Some days I really wonder where the glamor and thrill is of working from home!

Don’t get me wrong – I love my kids and am thankful every day that I get to be here with them!  But, some days…….

All I have to distinguish my “office” from their “play area” is one small plastic carpet cover for my chair.  It doesn’t give me much space, and I feel like Les Nessman from WKRP (you would need to be over 30 to understand who I mean!).

Yet – for some reason, my kids will spend the whole day standing beside my chair – one on each side – talking, coloring, writing, playing….unless I remind them about my “office” rules.

Oh – how I long for a real door sometimes!

Having the chance to really make use of the skills and knowledge I have learned over the past 3 years was so exciting for me!  And, to see results so quickly, makes me feel pretty good too.

The site I was working on wanted me to help them with everything – because they were targeting an international market.  It is actually a very competitive market, and it will require more work still.

But, I have their site already getting steady traffic every day, and the stats show that the people coming to the site are exactly the ones they were wanting.  They have already had a couple signups for their mailing list (which I wasn’t even ready for!  I still had to finish setting the emails up to go out!).

So – I am pleased with how that is going.

Meanwhile, as if I didn’t have enough going on, I finally bit the bullet and signed up as a consultant with Heritage Makers.  I had finished a book about my Grandpa, which I received a couple of weeks ago.  When I saw the book, and how it made me feel to hold it and actually be able to read it – I knew I had to be a part of this.

I already have a bunch of people who want to create their own books after seeing what I did.  The fact that they are hardbound books, and not just scrapbooks, is amazing.  And, they are so much simpler to do!

I just don’t have the time or the space to do traditional scrapbooking – as much as I tried.  This is so much better for me.  I can do it all online and don’t need to get anything out and set up.  I can create whatever I want, and if it turns out really good, other people can order their own copy. (I have 3 people who want one of my books I did!)

So – I will mention from time to time how things are going with that.  I don’t imagine I will do many parties, as I don’t know what I would be like with that.  But, I imagine I will be able to talk to people and show them what is involved, and let the product sell itself.

If you want to see what Heritage Makers is about, you can go to www.YourStorybookLife.com to see my site.

I am very excited for 2009!

I have been busy getting things set up to do some online marketing to offline businesses in my local area who need help getting a website up and running, as well as helping them with some SEO and other marketing.  I got my first client just before Christmas, and have been busy getting their site finished up and everything set up for them.

They wanted to add a blog and a forum to their site, and they want me to do some optimizing and link building for them too – which is great!  Strangely, I enjoy doing all of this kind of marketing, even if I am outsourcing some of the more tedious tasks.

I never realized just how much the offling business world really doesn’t understand about internet marketing and how to use the internet to help bring them customers that are paying.  And, to use the internet for marketing and advertising – the possibilities are astounding, but for some reason, the offline world seems to think that the internet won’t really help them.

So, I will be busy doing this over the next few months and will see how it goes.  I am offering my experience with writing to do articles and submit for clients, as well as write copy on their sites and set up free reports to give away if they want.

This is just another way that you can think outside the box to find a way to make money from home.  If you have a skill, then offer to help people who don’t have the same kind of skill as you do.  Keep your mind open, and you may be surprised what can happen!

Happy New Year to you all – and I wish you nothing but the best for 2009!!

Marie

I love creating new products, and finding new areas where people are looking for help or information – especially when it comes to work at home moms (or parents who would like that chance to work at home!).  I hope to be able to create a bit of a series of products that will all be available through this site as they are created, and that there will be something for everyone.

The first line of products I am creating is for starting a home business in the pet care industry.  There is a huge demand for these types of businesses recently as more and more people are beginning to see their pets as part of the family.  There are doggy daycare centers, pet grooming businesses, pet sitting, dog walking, pet bakery businesses – the list is endless!

So, if you love animals – and have been thinking of ways to start a business from home, go ahead and give me any questions you may have about starting any of these kinds of businesses.  I will take all the questions and use them to create a product that can really help you to get started.  You can either shoot me an email, or post them right here in the comments section.

I just recently had to put my 15 year old cat to sleep, and it broke my heart more than I ever thought possible.  So – I guess this has helped me to make the decision about which area I will focus on creating some products for women to use to start their own business.  Sometimes we don’t even realize how much out pets mean to us – but there are so many opportunities out there to be able to take your love of working with animals and use it to help you build the business of your dreams.

I will keep things updated as to when the finished products will be available – if you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for the mailing list so that you can be notified whenever a new product is made available.

And – be sure to send me your questions!  Thanks!

So – if you are searching for something, be sure you check out the Resources page.  I will personally be checking every ad that comes in.  I will not just post everything – it needs to be something that I feel will be a genuine opportunity for my readers.  You might just find exactly what you are looking for among the opportunities you will see – so be sure to take a look!

Or – if you have a business, or resource that will help other WAHM’s – then check out the advertising page for rates, and submit your ads to be posted.

Hopefully, everyone can find some benefit to having these resources and oppportunities posted for everyone to make use of.

I have found in my years online, that women are a tremendous source of support for other women – and will go to unbelievable lengths to help one another.  Building a business is no different – they are prepared to offer guidance and resources to help others get to where they are.  Hopefully, there will be some resources included here that will help you.

For the past couple of months, another WAHM and I have worked very hard at setting up a great community site to help other moms and parents who want to work from home.  We have added a ton of resources to help, we have offered our own help inside the forum – and we have basically set things up so that we have a platform to help everyone get to the point they are aiming for.

But – as I have noticed over my time online, it seems that unless you are promising an exact method – or one of those hyped up “systems” that “guarantee you will be making thousands of dollars a month by simply typing in numbers on your computer…..” – that people aren’t interested.

The ones who are, however, are the ones you know are serious about getting ahead.  They are serious about putting in the necessary work to succeed at whatever they are setting out to do.  Because, you know what?  There are no sure-fire, make money RIGHT NOW methods online, no matter what you may be hearing otherwise.

Last spring, I put together a huge guide of information for anyone who is interested in working at home – it is full of links, resources, tips to help you find work – everything that you would need if you are just getting started and are looking for a direction to follow.  Everything is put into one guide – in one very easy to follow and access format – to basically hold your hand and help you search for something that you might be interested in.

However – again, it seems that people aren’t as interested in this kind of information as they are in the kind that they eventually end up saying they have been “scammed” over.  And, sadly, it happens time and time again!  People would rather pay for the information that shows how you can process rebates from home for ridiculous amounts of money…..and this really frustrates me!

Those kind of jobs are just now real – in fact, most of the time they are flat out scams!

But, people keep paying good money for this kind of stuff!

Maybe I was way off base when I went to the trouble of putting it all together – the stuff to avoid, the best resources to find work, actual links to companies hiring workers – because I can’t guarantee anyone will make anything with the information I provide.  It requires them to actually go out and apply for jobs, and look for work through the resources and links I give in the guide – and unfortunately, too many people think that there must be an easier way!

Anyway – Sandi and I opened up our forum and membership site to people to come in and check it out – completely free – and we had some who came on board.  But – there was not the numbers we were hoping for.  Now, while I realize that a lot of people don’t want to get involved in any kind of social community until there is more activity – and more members are signed up – but how else will a community ever be built?

We are trying to create a place that people can feel free to ask any questions they want – without being jumped on with advertisements for business opportunities, or be made to feel that their question was “dumb”.

And, we also want to make a place that people CAN promote their business opportunities, and maybe use it to network in a more relaxed atmosphere – in a section just for that kind of activity.

For those who have come over and taken a chance – and seen what we have put together – we want to say thank you!  We know that things have been slow getting started, but we hope that we can create a community together that fits everyone’s needs.

And, to those of you who have bought my guide – and thanked me for the information you learned from it – I also want to say thank you.  I hope that you can find what you are looking for, and that you will make use of what you have learned!

We are now changing our direction – and we are going to offer our membership as a bonus that is included in the price of the guide.

So – you are now getting the chance to get the basic starter information in the guide (which is full of links and ideas), and then you can sign up for the lifetime membership at the forum – where you will get access to more resources and help from other work at home moms.  This is a HUGE offer, and I guarantee you will not find anything else like it online.

I am still in the process of putting the finishing touches on everything – so if you end up buying the guide before I have updated some of the info with how to access the membership site – just let me know.

There is help out there – and there are real, LEGITIMATE and honest ways to make money from home – but you need to stop looking for the easy answers.  Take the time to learn the basics and really put an effort into finding satisfying work that you can be proud of.  Would you really feel satisfied and proud to tell people you make money stuffing envelopes for a living?  (Even if that WAS a legitimate method of making money at home!)

Again – I am sorry if you are one who is offended by what I have said.  I just get very frustrated with people who keep complaining and crying that they have been scammed, and that there isn’t any way to make legitimate money online working at home……..There are ways, but you need to be willing to put a bit of work into finding them.

There is no such thing as “Get Rich Quick” - and you need to stop waiting for that miracle method that will have you making money without doing anything.  It isn’t out there – and once you realize that – you need to pull up your bootstraps and start looking for the REAL work.  And, when someone offers to give you help, take it!

If you are interested in seeing what is included in the guide – it is at www.FromHomeMomsWorkSource.com I am going to be redoing the salespage to include the membership part of it (which you can see now at www.WAHMSAlliance.com).

I hope we can help at least some of you achieve your work at home dreams!

It has been a lot of work – but it is worth it.  I never thought I would say that.  I was only really working on it in the beginning because it is a requirement for getting financing.

But, after spending weeks on the plan, I have realized just how vital a solid plan really is to setting up a business that will have a chance to survive.  You need to really think about everything – your marketing plan, your financial plan, how you can compete with other similar businesses – there is so much that you need to work out.

I have really learned a lot about myself, and a lot about what I will need to build my business in this process.  I have had to try imagining any problems I might run into, and how I plan to overcome them.  I have had to think about how I want to advertise and market – and who my target market even is!

Through all of this, I have already been having to overcome little obstacles along the way – finding suppliers, working out pricing, deciding on the best possible business model – and one monumental hurdle I have been facing is where to get the software that I need to create the business I am envisioning.

I have just kept pushing forward – and every little setback I try to just step over top of and find another way.  I have been in touch with numerous people, who have given me all sorts of prices and quotes.  I have even been told by one person (who had not even seen my business plan at all – I just gave him software specs and asked for a quote!) that my business idea was not well thought out!

My point is:  If you are wanting to start and grow a successful home busines – or any business for that matter – you need to have a plan.  And, you really need to put everything you can into putting that plan together.  You will realize little details that you otherwise would have missed.  And, your business will suffer in the long run if you haven’t planned for what you need to do.

Find someone who can advise you and guide you through creating the plan for your business.  I have been fortunate to have the help of a woman from our local Women’s Enterprise Center who has helped me tremendously – offering feedback and suggestions to help me get my business plan created.  And, she has even helped to push me a bit over some of the little bumps in the road as I came across them.

Build your plan, then use that plan as your guide to building your business into something that you can be proud of!  Don’t cut corners in the beginning, or you will struggle down the road.

We have managed to get a huge amount of information – through guides, ebooks, reports etc. – which we are planning to make available to members over the next few months.  We will be adding new material each month to go along with the coaching that will be going on in the forum, assistance and tips from other work at home moms, plus so much more!

We are also including a INCREDIBLE bonus membership to a great money making site called “Instant Cash Generators” which has a very large following.  This membership alone can give members of the WAHMSAlliance unbelievable ideas to help inspire moms to come up with ways of making money.  All ideas are very easy to follow and simply need to be implemented for the person to see results. Add that to the library of information we are making available inside the members area, and any woman who truly wants to work at home will be able to succeed!

Both Sandi and I want to help as many people get to the point they want to be as possible – to try avoid some of the learning curve we have both had to go through. So – if you are interested in learning some moms home business advice, or learn about companies that are hiring work at home employees, or learn how to market yourself and your business, or…..I could go on and on!…..go now to WAHMSAlliance.com and sign up!

You get a full 2 weeks for only $4.95 to give it a bit of a test drive, and then you will only pay $19.99 each month for access to the resources, training and general community assistance that is inside the members area!  We are putting a lot of work into this to help other moms get to where they want to be – working at home.  And, we hope we will see you there!

I have had some great feedback from everyone who received a copy of the guide – and one woman who has already been able to get a job she found out about inside the guide!

I am always so happy to hear when someone has been able to take some of the advice or information I have given them and actually do something with it.  I truly want to be able to help other moms to have the freedom of staying at home with their kids while making money.

Some of us would love to have the opportunity to own our own business – feel that pride of something that we built on our own – but still be able to be here for our kids.  That is what the driving force is for all of us.

Some women want a job – just something they can do in their spare time – something to make some extra money to help pay the bills.

Whatever your goals and dreams are, don’t give up on them!  I am so happy that I get to be here with my kids, and when I see them do something that makes me feel really proud of the people they are becoming, I am even happier that I was able to somehow influence them to become that person.

So – if you haven’t got your copy of the guide yet, go now to www.FromHomeMomsWorkSource.com and get yours. (Sorry, the free offer is no longer open, but I promise I won’t charge an arm and a leg!)

And – then head over to the community site and join the rest of us work at home moms who are connecting and building our own little place on the internet!

But, now I need to kind of tie up the loose ends on my own, so please bare with me if I am taking too long!  Everything should be ready by next week – all you need to do is sign up for the newsletter and you will be notified when things are ready.

And, come one guys!  Sandi and I have started a great little community area – that is kind of like our version of MySpace/Facebook for work at home moms and moms who want to be work at home moms;-)  Go over and set up a profile and have some fun!  You can have your own place to put your thoughts in a blog, you can upload pictures – there is even a forum, (which I guess I should go and get set up!!).  But, there always has to be those first few who are brave enough to sign up.  Tell you what – for the first 15 women who sign up over at the free community area – you will get my WAHM guide sent to you for free. 

How does that sound?  Yes, the same one I am selling for $37.00 (that you see a link to on this page) – yours free!  So, get over there before it is too late and sign up!  Send me a friend request, and I will send your report to your email – fair enough?  And, if you are after the 15th person, don’t worry – we have some great giveaways and promotions planned once the membership area is set up!

The free community area is at www.WAHMSAlliance.ning.com

So, I will see you there!