Special Challenges for the Single Work at Home Mom
February 1, 2008
I received a new question from single mom Sheila:
I just want to say that I enjoy WAHM Talk Radio and the Mom’s Morning Show. My question is about starting a business when you are a single mom. I am a single mom with not enough income to make the bills. I have come
to realize with the help from my dad that the only way that I’m going to get ahead of the money game is to build up my business. I just can’t seem to find the resources for a single mom starting the business. I know that there are single WAHMs but how did you start and is there a site with other single WAHM for resources?I have a bacholers in graphic design, I just don’t know were to start. Thank you for your time.
- Sheila
From one Single Mom to another - I agree that starting your own business is a great way to develop extra income and build the future you hope for. (I don’t know about you… I’d love to find a great man someday - but I’m not holding my breath so that means I’m working out my future financial security on my own!)
We do face special challenges when compared to other moms who want to build a full time home based income.
- We have to have an income NOW and there’s no hubby in the household to cover the mortgage while we get things rolling so that means working full time while starting a business.
- Unless there is an equal custody arrangement, we are also providing the lion’s share of child care.
Beyond these two hurdles, the challenges we face are pretty much common to the wider WAHM experience. Married or Single, budgets are tight, start up money is scarce, skills vary and learning curves loom large.
With that in mind, while I do think it’s a blessing to find other Single WAHMs to share stories and encouragement with - I think that for the most part, you’ll do best to simply dive into the WAHM community and learn everything you can from successful moms, married or single.
I’ll specifically invite you to join us for a 7 Day Preview over at Mom Masterminds.
Let me encourage you straight away and tell you about a few fab single moms who are making it as full time work at home moms:
- Tishia Lee, Tishia Saves Time
- Lynn Terry, ClickNewz
- Angela Wills, Star VA
Add your name and link to the comment area if you’re a full time Single Work at Home Mom…
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Hi Sheila,
Kelly is right, dive right in and take some time learning your options. With your expertise in graphic design, there are plenty I am sure!
All the best,
Lynn Terry
Ahem. :-)
I’m not a single WAHM, but I applaud you for your efforts. :-)
I think any of them ladies that Kelly mentioned would be great contacts, including Carrie, who posted above.
Until you’re able to come home and work full-time, I suggest you plug in here at Internet Based Mom - make sure you go to the forum - and learn from all of the people online here. They’re a wonderful group for support and a swift kick in the butt, if that’s what you need.
Thank you so much for the perspective and all the comments. It helps a lot.
Sheila
Hi Sheila,
I’m a single full time work at home mom. I’m also a graphic designer. :)
It’s hard, but it can be done. I’m not sure I’m the best person to ask how and where I started because I just up and quit and started. LOL So, it was really rough the first 6 months with little to no income.
Feel free to email me if you need some support or a shoulder to lean on. I have a yahoo group that’s specifically for single work at home moms. It’s not very active right now, but I’d love to have you join us. While we are a quiet bunch, you can usually bet that if somebody has a problem or a question, it livens up. :)
Feel free to send me an email and I’ll send you an invite.
shannon @ singlewahm .com
Hi - I just saw this post.
I’m a single mom and earn my living online as a WAHM.
I have a very successful Sunrider Chinese Nutritional Herbs business at http://www.diana2.com as well as my growing business at http://www.thecravingscoach.com and my ebook at http://www.cravingsecrets.com
Kelly has been, and continues to be, very instrumental in my online success. Joining Mom Masterminds was the biggest turning point for me in my online business success.
And, now, I am launching my Podcast in early April, thanks to Kelly’s inspiration and coaching and help.
It’s fun to see the other single Moms here who are successfully earning money online, and those who are in the process of doing so.
Diana Walker, Cravings Coach
Thanks for the shout out Kelly. I just saw this post.
I don’t remember now who said to take some time learning things but I totally agree with them. It was easy for me to leave my J-O-B and jump right into a home business because I was only working 16 hours a week. There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to running your own business, etc. Educating yourself is something that you will need to continue to do…even after 2 years of working at home there is so many things I need to continue educating myself with.
I love hearing work at home mom success stories but single moms especially because I’m so passionate about single moms. I wish you the best of luck Sheila and keep plugging away!