Moms Working From Home

A lot of moms want to work from home and be able to add to their family's income. The challenge is in deciding what to do. You can choose a work at home job or a work at home business. A few years ago, I chose a business with a direct sales/party plan company. I worked hard with that company for 4 years. I advanced and earned recognition. However, I didn't have a consistent paycheck. At the time I did not have any children, but part of the reason for my business was to be able to stay home once we decided to have kids. I began considering whether that business was really going to allow me to reach my goal.

Then a friend of mine called me about a different business which did not involve inventory or selling products. It was a customer referral business and the company would pay me simply for referring others to the products. I was quite skeptical because of my personality and my previous experiences. However, I was open enough to listen to the info and decide for myself. Once I saw the product line, I knew I'd at least want to be a customer.

I have found this experience to be quite a bit different from my previous business. I have found that I have been much more able to reach my goals than I was before. I am now working part-time and am expecting my first baby in a couple months. Yay! It is so refreshing and exciting to be part of a company that helps me reach me goals, and I am also able to help others reach their goals. Our company has sent out checks month after month to thousands of moms who are adding to their family's income by doing this business. Why not you??

Home Businesses in a Declining Economy

What is going on in the economy today? Most of us are familiar with these stats:

• Oil prices are up 30% - not good, especially for those of us living in the Northeast.
• Food prices are up 8% in the last 3 months.
• In July, the FDIC seized control of Indy-Mac Bank - the second largest bank failure in US history.
• Construction of single family homes is down.
• Jobless claims are up.

Clearly, the economy is having trouble, and that is affecting a lot of people. Most people that you talk to today are struggling in one way or another -whether it is because of gas prices, not being able to make mortgage payments, or job insecurity.

In light of all of these issues, many home based businesses are suffering. In 2007, the DSA reported that the overall industry had a decline in total sales. The president and CEO of our company, in a meeting with other presidents that are part of the DSA, found that he encountered no other companies who had grown in 2007. However, our business did grow in 2007! And in 2008, our sales are up above last year's sales. We have had 17% more advancements this year than we had last year at this time. Plus, our customers are ordering more on average than last year.

So, why, in light of the declining economy, with most other home businesses struggling as well, is our company continuing to grow? We have grown steadily over the past several years, and our 20+ year history of growth is astounding in the home business industry. Our continued growth can be connected to the value of our products. Companies that are promoting products that the average person can't afford are not doing well because people are cutting their budgets. However, because our products are affordable and are the kinds of products people use on a regular basis, we continue to grow and expand in spite of the declining economy. I am thankful to finally be a part of a company that offers people the chance to get ahead in these hard times, as well as get safer, healthier products for their homes.

Business Tips for Success

I'm going to share some notes that I took last night on a training call with one of the top leaders in my business. I really enjoyed the call, and since she is earning over $100,000 per month with our company, I figured that it's a good idea to follow her advice:

• It's Up to YOU! You have to make a decision to be successful with your business. Your success is up to you. You can't blame others if you don't succeed.
• Have to be willing to sacrifice. There are things that you will need to sacrifice in the short-term in order to have a long-term gain. This might be things like your favorite TV show, going out with friends, or other activities you'd like to do. In the end, it will be worth it!
• Find a mentor and have them hold you accountable.
• Set attainable goals. You should have short-term and long-term goals and have a "whatever it takes" attitude.
• Know who to work with and know when to walk away. Many business builders try to work with the people who are not really serious - and they get frustrated. Go by what people do, not what they say. Work with those who are coachable.
• Stay in touch with your new builders and help them get the biggest first check possible. Once someone sees that this can work, they will continue to stick with it.
  
• Keep your attitude positive. If you are negative, you will bring down others around you and you will not attract success.
• Remember that in our business, no one can get hurt. Unlike many other companies out there, there is truly no way for someone to lose money or get hurt.

I love that last part! There is truly no way for someone to get hurt in our business. I recently connected with someone online who is in another company right now. She shared that she is not getting much support and she is being told that they aren't going to "hold her hand". Not to mention that she had to invest over $1,000 to get started! Wow, that is a set up for people to get hurt. After researching more about the company, I have read many similar stories, including people that have been encouraged to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the business - but yet they aren't earning any money! One thing I love about my company is our focus on helping others to get OUT of debt, not into more debt.

I hope these tips were helpful. Feel free to add a comment with your tips as well.

Developing Your Business Online

There are many ways to develop your home-based business, and one of them is to develop your online presence. Blogging is obviously one way to do this, and I apologize for my serious lack of posts in the past month. I have been busy, but that is no excuse. Another way, aside from blogging, is to develop relationships with others through online message boards and groups. I have found this to be quite helpful over the recent months. I have met some wonderful women who have chosen to team up with me and start their own business. It's been rewarding for them as well as for myself. And helping others is part of my own personal passion, as well as the mission statement of my company.

As I continue to build my business, I am constantly learning and figuring out what works and what doesn't work. I have noticed that some people try to just start advertising their business before they have developed any kind of rapport or relationship with others. I think that one of the keys to building online is still to be focused on others and to develop a relationship with them. That way they know that you truly care about them, and you are not there just to try and recruit them.

The fact is, there are people everywhere who are looking for extra income right now. With the economy the way it is, even an extra $300-500 a month can make a huge difference for families. I am so excited to be a part of a company that allows me to help others earn this, even within their first month if they choose. This month, we can even help people DOUBLE their paychecks, which is pretty amazing.

Feel free to leave any tips you have about building a business online, or any comments about anything else here.