Women
in business are becoming commonplace. As of 2002, there are an estimated 6.2
million majority-owned, privately-held women-owned firms in the US,
accounting for 28% of all privately-held firms in the country. This is the
finding of a recent study conducted by the Center for Women's Business
Research entitled "Women-Owned
Businesses in the United States, 2002."
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A significant portion of women
business owners are those operating from their homes. We interviewed Lesley
Spencer, the founder and director of Home Based Working Moms (HBWM) at http://www.hbwm.com,
the leading home business site for women, to share her insights on how women
can succeed in a home business. Lesley also operates a number of other
sites, including HBWM Canada:
www.HBWMcanada.com Mom's
Work-at-Home Kit: www.MomsWorkAtHomeKit.com,
and Mom's Work-at-Home Site:
www.MomsWorkAtHomeSite.com.
What advice do
you give stay-at-home moms looking for a business that they can start at
home?
The best advice I can give is to research the home business market and
decide what you would be interested in doing. I strongly suggest that people
find a business they TRULY enjoy. Most people who jump into a "quick
way to make money" fail. They fall victim to scams. They start
something that does not earn an income. Or they find the business they
started is not something they enjoy and making money at it becomes a real
chore.
What are the
hottest home businesses now for moms and women in general?
There seems to be a growing number of virtual assistants, web designers
as well as direct marketers.
How has the
Internet opened doors for moms wanting to work from home?
The Internet has enabled people to work virtually from home. With the
tools of email and websites, a person can communicate internationally and
have the same advantages of larger businesses. It also enables a mom to work
at home around her children's schedule in the comfort of her home.
What are the
most popular Web-based businesses that women are getting into?
Some of the more popular web-based businesses include web design, online
stores and sales.
Can you give
any tips on how stay-at-home moms can succeed in their home business
venture?
- Plan ahead if possible. It takes time to develop a new business.
Network as much as possible and start meeting people who may be future
customers or clients. Tell everyone you know what business you are
planning to start.
- Review your home business options. HBWM’s Work-at-Home Kit (www.WorkatHomeKit.com)
was created to help moms find the perfect home business for their
individual needs.
- Get business counseling. SCORE (Service Corp of Retired Executives)
offers free counseling (www.score.org). Also check out the many
resources at www.sba.gov.
- Be aware that just because you work from home does not mean you will
not need any type of child care help. Children need and deserve
attention. If you are working while your children are home and awake,
hire a babysitter, swap child care with another at-home parent or use a
part-time Mother’s Day Out /Preschool program.
- Spend dedicated time each day or each week marketing and working on
growing your business. Periodically review where your business is and
where you would like it to be. Decide how you will handle growth. Will
you hire help, refer work to others, increase your price, etc.?
-
Isabel Isidro for PowerHomeBiz.com
Read her blog at
PowerHomeBiz Small
and Home Business Blog
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