You've been a WAHM a long time, can you tell me how it all started?
Fresh out of college & newly married, I discovered that I was pregnant with twins. I was living in a new state with no family to lean on. The news constantly had stories of day care providers neglecting & abusing children. I used my nine months wisely by doing research to determine what the best home-based business would be for me.
Since high school, I was fascinated by PR & writing. I decided that the perfect business for me was writing business profiles for new female entrepreneurs. I selected mompreneurs as my specialty since I had an affinity for women who wanted to fulfill their dream of starting their own business so they could afford to quit their jobs & be at home with their children.
I sent a PSA to a local radio station to draw attention that women who wanted to could afford to stay home with their children by using their job skills to start the perfect home-based business. Two weeks later I was invited to do a radio interview to share my tips. The interview generated over 400 calls & tied up my voice mail for weeks. I had prospective clients who were ready to hire me. That's how Mothers, INC was born. That was just the beginning of the different businses & services I have had over the years.
What has been the toughest part of being a WAHM?
When I decided to work from home, I had to deal with negativity from family & friends. I also found that I didn’t have much in common with my circle of friends who were holding down 9 to 5s. I felt isolated. Thank God for the Internet. I was able to to interact with likeminded women.
Is it hard for you to keep your work & home life separate?
YES. My husband was able to stop working at 5 but my business day didn’t end until I hit the pillow. Between the kids, cleaning & cooking, my day was never ending & still is.
What is your secret to not letting your work life consume your family time?
When you are growing a business with no funding using your blood, sweat and tears, there is no way to not let work consume family time. You just have the make the most of the time you spend together & get your family involved as much as possible to help free up your time. If your kids are old enough &computer savvy, they can do updates to your site, read through your emails, post items on social networking sites, proofread articles & more.
Do you think working from home is for everyone?
No, it’s not. You have to enjoy long hours, think on your feet to keep money flowing, defend yourself to family and friends why you don’t have a 9 to 5.
What would you tell someone who wants to work at home, but doesn’t think they could?
Have faith. Surround yourself w/ a support group. Research the type of business you want to start. Make an informed decision & take a leap of faith if your business idea is truly viable.
What do you like the least?
You aren’t guaranteed a paycheck. Depending on the economy and the news of the day, you can come up short.
Do you see yourself still WAH in 5 years from now?
Most definitely!
What advice do you offer new WAH moms?
Start a business that matches your personality & skillset. If you aren’t passionate about the business you are starting, how can you sell yourself to potential clients. Your passion has to reverberate in your voice and eyes.
Where is the best place to look for work at home?
I am a BIG believer in using your own skills to create a work at home job. If you want to get into a business opportunity, make sure it’s one that whose products & services you would personally use. Stay away from the latest fad business. I don’t understand how people are pushing the latest health product that will help with high blood pressure, arthritis & more when they don’t even have the conditions & have not personally benefited from them.
Anything else you would like to add?
When my girls were little, I told that a job was not guaranteed. They needed to take business classes in school so they could create their own dynasties. I named all three of
them with dynamic first & middle names so they could stand out. I guess I was grooming them for entrepreneurship while they were in the womb.
Now I am grandmother with two little ones living under the same roof with me. I have to re-adjust my times for meetings to prevent the world from hearing baby cry. I have to stop working when my granddaughter walks into the room & demands my attention. I simply love it!
Celebrating YOU!
Work at home moms taking super mom to the next level
Jerrilynn Thomas
In 1988 When Jerrilyn Thomas entered the world of work at home mom it was still in its infancy. Now, 25 years later, this veteran is taking on the next challenge by being a Work at Home Grandma. FW Magazine Editor Stacee Schmidt-Cottrell sat down w/ Jerrilynn to learn the secrets of being a super WAHM.
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Clebrating You! Continued on Page 36