Three years ago, at age 47, Barbara Rosenzweig was a stay-at-home mama selling Mary Kay. Her husband was so impressed with how professionally she ran her job that he bought her a pretty bling Mother’s Day gift – her own staffing business. Talk about a gift to live up to.

The new business, Dental People, a dental-office staffing organization, had been stagnant when Barbara got it as her gift. She read business books, created business and marketing plans, a sales program, and developed a website. Result: in just 24 months, Dental People’s revenues soared to over $500,000 annually and may reach the million-dollar mark in 2009. Plus Barbara has further extended the company to allow it to eventually staff other medical staff in both the pharmaceutical and medical marketplace.

Barbara was recently named Emerging Women Business Owner of the Year by The National Association of Women Business Owners – Minnesota Chapter (NAWBO) and has 5 essential tips for success that women should know when starting or acquiring a new business.

1. It is never too late.
2. If you think you can you are right. If you think you can’t you are also right.
3. Use whatever strengths you have to succeed. All of us have something unique.
4. Achieve success by forming habits of doing things that unsuccessful people will not do.
5. Support others and they will gravitate towards you, elevating you to new heights.

Good tips!

To learn more about being a work-at-home mama read…

• Pros and cons of being a stay-at-home mom
• Work from home to make money, not spend it
• Free virtual work-at-home mom seminars
• Work-at-home ideas for stay-at-home-moms

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

 1.  Have high speed internet – You know how slow dial up internet is.  You could fall asleep waiting for a page to load.  Having wireless allows you to be more productive.

 2.  Get a laptop with wireless internet – I confess that I do not have a laptop.  I sit here in my chair and work each day.  My husband has a laptop though and I have often used his to move around the house (or yard) as needed.

 3.  Pick a fun place for them to play – If you have a laptop with wireless internet, then head to McDonald’s or some other fun place that has access.  You can gets lot of work done while they’re playing.

 4.  Pick a central location to work – In order to properly supervise your children, you may have to camp out at the kitchen table.  My computer sits at a small work station where I can view the living room and kitchen. 

 5.  Try to keep your kids focused – I tell my kids that now it’s time to play with legos.  Then when they’re done with that I’ll tell them it’s time to play kitchen.  Then they can have a snack, watch 2 tv programs, etc.  It keeps them from getting bored when they have an assigned area.

 6.  Set up play dates or swap babysitting – Find a friend or neighbor that would be willing to trade off play dates or babysitting.  Unfortunately, I have yet to make this connection, but I can only imagine how great it would be if I did.

7.  Set aside time for your kids – This can be scheduled or you can listen to your children’s cues.  Kids are thriving for our attention.  It is important to not just let them entertain themselves all day.  They need us to teach them.  As you know, I call my son Cuddlebug.  Needless to say he likes to cuddle, so sometimes he just sits in my lap while I browse and comment other blogs.

 8.  Get kids involved in chores – If I can get the kids to help me sort the laundry and load the dryer, then we’re spending time together and it makes for a teaching experience.  It also keeps them from being bored. 

 9.  Take advantage of naptime – Sometimes I can get more done in 30 minutes while the kids are napping than 2 hours while they’re awake.  You know how that goes.

10.  Save the good toys for last – When all else fails, be prepared to have a stash of toys that the kids don’t normally see.  For me, this is my linking cubes and other expensive things that I used while I was teaching.  If this doesn’t work, I can always get out the V-Smile or :GASP!: the playdough and paint.

Whether or not you’re a WAHM or WAHD, there are times when you need to get things done.  Hope these tips will help.  Wendy from eMoms At Home has some tips and links too.

Do you have any secrets to share of how you get your work done?  We’d love to hear them!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy