moms Archives - Lori Mercer CTO

Top 3 Reasons to Quit Your Corporate Career Right Now

by Lori Mercer | May 24, 2017 | How to Quit Your Job, HSQ, Virtual Professional, Work-from-home jobs, Working Mom Life, Working Moms

I quit my corporate career after 22 years.

Hi, I’m Lori.

And I’m a quitter.

I quit doubting my abilities and being paid too little for my talents.

I quit racing out the door every morning to make that next “urgent” meeting set by someone else while being held captive in our corporate cells.

I quit having to fly around the world at someone else’s demand and instead choosing when and where I want to travel with my family for my business.

I quit scheduling 6 am conference calls to Europe and 9 PM conference calls to Asia because that’s my family time.

I quit worrying about what that new boss is going to do to our project budget and timeline and staffing levels.

I quit the corporate rat race but I still do what I love, with all my professional skills and experiences, on my time, with clients I chose, from the comfort of my home.

These days I’m home every morning for breakfast and I’m here every afternoon when the bus pulls up.

Yes sometimes I work early mornings or late evenings but it’s by my choice.

I truly quit working. Because what I do now rarely feels like work.

If you’re like me, a busy corporate working mom, you’ve spent time choking back angry words and hot tears in your cubicle for a million and one reasons.

Let me tell you the truth that no one else is sharing…

You were made for more than this. And there is a better way to be wife, mom and mega-__________ (insert your super talent) for the world.

You see, you are so talented that the smart people in your company want to keep you around. They’ll stroke you with just the right compliments and just enough flexibility to make the job tolerable. Of course, they aren’t going to tell you that you are worth more because they don’t want to lose you.

You might be sitting there thinking, “But Lori, that is great for YOU. It won’t be the same for ME. I won’t be as lucky.”

Nope. Nada. Luck has nothing to do with it. It takes brains (you’ve got them), a system (you can learn that) and a new way of thinking outside of the corporate mold (you’ll start going there with this article.)

There are 3 primary reasons to quit your corporate career now:

#1 Freedom – You make your schedule

Do you dread setting the alarm clock at night? Does the sound of it going off in the morning make you cringe? Does it make you shiver with anger every time you have to take time off for a doctor’s appointment or vacation? If any of things are ringing true for you, then you are craving a life of control – where you are in charge. Running your own business does not mean you do not have the responsibility, it simply means you are one making the decisions. Many times it is MORE work, but it is work you care about.

#2 Family – Your most important priority

Oh moms. This is where my heart and passion lie. I can remember laying awake night after night just devastated that another day would go by where I would miss seeing those sweet cheeks laying next to me. Hearing the baby belly laughs or experience the awkward elementary plays because I had a late meeting. There is no pain like a mother’s hurt, feeling like she is letting her family down (even though we are NOT – know that I do not feel that way… I just know what YOU are feeling. I have been there!). If you have the passion and desire to BE there with your family. Truly there, in and out every single day no matter the good, bad, in between times – there is a path to do so and the options are more available than ever.

#3 Passion – You were made for more than what’s inside those cubicle walls

Now, don’t think for a second I am getting all “woo-woo” on you! My techie side just isn’t made like that, I promise. BUT – there is something to be said for following what we love. If you are with me reading this, you have something you love, truly love. You have a piece of you that is missing, where your career just isn’t enough. Where your career + family STILL isn’t filling a void that you NEED to feel complete. Honestly, I have spoken to so many mothers who feel BAD about this. Please do not. This is incredible and is one the things that make you such a great mom. Your passion and drive are what will bring you great success.

You likely have some business ideas and maybe you’ve even taken some steps to get started but it feels like everything is stacked against you and it seems that it may be just easier to tough it out in this job.

Don’t be lulled into complacency with the “easy” money.

Your job there is no safer than the entrepreneurial world. It could be cut tomorrow and “they” are not going to feel bad about that. “They” care about the company first, people second.

My only regret leaving my corporate job is that I didn’t do it soon enough.

Don’t believe the lies within those cubicle walls. There is a way out that doesn’t mean sacrificing your family nor your professional skills.

Take the next step and join our free community or download the guide to 7 Virtual Businesses You Can Start Today.

If you are a professional making $80k+ in corporate and want to expedite your Virtual Professional business, Virtual Work Mentor is the program you want.

What is holding you back? Why not quit your corporate career now? Please share in the comment section below, maybe we can find our way through that together.

Scaling Your One-on-One Service Business. Phase Two of How She Quits

by Lori Mercer | Mar 23, 2017 | Everyday, Lori Mercer, Working Moms

Are you in a career you love? Do you feel conflicted about wanting to leave your job to be home with your family but still pursue your passions?

You are not the only one. There is a solution.

So often we hear success stories about women who step into the online space to become “coaches” and the hidden tales of the entrepreneur world.

How can I be her?” “What does she actually do?”

Today I am excited to share with you the story of Lisa DeSpain – a successful mother, woman, and founder of Book2Bestseller. She shares with us an inside look at her business plan to leave the corporate world behind (hint – she used her corporate skills to make it a reality!) and the reality of what that looks like in the online space.

This interview was such real talk…..about what really happens when you are an online entrepreneur: how to get the clients, how to grow your business to become profitable, and most importantly – what the right steps are so that you can take your business to the next level.

Work That Works

by Lori Mercer | Feb 3, 2016 | Everyday, Lori Mercer, Working Moms

The “sweet spot” is when this “life formula” adds up:

Committed Marriage + Physical Health + Mental Health + Happy Family Life + Your Work Is also Your Passion (+ your personal cup of tea hobby and interest) = The Sweet Spot

Of course that never adds up perfectly. We all have sick days, sick kids, yes even bratty misbehaved kids, something annoying about our spouse and many other things out of our control to lead to one or more elements of that formula taking over and dominating the equation.

However, there are a few things in that equation well within our means to tweak and adjust and find our way back to that sweet spot. Of course marriage and health and family are lifelong journeys of learning with no shortcuts. Every birthday brings new wisdom.

Work though. Now that’s a choice. Where to work. How to work. With whom to work. When to work.

Even good work can go bad, at which point you chose to stick it out for the season or make a change. You don’t have to stay stuck in bad work.

Work is always changeable in some way which is an incredibly exciting part of life.

“You can be anything” is what we tell kids but not as often do we tell it to ourselves.

Recently my church featured me in this short video during a series called “Stories from the Water Cooler”. Last year I made the switch from working in a corporate 8-5 job that took me from my family so much to working for myself as a business consultant and founder and director of a non-profit. It’s a dream. Honestly. I don’t say that to brag. I say that because I want this for so many people. Not to do exactly what I have done but to find Work. That. Works. I want for young dads to not have to fly all over God’s gorgeous creation climbing the proverbial corporate ladder selling something their heart isn’t into if it’s sucking their soul. I want smart, talented moms to have work that flexes around their family needs. I want baby boomers to be able to care for aging parents and still contribute their wisdom and gifts in the work place. I want young singles out of college to be able to pursue the giant problems in our world with fresh new thinking. I of course want firefighters to find their place in their crew and department where they can best serve…and perhaps even a side career love that fills them up after a night of tough calls.

When you find work that works, you are best aligned to bring your best self and your best gifts to this world. To your life, your marriage, your family, your community and more. Ultimately, 24-7 COMMITMENT is about a commitment in all those facets of our life, including work. It’s hard to be committed to work that doesn’t work.

Doing work that works is……

doing work that matches your natural and learned talents
doing work in an environment (office, people, team, online community) that matches your personality
doing work that fits with your season of family needs
doing work that fills your soul

If you aren’t already subscribed to my working mom email list, you can register below. And yes, men are welcome too. And you don’t have to know a firefighter to get in. Because you all need to be finding creative ways to be home with your growing children as well!

Flexible Work Options for Moms

by Lori Mercer | Jan 24, 2016 | How to Quit Your Job, HSQ, Virtual Professional, Work-from-home jobs

Working and being a mom is busy, isn’t it time you explore more flexible work options?

You’re likely to spend 40 years of your life in some form of employment. And, those will be the best hours of each of your days that you spend doing “work”.

No matter how much you love your work, once you have children, you realize your most important title in life is Mother or Father. You’re in charge of the development of a human being! And maybe multiple. This tiny person has the ability to leave a major impact on the world. (So do you.) But the ability to inspire and guide your own flesh and blood into young adulthood (and beyond if you are blessed with their respect) cannot compete against the next SAP implementation, process improvement or Product Iteration 4.0 you may be a part of.

Now step back and take a look at all those years of your life.

For only 1 of them are they an infant.
For only 5 of them are they home all day, every day.
And for the next 12 they are in school during their best hours and you get to spend family time together during morning rush hour, evening rush hour (I’m talking about your kitchen / bathroom rush hours) and the end of the day when your batteries are wearing out.
If you’re lucky, the weather cooperates for some of the weekends you have together that aren’t filled with catch up around the house, holidays and extra curricular activities.

Newsflash! The cliche is so true. They are only under your roof for a short time.

And thinking of teenagers who jump right into their own busy life by about age 13-14, you’re really talking about 13-14 years of time when they like to listen to your thoughts. 13-14 years out of 40ish years in which you will be in the workforce. If you have 2 – 3 kids, that may extend by a couple of years max.

So is it a big deal for you to take a step back from the ladder climbing for a season? What about asking for a part time or reduced hours role? Or, finding a way to work from home entirely?

I want to break down some creative work options for families. Personally I have been full time, part time, flex time, on ramping, off ramping, contract, self employed, overtime, travel time and everything in between. So basically, I have a little firsthand experience to share here.

Option 1: Alter Your Current Work Schedule

If your employer offers reduced hours, flex time or alternate work schedules, this is ideal. You are valuable to your employer as that cost to hire a new you can be high with retraining and learning curves. Consider approaching your boss. This is by far the easiest to transition to as it requires no retraining and you can almost immediately find relief in your schedule to meet family needs.

So many kid related activities / appointments must happen between 8 and 5. Teacher meetings, doctors check ups, phone calls to set up summer camps, tutoring and other programs. If you can, create a schedule that gives you some free hours M – F between 8 and 5 to get those activities done.

When I worked part time while our kids were younger, I had co-workers frequently say things like “that must be nice” assuming my off hours were spent at the spa or on the golf course. It was pretty easy to give them a dose of reality as I described grocery outings to the warehouse store because it was faster during off hours and picking up uniforms and dry-cleaning that filled my off afternoon. Oh, and at less pay but that part was entirely worth it. It was not about money but moments with family.

Option 2: Take A New Position Designed for Part-Timers

If staying with your current employer is not an option, take this as an opportunity to try something new that caters to part-time hours. One way to find this is to reach into your personal network of people who know your work quality and understand your time constraints. It takes focus and discipline to crush a project while working part-time but often what I found is that my efficiency nearly compared to that of a full-time worker (for half the pay so be careful how you negotiate that!)

Option 3: Become an Independent Contractor

It takes some planning, some sales, and the ability to self-manage but independent contracting has never been an easier market to enter. To begin looking for possible job fits for you consider these great sites.

Flexjobs.com, Upwork.com and HireMyMom.com are all places you can find freelance work. There are great projects for anyone with administrative, marketing, legal, finance/accounting, sales, project management, graphics/creatives, writing, or technical skills. If you want a deeper dive into these options check out my other blogs where I do case studies for these types of work from home flexible jobs for moms:

Don’t forget to download our Step-by-Step workbook if this is the path you are considering. It’s only 3 steps and it’s exactly what catapulted me and others to the work from home freelance consultant business.

Option 4: Make 6 figures running your online business

Kidding. Actually partially kidding. This is my warning to not get suckered into the emotionally riveting email subject lines and sales pages promising quick wins and cash while you sleep. Online marketing does work well but behind that are real people having real conversations doing real good in the real world. What you need is an effective business model that matches your skills and serves a need for a particular audience. And then, perhaps some coaching / consulting from someone who has run a real business that leverages online marketing. I say it like it’s simple. “All you need to do is…” Well here’s one secret. It’s just one foot in front of the other, trial and error and then you find that audience that craves your personality, product or service. One of my favorite things is brainstorming and critiquing business ideas and growth strategies. I offer online business consulting sessions: It’s your chance to pick my brain. Click here to learn more.

Option 5: Start With a Direct Sales / Home Party Business

*If* there is a product you love, and you are only trying to replace a couple thousand a month, these can be good options. It’s a ready made business. You learn the system and follow the plan. You must not be afraid of sales. You must have a decent sized personal network and /or be ready to invest in marketing to grow an audience. And you must realize, with a few exceptions of some long-standing companies, this would not be a lifetime career but good for a season. Also beware that while the hours are flexible, many jobs like this require a lot of evening and weekend work which may be worse for your family schedule.

I need to be honest and say that this is not my most favorite path. I did rise to a director level in a direct sales company while working full time and pregnant with my 4th child. (Yes I figured out the system and LOVED the products and my passion for it attracted people to me naturally.) Amongst the few things I didn’t like about this option is that you have to “sell the dream” that isn’t achievable by some. It was heartbreaking to see people get super excited about the product and the financial freedom potential of becoming a consultant knowing that a small percentage truly get to the level I was or even higher. So to set expectations, this path is great if you only want to replace $500-$1500 / month by the end of the first 3-6 months and are ok with the evening/weekend work. But, you do build an audience and have a ready-made following should you decide to launch another venture.

More on direct sales later. We can talk a LOT about that if you need direction.

In case you are still leery of jumping off the ladder-climbing path at your job, remember this:
This change in your work is only for a season. Once you get beyond it, most people won’t even remember it. In fact, most co-workers may not even know you only work part-time or reduced hours if you continue to deliver great work.

You will learn a LOT about yourself as you optimize your work schedule and efficiency and learn new things.

It will be very refreshing to have a job you like to focus on that doesn’t press into your family time. (Dare I call this the elusive balance everyone is seeking?)

You will never regret those moments home with the kiddos. When you are refreshed and home on the couch with them by 3 PM and able to practice ABCs together when you aren’t completely exhausted.

If you ever want to go back to M-F 8-5 employment you will come back with a whole new set of skills and experience to share.

If you are worried about the reduced income that can accompany a reduced hour schedule or job change, be sure to factor in these unexpected benefits:

More time to plan healthy, affordable at home meals
Less stops for coffee and dry cleaning
More time to shop around for purchases instead of needing to make a rapid selection
Less spent on wardrobe
Reduced commuting expenses

What’s your next step? If you want to explore the possibility of a career change to accommodate your family needs, let’s chat. More resources for working moms can be found below. Or to tap into my brain for a business planning/brainstorm session check out my options here.

[thrive_leads id='38303']

Want to move faster?

If you’re ready to quit that job or start earning fast check out my Virtual Professional Starter Kit.

Included in Starter Kit:

Instructional Guide with all the steps for whatever phase of Vir Pro Business you are in
Printable worksheets and templates, including Scope of Work template and a high performing Portfolio for getting started
90 Minute Workshop to design the right VirPro business for YOU
30+ video lessons teaching you specific steps to start and grow your business
Fast Classes Learn and learn quickly the highest dollar virtual work skills.

Starter Kit