Recession Proof Yourself, at Least

By Katie M, VP of Mommyhood, Triad Smarty Pants:

Baby Einstein. Liz Lange Maternity. Jibbitz. What do these three companies have in common? Besides the fact they all have products we know and love as moms, they were all started by stay-at-home moms who are now multi-millionaires. And rightfully so!

Ahhh, can you imagine???? If only WE thought of those products!

It seems like I’m always hearing about moms, mainly stay-at-home moms, who come up with that one big idea that earns them millions. Or more often, I hear about a friend who turned “mompreneur” overnight. And thanks to this super fun and informative web site, TriadSmartyPants (sister site to yours truly, CSP:-), I’m meeting at least one mompreneur a week! So, considering extra cash can go a long way these days, I thought I’d do a little research to find out what it takes to be a successful mompreneur, what some of the hottest home-based businesses are these days, and ways to avoid scams.

“Would you be surprised to learn that women own 46 percent of all privately owned businesses in the United States? Or that they’re two times more likely than a man to start their own business? Although the statistics aren’t clear on how many of those businesses are owned by women who are also mothers, I’m guessing it’s a pretty high percentage. That’s because moms are incredibly determined, creative and passionate when it comes to finding ways to have a career and a family,” says Lisa Druxman, Entrepreneur.com.

She couldn’t have said it better.

So, if you think you might have that next big idea, maybe this mompreneur story will inspire you. Kim Lavine, founder of Green Daisy and Buy Mom, needed to make some Christmas gifts for her kids’ teachers and saw that her husband left a bag of corn feed next to her sewing machine. So she came up with “wuvit” – a microwaveable therapeutic moist-heat bag. She got requests for more and the next thing you know her business took off.

And according to Kim Lavine, you shouldn’t even consider launching your idea without consulting the following web sites and businesses: TradeShowToday.com, Score.org, ThomasNet, GoDaddy.com, the United States Patent and Trademark Office home page, and PRWeb: The Online Visibility Company.

Or, if you don’t necessarily have a big idea but a special talent (maybe a talent you don’t even know you have), here is a list of what is considered the top 10 home-based business ideas today:

1. Personal trainer. If you are fitness-minded, you can start your own career as a personal trainer. Check out the National Federation of Professional Trainers for information about the certification process.

2. Yoga instructor. Begin sharing your expertise with others by teaching yoga classes. There are a number of online resources, depending on the school of yoga that you practice. The Yoga Alliance web site provides information on yoga schools, certification, insurance, and so on.

3. Tutoring. You can start a business tutoring students by advertising at schools, the local YMCA, and other places frequented by families. If you have children, talk to their teachers and determine the needs of your school district.

4. Business coaching. Have experience with management or some other specialized business skill? Share it with others by becoming a business coach. The International Coach Federation provides certification and a coach referral service for its members.

5. Consulting. If you are an expert in your industry, such as finance, marketing, or mediation, consider beginning your own consulting business.

6. Medical and legal transcription. If you have transcription skills and the necessary equipment, you can easily work from home for a variety of different companies. Check local community colleges or online for transcription training courses.

7. Medical claims billing. This industry is one of the most popular work-from-home businesses — so much so that suspect companies have been popping up on the Internet and in classified advertisements. ELearners.com can help you locate transcription training courses online.

8. Accounting. There are many franchises and opportunities available for certified public accountants. If you are interested in getting certified, take a look at the web site of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for information on specific state requirements.

9. Web design. If you can design quality Web sites, consider turning your skills into a home-based business. Although the software and hardware costs can be steep, good Web designers tend to be well-compensated for their efforts.

10. Desktop publishing. Do you have a creative flair for putting together brochures and newsletters? You can offer your own desktop publishing services to other small businesses. Software can be expensive, so make sure to give applications a trial run or take a course before investing in one.

There are a ton of web sites out there that can help get you started. Just “Google” the word “mompreneur” and you’ll see for yourself. But there are also a ton of sites that claim they can make you a millionaire, and most are scams. So be careful in your research. You might want to check out ScamBusters.org to help you weed out those shady opportunities.

Good luck! And when you do land a successful mompreneur venture, don’t forget to let us know at TriadSmartyPants & CSP so we can help spread your word!

If you have suggestions for budding mompreneurs, please share below!

Also, don’t forget to register for the CSP giveaways this week:
– Win one of five Preview Shopping Passes to the Divine Consign Show in Charlotte. The preview shopping night is the way to go to get first dibs on everything and thanks to DCS Charlotte, 5 lucky CSP winners can skip the entire line and shop at 4pm on Tuesday. Click here to register to win. You must register by 11pm TONIGHT!!
– Win $130 worth of product from Carolina Pad’s Simply Chic Collection. Enter the Carolina Pad Giveaway by clicking here. You must register by 11p on Wednesday, 3/11.