WAHM Business Opportunities Weblog

PR Web:

New York loves local businesswoman, Donna Bliss. Not only has Bliss enjoyed one of her most successful years, but had the honor of being a special guest on WOR 710 New York, http://www.wor710.com/pages/3600293 the top talk radio show in the country, boasting such greats as Bill O’Reilly and Lou Dobbs. WOR has continually made history with its award-winning broadcasts and Bliss was fortunate to be interviewed by Joan Hamburg, often referred to as the “First Lady of Talk Radio.” The importance of the segment can best be realized when considering the other guests on the show that day included Marie Osmond and Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser.

Bliss loves being a part of the magic of New York. As Bliss states, “New York is the shopping capital of the world. Customers have so many options at their fingertips - Malls, high end stores, department stores, discount outlet warehouses and the garment district–you absolutely must provide your customers with the very best shopping experience or they will simply go elsewhere.” That’s why she takes such pride in her company, My Miracle Baby, http://www.mymiraclebaby.com. With a safety record of 100% five years in a row, and record sales this year, it proves businesses can succeed, no matter what happens in the economy.

In addition to her recent radio segment, Bliss also received a great deal of praise in an article that appeared in the New York Daily News outlining her success as a leading mompreneur juggling family and business. But probably most noteworthy is the prestigious Long Island ‘Fortune 52′ Award she received, an honor bestowed on the top businesses in New York.

The article continues to share how My Miracle Baby is also more than an online baby-clothing store stating how Bliss wanted to connect with other mothers who have gone through similar experiences of infertility. Bliss encourages clients to tell stories of their miracle babies, join in parenting discussion groups, and network with other families. The website now hosts over 100 verified personal stories and encourages more to submit.

Screenshot from My Miracle Baby

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Reuters:

Felicity Chapman had a newborn, a design business in its infancy and a problem.

They did not get along.

After the birth of her first daughter, Chapman decided she would only work part-time, but found it all but impossible to juggle both her clients and childcare. Chapman knew she needed to find some flexible childcare that would allow her to accommodate her clients’ needs, without shortchanging her daughter.

“I didn’t want to leave her with just anyone and I couldn’t tell my clients that I can only come from Monday to Wednesday from 9-12, because that’s the only time when I have childcare,” she said, echoing the sentiment of many working mothers. “I thought there has got to be a better solution.”

The seed that began as a line in Chapman’s notepad has grown into Cubes & Crayons, a hybrid business offering moms a place where they can literally take their kids to work.

One part office space provider and one part daycare, Chapman believes her Silicon Valley-based business is the answer for working moms, or dads, who are finding it impossible to get the job done from home and look after their children at the same time.

Chapman has attempted to create a space where kids can play on one side and parents can get down to business on the other. The daycare side accepts children ages 6 weeks to 7 years and has multiple packages to accommodate parents who only need an hour here and there to those who require between 10-60 hours of childcare a month.

Logo from Cubes & Crayons

Work-at-home moms are the ultimate multitaskers. They’re able to handle a business from their home office and raise their children under the same roof. It’s a tricky task but not impossible.

Danica Favorite, the Denver working-from-home examiner, recently posted a list of tips by Marybeth Whalen that are geared toward helping work-at-home women like us.

1. Set Standards. Let the children know when they can (and can’t!) interrupt you.

2. Establish rewards and consequences. For example, I plan summer outings like going to the pool or visiting a new park. However, the condition for the outing is that I have to get my work done. If they interrupt and keep me from finishing, we don’t get to go.

3. Give the kids tasks. If they know what they’re supposed to be doing, they’re less likely to bother you with cries of, “I’m bored!”

4. Set a schedule. If the kids know what to expect each day, they are better able to respect your boundaries. At our house, each day has a different theme. By knowing the day of the week, they know what’s happening without having to ask.

5. Take advantage of the beautiful days. Take the laptop (and the kids!) outside. The kids can work off their energy while you get your work done.

Not enough? Here is one more tip from my own book of tricks:

6. Work an extra hour after your kids go to sleep or start your day a couple hours before your kids wake up. It is amazing what you can accomplish with a little silence. Use that to your advantage! By staying up a couple hours past their bedtime or waking up a couple hours before hand you will be able to get some work done, without the noise.

Photo by Gustty

MyCentralJersey.com:

Giving birth to four children within seven years did not dampen Michelle Mackie’s love of working with hair.

“About 13 years ago, I started to work out of my home, doing the hair of family and friends so I could keep my skills up and raise my young children,” Mackie said.

Even before that, Mackie, 42, had years of experience at salons in Central Jersey after earning her certificate from the Hair Fashion Institute in North Plainfield.

Finally, after looking more than a year for a place to open a salon, Mackie found her ideal location.

Michelle’s Salon of Style & Serenity occupies a home on well-traveled Washington Avenue. Prior to the salon opening there, the house was used to operate a chiropractic practice.

“It’s perfect because it’s separate from the other businesses, has its own parking space and gives a homey feeling,” said Mimi Olsen, the salon’s receptionist and bookkeeper.

Photo by didbygraham

eMediaWire:

Men make up 82% of the recession’s job losses, which means countless women are out there looking for work to make up for the lost paycheck. The problem is it’s almost impossible to find a job right now, so for many women their only hope is to get a home-based business up and running as quickly as possible. The internet provides these women with endless options and increased flexibility.

Kim DeYoung, an entrepreneur, business coach and the founder of Metromom.com, believes that having a website is now a necessity for every entrepreneur - even the mom working part-time in her basement. She is passionate about providing women with tools and training to make the extra money they desperately need.

DeYoung found herself in the same situation as thousands of other women when her husband was laid-off five months ago. She took a proactive stance and stepped up her commitment to her business and the various internet marketing options available to her.

Kim understands and explains the challenge facing work-at-home moms, “Most women I speak with are overwhelmed with the internet - they’ve heard about great tools like blogs, Twitter, Facebook, podcasts, and YouTube but don’t know where to start. They don’t want to waste time on things that won’t have a direct impact on their bottom line.” Due to the monumentally increased financial pressure on moms, these women need help figuring out how to use the internet to generate an income quickly.

Screenshot from the Metromom Online Success Summit

MPNnow:

Providing everything children deserve is never easy, but it’s part of mom’s job description. When things get tough, moms get tougher. Driven by an unconditional love, moms use creativity, talent and old-fashioned hard work to provide for their families.

Tuscarawas Township, Ohio, resident Kristen Ramsey dusted off her dreams to help support her family when her husband, James Ramsey, lost his job with the Ford Motor Co.

Over the last several months, James has been laid off, called back to work and laid off again. In the meantime, Kristen Ramsey is paying the bills by selling her handmade jewelry.

“I had taken classes on metal smithing a while ago, so I started selling my jewelry,” she said. “I have been selling a lot of my bracelets and doing a lot of rings lately.”

Turning her husband’s dusty, old workbench into a jewelry studio was one of the best ideas Kristen Ramsey ever had. It allows her to tap creativity and manage schedules. And the money she earns makes a big difference.

In addition to selling her jewelry at local art shows, Kristen Ramsey uses technology to give the business a boost.

“I would have had a much tougher time without the Internet and being able to spread the word that way,” Kristen Ramsey said, noting she uses Facebook to network and Etsy.com to sell her jewelry. “With the Internet you have the opportunities for (your business) to explode. … This kind of thing would not have happened for me 15 years ago.”

Customers around the nation have ordered her rings, bracelets and necklaces from www.earthyexpressions.etsy.com.

Logo from Earthy Expressions

Tribune Business Weekly:

In the sixth grade, Joya Helmuth started a business she called Write-A-Mania. With calligraphy pens from an aunt, the teenager spent her free time printing poems, charging customers 7 cents a word.

“I had business cards and brochures, and I think the grade school even let me put up posters. Entrepreneurship runs in the family,” says Helmuth, who today at 38 is still surrounded with pens, letterhead and stationery.

“For me to have my own business is a way of life.”

That business is Spark Fine Stationery, located in an old firehouse on Hill Street near downtown South Bend. The front of the store focuses on retail, with journals, paper, and announcements.

“If you can find something I carry anywhere else, you have to tell me,” the 38-year-old mother of two confides as she spins a greeting card rack inside her front door to show some unique lines.

But more than a third of her business is derived from wedding announcements, invitations, programs, placards and favor boxes that all appeal to her lifelong love of design. She also works on brochures, programs and other projects with the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College.

Helmuth recently tweaked the name of the store — formerly Spark Design Studio — that she launched as a home-based business in 1998, to emphasize the retail as opposed to the design.

“There have been so many name changes and moves for this business,” she says, noting how Spark had been located in the Commerce Center when she still had a business partner, and William Street, before moving to Hill Street in March 2007.

Logo from Spark Fine Stationery

PR Web:

Mompreneur, Kristi Gorinas, introduces a line of boutique diaper bags integrating the patent-pending EZ-Wipe System. This inspired invention allows for easy one-handed access to baby wipes directly through a zipper on the back of each handbag. The Mom-Invented bags are designed to look like fashionable purses but function like fully featured diaper bags.

The Kristi G Collection consists of three sizes of handbags perfect for every outing, from family trips to girls’ night out to date night. The Grab & Go Clutch is compact, but roomy, perfect for carrying mom’s and baby’s essentials for short trips. The Everything Tote accommodates everything for long outings or larger families and is exceptionally lightweight, even when full. The VersaPurse is truly tailored for many uses. These purses convert easily to an over the shoulder purse, a messenger bag or a backpack, all without having to adjust the straps. Each diaper bag is made in the USA.

The Collection consists of smart and stylishly designed fabrics focusing on Everyday Elegance - where fashion FINALLY meets functionality, thanks to the EZ-Wipe System.

Kristi G, mompreneur and mother of four young girls, understands the importance of maintaining a sense of style while carting around diapers, snacks, bottles, and her own essentials. And never having to dig for baby wipes at the bottom of the bag or stroller while ice cream drips all over the kids’ clothes, makes these diaper bags even more irresistible. Just open the zipper and pull out a wipe.

Kristi G handbags can be used long after the diaper-duty days are over. Wipes are not just for baby’s bum, but are perfect for sticky fingers, messy mouths, runny noses or dirty dashboards. The EZ-Wipe Pouch is not only great for wipes, but easily accommodates tissues, business cards, lipstick or any item requiring access with ease.

Logo from Kristi G

Examiner.com:

Danielle O’Connor and Shari Feldman met at the University of South Florida while pursuing their doctorates in Anthropology. In 2003, the friends traveled to Guatemala where they became fascinated with the textiles worn by the local indigenous people. Soon, they both became mothers and although their focus shifted to their families, their appreciation of cultures and their memories of Guatemala never faded.

The young mothers became inspired by the love for their children and their reminiscence of the beautiful Mayan textiles. This is where the idea for Chi Chi Amor was born. In 2006, Shari and Danielle took a few trips to Panajachel, Guatemala where they met with several textile producers. Together they developed a line of unique children’s clothing that integrated Mayan textiles with contemporary western fashion. Their products are handmade by small family groups who work in collaboration with Chi Chi Amor to design and produce their garments. Danielle and Shari take great care to assure that all of the Guatemalan collaborators will be paid for their work according to the prices they set for themselves and are recognized for their artistry.

Logo from Chi Chi Amor

The Wenatchee World Online:

Would you like a skinny latte with that fixed-rate, 30-year home loan?

Local mortgage broker Angie Coleman Sherman has turned to espresso as a cure for the housing crash.

She opened espresso/bakery A Shot of Gratitude in January in the lobby of her home-loan business, Trusted Home Mortgage.

She also sells real estate and coaches elementary school basketball.

Coffee is a great way to get people in the door, she said. And that’s what she needs these days.

A Chelan native, Coleman Sherman, 41, and her now ex-husband made a good living in the Seattle area “flipping” and selling six homes, starting a mortgage business and cashing in on the real estate boom.

Then came a divorce and last year’s crash.

Her six-figure yearly earnings and retirement funds shriveled. She was faced with raising her 12-year-old son, Jalen Sherman, as a single mom and the need to cover her own real estate investments with money in her dwindling savings account.

“The market basically seized,” she said. “Business slowed way down. People weren’t consuming. Many brokered lenders went out of business. Who could predict that the whole banking industry would implode?”

She returned home to Chelan to regroup, but temporary plans turned permanent.

“I decided, what better place for me to be a single mom than here, surrounded by friends and family,” she said.

With the small-town life has come a scramble for more income.

During the boom, she invested in six area properties, including the building that houses her espresso/home-loan office. She’s managed to keep up with payments.

She got into the espresso business after buying out her partner in an espresso-cart venture for warm-weather sales by the lake.

The machine now produces the “shots of gratitude” she sells from the espresso bar/mortgage office.

Photo by faeryboots