Still working outside the home?

[momsnet]

Are any of you still working full time and running a biz part time? Have you found it hard to find the time to work your home biz?

[soccermom]

That's me! I work full-time (actually overtime these days) as well as part-time doing direct sales. My kids are 6 and 4, and starting to have their own activities and homework to deal with. My business is one of my two outlets that I have (the other is soccer - I'm on 3 teams, spring thru fall) that help keep me organized. I'm the type of person that needs to be busy and scheduled to keep going; I'm probably also sleep-deprived :-)

I do find it challenging to find time for my part-time business. I actually keep my full-time and part-time jobs completely separate. Since I'm a manager with a pretty responsible position at my full-time job, I need to be sure that there is no question about me mixing my jobs; I've never mentioned my part-time job to people I work with full-time so as not to risk the appearance of being unethical. I know I'm missing a bunch of potential customers and hostesses, but that's fine. Keeping it separate makes a definite line between the "work week" and my part-time commitment. I shut the full-time job down completely on the weekends, which is when I do most of my parties.

Sheila
www.hennworkshops.com/norlin

[momsnet]

Sheila,

I commend you for keeping your two "jobs" separate. That must be hard to do but when you are in a management position you do have to be so careful. It's great that you are able to build your business even without including a very important circle of people.

Do I understand that YOU play soccer??? And YOU are on 3 teams???

whoooo... I can't even get my behind up to use my Tony Little glider!

[soccermom]

Yeah, 3 teams ... I'm a slug in the off-season, though ... I haven't done anything since November and one of my seasons starts next Saturday!!! That will be ugly :-) It's great, though. My daughters go with me and watch a lot of my games, which I think is a good example for them. They're getting into their own soccer and softball, too, which is fun.

So, I fit the part-time job in and do what I can to build my business. I've been doing it almost 3 years and I've gotten some good, faithful customers and hostesses that I rely on. Mostly, I just have fun :-)

[mommy4micandella]

I work part time as a hairstylist. I did Pampered Chef for about 2 years until my director kind of pissed me off. I couldn't make her understand that it is very hard to find a reliable sitter for me to go to work, let alone do shows, so after I had daughter #2 I gave it up. (she had the nerve to call the weekend i had the baby, and ask if i had shows booked for while I was on maternity leave!!!!!)
I would love to do something at home, but love the fact of getting out and having adult conversation other than my hubby. I work about 18-20 hours a week.
I am also a coordinator for a playgroup in my area. That keeps me busy with planning events, and keeping everyone updated and organized.

[marykaymom]

Hi Missy,

Thats too bad about your Pampered Chef director. Its a shame when directors in a home party biz are that pushy. Sometimes they just don't understand that we're doing this stuff because we can work it around our families and everyone doesn't want to put 60 hours a week in on it. I recently started with Mary Kay and I really like it. They have weekly support and training meetings where you can get out of the house "if you want" and meet other women and get lots of great support. And if you tell them that you just want to take up orders and don't want to spend a lot of money on inventory or time doing shows then they're happy to let you do that. Well, I hope all goes well for you.

Be blessed
Lisa

[momsnet]

Missy

I agree with Lisa. This is really sad... not only is your business your business, everyone has a different reason for joining. Heck, you may have only wanted to do 1 -2 shows a month and that should be FINE.

Part of why I left direct sales several years ago was exactly because of the parties in the evenings and weekends. I was still working full time at that time and doing direct sales on the side. I realized that I was just gone too much and wanted to be home with my son more, not less.

Those who are managers and directors, need to really listen to the reps under them and understand AND support those individual representative's goals, not their own goals of what THEY want for the reps.

[soccermom]

AMEN! I would not do what I do if I had someone who was constantly badgering me to do more! I get enough of that at my full-time job ... I am in control of my home-biz and do only what I can fit into my schedule. I make a point to only have certain days that are available for shows, and those are the only days someone can schedule with me. Generally, it's only on Sunday afternoons, as that causes the minimum disruption to my home life.

As a rule, it's your business to run how you want ... when it's no longer fun, it's time to get out.

[linkelly]

The hardest part is balancing between your day job and your home based business. Be sure you are involved with a home based business where you are the boss and the company is not putting pressures on you that you can't handle like certain demands on your time, sales goals, etc. A reliable home based business let's you decide your goals and at what pace you reach them. It is stressful enough to work a day job and then try to build a business without the additional stress of someone telling you that you must do 3 shows a week and you must bring in a certain $ amount.

[wboucher]

So sorry to hear about you quiting because of your director. She should've never done that to you nver mind calling you to see if you had bookings during your delivery of your child. She should of called to say congratulations on the birth of your baby. Which is an accomplishment itself and hard work for most women. Also she should of made you a dinner in her pampered chef and gave you day off of shows. Our businesses are for us to work around our own families not someone elses. I commend you for all you do!!

Hugs,

Wendy

[abrinaus]

Not all directors are the same. If you really enjoyed doing it, you could sign back up under a different director.

[linkelly]

What people forget is when someone does a day job along with their home based business, there isn't much time yet. When you are building a home-based business you have to remember that it's not about you but about the other person. So when you are bringing people on to your team, it is about them, not you. That is what will make you successful. Your director sounds like she was only thinking about herself.

Not all people are like that. You will find the right business for you. Don't give up on your dream.

[mommy4micandella]

she lives quite a ways away from me, I live in Md near the Pa line and she is in Va near DC. I just got really aggrivated with the whole situation, because of that call, and I couldn't get her to understand I couldn't find a sitter to watch my then one daughter to do this. I had a hard enough time getting someone to watch her while I worked my regular job. But what really got me was that when I emailed her and told her I was "done" it took her almost a month to get back to me, and then does the old "are you sure you want to do that????" grrrrrrr..........

[momof2children]

Hi ladies! I am new to this message board. I have only posted a couple of times. I too am a mom that works out of the home and has a work at home resource website.

I too keep my job that I work at during the day separate from my work at home job. I never want to have a conflict of interest. The last person that did my job definitely crossed the line (I guess you can figure out what happened to her since I am doing her job now), and I wouldn't and couldn't do that.

I am a mother of 2. My children are 14 and 11. I just recently started working full time after being home with my children for 14 years. I love my new job, but I miss spending the extra time with my kids. I still make sure that we play games and talk, etc. I never want to loose that special bond that we have shared.

This time of year is so busy with the kids playing softball and baseball, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! I love to watch them!

Cathy

[NannyConcepts]

Hi everyone!

I too am new to this site and think it is great. Reading all of your stories keeps me motivated, so thank you.

I am a single mom to a wonderful son. He will be 3 in August. I am his sole provider and caretaker. I work full time as a daycare assistant and have been trying since I was pregnant to get my business off the ground.

The business I am trying to launch is a nanny placement agency. This is a field that I have knowledge of so I felt it was a perfect way to provide for my son and be with him as this will be a home-based business until it turns a profit.

I have done all the research. I am in the process of having my website built -- well, rebuilt. I didn't like it the first time around so I am doing it now by myself (big mistake) since I don't know what I am doing :-). I have all the forms, paperwork, contracts, etc. to make the business a go, but feel that I still don't have enough time to devote to getting things organized and off the ground.

I have been searching for a partner as I would love to find another person who would like to attain the same dream as me and have a business to call her own. However, I have yet to find anyone close to home that would be interested.

I find it very difficult to juggle work, my son, and this business -- so the one thing that gets neglected is the home business because it has yet to be completely formed -- does that make sense?

Soooo I will keep coming here to keep motivated and hopefully one day soon I can share a success story!

[danajb]

Hi everyone, I was working outside my home until I got fired because they wanted me to work 8-8 and gave me no time to find a sitter.


Dana Barton
Marketing Executive-Stay At Home Mom
Would you like to have a healthier and happier lifestyle
http://www.stayinhomeandlovinit.com/cgi-bin/team.cgi?id=Da178567&action=show
Email: danajt2001@yahoo.com

[Asone]

I too still work full-time outside the home, plus I do several others at home businesses part-time. I have no problem doing all I do, I just take it as it comes. thanks

Michelle

[avonopportunity]

I do both too -
I did quit the admin job and went back to Psych Nursing -
It has worked much better for me and for my family !!

I tried a couple party plans - but had similar problems - between not being able to convince people to have shows and having my family time suffer - I switched - and my new biz is a much better match -

I'm sorry your upline did that - I try to let everyone know that the business can be whatever they want - a discount on products for them, to a few hundred or thousand and month, to 6 figures - they have to decide because it is thier time and family and it's the goals and dreams they have that matter - My job is to help them figure out how to help them use our opportunity to meet the goals they have - not to meet my goals -

Hopefully that director will realize the joy you find when you can help someone accomplish what they want - Unfortunately in every company there are a few that don't get what leadership is all about - I always encourage people to not just check out the company but also take a little time to get to know the upline before enrolling.

I have no problems with my upline - I just get a card now and then - that's it - would have like to have had more support - but my original leader left so I rolled up to someone I didn't know - I have a lot of support from my district manager and these boards are awesome too - plus I read and read and read - LOL -

I wish you the best and it's a good reminder for all of us - to make sure we stay focused on what is important both for us and for our reps !!
Happy Holidays !!

[pookeybearsmom]

I work part-time outside the home as a nurse and I sell candles on my days off from my "real job" I am wanting to really get the majority of my income from the candles and then do the nursing for "fun". KWIM?
I used to be a rep for signature homestyles. Which is a wonderful company and my sponser was wonderful too. However, I could not keep up with the "party scene" so I wanted something that I could just order then turn around and sell. Thats what I do with the candle biz and it has made me much happier. I can just get orders and then once I have 8 orders I turn them in, then 2-3 days later it is at my door. I deliver the product,get the money and that is that. Much simpler than hostessess calling me the day of the show and cancelling or people not turning in thier shows on time or any of the other headaches I was dealing with. I also don't have to leave my daughter with my husband to go sell the candles. When I make deliveries she goes with me. When I deliver here in town I just put her in her stroller and we go. All the customers like to see her anyway. She is pretty darn cute I have to admit! :)

[healthyforyourhome.com]

I used to work a full-time outside job but now I am home full time. It was really hard before I came home, just trying to balance home/family/business/JOB etc. I commend moms that have to keep their outside job and raise a family, it is definitely not an easy balance.

Sylvana Spangler :p
www.healthyforyourhome.com