When I was young, I dreamt of being a mom.  I thought I would stay at home with my kids and everything would be wonderful.  Well, the former didn’t quite work out but the latter still did.

I worked full time in software after graduating from college.  When it was time for kids, I knew that financially we needed me to have some income so the stay at home full time thing wouldn’t really work.  So we brainstormed what I could do.

My mom had a home based business as a real estate appraiser.  Although only 40 minutes away, it was in the next state.  I decided to get my appraiser license and work with her.  I took courses online and passed my test and worked as her apprentice.  My dad would watch my son while mom and I did inspections and worked.  The plan was too eventually use the state reciprocity so I could be licensed in my own state and work for myself.

Then it was time for another kid.  What we realized was that with 2 kids, it was going to be a lot more difficult to run an appraisal business of my own.  I would not have granddaddy-daycare anymore and would be spending a lot of time for inspections and reports and would have to figure out what to do with the kids.  And the biggest concern?  I was expending a lot of effort but not making nearly what I did in software.

So we brainstormed more.  I approached my former company with a proposal.  I would come back 20 hours a week, working only one day in the office.  They jumped at that.  I was really happy because it made me feel important to them.

At first I tried working hours in the afternoon after my husband got home and then going in for a full day on Fridays.  That worked for a while but we really needed some childcare help so that I could work during normal hours.  So we used a nanny for a few hours a few days a week.  She would watch the kids while I worked at home.  Eventually I stopped going into the office and worked all my hours at home.

We also used au pairs for a few years so I could work more hours while still being able to have lunch with the kids and take breaks to see them throughout the day.  Having an au pair provided a lot of flexibility for a very reasonable cost.  It really worked well for us.

Now that both kids are in elementary school, I can work from home during the school day.  I get to see them in the morning to get them on the bus and in the afternoon as soon as they get home.  It is a great balance for me.

So after trying a few things, I found what works for me.  It may not always be easy.  Sick kids, teacher workdays, and summer vacation are all challenges.  But my husband and I work together to make it work.

I encourage all working moms to figure out what makes the right balance for them.  Whether it is working full time in an office, part time telecommuting, home based business … there is something for all of us.  It may take a few tries to find it but you will and it will be wonderful.  – Denise

Denise blogs at According to Denise (www.accordingtodenise.com) and tweets at @acctodenise.
A self-described “chick getting through” she’s a mom, wife, step-mom, programmer,
migraine-sufferer and wannabe runner.  She balances all this with humor,
emotional meltdowns, chocolate, coffee and then blogs all about it.

We all have heard of the companies which are originals. The way to become a huge success is to think up an a truly original product or service. One no one else has developed and taken to the market yet. Many are household names. To the point of the which the brand name becomes synonymous with the product.  How does this even happen? To become successful to that point? It’s incredible, but it does happen. Kleenex it’s brand name which we use rather synonymously, we use the ‘brand name’ Kleenex in place of the ‘product name’ – a tissue. How many times have you asked for a Kleenex over a tissue?

How does that level of success happen? Well one way to truly become success, is to be original. Many inventors spend their lives only thinking up new new products to bring to market. Some create  only a few successful hit products while there are a few who have created several hit products over their careers as inventors. Different products are created in their mind’s eye, which overtime and development we will someday all will be using.  Once the product is created, developed and marketed, we all take for granted the product not understanding the years it took to bring the product to market.

‘The first and only type’ products are the real gold mines of the business world. Swiffer comes to mind, now who is going to top that product?  How do one become the first and only? Thinking, thinking and more thinking is how it’s done.  Fairly new companies such as dog waste removal services did not exist until recently, but it’s a huge success. Every year new successful ones are created out of no where to become gold mines.

Well the same business philosophy applies to women businesses. Create a new business which has not been developed yet.  Virtual assistance, blog server hosting, web content developers, affiliate managers, blog advertising companies are all examples of newer type businesses which women can do from home. What will be the next newly created career or service for women to do from home? Who knows what it will be? Maybe you do, maybe your designing it right now! Reflect on what is needed to help the growing female sisterhood on the net. Think about what exactly do women business women want to outsource? Outsourcing has created many women’s careers. Once you become successful there is no way you can do it all, you must outsource some of what you to do in a day. You may of found a new business opportunity for yourself? Picking up an outsourced task or creating a service in helping women with their business needs. Women who work from home have needs! There’s a whole population who are working from home and can’t get it all done from home. Their business needs are your opportunity to gain and grow your own business.

Being a mother is often referred to as a “full-time job” and with all of the responsibilities and duties that come along with this title it is unfortunate that overtime pay is not an option. In an economy where a dual income isn’t a so much additional as it is necessary income, not everyone has the luxury of “mother” being their only occupation. Many moms out there are finding that they need to go back to work but might not quite be sure how to get back into the professional world. After all, where do job searches and interviews fit in between dropping off the kids at school and rushing them to soccer practice afterward? Luckily, for the modern women, multitasking is usually not a problem and technological advances are making it easier than over to market yourself professionally without spending too much of your precious time on those efforts. 

First, if you want to be on the job market you are going to have to put yourself out on it. The quickest way to do this is by establishing a professional online presence. These days, employers like to do a little background research on potential employees, so make sure that your professional and not personal self is what initially pops up on Google searches. There are several resources you can use to quickly establish your professional online presence, but one of the best and time-efficient ones is LinkedIn. This professional networking Web site allows users to connect with other professionals in their industry for various business purposes. By creating an account with LinkedIn you are able to create an online profile that includes information about your professional experience, educational history, and portfolio work. This is a great way to get your resume information out there without taking the time to send out a bunch of resumes to potential employers.

Having a LinkedIn profile that shows up when someone enters your name into an online search engine can also save you a lot of time in the interview process. When interviewers already have some knowledge about your work experience and educational background they can cut right past the informational part of the interview and ask the most important questions that will let them know if you are the right person for the job. This saves both of you time as you won’t be called in for any interviews you are not qualified for and the ones that you are qualified for  will likely go a lot faster.

This online tool also serves as a great way to network without having to take the time out of your busy schedule to attend job fairs, hiring events, or other social functions. LinkedIn allows you to connect with other professionals you have worked with in the past and discover the inside connections you may have that can lead to future career opportunities. It also helps you to identify industry executives and other management professionals in your field that could have the power to put you in the right position. Rather than spending hours researching companies to find out who you need to contact in order to secure an interview, you can just search for professionals in your area and invited them to look at your profile to bring attention to your credentials and generate interest in your capabilities.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online college. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

Our opinions on affiliate marketing -

A hot topic, affiliate marketing! If you choose  to enter into an affiliate relationship, be careful. If you give thought and research time into the company, you’ll be fine. You need to find the right affiliates, the right markets for your visitors and not just ones which will take up your space. True, you are giving up real estate space your site, which some are DEAD SET AGAINST. The reason being is, the act of being an affiliate, your directing your visitors away from your site to another site. Which some schools of thought say, NEVER  EVER DO – it’s a school of thought, which believes it a horrible thing.

We personally DON’T buy into it. Our school of thought is – by having affiliates, you’ll be doing your visitors a favor. You are growing another person’s business, building contacts by having the partnership  and showing your good relationships with other businesses.  Here at Networking WAHM, we only pick great companies to be represented on our site. For the fact it’s truly a reflection on our site. (Note, the lack of logos everywhere on our site) We refuse to represent any product on our site, unless it’s a great one, it’s not worth it to us.

Before going forward with becoming an affiliate, for any company, here’s our advice.

1) Do yourself a favor, do your homework, read the reviews (online) on the products first, before agreeing.

2) Check into the customer service, how it’s rated, have customers had good experiences with the customer service (online you can research it)

3) Ask the customers about the products! You can find many people’s emails,  right online in the comments on the site, usually. Just send few friendly open and honest emails. “Hi, I just saw your comment, Do you mind if I ask you about the products? I’m thinking of building a relationship with the company, did you have a good experience? Please tell me your opinion?” People are amazingly honest, you just need to ask

4) Research , research, research the company itself. When contacted by any company to be an affiliate, you need to do your homework.

Here at Networking WAHM, we’re very fussy about our affiliate partnerships. We have even been asking  for customer reviews. We do take the time to check companies out, we do, it’s worth the effort. The partnership in affiliate marketing is unique, it’s truly reflecting on both sides, the company and their affiliate. In our opinion, by being an affiliate your basically giving your approval of products and services. Your giving your ”OK” to the goods and services listed on your site. Just the act of listing  the links to products and services on your site, is saying something positive about the products. Your saying they are great products just by diplaying the logos!  After your vistor leaves your site to make a purchase, somewhere you directed them, you can’t take back the links, which referred them. If your visitor purchased from a site and had a bad experience, you can’t take it back.  You have a responsibility to represent the best, don’t you think? Something to really ponder!

Marketing 101, always  only link your company or site  with those companies or sites who bring their A game everyday(the winners in the marketplace) The companies who have a goal of  providing 100% in all areas.  Find the companies which never drop the ball, EVER. You want build very best partnerships, in doing so, you’ll build up your company integrity in the marketplace by association, it’s very simple. Affiliate marketing is not a game, it’s business and needs to be treated with respect and integrity. 

Being an affiliate,  for just any company on the web for profit, is not the smartest move in our opinion. If your representing companies by placing their logos on your site, don’t you think you should know a lot about the company, before doing so? We think you should!  Knowing very little or nothing about a company and giving away your real estate,  could backfire and become a problem. It may come back to haunt you in the long run. You may just be setting yourself up and loosing some of your hard earned integrity in the process. Please give thought to representing non-reputable companies on your site and giving up space. Find out more before you place the any logos on your page.

Food for thought for you – How do you feel about affiliate marketing? Are you for or against the practice and why? Everyone has different opinions on affiliate marketing. We had received a comment about it and thought we’d talk on the topic.

We have very high standards at Networking WAHM, if you have a great product and customer service, feel free to contact us.

“Your judged by the company you keep”  - it applies to the web too.

Positive Visualization is key in attaining any goal.

If athletes and business people are all use visualization tools, so why can we all use them too?  Why are companies big believers in using a company motto and affirmations for their employees to benefit from? They simply work! The ending result is the product of  the desired goal.  How do all these things happen? Great customer service, a great end product, and a happy work place.  Think about it? Why else would so many companies be using them?

Visualizing your goal and believing you can succeed is the first step in  any goal.  We dream about weddings and graduations long before they happen for a reason We plan every last detail out, far in advance and make it become a reality.

An easy step in attaining our goals is just by really willing it to happen, by using positive energy to manifesting  the goals. It’s simple isn’t it.  You just have to have the knowledge of how it happens.

Tip: To help focus and develop your idea and organize it, use a vision board. Vision boards have helped many to see and attain their goals regularly. Basically a vision board shows you  the steps to achieve the goal, so you don’t loose focus, a visual outline of sorts.  Oprah is a big believer and user of vision boards.

The more you focus on your goals, the faster you’ll achieve them!

The next step in the growth and development of Networking WAHM is  by joining relevant affiliate programs. If you have a program that would be an appropriate fit for the visitors of Networking WAHM, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to bringing resources to –  the stay at home moms, the work at home moms and the working moms, all who visit Moms Indulgence. If you are interested in having us becoming an Affiliate of yours, please feel free to contact me directly. Please contact me with your ideas, thoughts and comments.

Wow! What loaded questions! I guess I need a disclaimer just on this post! I think it depends on who you ask. Depending on if your think half full or half empty on the economy.  Your own views of the economy would reflect in the answer you’d give, I guess.

Well I have a few thoughts on this. A very humble opinion from a very humble lady.

Well we all know the economy is way down. On the other hand we all know of some businesses who are  still doing well. If your very fugal with running your business, your OK.  If  your business is a necessity, you can do well. I know of a few businesses who are doing great. They may have a business on the dirty side, but it’s a necessity.

We all know the free following money period, we went through as a nation is gone for good.  The free money for mortgages, having fun spending your home’s equity, and the easy  loans are all gone.

That being said, people who are willing to think outside the box and try new things can make it. If you have a more modest approach to doing business, you can do fine.  So if you want to start a business on a shoe string and think smarter about your spending, you may just make it through this rough time.  If you want to run out and spend tons of money on a start up company, I would hold off . Right now doing so would not be the time, you’ll be belly up in no time. Think smart and act smart with your money.

I do think this is a great time to put your ideas and thoughts together, while taking it slow. The pace to take is slow steady – baby steps. Think things out very well  before you act. This is a great time to wait out and learn as much as you can, if you want to start a business – Research, Research, Research.

We are all watching and waiting to see how the economy is improving here and there. We are seeing small signs of some improvement. I’d be real savvy.  I approach my business at all times like it’s a savings account more has to go in than out.

On a personal note, I am a talk radio fanatic. I’m a big Dave Ramsey fan http://www.daveramsey.com I love to hear all the opinions of others.  Some on talk radio, just follow with the common sense of our previous generations, Dave does. Dave Ramsey gives common sense business advice.  Radio talk shows are a great place to at least get you thinking.

I’d would love to know what your thoughts are too. So really please email me and/or comment. I’d really love to hear what your thoughts are on this matter.

I have saved all the business cards I’ve been handed. Great networking is done by having business cards of other businesses to hand out.  By doing so I have become more efficient at networking with my contacts.  When someone asks me, if I know of someone who has a product or service. I have a stack to pull from. The process of spreading the word of other businesses, in your card stack,  you yourself become more knowledgeable. You learn what others are doing with their businesses. Your learn the business concentrations people have selected to focus on. You learn what’s hot in the market place, the new  business trends, and what people are the most in need of for services.

Your card stack is a sampling of the business types and the demographics of your community.  Which in itself may get you thinking. What type of businesses are missing in your area? Can you fill a hole or niche which is needed in your area?

Saving and recycling the cards,  to others is key.

Mineralicious has everything you could ever need for makeup. Foundation, blush, eyeshadow, brushes and face wash all in one site. All homemade by a fellow Mom. Of course a major selling point to myself is that another Mom owns the site and makes the products, but the price is very affordable. The economy is super tight, but we still need to look good and feel good. Doing so does not have to break the bank and Mineralicious proves that!

Shop or join for a very affordable price. Mineralicious for those looking for mineral makeup or a new job opportunity. The owner is there for you all the way.