Summer is typically a time to relax, unwind and refresh your mind.  The kids are out of school and all you want to do is play outside at the beach with them.  (Well, maybe just outside…there’s no water in sight here in far West Texas!) 

But when you own your own business, you are never really on a true vacation.  You are always thinking about ways to improve your business, you brainstorm about your next product launch, marketing strategy, etc.  Whether you are a virtual assistant (or an aspiring one), a direct sales consultant, internet marketer or online business owner – you can benefit from continuing education. 

Whether you are the one actually “doing” the tasks, or you outsource it, you at least have to know “what” it is to ensure you are getting the best benefit for your business.  How else can you measure the results?

I just received this very important 18-minute video for you from Craig Cannings at VAClassroom entitled: “Ten Ways to Create Ten Income Building Opportunities for Your Virtual Business in 2010″.  Even though this video is geared toward helping Virtual Assistants build their business, it can really help any online business owner.  Craig consistently delivers high quality and relevent content and you can honestly benefit from taking any of their courses.  VAClassroom’s fresh approach to providing training exactly when it’s needed has helped several business owners take their businesses to new heights – as soon as they implement what they’ve learned.  Whether they have completed the course yet or not! 

This video will give you some keen insights and ideas on how to expand your skills and the services virtual assistants  are currently offering in their business. Plus, it will also give you a nice preview on the types of skills that will be covered in the upcoming VAClassroom Summer Skill Camp starting on July 6!

Check out the 18-minute video here:

VAClassroom Summer Skill Camp starts July 6. Click here to get more details and
check out the early-bird registration special.  I’ve already signed up for camp – won’t you join me?

VAClassroom.com/summer-skill-camp-2010

I hope everyone in the US is enjoying this holiday weekend! So sorry I am posting on a holiday weekend, but this offer is time sensitive and I wanted to share.

If you have been looking for a unique home business opportunity – I have something special to share with you. Visalus is a hugely successful business in the weight management and weight loss industry. They have a fabulous compensation plan for distributors (including a new BMW), cash incentives and a great customer plan to earn FREE product.

BUT, as a special offer until Monday, May 31 ONLY – you can start your business ahead of the pack. I have partnered with a successful internet marketer who has made an unbelievable special offer to get your business started online.

For all new consultants that join me by 5/31/10, they get the following at NO EXTRA CHARGE:

* Body By Vi Blog Hub Set Up with autoresponder integration, banners & syndication.

* Capture Page Creation

* Autoresponder integration & followup series ~ pre-written & set up for you

* Social Media Profiles Set Up & linked to your blog + capture page

* Facebook Body By Vi Fan Page

* Body By Vi Applications installed on your new Facebook Profile

This means a fully integrated ONLINE business to generate leads, prospects, customers and distributors DONE FOR YOU! This is a huge incentive and one that I have never seen before. The value to have this set up for you is over $3000 – plus the time and energy to LEARN how to do this.

As work at home moms, how many of us have wanted to learn to do these things, but don’t have the time? Now, there are no excuses… this is done for you! This is an opportunity to make money, build a residual income and if you need to, lose weight in the process.

If you are interested in this opportunity,  please contact me ASAP so I can give you more details and share the amazing compensation plan with you. Or if you are interested in the product – please contact me too. I have a special offer for customers as well.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE – all these offers are available only through me, so I have to get you set up. Please make sure to contact me if you are interested to ensure you get all the special offers listed here.

Best wishes for a great weekend and Happy Memorial Day to all our military families, spouses and friends. Thank you for your service!

Ivette

Email me directly at ivettemuller {at} aol {dot} com

P.S.  If you have visited my blog before, you know that I do not believe in any “get rich quick schemes” and would never promote that.  This is a business opportunity and you will have to work and grow your business.  The main difference with this offer is that you get a fully integrated online business to help you get leads.  You’ll still have to follow up with the leads to earn money.  I just wanted to make this clarification to ensure you understand that this in no way implies immediate success – it just gives you a head start!  You will still need to grow your business.

Carla Young, Founder and CEO of MOMeo Community shares her story of WHY she started a work at home business!

by Carla Young, Guest Post

The short answer is “Because…”: Why I started a work-at-home business!

At cocktail parties (not that we get out much after becoming parents), people ask me what I do and I explain, “I work from home doing what I love and raising my daughter.”

I know I’m talking to a corporate captive when this answer gets the scrunched up face and the quizzical look that implies they think it’s a cover story for watching Oprah all day. Then they think about it and say something like, “I could never work from home. I would go crazy!” I take that to mean they spend most of their days socializing with coworkers and not actually doing any work (studies support me in this belief).

The polite ones usually ask why I decided to do that – why take on the challenge of working from home AND raising a child. And thinking about it I realized that it seems kind of crazy. Both are more than full-time occupations and I’ve signed myself up for two!

The short answer is “Because…”

Because I get to take my morning coffee breaks with a spirited child who in the blink of an eye went from a wiggly baby to a busy 5-year-old. Because even when my daughter is with her nanny, I can hear the sound of laughter from my office. Because when it’s nice out, I can play hooky and go to the paddling pool.

Because I want my child to grow up on home-cooked meals made with lots of love just the way she likes it. Because I want to teach her how to cook from scratch the way my mother and aunts did for me, not reheat grayish goop from a can.

Because I want to raise my daughter to believe that anything is possible by showing her by example. Because I want her to create her own universe without fear or self-doubt. It’s not enough to give the valiant speeches anymore – kids need to see it.

Because I want her to know that even as she heads out into this big world, that she has me there as her backstop, the way she does today when a boo-boo sends her rushing into my office for a cuddle and a band aid treatment the way only Doctor Mommy can do it.

So yes, sometimes it means I need to work late at night to catch-up on the work that didn’t happen during playtime. Yes, sometimes the laundry sits in the dryer so long that it’s just easier to wash it again. Yes, sometimes I feel like a zombie because the one morning I have to get up early to give a speech is the morning after the night my daughter has a bad sleep.

But it’s worth it. Why? Because…

Interested in starting a work-at-home business? Check out the MOMeo Magazine Business in a Box Special Edition -  www.momeostore.com/businessinabox! It’s FULL of insightful how-to articles and practical tips for starting your own business, including 141 Mom-Friendly Business Ideas! And it’s FREE – RIGHT NOW!

Carla Young is the Founder & CEO of MOMeo Community.com and Publisher of MOMeo Magazine.com www.momeostore.com/businessinabox. She’s dedicated to supporting mom entrepreneurs (or mom entrepreneurs-to-be) build work-at-home lifestyle businesses and succeed on THEIR terms at work, at home and in finding a little playtime for mommy!

To tell you the truth, I have been putting off this post all week.

Why?

Because I was afraid, well – still afraid that you would think that I was posting a “fake” business opportunity.  I know what it’s like to be looking for a home based business opportunity, and I know there’s a lot of crap out there.

The internet is filled with empty promises of big bucks, easy money and unrealistic expectations. I promise, this isn’t one of them.

One of my commitments to you is that I will only recommend and post LEGITIMATE home based business opportunities.  I would never promote anything I knew wasn’t a true opportunity.  Trust me, I’ve been burned before too, so I would never do that to you.

Now that you understand where I’m coming from, I want to introduce you to Main Street Marking Machine.  This is basically a business in a box, offered by Traffic Geyser.  Traffic Geyser is one of the most powerful tools that an online marketer can have.

Without going into a ton of detail, Traffic Geyser helps you mass distribute your content to multiple sites so that you can promote your products, videos, services, articles, podcasts and blogs quickly.  I have used Traffic Geyser and even took a course to become a Traffic Geyser certified VA.  I know what this system can do.

Now, Traffic Geyser is offering a business in a box called Main Street Marketing Machine.  It’s a business in a box because you get EVERYTHING you  need to start a legitimate local online marketing business.  You get the Traffic Geyser system for a full year, access to the Main Street Marketing University to get all the online marketing education you need, plus resources like a SlideShow Video Creator, royalty free music for videos, business contracts, opportunity finder to help you find clients, and even sample marketing materials.

I can’t tell you enough about this business opportunity — it’s best for you to watch the video www.MainStreetMarketingMachine.wahmbahm.com .

Now, let me very clear:

1. This is not a get rich quick scheme – you and I know they don’t exist.
2. You have to review the training and put the effort into the business.  You can’t just buy this opportunity and expect it to work.
3. You can do this business part time or full time.  Whether you need to earn a few extra $100 a month or more, you can do this business.

This business can be done anywhere in the world by anyone.  You don’t have to know anything about local online marketing now to make this a success – remember, you will be given all the tools you need.

Did you know that small local businesses account for about $7 in Gross Domestic Product sales in the United States alone?  That’s just the United States!  Plus, local business owners know they need to use the power of the internet to get more customers.  The challenge for them is that they don’t know how.  With Main Street Marketing Machine, you can provide the marketing services they need and want.

You probably already have an idea of which local businesses could use these services.  Doctors, lawyers, hair salons, auto repair shops, chiropractors, restaurants, mom and pop grocery stores…the list goes on and on.  Wouldn’t you like to help them get more business and help your community thrive?  Think about it, the more business they get, the more  job opportunities will be available because they’ll need to hire for all their new business!

There is an investment – afterall, you are starting a business.  Whenever you start a business, there are always upfront costs you have to pay.  But one of the big differences with this business opportunity is that you are given PROVEN techniques and ideas to make the business successful.  You just have to put in the work.

If you have been looking for a home based business opportunity, you need to check this out.  This opportunity could be the best thing for you and your family.  Think about what an extra few $100 a month could do for you.

www.MainStreetMarketingMachine.wahmbahm.com

P.S. VERY IMPORTANT – you have to watch this video now.  This offer ends Friday, April 30.  After that, the price will more than likely triple.  If you have any interest at all, look at the video to see what they have to offer.

If you watch the video, please let me know what you think!

Thirty One is a direct sales company that offers high quality bags, stationery and accessories for very reasonable prices.  You can even customize your bag with an embroidered message, initials or phrase.

I just love the Thirty One products to use and promote my SendOutCards business.  Even though you cannot personalize a bag with a trademarked name without explicit permission, you can get creative! 

The Cindy Tote is a HUGE bag!  It makes a great diaper bag – but it also makes a great laptop case too.  One of the samples in the catalog even has the Cindy Tote embroidered with the phrase, “Mobile Office.”  I LOVE that too.

Besides being a great vehicle to advertise your business, it’s also a great way to add a personal touch and style to your handbags.  They are very high quality bags and again, very reasonably prices.  I own a couple of Vera Bradley purses and love the brand, but Thirty One has really caught my eye for the styles, quality and price!

Their commitment to great quality bags at reasonable prices, really extends to their business opportunity too.  It only costs $99 to start a Thirty One business.  The $99 investment gives you all the tools you need to start your business.  You’ll receive over $300 in products, and all the paperwork, training and company support.

Phyllis O’Neill, Senior Director with Thirty One has been helping women start their own home based business for over a year.  She’s committed to helping her team succeed with whatever their goals are.

Thirty One was founded in 2003 by Cindy Monroe.  The company has grown over 200% in the last year, and is still a ground floor opportunity.

Thirty One Gifts has a great customer special this month: Spend just $31 and you can purchase the Organizing Shoulder Bag for 1/2 off which is only $19.

If you’d like to see the Thirty-One catalog, go to www.thirtyonegifts.com. Then click on the “Shop Now” button.

If you’d like more information about starting your own Thirty-One business, contact Phyllis O’Neill at www.ThirtyOneWAHM.com.

Here are some more pictures of some personalized bags for my Mamavation Sisters .  These Thermal Totes are only $14  (without personalization)!

What exactly IS a virtual event?

A virtual event is an event, like a conference, that is broadcast via live video, shared computer screen presentation, radio, podcast, etc.  The event is held live somewhere in the world, but, you don’t need to travel to attend.  Virtual events are typically recorded, so that you can access the material at any time if you aren’t able to attend live. 

There are many benefits to virtual events such as cost savings (no need to travel), accessbility (attend the event when the time is right for you), world-wide audience, permanent access to the event, and so much more. 

 I am not sure if you were aware but the Virtual Event Industry is actually one of those markets that has GROWN in leaps and bounds during this economic downturn. 67% of professionals responsible for physical events report that overall attendance has dropped, and 76% of businesses say have already begun using or plan to start using Virtual Events in 2009. In fact, 70% of Corporate Event Organizers predict a reduction in live events in 2010, and forecast major growth in virtual conferences and webinars.

There is no better time than now to position yourself as a Virtual Event Specialist!  If you are a virtual assistant looking to grow your business, or maybe you’ve been thinking about becoming a virtual assistant, this could be the niche for you! The popular training center, VAClassroom.com has just unveiled the Virtual Event Specialist Self Study Certification Program. VAClassroom has a knack for providing the right niche training opportunities at the right time.

This self study training program will cover the key set-up, implementation and management activities for the 5 most popular virtual events in 2010, including tele-events, webinars, live podcasts, online radio and webTV.  Just click on the below link to get all the course details and enroll today:  vaclassroom.com/virtual-events-specialist.  Plus, you’ll also get the Camtasia Mini-Course as a bonus (if you signup for the course by March 1, 2010)!  Camtasia is one of the best tools on the market today to created, edit and publish videos.

When this course was originally released at the end of 2009, I did not sign up because I didn’t think I needed to learn about virtual events.  I wasn’t planning to offer it as a service in my marketing virtual assistance business.  I was short-sighted.  Within a few weeks of the launch of that course, I found myself in a unique predicament.  I needed to learn how to host a teleseminar for my SendOutCards business.  EEK!

Needless to say, I fumbled through the entire thing.  And, I’m sure I could have done it more effeciently and effectively.  I also just completed VAClassroom’s Traffic Geyser Certification course and again, I really could have used the virtual events training since we needed to create videos for our final assignment.

As always, VAClassroom offers courses that help virtual assistants increase their earning potential, BUT, this course is for anyone who needs to learn how to host a virtual event.  This course is also great for direct sellers who want to use the power of the internet to get more customers and potential recruits.  The virtual events specialist course will not only teach you how to set up and manage a virtual event, but also gives you tips on how to maximize your event. 

We’ve all got the same 24 hours in a day.  Our challenge, regardless of what business we are in, is to maximize those 24 hours. By learning how to set up, create and host a virtual event, you’ll be able to repurpose that material into many other things.  For example, once your virtual event is recorded, you can have it transcribed and use those notes to create future blog posts, articles, tweets, an eBook, and so much more.

As soon as I’m done with VAClassroom’s new Social Media Certification Course updated for 2010, I will be taking the Virtual Events Specialist course. 

I encourage you to at least check out the course details to see if you can benefit from it.  The special bundle with the Camtasia mini-course will not last for long.  (Remember, it expires March 1, 2010.) That’s an additional savings rather than signing up for that class separately. 

So, who’s going to join me in this course? vaclassroom.com/virtual-events-specialist

P.S.  Here’s a video from the co-founder of VAClassroom, Craig Cannings, on the Top 5 Reasons Virtual Events are so popular.  It’s a quick video, but really gives you an idea of the potential for this specialty!

Have you ever thought, you’d enjoy making logos? Or maybe some nice greeting card designs? Even some clever advertisements?

You can actually create a work at home career for yourself as a graphic designer. There are so many avenues for this that you could really diversify your interests. Your ability is really only limited by your imagination, and of course your graphic design skills.

There are a few areas of graphic design that I see a constant need for:

1. E-Cover creation:  creating the visual representation for ebooks and products like training, MP3 downloads, workbooks.  etc.
2. Advertisements: ads for services, products and teleseminars
3. Logo design
4. Website header design

Most of the postings that I seen have been on  HireMyMom and individual postings through some of the Virtual Assistant forums I belong to.  The pay ranges anywhere from $25 per design to up to $100 or more for a website header.  There are several people who are working in this industry and there are varying degrees of talents.  The more established and extensive someone’s portfolio is, the higher their rate. 

If you’d like to pursue a career as a graphic designer or even a graphic design virtual assistant, here are a few things you will most certainly need:

• Website – critical to showcase your work and list of services and rates.  Without this, it will be challenging to find work or even submit proposals.
• Photoshop CS2 or above – now there are other software available, but most people are familiar with the capabilities of Photoshop and want their projects rendered with that software.  Photoshop can be expensive, but you can find some older versions for sale at a reasonable price, or if you have children of school age, your family may qualify for Adobe’s education discount of up to 80% off.  Definitely worth looking into! 
• eCover software – this type of software is used to create the visuals for e-products.  The best software I have seen is Cover Action Pro.  I have even thought of purchasing this software for personal use!  Cover Action Pro requires Adobe Photoshop CS2 or higher, but it is very easy to use.  I tried a friend’s version and I was impressed. 

If graphic design is something you are interested in, you can do further research on the software available.  There are also several websites that offer free tutorials on how to use the various software options, such as Photoshop.

Do you have any other resources for aspiring graphic designers or graphic design virtual assistants?

This is a great article about the benefits of starting a home-based business in direct sales!  Ivette

by Shelly Hill

When it comes to working from home, often times you will find people looking into a business with a Direct Sales Company. If you are like me, you have tried working out in the corporate and/or retail world…but found that it doesn’t suit you or your family’s needs.

Lets take a look at all of the benefits of joining a Direct Sales Company.

1. Be Your Own Boss – As a consultant, you are basically your own boss. You determine how much or how little you want to work. With that being said, you do represent a particular company and will still have to follow their rules and guidelines.

2. Save Money On Childcare – If you are a parent, a lot of times when you work outside your home, 50-75% of your paycheck is spent on daycare expenses.

3. Flexible Working Schedule – You can set up a flexible working schedule to suit your family’s needs. When you need off work for vacation, sick or family time, it’s much easier to do when you work from home.

4. Business Expenses – By joining a Direct Sales company, you will have manageable business expenses such as: adding new products to your demonstration kits and paper business supplies. If you worked outside your home, you would have transportation, clothing, food and other miscellaneous expenses. In my experience, working from home is a lot cheaper than working in the corporate or retail world.

5. Product Inventory – These days, the majority of companies do not require that you stock products in your own home. You can place your customer’s order and have it shipped directly from the company, to your customer’s front door.

6. Business Training – You will find that most companies offer free or very low cost training to their consultants. This training is a valuable business education that you can certainly afford.

7. Company Rewards – Every company has a different way of rewarding it’s sales force members. You are usually rewarded with free products and/or money bonuses when you meet certain sales or team building goals. When doing my research, I saw such things as: trips to tropical destinations, diamond jewelry, electronics and yes…even cars!

8. Little to No Stress – In my personal experience, I find it a lot less stressful to work from home in Direct Sales compared to working out in the corporate world. I don’t have to commute, deal with gossip in the workplace, nor have to meet crunch time deadlines.

If you are looking to work from home, I think you should consider joining a Direct Sales Company. For those of you who have families, this might be your smartest career move as the benefits can make life much easier for you and your family.

Shelly Hill has been successfully working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a manager with Tupperware. Shelly worked in the corporate world for several years before moving into Direct Sales. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com for additional Direct Sales articles and home business tips.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

In this last post of Work at Home Moms Really Exist series, I wanted to mention the the growing niche of Virtual Assistance is taking the online business by storm! Virtual Assistants, or VAs for short, are helping business owners take care of the “tasks” to allow them to get back to their business.  There are many definitions of a virtual assistant, but in a nutshell, a VA is a business professional  that works remotely from their home by using their computer, phone and fax to communicate with their clients.  VA’s are self employed (independent contractors) who provide high quality support to business owners in need.

The skills needed to be a virtual assistant are only limited by your talents.  For example, there are some VA’s who offer traditional office support such as word processing, presentation formatting, customer service and gift purchasing.  But, in today’s fast paced virtual world, there are so many unique niches that provide other opportunities to become a VA.

Examples include:
•    Bookkeeping
•     Blogging
•     Medical transcription
•     Real estate
•     Internet marketing
•     Social media
•    Website maintenance
•    Graphic design
•    Online event coordination

These are just a few of the unique virtual assistance opportunities available.  Some of the most successful VAs are the ones who specialize in a few key services.  This allows them to be more proficient in delivering their services, as well as increase their expertise in the field they’ve chosen.

If you think that virtual assisting might be a career option for you, there are several resources available to help get you started:

•    http://www.vaclassroom.com Offers virtual training in 4 popular niches:  internet marketing, social media marketing, blogging and Facebook Fan Page Creation.  They also offer a virtual assistant forum where you can ask questions, network with other VAs and get answers to questions about everything needed to get started to client relations.
•    http://vanetworking.com One of the best business building resources on the internet and even offer a FREE version of their forum!  They have an interactive forum, weekly seminars and tons of resources to help you build your business.
•    http://www.ivaa.org The best definition of this organization comes directly from their website:     “The International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the professional education and development of members of the Virtual Assistance profession, and to educating the public on the role and function of the Virtual Assistant.”
Hopefully, this 3 part series on being a Work at Home Mom has given you some ideas and resources to beginning a new career. Please leave a comment about this series and if it has been helpful to you.  I would also welcome feedback on any additional resources in the work at home field.

Note:  Article originally written by me and appeared on http://www.busy-mommy.com.  Minor changes have been made to include updated information and links.

Now that the holidays are just around the corner, you might be thinking about earning some extra money.   Here is Part 2 of “Do Work at Home Moms Really Exist?  Yes, it can be a reality!”

This  WAH opportunity is relatively new to me, but one that I have found success with in a short amount of time.   I have found many legitimate work at home opportunities on the website HireMyMom.com.  When you become a member of this website, you will have access to many WAH job opportunities that are not published on other job posting websites.  Typically, other WAHM post job opportunities available because they want to hire someone just like them!  I have been hired for temporary jobs and permanent jobs through this site.  The team at HireMyMom.com does a great job of marketing quality applicants and potential employers.

While there is a fee for the website, I have found that it is quite reasonable compared to other WAH websites.  First of all, there is a lot of quality postings with a wide range of job descriptions.  I’ve seen everything from WAH telemarketers to magazine editors.  Most recently, there are weekly postings for people with experience in internet marketing, social media networking and marketing, and article writing.

If you are not sure about starting a home-based career,  there are a lot of FREE resources out there to help you get started:

• Home Based Working Moms, http://www.hbwm.com , is part of HBWM.com, Inc. Network and was started by Lesley Pyle.  Her network of helping people run a successful home-based business includes several other websites that offer free tips  and business opportunities to get started.

• The National Association of Home- Based  Business Moms, http://www.nahbm.com, is a great resource to find help on getting a home-based business started, as well as seminars, newsletters and blogs from experts who have built their business from the ground up.

I would love to hear about any other WAHM social networks you know about.  I am always looking to join new forums to get ideas and make new friends.  One thing about working at home is that it can get lonely.  Sometimes, I miss the day-to-day interaction with adults.  But then, one of my girls gives me a beautiful smile or a kiss, and I know this is right where I am supposed to be.

Note:  Article originally written by me and appeared on http://www.busy-mommy.com.  Minor changes have been made to include updated information and links.