Niche Build It - Entrepreneur Success Story

Erin's Entrepreneur Success Story

I'm a WAHM...a Work At Home Mom. And here is My WAHM Story. I used to work outside of the home on occasion too but now I'm a full time WAHM.

When I was younger, I was very work driven. Not necessarily money driven, just a hard worker. Before kids, I had a career I loved (not everyone can say that and mean it!). It wasn't uncommon for me to work 60 hour weeks and I didn't even mind.

I'll admit to being one of those people who don't think too far into the future. I mean why do that when there is so much going on in front of you right now?! But that kind of thinking has gotten me into some challenging situations...like what to do about work after my first child came along.

After our first baby was born I realized that I did not have a solid plan in place for when I would return to work. My husband wanted me to stay home too! I could not imagine staying home all the time...until I looked into that sweet little face. Then I could not imagine ever wanting to leave her. (she's a teen now so that part has changed...JK :)

I was so confused. My job was not one I could return to part time and I certainly didn't want to work 60 hour weeks anymore.

My Crazy Work At Home Ventures

And so began my journey to find something I could do from home...the beginning of My WAHM Story.

First it was doing day care...um, not for me. I loved taking care of our baby but I wasn't meant for day care. Some moms are just better with older kids I guess.

Then it was crafts. I painted and crafted and did shows and such but I could never sell my items for what they would be worth if I counted my time. That was not good!

Next I tried making calls for a charity which paid me not by the phone call, but by the actual pick up of donations. In other words, I made a lot more calls than they made pick ups and it wasn't long before I gave that up.

And so it went with venture after venture, sometimes making money, other times losing money, but I persevered.

Finally...My Own Business

In 1999 I started my own business... residential organizing This suited me well for several years until my referrals began to dry up. At that point I made the decision to try to more aggressively grow my business rather than start something else.

My WAHM Story Continues...

Can You Really Market A Small Business Online?

The only problem was my somewhat dated marketing skills. Thankfully the Internet solved this problem for me as there was an abundance of "marketing your small business" resources there. I researched Web site after Web site and finally decided to market my local organizing service with my own Web site.

One site I researched, Site Build It!, talked about a CTPM Process. The "C" stood for "Content." It explained that people use the internet to find information, solutions. While I already knew this, what I hadn't realized was that the majority of Web sites didn't have much Content. They had...you guessed it, advertising.

Then it went to to say that if you provide a Web site with good Content, soon people will visit your site over others because that's what they want. Information, not advertising. Hmmm, I started thinking. That's what the "T" means...people visiting aka, "Traffic."

I could provide LOTS of Content about organizing homes and maybe this would be a good way to market my business.

I read on. The "P" in CTPM was for "Presell." Uh oh...I don't like to sell. But what did Presell mean? In relation to a Web site, it meant "warming up your visitors" to an idea, product or service by providing helpful information. Kind of like building trust. No selling. Leave that for later after they begin to trust. Now they had my interest.

Finally I read about the "M", "Monetizing" or just plain Money. How does a Web site earn money, income? Well there are a variety of ways to do this I learned. But for my organizing service, that meant providing visitors with enough high value information that they would visit repeatedly, begin to trust me and then make the call for the service.

Sold! This was the way I wanted to market my business.

So off I went, to build my own Web site using the all-in-one site building software program that I read about on the Site Build It! Web site. The CTPM Process just made sense.

What happened after that was amazing. First, I am not technically inclined at all. Yet with Site Build It! I followed along the step by step Guide that comes with it and within a month, I had the beginnings of a Web site for my organizing service! And to think I did it all on my own!

Second, I began to realize the power of the Internet to market even a local business. Third, I discovered that I could earn respectable income FROM my Web site and not just by getting new clients through it. Oh this was getting fun!

An Unexpected Turn Of (Business) Events

In 2006, I stopped taking new clients and am devoting more and more of my time to my Web business. Notice I said "business" not "site." Why? Because that's exactly what happened. I now have an online organizing BUSINESS which earns more income than my offline business did AND I get to be WAHM! Win-Win!

So there you have it, My WAHM Story.

The Internet provides unsurpassed opportunity for WAHMS and those who want to be.

If I can become a WAHM, so can you! If you are already a WAHM and would like to share your story on Niche Build It!, please use the "My WAHM Story" Form below. You can include your name but only your first name and permission to publish it on this site are requested.

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