Flavia

Here is a new company called Flavia.  I have not heard of a company like this one before.  Which means you would be unique.  Here is a little about their company.

Description: The Flavia Fusion Drinks Station is a revolutionary way of making gourmet beverages at home. This one appliance replaces your coffee maker, teapot, cappuccino machine and bean grinder. The unique Filter pack design brews direct from pack to cup, which means each drink is truly your own, with no crossover of flavor from previous drinks made. Choose from nearly 30 varieties of fresh ground gourmet coffees, fresh leaf teas, herbal wellbeing drinks, indulgent creations, even hot chocolate or Milky Way Swirl®. Drinks take about 35 seconds to brew and specialty blended drinks take less than 90 seconds. Best of all, because the drinks are brewed right in the Filter pack, there is virtually no cleanup required. And because the Flavia Fusion makes a single, fresh cup every time, there is no more wasting or reheating old coffee.  The Flavia Ambassador Program is a direct sales network of people who help share the Flavia Fusion with new customers. Ambassadors receive a $30 commission and 5 free rails of Flavia drink packs (100 drinks) for each Flavia Fusion drinks station that they sell. There are never any sales quotas, catalogs, or minimum order sizes!   The Flavia Ambassador Program Website helps Ambassadors track their orders and commissions download and print flyers, business cards, manuals, recipes, and other sales materials, order their free rails, and put up HTML affiliate banners.

Start up Cost:  The Deluxe Starter Kit costs only $149.95 and includes a Flavia Fusion Drinks Station and a drink sampler containing 254 packs of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, Milky Way Swirl® in assorted varieties, 2 boxes each of chocolate and cinnamon sprinkles, and 1 box each of caramel and vanilla syrups.  Ambassadors also receive a $129.95 reimbursement for the cost of their Drinks Station after making their 10^th sale of a Drinks Station to a new customer. Also on their 10^th sale, and for every 10^th sale thereafter, Ambassadors receive a free refill of their drink sampler.

If you love coffee and love to serve them in your home this could be the company just for you.

12:40 - Friday, September 14, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Get Your Business Off on the Right Foot

How to get your new company off on the right foot.  This is a lot of information to take in at once so if you read through it and map out a plan to get started on your business venture and jump in both feet first you will see success.

1. Once your consultant business opportunity kit arrives to your home, go through it thoroughly. I recommend that you open up your catalog and start reading it cover to cover to familiarize yourself with all of the products. One way to do this is to take 3x5" index cards and make up a set of Product Flash Cards. On the front side of each card put the product name & a picture of it (if available) and on the backside list the product features, item number, price and any other product facts.

Once you make up your Product Flash Cards, use them! Just like in grade school, flash cards can help you memorize and learn your products quickly.

2. Read through your Consultant Business Manual. As you are reading through it, have on hand 2 different colored highlighter markers. Take one and highlight areas that are important and the other color highlight areas that you need more information on. Then make a list of your questions and contact your recruiter/sponsor or your Upline Manager to get all of your questions answered.  I recommend to all party plan consultants to read their consultant business manuals at least twice cover to cover. It’s also nice to go back to it frequently to use as a reference point.

3. Make a detailed list of everyone you know! Friends, Family, Co-workers, Neighbors, Teachers, Community Leaders etc. This will be your BASE Customer List. I recommend you contact everyone on your list via phone, in-person, email or postal mail to offer them a catalog and your business card. Print out flyers about your Hostess Plan and Current Hostess Specials and print out flyers about any consumer specials that your company is offering. Include those flyers with every catalog you hand out. For extra incentive, you could include a discount coupon that they can use on their first purchase from you.

4. Hold your First Party with you being the Host or do a Mystery Hostess Party, you will want to do this within 3 weeks of joining your home party plan company. Invite everyone you know! This will give you practice on doing a home party show and expose your new business & products to your family & friends from your Contact Customer List above. The more you practice & the more parties you do, the more comfortable you will be doing it plus the more money you will earn!

5. Attend any meetings or events that are sponsored by your party plan company. They offer training, motivation, idea sharing & friendship. These days we all lead very busy lives but if you don't attend them, you are really selling yourself short on this valuable resource to get yourself started with your new home business.

6. Attend local commerce & business events in your local community. You can build up business contacts & business references by attending these events. You need to network with as many people as possible and get your business out there to be seen. Your business will not promote itself, it is your job to promote & advertise your new business.

7. Set aside time a few times a week to work on your business. Just like any job or business, you need to set a schedule for "work related time." The more you work on your business the more it will grow & flourish. I use a large wall calendar in my home office and a daily planner and I schedule in blocks of time to work on my business. Every week I sit down and plan my week along with goals that I want to accomplish for that week. Draft up a plan and stick to it.

8. Start a Referral Program. Reward your party hosts & customers who refer others to you. They are more apt to give you referrals if there is something in it for them. This could be a free small product or a discount on their personal order. Think about your referral program right away and get promoting it!

9. Attitude! Be excited about your new business & the products that you offer! The more you are enthused about your new business & products, the more enthused your party hosts & customers will be too!

10. Share your Business Opportunity with everyone you know & come into contact with. Don't assume that they know and would not be interested!

11. Increase your sales by letting people know how your products can benefit them and fit into their lives! The more you talk about your business & products the more customers will want to purchase them! To do this, ask questions about your customers likes & dislikes. You can make up a customer survey to find out these types of answers and offer your customer a one time discount for filling out your Preferred Customer Survey. Use this survey to recommend products to your customer or to alert them to future sales on the products that you customer loves.

These are some great tips provided by Kara Kelso and Antia DeFrank.  I have added bits and pieces in as well, from life’s experience.

03:35 - Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Fear of Selling?

A lot of work at home jobs are direct sales jobs, whether it is working for a company or starting your own company who need to sell a product.  So what do you do if you have a fear of sales?  Here are some that may help you to get over your fears.

The first thing you need to do is find out exactly what it is you're afraid of. Are you afraid of success? Believe it or not there this is an actual fear of some folks. Are you afraid of failure or rejection? Do you fear being perceived as being pushy? Do you (secretly of course) fear that your product may not meet the expectations of your customer? You can't come up with a solution if you don't know what the problem is.

There's a huge misconception in direct sales being that you think you're 'imposing' on your friends, family or just a customer in general. As long as you feel as though you're imposing...you are. You need to love your product and feel as though you are offering a service. You're filling a need.

People are natural-born sellers. We just don't realize it when we're not making money from it. Let's say you go to a movie that you loved and you have a friend that you know would enjoy it too. Wouldn't you recommend it to him/her?

So why is it that as soon as we go into sales we automatically feel as though we can’t recommend the products we sell? Why is it that we tend to feel guilty because we’re going to make a profit off of it?

If you are one that has a fear of selling, take some time today to figure out the cause of your fear, and take action to fix it!

09:55 - Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Craft Cart and In Home Arts

Here is a great business to get involved in if you have grade school aged children and know a lot of other moms with kids that age.  The business is called the Craft Cart.  Here is a little about their company.

The Craft Cart was started by two At-Home Moms in the Atlanta, GA area. The Craft Cart sells all inclusive craft kit for children's parties and a "Crafts for a YEAR" program.  The per child costs for party kits start at $2.00 per child. They also have a Consultant Program where you can earn up to 25% on any sales you make.  You also have the option of teaching birthday parties in your area for added income. Included in the Start Up fee is an email address, website, support and plenty of marketing material to download and personalize.  Their brochures are designed to be printed, so there is no buying brochures! They are a very flexible company to work with, no sales minimums or required recruiting. They also do fundraisers!
Start Up Cost: $20.00

Here is another business opportunity for moms to learn to become a little craftier. The great thing about this company is they have a variety of crafts that you can learn how to do. 

A fun home party plan that brings the craft store to you and shows you "How to..."  Party guests can learn a broad variety of crafting techniques including Donna Dewberry's One Stroke painting, scrapbooking, paper crafting, faux stained glass, jewelry making, fashion accessorizing, and more.  A joint venture of Dewberry Designs, Inc. and Plaid Enterprises, the largest manufacturer of craft supplies, In-Home Arts offers a ground floor opportunity for crafters to turn their hobby into extra money.  For less than $100 Consultants-in-Training receive an Opportunity Kit valued at over $400 retail, a free website, and great company training materials and support.  Contact me to participate in In-Home Arts as a client, a party host, or an Independent Consultant.  If you enjoy crafts, you're going to love In-Home Arts! 

Start Up Cost: $99.98

Fabulous is all I can say!  I know that many of the women I know just want to get away for the night and do something fun with other women.  This could be your sales pitch.  Come and have a great night of crafts and laughs at ______’s home.  If you have the natural ability to be crafty then this is defiantly the business for you.  Even if you are not, what a way to learn how, while you make money.

12:30 - Monday, September 10, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Hostess Cashback Bonus Game

I have posting about helpful hostess ideas the last few days.  Now I would like to focus on how to recruit those fabulous hostesses.  Here is a game to play at your current party to get more booking for future parties.  Cash Back Bonus Game

 WHO knows your Hostesses friends and family better than the Hostess....
When you arrive at the Hostesses home, after you set up and you are waiting for Guests to Attend....Tell your hostess that you have a "Special Cash Bonus Program for Hostesses"

Hand her 3 Hostess Packets 
Tell her she knows her family and friends better then you do, and ask her to find out who, out of her friends and family would want to have a Show.....
for the 1st Booking she will receive....  $10 in Free Merchandise
for the 2nd Booking she will receive.... $25 in Free Merchandise
for the 3rd Booking she will receive....  $50 in Free Merchandise

You can explain to her that she can be the 3rd Booking and schedule a Fall/Christmas Show and she would be staring her Show with $50 Free

At the End of the Show.....Thank everyone for coming ...Explain our Services and what we have to offer....  In-home shows, Brochure shows, Fundraisers....etc, etc,
Also inform they of all Hostesses receive....
And, I would like everyone to take Advantage of Our Free Program. If you are Considering on having a Show See Our Hostess  __Name____ she has all the Hostess Packets

After the Shows are Held the Hostess receives her $10, $25 or $50 in Free merchandise......and don't you think she will make sure the Shows Hold!  She wants her Cash Bonus!  ( Or use amounts that will work with your Party Plan Business.)

Thanks to homepartyplannetwork.com for the fabulous game.  Nothing motivates someone like free money to shop with.

03:22 - Friday, September 7, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

More Hostess Helpful Hints

In sticking with the hostess coaching theme here is a scavenger hunt you can give her to help her create her guest list and get a variety of people there.

Here is a list of 21 different kinds of people. If you get ten of them to your party on ________________, (day) _____/_____/____. I will have a special gift for you. 

A red headed lady

A pregnant lady

A waitress

A church friend

A neighbor

A grandmother

Someone with all sons

Someone with all daughters

A mother of a baby under 1 year old

Someone who orders $50 or more

A bowler

A person who decorates cakes

A lady on a diet

A lady with size 9 shoes

An in-law

A former neighbor

A teacher or Sunday school teacher

A club member

Someone with no children

Someone who will book a party

A friend who doesn't work

YOU MUST HAVE TEN (10) DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO QUALIFY. I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTING!

This is another item that can be put in the hostess packet.  This list will help your hostess to think bigger then her normal circle of friends and look to their acquaintances.  You can even take it bigger.  For example have all 21 different ladies there and get $x.xx in free product that night.

Here are some prep items for you to do before your show.  These are things to show your hostess that you are attentive to her needs and the needs of guests.  This shows her that you are serious about your business.

1. Send a thank you note thanking the hostess for the party/show/class with the following reminder--Date and Time, and then this note: “I look forward to being your consultant and your partner to help you obtain all the free items you want! I work strictly by appointment only and will be there on ________so if for any reason you are unable to hold your appointment please notify me 48 hours in advance so we can reschedule your appointment and I can place another hostess in you slot who may be waiting for an opening. I really appreciate your hosting the _________ (show, class, etc) and look forward to working with you. I know it will be a great success. I will call you in a couple of days to see how many guests will be attending your _________."

2. Call in a couple of days and check to see how many guests are coming. Get their phone numbers if can and let her know you will call the guests to introduce yourself (its actually to see if she has called them and to let them know there is a party in case she hasn't).

3. Call her guests if she gives you the names and numbers and get them excited about the party.

4.About 2 days before the party call her again to see if she needs help with anything, to check about set up, and to see how many outside orders she may have.....(these are reasons you give her and they are reasons you do call also.. but the main reason...to make sure she doesn't forget and if she does decide to cancel...she may have second thoughts as she knows you are serious and 2 she knows you won't reschedule her and 3 you called her guests already.

06:39 - Thursday, September 6, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Hostess Checklist

If you work in any direct sales party business here is a hostess check list.  You can give items off of this  list to your hostess when she books a party.  This gives her things to do to prepare for her party and to boost her sales before the party even starts.

1. During a show I recognize the Hostess for the things he/she did to help his/her show be more successful. (Timely return of guests list, outside orders, booking before the night of the show).

2. When a guest at a show books his/her own show. I give him/her a Hostess Packet that night, and go through it completely with him/her to ensure him/her of a successful show.

3. When Hostess Coaching a Hostess I make sure they are aware that the credits from their show may be used one of two ways and what the options are. (Regular or Starter Show)

4. When I discuss the Hostess Packet with a Hostess, I ask for the guest list to be returned to me in 3-4 days, and write that date on the guest list so she/he remembers.

5. When I don't receive a guest list on the requested date I phone him/her or drop him/her a card to reminder them.

6. I include 2 guest list sheets in a Hostess Packet and discuss filling out both of them with the Hostess.

7. When I receive a guest list back with less than 20 names, I call the Hostess and discuss out strategy for attendance and sales.

8. I make sure a Hostess knows what his/her monthly Hostess Specials are.

9. I mail the appropriate monthly Hostess Flyer to each Hostess.

10. I include at least one of each current catalog and 10 order forms in each Hostess Packet for outside orders.

11. I include a Wish List form, and/or help the Hostess make a wish a list, so I can work with him/her on a goal for his/her show and help her know how to reach it.

12. When I am working with a Hostess before his/her Show, I encourage them and work with them to have at least 1 booking scheduled before the night of his/her show.

13. Three days before a show I call the Hostess and remind him/her to call his/her guests to remind them about the party and suggest they bring a friend.

14. The day before a show I call the Hostess to see how he/she is doing with outside orders and bookings, to get directions, see if he/she wants to see any particular pieces of product, find out approximately how many he/she is expecting, etc.

15. When working with a Hostess we set a goal for outside orders sales (minimum $100) and a goal for total show sales, as well as a booking goal.

16. When working with a Hostess I set the level of expectations to close the night of the show.

17. Prior to the show, I talk to the Hostess about or give them information on the business opportunity with Your Company.

18. At a show I allow time to speak to the Hostess about his/her two options, before guests arrive.

19. I ask every Hostess if he/she has ever considered doing what I do.

20. I ask for referrals both sponsoring and booking at a show.

This list will not only help her party go well but it will also boost your business as well. Make copies of the list (the parts for her to do) and keep them in your hostess packets.  That way you are sure to always have one.

12:33 - Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Home and Garden Party Inc

Do you have a knack for design?  I know that sometimes I cannot turn off HGTV when there design shows are on.  You can venture out on your own as an interior designer, but if you are not ready for that big venture yet you can join this business, Home and Garden Party Inc.  Here is a little about their company. 

Home & Garden Party is a dynamic home based party plan company with an exciting future, offering beautiful products to decorate your home and garden. Home & Garden Party is a ground floor opportunity offering generous earnings for Designers as well as generous hostess benefits. Earn 30-40% personal commission, plus override commissions, sponsor bonuses and possible infinity bonuses. Designers are showered with trips, prizes, awards, and recognition for doing a good job. HGP is the first direct sales company to reach 100 million in sales in its first five years. There is no inventory, delivery, quotas, or territories. Be your own boss.
Cost of Kit: $150
Learn more about this opportunity at: homepartyopportunities.com/DesignerOpportunity.htm

This sounds like a fantastic opportunity for anyone who has caught the design bug.  This could also be stepping stone for starting your interior design business.  The start up cost for this business is fairly reasonable at $150.00.  The commission of 30% - 40% is one of the highest in direct sales companies.  So check them out if you are interested.  Are you already a part of this company, share your experiences with everyone.

04:12 - Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

All About Me Game

Games are essential for most party show businesses.  Here is game that I found is a way to segway into recruiting. 

This game is great for slipping in lots of sponsoring seeds as well as having fun!  It’s called “Ask Me About My Job”.

Have a roll of tickets (the kind you’d use for a 50/50 draw).  Say “For the next 3 minutes we’re going to play ‘Ask Me About My Job’.  The first person to come up with a question will get 3 tickets, the 2^nd person will get 2 and every question after that earns 1 ticket.”  Questions like “How many hours do you work a week?” and “How long have you been doing it?” will start coming at you.  Answer them as positively as possible.  I.e. “I only work evenings and weekend because I want to be home with my children.”  “I’ve been doing this job for 18mos and I’ve never had so much.fun” 

At the end of the Q & A you can either draw for a prize right then and there, or you can tell the guests to hang on to their tickets and do a little more Q & A towards the end of the party (they may have thought of other questions by then). 

It’s a lot of fun when the questions start coming in fast and furious… guests try to out-do each other and ask the most questions (they want to be the one with the most tickets) and it’s GREAT for teaching people about your business and how it might benefit them.

Here is another fabulous recruiting game that you can use.  Let’s face recruiting is essential in a party business.

In the middle of your presentation, ask for a volunteer.  Have the guest that volunteers present an item from your collection/products at the party.  If your company uses script cards, give one to that guest.  If not, and you use note cards, give one of them to the guest.  If you don't use any notes, write out what you would say about the item and have the guest read your notes.

How do you recruit for your business?  That is something I know I could have used more tips on when I first started working from home.

11:22 - Monday, September 3, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Attitude

 Yesterday as I was typing out all of the different success quotes I was reminded of a quote/poem that I was given in high school.  I dug through some of my papers and found it.  I wanted to share it.  I think it really does apply to anything you do in life.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes."
-Charles Swindoll

To think that life really is ONLY 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it, it reminds me that I am in control of my life, me , not anyone else.  Regardless of what business struggles I may be having at the moment I always have a choice how I am going to react to what is going on.  For example if my computer is in the shop for repair and they tell me that I need to purchase a new  one because that one is toast, I could get extremely down or angry because spending money on a new computer is not what I want to do or I can try to look at it more positively.  I could be glad this happened now instead of during my busy holiday season or a new computer will be a great tax write off.  Also I can say well now I can upgrade to a laptop so I work on the road much easier. 

Now I am not saying everything has to be rosy and perfect all the time but try to look at things from a new angle.  When you begin to get down or negative then the rest of your world tends to go that way whether you realize it or not.

So evaluate your attitude and see if it is where you want it to be.

11:18 - Friday, August 31, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Inspirational Message

When you work at home sometimes you need a little inspiration to keep you going.    It is the little words of encouragement that go along way.  If you are in a business where you have someone above you then sometimes you will get those inspirational words from them or a meeting.  However if you are starting your own business it is up to you to motivate yourself and encourage your company to be all it can be.  Here is a great saying that I have taped to my wall above my desk.

"FACE IT, nobody owes you a living.
What you achieve, or fail to achieve in your lifetime 
Is directly related to what you do or fail to do. 
No one chooses his parent or childhood, 
But you can choose your own direction. 
Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome, 
But that too is relative to each individual. 
NOTHING IS CARVED IN STONE! 
You can change anything in your life
If you want to badly enough.
Excuses are for losers! Those who take responsibility for their actions
Are the real winners in life.
Winners meet life challenges head on
Knowing there are guarantees, and give it all they've got
And never think it's too late or too early to begin.
Time plays no favorites
And will pass whether you act or not
Take control of your LIFE
Dare to Dream and take risks......
Compete!
If you aren't willing to work for your goals Don't expect others to.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!"

This is a great kick in the pants and sometimes when you slip into victim mode it is just the thing to get you out of it. 

What sort of things do you use to get yourself back on track?

11:11 - Thursday, August 30, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Clean desk

I know that my desk gets to be a disaster no matter how hard I try and keep it clean and organized it gets away from me.  I try to once week and sit down and clean and organize my desk.  I was looking for some tips on how to keep it clean and a found these wonderful ideas.  I wanted to share them with all of you.  Hopefully you will share your organization tips with me.

Address your desk problems in blocks of time. You may be able to straighten out the clutter in a few hours, or you may need a weekend. Sometimes it's better to devote a couple of hours a day to the job until you're done.

Have on hand a trash can, a pen, file folders, labels and the other desk organizational aids mentioned above that suit your needs.

Clear the space you want to organize (the desk surface, one of the drawers, etc.). Then make a big pile of all the paper.

Evaluate each item, categorize it and put it away (in the desk drawer, in a file, in one of the desk organizers, etc.), throwing out as much as possible.

Even when you are feeling overwhelmed, just keep sorting and categorizing. If you devote the necessary time, your desk can be cleared.

Enlist the help of a partner; a spouse, a secretary, someone who can help you keep going.

Organization is a skill that can be learned. The most difficult part is breaking your lifelong bad habits (like letting your paperwork pile up). The key to getting better organized is to start with one small step and then take others one at a time. You may find that what you've put off for years takes only an hour to do. And once you see the benefits in one part of your life, you'll be motivated to go on.

If you implement the ideas given here, you'll be free from chaos and feel in charge of your life. Once you've started, stick with it. Getting organized is the first step; persistence and follow-through will keep you that way. Now, go get started.

This information was from Ronnie Eisenberg, a nationally recognized time-management and organizational expert.  

I hope that you are able to take a few or all of these tips to make your office a better place to be.

12:15 - Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Learning is an Art

Here is a new business that is breaking out fright now.  Learning is an Art and you could get in on the ground floor of the exciting new business.  Here is a little about the company.

Learning is an Art is looking for highly motivated, ethical, and fun individuals to share educational toys and games for toddlers through Adults.  Their products are selected by educators and are designed to be highly academic and FUN!  This is an incredible market for educators, home school groups and parents, child cares, school districts and more.  No inventory, No hidden costs, minimal investment, FREE websites/training/support and THE SKY IS THE LIMIT!! 100% of Learning is an Art's corporate profits, after taxes and expenses, benefit top rated charities, so you can feel confident that you are making a difference…not only for your Family, but to Families and Children all over the World!  What are you waiting for?  You could be the First in your STATE to represent this incredible company.  Don't miss the boat. 

This sounds pretty amazing a company that you can work for that will also give back.  Educational items are on the rise right now with more parents deciding to home school their children.  You have the opportunity to hop in on the ground floor. 

12:11 - Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Time with Our Kids

When you are working from home sometimes, especially on your busy days, it is hard to find time for everything.  So here are some tips I found on the WAHM Connection to making sure that your kids get the time you both deserve. Other moms sharing how they make it work, working from home.  After all you work at home to be with your kids, right?  I know that I have implemented some of these in our home and it has really made a difference.  The kids are much better behaved while I am working.  

1. Give Your Kids Time Targets
"Give them a kitchen timer with the time set to how long you need to work. This works best when you can parcel out your tasks into 30-minute blocks or so. When the bell rings, your kids can let you know that work time is up and playtime begins. Then you can reset it to go off when it's time to go back to work." --Carolyn

2. Have Dinner Together
"In our house, dinnertime always was and still is a quality time. We don't answer the phone, we take our time eating and we enjoy great conversation. When my daughter was in band and had practice at 5:30, we would sometimes do 4pm dinners so we could still eat together." --Chris

3. Do One Thing as a Family Each Day
"This can even be watching a favorite TV show. For example, we watch Survivor each Thursday night. We also like to play a great card game called Five Crowns. It's tough to balance mom time and work time. For us, this has worked." --Audrey

4. Put Them on the Payroll
"My kids are a little older, so I put them on my payroll. Simple tasks are good, such as putting labels on packages or filing papers. It instills a work ethic, they understand what Mommy's doing in her office and kids can take real pride in doing 'grown-up' jobs, all while spending time with you. Plus, paying them can be tax deductible for your business." --Jennifer

5. Set Aside Money for Fun Activities
"I knew we would all be making some sacrifices, so I took 25 percent of the money that I made from my business and put it into our 'fun kitty.' We would decide how to spend that money together. Our first decision was a vacation to Hawaii. That was something we'd wanted to do, but we never really had enough money for all of us. That 'fun kitty' plus our vacation savings made it possible." --Lucy

6. Schedule Family Obligations First
"One of the awesome things about having your own home business is that you decide when to work. Here's how I did it: I took my family's schedule and marked on my business calendar all of the times for my son's baseball games and out-of-town tournaments, important family dates and other busy times. In my son's senior year of high school, I drastically cut back my work schedule during April, May and June to be available for all of his extra activities. It did affect my business somewhat, but I worked really hard over the summer to make up for it and don't regret it one bit." --Sally

7. Be Honest with Your Kids
"Let them know how serious your work is but that if something is important, they can come see you. I had a family meeting to tell them of my plans and how much time my business would require of me, and I asked for their suggestions. That way, they felt part of the decision." --Alicia

8. Create Sacred Time
"I don't plan any work stuff from dinnertime until 7pm. We have dinner, do homework and bathe the kids. It's just regular family stuff but I never miss it." --Lynn

9. Work after Their Bedtime
"After my kids are in bed, I make any calls to customers that I need to. This is also a great time to take care of my paperwork and other office stuff. It does take some time and planning but the life I have now is heaven and I feel blessed to be home every day. I would never go back to what I was doing before." --Carolyn

I think these moms have some fabulous ideas on how to keep their kids happy about mom working form home.  What tips do you have that can help other Work at Home Moms?

12:05 - Monday, August 27, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Games, Games and More Games. SimplyFun

If you love to play games then there is a company out there for you.  It is called SimplyFun. Here is a little about them.

Everyone loves games! That’s why SimplyFun is truly one of a kind - a direct selling party plan company marketing original board, card, and party games and other entertaining play products that are simple to learn and fun to play.  SimplyFun Consultants teach others to play these entertaining games at in-home parties while promoting the importance of play. Find out why you should join the most fun direct selling company in the world!

I personally love games.  I love to cook a dinner and invite another family over for food and fun.  This sounds like a company that has some great ideas on games to play with your friends.  This is something that you could promote just about anywhere.  For working moms, work at home moms or people without children this works for everyone.  Unless of course they do not like games, which is not very many people.  If you are looking for an exciting business to start this could be it.

08:06 - Friday, August 24, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Uppercase Living

In my previous blog I spoke about starting your own business in vinyl stickers.  If you do not want to start your from the ground and work your way up, here is the opportunity for you.  This is a driect sales company that features this product.  Here is here information.

“Finally a product that excites my customers, my hostesses, and makes it so much easier to recruit.  I feel like once I got the ball rolling that everything else has fallen into place because of the buzz that the decorative lettering generates. It has been incredible to have customers, hostesses, and even prospective Demonstrators approach me instead of me having to convince them to take a look. Thank You Uppercase Living for the amazing opportunity!”   (Kelly—UT). 

Uppercase Living believes in the power of words, in the beauty of elegant design, and in the transforming quality that both can have in a home.  And when you experience thier product firsthand, you’ll believe it too. Uppercase Living offers hundreds of pre-designed expressions to be placed easily and seamlessly on your walls or just about any other place. You can also place a custom order using a wide variety of colors and fonts to express your own style and personality.  Witty phrases, spiritual quotes, meaningful sayings passed on for generations – you’ll find that our designs complement your home with what they say, as well as the way they look. Their decorative lettering and embellishments are quick and easy to apply, allowing you to transform your rooms in minutes. It’s so simple and the results are so dramatic, it will seem almost magical.  The opportunities and possibilities are limitless! For additional details visit www.uppercaseliving.com .

I hope that you can find a business opportunity here on my blog that will allow you to work form home.  If you are already working from home maybe you could share some tips that keep your business booming and your work and home life in harmony.

12:05 - Thursday, August 23, 2007 - comments {1} - post comment

Kids Juke Box Inc

Here is a great business idea it is called Kids Juke Box Inc.  The great thing about this business is you could work really hard around the holiday season and maybe the summer fairs and take the rest of the year off.  Here is a little about the company.

Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles love giving personalized products as gifts to the children in their life.  The problem is finding a retailer that not only carries personalized product; it is also finding these products in your child’s name.

With the new Kids Juke Box line of personalized children’s toys and gifts, we offer product in ANY name and ANY spelling with little or no inventory! Kids Juke Box is the Worlds largest manufacturer and distributor of personalized children's products.

 From the music CDs to the interactive CD Story Books, they have been causing the wiggles and giggles in children for over 3 years. It is their goal to help direct and support their hostess in building their business while they develop new and exciting products. With the addition of a full line of personalized Marvel Entertainment product, sales greatly increased across the board. It’s neat to see what happens when you have an 8 song music CD with your Childs name sung 30+ times with their favorite hero like Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine and others.

Their personalized products have been seen on QVC's Santa's Workshop Special Edition, featured on news Stations like KTLA (Los Angeles), WGN (Chicago), and many others. First Choice Magazine, The National Examiner and Gift Beat News have written glowing reports about us as a product and business opportunity. Currently being distributed across the US and 15 other countries, they are poised to revolutionize the world of personalized children’s product.

They  are constantly adding new licensed lines such as Care Bears and negotiating with others such as Sesame Street, Thomas, Ninja turtles and many more........To make it even better they offer their products in several languages (English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese) with others coming online soon. Low start up cost for this very unique opportunity and earn 35 to 50% in commissions.

This business opportunity is great for the local holiday bazaars and for online.  You can create your own website, sell and ship the items to your customers.  This product is very unique and is something any kid will treasure.

We have one of the CD’s that my son was given for Christmas by his grandmother, who bought it at a Christmas show, and he loves hearing his name in the music.  He got a year ago and still loves it. He is now four years old and I do not know when he will grow tired of it.  If this sounds like something you might enjoy check them out.

12:04 - Wednesday, August 22, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

A Fresh Company Thirty One

Are you looking for a great work at home company that does a variety of things?  This is not a typical candle or stamp company.  In fact not many women have even heard of it. The company is thirty one gifts.  Here is a little about this company. 

Are you looking for a fresh company - Something new and different that your friends and family have not heard of? Open your world to Thirty-One! Thirty-One offers a variety of products that you will love! They offer FREE personalized monogramming, home décor, candles, purses, personalized jewelry, personalized stationery and much more. Here are just some of the wonderful opportunities that await you:

• A faith-based company devoted to supporting and encouraging women

• Ground floor opportunity

• Flexible hours for more time with the special ones in your life

• Personal and professional growth

• Earn $200 worth of product in your first month

• Earn $1000 bonus when you promote to Director

Your dream can begin today! Start your own business with a small $99 investment in our Display Kit containing over $300 in exquisite products, catalogs, order forms, invitations, training materials, and other paperwork.

You can Google the company to get in contact with a representative near you. This may be just the opportunity you have been looking for.  There is small start up cost for this company but there is with most companies you start with.

12:17 - Tuesday, August 21, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Keeping Your Marriage Strong

As a work at home mother I know that sometimes my marriage gets taken for granted.  I just know that it is there and it is strong so I do not always give it the attention it needs.  So I decided to take my calendar, since that is what I live by, and mark it up with little ways to let my husband know I love him.  I also scheduled some dates, which as we all know are so important but easily pushed aside.  I thought I would share the list I used to tell my husband I love him.

1.  Write a poem or letter

2.  A romantic massage

3.  Make his favorite meal and share it over candlelight, send the kids to the family room with a TV dinner.

4.  Tell your husband how much you enjoy waking up to them in the morning as soon as you wake up.

5.  Buy the sappiest, cheapest greeting card you can find and add your own special romantic message.

6.  Build a sand castle on the beach or a near by lake.

7.  Put a little note in his lunch.

8.  Leave a sweet message in his car.

9.  Make a cheesy valentines card with macaroni and tissue paper, the kids will love to help with this.

10.  Get his favorite movie and watch it with him, without complaints. Get his favorite snack too.

11.  Tell him how proud of him you are.

12.  Tell him you appreciate how hard he works for your family.

13.  Write messages on the bathroom mirror to each other.

14.  Send him a letter in the mail. 

15.  Surprise him at work for a picnic lunch or take him out to his favorite diner.

16.  Light some candles in the bedroom in the evening.

17.  Bake him a special treat and decorate it special.

18.  Have some music playing when he gets home and dance with him.  Have the kids join in.

19.  Take a bike ride together.

20.  Pick him a bouquet of wild flowers

These are just some of things that I did for my husband.  I know what you are thinking; I can’t do that with the kids awake.  However it is important for the kids to see you and your spouse show each other that you love each other.  Your home is where they learn what a marriage should be.  Show them how wonderful it is.

06:13 - Monday, August 20, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment

Vinyl Rub Ons

If you are someone who is a crafter at heart you will love this.  Even if you are not then this is still for you, it is so easy.  People are always looking for items to beatify their home.  A little sign here and there, or a labeled coat rack for the kids in the entry way, this is something you can make at home.

With a printer and your imagination you can be the hit of the craft show.  There is a special type of printer and software that you need to purchase to print these vinyl rub on stickers from home.  Once you have made the initial investment there isn’t much to purchase after that.

You can create a website that offers several different quotes and sayings for your customers to review. The stickers can also come in several colors, sizes and fonts.  You can also have a section for customers to create their own words.  Let them select the words that best suites their home.

Have a section on website that features what you can do with the vinyl rub ons.  For instance, have a painted wood plaque that is slightly sanded with a saying like, “Live, Laugh and Love” on it.  You can also feature 12 x 12 tiles with something like “If You Can’t Stand the Heat Get Out of Kitchen” on it, then you can put a glaze on the tile then it can be used as a trivet.

If you want to take your work out of the home, you can attend craft shows.  You would make up several of the wooden, tiles and maybe even plates then have them there to sell.  You can even take custom orders and mail them out later to the client.

There are other women out there who are in this line of work, however the market is no where near flooded with people in this line of work.  You can make a great living at this.  Prices for these items are usually based on the square inch.  A one word sticker that is fairly small runs about $2.00.  No bad for something that takes less then 5 minutes to print up.

Get creative and show the world what you have.

07:28 - Friday, August 17, 2007 - comments {1} - post comment