mydayoff.com.au

Have you got what it takes to work from home?

Don’t start that new business until you check yourself against this! It is the definitive A-Z guide for any Mum starting a new business.

a- Attitude If you haven’t got it, fake it. Attitude is everything. People will believe in the ‘you’ that they see. Just don’t try to be Monroe when you’re more like Bridget Jones.

b- Balance Don’t forget that you will, on occasion, need to feed the kids and possibly yourself. Hunger pangs can be much more urgent than the telephone.

c- Creativity The ability to invent an answer on the spot even if you have no idea what to say. This skill is essential in customer relationship management.

d- Deafness What screaming? If you are working from home let nothing distract you except blood and fire.

e- E-business This is the best way for many of us to do business. It is like having a shop window that your customers can’t see you through. What, no lipstick?

f- Fortune This is something that you either make or lose when you’re in business. You can plan for it either way. Select wisely.

g- Garage For storage or just escape purposes. I find that no one ever looks behind the rubbish bin in my garage. That’s probably because no one ever puts the rubbish out.

h- Housework Don’t do it. You will need something to feel guilty about. That’s what true work/home balance is all about.

i – Image You only have to look the part when you’re in public unless you have the web cam turned on. Oops.

j- Just do it! Need I say more? It works for some companies.

k- Kids Known in business circles as ‘the slaves’. Use them while you can because when they become teenagers they’ll stage a business takeover if it can make them any money.

l – Launch No point starting a business unless you can have a launch party for it. I’ll bring the champagne. I am invited, aren’t I?

m – Mentors A mentor is a person who has proven themselves successful in your area of business and is prepared to show you the way – but if you’re going to walk in their shoes make sure your feet are big enough.

n- Networking Who said that the party had to finish after the launch? Hic!

o- Open desk policy Nothing ever really belongs to the business because it is actually yours, which translates as ‘available to all.’

p- Positivity I’m positive that I left it there…Oh yes, refer to “O’.

q- Questions As a parent you should have this skill down pat. The best way to answer a question is with a question. “Why do you ask that, dear?” “What did I say to you this morning, Junior?” It works well with customers too. “Do you want fries with that?”

r- Research Before you start any enterprise you will need to do some research to make sure that there is a need for your product or service. This is your opportunity to target all the good looking men and this time you’ll have a genuine reason to approach them.

s –Speaking skills You have to at least sound good on the phone. When you get it right save it for future use on your answering machine.

t –Tim Tams (or therapist) You will only need the therapist when the Tim Tams run out.

u- Understanding Forget it! You’ll only get true understanding from another business mum. Don’t forget to share the Tim Tams with her.

v- Virtual Virtual business is the kind of business you will have in the beginning. The profit is there, but it is not quite reality.

w-Website Every real business must have a website even if they don’t know how to use it.. How else can you prove that you’re in business?

x –X spot Forget the G-Spot. Yes, it is still there even though you haven’t seen it since the kids were born. Your new one is called the X-spot and it is located somewhere in your brain. It only kicks in when you have a great business idea but it can give you a better buzz than the G-Spot ever did.

y –Yelling skills Make yourself heard over the kids, dog and Playstation. Who yells, wins.

z – Zzzzzzzzzzz Forget about bed………. The ability to work with your eyes closed or sleep with your eyes open is the sign of a successful business Mum.

If you can do all that then you are powered up and ready to go. Who says we can’t do it all?