Mom Biz Case Study: Turn Your Creative Media Skills into a Work-from-Home Business

by | Jun 12, 2018 | How She Quits Show, Virtual Professional, Virtual Work Opportunity, Work-from-home jobs

How She Quits Show: Episode 19: Turn Creative Talents into a Work-From-Home Business

  • Do you love to make fun graphics and share them on social?
  • Are your friends in love with your Instagram feed style?

These skills can be turned into a freelance social media business you can do from home!

Whether you are new to this or have been working as a social media manager for some time and you’re looking for that next level in your business, this episode is for you.

I walk through a step-by-step case study for taking your creative social media talents and turning them into freelance income from home.

Show Highlights:

“Creative Talent will NEVER be out of work!”   

Yes.  If you have an “eye for design” and are responsive and can understand the brand of a client easily, you will never lack for freelance work.

Exactly what does a freelancer in this creative social media space do?

You may be creative, but simply don’t know all the tools.  Here’s what a beginner and advanced skillset looks like in this space:

Don’t know all these tools?

It’s all learn-able.  But creative talent typically isn’t.  So take those creative skills and trust the process of experience and practice projects as you learn tools like Canva or Hootsuite along the way.  Check out our Fast Class for Rapid Skill Learning here.

Only 2 Steps Are Required to Build This Business:

 

And the results…..

Not bad for flexible, quick to start work-from-home projects!

But exactly who are you working for?  I give more examples in the video but here’s a great one:

Ready to get started? Your next questions may be:

  • Where can I find those projects/clients?
  • Are my skills really good enough for this?
  • I know some of that but not all, how can I learn?
  • Do I need a website? How do I charge?

You can start looking at our free resources for finding virtual work here and our master list of legit work-from-home work options for moms here.

If you are interested in going faster and would like a step-by-step guide on how to launch a work-from-home business with your creative talents, I created that for mommas just like you!  I have complied all I know into an easy self-guided tool for taking your business idea to reality in my Starter-Kit.  

Or…

You can go EVEN faster with personalized mentoring and accountability that helps you:

  • Quickly identify your special talents that are desired in this freelance space

  • Design your freelance profile to stand out

  • Package and price your way to profit and flexibility

  • Land specific clients and projects that are the best fit for you

  • Stay motivated within a community of freelancer moms like you

You could have your freelance business up and running in just a few weeks with personalized mentoring.

Learn how here.

{I’d love to walk this journey with you and help you sidestep the landmines along the way.}

Still worried about not having the skills? Check out Verified Virtual Professional Training Center here.

Thanks for stopping by.  You clearly have a fire burning inside you and a need for change if you stopped by here today 🙂

When You Lose Sleep Over Freelance Frustrations, Do This

When You Lose Sleep Over Freelance Frustrations, Do This

by | Jun 11, 2018 | Virtual Professional, Virtual Work Opportunity, Working Moms

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of June 11th….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

I was laying in bed last night past midnight.  Not asleep.  This is so rare for me.  I’m a hard sleeper.  But, I treated myself to a Sunday afternoon nap and therefore…. the mind was still raring to go.

Here’s the dark side of freelance work that isn’t talked about enough.

Recently I’ve spent good time with prospects on strategy / get to know you calls only to not get the contract.  They seemed all in and even gave me the start date but then, crickets.

I’ve also had clients really draaaaaaaaagggg out work, getting contracts started, etc.  So contracts I thought would end in May, are still open in June.  (and I was nice about it and let them….because, well, that’s good business sometimes.)  That means….May revenue wasn’t what I expected it to be.

Frustrating right?  But that’s the reality of freelance work and it happens to all of us (but isn’t a reason to NOT do it ok?  Your day job could drop you in a hot second with no severance pay as well.)

So at midnight I jumped onto Upwork to reply to a couple messages from prospects who sought me out and asked me to interview for their projects (nice, huh?  the right stuff in your profile and that happens!)

Just a few minutes browsing on Upwork and FlexJobs and my fears were gone.

In fact, I had to force myself to sleep and wait until morning to get up and reach out to those prospects.  The work is out there.   Are you finding flaky clients and prospects in one niche?  Try another.

Secret Insider Tip:

I’ll go on a limb and say most people running those really fun looking online businesses are really struggling to be profitable themselves and can’t get organized enough to even task a team.  I know this because often I’m in that uber-busy place where I want to give my VAs more work but literally can’t find the time in the day to prep it.  So if your vision is working with all these cool mompreneur biz chix boss mom types, perhaps expanding a bit and finding more stable work will let your business establish better first?  Shared with love.  From one overwhelmed freelancer to another.

Check out our favorite opportunities this week.  Where we try to avoid slow, flaky prospects and point you to the best opportunities out there.

This week we found lots of stuff for experienced virtual pro’s at good rates!

Join the How She Quits Collective

SIMPLE ONLINE BUSINESS for busy moms

Advice + Training + Networking for your VA, Professional Services or Online Course, Membership or Coaching Businesss

Week of June 11th

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMom.  If you want the best clients, long term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Part-Time Personal/VA

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Have experience? This E-commerce + Local Design Remodel Biz is seeking a digitally savvy personal assistant/VA with experience in social media and email marketing. (Do you understand growth hacking? – BONUS!)

Copywriter Project with Details Ready for You

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Ready-made project for a copywriter: Entrepreneur with multiple online products in real estate is seeking a copywriter to provide the copy for email campaigns. Scripts from webinars and sales copy can be used top in into an email sequence.

Favorite Online Expert Needs Your Video Editing Talents

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Hot! Hot! Hot! One of the top talents in online marketing needs your fancy video editing skills. Rachel Miller over at Moolah Marketing has this position posted on HireMyMom. Experience in Adobe Premier, Audition and Filmora is preferred.

Part-Time Client Care + Team Support VA

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This is the kind of detailed job description that shows you the kind of professional you’re going to work with – but in that exciting online marketing space! Only 5 – 7 hours/week to start but the right person will surely grow here. Client care and website and funnel and email updates (with all the alphabet soup of online marketing tools thrown in). I was also impressed with the realistic initial salary request.

Part-Time, Remote Digital Copywriter

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Want stable copywriting work? This Digital Marketing Agency is seeking a part-time, remote digital copywriter. Responsibilities include writing, editing blogs, social media updates for clients in various industries, write monthly social calendars, email newsletters and promo content.
Finding Remote Work in Summertime Work Flow

Finding Remote Work in Summertime Work Flow

by | Jun 4, 2018 | Virtual Professional, Virtual Work Opportunity, Working Moms

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of June 5th….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

It’s full on summertime for me this week!  Graduation festivities and college orientation are behind us.  One child is off to the first week of summer camp.  Others are occupied with work and activities.  I’ve got a “normal” summer week ahead of me and I’m starting to feel adapted to the work-from-home-summer-life…. which is quite interruptive and different from the work-from-home-while-at-school-life.

Ways I Adapt to the Work-From-Home Summer Schedule:

(with kids ages 18, 15, 13 and 11)

  • I work earlier for uninterrupted time.  Like 6 am – 9 am for example
  • We review the schedule each week so they know when I have client meetings / video recordings
  • Everyone has their own goals to work towards.  So the day isn’t all structured like school but they have a menu of things to pick from in a self-directed way.  Do something active.  Do something helpful.  Learn something, etc.
  • I change up my schedule with clients – which they generally love too – so we can still accomplish our goals but on a more summer-friendly schedule.  Changing things up like this freshens our outlook which is a bonus as well.
  • I add a fun “summertime thinking” project to my work.  Usually a writing or creation project of some sort I can chew on while sitting at the pool, on road trips or on vacation.

Now here are some fun facts about the the virtual work opportunities we love this week:

It’s a small {internet} world after all:  One of these gems of a position I found on Hire My Mom is from someone I crossed paths with in the internet world at a conference 6 years ago.  And they are doing so well with their online business.   Get out and get to conferences occasionally.  It’s a smaller world in the online business space than you may realize.

Feel Good work is out there:  Autism and Red Cross?  So many tell me they want to work for a non-profit.  Organizations like this are beginning to see the value and benefits of working with remote talent.  If this is what you want, go looking specifically for the companies you want to work for, then research their work-from-home potentials.

One, steady, PT or FT client is a good option for some:  Don’t want to build a whole portfolio of freelance clients?  You don’t have to!  For some people, in some seasons, one solid client is sufficient, enjoyable and effective.  It’s not a competition.  You are designing the right freelance business for you.

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Let’s Start Summer With These VWO’s

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMom.  If you want the best clients, long term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Copywriter for Autism Products Company

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Feel good business….low on details on the job description but job posting indicates an awareness of the caliber of talent needed. They want a “Copywriter needed to identify a brand voice for a company geared for children with Autism. Needing to translate the brand voice into web copy & writing on the packaging.”

PT Customer Service For Digestive Wellness Company

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The online world is actually quite small. When we came across this job posting, I was like “hey! I know these guys from back in 2012 when they were just getting started! Crazy!” They are good guys with a great, important mission. And, I can tell they’ve been around the block in the Virtual Professional space as well when their job posting says “Is extremely dependable… not the “This usually doesn’t happen, but it happened again” type.” Right? You guys I PREACH without apology to be a professional. To show up. You have the flexibility of work from home but that doesn’t mean constant interruptions are accepted. You need to stay professional and focused on the work.
So these guys are seeking a Customer Support VA, and I’m not surprised due to the success and professionalism with which they run their business.

Virtual Executive Assistant

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Leading private Virtual Assistant firm is looking for an executive assistant who specializes in supporting senior level management clients. Ideal candidate will be “tech savvy” (examples given are Asana, Google Docs, CRM’s, Evernote – so they aren’t asking you to program but just know your way around a computer or be willing to learn) They ask: “Are you a life-long learner who thrives on educating yourself on new tools?” I love this question. It shows they are wise and open to training up the right candidate. Great position for someone breaking out of their day job!

PT Social Media Strategies & Brand Storyteller

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Social Media done right. With professionalism and high amounts of creativity. I like this opportunity for a couple of reasons. First, you are working for an agency…which can be a pro or a con depending on your business goals. But if you don’t like the prospecting and selling part, this is done for you. Secondly, I can tell this agency has a well thought out job description and pays for experience (they aren’t just trying to get away cheap. Because you can’t in this creative space.)

Brand Market Expert for the American Red Cross

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Here it is! Feel GOOD about the work you do. American Red Cross is seeking a brand-marketing expert to support the Talent Acquisition Team in focusing on employment branding. Social media campaigns and platform experience strongly preferred. This is a professional remote position with long term stability. Go for it!
Make It A Work-From-Home Summer

Make It A Work-From-Home Summer

by | May 28, 2018 | Virtual Professional, Virtual Work Opportunity, Working Moms

{Virtual Work Opportunities for the week of May 28th….scroll down…. but we’d love for you to read our advice on how to land these great opportunities first!}

 

 

The worst working-mom day ever for me was the first day of summer.  Everyone else would sleep in while I left early, dressed in stuffy clothes and watched as my babysitter, husband or neighbor shared photos of all the summer fun.

Not only was I missing my own healthy dose of sunshine stuck in that corporate air conditioning, I was using up all my best energy in the office and coming home spent and exhausted.

This. Is. Motivation.   Can this be the last summer you ever have to spend in an office?

You guys.  Working in the sunshine is the best ever!

Breaking up my work day to match my kids summer schedule….priceless.

So I put together this free training to capitalize on that momentum as we kick off summer.

How to build your mom-life-friendly professional work-from-home business this summer.

It’s not MLM or direct sales. You can use the skills you already have. Organization. Computer skills. Customer Service. Writing. Design.

It seems easy! So what you are missing to make this happen?

1. Where are these jobs?
2. What are my marketable skills and how do I present them?
3. What about all those “scary business steps”? (Hint: There aren’t any. This is really simple.)

I’ve taught customer service reps how to become freelance professionals. And I’ve shown well-paid corporate professionals, how to transition into more interesting and meaningful clients using their talents from home as freelancers.

This show is a special Memorial Day edition. It will boost your end of the 3 day weekend spirit with a plan and a path to move into PROFESSIONAL work-from-home life.  Watch it here.(even if the 3 day weekend has passed)

 

Lead in title for this week’s VWO’s

{These virtual work opportunities are pulled from various sources around the web each week.  Some are free listings and some require a membership to sites such as FlexJobs or HireMyMom.  If you want the best clients, long term business and the highest rates, we suggest using these sites over free Facebook groups.  To learn how to refine your search for the highest dollar virtual work opportunities, try our fast class.}

Long-Term VA for Luxury Real Estate Company

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Luxury Real Estate Company in Aspen is looking for a perfectionist with attention to detail, an eye for design and is good with words. An entrepreneur is seeking a long-term VA for tasks such as copywriting, proofing marketing materials and drafting emails. Since looking at high-end real estate is a fun past time of mine, this sounds FUN!

Content & Social Media Specialist for Start-up

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I love the way they word this: “looking for a prolific and talented content creator to write and produce various projects and blog regularly”
This well thought out and detailed job description from this award-winning startup is a great opportunity to work with a company with momentum. FYI, they mention project management skills. Smart cookies.

PT Social Media Manager for Health & Nutrition Blogger

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Are you a health & nutrition guru? This Social Media Manager position could be ideal for you. Big request…lots of platforms, content development, campaign management and more.

PT Branding-Product Manager for High-End Home Product Retailer

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High-End kitchen / home / baby / pet product retailer is seeking a brand and product manager to play a “conductor” coordinating various marketing materials with a team that includes graphic designers, copywriters, photographers etc.
This is for a quality, high-end kind of marketing style and their pay offer seems to reasonably match to that skillset. At 20 hours per week, this could be a solid client with good pay.

Start Your New Online Book Keeping Business With This Client

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Are you a bookkeeper a little nervous about finding your own clients? This is a great virtual gig to start small and grow into more under the wing of an accomplished bookkeeping and accounting company.

The Work From Home Summer

The Work From Home Summer

by | May 25, 2018 | How She Quits Show, Uncategorized

Have you researched work from home options and come up unimpressed or confused?

Let me simplify: It’s not MLM or direct sales. You can use skills you already have. I’m going to show you how to build your mom-life-friendly professional work from home business this summer!

What you are missing is this:

  1. Where are these jobs?
  2. What are my marketable skills and how do I present them?
  3. What about all those “scary business steps”? (Hint: There aren’t any. This is really simple.)

The start of summer is a classic time for the work-from-home dream to beat incessantly in our head.
School ends and the nice weather begins and we want more fun in the sun. More family time. No more stuffy air conditioned office.

Or perhaps we’ve been a SAHM and want that extra cash for a nice vacation, or to just get back into the workforce a bit and use that part of your brain that’s been momentarily interrupted with motherhood.

This show is a Memorial Day Special. Inspired because the first day of summer was the hardest day of the year when I was working in corporate. Let’s boost your end of the 3 day weekend spirit with a plan and a path to move into work-from-home life.

Show Notes:

In this Episode:

  • The fastest path to work from home
  • Defining virtual work
  • How to set real life goals for your business
  • Next steps to get you started working from home this summer

All the Ways to Work From Home

Have you tried any of these? Starting a blog, Direct Sales/MLM, opening an online store, freelance, consulting…the list goes on and on. Different paths will yield different results and there is one road to work from home that is faster, simpler and more profitable than the others.

Here it is in a nutshell:

You say, “I do______, for $_____”. And someone else says ” OK, do you prefer check or Paypal?”

This type of work goes by different names, Freelance, Consulting, Client Services Work or Virtual Assistant/VA. That’s because this is an evolving market that lacks some definition, but that also means there’s a ton of opportunity and potential!

Let’s Define Virtual Work

  • Selling your services to small and medium (and sometimes large) sized businesses
  • Solo or with a small team
  • Working from home
  • Being paid hourly or by the package
  • Receiving a “1099” or simply invoicing as a small business
  • Using professional skills – Graphic Design, Video Editing, Copy Writing, VA, etc.

Freelance work is the most flexible for working moms. It is capable of yielding high income potentials especially as you hone your craft to command top pay. You also have the ability to pick and choose the projects you want based on a variety of factors such as time commitment, areas of strength and even client personality.

There is a ton of work out there, and if you’re able to prove yourself as a candidate who shows up and works professionally, you can easily become solidly booked as this can be a trait that goes undeveloped by some in the industry.

Math Is Not Emotional

You should make your business plan with targets based on math. Then determine what that looks like in your families life.

Start by asking yourself these questions:

  1. How many clients do you think you can handle per month?
  2. What would you like your hourly rate to be?
  3. How many hours do you want to work each month?

Run these numbers based on conservative and stretch goals. Now you know “what” you want to accomplish, next plan the “how” with these goals in mind.

You’re All In! But…

  • Where are these jobs?
  • What are my marketable skills and how do I present them?
  • What about all those scary business steps? Hint: there aren’t any, this is really simple.

The first thing you should do is head to VirtualWorkFinder.com. This is where you can get our weekly emails with hot job opportunities our team is finds available each week.

Still trying to figure out what is the right path for YOUR work-from-home success? Take this short Quiz to access your skills and situation for suggestions to legit, professional, sustainable work that fits you.

Key Take-Aways

  • Start with one-on-one client-services work that relates to your past experiences – There’s so much work out there!  VirtualWorkFinder.com
  • Study the market to find the hottest skills that match your gifts – Check out this blog post on “Hottest Skills you need to increase your rates”
  • Get a mentor- Can I be your super affordable, personal mentor?
  • Become a PROFESSIONAL
    • Simply show up. If you are watching this and aligning with the message then YOU ALREADY GET IT.
    • Sadly, many online freelancers do poor quality work and are unresponsive. There is room to PROFESSIONALIZE THIS INDUSTRY!

Ready to Work From Home?

I hope this episode has you fired up. The opportunities are out there for you to work from home and you likely have questions as to the specifics of your personal situation or logistics to get you started. You need to keep this momentum in order to make meaningful steps toward your goals. Here are some next options to keep you going.

Virtual Work Mentoring

This course will teach you, at your own pace, everything you need to know to find your perfect clients, price, package and pitch your professional services.