Tell us a little bit about yourself and your entrepreneurial journey.

While I was employed in the traditional corporate world, I always received design requests from friends, mostly from those starting their own businesses. At first, after working 10 hours a day at the office, I took on a limited number of projects. As my skills developed with each project and my friends were impressed with the outcomes, I took on more work and began to really enjoy this newly found “paid hobby.”

Word of mouth spread with momentum, and I was getting continuous referral work. I was getting compensated for doing something I loved. It slowly dawned on me that I was building a business that was making money. When I was laid off from my job, it was a natural and easy choice to transition into this business full-time.

First and foremost, I am a Mom. That itself is a full-time job. Interwoven between my role as matriarch and wife, I love being a creative designer. Being a designer and doing what I love is the most amazing occupation I could imagine.

As a mompreneur, I pride myself on being organized. I create lists and calendars to keep up with schedules and activities for my family and business. The flexibility of being a freelance professional allows me to design around my family responsibilities. (more…)

By Christine Kane

Do a quick Google search and you’ll likely find a million tips and tricks for turning one of your extra bedrooms into the perfect home office or prioritizing and maximizing on your time when you work from home. But what about when you and your significant other both work from home? Having two people vying for at home work space is a little more trying then one of you working from home and the other traipsing off to the office each morning.

1.      Create Separate Work Spaces

As tempting as it may be to office share with your spouse, it’s likely going to end up being more distracting than productive. Carve out your own personal niches to get work done, even if it is as simple as putting up a space divider in an extra bedroom. By having your own personal space you’ll be more focused on getting work done. (more…)

By Jane Johnson

Look for your dream job 24/7

These days, if you want a really good job, you need to be on the lookout 24/7. That’s why your future is dependent upon the job search tools that you arm yourself with. Technology provides a viable advantage when you consider the thousands of networking tools; resume writing apps, recruiter apps and etc., available for iPhone, BlackBerry, T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S, and Android smart phones.

Looking for work means keeping your fingers on the pulse of the employment market all the time, which is more than possible if you have a smart phone. Now all you need are the right job search apps, like the 5 below, to help you market your skills, build your professional reputation, and create a good database of professional contacts as you seek employment… (more…)

By Kelly Robbins

Entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Harry Potter. The lesson is not in wizardry or how to save the world, but in how important having a single focus and manic determination is to achieving success.

The Goal

Harry’s goal was to find and kill Voldemort, which involved first finding and killing the seven horcruxes where Voldemort had hidden parts of his soul. Harry was very clear on his goal and looked at every experience and encounter as either for or against him achieving his goal. Did this experience point him in a new direction? Was this person helpful or hurtful to achieving the goal? (more…)

By Bethany Ramos

Ah, working from home… Doesn’t it sound like the ultimate fantasy? No boss, no annoying coworkers, and no grueling daily commute.

Any freelancer or independent contractor can tell you that working at home is not always a bed of roses. Yes, working independently from home allows you to make an income pursuing your passion, and many professionals today work from home by managing their own business, either online or off-line.

Since working from home is such an attractive and potentially lucrative opportunity, many companies take advantage of unsuspecting freelancers or stay-at-home moms that want to earn an income from home. (more…)