Cottage Industry and kids.

[Jilliebean]

I'm interested in starting a cottage industry business at some point in the next couple years. I've been obsessed with this thought as of late. I have a young daughter and I'm not done having children. I was just wondering how many owners have or had young children while starting out their business and what challenges they brought to the table.

I would also like to know, in general, when you "knew" it was time to strike out on your own and how you went about starting that process. Did you leave another job? Do both for a while?

Thanks for the info.
Jill

[zuzus_garden]

Hi Jill,

My kids are grown, but the people I've met who are raising a family while running a cottage business create a work schedule around their family's needs. Most do their production work during their children's naptime, after the children have gone to bed, or while the kids are in school. Some tasks that can be interrupted, like responding to emails or packaging product, can be done while children play nearby.

There are many ways to go about getting started. Most people start out creating something they like, give it as gifts, and are encouraged by family and friends to make more. From that point, you figure things out as you go based on who you are and what you want to achieve.

Zuzu

[Jenny]

Hi Jill:

My child is grown, so I may be all wet, but it seems to me that if you start whilst the children are small then the entire family grows up with a certain understanding of expectations and priorities. (For a child to NOT be the center of the universe is a very good thing.)

The other bonus of working from home is bypassing daycare nightmares. I imagine that in some situations, depending on the business and depending on the mother, some form of day care can range from helpful to essential. This might be on a full time or even an intermittent basis.

With a full-time outside the home job, there is no such flexibility. It was my experience that teenagers require as much, if not more, supervision than very little children. I was more inclined to leave my seven-year-old on his own, less so when he was 17. Eek.

So, there are lots of good family reasons to start your business while your children are small. Work out the details as your lives and circumstances change -- this is a luxury one does not enjoy out there in Full-Time-Job-Land.

Nowe, not that it is any of my business, do you have most of the skills you feel you'd need to run your own business? I have taken a couple of business classes which left a lot to be desired -- but they did help me pinpoint which aspects of business where I was less skilled than others.

The best piece of advice I ever read was the title of a book which went something like Jump in, even if you don't yet know all the answers." Makes a lot of sense.

[Jilliebean]

Very good question about "being prepared". Maybe some constructive criticism is what I need. Here's what I bring to the table:

I've got two degrees in my back pocket, neither of which are business related. One is psychology. The other is social work. What they HAVE given me is a keen sense of the emotional response people have to what they see and hear. I also know how to listen and understand what a customer/client wants. In my work experience, I've been elevated to management positions where I've been responsible for departments, staff, budgets, proposals, and all the other stuff that comes with managing something. My weakness lies in the accounting portion of what would be included in running a business. I think that is what has held me back from jumping in. My passion is anything that helps me create a comfortable environment for myself, my family and friends.

I also think I'd like to have a partner because I work best when I have someone to bounce ideas off of. I also like the idea of having someone to cover for me and to cover for in the event of time off. It makes for a smoother operation if there isn't a lot of down time. I'm also not naive enough to think that one of my girlfriends could fill the position of a partner so I'm in the process of scouting. I research things to death so product or industry knowledge isn't something I would lack.

I thrive on creativity and developing "eye candy" for the consumer. That is what motivates me to buy and what I think would motivate me to maintain a long term commitment to a business. I envy the photographers, designers and staff of CL who make us want to jump right from our lives into the magazine each month.

If you see any big gap in my "resume" here, please let me know. I take to heart any advice I receive.

[zuzus_garden]

Hi Jill,

Have you been to this website? Another Girl At Play (http://another.girlatplay.com/)

Zuzu

[Jilliebean]

Now I have! Thanks. I'll check it out.

[Genuine Bloom]

I don't have children myself, but I have noticed that there are lots of resources on the internet for work at home moms (WAHM's). Articles and forums on both business aspects and also on balancing work with family, and so forth. So if you do decide to do it you can find a lot of support and information online.

I too have my accounting as my greatest weakness. I not too long ago bought an Accounting for Idiot's book and even it seems over my head! :o

But I jumped into doing my business just this month anyway because I just can't not do it. I've been thinking about doing it for so long it has become a need for me to at least give it my best shot. I've really begun to try and own the concept of living life to the fullest and for me a business is part of that.

[Jenny]

Jill:
Do you see yourself creating/offering a product or a service? Your background is more "service" oriented -- but I've never bought into pigeon holing anyone. Just because you've done one thing up till now doesn't mean you aren't meant to do something entirely different. In fact I'm a big fan of people and businesses offering two viable but disparate products or services, i.e., Katie's Bagel Shop and Tap Dance Emporium (ok, I made that up).

The reason I ask, though, is that there are on-line support groups and classes for everything under the sun. One newsletter to which I subscribe offers classes on various ways to promote oneself as an artist. On that same vein, a print on demand publisher offers all sorts of on-line classes for writers. Some of them she teaches and other are led by guest instructors, whom she presumably hires or splits a fee with.

The point is, perhaps you could combine your disciplines and talents -- from a psychological or social work point of view, you could create an on-line newsletter aimed at working mothers -- how to balance work and home, what behaviors to expect from children of a certain age, what behaviors are healthy and which ones spell trouble, -- in additoion, offer on-line classes to tackle a specific issue or hurdle. And in the handy on-line gift shop offer a line of aromatherapy candles, neck massagers, chi-aligning teas and soothing mantra-type tapes.

That's my 2 cents,
Jenny

[Jilliebean]

Jenny - I like where you are going with that. I'll have to give it some more thought. One thing I didn't mention (small but important detail) is that I have 7 years retail experience. My more recent professional experience is service oriented but I do have a product background. One idea I had would incorporate both.

[C'est Chouette]

Jill,
I think accounting would be one of the easiest things to outsource, I actually have my husband handle that part. Being creative for me means messy and disorganized....but a partner who fills that gap would be good. A retail background is great, because you understand what the consumer wants, I sometimes get selfish and make only what I want, but not everyone enjoys the same things. I come from a retail management backgroud also. Selling becomes second nature. My one stumbling block is, I want people to come to me, not for me to market to them.:D

[JahJaw]

I have been kicking around cottage ideas for two yrs now..... I really need an 'at' home job. I hv a teenager and yes I agree that they need more supervision than when they are younger.

I do the floral arrangements and decorations for our church, also decorating at times the retirement community where my parents reside. When I was working full time at an Airline I worked with bridal flowers, veils, bouquets etc for girls because I could see them paying $$$ for a ft by ft peice of tulle for a veil. As I'm not working anymore, it really cut into my exposure. I hv encouragement from all sides, but its like I can't get myself to take that leap? I have background in Interior Design, and past jobs which included purchasing, customer service and am fully prepared in that area....just taking that leap scares the pajeepers out of me.

Am I in the wrong area....or is this where I can get some ideas???? Not been in a message rm in awhile. Thanks......JahJaw

[Jenny]

Hi JahJaw -- this may well be the right place. I know what you mean about taking that leap being scary -- but not taking it is kinda scary too.

I'm learning my business wee baby step by wee baby step. It sounds like you have some exposure to working at home. I guess the thing to do is to sit down and make a list of what you need to do with what ya got and where ya are. Who knows, one thing might well lead to another.

Nice to meet you,
Jenny

[zuzus_garden]

Hi all,

For additional info and insight, you might want to pop on over to Craft Revolution (http://www.craftrevolution.com/magazine/).

The website was started by a group of young, talented and very smart women who are running their own cottage industries and providing articles, business resources, and support to others.

:)

Zuzu

[greenoak]

nowdays about every woman has to work....so i guess you just do the best you can...we were lucky to have a kid friendly schedule at the start of our business.....in my store or at shows i think kids are
really out of place and i feel sorry for them....especially at all day shows where they are supposed to be good behind the table with the selling mom....if they are bad at the store i blame the moms for bringing them and expecting them to be good for an hour or 2.. in a place where they arent supposed to touch anything......
looking back the early years of childhood are over in a flash...
ann

[charlottespears5]

Take a deep breath, say a ferverent prayer and trust God to give you the courage to take that step. It is well worth it, you may get rich at first, but you will be very blessed in knowing that you stepped out and did it. In a few years those sweet young people will be off to college and you will can enjoy your business even more. Call on some of the former brides that you helped and ask them to give you referrals as well as the church minister as he can attest to the quality of work that you have done for the sanctuary. No work is ever done in vain as nothing goes unnoticed by God. He will guide you in your journey.
charlottespears5
www.cozyhomedesigns.com (http://www.cozyhomedesigns.com)

[charlottespears5]

Take a deep breath, say a ferverent prayer and trust God to give you the courage to take that step. It is well worth it, you may get rich at first, but you will be very blessed in knowing that you stepped out and did it. In a few years those sweet young people will be off to college and you will can enjoy your business even more. Call on some of the former brides that you helped and ask them to give you referrals as well as the church minister as he can attest to the quality of work that you have done for the sanctuary. No work is ever done in vain as nothing goes unnoticed by God. He will guide you in your journey.
charlottespears5
www.cozyhomedesigns.com (http://www.cozyhomedesigns.com)
This was intended for JahJaw. I am nee to message boards, can you tell? :o

[talulahskincare]

I think the process is different for everyone but support is key. You'll want to connect with other women in your community that are at similar points - having support and people to guide you along is really an asset.

You may want to ease into creating your cottage business as I did. I continued to work full time while the idea sort of materialized, worked part time as I started the business and then began running the business full time as soon as it was off the ground.

It's important to clear about what you need to earn in order to survive, what your boundaries are, because those become fuzzy when you're working for yourself, and what running your own business looks like for you - this is really an opportunity to do things your way. You want to really look at these things early on.

I started my business when my son was just out of kindergarden. I'll admit it wasn't easy but largely just because there weren't enough hours in the day. But looking back, I'm glad I started when I did and now that my son is about to head into fifth grade, I think it worked out beautifully. He loves the business and helping - it's become a real family affair. And there's something so great about being there every day when your little ones come home from school.
All the best,
Nicole

[Jilliebean]

Thank you for the sage advice. I'm pregnant now with my second child. In Canada, we get 1 year for mat leave and then I can apply for a self-employment assistance program that would allow me to stay on unemployment insurance for an additional year while establishing a business. DH and I have started to talk more seriously about what form the business might take. This is my big chance and I don't want to mess it up. I wouldn't be able to register the business until the 2nd year so that would give me the first year (along with taking care of baby) to do the prep work. I've taken courses on completing business plans. My biggest problem is that I get excited about lots of ideas and have to narrow my focus to one that is simple and works well with our lifestyle.

[talulahskincare]

Being able to take that time off after your pregnancy is really a gift - you should definitely put that time to good use and enjoy having the opportunity to really draw out a map of what you plan to do. I think a lot of us end up doing that a couple years in.
I think the most important thing to remember is don't get yourself boxed into any preconceived notions about what your business has to look like. It doesn't need to be conventional or look glamorous - I had a really hard time with that in the beginning and sometimes even now. It's funny how you'll go through all the hardwork of starting something, only to be limited by how other people might judge it.
The money part of running a business is rather strange - if you really believe you're doing the right thing for you, you'll make money. It really doesn't take anything more than faith and hardwork to get the paycheck coming in the door.
I'm excited for you!
-Nicole

[jdanielsid]

The fact that you are focused on this idea says a lot about what you want. To be able to work from home in your own business while raising a child is an admirable and balanced goal. I would suggest you get someone to help you one or two days. My cousin watches my son one full day a week so that I can schedule meetings or just have one full uninterrupted day a week to work on whatever it is I need to do (sometimes that is just getting a haircut!).
Otherwise you do depend solely on naptimes and nights to get things done-Just one day will help you a lot.
The psychology-social work aspect is interesting. You can really see what a customer wants and you have the people skills. Because of this, I think you should do something that interacts with your customers/clients.
As far as accounting and those other-brained notions that most of us creative types find less than desireable, I suggest the Quickbooks program by Quicken. It is pretty user-friendly if you can't afford to hire it out.
Now you just need to focus on what kind of business. Think about the connections you have-the people you know and how they can help you. This is essential for a start-up. Pick something and if it doesn't work, change it-remember it is your business ;)