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Profile of a Working Mom

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The Mommy Network Interview: Working Mom.

By Lori Bratz

 

Mommy Profile:

Name: Traci B.

Married: Yes

Age: 35

Location: Minneapolis

Education: BS in Education

Children: One child, age 1

______________________________________________________

 

What is your schedule like?

 

5 a.m. nurse the baby, get up, shower, get dressed, dress Meredith and have breakfast.

7 a.m. drop baby off at day care.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work.

5:30 p.m. pick up baby from day care.

6 p.m. nurse baby.

6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. dinner, workout, chores. ______________________________________________________

 

Q. What is your career?

A. I am a special education teacher at an Area Learning Center in suburban Saint Paul. I am also the lead teacher of a program that specifically serves teenagers who have been through chemical dependency treatment and are trying to work a program of recovery.

 

Q. Do you think you’ll always work outside the home? If not, why not? If so, why?

A. I’m not sure that I will always work outside the home, although I really love working and am currently doing my dream job. I love having my summers mostly off (I teach summer school, too) but I always have a tough time structuring my own free time. My ideal scenario would be to work part-time. That way, some of the hustle and bustle of a full workday would be lessened but we would still have money coming in, I would still get my “grown-up” contact, and my daughter would still get to go to the fantastic day care to which we send her.

 

Q. Do you ever feel emotionally conflicted about not following the “traditional” role of the stay-at-home mother?

 

A. I think the biggest downside of being a working mommy is that I feel emotionally conflicted in almost all areas of my life. I often feel like I don’t have enough time to be a good mommy, wife, friend, or teacher. I have to remind myself every day that what I am trying to do is very hard yet very rewarding and that trying my hardest is good enough. My husband is very good at reminding me to be gentle with myself and that I am doing a good job. My daughter is thriving and very happy. My job is very fulfilling in that every day I know I have the ability to affect others’ lives in a positive way. I’m not at the point right now where it feels right to be an at home mommy. Even though times can be tough, I see the benefits far outweighing the negatives for us.

 

Q. What is your typical day like?

A. I am still nursing and we do the “family bed” so I roll over and nurse Meredith about 5 a.m. Then I get up, shower and get dressed, dress Meredith, have breakfast and get us out the door by 7 a.m., drop her off at day care and get to work by 8 a.m. I usually work until about 4:30 p.m. and then I pick Meredith up at day care. I transport her both ways because the day care is near my work. Then we get home usually about 6 p.m., I nurse Meredith for about 10 minutes or so, then get started making dinner (unless my husband is on dinner duty for the evening) while she supervises from her high chair. After dinner, I usually try to squeeze in some “me” time by working out, getting online or calling friends but often the early evening hours go to things like laundry or bill-paying. Some nights I am just so beat all I can do is veg out in front of the TV while my husband gives Meredith a bath. About 9 p.m., I go to bed with Meredith and cuddle/nurse her to sleep which only takes a couple of minutes.

 

Q. What is the hardest part about balancing family and work?

A. Time management is really a bear. Also, I have really lowered my housekeeping standards (which weren’t high to begin with) and have grown more accustomed to having less time to do what I want to do. An unexpected perk, though, is that trivial matters that used to get me so preoccupied at work or in my relationship with my husband concern me far less. I no longer lose sleep over minutia. Ear infections and middle of the night fever spikes, yes, but work? No.

 

Q. Some moms feel guilty having their child in day care. Do you?

A. Happily, I have little to no guilt about having Meredith in the day care we chose. The woman whose home it is in is very impassioned, talented, and knowledgeable about what she does and she really provides a wonderful and nurturing learning environment. She does much more with the children than I would ever dream of doing if I were home and Meredith loves being around the other children so much. There are good day care programs and not so good ones. We shopped around until we found a terrific one.

 

Q. Do you think your daughter will see you as a strong female role model? Why or why not?

A. I hope so. A big part of why I work is that I feel a strong calling to see the type of school I have created thrive and be replicated elsewhere. I hope to instill in my daughter that everyone has their passion and that we all deserve to pursue that passion no matter what society says about what we choose to do. I want her to know that she as a woman is powerful whether she ends up with an out-of-the-home career or not.

 

Pampered Chef Jennifer Greenwood

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Tell Us About Your Mom Business!
Email: jennifergreenwood3@gmail.com
Your Name: Jennifer Greenwood
About your business: The Pampered Chef Canada offers Canadians high-quality kitchen products and tried & true recipes to help us to bring mealtimes back around the kitchen table more often. With products to fit every budget, there truly is something for everyone, whether they enjoy cooking or if they simply want to make meal preparations easier. The Pampered Chef consultants bring people together with their friends and family to teach them a new recipe using these fabulous kitchen tools. The hosts are handsomely rewarded with free products and fabulous discounts, never paying full-price, up to a full year after their party! The consultants enjoy a night out, meeting new friends, while supplementing their family incomes, and having the opportunity to turn the job they love into a full-time career. For only $195, you will receive over $740 worth of products and business materials to get you off to a successful start. For those that already have a kitchen full of Pampered Chef products, or if you are on a tight budget, there is a mini-kit available for only $105! Training comes in various forms: attending meetings, conversations with your upline, and 24/7 online training opportunities. You would be in business FOR yourself, but not BY yourself!
Startup Costs: Less than $500
URL: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/jennifergreenwood
Other: I have been with The Pampered Chef since Nov 2009 and have enjoyed every moment! The friends I have made — whether they be fellow consultants or hosts or guests — have truly enriched my life. The extra money that I make each month helps to pay for my children’s activities and it gives me such a feeling of accomplishment to reach and to exceed my goals. I look forward to helping women AND men to enjoy the benefits that The Pampered Chef has to offer, whether they choose to join my team of consultants, or host a party, or simply purchase whatever products they need the most. How can I best help you? Let’s talk! 🙂 Jen

Beach Body – Kathy Rumsey

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Beachbody_logo

Tell Us About Your Mom Business!
Email:   rumsey_kathleen@gmail.com
Your   Name: Kathy   Rumsey
About   your business: I   am an online health and fitness coach helping to end the trend of obesity. We   provide the workout program, nutrition, support, and the FUN! It can be done   all online. You can also do home parties, Fit Clubs, classes in a gym, work   presentations, the possibilities are endless!
Startup   Costs: Less   then $100
URL:   http://www.beachbodycoach.com/kathyrumsey
Other:   If   you want to help end the trend of obesity then join my team!!! Our team is   about giving everything we can to help others and ourselves reach amazing   goals!

 

Kids n Bricks – Cathy Pettigrew

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kidsNbricks

Tell Us About Your Mom Business!
Email: kidsnbricks@gmail.com
Your Name: Cathy Pettigrew
About your business: kids n bricks brings the fun and love of learning with LEGO to children in so many ways – whether is it one of our fantastic LEGO-themed birthday parties, our in-school lunch series of LEGO Builders Club meetings, our challenging LEGO Robotics series of classes, or an awesome week at March Break or Summer Camp, kids will have a blast building, creating, and playing with LEGO!
Startup Costs: Less then $1000
URL: http://www.kidsnbricks.com
Other: My kids inspire me in so many ways, and this business is no exception to the rule … after watching my own son’s fascination, first with LEGO, and then with LEGO Robotics, I thought – I can bring this same joy to kids all over by bringing LEGO to them! And so was born kids n bricks!

Katie Evans

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Katie Evans, Woman Business Owner and Entrepreneur

Katie Evans

Katie Evans, Keynote Speaker Clinical Hypnotherapist CEO Living Lite Hypnosis Centers

When author, therapist and CEO, Katie Evans, speaks she brings the house down with her humorous stories of coping in America in this day and age and then uplifts her audience with her inspirational teaching.

Katie Evans, author of Random Acts to Lighten Up!: Easy Tools to Redesign Your Life from the Inside Out, and owner of the Living LiteHypnosis Centers, Inc., has helped thousands of people lose weight while reducingthe stress in their lives. She has lost thousands of dollars learning how NOT to market and loves to share her expertise in that arena as well. She has been an expert interviewee on radio shows across the nation.She has published articles in Journey, A Magazine of Addiction Recovery as well as the Seattle Business Journal.She is frequently consulted by the media for her expertise in stress, marketing and hypnosis.

But things haven’t always been easy for this self-made business woman.

During one 18 month period in the mid 1980’s, Katie lost the restaurant she and her husband, Walt, had owned and operated for two years; they filed bankruptcy; Walt had back surgery and was an invalid for two months; they lost their home and while on vacation in January of 1986 in San Francisco Walt died of congestive heart failure. It was his fourth heart attack. He was 52 years old. They had been married for only seven years.

Katie knew it was time to quit smoking since it had, in part, killed her husband and she decided to use hypnosis to do it. She shared that idea with her Dad who said, “Why don’t you just become a hypnotherapist”?

As luck would have it one of the premier hypnotherapy schools in the country was a 15 minute drive from her home. In October of 1986, she enrolled in classes at the Washington Hynotherapy School taught by the renowned Charlie Tebbetts, the father of modern hypnotherapy. How’s that for luck?

Katie had been on every diet in the world and was 50 lbs overweight when she began to create The Lighten Up! Weight Loss program in May of 1987. As a constant dieter, she knew she had to create a program that she could live with for good and not die young like her husband, Walt.

While developing the Lighten Up! Weight Loss program it became clear to Katie that her mission was to help people save their own lives. When Katie started teaching Lighten Up! in 1987, every woman who joined the program wanted to weigh 120lbs. Today, they want to be able to tie their shoes and walk up stairs without losing their breath.

In 1997, Lighten Up! expanded to seven franchises and four corporate owned offices and became Living Lite Hypnosis Centers.  You can buy her weight loss, stop smoking and othr CD’s here.

Today, Katie resides in Annapolis, MD and loves spending time with her great-nieces and nephews. She plays golf in her spare time and she is a popular speaker on such topics as health, business and women’s issues. She continues to follow her passion: Using hypnosis to help people live healthier, happier lives.

Katie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Washington.

Her advice for women starting a business? “Be tenacious.  Follow your heart. Never give up.”

Get Going!

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Get Going!  By Lori Bratz www.webprohelp.com

Starting a business of your own doesn’t mean spending all your hard-earned money.

Put up a good-looking web site together to get your business out there!  If you just can’t face building a web site right now, you can always just have someone else build it for you.  www.WebProHelp.com is our fave! Of course, you should list your business with The Mommy Network, too! A simple listing in our directory is free. All we ask is that when you need to do business, you check our database first and patronize our mom-owned businesses. Support the business of motherhood!

You can win if you don’t play!

Please let us know what you think! Send us email. All submissions become the property of The Mommy Network.

Legal Eagle’s Advice On How to Start Your Own Business

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by: Cecile C. Weich Counselor at Law

I write this article for all frustrated executives, born-again housewives and all women who want to start their own business.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! RESEARCH YOUR MARKET! AND MOST IMPORTANT: HIRE A LAWYER!

The lawyer will advise you in the intricacies of being an entrepreneur, should you be a corporation or an incorporated business entity. Remember, you will pay taxes on both business forms, but one may be less expensive than the other and more beneficial to your type of business. If you are doing business with a corporation, you may want to be a corporation for appearance sake. Your attorney must work with your accountant (the next person to hire along with your attorney), to determine whether your business should be a corporation.

Your personal assets may be involved at this juncture. Remember, whether or not you are a corporation, no bank will lend you money without collateral and the only collateral you, as a new entrepreneur will have, is your personal collateral, ie: your home, your car, your stocks and bonds. Although technically corporations are formed to avoid personal liability, a new entrepreneur will probably have to put up her own personal assets to secure the initial funding for her business.

After you have researched the market for your business, found a good location, you will be called upon to sign a lease to sign a lease for this location. Again, you must consult with your attorney for the best possible terms to enter into a proper lease with your landlord. Remember, a good lease can make or break your business.

Perhaps you have the kind of business that does not initially require outside space and you want to start up your business in your own home. A service business is uniquely suited for home offices. However, you must consult your accountant so that you take proper tax advantages of this business arrangement.

You must not neglect to speak to an insurance person so that you are properly and adequately covered for business and professional liabilities.

If you want to hire staff, you must consult with all of the professionals, especially your attorney, to determine whether this staff will be “on the books” or independent contractors. You must also consult with your attorney to understand the ramifications of the laws pertaining to sex and age discrimination as it relates to your “shop”.

What about your business equipment? Should you buy it new or used, or should you rent it? Again, you must speak to your attorney and your accountant to find out the best possible tax ramifications for handling office equipment.

Are you confused? Don’t be. If you are really determined to start your own business; if you have that “entrepreneurial spirit”, you are going to make it.

Cecile C. Weich is a Prominent Attorney and Lecturer and one of America’s leading authorities on Women’s Legal Rights. She has been featured and quoted in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, New York Newsday and The National Law Journal, and she has been a guest on many radio and television shows including Court TV, Phil Donahue, The Today Show, MSNBC, CNBC, McGlaughlin Report, Oprah Winfrey, and Larry King Live. Ms. Weich is also co-founder of the New York Association of Women Business Owners and was the New York state representative to the National Women’s Political Caucus, she has been married since 1958 and has two grown sons.

How to Start a Website

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How to Start a Website with a CMS Content Management System by: Lori Bratz www.WebProHelp.com

Content Management Systems , CMS, are an efficient way to build and maintain a website.  The biggest draw to using a CMS is that users do NOT have to have specialized technical skill to create or manage Web pages.  Generally, if you are familiar with how to use word processing software, you will be able to use a CMS.