If you haven’t heard about Molly Gordon and her Self Employment TeleSummit, well where in the heck have you been?!? If you’re a right brainer who wants to figure out the business-y side of doing what you love–so you can keep doing it AND make a fabulous living–Molly Gordon is the go-to gal. She’s a seasoned coach, writer and self employment specialist who just oozes credibility and moxie. (She also has a sassy short haircut that I only wish my hair would mimic.) Yeah, my kind of Alpha!
I recently invited Molly to pay Alpha WAHM a visit. I asked her what I think are some of the most burning questions Alpha women have about running a business both profitably and with much “joie-de-vive.”
Molly loved my questions and much to my delight, she is going to answer all THREE of them, the first of which Molly is going to answer in today’s post.
But there’s a juicy twist to Molly Gordon’s Blog Tour
Molly invites all Alpha WAHM readers to join in her comment contest. Here’s how it works: Make a comment on this blog and you’re entered to win. It couldn’t get an easy than that so no excuses. Makes those comments and share those viewpoints. ALL commenters get a free copy of Molly’s Sanity Saver ebook.
Let’s get started then!
Molly Gordon Interview Part I: Jump Start Your WAHM Success Even if the Kids Are Making You Wacky
Karri: A lot of my readers have small children at home while they’re trying to jump-start a business. Time and the ability to concentrate are ongoing challenges, sometimes more so than women expect. What should our Alpha WAHMs consider when trying to design a business model that is both realistic and allows them to grow profits over the long run?
Molly: This is such a great question. While time and attention can be challenges for any self-employed professionals, moms, in particular, must be very intentional in order to grow a business and enjoy a rich family life.
The first and most important thing is not to compare yourself with others. There is no one-size-fits-all time line for growing a business, nor is there any single yardstick for how much a mom should be able to do in a day. There are simply too many variables. Comparison and self-criticism will suck away what time and energy you do have.
While comparing yourself with others is deadly, learning from them can save your butt. Do build relationships with moms in a similar situation so you can share tips, resources, and strategies. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter give you ways to network virtually in between other commitments.
Time and energy are at a premium when you are a WAHM, so you want to design a business model that compensates you handsomely for the time and energy you expend. A business where you are paid by the hour may not be ideal, as it can lead to intense feelings of conflict between bringing home income and being at home as a mom.
Fortunately, there are many alternatives to the dollars-per-hour method of bringing in revenue. If you are a service provider, quote fees on a per-project rather than a per-hour basis. Be sure to leave a margin of at least 20% when you are predicting delivery dates. The logical, forward-looking thinking we use when we quote fees tends to underestimate the amount of chaos that life kicks up on a regular basis.
Even if you feel you have to bring in revenue on a dollars-per-hour basis, you can begin to build passive revenue by capitalizing the information and expertise you share with your clients. Keep a record of explanations and distinctions that light up your clients. Write down the examples you use to successfully illustrate key points. Write out metaphors and case studies. You can reuse this information on Web sites and blogs, in newsletters and ecourses, and in products.
Another way to bring in more dollars without spending more hours is to shift your focus from one-on-one coaching or consulting to one-to-many training or group coaching. There are numerous free telephone conferencing services (www.thebasementventures.com ; www.freeconferencecall.com ) that accommodate 30-50 callers on a single line. For a truly engaging conferencing experience, check out MaestroConference, a technology that allows for small group breakouts without breaking up the large group conference.
Balance Working on Your Biz with Working in Your Biz
Over at GoodLittleBiz.com I talked about how to balance the time you spend on your biz with the time you spend delivering services. Each of the three strategies I named there is crucial to having a successful WAHM business model.
Reduce. As a WAHM you can’t afford clutter. Simplify and streamline your systems and processes as much as possible. This will save time transitioning from being a mom to running a biz and vice versa. It will make it easier to pick up where you left off after the inevitable interruptions.
Reuse. If clients and prospective clients tend to ask the same questions, write the answers once and save them to a template file. Then reuse those answers as needed in emails, on a web page, even in an ebook.
Recycle. Everything you do for a client has potential for attracting new clients and for strengthening the relationships you have with current clients. What’s more, much of the work you do can be re-used in another product or service. Be alert for experiences and learning that you can turn into a blog post or a newsletter article. Turn frequently asked questions into an e-course.
A Few Words About Focus and Concentration
There are a number of things you can do to improve focus and concentration. Brain Gym is a series of practices you can do wherever you are that help focus, creativity, and concentration. (You can teach them to your kids, too!) Some people find that music helps them concentrate. I like Don Campbell’s compilations, The Mozart Effect, but you should work to whatever works for you.
Preparation is key when you don’t have heaps of time. Even though it may be tempting to dive in, pause before you begin work and decide what you are trying to accomplish. This will make it easier to stay on track and not be distracted.
No question about it, as a WAHM, you have your hands full. Be kind to yourself. Set modest goals (it’s so fun to nail them!). And be a bit ruthless about getting value for your time. You deserve it!
Karri: Wow, thanks Molly. Some really insightful kid-friendly revenue generating brainstorms here!
To my fellow Alpha WAHMs then: are you using any of these ideas in your day to day routine when the kids are around? Do you have additional tips for how to stay motivated and productive when little Johnny just wants “Moooooooooooommy!!?” And what are you doing TODAY to escape the dollars-for-hours crunch? Let us know!
Stay tuned for Part II of my interview with Molly. She’s going to give you a action inciting kick in the pants so you can start working toward what you want faster and more effectively. (Can’t wait!)
About this Alpha WAHM Blogger: Karri is the Alpha WAHM who owns this joint. She also happened to write the book. 
