Work-At-Home Success Profile For Alyice Edrich

Press Release and Freelance Writer, Virtual Assistant

The Dabbling Mum

dabblingmum@yahoo.com

http://thedabblingmum.com

How much time do you work: Part Time

Do you have a job outside the home? no 

How did you decide on your work-at-home job or business?

I have played around with different opportunities looking for something that I felt connected with my lifestyle and what I felt good about doing.

What steps did you take to start your business?

I love to read, so I did a lot of reading.  I read interviews of others, articles and books specifically geared towards my interests, and I spoke with people on message boards.  I also spoke with my husband and kids cause whatever I chose to do also affected them.

Do you have a business plan? Yes

Do you have a marketing plan? Yes

How do you market your business?

I do a little of everything.  Right now, I only work out of my home part-time because my main priority is my family.  So I do a lot of word of mouth and free ads advertising.  Flyers at Laundry mats are great, but stay away from FFA Link Submission companies because you will end up with a ton of spam.  I have an ebook that goes into extensive marketing ideas and plans.

What were your start-up costs?

My start up costs varied according to the the opportunity I tried.  Working as a Mobile Notary (in which I wrote a great ebook on) was around $300 total.  The best thing about this gig was that I owned the business, no commission or party plans.  But when I moved states, I had to wait for residency which is a year.  As a Party Shop Consultant, it was $500 with the website.  As a Child Care Provider, it was about $500 to get licensed, child-proofing of home, and a few infant care necessities I got at a yard sale and cleaned up.

How long did it take to cover your expenses?

With the Child Care business it was within the first month.  With the Mobile Notary biz, it was about four months.  And now, as the Writer and VA, it was instantaneous as I already owned a computer and had internet hook-up.

How long was it before you could decrease or quit your "regular" job?

In 1991 the company I was working for went out of business, so I was lucky.  My husband and I weighed the options of getting another job, the costs of day care, car expenses, work related expenses, etc and realized that it was not worth the stress to make so little money.  I could make more working part-time out of my home and I have never looked back.  Once, during this 11 year span, I returned to work out of sheer boredom and realized that I belong at home with my kids.

How do you keep focused working at home?

I have to always be doing something.  I like to show my kids that anything is possible and that you don't have to conform to what others believe you should be doing to be happy.  So I suppose they keep me motivated.  I have no problem focusing on my work once I get going, I have a problem stopping, LOL.

What resources would you recommend to someone interested in your line of work?

I recommend my website http://thedabblingmum.com and my ebooks.  I have done extensive research and I offer no hype.  I don't believe in misleading someone or getting them too overly excited and then let down later.

The Dabbling Mum is about helping Work-at-Home Parents and those who want to be. Four new Work-at-Home extensive interviews each month offers insight into the world of a WAH as well as FREE exposure. There are also resource links for freelance writing sites, mystery shopping, WAH tools, and freebies. Not to mention Virtual Assistance and Press Release help.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting a similar business?

Practice a lot.  It is important to have samples to show others because they want to know that you can do the job.  Trust in yourself.  Accept criticism openly.  Criticism is not my strong point, but I try to keep an open mind, sometimes it can be a really good thing.  Take classes whenever possible, whether via online, home study or in a class setting.  Classes are a wonderful way to build up skills and it feels good.  I have a certificate in being an exceptional assistant and it was a lot of fun to take that one day seminar.  I learned a lot too.