don’t copy-just get ideas.
Now that you’ve got the clients, you need to keep them. The best way to do this is to always provide them with more than they ask for. Go the extra mile on all assignments. Let them know that you value their business and are eager to help them succeed.
Wasn’t that easy? If you’d like additional information on starting a business, e-mail me or stop by my website at http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com. I have free information available, such as a sample chapter of Virtual Assistant the Series, and marketing letters to send to clients, and also excellent books that can help you succeed quickly.
****
Diana Ennen is the author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and accompanying Workbook, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, Corel Word Perfect Office Ready, Virtual Assistant Solution Pack, and is president of Virtual Word Publishing http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and http://www.virtualassistantstartups.com. Free to reprint article as long as the bio remains intact. Email us for free Virtual Assistant Information Package.
Part of my New Year's Resolution this year was to "blog" more and also to learn more. It's amazing the amount of information that is out there today for free. You can get free seminars, podcasts, teleclasses, etc. And they are chock full of great information. Yes, most of the places want you to sign up for their newsletters and the free information is bait to do that, but when the information is valuable and going to help my business, that's a newsletter that I want to be subscribed to.
My biggest concern has always been time. How can I listen to these free "seminars" or podcasts and still get it all done. What I've discovered is that it's easy to do. Here's what I've been doing and I wanted to pass it on to others. Save the podcast and listen to it while clearing off your desk or exercising. I normally wake up 45 minutes early and do some exercise tapes. I've discovered I can save those podcasts or webinars for this time and not only am I exercising, but I'm learning at the same time. I often will have to stop to take notes, but what a great way to learn more.
There's so many changes going on today in marketing in the Work-at-Home Industry. You need to stay on top of these all. For example, you need to get involved now with social marketing and social networking. The sooner you learn how to use these effectively for your business, the better. This is my goal this year. When you see the potential it has, you just know that you need to do it!
What other work at home success tips do you have? Please do let us know. I always try and put articles here for you that are helpful, so here's one! Hope you enjoy! And please do send me yours so I can post as well. Send to diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or post on my sites at www.virtualwordpublishing.com or www.virtualassistantstartups.com
Home Based Business Success – Start Yours Today
So many today want to start their own business and fortunately businesses are constantly looking for guidance. One home based business I recommend is starting a word processing or virtual assisting business. It can make a great work-at-home career and the potential just keeps getting better and better. You will now find many famous authors, actors, businesses, and even political candidates beaming about how a virtual assistant is a must have for business success. In fact, in many books now, some are citing that having a virtual assistant is one of your most important keys to success.
Getting started is easy. Fortunately, it’s not expensive either. First of all you need a complete plan of action set out in advance. This ensures that you don't leave any vital steps unaddressed and will have a solid plan of action to succeed. You don’t need anything technical, just how you plan to operate your business including advertising methods, pricing, business hours, equipment and supplies needed, goals, etc.
You want to clearly define your business. There are so many different areas you can go into as a home based word processor or virtual assistant so you need to decide with your skills and your experience what is the best for you. For example, do you want to do strictly word processing or do you want to do marketing too. How about transcription? I highly recommend considering that. Most businesses today do dictate their work and now virtual assistants can transcribe dictation from anywhere in the world. You’d be amazed how easy it is to learn too.
Now, that you have your business plan you need to decide on the name of your business. One thing you need to make sure of is that you can legally have that name. Often I’ve seen word processors start their business and just grab a name and call it their own. That doesn’t work well when someone else has already chosen that name, registered it, perhaps trademarked it, and has been using it for years. First check and make sure that no one already has it, then test it out. Is it easy to pronounce when you answer the phone? Does it sell you well? Does it limit you? Five years from now will you still feel proud of that name? Try it out on friends and ask their honest feedback. Also, go to the various boards and mention it too. For such an important decision it’s worth the effort.
To operate a business you are required by law to have the appropriate licenses. This is your permit to do business locally. It's a simple procedure that doesn't require a considerable amount of time. Contact your city and county officials under occupational licenses for complete details or go online. Most VAs start out initially as a sole proprietorship and then might change later into either an LLC or S Corporation.
Now it's time to set up your bookkeeping. You will want to keep track of all your income and expenses. Save all receipts and pay all your expenses out of your business checking account. A software program such as Quickbooks is ideal for our type of business. Not only does it allow you to keep accurate records, but it also enables you to track exactly where the most money is coming from. This enables you to target your marketing efforts more in that area.
Now you must decide how much to charge. Don't undercharge your services. The Virtual Assisting Industry is a very proud bunch and we want our clients and others to know that when you hire us, you are getting a professional and one capable of making your business better. Clients will pay well for making their business succeed. Determine what is being charged in your area, but also take into account what you are bringing to the table. When you offer specialty services such as web design or say expert proofing or publicity, you can charge more.
It is also important to have an impressive marketing piece. Your brochures, letterhead, flyers, business cards, etc., should look sensational. I personally love VistaPrints at VistaPrints.com. I can afford to get matching business cards, mailing labels, magnets, and even postcards cheap. This makes me look more professional as I have everything the same layout and because it’s so reasonable, I even have different styles for different clients.
Now you need to get those clients. The key to successful marketing is to tell clients what benefits they will receive by answering their main question, "What's in it for me?" Keep in mind, you're not selling your services, you're selling the benefits of your services. What can you offer them that would make their business run more successfully? An example of this would be accurate dependable service done on an “as needed” basis.
One of the most important things is to get a professional website. This will enable you not only to get clients through your SEO efforts, but also to show your clients your services and everything about your business. Look around at other word processing or virtual assisting websites and get some tips. Don’t copy-just get ideas.
Now that you’ve got the clients, you need to keep them. The best way to do this is to always provide them with more than they ask for. Go the extra mile on all assignments. Let them know that you value their business and are eager to help them succeed.
Wasn’t that easy? If you’d like additional information on starting a business, e-mail me or stop by my website at http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com. I have free information available, such as a sample chapter of Virtual Assistant the Series, and marketing letters to send to clients, and also excellent books that can help you succeed quickly.
****
Diana Ennen is the author of numerous books including Virtual Assistant: the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA and accompanying Workbook, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, Corel Word Perfect Office Ready, Virtual Assistant Solution Pack, and is president of Virtual Word Publishing http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com and http://www.virtualassistantstartups.com. Free to reprint article as long as the bio remains intact. Email us for free Virtual Assistant Information Package.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
