Accountant
Adoption Agency
Advertising Agency
Advertising Sales Representative
Animal Breeder
Antiques Dealer
Apartment Preparation Service
Artists’/Photographers’ Agent
Arts Festival Promoter
Association Management Service
Auctioneer
Auditor
Automotive Detailing
Automotive Loan Broker
Automotive Maintenance
Automotive Paint Touch-Up Professional
Band Manager
Bankruptcy Service
Bartending Service
Bartering Service
Bed & Breakfast
Bicycle Rental
Boat Maintenance/Cleaning Service
Book Indexer
Book Packager
Bookkeeper
Bridal Consultant
Bridal Show Promoter
Building Maintenance Service
Business Broker
Business Form Production and Sales
Business Networking Service
Business Plan Writer
Cake Decorator
Calligrapher
Career Counselor
Carpet/Upholstery Cleaning
Catalog Retailer
Caterer
Childbirth Instructor
Child-Care Referral Service
Collectibles Broker
Collection Agency
College Application Consultant
College Internship Placement Service
Color Consultant
Commercial Cleaning Service
Commercial Photographer
Commercial Plant Watering Service
Computer Consultant
Computer Maintenance Service
Computer Programmer/Database Consultant
Computer Trainer
Concert Promoter
Consulting Engineer
Cooking Instructor
Corporate Art Consultant
Counselor/Psychologist
Courier Service
Credit Consultant
Damage Restoration Service
Dating Service
Day-Care Service (Child or Adult)
Desktop Publisher
Digital Imaging Service
Disability Consultant
Disc Jockey
Dog Trainer
Doll Repair Service
Draftsperson
e-Book Publisher
Efficiency Expert
Electrical Contractor
Employee Benefits Consultant
Employee Leasing
Engraving Service
Envelope Stuffing Service
Etiquette Advisor
Event Planner
Executive Search Firm
Fan Club Management
Fax-on-Demand Service
Feng Shui Consultant
Financial Aid Consultant
Financial Planner
First Aid/CPR Instructor
Food Item Manufacturer
Framing Service
Freelance Writer/Copyeditor/Illustrator
Gardening Consultant/Landscaper
Genealogical Service
Gerontology Consultant
Gift Basket Business
Government Contract Consulting
Grant Writer
Graphic Designer
Hairstylist
Handbill Distribution
Handyman Network
Home Business Consultant
Home Entertainment System Service
Home Health Care Service
Home Inspector
Home Preparation Service
Homeschooling Consultant
Image Consultant
Incorporation Service for Businesses
Insurance Agent
Interior Designer
Jewelry Designer
Knitting/Crocheting Instructor
Lactation Consultant
Laundry Service
Lawn Care Service
Lawyer
Licensing Agent
Literary Agent
Litigation Management Service
Magician
Mailing List Service
Makeup Artist
Management Consultant
Manicurist
Manufacturer’s Representative
Marketing Consultant
Massage Therapist
Meal to Go
Mediator
Medical Claims Processing
Medical Transcriptionist
Meeting Planner
Message Retrieval Serivce
Messenger Service
Mobile Paper-Shredding Service
Modeling Agency
Monogramming Service
Mortgage Loan Broker
Mover
Multilevel Marketing
Music Instructor/Professional Musician
Mystery Shopper
Nanny Service
Newspaper Delivery Service
Notary Public
Online Auction Consignment Service
Online Marketing Specialist
Online Message Board Manager
Online Retailer
Online Service Consultant
Outdoor Adventures
Outplacement Serivce
Paging Service
Party Planner
Personal Assistant
Personal Development Coach
Personal Instructor/Fitness Trainer
Personal Shopper
Pet Grooming
Political Campaign Manager
Pool Maintenance
Printing Broker
Private Tutor
Product Designer
Professional Organizer
Property Management Service
Public Pay Phone Service
Public Relations Consultant
Publisher of Personalized Children’s Books
Rare Book Dealer
Real Estate Broker
Relocation Consultant
Repair Service
Resume Service
Retirement Planner
Reunion Organizer
Roommate Referral Service
Rubber Stamp Business
Sales of Novelty and Promotional Products
Sales Representative
Sales Trainer
Seamstress
Secretarial Service
Seminar Service
Silk Flower Arranger
Small Business Consultant
Standardized Test Preparatory Services
Stock Photography Service
Systems Integrator
Tax Preparation Service
Telemarketing Service
Temporary Employment Agency
Ticket Broker
Time-Management Specialist
Trademark Agent
Translation Services
Travel Agent
Upholsterer
Used Computer Sales
Vacation Rentals Broker
Vacuum Cleaner Repair
Vending Machine Service
Videographer
Web Site Developer
Window Treatment Specialist
Word-Processing Service
Workers’ Compensation Consultant

Holly is a true inspiration for moms struggling to translate their traditional career skills into a creative service-based business.  She has successfully taken the important research skills she gained during her years as a nurse and converted them into a business that helps other women start their own businesses. 

Read on to learn more.

From Nursing to Networking

An Interview with Holly Reisem Hanna

Noelle:

How did you decide to start The Work at Home Woman?  What were you doing beforehand that led you to this idea?

Holly:

I didn’t initially start out wanting to be an entrepreneur.  Before my first daughter was born in 2007, I had a full time job as an RN Clinical Research Coordinator.  But, from the minute my daughter was placed in my arms, I knew that I would not be able to return to my full-time job.  I decided at that point to become a full-time stay a home mom. 

However, after 9 months as a stay at home mom I got motivated to find a way to make some extra money from home.  I started asking past employers and friends if there was any work that I could do for them while caring for my daughter at home.  My networking efforts paid off and in December 2007, I started working from home by completing marketing research, establishing joint ventures and working as a social network liaison for a small publishing company that a friend was working for. 

Noelle:

Wow. So ‘The Work at Home Woman’ website wasn’t actually your first business!

Holly:

Not actually!  During the time I spent looking for work at home opportunities I learned a lot of valuable marketing skills and became very familiar with the work at home market.  This knowledge motivated me to find a way to help other women and mothers find work at home opportunities, so I decided to create the ‘The Work at Home Woman’ website.  Today, I still do some work as a social network liaison in addition to running the site.

Noelle:

What a great idea you had!  The site is truly a great resource for women looking for work at home opportunities.  How long did it take you to put together ‘The Work at Home Woman’ website?

Holly:

It took me 16 months to launch the site.  I launched it on March 19, 2009 and I have been growing the business ever since.

Noelle:

Super!  You mentioned however that you still working part time as a social networking liaison.  I think it’s important that people realize you are essentially working two jobs at once while the site is in its start-up phase.  Sometimes that is what you need to do!

Holly:

For sure, but I’m passionate about building a career from this site and it’s worth the extra work.

Noelle:

How will you generate income from the site?

Holly:

I did a lot of research on how to make money with a website, and I think advertising and affiliate marketing are the best way to generate income from a website.

Noelle:

Well, that’s awesome.  Have you replaced your former income with your new businesses?

Holly:

I haven’t yet replaced my former salary, but I am also not working as much as I used to.  I have income coming in, and although it may not be as much as I want it to be, I think the most important thing is that I enjoy what I do!

Noelle:

So true! What has been your biggest challenge as a mompreneur?

Holly:

The biggest challenge is certainly having enough time!  I have a busy two year old to keep up with!

Noelle:

How do you manage childcare?  I know that’s a great concern to the aspiring mompreneurs I work with.

Holly:

I build my work schedule around my daughter’s schedule.  I always try to spend some time working before she wakes up.  I also do additional work while she naps.  However, as she gets older, her schedule continues to change, and I am currently evaluating a Mother’s Morning Out program that would give me set number of hours to work two days per week.

Mompreneurs with young children need to know that their children’s routines will constantly change.  It’s important to remain flexible and modify your work habits as you go.  

Noelle:

I agree.  What’s been your biggest surprise about mompreneurship?

Holly:

I’ve been really surprised that I don’t miss the social interaction I had during my former career as much as I thought I would.  My current business gives me the opportunity to interact with so many moms both online and in person.  I also really enjoy working from home.  I can get so much done in a short period of time without the interruptions!

One thing that isn’t is a surprise, is that I got rid of a major commute and I don’t miss that at all!

Noelle:

Ha!  I’m so glad to hear you don’t feel you are lacking social interaction as a work from home mom.  One of the things we mention in our book is that working at home can get lonely, but it’s great to see that you have been able to avoid that through aggressive networking.  Do you have any final advice for aspiring mompreneurs?

Holly:

Sure.  Now is a great time to start a work from home business.  There are plenty of great opportunities out there.  Some hot industries include virtual assistants, copy writers and social network marketing consultants.  If it’s your goal to launch a work from home business, do one thing to move that goal ahead today!

Noelle:

Thanks Holly!  I encourage all readers interested in starting a work at home business to visit your website today.

I recently spoke to Jennifer about her own journey into solopreneurship and the advice she collected while interviewing dozens of entrepreneurs for her book. Read on to learn more…

An Interview with Jennifer Remling

Noelle:

Thanks so much for making time to speak with me today. I’m really excited to chat with you about how you found the strength to strike out on your own to begin with – as I know you had several fabulous, well-paying jobs before you became a solopreneur.

Jennifer:

Well, that’s somewhat true. Out of college, I had three goals: I wanted to be a vice president, I wanted to do international work, and I wanted to make six figures within five years! (Laughing) I went into executive search and from there I transitioned into corporate recruiting. Looking back now, I see that my goals were very superficial, but at the time they were meaningful to me and I therefore managed to hit all of those goals within my timeframe.

Noelle:

Wow! And then what?

Jennifer:

Well, there I was – the vice president of global recruiting for a big global commerce company – I was doing international work – I had actually even moved to London! I hit all my goals, but I still felt unfulfilled. I found myself wondering, “Wow, is this all there is?” I was successful by all traditional standards and by the standards I had set for myself, but I was still very unhappy and unfulfilled. And then… I got laid off!

Noelle:

Ha! Talk about divine intervention!

Jennifer:

Yeah, but it took me some time to see the positive side of this situation.  It happened a few months before September 11^th and I wound up unemployed for about five months. On the day September 11^th happened, I was laying in bed feeling miserable about my unemployment. I realized that I had defined my entire life around my career and so when I lost my job, I felt like I lost my identity. My dog had just died and I was in a really bad mental funk… and then real tragedy struck and I knew it was time to make some major changes in my life. 

I started a journey of self exploration. I found myself asking why I was here on this planet and how I could make an impact on it. The journey lasted quite a few years and I read over 300 books during the process!

Noelle:

So did you start your business right after September 11^th?

Jennifer:

No. Like I said, my journey lasted quite a few years. I went back to corporate America first. I had known for a long time that I wanted to start my own company, but that’s a really scary thing for a lot of us who’ve had a corporate job and a solid pay check coming in. I wasn’t sure how I was going to start my business, but I did start doing some things on the side which is something I talk about a lot in the book – I call it “Building a Bridge”.

Noelle:

And what do you mean by that?

Jennifer:

Well, what I did was start to do some recruitment consulting on the side with people that I knew well. I started to build some income that way and I gained confidence that I could actually drive revenue from consulting.  Then one day I was meeting with a client, actually a potential client who was also a good personal friend whom I had known for a long time. I was trying to sell the services of the company I was working for at the time to him, and he said to me, “Jennifer you just don’t look happy. I have known you for a long time and I can see it.”  Then he said, “I have an idea. How about I tear up this contract and I sign a one year contract with Jennifer Remling, Inc.” (Laughing)

This was a total gift and just what I needed because I was really ready to quit my job, but until that point I didn’t feel like I had the net I needed.  That contract was my net.  We signed it on a Friday and I quit my job on a Monday!

Noelle:

Super!

Jennifer: 

Yeah, the contract didn’t equal my current compensation but it covered a good portion of it and with that contract in my pocket, I had the confidence to go out and get additional business which is what I did!

Noelle: 

Well Jennifer, that’s a great story. In The Freelance Mom we talk a lot about how building a successful transition plan can make or break a business, so I’m glad to hear how building a bridge between your corporate career and solopreneurship was so helpful.

What are some other lessons you picked up during the many interviews you did for Carve Your Own Road?

Jennifer:

Well, the idea for the book was to go out and interview people who had either quit a corporate job to pursue an entrepreneurial dream or passion or figured out how to stay in a corporate environment and do something really cool and innovative that was really meaningful to them.  So needless to say, we gathered a lot of great information and ideas; however one of the key things that stuck with me and one of the things that I cover in the book is the importance of having some clarity about where you want to head.

Noelle:

And what do you mean by that?

Jennifer:

It’s really important to take some time to sit down and ask yourself some important questions like what you want your life and your business to look like and how you want these things to feel. I recommend putting a two year plan in place. I don’t think you need a five year plan – I think a two year plan detailing how you want things to look and feel is key.

I also think it’s really important to let go and look at all the possibilities.  Don’t limit yourself! When you start to think about these questions you may find that your left brain will go “Oh that’s not possible!” or “How are you going to fund that?”  You need to ask your left brain to take the back seat so you can go all the way out there and create something cool. You can always come back to those left brain questions down the road.

Then, once you’ve established a vision, you should test it. Tap into your network and test your idea. Get some people behind you and get some feedback from those folks – then start building that bridge! 

Be clear about what you want and find peace with it because if you are full of fear, you can’t make good decisions!

Noelle:

So true! Thanks for the great story and advice! Where can my audience get a copy of Carve Your Own Road?

Jennifer:

It’s available at Amazon.com and at Barnes & Nobles Bookstores.

Noelle:

Great!  I also really enjoyed your recent interview on CNN – so I’m including a link to that interview and a link to your great website. 

And finally, I’m including a link to Jennifer’s new retreats for women.  These are a great opportunity for busy moms to get away and spend some determining how they  can start working and living on their own terms!  I’m definitley planning on signing up for one in the near future!

Below are the highlights of my exchange with Kristen.

Hot Industries for Freelancers

An Interview with Kristen I. Sabol, Communications Specialist at Guru.com 

Noelle:

What specializations present the greatest opportunities for freelancers today?

Kristen:

Site-wide, Guru.com offers opportunities in more than 160 different skill categories. The site has traditionally witnessed the greatest amount of activity in the following categories:
 

• Website Design
• Website Marketing
• Programming/Software/Database Development

After these fields, we also see a high demand for:
 

• Writing/Editing
• Translation
• Graphic Design
• Presentations/Multimedia
• Illustration/Cartooning
• Painting
• Sculpting

Noelle:

How competitive are these categories?

Kristen:

That’s a good question! While it is true that these areas see the most activity on the site, the ratio of available freelance talent to available project listings needs to be considered as this balance has great impact on how competitive a category may be. 

These ratios are in constant flux as new projects are posted and awarded out to talent on a rolling basis, but if we look at a particular day in early February 2009, we can see that 16,678 Website Design / Website Marketing freelancers were listed as active; while a total of 1,537 Website Design / Website Marketing projects were listed as open for bidding. And, 23,217 Programming /Software/ Database Development freelancers were listed as active; while a total of 1,144 Programming /Software / Database Development projects were open for bidding. So it’s safe to say that today the Website Design / Website Marketing category offers greater opportunity and less competition!

In the most competitive categories, aspiring freelance moms need to take the competitive landscape to heart. Succeeding as a freelancer in these fields will require working very hard to market your skills and expertise.  In order to beat the competition and win work, you cannot have a passive mindset. Getting started in these categories will take lots of dedication and attention.

Noelle:

What general trends are you seeing in the freelance industry?

Kristen:

Overall, we currently have about 125,000 active freelancers and approximately 5,200 project listings. However, as the economy continues to weaken, we are seeing both numbers rise quickly. From 2007 to 2008, we had a 25 percent increase in new freelancer registrations and a 27 percent increase in transactions completed on the site.

Noelle:

What advice can you offer to new freelancers?

Kristen:

Freelancing in many ways is about taking complete responsibility for your own fate. Freelancers should not expect any online marketplace to instantly bring success. You have to create your own success, and that only happens if you really want to be successful. Guru.com presents opportunities, but a freelancer’s success is dependent on what they choose to do to capture and build upon these opportunities individually.

The Resource Center on Guru.com houses a large body of documents including how-to guides that orient users to the site; brief tips and reminders to keep them sharp and on their toes; and general documents that provide lots of information about how to approach freelancing in an online marketplace setting like ours. All new freelancers should peruse this information before getting started.

In terms of some of the most important steps a freelancer can take when conducting business on Guru.com, I’d say new freelancers should start by creating a detailed profile as well as a resume that highlights their skills. Then, they should be sure to upload work samples that showcase their skills and work. 

Once a freelancer begins to propose solutions to employers, they should be sure to personalize each proposal to the employer’s needs. Employers are not only looking for someone with the skill set they asked for, they are looking for someone who is in sync with their thoughts about the project. If you send a canned response that does not speak about their project or organization, you are sending the message that you don’t care or have the time to communicate with them.

Focus on the quality of proposals submitted over the quantity of proposals submitted. Make sure all your documents are free of spelling and grammatical errors. Though the work you may be bidding on does not require you to be an expert in grammar, the person reviewing your proposal will likely perceive you as a poor communicator if your proposal and profile are lacking in the proper grammatical structures. 

And don’t let rejections deter you. Securing work of any kind is a tough business. For every twenty or more proposals you send out, you may receive one response. Dealing with that type of rejection takes resilience, and the more you have of it, the better off you will be in the independent contractor world.

Finally, make sure you complete all projects assigned to you in the most professional and time-conscious manner. Good credentials and a well-developed track-record go a long way to securing future projects. Research has shown that 60 to 75 percent of the jobs filled today are filled through referrals. So be sure you produce referral-worthy work! 

Every time you successfully complete a project remember to ask the Employer to endorse you, so others in his or her Guru.com Network will see you as a recommended freelancer.

Noelle:

Why should aspiring freelance moms participate in an online marketplace for freelance talent like Guru.com?

Kristen:

Using a site like Guru.com offers aspiring freelance moms great benefits in terms flexibility, structure and protection.

When it comes to flexibility, the range of opportunities on the site allows moms to choose the kind of work that suits them best, whether that is short-term projects with flexible deadlines or longer term initiatives that require intense focus for a period of time. All opportunities posted also allow freelancers to work remotely. And how much work or stress one takes on at any given point is really under one’s own control and at the discretion of each individual according to their personal business-development goals.

In terms of structure, Guru.com includes tools that can help a mom manage her freelance business from start to finish-from searching for opportunities, placing bids on the ones she wants and detailing a project agreement-to managing work completion, payment and feedback.  Each freelancer account also includes a Project Tracker that can help a freelancer oversee multiple projects at once.

Finally, Guru.com is extremely devoted to the security and protection of our users. When work is contracted through our site, transactions take place through our patented SafePay system which includes an escrow service for guaranteed payment upon work completion. This service is extremely valuable as it also includes access to our team of mediation and arbitration experts should a disagreement or other problem ever arises between a freelancer and an employer.

Tricia Dempsey is the founder of Agile, a technology talent firm that enables today’s technology leaders to hire and develop superior performers. Her path to entrepreneurship is proof that sometimes you don’t choose a business – a business chooses you. 

Six years ago, while serving as president of growing staffing agency, Tricia was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although she wanted to continue in her role, her treatment was not allowing her to work on a consistent basis. She felt this was unfair to the business, so she left it to focus on getting well. Upon her departure however, she still had clients knocking on her door, so she decided to start a small company under which she could invoice her clients “until her hair grew back.” 

Within 90 days, she had ten consultants contracting under umbrella and by the end of the first calendar year, her business had generated half a million dollars of revenue.  She hasn’t looked back since.

Although her success may at first sound like pure luck, it has been Tricia’s attention to and focus on her core strengths from the very beginning that has enabled her to achieve so much.

Targeting Helps This Entrepreneur Hit the Bull’s Eye

An Interview with Tricia Dempsey

Noelle:

The recruiting industry is a crowded marketplace. There are the “Big 5″ Generalist Firms, loads of small boutique firms, and dozens of other options in between. You’ve been extremely successful at setting Agile apart from the competition. Tell me a little bit about how you established your niche and how your focus has contributed to the company’s success.

Tricia:

Well, I start by saying that I think branding and positioning are evolutions versus revolutions, or at least that has been the case for me! Since Agile’s inception, we’ve gone from small Atlanta-based boutique staffing firm to a larger regional player, but one thing we’ve always remained true to is our focus on hiring and developing superior technology talent.

Noelle:

How and why did you decide to focus on technology talent?

Tricia:

Well, I really am the quintessential technician turned entrepreneur. I grew up in the technology staffing space.  I spent about 8 years recruiting technology talent for a company that went from being a $5 million business when I started to a $1 billion dollar business by the time that I left. After this experience I understood the space top to bottom and left to right! I got to know many of leaders in this space and that has opened doors for me since the beginning. I think being in one space for so long has been a real advantage for me and my business.

That being said, I have always been tempted, as I’m sure the people reading this book will be, to serve all audiences, which in my opinion, equals the death of a business. I think the best way to plant yourself and ensure growth, is to define and stay true to your core business. Once you’ve mastered that and it becomes a predictable revenue stream, then match a new market, product of service to your business and focus on making that a success. It’s critical to have some predictability in place, otherwise trying to launch a second offer becomes extremely distracting – especially when you already have limited time and resources to grow your business.

Noelle:

You’ve differentiated your business by focusing recruiting technology talent, but you’ve been successful at differentiating your business by using a unique recruiting approach.  Tell me a little about that.

Tricia:

We looked at what our competition is doing and we really turned that on its head.  Most of our competition does two things.  1) They turn to job boards for talent and 2) they use standard job descriptions to recruit their talent.

At Agile, we believe in fishing in ponds versus fishing in the ocean. Our recruiters average about 12 years of experience meaning that each recruiter has a strong network of top talent to source from. This smaller, stronger, deeper talent pool means we have ready access to resource with the right skills.

We also start with the end in mind when recruiting for a position. We consider what our customer will access during a resource’s end of year performance review and from there we craft a job description. We’ve found that this approach really turns out top performers.

Noelle:

What other unique angles have you taken to differentiate Agile?

Tricia:

We’ve made a real effort to differentiate our business through community service.  We’ve taken very active roles in two organizations, Women in Technology (WIT) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. Our work with these groups has enabled us to interact with many potential clients on an informal basis.

We’ve also been very successful at leveraging the brand equity of these larger organizations. A potential client may not recognize our name before we meet them, but we gain some instant credibility by being associated with such great organizations. 

I’d guess that our work with WIT and Komen has helped us open more doors than any other marketing or business development initiatives we’ve undertaken. Plus the work has been so fun and rewarding for our team!

Noelle:

That’s really great.  I know Agile fundraisers have raised over $100,000 for Komen over the past 5 years and that’s really something to be proud of!

Tricia:

For sure! Our fundraisers are a big part of our strategy to engage with our clients in unique and meaningful ways. We’re not fans of banging on our clients’ doors and saying, “Can I have a job order? Can I have a job order? Can I have a job order?” which is very much the model of 400 of our closest competitors.

Noelle:

Tricia, thanks for all your time today and for all the great advice. Is there any parting advice you’d like to offer aspiring freelance moms? 

Tricia:

I advise aspiring freelance to focus on the things they do best and to outsource all the rest. It took me some time to get here, but I have a very solid model at this point. The core parts of my business, recruiting and selling, are managed in-house. Everything else including, human resources, marketing, accounting, finance, legal – you name it – is outsourced to experts in those areas. 

This may seem like an expensive model, but if I add up the cost of all of these professional services, it only equals the cost of about one full-time equivalent. I’m leveraging many expert-level resources, the best in their field kind of resources, for just the price of one full-time internal employee.  It’s made such a difference in my business and I enjoy my business so much more because of it.