The post Quit 6 Figure Job to Start Business: Liz Mbwambo’s Story appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>For those of you who have been around here for awhile, you know we talk often about what I call “the third option.”
Not corporate burnout.
Not walking away from your dreams completely.
But a third option.
A way to create meaningful work and flexible income around your real life — especially for moms who want more freedom, purpose, and flexibility without sacrificing their families in the process.
And today’s podcast guest perfectly represents that journey.
In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, I sat down with Liz Mbwambo, founder and CEO of Upwynn Marketing, to talk about what really happens after you leave corporate and build a business from scratch.
Her story immediately pulled me in because she shared something so many women are quietly wrestling with:
“The ‘third option’ framing pulled me in. That’s the season I’m in right now — mom, wife, CEO of an agency I bootstrapped a few years ago after quitting my six-figure job. No loans. No investors. Just $500.”
And honestly?
This conversation is one of the most honest looks at entrepreneurship and motherhood we’ve had on the podcast.
Before starting her agency, Liz was the person companies trusted with their marketing budgets. She had the successful career, the six-figure salary, and the stability many people work years to achieve.
But deep down, something no longer fit.
She originally planned to leave corporate later with a carefully organized transition plan. But then one day everything changed.
Instead of waiting for the “perfect” timing, she quit immediately.
No investors.
No safety net.
No polished master plan.
Just conviction.
That moment launched what would eventually become Upwynn Marketing — a growing agency built from the ground up.
Liz decided to quit 6 figure job to start business after realizing corporate success no longer aligned with the life she wanted to build for her family.
One thing I loved about Liz’s perspective is how honest she is about the reality of entrepreneurship.
Social media often makes entrepreneurship look perfectly organized:
But Liz shares the part most women experience and few talk about:
the messy middle.
Building a real company while raising a family.
Managing clients, employees, deadlines, and life all at once.
Trying to scale without recreating the same burnout you left corporate to escape.
And for moms especially, this tension is real.
Because entrepreneurship does not magically remove responsibility or overwhelm overnight.
One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was discussing the myth of flexibility.
So many women leave corporate hoping entrepreneurship will instantly create freedom.
But flexibility looks different when:
Real flexibility is not working less.
It is building systems, support, boundaries, and rhythms that protect what matters most.
That means:
Liz also shared how motherhood changed her relationship with productivity.
As a recovering Type-A personality, she talked about how becoming a mom forced her to rethink success, control, and expectations.
And I know so many women listening will relate to this.
Because motherhood has a way of exposing how unsustainable hustle culture really is.
You can no longer operate like a machine.
Your energy matters differently.
Your priorities shift.
And often the goal stops being “doing more” and starts becoming:
creating a life you actually enjoy living.
One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is this:
You do not need to choose between meaningful work and your family.
But you do need to build intentionally.
That means:
This is the heart of the third option.
Not burnout.
Not giving up.
But building differently.
In this episode, we discuss:
If you are in a season of rethinking your work, your priorities, or the kind of life you want to build, this episode will encourage you deeply.
The Classy Career Girl Podcast
Ready to rebuild differently?
Grab the free Get Started Guides here:
Classy Career Girl Get Started Guides
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]]>The post Motherhood and Career Change: Rebuilding Life and Work with Trisney Wiedemann appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>What follows is a powerful conversation about identity shifts, slowing down, and redefining success during motherhood.
What happens when motherhood completely changes the direction of your life?
In this episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast, Anna sits down with Trisney Wiedemann to talk about the massive identity shifts that can happen during motherhood — and how to rebuild your routines, goals, and career around the life you actually want.
This conversation is honest, encouraging, and deeply relatable for women who feel stuck between ambition, burnout, motherhood, and the desire for a slower, more meaningful life.
Before becoming a mom, Trisney followed the traditional path many high-achieving women know well: climbing the corporate ladder, working hard, and pushing toward success.
But life began shifting in unexpected ways.
After marriage, moving across the country, supporting her husband through cancer, becoming a mother, and navigating maternity leave, she realized the life she once worked so hard to build no longer fit the person she had become.
Together, Anna and Trisney discuss how motherhood often reshapes:
For many women, motherhood becomes the moment they begin questioning hustle culture and searching for a different way to live and work.
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is the reminder that many women are not failing — they are simply exhausted.
Modern motherhood often comes with invisible pressure:
Anna and Trisney talk about how easy it is to end up living on autopilot without intentionally asking:
What kind of life do I actually want?
That question can change everything.
Rather than chasing productivity for productivity’s sake, Trisney shares how she began rebuilding her routines and work around her real life and values.
This episode explores:
If you’ve been craving a slower, more intentional way to approach your work and motherhood, this episode will remind you that success does not have to come at the expense of your family, health, or peace.
One of the biggest themes in this conversation is how motherhood and career change often force women to reevaluate everything they once believed about success.
Before becoming moms, many women are taught to chase:
But motherhood changes perspective.
Trisney shares how becoming a mother shifted her priorities and helped her realize she wanted more flexibility, presence, and meaning in her daily life. Instead of continuing on autopilot, she started asking deeper questions about how she wanted to spend her time and energy.
Anna shares similar experiences about building meaningful work around motherhood rather than sacrificing family life for career pressure. Together, they discuss how motherhood and career change can become an opportunity to rebuild differently instead of continuing to live exhausted and overwhelmed.
This episode is especially encouraging for women who:
If motherhood has changed your vision for your future, this conversation will remind you that you are not alone — and that it is possible to create work and routines that fit the season of life you are in now.
🎙️ Subscribe to The Classy Career Girl Podcast for more conversations about motherhood, meaningful work, purpose, and flexible income from home.
✨ Connect with Trisney Wiedemann on Instagram:
@daysbuilddreams
Ready to rebuild differently?
Grab the free Get Started Guides here:
Classy Career Girl Get Started Guides
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]]>The post Platform Growth for Moms: Why I Stopped Showing Up Online appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>There are seasons where life takes center stage… and seasons where we slowly begin rebuilding again.
🎙️ Want to hear the full story behind this season of rebuilding, platform growth, motherhood, and meaningful work?
Listen to the latest episode of The Classy Career Girl Podcast:
In this episode, I’m sharing:
✨ why I stepped back from showing up online consistently
✨ what publishers are really looking for today
✨ how motherhood changed the way I build my business
✨ why I’m rebuilding my platform differently this season
✨ and how moms can grow visibility without hustle culture
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
I think a lot of women are in that rebuilding season right now.
Over the last few months, I slowly stepped back from showing up consistently online. Not because I didn’t care about my business. Not because I was giving up. But because life became very full.
Homeschooling.
Gymnastics meets.
Piano recitals.
Family schedules.
Activities.
Everyday motherhood.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, showing up online consistently became harder.
Maybe you understand that feeling too.
Maybe your business has changed.
Maybe your priorities have shifted.
Maybe your message feels different than it did a year ago.
Maybe your Instagram bio feels outdated.
Maybe your website no longer feels like you.
Maybe you’ve quietly stopped showing up because the pressure of social media feels exhausting.
I understand that deeply.
And honestly? I think many women are trying to figure out how to build meaningful work around real life instead of building a life around work.
One thing I’ve learned while working on my book proposal recently is this:
Publishers care about platform growth.
They care about:
And honestly? I understand why.
Because a platform helps you:
But I also think we don’t talk enough about how difficult platform growth can feel as a mom entrepreneur.
Because building a business while raising children is very different than building a business with unlimited time, energy, and flexibility.
Most moms are building businesses in:
And honestly? That changes how we build.
One thing I realized recently is this:
I don’t want to build from hustle anymore.
I don’t want to constantly chase algorithms.
I don’t want to feel pressure to perform online every day.
I don’t want to build from burnout.
I don’t want social media to control my peace.
Instead, I want to build:
The mom way of building a business.
Not perfectly.
Not constantly.
Not performatively.
But honestly.
I think many women are craving this right now.
Especially moms.
Instead of trying to be everywhere online, I’m simplifying.
Right now, I’m mainly focusing on:
Because honestly? I think too many women believe they need:
TikTok.
YouTube.
Pinterest.
Threads.
Facebook.
LinkedIn.
Daily content everywhere.
But most women don’t need more platforms.
They need more consistency.
And honestly? Some of the biggest opportunities in my business have not come from viral content.
They came from:
That’s why I believe visibility is not really about vanity metrics.
It’s about helping the people who need your message find you.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a mom entrepreneur is this:
You do not need huge blocks of uninterrupted time to build something meaningful.
Some of the most important things I’ve ever built happened in:
Small actions compound.
And honestly? I think many women are waiting for life to calm down before they begin again.
But life may never fully calm down.
Especially motherhood.
And that’s okay.
You can still rebuild.
You can still grow.
You can still create meaningful work.
You can still build flexible income around real life.
Even slowly.
Even imperfectly.
Especially then.
This summer, I’m intentionally focusing on:
✨ visibility
✨ platform growth
✨ consistency
✨ meaningful work
✨ women supporting women
✨ building around real life
✨ simple marketing rhythms
✨ flexible income from home
Not hustle.
Not burnout.
Not pressure.
Just intentional growth that actually fits motherhood and real life.
And honestly?
I think many women are ready for that too.
If you’re rebuilding right now too, I hope this reminds you:
You do not have to rebuild perfectly to begin again 💛
🎙 Listen to the full episode:
“Why I Stopped Showing Up Online (And What I’m Doing Now)”
☀️ Want to grow your visibility and platform this summer with support, accountability, and community?
Join the waitlist here:
https://forms.gle/t6f4SXCjuVuUsMsdA
Grab the $1K Income Roadmap Here. https://www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan
The post Platform Growth for Moms: Why I Stopped Showing Up Online appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post Motherhood and Business: How Becoming a Mom Changed Everything appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>I worked in corporate consulting, managed huge projects and budgets, traveled for work, and built a career that honestly looked really impressive from the outside.
For a long time, I thought success meant: working harder, doing more, achieving more, and constantly pushing myself forward.
But becoming a mom changed everything.
🎙 Listen to the full episode here:
I stopped wanting success that came at the expense of my family. I stopped wanting a life that looked impressive externally but left me exhausted internally. Motherhood changed the way I thought about:
And honestly, I started questioning everything. I no longer wanted to build my life around work.
I wanted to build my work around LIFE. That became the shift that slowly changed everything.
One thing I’ve realized over the years is that motherhood does not erase ambition. At least it didn’t for me.
I still wanted meaningful work.
I still wanted purpose.
I still wanted to contribute.
I still had ideas and dreams I wanted to pursue.
But I no longer wanted hustle culture. I no longer wanted burnout. And I definitely didn’t want to feel torn between motherhood and meaningful work anymore.
I think so many women feel this same tension. For years, it has felt like moms were being told there are only two options:
Either:
OR
But honestly? Neither option felt right to me.
I started rebuilding my business slowly during naps, early mornings, quiet evenings, and tiny pockets of time throughout motherhood. Sometimes I answered emails while sitting in parking lots during activities. Sometimes I worked from the kitchen counter while making lunch.
Sometimes I recorded podcast episodes quietly while babies slept upstairs. None of it looked glamorous. And honestly, I think social media often makes entrepreneurship look much faster and easier than it really is. But for me, motherhood and business looked like tiny consistent steps over many years.
Not perfectly.
Not overnight.
But intentionally.
I still remember one of the first digital product sales I ever made. I was sitting in my corporate cubicle when I checked my email and saw that someone I had never met bought my course online. I literally stared at the screen. It wasn’t a huge amount of money. But something shifted in me that day.
Because suddenly, I realized: this could actually be possible.
That first small win opened the door to a completely different future. And slowly over time, I rebuilt differently.
When I say “you can have it all,” I don’t mean perfection. I don’t mean balance every second of every day. And I definitely don’t mean hustling yourself into exhaustion trying to prove something.
What I mean is this:
For me, “having it all” started looking much simpler:
Not a perfect life. But an intentional one.
Over the last few years, I’ve realized so many women are searching for another option too.
Not burnout.
Not hustle culture.
Not trying to prove themselves.
But meaningful work, flexible income, simple business rhythms, and lives built around what actually matters most.
I’m calling it:
✨ The Third Option for Moms.
And honestly?
That’s the next era of Classy Career Girl.
As a homeschool mom, summer always feels like a natural halfway check-in season for me. The rhythms slow down. There’s more space to reflect. And I start thinking deeply about what’s working, what matters, and what I want the next season to look like.
That’s one reason I’ve always loved annual planning workshops. But this year, I realized: sometimes we need a halfway reset too. A chance to pause, reflect, rebuild intentionally, and create meaningful momentum before another busy season begins. That’s really what Summer Campus is about this year.
Not pressure.
Not hustle.
Not trying to do more. But building meaningful work and flexible income in a way that actually fits real life.
And if this message resonates with you, I would absolutely love if you subscribed to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and left a quick review.
We’re celebrating this new season of the podcast with giveaways for podcast reviewers this month including:
✨ Summer Campus tickets
✨ 90-Day Physical Planners and Private Coaching with me!
✨ and a few surprises for listeners who send a screenshot of their review on Instagram.
And if you’re dreaming about building meaningful work and flexible income around your life…
✨ DM me “1KPLAN” on Instagram or visit:
www.classycareergirl.com/1kplan and I’ll send you my free $1K Income Roadmap 💛
One thing I wish more women understood is that motherhood and business do not have to compete with each other.
You do not have to choose between being present with your family and building meaningful work.
Sometimes the most beautiful businesses are built slowly, intentionally, and in the small pockets of time that motherhood creates.
That is the heart behind this new season of Classy Career Girl.
The post Motherhood and Business: How Becoming a Mom Changed Everything appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post Make Your First $1,000 From Home: How I Turned a $97 Sale Into Real Income appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The first time someone paid me online… I froze.
I was sitting at my corporate job in San Diego.
Busy. Full schedule. Successful on paper.
But deep down, I felt stuck.
Like I had outgrown my job… but didn’t know what came next.
I kept thinking:
There has to be something more. Something meaningful. Something where I actually help people.
But I didn’t have a business.
I didn’t have a plan.
And I didn’t have extra time.
Just one small idea:
What if I could help women get unstuck in their careers?
If you’re a mom who feels stuck in your career, this is exactly where I started.
I created a tiny, messy offer:
“Get Your Career Unstuck Bootcamp.”
It wasn’t finished.
It wasn’t perfect.
I didn’t have an audience or a strategy.
But I knew one thing:
If I wanted to be a coach, I had to start helping people.
So one morning before work, I sent a simple email.
No funnel.
No launch.
No complicated system.
Just a link to join.
Later that day, I opened my laptop during lunch…
And froze.
I saw a PayPal notification.
Someone had paid me.
A real person. For something I hadn’t even finished yet.
But here’s what made it even more powerful:
She was in the UK.
I was in San Diego.
And I remember thinking:
Wait… this actually works?
I can help someone from my laptop… from anywhere?
That moment changed everything.
That first sale was $97.
Not life-changing.
But what it proved? Everything.
Because suddenly, I realized:
I just needed to start.
That one sale turned into a few more.
And just like that…
My small, imperfect idea turned into over $1,000 from home.
Most people think they need to start with a big idea.
They think they need:
But the truth is…
It doesn’t start with $1,000.
It starts with:
If I had to start over, I would keep it simple.
I would:
That’s it.
No complicated tech.
No overthinking.
No waiting.
Then after the program, I would:
Because your first offer is not your forever offer.
It’s a test.
Making your first $1,000 from home isn’t just about money.
It’s about what it unlocks:
Once you see it works, everything changes.
It’s not because they aren’t capable.
It’s because they:
So they never take the first step.
This is exactly why I created The $1K Mom Club.
Because you don’t need more ideas.
You need a clear path + simple plan + support to follow through.
Inside the $1K Mom Club, I help you:
✔ Choose a simple idea that actually sells
✔ Create your first offer quickly
✔ Get your first paying client
✔ Make your first $1,000 from home (even if you’re starting from scratch)
You don’t need:
Just a willingness to start.
Join here for 20% off for a limited time.
👉 Start here and join the $1K Mom Club
Founding member pricing is available right now (and won’t stay this low).
Try it. Get momentum. Cancel anytime.
Your first $1,000 doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly.
It comes from doing one small thing consistently.
So let me ask you:
What’s one idea you’ve been thinking about starting?
The post Make Your First $1,000 From Home: How I Turned a $97 Sale Into Real Income appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post Make Money From Home for Moms: 15 Ways to Earn Your First $1,000 in 2026 appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how moms can earn their first $1,000 from home — even as AI replaces many traditional side hustles.
There are still many ways moms can earn their first $1,000 from home — especially when the work involves things AI cannot replace.
Things like:
• human guidance
• real-life experience
• teaching
• leadership
• community
• problem solving
And those are exactly the kinds of things many moms are uniquely positioned to offer.
The goal when you’re starting is not to build a massive business overnight.
The goal is simple:
👉 Earn your first $1,000 from home.
Because once you do that, everything changes.
If you’re not sure where to begin, start here.
These are the simplest and fastest ways to reach your first $1,000.
People don’t just want information anymore.
They want guidance, accountability, and support from someone who has walked the path before them.
Start simple:
• Charge $250/month
• Get 4 clients → $1,000
You don’t need a complicated program.
You just need to help someone solve a real problem.
Consulting is one of the fastest ways to earn because you’re using skills you already have.
Think about your background:
• marketing
• recruiting
• leadership
• project management
• education
One or two small projects can easily bring in your first $1,000.
Perfect if your schedule is full.
Create something simple that solves one problem:
• meal planning system
• homeschool planner
• business starter guide
Example:
• Guide: $25
• Guide + video walkthrough: $100
Just 8–10 sales = $1,000
This is how I started.
Teach something you already know.
Example:
• $50 workshop
• 20 people = $1,000
Then turn it into a replay that keeps selling.
These are the best ways to make money from home for moms in 2026.
Inside the $1K Mom Club, we focus on one goal:
Helping you earn your first $1,000 from home.
✨ 5-week plan
✨ simple offers
✨ real momentum
👉 Join the $1K Mom Club (20% off for founding members)
Learn QuickBooks → 2–3 clients = $1,000+
2 clients at $500/month = $1,000
Help businesses book calls and generate leads
Human writing > AI content (especially for trust)
Drive traffic for brands consistently
Companies pay for training and development
Add support + coaching for better results
10 kids × $100 = $1,000
Great for homeschool moms
Local community = powerful and underrated
Recurring income + ongoing support
It’s important to be aware of the shift.
AI is replacing:
• transcription
• basic proofreading
• data entry
• simple VA work
• low-level resume writing
The opportunity now is here:
👉 teaching
👉 guiding
👉 leading
👉 solving problems
Most moms don’t fail because they picked the wrong idea.
They get stuck because they never start.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You need:
• one idea
• one offer
• one client
That’s it.
How can a stay-at-home mom make $1,000 fast?
The fastest ways include coaching, consulting, and workshops. These allow you to earn $1,000 with just a few clients or one event.
What is the best work-from-home job for moms in 2026?
The best options involve human skills like coaching, teaching, and strategy — not repetitive tasks AI can replace.
Can I make money from home with no experience?
Yes. Many moms start by using life experience, organizing skills, or teaching what they already know.
When you earn your first $1,000:
• you gain confidence
• you see what’s possible
• momentum begins
And that’s when everything starts to shift.
If you’re ready to move from ideas → income:
Inside you’ll get:
• 5-week $1K Workshop Series
• $1K Income Roadmap
• simple scripts to find clients
• weekly guidance
👉 Join the $1K Mom Club (20% Off): www.classycareergirl.com/momclub
If you wanted to earn your first $1,000 in the next 90 days…
What would you choose?
1️⃣ Coaching
2️⃣ Digital Guides
3️⃣ Workshops
4️⃣ Bookkeeping
5️⃣ Something else
Tell me in the comments — I read every one 💛
The post Make Money From Home for Moms: 15 Ways to Earn Your First $1,000 in 2026 appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post AI Changing Your Career: Why This Might Be the Most Important Year of Your Career appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>They’re treating AI like a new tool they’ll “figure out eventually.” A chatbot. A trend. Something to keep an eye on.
But if your job happens on a screen, the timeline isn’t someday.
It has already started.
And I believe this could be the most important year of your career—not because you should panic… but because you have a window right now to get ahead while the bar is still incredibly low.
In this post, I’ll break down what’s changing, what it means for your future, and how you can use AI (starting today) to protect your career and move toward your dreams—especially if you want to become an entrepreneur. The article I reference in the article is here.
https://youtu.be/sYBlS508-_M
One of the most important points I’ve seen lately is this:
AI isn’t coming for one task. It’s reshaping cognitive work.
That includes the kinds of work many professionals do all day long:
writing
research
analysis
coding
designing
drafting documents
spreadsheets
marketing
customer service
content creation
planning and operations
If your work happens in a browser, in documents, in email, in Excel, or inside project tools… AI is already affecting your industry.
That’s why “someday” isn’t the right timeline.
This isn’t a distant future conversation. It’s a right-now conversation.
A lot of people think AI will “eventually” impact jobs.
But the shift is happening much faster than most careers are prepared for.
The hard part isn’t just the technology itself—it’s that most people are still underestimating what AI can do.
They judge it like it’s a flip phone… while the people using it daily are walking around with a smartphone.
That gap is where opportunity lives.
Yes—traditional career paths are being disrupted.
But something else is happening at the exact same time:
The barriers to building something have collapsed.
When I started my business journey years ago, you needed:
a team
tech skills
expensive tools
time-consuming training
bigger startup budgets
Now?
You can describe what you want to build—and AI can help you create it.
Which means the advantage is shifting toward:
builders
creators
problem solvers
people willing to experiment
entrepreneurs (and entrepreneurial employees)
Here’s the idea I can’t stop thinking about:
The person who spends a year building something they love may be better positioned than the person who spends that year clinging to a job description.
That is the shift.
And it’s why this moment—right now—matters so much.
If you do one thing this year, do this:
Spend one hour per day experimenting with AI.
Not reading about it.
Not watching endless videos about it.
Not saving posts for later.
Actually using it.
Because if you spend one hour a day experimenting for six months, you will understand what’s coming better than most people around you—and you’ll be able to move faster, create more, and adapt sooner.
And right now?
The bar is incredibly low.
Most people are ignoring AI completely… which means you don’t have to be a tech person to get ahead.
You just have to be willing to practice.
A lot of people think AI is only for tech workers.
But I use it daily as:
a mom of three
a homeschool parent
a business owner
a writer working on a book proposal
Here are real ways you can copy-and-paste into your life.
I’m writing a book, and AI didn’t “write it” for me.
But it helped me do what I couldn’t do on my own for years:
organize ideas
create a clear outline
brainstorm structure and chapters
draft a one-sheet pitch
get clarity faster
AI helped unlock ideas that were stuck in my head—and turn them into a plan.
AI can help you:
plan lessons
generate book lists
create activities
write discussion questions
build exam questions
explain hard concepts (like dividing fractions!)
It’s like having a tutor + researcher available 24/7.
One of the easiest ways to start using AI is at home:
“Here’s what I have—what can I cook for lunch?”
“Make a simple dinner plan for next week.”
“Give me healthy meal ideas with these ingredients.”
If you’re overwhelmed, AI can help you get unstuck fast.
Every week, I use AI to help me:
pick 3 business priorities per day
pick 3 personal priorities per day
organize my schedule
build an “ideal week” template
decide what to do first when time is tight
If planning feels chaotic, AI can turn a brain dump into a clear plan.
Inside my business, I use AI for:
webinar slides + workbooks
podcast outlines
email sequences
marketing plans
social posts
meeting notes and transcripts
lead generation ideas (especially without ads)
It helps me move faster—without hiring a big team.
Here’s what I believe:
There’s a brief window where most people are ignoring AI, dabbling, or feeling intimidated.
But the people who learn it early will have a massive advantage.
The person who can walk into a meeting and say,
“I can put that together in an hour,”
instead of taking three days…
becomes the most valuable person in the room.
And if you’ve been dreaming about:
starting a business
writing a book
creating an offer
becoming a coach
building work that fits your family and life
Your dreams may be closer than you think—because the tools are finally here.
If you want a practical next step:
Grab the free 90-day planner (the one I share on the podcast).
Use AI as your brainstorming partner to map your goals.
Let it help you choose what matters most this month and this week.
Because the future isn’t something that happens later.
It’s already here.
And you’re going to have an incredible head start if you start learning AI now.
If you want to begin immediately, pick one:
“Here’s my to-do list and my available time today. What should I do first and why?”
“Create a simple weekly plan with 3 priorities per day for business and 3 for personal.”
“Plan a 5-day dinner plan using: [ingredients]. Make it simple and healthy.”
“Help me outline a digital product or offer based on my skills in: [topic].”
“I want to start a business while working full-time. What’s my first 90-day plan?”
Do one of those today.
One hour a day.
That’s how you get ahead—starting now.
I have a free training on Thursday night that walks you through the step-by-step phases How to Build a Sales Machine That Brings Clients Every Month
In this FREE LIVE training, I’ll show you:
• The 3 parts of a predictable sales system
• Why most coaches stay stuck in “inspiration mode”
• The simple structure that turns conversations into clients
• How to stabilize your revenue without working more hours
You can register here: Free Webinar
CRP stands for Corporate Rescue Plan — the program I created in December 2014. It’s the plan I followed to escape my 9–5 and build a business.
I’ll see you next time. 💛
The post AI Changing Your Career: Why This Might Be the Most Important Year of Your Career appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post How to Start a Coaching Business in Tech (Without Feeling Ready): A Real Case Study appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>Not the polished version.
The real version.
Today I’m sharing the journey of Vicki, a former game development leader who transitioned from corporate tech into building her own coaching business for tech professionals.
Her story is proof that:
You don’t need to feel fully ready
You don’t need a massive audience
You don’t need everything figured out
You just need clarity, commitment, and consistent action.
Vicki spent years in programming and game development, eventually leading teams and mentoring engineers.
Before she ever called herself a coach, she was:
Running one-to-one development sessions
Mentoring women in tech
Supporting engineers through promotions and growth
Coaching team members through mindset and leadership challenges
This is where many people overlook their opportunity.
If you’re exploring how to start a coaching business in tech, look at what you already do inside your corporate role.
Often your coaching business is hiding inside your job description.
At first, Vicki struggled with the same question most new coaches face:
“What kind of coaching should I offer?”
There are so many options:
Life coaching
Leadership coaching
Career coaching
AI coaching
Productivity coaching
Instead of chasing trends, she narrowed down her niche based on:
What she loves (tech + leadership)
Who she understands deeply (gameplay programmers)
A real problem (fear and confusion around AI in the workplace)
She chose to focus specifically on:
Helping gameplay programmers integrate AI into their workflow without fear.
That specificity is powerful.
When learning how to start a coaching business in tech, clarity beats broadness every time.
One of the biggest barriers in building a niche coaching business is confidence.
Vicki didn’t wait to feel ready.
She started by offering free practice coaching sessions to former colleagues.
In exchange, she asked for honest feedback and testimonials.
This accomplished three things:
Validated her offer
Improved her coaching process
Built proof for sales conversations
If you’re building a coaching business for tech professionals, testimonials are critical social proof.
You don’t get them by waiting.
You get them by practicing.
Many aspiring coaches think they need:
A course
A membership
A group program
A podcast
A book
A funnel
All at once.
Instead, Vicki built her coaching income streams strategically across the year:
This allowed her to refine messaging and identify common problems.
She plans to host a live workshop, record it, and turn it into a scalable offer.
Entrepreneurship should support life, not consume it.
Once patterns are clear, she can scale what works.
If you’re wondering how to create income streams for coaches, this is the sequence:
Serve → Learn → Package → Scale.
After the gaming studio she worked for closed, Vicki faced a choice:
Return immediately to corporate?
Or commit to entrepreneurship?
She considered doing both — job searching while building her coaching business.
But she realized split focus would slow everything down.
So she committed.
She:
Updated her LinkedIn headline
Changed her business positioning
Stopped job hunting
Focused on marketing consistently
That decision created momentum.
If you’re transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship, clarity of commitment changes everything.
Vicki began posting consistently on LinkedIn, positioning herself as an expert in AI career coaching for engineers.
From that consistency came:
Increased visibility
Speaking opportunities
A paid university presentation
New client conversations
You don’t need to go viral.
You need to be visible.
Vicki shared something important.
Without a structured plan, she likely would have:
Felt overwhelmed by conflicting marketing advice
Consumed endless content without implementing
Returned to corporate simply because it felt familiar
The online business world is noisy.
A clear path eliminates decision fatigue.
If you’re researching how to start a coaching business in tech, here are the real lessons:
Your niche is likely already inside your corporate expertise
Specificity builds authority
Practice builds confidence
Testimonials build trust
Income streams should be layered, not rushed
Consistency beats intensity
You don’t need perfection.
You need progress.
Her advice was simple:
Find one program or mentor you resonate with
Follow one clear path
Practice with safe clients
Take imperfect action
Focus on helping one person per day
If you help one person a day for a year, that’s 365 lives impacted.
That’s not small.
If you’re sitting in a tech job right now thinking:
“I love this work… but I want more flexibility.”
Or:
“I see a problem I could help solve… but I don’t know where to start.”
Start here:
Pick your niche.
Offer practice sessions.
Help one person today.
That’s how a coaching business for tech professionals begins.
Not with perfection.
With a decision.
If you’d like more real examples of women building income streams and transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship, explore more resources here at Classy Career Girl.
You don’t have to leap blindly.
You just have to take the next step.
I have a free training on Thursday night that walks you through the step-by-step phases How to Build a Sales Machine That Brings Clients Every Month
In this FREE LIVE training, I’ll show you:
• The 3 parts of a predictable sales system
• Why most coaches stay stuck in “inspiration mode”
• The simple structure that turns conversations into clients
• How to stabilize your revenue without working more hours
You can register here: Free Webinar
CRP stands for Corporate Rescue Plan — the program I created in December 2014 (we’re coming up on the 10-year anniversary!). It’s the plan I followed to escape my 9–5 and build a business.
I’ll see you next time. 💛
The post How to Start a Coaching Business in Tech (Without Feeling Ready): A Real Case Study appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post Make Money From Home in 30 Minutes a Day appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>We were chatting in the comments right before we went live, and someone said that — and it instantly became the theme of the entire training.
Because that’s not just true for vacations.
It’s true for your calling.
It’s true for your dreams.
It’s true for building a business from home.
If you’re a mom who wants to make money from home in 30 minutes a day but feels like you don’t have time — this is for you.
You don’t need a perfect schedule.
You don’t need 3 uninterrupted hours.
You don’t need childcare every afternoon.
You need a tiny, repeatable rhythm.
I’m Anna Runyan, founder of Classy Career Girl.
I started a small blog in 2011. Over time, it grew into a business that gave my family more flexibility, freedom, and choices than I ever imagined.
But I want you to hear this clearly:
I did not build my business because I had more time.
I built it because I learned how to use small pockets of time well.
Where I am today is the result of hundreds — maybe thousands — of 15-minute moments scattered across:
Nap times
Evenings
Early mornings
Weekends
“In-between” seasons
If your season feels messy right now, you can still make progress.
Most moms believe the problem is:
“I don’t have enough time.”
But usually the real problem is:
I don’t know where my time is going
When I do have time, I don’t know what to focus on
Instead of trying to create more time, start claiming the time you already have.
That might look like:
5 minutes in the morning
10 minutes at lunch
15 minutes during nap time
30 minutes before bed
One focused hour on the weekend
The goal isn’t to become someone with a completely different life.
The goal is to stop letting small pockets disappear.
Here’s what most people don’t realize:
Less time forces clarity.
When you only have 30 minutes, you stop doing everything — and start doing the right things.
You stop:
Rearranging your website
Redesigning your logo
Watching “just one more” YouTube video
Scrolling Instagram “for ideas”
And you start focusing on revenue.
You don’t need one perfect 30-minute block.
You can use:
Three 10-minute blocks
Two 15-minute blocks
10 minutes morning + 10 minutes midday + 10 minutes evening
Consistency matters more than duration.
Even 10 minutes a day, done consistently, builds momentum.
Let’s be honest.
For many of us?
Social media
Checking messages “real quick”
Opening Instagram “just to see”
If you have 10 minutes, set a timer.
If you have 30 minutes, put your phone in another room.
Protect your time like it matters.
Because it does.
Not all tasks are equal.
If you want to make money from home, your 30 minutes should focus on one of three things:
Before income comes clarity.
Use your time to get clear on:
Who you help
What problem you solve
What offer you’re creating
What your next step is
Examples:
Draft your offer
Write your elevator pitch
Decide your pricing
Define your ideal client
Without clarity, you’ll stay busy but not productive.
This is where income actually happens.
Revenue tasks include:
Outreach
Following up
Networking
Sales conversations
Pitching
Hosting a workshop
Inviting someone to work with you
Scrolling is not revenue.
Perfecting your logo is not revenue.
Building a fancy website is usually not revenue.
Direct action that leads to money is revenue.
Simple systems make your business sustainable.
Start with:
A payment link (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
A scheduling link
A basic weekly planning rhythm
You’d be surprised how many women say they want to start a business — but don’t yet have a way for someone to pay them.
Start simple.
If a task can’t be done in 30 minutes…
It’s not a task. It’s a project.
Projects overwhelm moms.
Tiny tasks build businesses.
Instead of:
“Launch a course.”
Write:
Outline the offer (30 minutes)
Draft module titles (30 minutes)
Create payment link (20 minutes)
Send 3 outreach messages (15 minutes)
Write one post (20 minutes)
Momentum comes from small wins.
You may be in:
Newborn season
Toddler season
Heavy homeschool season
Caregiving season
Healing season
Survival season
Or finally a little breathing room
You can make progress in every season.
Even if it’s small.
Even if it’s slow.
Quiet seasons build foundations.
As you grow, you’ll move through:
The Spark Season – Dreaming and exploring
The Scrappy Starter Season – Building in nap time
The Messy Middle – Inconsistent, hard, tempting to quit
The Momentum Season – Clients start coming
The Structure Season – Systems and CEO thinking
The Scaling Season – Group programs and digital products
Alignment + Legacy – Building something meaningful
You cannot fail unless you quit.
One of the most powerful systems you can create is a weekly planning rhythm.
Every week:
Plan meals
Plan personal priorities
Plan professional priorities
Identify 1–3 key tasks per day
When Monday comes, you’re not guessing.
You already know what matters.
When I was working a full-time job and building on the side, my calendar wasn’t perfect.
But I color-coded:
Yellow – Sacred time (family, health, church)
Green – Admin tasks
Red – Revenue-producing tasks
I protected the red time.
That was the difference.
That’s how I went from side hustle to full-time business.
If you watched the training and thought:
“Okay… I finally see what’s possible. But I still need a plan.”
I’d love to invite you to the Moms Making Money From Home 6-Week Live Sprint.
This isn’t a hustle program.
It’s a realistic path for moms who want to build income in the margins of real life.
Inside, you get:
Live sessions + replays
Simple weekly steps
Slides
Workbook
Calendar templates
Community support
Access to Corporate Rescue Plan resources
Because momentum changes everything.
And sometimes the difference between staying stuck and moving forward is simply deciding:
I’m going to claim my 30 minutes.
If you’re ready to make money from home in 30 minutes a day — start there.
Not with perfection.
Not with hustle.
With rhythm.
And protect it like it matters.
Because it does.
Feb 13 – March 27
✔️ Live sessions + replays
✔️ Simple steps that work in real motherhood seasons
✔️ A realistic path for moms who want to build income in the margins of real life
This isn’t a hustle program.
It’s a real-life program… for real moms.
The post Make Money From Home in 30 Minutes a Day appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>The post How to Make Money From Home as a Mom (Even With Just 30 Minutes a Day) appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
]]>Because if you’re a mom who wants to make money from home, I want you to know something:
You’re not crazy for wanting this.
You’re not behind.
And you’re not asking for too much.
You just need a plan that actually works in real life.
Before I started my business — before I even had kids — I truly believed I only had two options.
Work hard.
Drop your kids off at daycare.
Go to work.
Repeat.
And I already dreaded what would happen after maternity leave.
I was traveling across the country every week.
Fly out Mondays.
Come home Fridays.
Work nights and weekends.
And I kept thinking:
How could I ever do this with a child?
Now listen — I don’t believe this anymore.
But at the time, I thought staying home meant:
you lose your income
you lose your purpose
you lose your identity
you lose your impact
and eventually… you lose yourself
I saw women who looked unhappy and resentful, and I remember thinking:
I don’t want to resent my kids.
I don’t want to resent my marriage.
So there I was — trapped between two lives.
And the real problem wasn’t daycare.
It was that neither of these felt like the right option for me.
What I didn’t know back then was this:
A realistic one.
A practical one.
A path where you can be a great mom and love the work you do.
A path where you can:
build income from home
create flexibility
be in charge of your schedule
and still live your real life
And I want to show you that option today.
Because no one sat me down and said:
“Here are the types of work that actually work for moms.”
So I’m going to be that person for you.
Here are the three most realistic ways I’ve seen moms start earning income from home — without going into debt, without opening a storefront, and without needing a huge following.
This is the quickest way to generate cash.
I always ask women this question:
What would you sell?
What could you offer?
Most of the time, the answer is some type of service.
Here are a few examples of service-based income paths:
Virtual assistant work
Freelance writing
Online bookkeeping
Pinterest manager
Operations support
Social media support
Resume writing
This is also how I started.
I offered social media support for career coaches on the side of my corporate job.
I literally reached out on LinkedIn and said:
“I noticed you’re not updating your social media.
Can I help you with that?”
And people paid me.
Because business owners are busy.
And if you’re in a season where you need help… this is exactly what you delegate.
This is the path I’m most known for, because I started as a career coach.
But coaching isn’t just “life coaching.”
There are endless ways to build a coaching or consulting business.
Career coaching
Health coaching
Nutrition coaching
Homeschool coaching
Productivity coaching
Leadership coaching
Business coaching
Mindset coaching
Sports coaching
Social media coaching
One of my favorite recent examples is a Corporate Rescue Plan member named Vicki Bloom.
She built a coaching business around tech and video gaming.
Is that something I teach?
No.
But she took her expertise and said:
“Other people have a problem here.
I know how to help.”
And now she has:
clients
testimonials
and even a book deal
This is what I want you to see:
Your experience matters.
Your expertise matters.
Your story matters.
And it can become a business.
This is where freedom really starts to expand.
Because digital products allow you to earn income without being physically present for every sale.
I still remember my first digital sale.
I was sitting in my cubicle at my day job in San Diego.
I looked down at my phone…
And I had a PayPal order.
Someone in the UK had purchased my online course.
And I remember thinking:
I can make money while I’m at work.
While I’m sleeping.
From anywhere in the world.
That’s what digital products unlock.
Live workshops
Templates
Guides
Mini-courses
Memberships
And here’s the best part:
You can build digital products on top of a service or coaching business.
That’s why I love multiple income streams.
Here’s what most women think they need:
A huge business idea.
A complicated niche.
A perfect plan.
But here’s the truth:
You need one problem you can solve.
If you know the one problem you solve…
You can create:
a service around it
a coaching program around it
a digital product around it
One problem is all you need for a successful business.
Once you know your one problem…
You need a simple way to say what you do.
This is what I call your I Help Statement.
It goes on:
your social media bio
your website
your videos
your networking conversations
your emails
Here’s the structure:
One of the women in the training shared hers and it was so good:
“I help coaches and service providers know what’s working in their marketing so they can do more of what’s working while saving time, money, and energy for what matters most.”
YES.
That’s clear.
That’s specific.
That makes people say:
“Oh, I need that.”
If you’ve been stuck… overwhelmed… or afraid to start…
I want you to know:
You need a simple plan.
Here are a few next steps you can take in the next 24 hours.
(And no — you do not need to do all of them.)
Choose ONE:
✅ Write your I Help Statement
✅ Share it with someone
✅ Reach out to one person you can help
✅ Post a simple question on Facebook
✅ Brainstorm 10 problems you can solve
✅ Block out 30 minutes on your calendar this week
✅ Choose one path and commit for 30 days
And then learn by doing.
Because confidence comes from action.
This training is just the beginning.
Over the next six weeks, I’m guiding moms through a full framework.
Because this isn’t a “make a million dollars in three weeks” program.
This is real.
This is for real moms.
In real seasons.
With real responsibilities.
And the goal is simple:
Inside the sprint you get:
6 live sessions + replays
Weekly workbooks + milestones
Slack community
Full Corporate Rescue Plan membership
Access to $10,000+ in trainings and success paths
👉 Join us in the sprint here for a discount on your first month.
We start February 13th, and that is the day doors will close.
Don’t let this opportunity go by.
I will not be teaching this live again.
You don’t need a big following.
You don’t need a perfect idea.
You don’t need hours a day.
You just need:
one path
one problem
one offer
and one tiny step forward
You can do this in 15 minutes a day.
And I’m excited to support you.
Feb 13 – March 27
✔️ Live sessions + replays
✔️ Simple steps that work in real motherhood seasons
✔️ A realistic path for moms who want to build income in the margins of real life
This isn’t a hustle program.
It’s a real-life program… for real moms.
The post How to Make Money From Home as a Mom (Even With Just 30 Minutes a Day) appeared first on Classy Career Girl.
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