Name & Bio

Linda Enever

Is loving life as a work at home mum to a beautiful baby girl and has created www.familycapers.com.au a community to assist families at all stages in life in a supportive and caring environment. Family Capers offer support through an excellent Professional Support Panel, Articles, Business Directory, Jobs Board, Forums and more. We are a place for everything family!

What is your business name and your website url?

Family Capers

www.familycapers.com.au

How long have you been in business?

11 months (including planning time – 3 months since launch)

What made you decide to start your own business?

After 10 years in the corporate recruitment sector, I wanted to offer families a place where they would be welcomed no matter what age their family is and what parenting style they use. Family Capers is a caring and supportive community that focuses on having fun and quality time with your family. To help WAH parents we have created the Family Capers Department Store so they can have a customised link to an online presence without a huge outlay and get the advantage of the high traffic volumes coming to Family Capers.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

Planning keeps me motivated; I am a business plan and to do list person. Plans can adapt and change but with a husband who is a Business Mentor, I cannot break the planning rules. The Family Capers Community also motivates and inspires me as we have a fantastic team and our members are just amazing mums, dads, uncles, aunties, grandmas and grandpas.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

Have a Heart – Supporting Backpacks for Aussie Kids

Family Capers is pleased to announce that $2 from every VIP membership bought between now and Valentine’s Day, will be donated to:

Backpacks for Aussie Kids

http://www.backpacks4aussiekids.org

http://www.familycapers.com.au/VIP-Club/how-to-join.html

What makes your business/products unique?

We are a place for the whole family providing information, resources and support – personal and business – in a caring non judgemental environment

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

This is an area that I have to keep working on….I love the time with my family, yet I am so passionate about Family Capers and the community, I sometimes end up with too little sleep.

The weekend is family time and when ‘Miss C’ sleeps or plays, is when mummy works. However, she (Miss C) is an excellent networker and is looking for a briefcase of her own at 9 months.

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

Plan and research your business. It is not an overnight income generator, but if you work hard, it can work in time.

Schedule family and business time. Your children will love having you work at home if you engage them in the process too.

Dream the dream and then go out and achieve it!

Most of all – if you need help, ask!

However there will unfortunately come a time when this enthusiasm will wane, you will tire of your business or you run out of ideas to increase the size of your business. This is one of the hardest aspects of running your own business and one which is sometimes rarely spoken of, as no-one wants to admit defeat particularly when so much time and effort has been spent on building your business.

If this feeling lasts a short period of time then usually it is not too difficult a problem to overcome. Sometimes by just taking a step back from your business and giving yourself some time to breathe can clear your head and allow you to refocus. Small business owners or WAHMs often spend 99% of their time thinking about and running their business. But at some point, they are likely to burnout.

If however this burnout period lasts for a long period of time, weeks or even months, then there are some things you can do to help rekindle that zest you once had for your business. Having a break is always a good first step however if this does not help, you may need to focus on why you started working on your business in the first instance. If it was to earn an income to support your family, are you finding that the income you are bringing in does not meet your original expectations? Sitting down and analysing your income and expenditure can often highlight issues that you might be unaware of.

Are you finding that you are not moving as many products as you thought you would? Maybe it’s time to do some customer research on your business – maybe the items you like are just too niche a product to do well and you might have to add some new spark into your business by way of new products.

Facing any issues head-on is the best way to gain a greater understanding of your business and yourself. It might be worth hiring a business consultant to help you identify any underlying issues which may be contributing to your lack of enthusiasm or you may just need an assistant, even temporarily, to assist you with the business allowing you to focus on the more creative and fun aspects that may inspire you.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated; “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” and it is true up to a point. You can continue working as you are: minus the enthusiasm – however, there will come a time when you need to put the zing back into your swing to allow your business to grow and prosper as it should.

Biography: Michelle’s career spans 20 years in various administrative and marketing roles. She has owned and sold a successful online store, written articles for a number of online magazines and now focuses her energies on writing – proofreading and editing, ghost and copy writing and blog management.

Visit Michelle’s Website

Name

Fiona Rogerson

Bio

My first and most important job is being mummy to my beautiful daughter, who I was blessed with in February 2007, and wife to my amazing husband.  It was this job that sparked my interest in photography, as I sought a way to
capture the vibrancy, wonder and essence of my family so that I could preserve and cherish it for the years to come. My aim as a photographer is to capture the essence and personality of each and every person that sit in from of my camera so that they too can cherish these qualities for a lifetime.

What is your business name and your website url?

Fiona Rogerson Photography
www.fionarogersonphotography.com.au

How long have you been in business?

My business was launched in April of this year when I released my website.
I had previously been using family and friends to build my portfolio but
when I celebrated the release of my site through an opening offer to new clients my business really lifted off the ground.

What made you decide to start your own business?

It was a combination of things that led me to start this business.  My want to stay at home more with my daughter, my passion for photography, my need to do something for myself, and the requests and nudging from friends who had a lot of faith and support for me to get the ball rolling.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

I am continuously looking for ways to further my skills and development in photography.  I have a passion for photography and a keen interest to make custom portrait photography accessible to all.  That’s all the motivation I need at the moment!

Do you have a current product promotion running?

I am currently offering a waivered session fee (valued at $95), with 50% off the price of all prints, on any session (maternity, newborn, children, families or couple sessions), valid until December 31.  In addition to this I am offering a free 8×10″ or 8×12″ print with my Fathers Day Special with all new sessions booked during August 2009.

What makes your business/products unique?

Clients are made to feel only comfort and warmth during their sessions with me, allowing them to be themselves in front of the camera.  Clients have the option of having their session done in the comfort of their own home, or in a location that means something special to them, whether it is a particular beach or a certain park.  Taking clients out of a studio and into an environment they feel relaxed in helps them to open up, allowing the essence of the person to come through into the photos, making for more natural unposed images.

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

My job as a Mum and a wife always comes first however I always ensure that I have time for my business as this is an important part of my ‘me time’.  I treat my hours of business as I had done previously when I worked outside of the home, by setting aside time each week where my daughter is cared for by another family member so that I can put the time I need into my business.  I try to be as organised as possible so that this time is used efficiently. Outside of this time my attention is devoted 100% to my daughter.

When you are blogging for profit, you’ll want to pay close attention to how you present yourself in your blog. There are literally hundreds of thousands of blogs out there, and there may be several hundred blogs that are related to your topic. If your readers can’t understand your blog and have trouble reading it, they’ll just move on to the next one. The following tips can make your blog more user-friendly and help you gain consistent readers.

First, pay close attention to the format of your blog. Readers want to understand how your blog works right from the start. Most blogging platforms have similar formats, with links and tags on the left or right margin, and the most recent post on top. Make sure to use the links wisely. Only put links up for blogs or content that is truly related to your blog’s topic. The point is to give your readers additional information on your topic. Keep the list short and sweet. There is no reason to overwhelm them with links to other sites.

Also, take careful consideration when choosing your blog’s background and font color. Although there are a lot of color choices that blogging programs offer, its best to stick with a light background and dark text. Studies have shown that the human brain can process this type of format better than light text on a dark background. Think about this before you commit to a black background and white text. It might look striking, but readers might not want to stay there for long. Also, use a solid background color instead of trying to use a pattern or design.

Proofread your entries before you post them to your blog. There is nothing that reduces your authority in the eyes of your readers’ more than bad spelling and grammar. The online world is a world of text, so take some time to learn commonly misspelled words and grammatical errors.

Keep your blog fresh and interesting by posting at least once per day. With so much information available on the Internet, your readers may go elsewhere if you aren’t supplying daily content. If you aren’t sure what to write about, try posting a poll, a link to another blog, comment on a news story or post of list of helpful tips. Not every post has to be long and complicated, but you do need to post something everyday.

These tips will help keep your blog readable and interesting to your visitors. The more visitors you get, the more your blog will grow in profitability and importance. Just make sure to present yourself in a professional way and keep your readers coming back for more new content each day. In no time, you’ll have a profitable blog and then you can move on to create two or three.

Before you start, do some research online and check out your potential competition. If you have a business idea in mind, it is worth the time and effort to see what else is being sold in your category of products. If you have no idea what you want to sell, you’ll also want to head online to search out what would be most profitable to sell.

When you make the selection of what you are going to sell, remember to think “niche.” A niche is a small category of products that meet the needs of a specific group of people. Your online store shouldn’t have a “K-mart” or “Big W” approach where there is a little bit of everything for everyone. Online commerce is all about small categories of interest. There are so many things to choose from, you have more success when you cater to a small and specific group of people.

The best place to start with finding a niche is thinking about your own interests. When you sell to a niche that you know well, you are more likely to know what products will be of interest to those people. You can sell to your clientele based on your own experience.

Many Wahms start an online store because they have homemade products to offer. One example is handmade baby clothes and cloth napppies. Many Wahms have found success with putting their sewing skills to work and selling their products online. Other popular handmade online stores include bath and body products, candles and gift baskets, greeting cards and stationery.

This does not mean that you can’t have online store success if you don’t make your own products. There are hundreds of Wahms who have success by opening stores stocked with store-bought inventory.

Whatever your choice, whether handmade or store bought, there are many options for hosting your online store. These options depend on how comfortable you are with web design. Many companies, like Yahoo, offer store websites that are very user friendly and simple to set up. They can cost anywhere from $30 to $200 per month for the storefront services. There are also DIY commerce solutions such as Congo Cart, with monthly pricing starting from as low as $5. This includes your hosting and use of their templates, or you can easily design your own with their templating system. Wahms also find success with eBay stores, which allow them to sell in auctions or in a fixed price format.

Look at all of your options before you choose your online store hosting. Remember that the quality of your hosting will reflect the quality of your business. The last thing you need is your entire website going down due to cheap hosting. The best choice is to find a reputable host that will provide you with a storefront and hosting for a reasonable price. Don’t try to pinch pennies on this aspect of your business. You could end up out of business in no time.

Once you’ve found a place to host your store, you’ll need to drive internet traffic to the store. One of the easiest ways is to trade banners with other Wahm online stores. Many Wahms support each other in their online efforts. This form of networking is a great way to introduce your products to customers who already look to support Wahms. You can also advertise using PPC (pay per click) advertising and work on your website so that it increases in page ranking for certain search terms.

Keep your customers coming back with an easy to navigate website, simple ordering techniques and good customer service. Even though most of your business will be done online, it’s a good idea to get a business phone line and put that number on your website. This way, customers can feel confident in purchasing from you because they know they can speak to a real person if there is a problem with their order.

Regardless of what type of online Wahm store you choose to open, following these tips will make your business a success.

One of the most important parts of getting organised as a Wahm is to establish business hours. Setting up specific working times during each day has many benefits. First, you’ll be more consistent with your work. Once you’ve gotten used to starting and stopping at a specific time each day you’ll work more efficiently. You’ll manage your work time better and reduce distractions like checking your e-mail or watching television. You’ll also be less likely to pick up things to do here and there, like laundry or taking time to errands. If you have set working hours, you’ll schedule those tasks around your work time so you’ll be more focused during your work time. It will help your family and friends understand that you are working while you are at home, and you won’t be available during those hours.

Next, you need to start delegating tasks to other family members. It may seem easier to do everything yourself, but once you have work duties on top of household duties you’ll realise how few hours in the day there actually are. There is nothing wrong with asking your children to fold the laundry, or having your husband cook dinner a few nights a week. By sharing the household duties as a family, you’ll have more time to get your work done and feel more rested. The important thing to remember when you delegate is that things won’t be done the way that you would do them. However, they are getting done.

Planning your work and family activities will make the whole house run smoother. If you don’t have a daily planner, then you need to get one. It doesn’t matter if it is a paper planner or a computer application. When you use a planner to write down everything that needs to be done, and then plan each activity for a specific time then you’ll have the opportunity to manage your time more wisely in and out of your home office.

Organising your home at large will help make your business more organised. While it may take a while to establish some organisational habits in your house, your efforts will be well worth it. Don’t try to get organised in a weekend or even several days. Work up to a level of organisation. Start small with your desk space. Organise the things in your desk and top of your desk. Make sure that everything that you need has a place, and toss or donate things that you don’t need. Then move on to another portion of the house. When something is out of place, it’s easy to put it back in its home once you’ve taken the time to organise your storage spaces around the house. If need be, take a trip to an office supply store or home improvement store and buy items like bins, cabinets and shelves that will help you stay more organised.

Getting organised as a Wahm does take some time and effort. Realise that with time your organisational system will get better. Work with your family to make your home run efficiently, and then you’ll be able to concentrate on your work when you need to.

Do you have a passion for scrapbooking or papercrafts?

Have you been thinking of ways to supplement your income?

Why not turn it into a scrapbooking business?

It could be a great way to turn your hobby into a profitable work at home business!

Of course, to really be a success with your scrapbooking business, you’re going to need to have a plan and know what you’re doing.

So let’s have a look at the steps you need to take to put this business into action.

First, you’re going to need to decide whether or not you want your hobby to be a business. It might not be immediately obvious why it would be a bad idea. However, when our hobbies turn into another kind of work, it can be hard to find ways to relax. Make sure that you’re ready to add in another job, and that scrapbooking will still be your passion after money gets involved.

Next, think about whether there’s a demand for your services. Do people comment on the quality of your memory pages and scrapbooks? Do they ask you what they should do with their own, or where to get the best supplies? If you’ve experienced this time after time, a home based business might be appropriate. It’s no fun to leave your photos sitting in a drawer, and people are realising that. You can help them make their dreams of a beautiful scrapbook come true.

Put together a portfolio of your best work, compiling the pages you’re proudest of. That way your prospective clients will have something to look at that’ll tell them what kind of quality you have to offer. Make sure you include only professional quality work. Don’t fill out a scrapbook portfolio with pieces that aren’t up to snuff. It won’t look good, even if they make the portfolio look a little thicker.

Start spreading the news! Now you’re ready to start looking for clients. You’ll need to let others know you have this business. Start by telling your family and friends, and encourage them to tell other people they know. Write an online press release, or have one written by a professional who knows the format. You can also submit this press release to local papers and in other areas in the community. Just a flyer at church, the grocery store, or in the craft store can do a lot too. After you develop a good client list, think about offering discounts for referrals.

The business can expand if you’re willing to not just offer scrapbooking services, but to teach others how to put together scrapbooks too. Set up a class and teach people in your community how to present their memories in an attractive way.

A scrapbooking business can be a lot of fun and you may make some extra money. Just remember to charge fairly for your time and materials so you don’t undercut yourself. If you approach things the right way, your scrapbooking business could really take off.