Book : The Smart Mompreneur

Attention: Aspiring Mompreneurs

You Can Turn Your Skills, Knowledge and Expertise into a Lucrative and Flexible Service-based Business TODAY!

Our meaty 184-page blueprint will guide you through every step of the way!

Maybe you’re tired of the rat race and you’re craving more time and flexibility. Or perhaps you’re ready to start using your brain (and generating some income!) after playing the role of stay-at-home-mom for too long.

Possibly it’s a combination of the two…or someplace in between.

At any rate, starting your own business sounds like the ideal solution. However, you’re wise enough to know it can’t be just ANY business. It has to be something that offers the best combination of flexibility, ease of entry, negligible risk, minimal start-up capital requirements, and high income potential.

It also ideally has to be something you can do from home on your own terms, without the headache of employees.

Our bet is that you have a skill that would command an attractive salary in the corporate world. A skill or experience you could turn into a lucrative and flexible service-based business.

Perfect! No inventory, no employees and no customer service hassles. You can work at your own pace…from anywhere and anytime.

But is it really possible? Can you truly earn a great income selling your professional skill? How do you get started? Where do you find the clients? How will you juggle your family and your business?

And could you structure the business so that it generates a healthy income on a part-time or half-time schedule? (After all, you aren’t starting a new business so you can work 50+ hour weeks, are you?)

A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating a Lucrative Service Business

Here’s the good news: it’s all possible. I’ve done it, and so have thousands of other moms. Moms who wanted both: a great income and a flexible lifestyle…but without the hassles of a traditional work-at-home business that involve product, suppliers and employees.

And in our new book, The Smart Mompreneur: A Step-by-Step Guide to Converting a Skill Into a Lucrative and Flexible Business, my co-author and I will show you how to make it happen.

We’ll guide you through every step along the way, taking you from where you are today to becoming a well-paid mompreneur…with more time and flexibility to be the mom you want to be.

If you’re currently employed, we’ll show you how to make the transition without having to risk your paycheck. And if you’re currently a stay-at-home mom, we’ll show you how to get there as quickly and safely as possible.

Bottom line: our method guarantees success and keeps you from wasting time and energy on unproven methods (or driving yourself and your family crazy!).

And, best of all, we’ll provide you with the inspiration and encouragement you need to believe in yourself — to believe you can do this and be successful. In fact, in this unique book, you’ll find tons of practical advice and interesting perspectives from other moms who have already successfully made the leap!

“The Smart Mompreneur is tailor-made for moms who are looking to start a home-based business – whether you’re currently working outside the home or already at home. The Smart Mompreneur is a meaty 184-page blueprint that shows YOU how to become a solopreneur step-by-step.”
Heather McCarron Allard
The Mogul Mom

Who The Heck Are We?

My name is Noelle Abarelli. I’m a successful freelance marketing professional. I’m also a wife and a mother of two beautiful girls.

In 2003, I walked away from an exciting career in international marketing to achieve more balance in my life. At the time I was newly married and planning to start a family, and I knew in my heart that I would not find a position in corporate America where I could do well financially and professionally while also doing a good job at home. So I founded a successful marketing consultancy that provides me the income and flexibility I require as a 21^st century mom.

While this may make me a relative newcomer to mompreneurship, it also makes me uniquely qualified to give advice on this topic! The ideas, tools and tactics I share with you in this book are the same fresh, practical approaches I used to successfully launch my own profitable business. I’ve personally tried all of them and I know they work extremely well.

My co-author, Ed Gandia, is a freelance copywriter. He is also relatively new to solopreneurship.

While Ed is obviously not a mother (he’s a proud husband and active father, though), he is an extremely successful solopreneur with a lot of great advice to offer! In fact, in his first full-time year as a solopreneur, Ed grossed more than $160,000. And, just as impressive, he got to this level in only 27 months…while working a full-time job. That’s one of the main reasons why I asked Ed to co-write this book with me.

A Yin and Yang Approach

Our journeys to solopreneurship were as different as we are.

Ed’s approach to launching a service business was more methodical, less risky and far less stressful than the approach I used. But, by combining his deliberate, results-driven approach with my own, more organic and holistic approach — an approach that takes into account the many idiosyncrasies of being a woman, a mother and a mompreneur — we have truly uncovered a path to success for all mompreneurs in waiting.

“I wish I had this book before I’d started freelancing. There are things in here that crept up as problems for me years down the road that would have already been taken care of had I purchased The Smart Mompreneur before my transition. That being said, even though I’ve been a freelance professional for years there are still tips, tricks, and advice I had never thought of, as well as the resources to make many them happen. I’ve never seen a more complete guide.”
Jennifer Gniadecki
Freelance Writer
www.jennydecki.com

“This book is amazing and I love it! I wish I had much of this advice before I launched my own business.”
Province Park
Founder, www.JustAskBoo.com (JAB)

We’ll Tell You What No One Else Will

You’ve no doubt noticed that there are an abundance of courses and seminars designed to teach aspiring entrepreneurs how to start their own businesses. These resources focus on the nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship, such as the ins and outs of incorporating, the dos and don’ts of marketing, and how to beat the tax laws. Unfortunately, most are full of theory and short on practical advice.

In fact, there is very little practical information on how to successfully “make the leap” into entrepreneurship (and solopreneurship in particular) and how to remain successful once you cross that bridge. Even more lacking is information on how a MOM can make this leap while juggling her already-full workload.

This book is designed to fill this critical void. The void between skills and desire and the income and flexibility you require as a 21st century mom.

We’ll share with you the same tools that we used to successfully launch our own lucrative and flexible service businesses — ideas, principles and techniques that we still use today.

But, Are My Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Really in Demand?

Absolutely! It’s not just creative skills that are currently in demand by companies and individuals. Virtually any valuable skill, knowledge or expertise can be turned into a lucrative and flexible service business.

Anything from organizing closets and offices to bookkeeping, project management, software development, administrative support, translation, yoga instruction, writing, design, illustration, dog training, cooking instruction… you name it!

In fact, the popular website and online service marketplace, Guru.com, has identified more than 160 different skill categories you can earn money from!

“This e-book offers GREAT detailed advice on everything! From cutting back to save money in the beginning to how to claim things on your taxes…The Smart Mompreneur is very specific! And the stories from moms who have already successfully launched their freelance careers are very inspirational and insightful. Overall, it offers tons of great ‘heads up’ advice I wish I had come across before I went solo.”
Katie Kelly
Freelance Graphic Designer

You’ll Learn From Our Mistakes

As you can probably imagine, transitioning from full-time jobs to flexible, high-income service businesses wasn’t easy. We both made tons of mistakes along the way.

But, fortunately, we also took lots of notes about what worked…what didn’t…and why.

And that’s precisely what we’ll share with you in this book.

The Smart Mompreneur provides an inside look at the plan we put together and refined during our transitional years. As well as a look back at what worked…and what we would have done differently.

It contains every secret, insight, strategy and tactic we used to methodically go from nothing to having lucrative and flexible service businesses — quickly and without risking it all or shortchanging our families in the process.

“Sorely lacking and much needed – finally there’s a book on the nuts and bolts of transitioning safely into a freelance business! The Smart Mompreneur is not only a must-have resource for freelance moms, but any freelancer who wants to up his or her chances of going into business for themselves. I’ll be recommending this e-book to my followers for years to come.”
Chris Marlow
Niche Expert and publisher of “Get Great Clients”

In this unique e-book, you’ll discover:

Eye-opening statistics about the number of moms leaving the corporate world to start their own businesses and solo careers.
7 benefits of having your own service business that are often overlooked.
The 5 essential components of a successful plan…and why they’re so important to your success.
The 5 critical success factors for launching a lucrative service business.
The “chicken” approach and why it’s absolutely essential to your success.
The biggest reason so many aspiring mompeneurs fail and how to avoid this mistake!
How to gain the momentum you need when you’re starting out.
A practical 4-step goal-setting plan that actually works! It’s specifically tailored for solo businesses and it’s exactly what Ed used to get to where he is today…quickly.
The importance of a “BHAG” and why it must drive your entire plan.
How to determine a realistic income range. Every service profession is different, but we’ll teach you some general rules about how to calculate your potential income level.
The 7 key milestones you must set for a successful transition…and why so many aspiring mompreneurs never even reach half of them.
How to determine when you’re ready to break free! We’ll show you the specific signs to look for.

“The Smart Mompreneur is a must-have manual for all aspiring mompreneurs! I appreciate the practical, methodical approach and the in-the-trenches true stories. Transitioning to life as a freelancer seems much more do-able after reading Ed & Noelle’s plan.”
Deann Atwood
Freelance Copywriter

We’ll also cover a wide range financial considerations and strategies in detail, including:

An easy way to determine how much money you should have stashed away before you go solo.
Critical health insurance considerations…and when you need to start researching your options.
3 important factors most aspiring mompreneurs fail to take into account before quitting their jobs.
How to overcome cold feet. We’ll provide a basic test to determine if mompreneurship is really the right career path for you.
The 3 critical components of a successful financial plan.
A practical way to assess your current financial picture.
A snapshot of what your financial situation look like once you’re on your own.
Some of the most important childcare considerations to factor into your decision…and creative approaches you may not have considered.
5 creative ways to cut your personal expenses without sacrificing quality or happiness.
How much working capital you need to ensure your young business thrives.
The 3 types of insurance policies you should seriously consider as a self-employed professional.
Advantages and disadvantages of individual health insurance policies…and how they work.
What you should consider if you or any of your family members have pre-existing medical conditions.
Advice on whether you should go with an insurance broker or contact individual insurance companies.
The scoop on bookkeeping and accounting, and whether you need a CPA.

“I’ve started reading The Smart Mompreneur, and it’s great so far! The content is very timely and will be a huge benefit to moms who are looking for ways to work and live on their own terms.”
Jennifer Remling
Entrepreneur and Author of Carve Your Own Road

You’ll get proven advice on getting great clients on a budget…and in less time. You’ll learn:

The 1 thing you must do on a consistent basis to ensure you’ll never struggle to land work.
How to get potential clients 70% sold on hiring you before they even contact you.
How to avoid making a single cold call with our 7-part marketing system.
The serious advantages (and key disadvantages) of developing a specialty…straight from the trenches.
6 essential factors to consider if you decide to specialize.
The types of clients you should avoid if you want to enjoy long-term success.
Valuable information about the hottest and most profitable industries for mompreneurs – from an expert at Guru.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for freelance talent.
How to determine your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). You’re probably leaving money on the table if you don’t have one! Chris Marlow, coach to freelancers, weighs in with some practical ideas.
How unique you need to be to succeed. We’ll give you a simple approach to creating a powerful USP.
How to build and maintain a simple website.
How to build a great samples portfolio in record time.
How to leverage the power of direct mail to approach dozens of potential clients in less than a week.
What’s working and not working in direct mail today and why.
A proven letter structure to follow…including a copy of the actual letter Ed used to generate a 3% to 7% response rate.
How to make direct mail work when you hold a full-time job…and staying on top of your business when you’re still stuck in your cubicle.
When and how to follow up with direct mail respondents.
How to use articles to effectively promote your business. It’s easier than you think. We’ll show you why.
A practical (and powerful) approach to networking…especially if you don’t feel that comfortable in large social settings.
Some creative and effective ways to network online.
All about e-newsletters and whether or not they’re still a viable marketing vehicle for mompreneurs. We’ll tell you about our experiences…and what you can do to get the most mileage from your own efforts.
The skinny on blogging, advertising and public speaking as ways to promote your business. Which strategies work best? How do you decide when time is a factor?
How Ed’s proprietary “Marketing Effectiveness Matrix” can help you develop a marketing mix that’s right for you.
The big difference between “marketing” and “selling” your services and why each is important.
How to overcome the fear of having to “sell” yourself and how to do less selling while landing more work.
9 questions most potential clients have about the service providers they’re considering…and why your website must answer all of them well.
9 ways to determine if a potential client is a good fit for you.
8 questions you should always ask a new prospect before you quote a project.
How to determine your project fee.

“The Smart Mompreneur is a quick read and it’s loaded with practical advice and interesting perspectives from people who have made the leap. I think it is very helpful and relevant regardless of what stage you are in. I always talk to freelancers who struggle with sales and marketing and this book provides a practical, affordable approach on how to make sure you are effectively selling and marketing while serving your clients.”
Michelle Gullia
Freelance PR Professional

We’ll also share with you invaluable tips on running your business…while maximizing your billable time…including:

7 steps to putting together a winning proposal…fast!
What to do when your prospect says that your price is too high.
Should you quote an hourly rate, a flat project fee or both? We’ll show which method is almost always the best (and how to use it well).
A foolproof system to ensure you don’t overbook yourself and never miss a deadline.
The best way to stay on top of your business’ finances.
What to do when a client is late with a payment…or it becomes obvious that they don’t plan on paying you at all.
5 practical tips to fast-track your business success.
Plus, you’ll get actionable insights from half a dozen successful mompreneurs in a variety of professions. As well as tips and ideas from freelance coaches and a number of freelance market experts.

You’ll also get valuable tax-planning advice from June Walker, author of Self-Employed Tax Solutions and one of the most recognized accountants in freelance circles.

And much more!

“With more and more ‘mompreneurs’ embarking on their own freelance careers, what’s needed is a helpful start-up guide that helps them get their businesses up and running and balance all the other demands on their time. The Smart Mompreneur is that guide. It takes the best parts of Ed Gandia’s classic Stop Wishing and Start Earning start-up guide and – thanks to Noelle Abarelli – presents it in terms that make practical sense for any entrepreneurial-minded mom to implement right away! No doubt, this guide is sure to help time-pressured moms take a huge leap forward with their dreams of building a money-making freelance business from scratch. Kudos Ed and Noelle!”
Pete Savage
Publisher, Savage Marketing for Freelancers
www.SavageMarkteing.com

“If only I had this book before I started my business… it’s a must for every new entrepreneur!”
Tricia Dempsey
CEO, Agile

Part-Time? Full-Time? Plenty of Actionable Advice Either Way.

If you’re a full-time employee and are just interested in moonlighting as a mompreneur, this book will show you how to successfully launch a part-time business…and how to make it profitable.

If you’re not currently working and are looking to launch either a simple part-time service business (or a full-blown service business), you’ll find dozens of practical tips and ideas you can put to use right away.

In every case, this book will show you how to launch that business faster…more safely…more profitably…and with less stress.

While enabling you to be the kind of mom you want to be.

Regardless of your ambitions, if you’re looking for proven advice on reaching your freelance goals faster and with less risk…then this book is for you.

In fact, this is the book we wish we had when each of us began our freelancing journey!

Fast-Track Your Success

Collectively, Ed and I spent hundreds of hours working and refining our transition plans.

The two of us have also spent more than $10,000 on coaching, marketing programs and courses to help us develop a plan that would work well with our busy schedules.

The Smart Mompreneur is the end result of all this hard work, research and experimentation.

In this book, we “net it all out” for you. We reveal all the secrets we used to get to where we are today, so you won’t have to make the mistakes we made (and we made plenty).

And when we say that we’ll tell you everything…we mean everything! That’s why this book is nearly 200 pages long. It’s all meat. No fluff.

But fortunately for you, you won’t pay thousands for this information like we did. You won’t even pay $100!

In fact, you can get all of our tips, ideas and secrets for only $39 for the e-book (downloadable PDF format) version and $49 for the printed version. That’s a small fraction of what we paid to gather, learn and test this information in the school of hard knocks.

Best of all, your satisfaction is fully guaranteed.

Use It Risk-Free for 30 Days

That’s right. If after 30 days of reading The Smart Mompreneur you don’t agree that it can help you launch a flexible and lucrative service-based solo business… we’ll refund your payment in full. Just let us know within 30 days of your purchase date.

Yes, we’re willing to take all the risk here. That’s how confident we are that you will get great value from this book.

So don’t put your hopes and dreams on hold any longer. Order your downloadable copy today. You could be learning our strategies and be on your way to freelance success in just a few minutes.

Here’s to your success!

Noelle Abarelli, Mompreneur & co-author of The Smart Mompreneur

P.S. If you order today, we’ll also send you a copy of Ed’s report, “7 Creative and Affordable Ways to Assemble a Powerful Mailing List in Record Time” (a $19 value) for FREE.

Direct mail is an important component of a successful mompreneur’s marketing approach. Ed attributes it to helping him attract many of his clients and get to where he is today. In this report, he’ll share with you 7 little-known resources and tips for assembling a high-quality mailing list. And how to do it fast and affordably.

P.P.S. We’ll also send you a copy of the popular e-guide, “Estimated Payments: Hate Them But Pay Them,” by Eva Rosenburg, EA.

For years, I struggled to find an article that explained the issue of estimated tax payments (something most businesses have to do quarterly) in plain English! This comprehensive 8-page e-guide is it! It’s a must-read for all aspiring and new mompreneurs, regardless of whether or not you’re doing your own taxes.