A WAHPing Christmas by Support a WAHP

A WAHPing Christmas

Win a copy of Flying Solo!

Our gift to you, our work-at-home community Issue 1.0, December 1, 2011

Inside: 5 fantastic articles by top work-at-home mums: Sam Leader, Alli Price, Pinky McKay, Karen Gunton and Amanda Foy! meet our 2011

Top WAHPs

OUT NO

Become a member and get me for FREE From just $20 a year, you get: • exclusive member discounts, • a featured directory listing, • exclusive access to our member-only Facebook group, • plus your free copy of Diving In. Join our member community & grow your business today! www.supportawahp.com/divinginbook

Editor’s Note... This year has been an amazing year for growth and change, both personally and professionally. As we head into Support a WAHP’s third year, I have a couple of exciting bits of news to share.

A WAHPing Christmas

New E-book I am super excited to announce that my new book, Diving in: Practical tips for starting up and growing your home based business is now available online via our website. This book will empower you to: •

•

find the home based business opportunity that’s right for you (particularly if you’re just starting the journey), start writing a business plan using a relational business planning approach,

•

effectively name and brand your business,

•

market and sell your products and services on and offline,

•

effectively use social media marketing and traditional marketing to give you an edge over your competitors, and find other resources to help you grow your business.

Whether you’re just dipping your toe in the water or are already swimming, this book will expand your knowledge-base and empower you to take your business to new heights! Parts of the book are already available as blog posts. I have consolidated these and added a ton of extra material in this 44 (A4) page book so that all this useful information is in one resource! Sign up to our mailing list to get your free sample chapter and find out why home based businesses succeed or fail and what opportunities are out there.

International WAHP Week: February 5 to 11 Get ready for International WAHP week in February next year. During this celebratory week, we plan to get loud and proud about working from home. If you’d like to get involved, be sure to sign up to our

newsletter for further updates. It’s time to give WAHPs everywhere a whole lot more recognition! By the way, we are looking for sponsors for this inaugural event. If you are interested please contact me on info@supportawahp.com.

Inside:

Holiday Season

Feature Articles

Lastly, over the holiday season, I hope you have lots of fun family time, lots of time to reflect and lots of cuddles from excited little people. Next year is going to be even more amazing than this year, I can feel it in my bones.

Are you suited to flying solo?........... 4

I’d like to take a moment to thank some wonderful WAHPs who have helped us out a lot this year: Tim from Invitations2Impress, Amanda Foy from Foyster’s Communications, Lucie Battaini from MultiMediart, Jenni Dinsdale from PIY Invitations as well as Lynda Nel from All a Buzz.

Christmas is the time for reflection, on business that is.............................. 6 10 things you can do right now to boost your little biz............................ 8 Creating an email newsletter........ 10 Christmas gift ideas you may never have thought of.............................. 12

In the Spotlight Showcase Bibska Bibs........................................ 14 Babyfeet Designs............................ 16 SisoIT.................................................. 18 Lulu’s Cupcakes & Novelty Cakes.............................. 20

Erica moving on Erica Perry has decided to sell her half of the business to me. This decision reflects her need to focus her sole attention on your young family. We are still awesome friends and I wish Erica all the best for the future.

On the cover: The faces of some of our wonderful WAHPs! Aren’t they awesome!

May you thoroughly enjoy the articles in this e-magazine, our gift to you for all your wonderful support this year! And if you value the information you find here, we invite you to share this with other WAHPs. Warmly, Cas McCullough Director - Support a WAHP Author - Diving In: Practical tips for starting up and growing your home based business Mum of three busy boys!

About the Contributors Sam Leader is the Editor of Flying Solo, Australia’s micro business community, and one of its three directors. Over the last five years she has overseen the publication of over 1,300 articles from over 100 contributors. She is also the co-author, with Robert Gerrish and Peter Crocker, of the business bestseller Flying Solo - How to go it alone in business. Sam’s responsible “...for all the book’s good bits.” Like most solo business owners, Sam wears a number of other hats. As Social Media Manager, she oversees Flying Solo’s presence on Facebook and Twitter (LinkedIn’s coming soon) and she is also Mistress of Mojo, ensuring motivation stays high for everyone involved in Flying Solo. Sam lives in northern New South Wales with her partner John-Paul and their daughters, Amy and Eleanor. She keeps her mojo high by building sandcastles, looking in rockpools and making pizzas.

Pinky McKay, International Board certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), runs a private practice in Melbourne specializing in gentle parenting techniques. A sought after keynote speaker and best-selling author with 4 titles published by Penguin, including her recent book Parenting By Heart, she’s an expert source for media appearing regularly on major network TV and quoted in various publications. Pinky’s books, parenting resources and her free newsletter ‘Gentle Beginnings’ can be found on her website www.pinkymckay.com.au.

Karen Gunton’s passion is helping busy mums kick ass with their little biz ideas. Her advice is simple: Do what you love. Question the rules. Be awesome. Her dream is for is for every talented, passionate biz mum to find success and put something amazing into this world. Karen Gunton is the builder of her own little biz and her goal is to help other biz builders get unstuck with their biz plans. She started build a little biz to do just that! www.buildalittlebiz.com.

Alli Price runs Motivating Mum, a website and events service offering support and advice to mums in business, or those wanting to be. The business was born of necessity; having just given birth and launched a home business at the same time in the UK, Alli found the situation both isolating and lonely. The Businessmums’ Networking Lunch was born of the belief that there must have been more mums out there like her - there were, 45 or so. The business evolved for four years in the UK, to the model that it is today, and grew to include five franchisees running Motivating Mum events in their local areas. Just as Alli started seeing some return on her investment she upped sticks and left with her family for her home-town of Melbourne (including new baby). Alli is now in start-up mode again, this time in her beloved Oz, although things are going a lot quicker. The first time round she hadn’t even known what SEO, blogging and social media were! The business remains the same - networking and brainstorm events for mums, phone mentoring with established mums in business, articles and features, an online forum and more. She also currently has four associates around the country running events for mums in their areas (and is looking for more).

Amanda Foy is the owner of Foyster’s Communications based in Ipswich, South East Queensland. Dubbed “The driving force behind the social media revolution in Ipswich,” Foyster’s is the culmination of her 23 years in domestic and international corporate work life specialising in mass communications and event management. With extensive experience in the Beef, Health and Wellbeing, Natural Therapies, Oil and Gas, Manufacturing, Steel and Piping Systems, Retail, Advertising and Marketing, industries she presents a unique mix of Communications and Events Management across all facets of a business. Never one to sit with time to spare, Amanda is a wife, mother of two, business owner, co-founder of the Goddess Imperative Worldwide Alliance, reiki therapist, and volunteer at the local soccer club.

www.supportawahp.com

Subscribe to Support a WAHP’s e-newsletter for your chance to win a FREE copy of Flying Solo: how to go it alone in business. 2 copies available! To subscribe go to: http://eepurl.com/F_E_ or scan the QR code to the right with your smart phone.

About Flying Solo: How to Go It Alone in Business The original bestseller, Flying Solo: How to go it alone in business is back and fully updated for a new wave of business owners. It’s THE guide to starting your own venture, or totally rejuvenating one that’s been ticking along for years. Combining tons of motivational and practical advice, it explores the habits and behaviours of successful soloists; explodes some of the myths of marketing, time management, online success and networking; and helps you thrive as a solo or micro business owner. Plus it includes dozens of case histories and real-life examples from our wonderful solo and micro business community. Written in an engaging and upbeat style, this revisited version includes advice on mastering the online world, optimising your money-making potential and crafting a business that runs itself. Order your copy from Booktopia today and save 41% off the retail price. 3

Flying Solo’s Sam Leader outlines what it takes to set up a micro business in this excerpt from the business best-seller Flying Solo -- How to go it alone in business. Flying Solo is Australia’s biggest micro business community. Sam Leader is the Editor of the Flying Solo website, and a WAHM. She is one of the co-authors of the business bestseller, Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business. The following, adapted from the book, expresses the essential characteristics needed to succeed in business on your own.

1. Self-confidence Successful solo and micro business owners are particularly self-aware, naturally inquisitive and enjoy being mentally stimulated. They seek to discover what it is that makes themselves, and others, tick. They are on a constant mission to work out what their personal abilities are and how these can be put to use in the world around them. They strive for authenticity and integrity in all they do and so work to keep in touch with their values. Their need to express their personalities through their work is paramount.

2. A good understanding of basic marketing principles

Are you suited to

flying solo? By Sam Leader

Successful business owners show the hallmarks of a smart marketeer by maintaining a strong focus on those with whom they work. They deeply listen to their clients and prospects and develop genuine empathy with them. Simultaneously, they work out how best they can help. As a result, the product or service offered represents the best possible match between their talents and the unsatisfied needs of people in the marketplace. They turn out to be successful at selling not because they aggressively force their offering, but because they are responsive to customer needs. Finally, they don’t expect to sit around waiting for the world to discover their offering, instead they get out there and tout their wares. www.supportawahp.com

3. A natural enjoyment of work

5. Accountability

Because what they do is congruent with who they are, successful soloists maintain a healthy passion for their work. They love to position themselves firmly in the flow of ideas, influences and information which builds their knowledge bank. To aid their professional development they make full use of existing and emerging technologies. Gradually, they gain enough expertise to feel confident asserting their views. Once they recognise the value of their opinions, they actively seek to share them in an array of mediums, beginning with simply engaging others in interesting one-on-one conversations. Often, they develop great powers of observation and a sensitivity to trends which sees them regarded as experts in their fields.

Successful people avoid making excuses for themselves. They do not use language like ‘If only I were wealthier/better looking/ more clever’ etc. They know there are enough genuine barriers for them to deal with without having to cope with self-created ones, nor do they project insecurities onto colleagues. Successful soloists don’t regard those in the same field as competitors to be wary of, rather they are colleagues to learn from and be inspired by.

4. The willingness to participate Successful soloists are proactive people who enjoy participating. Their high levels of interaction enable them to become really effective at networking. They are perceptive opportunists and can often be found match-making. It’s not unusual to hear them say things like ‘You’re an illustrator? I met an author earlier looking for an illustrator. Let’s try and find him.’ Such people like to get the ear of influential people. They aren’t afraid to approach them, whether for a friendly chat or to seek advice, because they are not intimidated by traditional hierarchies or status. They rarely put people on pedestals and they think the best of others, preferring to be trusting not cynical, optimistic not pessimistic. Usually, their expectations are reinforced because they tend to attract and engage with people with the same open and upbeat attitude.

6. A good relationship with money In the early days of business it’s vital to be at ease with the dollars and cents. Invariably this is a time when work flow and income tends to be sporadic. Soloists are willing to make financial sacrifices. In fact many master the art of being happy with less money, because for them the pursuit of it comes at the expense of the balanced lifestyle they so cherish. Such individuals like to make up their own measures of success and often reject traditional benchmarks like material wealth and social status in favour of,

say, the freedom to work their own hours or the ability to express themselves through their work.

7. The ability to prioritise Emotional stability is an intrinsic part of their success and it is important to them that they are well supported by friends and family. For that reason, rather than perpetually worshipping at the altar of work, they take care to nurture key elements in their lives such as relationships and health.

8. Cool headed In the face of stressful situations, model business owners won’t freak out, but instead try to practically manage problems. When they make mistakes, they take responsibility for them. They are both judicious enough to recognise issues and creative enough to solve them. If they need help, they are not too proud to seek advice from trusted allies or mentors. Criticism is rarely ignored or taken to heart, rather it is regarded as a learning opportunity. As a WAHP, chances are you already embody a number of these characteristics! Here’s to a successful 2012.

Working solo? You’re not alone. free membership

join 40,000 others

expert articles

specialist reports

discussion forums

business directory

/flyingsoloAU

@flyingsoloAU

www.flyingsolo.com.au 5

Christmas is a time for reflection,

on Business, that is

“Identify one area that you would like to improve on or learn eg. social media. Determine where you’d like to be by year end and then work out a weekly or monthly schedule to get you there.”

By Alli Price

www.supportawahp.com

I don’t know about you, but 11 ½ months a year I am head down, bum up in housework, shopping, kids, the day to day running of my business and anything else that decides it needs doing in the general living of life. I barely have time for a breath, let alone reflection. Then Christmas hits and everything goes quiet (well, except for the screams of over-excited kids and annoying battery operated toys). The phone stops ringing, the email stops pinging, the twitter stops feeding and there’s this strange quiet in the world. Everyone is so busy tending to trees and roast dinners and families that there’s no time for work. So, what do I use this time for? Well, in addition to all the usual things like stuffing myself senseless and lying about, I also use it for reflection – on what I have achieved in business, what I want

to achieve, how I’m going to get there, scheduling and more - all the things that I never seem to have time for during the year as I’m so entrenched in the nitty gritty.

•

Review any plans/aims you had for the year before, including if you achieved them, what you learned, what the next steps are or what you’re going to change.

Now I know you’re probably all up in arms right about now – ‘we work all year and now you’re saying we have to work at Christmas?!’ But it need only be one full day dedicated to your business vision and I find that utilising this time to get all my plans down means I am then able to move forward into the next year with a real sense of clarity and purpose. I know I can put my head down and not be stressed about getting it back up again.

•

Get together a vision board of all the achievements you would like to attain the coming year or maybe to sum up the feel and look of your business.

•

Determine what you want to achieve for the coming year, break it down into achievable parts and schedule the different tasks into a wall chart or diary.

•

Really nut out your branding including defining keywords that describe how people will think and feel about your business, your brand colour, brand personality and more.

•

Develop an in-depth profile of your customer including everything from their favourite band to the types of shoes they wear to the magazines they read.

•

Think about your staff (if you have any) and how they can participate in helping you achieve (or even be responsible for) any of your goals. Decide how you’ll look after and reward them during the year and schedule reviews.

•

Identify one area that you would like to improve on or learn, eg. social media. Determine where you’d like to be by year end and then work out a weekly or monthly schedule to get you there.

•

Spring clean your desk and organise any files/paperwork.

So, what can you use your Christmas reflection time for? I’ve listed a few ideas, including the activities that I engage in, to give you a starting point.

EVENTS Events for mums in business, or those wanting to be: • workshops • networking • brainstorming • Businessmums’ Clubs

In Gold Coast, Bendigo, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in 2012. Contact www.motivatingmum.com/business-networking-a-events alli@motivatingmum.com

Then, when you’re done you can get back to that turkey sandwich and the kids wheeling around on their new bikes, secure in the knowledge that you know exactly what the New Year holds for you because you’ve decided it.

10 Things You Can Do Right Now To Boost Your Little Biz By Karen Gunton Do what you love There are often business tasks that we find overwhelming, boring or difficult. Figure out what it is you love about building your biz and focus on putting that bit of fun and joy into the rest of your biz. What tasks get you too excited to sleep? What gets you jumping out of bed in the morning? What passion got you started with your biz in the first place? Inject some of that into the tasks that you tend to avoid, make those things more fun too!

Question the rules Just because ‘they’ say so doesn’t mean you have do it ‘their’ way. Adapt the tools and strategies available to your business to fit your interests, your promise to your customers, your products, and your brand message. Do things your way! Follow your gut and do what feels right for you and your biz. You will have more fun and the strategies you use will fit your business better (and probably be more successful too)!

Think outside the box Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to do it too! If you want to stand out you have gotta shake things up a little. Take a complete break from following what other businesses are doing in your niche, find inspiration elsewhere that you can apply to your biz, and try something entirely new!

Narrow your niche We tend to want to please ‘everybody,’ to appeal to ‘everyone’. But it is much easier to focus on one small target market and direct your marketing and sales strategies to them. Pick a very specific target audience that you know would love your thing, and create a special minicampaign to focus just on them. Be creative and have some fun appealing to those people – use it as a chance to make a splash in one part of your niche. 8

www.supportawahp.com

Try something new We only have so much time in a day and we tend to use it to keep the wheels turning on the strategies we already have in place. Let go of one strategy that doesn’t seem to be helping your business much and try something entirely new. If facebook is not helping, try blogging. If your market stall is not profitable, try doing party plan style sales. If you don’t have new customers coming in, go back to your old customers and show them some love.

and trust. Be that person!

“Your brand is not your logo. It is the message you send out about your biz. Figure out what that message is! What does your business stand for? What are you passionate about offering?”

Come up with a brand message Your brand is not your logo. It is the message you send out about your biz. Figure out what that message is! What does your business stand for? What are you passionate about offering? What is your promise to your customers? What is it that you are really selling to them? Come up with some words, a statement, a manifesto, a vision board, a story, or a slideshow that will communicate your brand message to your target audience.

Build your profile It is not enough to just set up shop somewhere, start selling your product and do some promotion on facebook. Just because you build it, they won’t necessarily

come! You have got to play a bigger game. establish yourself as a leader in your niche by building testimonials, winning awards, getting further education/ accreditation, teaching others about your expertise, writing guest posts and articles for publication, participating in speaking gigs, networking events and conferences.

Be awesome Your goal should be to absolutely rock the world of your customers. Don’t just coast along, doing things because you think you should or because everyone else is, or because it is easier and feels safe. You need to be awesome with every single strategy, tactic, tool and plan you implement for your business. Figure out how to inject some awesome into everything you do.

Live your brand message Once you know what your brand message is, you have got to say it loud and clear. Consistency and repetition are the keys to building recognition and trust with your brand. Your brand message allows your biz to stand out and target your right people. Every time a customer interacts with your business they should know what it is you are promising them: use social media, your website, your marketing materials, your blog or newsletter, your market stall to share your message loud and clear.

Become the go-to girl Show your target audience that you are the one to solve their problems and meet their needs. Demonstrate your expertise, share your talent, offer help and assistance, be approachable and genuine, show them that you understand exactly what they are going through or looking for. People buy from people they like 9

Creating an email newsletter by Pinky Mackay

I have had amazing results using an email newsletter to connect regularly with existing clients, to attract new clients and to build a trusting relationship with my list, who then buy from me again and again!

Getting started Paying a small amount (often around $15 a month to start off) is worth every cent to make sure your emails get delivered/ that they make it through spam filters and it’s certainly MUCH less expensive than doing a paper mailout, using stamps , stationery and time printing and going to 10

the post office. And depending on the system you use (I use www. constantcontact.com ), you can check how many people opened your email, how many people clicked through the links and you can get a good idea of which headlines and articles were most effective and which products were most popular.

“People don’t want to be ‘sold to’ – they value information so by giving information, you are building a relationship that means people will see you as an expert to watch...”

Your content People don’t want to be ‘sold to’ – they value information so by giving information, you are building a relationship that means people will see you as an expert to watch, you will be uppermost in their

mind when they need a product or service and they will be most likely to come to you as a trusted resource and buy from you! www.supportawahp.com

Your newsletter could be: •

1 short tip delivered regularly

•

In-depth articles – or a short introductory paragraph to a longer article on your website or your blog

•

‘How to’ articles

•

Questions and answers

•

Reviews of related products or books.

Then – what do you want readers to do?

mailing address. This is a legal requirement in some countries so you aren’t considered to be spamming.

Personal versus private A little bit of sharing is fine and can help readers see you as ‘real’ but take care how much you share— Pets/family/ kids/ holidays/recipes/ a funny event or story—again take care because we all have different humour barometers and some people may be offended.

how you can help your readers.

Decide, ‘will this matter to my business? How will this reflect on me as a professional?’ The same goes for sharing strong opinions: I have strong opinions on things like training babies but I am happy to voice these because that’s my point of difference. I actually need people to know they are safe if they also feel uncomfortable about training babies.

Always remember to add your contact info, including your

” Be who you are and say what you feel. Because those who

Eg Buy now/ click here/ register for this? You must always add your business promo. Remember this is about your BUSINESS, so tell them who you are, what you do, and

SPECIAL OFFER FOR WAH PARENTS!

mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr seuss

Building your list So, how do you build your list? You don’t want to spam, so people need to opt in. Consider, what would make you opt in and subscribe to a newsletter? Either a real belief in the person offering the newsletter, that they can offer support you may not find elsewhere or a freebie that sounds interesting and useful to you. So, create a giveaway – you can do this on your facebook page or your blog (these are both free resources), or on your website front page. There are templates and scripts that come with newsletter systems. You add the box (Check out my website www.pinkymckay. com.au and/or facebook fan page as an example) so that you can offer a FREE download of tips, a recording or a small free gift to subscribers (always though, let people know that as a part of the free report/tip sheet/ recording they will also receive your FREE newsletter/ ezine). You could offer a giveaway draw at an event where people have to put their business cards or an email or raffle ticket into the bowl for the draw. I have done this at expos but I have a tick box on the entry form asking ‘do you want to receive Pinky’s newsletter?’ This adds to my list but I am not annoying people who just want to be in it to win it. I want a strong and relevant list of quality, caring, people, not just a bunch of tyre kickers. Where to now?

Expert Interview Recorded Series

RRP $97 Special WAHP Price $27 Just visit www.pinkymckay.com/pinkyshop and use coupon code:

WAHP

when you purchase Balancing Business & Baby to receive the special price. (Offer expires 20 December 2011)

Check out email programs such as www.constantcontact.com (have fun choosing a template), then work out a strategy—what you want to share with your clients and potential clients; how often you want to communicate; and what you want your newsletter to achieve. Then, ‘just do it!’

Christmas Gift Ideas You May Never Have Thought Of By Amanda Foy

My standard response to my husband and children when they ask me what I would like for Christmas is “I need a new bottom, because my other one has a hole in it.” I never tire of it, but alas they have… With some personal development work I have been doing over the last six months on my ability to receive, I’ve decided, come this Christmas, that statement will never leave my mouth again. I want everything and holy smokes….I deserve it! Repeat after me: “I want everything and holy smokes….I DESERVE IT!” There! How does that feel? Does it make you feel nauseous? Does it make your head spin? Do you feel like retreating to your vegie patch to have a natter to those carrots that look like they’ve just stepped out of Yoda’s lunch box? Here me when I say: “Know your worth and you are your greatest Christmas Gift to yourself, your clients, your colleagues and your family!”

You are a valuable soul, with purpose, drive and so much intellectual property, skill and experience you should be having Richard Branson knocking on your door for the next Voyeur “Ask an Expert” missive.

“‘Small business owners will GIVE AWAY $224,000.00 in the lifetime of being in business.’ $224,000.00! How many family holidays to the Maldives would that pay for?”

Please make sure you have a tree, box and pretty ribbon big enough to handle you being left there by Santa between the hours of 12:05am and 3:36am 25 December, 2011. I watched a YouTube video a couple of weeks ago where this man was channelling some being, but that being was very smart…. you can go to an orchard and tell the farmer that you’d like some apples, and he’ll let you have them for nothing if you pick them yourself, but if he has to pick them then they’ll be $5.99 a kilo…thank you very much. Do you get the analogy?

I was talking to my accountant one day and do you know what she told me? Please sit and steady yourself…. “Small business owners will GIVE AWAY $224,000.00 in the lifetime of being in business.” $224,000.00! How many family

holidays to the Maldives would that pay for?

He also said, the idea of not charging for what you do – to market value or above – is like walking into a supermarket, getting a basket full of groceries and walking out saying you’re just going to take these things home now. You wouldn’t do it. I am speaking from experience. www.supportawahp.com

I started my business after 22 years of corporate life in wealthy industries like Oil and Gas, Beef and Health. Ask yourself these questions:

if they have suffered the same, as any man I’ve met through my networking has never had this issue. They all looked at me like I had just said something derogatory about their mother, when I’ve spoken about my quandary of what to charge for my IP.

•

How much were you earning before you went out on your own?

•

When you worked for someone else, did you think you were worth more money?

Hear me when I say, it WAS a problem for me.

•

How much are you earning now?

•

What’s changed?

Some of us women, and not all, (there are some women I look at with the greatest admiration because they have moved passed this idea of not charging for what they are worth), are still dusting off the dirt and removing the sabre tooth tiger fur from between their teeth as they wake up to what we really offer other businesses, people and this planet as a whole.

Maybe it is a journey in trying to remove preconceived ideas about worth, being a woman, being a business owner, selling something that only took you 15 minutes to make, but it looks amazing and wanting to charge $45 for it? I would love to hear from any men that may read this to see

Has anyone uttered silently in their head: “I’m a fraud, I can’t charge people for what I know or what I’m

qualified to do...”? Think about your business, what do you provide your clients? Are you providing peace of mind, revenue generating concepts, strategies to put a smile on your face and those of your clients? Are you a master problem solver with amazing people skills? Are you earning $1000+ a day?? If you do not charge for your services, or do not charge enough, you may be feeding a perceived value of nil or very little. You will attract clients who don’t see the value in what you are offering and they won’t feel satisfied with what you’ve provided. Instead of charging $55 an hour, charge $250 an hour and know that your clients will do as you say, or buy what you have provided because they don’t want to waste their hard earned money. So today’s message is: Do not live in fear of judgement if you charge for what you are QUALIFIED to do. Know that your livelihood is JUST AS important as your clients’. Do not go into guilt. Do not go into giving mode and not be ok with receiving. If you loved yourself unconditionally you would not be hyperventilating at the thought of losing a client that will quibble over a price—and I mean quibble, not negotiate, quibble. Do you make people’s lives better or easier or more prosperous while you sit there giving, giving, giving and wondering how you are going to pay your bills? Doesn’t add up, does it? Get yourself under that tree. I think that luscious red five inch satin ribbon matches perfectly. Merry Christmas!

In the Spotlight Showcase Featuring the winners of the Support a WAHP, 2011 Top WAHP Awards

Business Name: Bibska Bibs

Website URL: www.bibska.com.au

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/bibska

Email Address: sales@bibska.com.au

Location: Queensland

www.supportawahp.com

part of setting up for me. I thought if I combined the two words bib and scarf I might find something catchy and ended up with Bibska

What made you want to begin a WAH business and how did you get started? I desperately wanted to stay at home with the kids and knew I couldn’t do that working outside the home. Getting started was the easy part. Looking back, I just made a plan and did it without questioning or second guessing myself at every step.

are familiar to them and people are more likely to purchase. Word of mouth, though, has to be my best form of advertising. If consumers are happy with your product, it’s function and the service— especially if they have questions or have needed assistance along the way— and you have helped, they will promote your products for you wholeheartedly. For me that includes my retailers and the customers.

What motivates you to keep your business going? Tell us a little about the person behind the business? My name is Belinda. I’m a mum of three and I’m married to a great guy. I love to work for myself and have had three businesses along the way. Two bricks and mortar and I’m now giving wholesaling my full attention with Bibska Bibs. I love to travel and have lived in both Australia and New Zealand (which makes cheering on some sporting events hard!)

And now a little about the business itself? Bibska Bibs first started in small town New Zealand. I designed a bib when I needed to keep my very dribbly son’s clothes dry during the winter. They lasted so well I saved those original bibs for my daughter to use. While out shopping people would stop and say how cute their little bandanas were not even knowing that they were actually bibs and usually soaked in drool and baby biscuit! The business has been up and running for just over a year and has aproximately 90 outlets across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore stocking the Bibska brand

How did you come up with your business name? It took months; it was the hardest

The thrill of knowing my design is being used and loved by mums and babies everywhere. It’s a heart stopping moment everytime you randomly see a baby while out and about wearing your product! My family is my other main motivation, being a role model for my kids is very important. Showing them that anything is possible with hard work and commitment.

Do you have a current bestselling product or service? The dribble bib is our top seller as it works so well catching the stream of dribble in the folds of material, making it absorb into the bottom layers, stopping it from rolling down off the bib and onto the clothes. It also keeps babies looking great complimenting their clothing instead of covering their cute outfits.

How do you advertise your business and which methods have proven more successful? At the start, I found attending baby and childrens markets to get my logo and brand out there right at my target market was very effective. I’e always believed running print ads makes your brand desirable, so when people see your products in stores they

How do you juggle your family and your WAH business? Any tips for other WAHP’s? Honestly, some days I run to a plan and other days the plan goes out the window. With kids it’s unpredictable and you do what you can when you can. My tip is never let a bad day turn into a bad week, take each day as it comes. And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a WAH business? After you’ve done your research and planning, JUST DO IT. Don’t look back and don’t second guess anything. You can waste a lot of time and overwhelm yourself sweating the small stuff.

Business Name: Baby Feet Designs

Website URL: babyfeetdesigns.webs.com/

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/ babyfeetdesigns

Email Address: babyfeet@bigpond.com

Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Tell us a little about the person behind the business? Hi my name is Mandy. I am 45 years old, a wife to Karl and mum to two gorgeous children—Emma, who is nearly 17 and Matthew who will be 14 at the end of the year. Karl and I have been married for 21 years. We moved to the Gold Coast from Auckland back in April 2009 after Karl was transferred for work. 16

And now a little about the business itself? Baby Feet Designs makes a variety of products for daycare centres and kndys as well individual personalised products for the special people in your world. We also make fabric balloon balls, fabric yoyos, tee pee and cubby table houses.

How did you come up with your business name? I played around with a number of names and asked my daughter to brain storm as well and she came up with three names of which Baby Feet Designs was one. I felt that the name “Baby Feet Designs” covered everything that I wanted to be selling in the years to come.

What made you want to begin a WAH business and how did you get started? I have had a love of sewing since I was a child. My grandma was a fantastic seamstress. For years, my ultimate dream was to spend my days running my own business and to make sewing a part of that. After moving to the Gold Coast from Auckland back in 2009, I needed to find a job/role that I could do around organising two busy teenagers. My first “order” landed in my lap by accident and the rest, as they say, is history. I then gained confidence, sent out a pile of emails, and orders from daycare centres starting rolling in.

www.supportawahp.com

What motivates you to keep your business going? I love working at home. I love sewing and I love brain-storming for new ideas. I also get motivated when I have return customers. That beats any product review. My next motivation is markets and I have a couple coming up in future months.

Do you have a current bestselling product or service? My Fabric Balloon Balls are really popular at the moment. I seem to be selling them just about as fast as hubby can cut them out and I can sew them together.

How do you advertise your business and which methods have proven more successful? Mostly via Facebook and Word of Mouth for the marjority of my products. The daycare products sell via emails that I periodically send out to daycare centres/ kindies. Facebook, though, is a fantastic forum for advertising at the moment.

How do you juggle your family and your WAH business? Any tips for other WAHP’s? It is like juggling six balls in the air at once. I get alot of sewing done when the kids are at school and then do more after dinner, depending on workload and other commitments. Housework sometimes slips and hubby steps in and does some but I am the chief cook.

Tips to other WAHPs Remeber that you are only one person and you can only achieve a certain amount. Be organised. Do a menu planner at the beginning of the week so you know what meat etc you need to get in the weekly shop.

And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a WAH business? If you choose something that you are passionate about, you will be more inclined to work at it and make it work. Try and befriend a fellow WAHP and be mentored. Their support sometimes (on your down days) can make or break you. It isnt always easy but stick with it. Good Luck!

Note: Unfortunately Christina Ware from WAHM Advertising That Works did not send us an interview. Should she send it through after publishing of this magazine, we’ll post it on the Support a WAHP website.

Business Name: SiSO IT

Website URL: www.SiSOiT.com.au

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/SiSOiT

Twitter URL: twitter.com/sisoit

Email Address: sales@sisoit.com.au

Location: Tweed Heads

www.supportawahp.com

Tell us a little about the person behind the business? I am an ambitious 17 year old guy who, unlike most teenagers, is focused on business. From a very young age I could see myself running my own company. At age six I wanted to build what I called a charity. It was going to be a six story high building, with comfortable beds for homeless people, and a yummy food court downstairs. I was going to have a helicopter buzzing around the city, rounding up the homeless – a bus just didn’t seem as cool! This was such a cool plan, how it was going to be funded didn’t matter. I was just going to make it happen. As I aged and matured, the idea seemed a little ridiculous without money! So Alexander Enterprises started. I mowed lawns (except Mum’s) for $5 and donated $1 to the school Tanzania fund from every lawn I mowed. I then started to wash cars. It soon occurred to me I needed help, so I enlisted my brother to help and gave him $1 per job. He thought I was ripping him off because I got $3 for watching him work. I loved doing this but we then moved overseas. When we returned, SiSO iT was created. Initially it was nothing like the current business. I sold products, drove Mum crazy with my ideas and using her download space in a day. Adults seemed to admire what I was doing. I was able to help them do what they couldn’t do on their computers, which is how my concepts changed. I get a huge kick out of helping causes by donating my time to design websites or logos, in some cases by offering free web hosting. I still hold my childhood dream, but I have a plan now.

And now a little about the business itself? SiSO iT started in 2009 as a one man show. By mid 2010 we

changed to a one-stop shop for business solutions offering graphic design and web design. At the end of 2010 I expanded and brought in a web designer with 15 years experience and a graphic designer with 11 years experience. In 2011 we were able to diversify more and released more business services to include toll free numbers, web hosting, domain names, a virtual receptionist and assistant, telemarketing and printing. We now have 20 employees working in SiSO iT, however I’m still home-based. Our call centre operates 24/7, answering calls in Australia, UK, America and New Zealand.

How did you come up with your business name? There is a story behind the naming of SiSO iT. When I first started, I called it Sales in Space Online, selling electronics and $2 products to my friends. My uncle asked me to make a quick website for him, so I did. He said I should do web design. I liked the name Sales in Space Online, but it didn’t apply to web design so I changed it to SiSO iT.

What made you want to begin a WAH business and how did you get started? SiSO iT started on a capital of $62. That was enough to setup our domain name and hosting. Now two years later, we have a great work at home business model for our staff (and myself), and I personally love the freedom of working at home, the low overhead costs, and being able to see my family. I feel working at home gives me the confidence and ability to do my best as I’m in an environment that I’m comfortable in.

What motivates you to keep your business going? Clients. I love all of my clients, and I do my best to personally contact each and every one of them. As customer service is what I’m best at doing, I handle all incoming calls for SiSO iT.

I love it when a client comes to us with a dream and we turn it into reality for them.

Do you have a current bestselling product or service? Our best-selling products tie between web hosting and logo design. Both are very affordable, yet the highest in quality!

How do you advertise your business and which methods have proven more successful? 95% of our business is driven from referrals. I find that the best method of advertising. We have also found telemarketing to be very successful.

How do you juggle your family and your WAH business? Any tips for other WAHP’s? When I first started, I put in 16 hour days, but I’ve had to discipline myself to a degree where after 5pm I need to take a break and spend time with my family, but often find myself back on the computer by 7pm checking in with clients or working on projects.

And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a WAH business? Starting a business is incredibly difficult, especially if you’re going online. Sure you have an idea, but you need to surround yourself with those that can implement the idea. Even if it’s someone from your family, or a friend. You need to bounce your ideas off somebody else.

Do you offer any discounts to Support a WAHP fans? When you signup for web hosting, we’ll give you a 20% discount when you type in the promo code “supportawahp” OR when you hire us for 5 or more hours of telemarketing, we’ll give you 2 hours extra, FREE. OR when you mention Support a WAHP, we will do your logo design for just $35!

www.supportawahp.com

What made you want to begin a WAH business and how did you get started? When my husband and I decided to have our baby, we both agreed that we didnt want to have to put him in any kind of care, so I began looking for work that I could do at home.

Business Name: Lulu’s Cupcakes and Novelty Cakes

Website URL: www.luluscupcakes.com.au

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/pages/ Lulus-Cupcakes/348461811108

Email Address: cheryl@luluscupcakes.com.au

Location: Reynella, South Australia

Tell us a little about the person behind the business? Hi, my name is Cheryl and I am mother to a beautiful little boy who is just about to turn six! I have a wonderful husband and two step children who are all grown up. I love the artistic side of cake decorating and am always happy to take on a challenge!

And now a little about the business itself? Lulu’s Cupcakes and Novelty Cakes began as just Lulu’s Cupcakes. I have been fortunate enough to take over the business earlier this year and it became Lulu’s Cupcakes and Novelty Cakes. I specialise in novelty cakes and cupcakes for any event.

How did you come up with your business name? Lulu’s name originated from the nickname of the original owner. I still get called Lulu by customers who dont know me! Quite funny really!

I have always loved doing birthday cakes for my family, but when I started doing it for others, I realised that was where my passion lay. I could have my cake and eat it too (sorry, bad pun!). We are very happy to say that we have never had to put our boy in any type of care.

What motivates you to keep your business going? My love for cake decorating keeps me going! I love the challenges and I also love the artistic freedom that people give me when ordering my cakes. Every time I want to help at school, or if my son is sick etc, I feel so grateful and lucky that because I work from home, I am flexible enough to work around it.

my products via the photo albums, and also allows them to get a quick response from any questions they may have.

How do you juggle your family and your WAH business? Any tips for other WAHP’s? Wow... this can really be hard sometimes. My son always has to come first. I am so lucky that he and my husband are supportive of what I do. They are my biggest critics too!! I try very hard to do most of my work while my son is at school; this leaves me with a few precious hours after school to spend with him and my hubby. This is great in theory, but doesnt always work. I would recommend being super organised (easier said than done!) because it can be very hard when the hours fly by and you haven’t done everything, and working from home, there is always something that needs doing as well as your WAH job!

Do you have a current bestselling product or service? Hmmmm, best selling cupcake is my Molten Mars Mud. This is a yummy choc mud cake with molten caramel in the centre, topped with chocolate buttercream and a slice of Mars bar! (Editor: OMGoodness!) As for best selling cake, that would either be the Buzz Lightyear cake or anything to do with Giggle and Hoot!!!

How do you advertise your business and which methods have proven more successful? I have a web page that should be up and running within a week or so, but I find that my best form of advertising is either word of mouth or Facebook! Facebook is such a wonderful medium for a business. It allows people to see

And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to start a WAH business? Prioritise your life. Work out what is the most important thing and why you are wanting to work from home. Then make sure you get yourself as organised as possible. Even preparing dinner during the day, so that when the kids come home from school, you are not in the kitchen missing out on that precious time!

Pure Earth Noosa Your one stop eco shop for...

BPA Free Bottles & Accessories

Luxurious Bamboo Bath towels & Socks

Soothing organic wheat bags

Organic Skincare & Babycare

20% OFF STOREWIDE sale on now! CODE: “20SALE” PLUS Lay-By welcome & receive a FREE Goodie Bag with every purchase?

ECO Christmas Cards & more!

See our huge range at

www.pureearthnoosa.com.au

www.supportawahp.com

Dive in to one of our workshops Home Based Business Planning Workshop Book Cas to run this hands-on one day home based business planning workshop. By the end of this workshop you will walk out the door with a draft business plan which you can take home, flesh out and refine and useable business branding, marketing and social media management ideas. A minimum of 10 people is needed to run this workshop. This is a no-hype, practical workshop which will empower you to:

With 20 years experience in marketing, communication, publishing and graphic design, Diving In Author and Support a WAHP’s Managing Director Cas McCullough is passionate about empowering other WAHPs to dive in and achieve their business and lifestyle dreams.

•

define your business and lifestyle goals and values,

•

set achievable and measurable objectives and strategies,

•

workshop branding and marketing ideas,

•

productively engage with your social media and real life community.

Small Business Social Media Marketing Workshop Cas has teamed up with Amanda Foy from Foyster’s Communication to run a hands-on one day social media marketing workshop for small business. A minimum of 20 people is needed to run this workshop.

WAHP Retreats If a day is not enough and you want to immerse yourself in useable, valuable information and mentoring in an intensive timeframe, how about hosting a weekend retreat where we bring both workshops to you!

Host a Workshop in Your Area. We Travel! We come to you! You organise the venue, accommodation (in the case of the retreat) and catering with our support and we show up and run the workshops. As a thank you for hosting, you attend the workshops or retreat for free.

For further information email cas@supportawahp.com. “The driving force behind the social media revolution in Ipswich is Top of Town business Foysters Communications.” Queensland Times. Amanda Foy has 22 years in domestic and international corporate work life specialising in mass communications and event management. With extensive experience in a huge array of industries including manufacturing, retail, advertising and marketing, Amanda brings her unique “fresh set of eyes” to every business she works with. She is passionate about empowering small businesses to achieve success and dive in to social media.

www.supportawahp.com.au

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!