<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>So You Want To Be a Work at Home Mom by Jill Hart &#38; Diana Ennen</title>
	<atom:link href="http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com</link>
	<description>So You Want To Be a Work at Home Mom by Jill Hart &#38; Diana Ennen</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:10:43 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>Three Tips To Get You Started Blogging for Business</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/07/three-tips-to-get-you-started-blogging-for-business/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/07/three-tips-to-get-you-started-blogging-for-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:36:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diana Ennen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=116</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Over  the last  several years blogging has become the  foundation for social media campaigns of businesses big and small. Where   Facebook and Twitter help keep companies in the limelight, spreading the  word  about special events, discounts and newsworthy items, blogs are the  place where  companies build [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-118" title="iStock_000010772718XSmall" src="http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/iStock_000010772718XSmall-300x198.jpg" border="0" alt="iStock_000010772718XSmall" width="300" height="198" align="left" />Over  the last  several years blogging has become the  foundation for social media campaigns of businesses big and small. Where   Facebook and Twitter help keep companies in the limelight, spreading the  word  about special events, discounts and newsworthy items, blogs are the  place where  companies build their reputation and make sales.</p>
<p>As popular as blogging  has become, I often hear from home-based business owners who are trying  to  figure out exactly what a blog consists of and how they can use one to  benefit  their business. Below are three tips that can help maximize the impact  of your  business blog.</p>
<p><strong>1. It’s All In The Name<br />
</strong><br />
Be sure to choose a  name for your blog that is both descriptive and easy to remember. Try to  stick  to either your business name or the name of your star product/service.  If none  of these are available consider using your name or business tagline.   Also,  consider possibly adding in your keywords &#8230; such as Publicity Virtual  Assistant.</p>
<p><strong>2. Use Keywords Effectively</strong></p>
<p>When you write posts  for your business blog be conscious of the words that you choose. Pepper  your  posts with keywords relating to your business, products, services and  brand.  These keywords will trigger Search Engine results and help you reach the  top of  the results for your keywords. Be careful not to overuse keywords,  though,  because readers will get frustrated  and the Search Engines consider  that  against the rules.<span id="more-116"></span></p>
<p>Also, consider keyword phrases &#8211; often called  long  tail  keyword phrases (why, I&#8217;m not sure!).  Long tail keywords are simply a  sting of  words that make up a phrase that represent your keywords. Think, what  would  people type in Google to find me.  Examples, &#8220;how to start a business.&#8221;   Think  &#8230; how can I define my blog more (or this particular post). I wrote  this blog  post on &#8230; (fill in the blank), now what keywords do I need to put in  so others  can find me?  <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></p>
<div>
<div><span><strong>3. Quality Information (No  Fluff!) &amp;  Fresh, Regular Content</strong><br />
</span></div>
</div>
<div><span>Another thing to consider  when writing  business blog posts is to keep your posts informational. The more  quality  content you offer to readers, the more often they will visit your blog.  Also, by  posting regularly your readers will get to know the schedule and tend to  visit  your blog on a regular basis because of it.You know your  audience  best.  What  do they want to hear?  Need to hear? Solve that problem that you&#8217;ve been  having  and you know others are having too.  Consider adding in reviews,  recommendations, etc.  Your blog can be so much more than you talking  about your  business.  What fun thing can you add?  Contest, giveaways, etc.</p>
<div>
<p>There  are many ways to use a blog for business use. If used correctly, a blog  can be a  terrific tool to inform potential customers of your business. Be sure to  update  your blog regularly so that the content remains fresh and people coming  back for  more great information.</p></div>
<p></span></div>
<div>&#8211;<br style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" />Jill Hart of  Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com  and Diana  Ennen of VirtualWordPublishing.com have over 35 collective years of  experience helping women build careers from home. For more tips check out their  book, <em><a href="http://tinyurl.com/sowahm">So You  Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom</a></em>.</div>
<p><span style="color: black;"> </span></p>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="font-size: 10px;" dir="ltr"><span style="color: gray;"><br />
</span></div>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/07/three-tips-to-get-you-started-blogging-for-business/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ten Twitter Tips For Work-at-Home Moms</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/06/ten-twitter-tips-for-work-at-home-moms/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/06/ten-twitter-tips-for-work-at-home-moms/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:45:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=109</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Social Media is quickly growing into one of  the most-used marketing tools for work-at-home moms. One of the largest  social media websites, Twitter.com, can be an effective way to spread  the word about your business and learn from other top representatives in  your business niche. However, it can take a lot [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://twitter.com/cwahm"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4874" title="stockxpertcom_id47540461_jpg_a17a98495d84a3c89dca875907fc7062" src="http://cwahm.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/stockxpertcom_id47540461_jpg_a17a98495d84a3c89dca875907fc7062-300x300.png" alt="" width="186" height="186" /></a>Social Media is quickly growing into one of  the most-used marketing tools for work-at-home moms. One of the largest  social media websites, Twitter.com, can be an effective way to spread  the word about your business and learn from other top representatives in  your business niche. However, it can take a lot of time to determine  the best ways to use Twitter effectively for business. Below are ten  tips to help shorten that learning curve.</p>
<p>1. Choose a  Meaningful User name<br />
If possible, grab your business name as well  as your own name for use on Twitter. Having an easy-to-find and  easy-to-remember username is essential.</p>
<p>2. Brand your Twitter page<br />
Don&#8217;t leave your Twitter page boring  and plain &#8211; spice it up. Make sure you add your logo, contact  information and any other information that will be helpful for customers  and visitors to your page. You can use a website such as TwitBacks.com  to create a free or very low-cost background to bring life to your page.</p>
<p>3.  Learn the Lingo<br />
Twitter can be very useful, but it can also be very  frustrating &#8230; especially if you have no idea what all those little  symbols mean that fly across the screen. Take the time to research the  meanings of the tags most often used on Twitter. One great place to do  so is right on Twitter itself: http://help.twitter.com/portal<span id="more-109"></span></p>
<p>4.  Follow industry leaders<br />
Veteran entrepreneur Diana Ennen shares this  tip: &#8220;<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I love to follow industry  experts on Twitter and gain all their business insight.  It&#8217;s almost  like being right there in their office and getting in on their trade  secrets.  Not only do they post tips and how to information, but often  share their business successes and mistakes and that allows me to learn  from them.  It&#8217;s so worth it!</span>&#8220;</span></p>
<p>5. Interact<br />
Don&#8217;t  be shy! Take a few minutes each day to comments on what others are  discussing or to throw out a question or idea. You never know when a  topic is going to spark a response and help you build relationships with  customers and your fellow Twitter users.</p>
<p>6. Don&#8217;t make it all  business news &#8211; be YOU<br />
It&#8217;s great to share about the things going on  in your business and you certainly will want to share specials,  discounts and other items of interest to your customers. However, as a  small business owner you have the unique ability to put a personal face  on your business. Let your customers and readers get to know a little  about you as well as your business.</p>
<p>7. Run Contests<br />
Twitter is  a great fast-paced way to a run a contest. By having a great prize you  can create a viral network of &#8220;tweets&#8221; about your company and the  giveaway you&#8217;re holding. Sit down beforehand and plan out some great 140  character tweets that you can use throughout the giveaway time &#8211;  whether that be minutes, hours or even days.</p>
<p>8. Share<br />
Make  your Twitter feed a worthwhile read for your customers. Share tips that  apply to your target market, links to articles and other informational  tidbits. Create a #hashtag for your business or topic (see #3 above) so  that you can track re-tweets and mentions of your posts.</p>
<p>9. Be  Thankful<br />
A great way to make friends and build contacts is to thank  others who re-tweet (RT) your posts. Send a shout-out saying thanks or  feature them at special times like FriendFriday (#FF). They&#8217;ll know that  you&#8217;re grateful and you&#8217;ll build a community that supports you &#8211; and  each other.</p>
<p>10. Promote Others<br />
Contrary to popular belief it  IS in your best interest to work together with other entrepreneurs and  to help spread the word about great things that they may be doing. Not  only will people be drawn to your Twitter feed for great information,  but they will see that you&#8217;re willing to share about more than your own  interests. Another great benefit is that those you help promote will one  day be there to help promote you as well.</p>
<p>Twitter is a great  marketing tool for work-at-home moms. It can help drive traffic to your  website as well as aid you in building relationships with your target  market. Use the tips above to help guide you in how to best use social  media to benefit your business and your customers.</p>
<p>&#8211;<br />
Jill  Hart&#8217;s entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a  summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her  in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she  saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of the  popular Christian work-at-home website CWAHM.com and mentors business  owners at http://SuccessfulChristianWomen.com. Jill is also the  co-author of <em>So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom</em> (Beacon Hill  Press, 2009).</p>
<p>You can find her on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/cwahm">http://twitter.com/cwahm</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2010/06/ten-twitter-tips-for-work-at-home-moms/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Media Mentions</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/09/media-mentions/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/09/media-mentions/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:56:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Media Mentions]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=96</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Jill and/or Diana have been featured in the following media outlets:
* Focus4, Cornerstone TV &#8211; Pittsburgh, PA &#8211; Nov 2009
* Moody Radio &#8211; Chicago, IL &#8211; Oct 2009 (Jill)
* The Harvest Show, LeSea Broadcasting &#8211; South Bend, IN &#8211; Oct 2009 (Jill)
* Homekeepers, CTN TV &#8211; Tampa, FL &#8211; Sep 2009
* Good Morning Ozarks Radio [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Jill and/or Diana have been featured in the following media outlets:</strong></p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.ctvn.org/programs-focus4.asp">Focus4</a>, Cornerstone TV &#8211; Pittsburgh, PA &#8211; Nov 2009<br />
* <a href="http://www.mbn.org/GenMoody/default.asp?sectionID=7AA9263D492B4D7A94946745EFD35369">Moody Radio</a> &#8211; Chicago, IL &#8211; Oct 2009 (Jill)<br />
* <a href="http://harvest-tv.com/video/dsp_playshow.cfm?showid=555">The Harvest Show</a>, LeSea Broadcasting &#8211; South Bend, IN &#8211; Oct 2009 (Jill)<br />
* <a href="http://www.ctnonline.com/homkeepers.html">Homekeepers</a>, CTN TV &#8211; Tampa, FL &#8211; Sep 2009</p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;ct=res&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CAkQFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fklfcradio.com%2FGMO.htm&amp;ei=qJb5St2aJISoNunJzM8K&amp;usg=AFQjCNE8EHcSzrA8ayWZ6Cj6dMLCmOMSdQ&amp;sig2=YdmfNGg2qYFG2992Dew8oQ">Good Morning Ozarks</a> Radio &#8211; Oct 2009 (Jill)<br />
* <a href="http://kcro.com">KCRO</a> Radio &#8211; 1st Friday each month (Jill)</p>
<p>* <a href="http://www.oivac.com">OIVAC Conference</a> &#8211; Oct 2009<br />
* <a href="http://www.vasummit.org">IVAA Online Summit</a> &#8211; 2009 (Diana)<br />
* <a href="http://su.pr/2q5cmS">Laura Kennedy Radio</a> &#8211; (Diana)<br />
* <a href="http://virtueradionetwork.com/WomenCreate.htm">Virtue Radio Network</a> &#8211; Oct 2009</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">For a full list of <strong>Jill&#8217;s</strong> speaking and writing credentials, <a href="http://cwahm.com/wordpress/media/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">For a full list of <strong>Diana&#8217;s</strong> speaking and writing credentials, <a href="http://virtualwordpublishing.com/media.htm" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-49" title="homekeepers" src="http://jillhart.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/homekeepers.jpg" border="0" alt="homekeepers" width="250" height="157" /><br />
Jill Hart and Co-author Diana Ennen with HomeKeepers show host Arthelene Rippy</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="500" height="279" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="flashvars" value="file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ennenenterprises.com%2Fvideo%2FDeeOnTv1Finalsmall.flv&amp;dock=false&amp;image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ennenenterprises.com%2Fvideo%2Fpreview.jpg&amp;fullscreen=true&amp;plugins=viral-2d" /><param name="src" value="http://www.ennenenterprises.com/video/player.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="279" src="http://www.ennenenterprises.com/video/player.swf" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ennenenterprises.com%2Fvideo%2FDeeOnTv1Finalsmall.flv&amp;dock=false&amp;image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ennenenterprises.com%2Fvideo%2Fpreview.jpg&amp;fullscreen=true&amp;plugins=viral-2d"></embed></object></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<p>Jill Hart and Diana Ennen are thrilled that their book, So You Want to Be a Work at Home Mom was featured here on <em>SmallBiz</em> from VistaPrint. <a href="http://smallbiz.vistaprint.com/small-business/1993/" target="_blank">http://smallbiz.vistaprint.com/small-business/1993/</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/09/media-mentions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/about-so-you-want-to-be-a-work-at-home-mom/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/about-so-you-want-to-be-a-work-at-home-mom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:44:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diana Ennen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual word publishing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=49</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About The Book
Home-based businesses are estimated to be a $427 billion-a-year industry. In recent studies it was found that as many as 105 million people in North America alone were working at home. Considering this information, it is obvious that home-based businesses can be successful and authors Jill Hart and Diana Ennen will help you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><span style="color: #ff6600;"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-50" title="sowahm-amaz" src="http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/sowahm-amaz.jpg" border="0" alt="sowahm-amaz" width="240" height="240" align="left" />About The Book</span></strong><br />
Home-based businesses are estimated to be a $427 billion-a-year industry. In recent studies it was found that as many as 105 million people in North America alone were working at home. Considering this information, it is obvious that home-based businesses can be successful and authors Jill Hart and Diana Ennen will help you succeed with your own.</p>
<p>So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom details all the basics of starting a business in a spiritual, motivational, and comprehensive manner. From deciding what type of business to start to keeping your family and faith first, this helpful tool details every aspect of establishing a business. With proven success tips utilized by the authors and others who own work-at-home businesses, this inspiration approach will provide you with the resources you need to start your own home-based business.</p>
<p><strong><em>So You Want to Be a Work-at-Home Mom</em> includes:</strong><br />
* Detailed information on types of businesses to start<br />
* Ideas and assistance for setting up, operating, and marketing your business<br />
* Definitions and descriptions of work-at-home terminology and processes<br />
* Help for developing your Web site<br />
* Explanations of the business nuts and bolts, including bookkeeping, taxes, and more</p>
<p><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>About the Authors</strong></span><br />
<strong>JILL HART </strong>is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, the co-host of the live internet radio show, The CWAHM Network, and the publisher of RadiantLit.com. Jill has published many articles and is a contributing author in Laundry Tales, The Business Mom Guide Book, I ll Be Home for Christmas, and Faith Deployed. She holds a bachelor s degree in human development and family studies. She resides in Nebraska with her husband and their two children.<br />
<strong>DIANA ENNEN</strong> has been a leader and mentor in the work-at-home industry since starting her business in 1985. She is the author of many books, including Words from Home: Start, Run, and Profit from a Home-Based Word Processing Business. She resides in Margate, Florida, with her husband and their three children.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/about-so-you-want-to-be-a-work-at-home-mom/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>ABCs for the Work at Home Mom</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/abcs-for-the-work-at-home-mom/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/abcs-for-the-work-at-home-mom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:38:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[A]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[C's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian WAHM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work from Home MOms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juggling work and family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wisdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work at Home Mom]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=45</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Jill Hart
Work-at-home moms face many different challenges. From learning to accept help when needed, to building confidence in ourselves, to remembering the reasons why we chose to work from home. Below is the first in a series of tips to help work-at-home moms in the simplest of ways – the ABC’s.
A = Adjustments. A [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Jill Hart</em></p>
<p>Work-at-home moms face many different challenges. From learning to accept help when needed, to building confidence in ourselves, to remembering the reasons why we chose to work from home. Below is the first in a series of tips to help work-at-home moms in the simplest of ways – the ABC’s.</p>
<p>A = Adjustments. A work at home mom must expect the unexpected. She must be prepared to adjust her schedule at any given moment for any number of reasons &#8211; a sick child, a backed up drain, or an upset client. A mom who learns to welcome these moments as a chance to show love to her family and concern for her clients will be ahead of the game in the end. Approach these &#8220;interruptions&#8221; with a great attitude and see what a difference it makes.</p>
<p>B = Better. Works at Home Moms have to be on top of their game. To run a business as well as manage a household takes determination and scheduling. You may not feel like you have a schedule, but take a look at your day/week and see how you are spending your time. Next, think about what you can do better, what you can delegate and what would be better off removed from your schedule to allow you to spend your time in a better manner.</p>
<p>C = Confidence. You wouldn&#8217;t be a work at home mom without it. Take time to celebrate each success no matter how minute it may seem. Each success will help grow your confidence and turn you into a savvier businesswoman.</p>
<p>D = Dry &#8211; Don&#8217;t let things dry up. Keep content fresh, offer new products and services whenever possible. This will keep you motivated and keep customer returning.</p>
<p>E = Effort &#8211; Don&#8217;t kid yourself. It takes a TON of effort to make a home-based business successful. Don&#8217;t give up with thing get rough. Keep plugging away &#8211; it will pay off</p>
<p>F = Feisty &#8211; Every work at home mom has to be at least a tad bit feisty. <img src='http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  Stand up for your business when need be &#8211; don&#8217;t be afraid to say no when necessary.</p>
<p>G = Generosity &#8211; When I fist began my business I sought advice from many successful work-at-home moms. One of the best pieces of advice I received was that what I gave to others would come back tenfold. I&#8217;ve found that to be very true. Helping others is as much a blessing to me as it is to others.</p>
<p>H = Help &#8211; There will come a time that you’ll need help. You must be willing to accept it, to allow others to do for you what you cannot. In turn, try to be a help to other when they are in need.</p>
<p>I = If &#8211; If you don’t do it, who will? Mothering is such an important role that gets overlooked so often these days. Always remember that being there for your children is the BEST gift you can ever give them.</p>
<p>J = “Just for you” &#8211; Take a little time to do something just for you each day. Even 5 minutes of doing something you enjoy can revive a tired mommy.</p>
<p>K = Keep &#8211; Keep your chin up. It will get better. Don’t let a lag in business growth get you down. Find some creative ways to get the ball rolling again.</p>
<p>L = Laugh &#8211; Take time to laugh with you kids each day. And don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself when need be.</p>
<p>M = Mommy &#8211; Remember, the reason you do all that you do is for those little ones who call you &#8220;Mommy.&#8221;</p>
<p>N = No &#8211; Work at Home Moms need to be able to say &#8220;No&#8221; when the situation calls for it. Don&#8217;t be afraid to stand up for your business or to choose NOT to work with a customer who is more trouble than it&#8217;s worth.</p>
<p>O = Office &#8211; As Work at Home Moms, we usually put ourselves last on the list. However, when we&#8217;re in business it&#8217;s important to have some room (even a corner) that is set aside strictly for business.</p>
<p>P = Priorities &#8211; It&#8217;s hard to keep your priorities straight when raising a family and building a business. Take some time each week/month to sit down and evaluate your priorities and cut out things in your schedule that don&#8217;t fit in.</p>
<p>Q = Quiet Time &#8211; It may seem impossible to find a time to sit, relax and be quiet when you have so many demands on your time. However, it&#8217;s more important than ever that you take a little time for yourself to rejuvenate and renew when you grow weary.</p>
<p>R = Respect &#8211; Like the golden rule says, it&#8217;s important to treat others as we&#8217;d like to be treated. This is so true for work at home moms &#8211; we must show the utmost in professionalism and treat even the most difficult clients with respect.</p>
<p>S = Significant Other &#8211; As work at home moms it&#8217;s easy to get wrapped up with our business, our kids, ourselves. Don&#8217;t forget to take the time to appreciate your husbands!</p>
<p>T = Time &#8211; As work-home-moms time is the ultimate enemy. <img src='http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' />  Learn to prioritize and delegate whenever possible. Take time out for your kids each day &#8211; you&#8217;ll be glad you did!</p>
<p>U = Unique &#8211; Your business needs to be unique to stand out from the crowd. Even if your product isn&#8217;t unique you can always find a unique way to approach marketing, customer service, etc. Get creative and stand out from the rest!</p>
<p>V = Vision &#8211; It&#8217;s so important to have a clear vision of where you want your business to go. Sit down and make a list of where you&#8217;d like to be in 5 years, in 10 years, etc. Without goals you won&#8217;t get anywhere.</p>
<p>W = Wisdom &#8211; It&#8217;s important to seek wisdom when running your own business. You won&#8217;t always know the answer, so you need to find others that you trust that you can turn to when these things arise.</p>
<p>X = eXcitement &#8211; Celebrate each success! Keep yourself motivated and excited about your business. Try to share your business with someone new each day. Just telling someone about what you do can bring back that &#8220;spark&#8221; of excitement about your career!</p>
<p>Y = Yes &#8211; Yes! You CAN do it! Each of us started with a dream, a vision and the faith that we could make it happen. It takes hard work, determination and a &#8220;Yes!&#8221; attitude, but it CAN be done!</p>
<p>Z = Zoo &#8211; Yes, life as a work at home mom really is a zoo, but it&#8217;s worth it! Being at home to see your child&#8217;s first step, hear their first word &#8211; it just doesn&#8217;t get better than that.</p>
<p>Working from home can be difficult, but it is well worth the effort. By keeping things in perspective we can reduce the stress that we put on ourselves. Remember these ABC’s and you’ll go far in your work-at-home career.</p>
<p><strong>ABOUT THE AUTHOR: </strong></p>
<p>Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Hart is also the co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings, due out in November 2006 for Christian moms who want to work at home. Hart and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com (Christian Work at Home Dads) reside in Nebraska with their two children.</p>
<p>Free for reprint as long as resource box is included.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/abcs-for-the-work-at-home-mom/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How A Pitch Can Grow Your Business</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/how-a-pitch-can-grow-your-business/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/how-a-pitch-can-grow-your-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:36:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian WAHM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work at Home Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work from Home MOms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juggling work and family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=43</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Jill Hart
When someone asks you about what you do, do you have a ready answer? Or do you stumble and stammer trying to explain your business?
I was recently at a writer&#8217;s conference where one of the main focuses was learning to create a successful book pitch. My instructor emphasized what a good pitch can [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Jill Hart</em></p>
<p>When someone asks you about what you do, do you have a ready answer? Or do you stumble and stammer trying to explain your business?</p>
<p>I was recently at a writer&#8217;s conference where one of the main focuses was learning to create a successful book pitch. My instructor emphasized what a good pitch can do for a writer. She explained that when an editor asks an author about their writing project, they have one shot at sharing their pitch and getting the editor excited about their project. A great pitch makes a great first impression and can translate into a book contract. On the other hand, a pitch that is not well thought out can cost an author the chance of selling that project.</p>
<p>A good book pitch is a summary of the author&#8217;s idea, but more than that it&#8217;s a summary with a sizzle. At the conference, I learned that many authors spend hours crafting and memorizing their pitch. Then, when asked about their project, they are able to give a quick, concise synopsis that not only explains their idea, but makes the editor want to learn more.</p>
<p>I believe that the concept of creating a pitch can also apply to the home-based business world. As entrepreneurs, we can put together a summary of our business that will not only explain what we do, but grab the attention of whomever we&#8217;re speaking with.</p>
<p>A good business pitch summarizes the business concept in one to two short paragraphs, usually a total of 50 words or less. To begin, write out a list of the five most compelling aspects of your business. Try to think about your business as if you were on the outside looking in. What would interest you? What would make you want to learn more?</p>
<p>Try to answer these questions:</p>
<p>- Who is my target market?<br />
- What are my top selling products/services?<br />
- What about my company makes it stand out? If I were looking at starting a business, what would interest me about this company?<br />
- Why did I choose this company?</p>
<p>Put your answers into sentences and you have the beginning of your business pitch. Try to keep your sentences short and use simple words. You want anyone who asks to be able to understand your answer, not get lost in your words. Take special care to describe what you like about your business. These same things will generally appeal to others as well.</p>
<p>While you want to keep your pitch simple, you also want it to give a picture of your business. Let&#8217;s say, for example, that you run health and wellness business. You wouldn&#8217;t want to use the statement, &#8220;I run a health and wellness business,&#8221; as a reply about what it is that you do. You want to add in a short description and catch the listener&#8217;s attention. For instance, you might say, &#8220;I operate my own business. We offer products such as chemical-free shampoo and natural snack foods to help others lead healthy lives.&#8221;</p>
<p>When I began my website, I was often caught off-guard when someone asked me about it. I would fumble for words and struggle to express exactly what it is that I do all day. I usually walked away from conversations like this feeling frustrated, and I&#8217;m sure the person I was speaking with was more confused than they were originally.</p>
<p>After learning the art of pitching, I can now give a short and snappy reply. &#8220;I run a Christian-based website for work-at-home moms,&#8221; I&#8217;ll say. &#8220;I offer resources to help them in their search and am able to make an income by offering advertising.&#8221; This usually leads to more questions about my website, which is exactly what I hope for. It gives me an opportunity to talk further about my business to those who are interested.</p>
<p>The next time someone asks you about your home-based business, remember to share your pitch with them. Take the time to hone your pitch to be as short, yet descriptive as possible. Over time, you&#8217;ll find yourself refining your words and your answers will become well-crafted summaries that pique the interest of anyone who asks. Word of mouth is one of the easiest ways to build your business and your pitch is a great way to get others talking.</p>
<p>ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</p>
<p>Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com. Jill is a contributing author in The Business Mom Guide Book and I&#8217;ll Be Home For Christmas and co-author of the upcoming book, Home Based Blessings. Jill has articles published across the web on sites like DrLaura.com and ClubMom.com. Jill and her husband, Allen of CWAHD.com reside in Nebraska with their two children.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/how-a-pitch-can-grow-your-business/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Choosing the Home-Business That&#8217;s Right for You</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/choosing-the-home-business-thats-right-for-you/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/choosing-the-home-business-thats-right-for-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:35:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian WAHM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work at Home Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work from Home MOms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wisdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=41</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Jill Hart
Starting down a new career path can be both exciting and terrifying. There are a lot of tools on the market that can help you determine what type of career field you should enter. But what if your chosen &#8220;career path&#8221; is being an entrepreneur and running a home-based business? Do the rules [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Jill Hart</em></p>
<p>Starting down a new career path can be both exciting and terrifying. There are a lot of tools on the market that can help you determine what type of career field you should enter. But what if your chosen &#8220;career path&#8221; is being an entrepreneur and running a home-based business? Do the rules change? Below are five questions to ask yourself to help you determine what type of business might be right for you.</p>
<p><strong>1. What is your passion?</strong></p>
<p>Answer this question with the first thing that comes to mind: If money were no object and you could do anything, what would you do? You might have answered &#8220;be a writer&#8221;, &#8220;speak at conferences&#8221;, &#8220;bring my product idea to life&#8221; or any number of things. Whatever your answer, this most likely is your passion. I challenge you to take the time to ponder this and see if there is a way to bring your dream to fruition.</p>
<p><strong>2. What types of things did you like to do as a child?</strong></p>
<p>Many times the toys and games we loved as children give us a glimpse into who we have become as adults. If you loved climbing trees, you may now be an &#8220;outdoorsy&#8221; type of person. Think about how this might be incorporated into your business. For instance, you might enjoy setting up outdoor birthday parties for children or selling herbs from your backyard garden.</p>
<p><strong>3. What type of products would you be interested in representing?</strong></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re looking in the direction of direct sales, whether that be your own product or an established home-based business option, you need to think through what types of products you&#8217;d be comfortable presenting to your customers. Take the time to do some research and find a product that truly excites you. Your customers will see your sincerity and that can sell a product just as easily as a fancy presentation.</p>
<p><strong>4. What skills and experience do you bring to the table?</strong></p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve left the corporate world in favor of working at home, you&#8217;ve undoubtedly brought with you a set of skills. There may be a way to market those skills in a new way and turn them into a profitable business. For instance, if you were an executive assistant you may be able to type 80 words or more per minute. You could set up shop as a Virtual Assistant and help other business owners in processing orders, transcribing documents and much more.</p>
<p><strong>5. Are you thinking outside of the box?</strong></p>
<p>Most of us have a fear of the unknown. We many times assume that if we haven&#8217;t done something before, it is simply out of reach. This carries over to the business world as well. We take our products or services and market them in the same way that we see other business owners using. However, it can be much more effective to find new and innovative ways to market. One home-based business owner I know sells stuffable toy kits. Instead of using the usual home parties and birthday party events, she works almost exclusively with children&#8217;s hospitals doing fundraisers. She makes a great living and helps not only the hospitals, but the children as well. She is a great example of unique marketing and overcoming the mundane marketing methods that so many business owners resign themselves to.</p>
<p>Your home-based business should be unique to you. It should make you want to get up each morning excited about the possibilities of the day ahead. Take the time to thoroughly think through the questions above and you&#8217;ll be on your way to making a great, well thought out decision that has your name written all over it!</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><strong>About the Author:</strong></span><br />
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3046" title="jill2009-small" src="http://cwahm.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jill2009-small.jpg" border="0" alt="jill2009-small" width="62" height="80" align="left" />Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms,  								<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://www.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">CWAHM.com</span></span></a></span>.  								Jill is a co-author of the upcoming book <em>So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom </em>(Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). 							Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at  							<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://askjill.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://AskJill.cwahm.com</span></span></a>.</span></p>
<p><span class="blackunderline"><br />
</span></p>
<p><!--cforms name="Ask Jill"--></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/choosing-the-home-business-thats-right-for-you/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Things That CWAHMs Can Learn From the Proverbs 31 Woman</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/10-things-that-cwahms-can-learn-from-the-proverbs-31-woman/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/10-things-that-cwahms-can-learn-from-the-proverbs-31-woman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:33:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[10 Things That CWAHMs Can Learn From the Proverbs 31 Woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian WAHM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work at Home Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work from Home MOms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[generous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happy husband]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[noble character]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proverbs 31 woman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wisdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work hard]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=39</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Jill Hart
I have to admit that when I was younger I was not a fan of the &#8220;Proverbs 31 Woman.&#8221; It didn&#8217;t seem likely to me that any woman could possibly live up to the standards found within those verses (Prov. 31:10-31). However, since becoming a wife and mother, I&#8217;ve had a change of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Jill Hart</em></p>
<p>I have to admit that when I was younger I was not a fan of the &#8220;Proverbs 31 Woman.&#8221; It didn&#8217;t seem likely to me that any woman could possibly live up to the standards found within those verses (Prov. 31:10-31). However, since becoming a wife and mother, I&#8217;ve had a change of heart towards this infamous woman. She has become a source of inspiration and I believe there is a lot that we can learn from the example she provides.</p>
<p>Here are a few life lessons that work-at-home moms can glean from this lovely lady in Scripture:</p>
<p><strong>1. Strive to Be a Women of Noble character</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;A wife of noble character &#8230; is worth far more than rubies.&#8221; (v. 10) </em></p>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t necessarily sound like much to be of &#8220;noble character&#8221; (actually, it sounds rather snooty), but Merriam-Webster defines noble as meaning, &#8220;<span><span>possessing outstanding qualities.&#8221; Can you think of someone in your life that fits that description, someone who has &#8220;outstanding qualities?&#8221; Chances are, this is a person that you love to spend time with and that&#8217;s definitely the type of woman I&#8217;d like to become. </span></span><br />
<strong>2. How to Have a Happy Husband </strong><br />
<em>&#8220;Her husband has full confidence in her&#8221; (v. 11) </em><br />
While this may not give us an exact formula for a happy husband, it certainly is true that husbands are more relaxed when their household is calm. If we are looking out for our husbands best interests, putting them before ourselves, how could we help but develop our spouse&#8217;s &#8220;full confidence&#8221; in us?</p>
<p><strong>3. Work Hard</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She &#8230; works with eager hands&#8221; (v. 13) </em></p>
<p>Being a work-at-home mom is not an easy task. Everything about it takes work. However, if you&#8217;re at home with your kids, following you dream, building a business, hopefully you wake up each morning (or at least most mornings) eager to get started and see what the new day brings.</p>
<p><strong>4. Live a Disciplined Life</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She gets up while it is still dark&#8221; (v. 15) </em></p>
<p>Early morning hours, naptime &#8220;jam sessions&#8221; and late night work time are all generally part of a mom&#8217;s life. The more disciplined we are throughout the day, and especially during work times, the more we can accomplish. The Proverbs 31 woman recognized this and started her days before the sun rose.</p>
<p><strong>5. Take Chances </strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.&#8221; (v. 16)<br />
&#8220;She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.&#8221; (v. 24)</em></p>
<p>What a creative woman.  She brings in some extra money to help pay the bills &#8211; no wonder her husband has &#8220;full confidence in her&#8221; even when she is taking a risk. Consider this: there was no online ordering system when Proverbs was written. This gal made the garments and sashes ahead of time, hoping they would sell. She bought land hoping to create a successful vineyard. She stepped out of her comfort zone because she saw a market for the products she would be creating.</p>
<p><strong>6. Make Prudent Decisions</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.&#8221; (v. 18)</em></p>
<p>This woman took time to think through each decision she made &#8211; she bought the fields with vineyards in mind; she made the garments and sashes with customers mind; she made sure that her provisions were in place for her family and servants (v. 15). We would do well to learn from this &#8211; look honestly at whether our &#8220;trading is profitable&#8221; and we can make wise decisions.</p>
<p><strong>7. Be Generous</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.&#8221; (v. 20)</em></p>
<p>This woman knew that in God&#8217;s system priorities tend to be the opposite of what we find in society. She recognized that in order to truly be successful in God&#8217;s eyes she needed to tend to what matters to Him &#8211; His children. By reaching out and helping those less fortunate than herself, the woman of Proverbs showed her thankfulness for all that God had given her.</p>
<p><strong>8. Get Organized</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She can laugh at the days to come.&#8221; (v. 25)</em></p>
<p>Why can she laugh at the days to come? Look back through the verses above (or better yet, read entire passage HERE) and you&#8217;ll see that she is not worried about the future for two reasons: 1) She trusts God and knows that He will care for her; 2) She knows that she has done all she can to prepare for whatever lies ahead.</p>
<p><strong>9. Seek Wisdom</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.&#8221; (v. 26)</em></p>
<p>How do we gain wisdom? The book of Proverbs is full of sayings about wisdom and how to attain it. It all boils down to this: &#8220;For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.&#8221; (Prov. 2:6) Seek the Lord, ask Him for godly wisdom.</p>
<p><strong>10. Strive to Please God</strong><br />
<em>&#8220;A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.&#8221; (v. 30)</em></p>
<p>Above all else, what sets the Proverbs 31 woman apart is that she loves the Lord. Our goal in every area of our life &#8211; personal, family, business &#8211; should be to glorify God.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><strong>About the Author:</strong></span><br />
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3046" title="jill2009-small" src="http://www.cwahm.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jill2009-small.jpg" border="0" alt="jill2009 small Choosing the Home Business Thats Right for You" width="62" height="80" align="left" />Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms,  								<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://www.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">CWAHM.com</span></span></a></span>.  								Jill is a co-author of the upcoming book <em>So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom </em>(Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). 							Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at  							<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://askjill.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://AskJill.cwahm.com</span></span></a>.</span></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/10-things-that-cwahms-can-learn-from-the-proverbs-31-woman/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Juggling Work and Family When You Work at Home</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/juggling-work-and-family-when-you-work-at-home/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/juggling-work-and-family-when-you-work-at-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:31:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian WAHM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work at Home Moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Work from Home MOms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jill Hart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[juggling work and family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work at home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=37</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Q: I have been having my home based business for three  						years now and I still am struggling with how to juggle  						business and being a mom, wife and housekeeper. How do  						you juggle these? I want to make this a success, but so  						far it’s only been frustration.
My children are [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>Q:</strong> </span>I have been having my home based business for three  						years now and I still am struggling with how to juggle  						business and being a mom, wife and housekeeper. How do  						you juggle these? I want to make this a success, but so  						far it’s only been frustration.</p>
<p>My children are four and two years old and they are more  						challenging than most (not as in spoiled, but as in  						needing more time than the average kid). Your thoughts  						would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<hr /><span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>A:</strong> </span>GREAT question. My kids are now  						seven and four, so I now  						have a little bit of help in my seven-year-old. But, I  						found something that I had written a few years ago. In  						it, I listed my kids&#8217; ages as four and one. I could tell when  						reading it that I had been very frazzled. I think I  						lived in a state of frazzled during those years when  						they were both so small.</p>
<p>My main advice would be to cut yourself some slack.  						Things will get easier and more manageable as your kids  						get older.</p>
<p>My practical advice is this:</p>
<p><strong>1. Plan out menus each week.</strong></p>
<p>I literally spend about  						two minutes on this. I have a small magnetic dry-erase  						board that I keep on my refrigerator. Each Sunday, I  						write out the days of the week and what we’ll have for  						supper that day. (Lunches almost always consist of  						sandwiches or something easy like that since it’s just  						me and the kids.)</p>
<p>This makes grocery shopping a breeze because I know just  						what ingredients I need. It also alleviates the nagging  						thoughts of “what are we going to eat tonight?” If  						possible, have one or both of your kids help you decide  						what to put. You’ll be surprised at how much they like  						having a say in what goes on that board!</p>
<p><strong>2. Set a day for everything. </strong></p>
<p>My days look something  						like this:</p>
<ul class="spacedout">
<li>Mondays &#8211; Housework and laundry (and business tasks as  						time allows)</li>
<li>Tuesdays &#8211; Grocery shopping and business tasks (this  						used to be during naptime, but is now during preschool  						time)</li>
<li>Wednesdays &#8211; Bible study and lunch with hubby (and  							business tasks as time allows)</li>
<li>Thursdays &#8211; Business tasks as much as possible with  						playtime in between</li>
<li>Friday &#8211; Take it Easy Day (and business tasks as time  						allows)</li>
<li>Saturdays &#8211; Laundry</li>
<li>Sunday &#8211; Church and a good, long nap</li>
</ul>
<p>It seems a little boring on paper, but I can’t tell you  						how much this little schedule has saved my sanity. I  						know when I get up in the morning what I have ahead of  						me and it is broken into manageable segments. You’ll  						find that scheduling things amongst these “main”  						schedule items will get easier and easier as you get  						used to the schedule.</p>
<hr /><!--webbot bot="Include" U-Include="../../_includes/bio/_biojh.htm" TAG="BODY" startspan --></p>
<div id="bio"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><strong> <img style="float: right;" src="http://www.positivelyfeminine.org/_includes/bio/jill_1.jpg" border="1" alt="Jill Hart" hspace="8" width="140" height="180" />About the Author:</strong></span> Jill Hart is the founder of Christian Work at Home Moms,  								<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://www.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">CWAHM.com</span></span></a></span>.  								Jill is a co-author of the upcoming book <em>So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom </em>(Beacon Hill, Sept. 2009). 							Jill welcomes work-at-home questions at  							<span class="blackunderline"><a href="http://askjill.cwahm.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://AskJill.cwahm.com</span></span></a>.</span></div>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/juggling-work-and-family-when-you-work-at-home/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Staying Motivated in Your Home-Based Business</title>
		<link>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/staying-motivated-in-your-home-based-business/</link>
		<comments>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/staying-motivated-in-your-home-based-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:20:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cwahm]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Diana Ennen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[so you want to be a work-at-home mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual assistant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual assisting business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[virtual word publishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wahm]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/?p=31</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[by Diana Ennen
Staying motivated can be a difficult  task in starting and running your home-based business.  There are  times that things happen and your self-confidence plummets.  You  find yourself doubting your decision to start a business in the first  place.
Here’s are some steps to keep your  power:
First, don’t sit ideally [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>by Diana Ennen</em></p>
<p>Staying motivated can be a difficult  task in starting and running your home-based business.  There are  times that things happen and your self-confidence plummets.  You  find yourself doubting your decision to start a business in the first  place.</p>
<p>Here’s are some steps to keep your  power:</p>
<p>First, don’t sit ideally by waiting  for the phone to ring.  Keep busy creating new marketing ideas.   Plan B should already in full force and effect.</p>
<p>Be creative.  Energize yourself  with the creation of a dynamite brochure.  Design a new mailing  piece that conveys exactly the benefits you can offer your clients.   Re-read that marketing letter you just sent and fine-tune it.   Look over your website.  How can you approve upon it to better  convey the benefits of your business?</p>
<p>Search for new places that you can promote  your business.  Spending time online doing research is important  for establishing your business.  Make new connections with other  entrepreneurs and organizations.  Find places to exchange links  and add your articles.  Don’t be shy.  You should be very  confident in your abilities and eager to share that with others.</p>
<p>Read, read, read.  Learn anything  and everything you can on starting a business.  Let others show  you how they’ve done it.  Take full advantage of the Internet  as well.  Find chats and message boards and talk with others.   Find out how they have achieved success.</p>
<p>Start fresh daily with a renewed determination  that you are going to make this work.  Visualize yourself addressing  that new client with your new leather briefcase in hand, portfolio neatly  prepared, and the confidence that you can make a difference in their  business. They need you and you’re going to show them exactly just  how much.</p>
<p>Finally, you need to believe in yourself  under all circumstances.  Write down why you know this business  is going to work.  Write down again how you plan to make it happen.</p>
<p>With the right attitude, appropriate  skills, extensive research, and sheer determination, you can and will  succeed.  That phone will ring &#8212; and ring &#8212; and ring.  And  with each ring, you’ll be grateful that you believed in yourself enough  to make it happen.</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>Diana Ennen, Author; Virtual Assistant  the Series, Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA, and Corel Word  Perfect Office Ready Virtual Assistant Solution Pack (<a href="http://www.corel.com/" target="_blank">www.corel.com</a>).   She’s the president of Virtual Word Publishing, <a href="http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/" target="_blank">www.virtualwordpublishing.com</a>, offering publicity and book marketing.   Article is free to be reprinted as long as author’s bio remains intact.   Stop by our site for free information on starting a business and a free  sample section of VA the Series.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://soyouwanttobeawahm.com/2009/07/staying-motivated-in-your-home-based-business/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
