She is also the voice behind the award winning CD, “These Boots: A Spouse’s Guide To Stepping Up and Standing Tall During Deployment.”  Most recently she was named as one of the top twelve most influential military spouses for Who’s Who of Military Spouses by Military Spouse Magazine.  Read her at www.cinchouse.com and www.homefrontonline.com. 

Military Mom Talk Radio on airs on Mondays at 2pm pst on www.toginet.com and can be downloaded directly from www.itunes.com .  Military Mom Talk Radio is co-hosted by Sandra Beck and Tina Gonzalez and powered by Motherhood Incorporated.

Maureen brings insight on buying and selling homes, especially in this economy, and the impact it has on a family.

Motherhood Talk Radio is powered by Motherhood Incorporated, bringing you the most powerful voice in women’s issues today.  Motherhood Talk Radio airs on Toginet.com every Tuesday, 3 pm pst, 6 pm eastern.

She received her certification at this time as a Skills Facilitator and Coach for Active Parenting of Children ages 5-12, and Active Parenting of Teens ages 13-18. In addition, she has focused for a number of years on working with court-sanctioned substance abusers, ranging from first-time offenders in the PC 1000 group to repeat offenders in the Prop 36 program, offering both individual and group therapy as needed. Jody also worked with domestic violence, offering therapy in crisis capacity to the women and children who sought help at Laura’s House, an immediate and short-term shelter and crisis center for domestic violence victims. Jody worked at the Drake Institute, a facility specializing in neurofeedback for the treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in children and adults, as well as Asperger’s and autism. She has worked as a case manager/program coordinator and supportive care therapist for families involved in the treatment at this facility.

In addition, Jody continues to work in private practice, providing long-term and short-term therapy for individuals, children, couples and families with conflicts ranging from major depression, anxiety/panic, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), in addition to marital/familial relationship conflicts. Sex therapy and couples communication counseling remain a strong focus in her practice.

Military Mom Talk Radio on airs on Mondays at 2pm pst on www.toginet.com and can be downloaded directly from www.itunes.com .  Military Mom Talk Radio is co-hosted by Sandra Beck and Tina Gonzalez and powered by Motherhood Incorporated.

 If you’ve got a knack for computers, then web development could be the work-at-home career for you.  You don’t need a lot of extra schooling to become a web developer, though it can be helpful.  Whether you have a formal education or are self-taught, what matters most to employers and clients is your ability to set them up with an outstanding website.

The Technology

To work out of your home, you will need a computer with Internet access.  Since web design projects can be large scale, project management skills are also important.  At-home web design can be done on a flexible schedule, making it very family friendly.

Getting Started

Start out by building your own website.  Potential clients and employers will expect a web designer to have a top-notch website showcasing her skills.  This is a great opportunity to experiment with different ideas, and get a sense of your personal style.  Be sure to include your resume and contact information.  You never know when a hit on your website will result in a new client.

Building a Portfolio

Showcase your talents through a portfolio.  As you build websites, collect a record of your professional experience through examples of the quality work you provide.  If you are willing to work hard and give your all to a few friends or organizations free of charge, your portfolio will quickly come together.  Don’t know anyone looking for a website?  Try volunteermatch.org.  The site will pair you with nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers.  Not only will you gain experience, but you will also be helping out a cause close to your heart. 

Choosing a Niche

Once you have a few jobs under your belt, you may find it beneficial to choose a niche or specialty.  Maybe you excel when working with nonprofits, or prefer the informal touch of a personal website.  Capitalize on your strengths and interests when choosing a niche market.  Specializing will help you gain credibility with your clients.  With a little planning, and a lot of hard work, you will be a professional web designer from the comfort of your home before you know it.

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

 by Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated

Do you need a few more minutes to concentrate?  Are you finding it hard to focus with a two-year-old climbing in your lap?  This is a challenge many work-at-home moms face while their children are young.  Here are five items you may already have to entertain your toddler in a pinch:

Empty Boxes

Most of us have seen a toddler open a gift only to find the box more interesting than the present so thoughtfully tucked inside.  Hang on to a few empty boxes of varying size, and pull them out when your child is bored.  Set up large boxes as a fort, or open the ends to make a tunnel.  Smaller boxes make a great bed for stuffed animals, target for balls or beanbags, or can be used for sorting games. 

Tissue Paper

Young children love the crisp sound of tissue paper rustling in their hands.  Set aside some gift wrapping tissue, and give it to your child when he is bored.  Let him crinkle, cover and tear, while you meet your deadlines.  Just be prepared for a bit of a mess later.

Index Cards

A little tape, some crayons, and your toddler’s imagination add up to reusable fun.  Make your own flash cards by having your child draw on index cards.  If you have some time, cut pictures she likes from old magazines or use pictures of your family.  Tape the pictures to the cards, and cover them with clear contact paper to use again and again.

Paper Bags

An assortment of paper bags can be hours of fun for your little one.  Large bags can be used to play grocery store, or as a target for tossing soft balls or bean bags.  Smaller bags come in handy for making puppets.  Have your child decorate the puppet, and then show him how to make his new toy talk using his hand.

Old Greeting Cards

The next time there is a birthday in your house, save a few of the greeting cards, along with their envelopes.  Toddlers love the brightly decorated cards and will have fun taking them in and out of their envelopes.  Pair them with a shoe “mail” box, and the two of you can open your mail together.

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

If your home business requires occasional client visits, the state of your home office can make or break a business deal.  When my husband and I were looking for someone to photograph our wedding we visited a few photographers working out of their homes.  One invited us into a poorly lit kitchen to review his portfolio, while the contract-winning operation invited us into a home office that displayed quality and professionalism from the start.  I’m not saying that the state of your home office alone will win your clients over, but every interaction leaves a lasting impression.  Here are four tips to make sure the impression you leave is a good one:

1.  Clear the clutter.

Put away anything that doesn’t need to be out.  A disorganized home office will leave your clients wondering if you will drop the ball when it comes to their projects.  This is especially important when you are working with multiple clients on proprietary information.  Your customers need to know that they can trust you to be discreet.

2.  It’s all business.

Your office may be located in your home, but it should reflect a business environment.  Though you may enjoy hanging your children’s artwork and other personal effects in your workspace, when clients come around it is time to tuck these items away. 

3.  Critical cleaning.

Don’t waste time cleaning everything from top to bottom.  Focus from the waist up, on the areas that capture the eyes.  A quick dust over surfaces should suffice.  Do make sure that your guest bath is clean.  Wipe the mirror and sink, and run a brush around the toilet bowl.  Finish off by emptying the trash cans.  We all feel more comfortable in a clean environment.

4.  Liven it up.

A few strategically placed plants or a vase of fresh flowers can do wonders to brighten a room.  If you are fortunate enough to have a blooming flower garden, cut a few blooms and bring them inside.  Adding natural color to your office space will make it calm and inviting, something you can enjoy even after the close of the business day.

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

I caught up with Lucy Rosen, president and founding member of Women on the Fast Track, an international networking organization for business women.  Here’s what Lucy had to say:

What are the benefits to networking? How many words do I get? New relationships. Opportunities for new opportunities. Opportunities to connect others. Opportunities for jobs / information / resources, but I think the biggest one is the opportunity to help others.

What networking advice has benefited your career?  Everyone has value. It may not be a good fit for you, but that doesn’t mean to write them off.  It means file them away to refer them to someone else!

Where can a woman find networking opportunities?  Local clubs, organizations, associations, online, at schools, alumni groups, other mothers, other women, newspapers, radio, and magazines. Virtually every daily paper has a business section and usually it appears on Mondays. In that section would be a list of all the networking “things” happening in and around your community.

What advice do you have for women who want to network, but feel shy or uncomfortable?  Most of the time we feel shy or uncomfortable because we think we don’t have anything to give. We are the “givers” not the receivers- so it’s much more comfortable for us to give than to receive. If there is a feeling of not having much of worth to give – start making a list of all the different people you know – from your neighbor, to the woman on the PTA you met, to the different jobs you have had and who you know from there. I reconnected with someone from high school that I hadn’t seen in 30 (gulp) years… She was looking for a job in accounting, and I happened to know an accounting firm that was looking to hire – so there you go! It worked.
How can a business woman start a networking group in her area?  They can call me and I will help them start Women on the Fast Track chapter!

You can find out more about Lucy Rosen and Women on the Fast Track by visiting her website at www.womenonthefasttrack.com.

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

When you have a small business chances are that your marketing budget is also small.  That doesn’t mean that your marketing plan has to be small.  We’ve already talked about internet marketing, blog marketing and social networking as great ways to get your message out to the masses and we’ve also talked about the advantages of branding to make all of your marketing count, now it’s time to think outside the box.

You know who your target market is and you=2 0know what your unique selling proposition is, how can you effectively let people know about your product?  It really depends on what your product is.  If you are a cup cake business specializing in really cool cupcakes for baby showers, you might want to team up with your local baby boutique and offer a coupon for ten percent off your cupcakes to expectant Mom’s who register at the boutique.   For the cost of printing a few coupons you can effectively reach your local target market.

If your business is offering services to business owners you may want to check out the local chamber of commerce and all of their social functions.  Some Chamber events will even let you do a “live commercial” just for attending.  What a great way to notify local businesses about your services.

It’s crucial to consider where your target market ventures.  Do they go to coffee houses or are they shopping for diapers?  If you know where they go, you can formulate a way in which to court them.  Contests, coupons and incentives are great ways to get your business’ name well known.  People may lose the coupon but they tend to remember your name if you’ve branded yourself well.

The main thing is to seek out your target audience in a way that is conducive to their daily rituals.  If your product is good and you’ve affectively addressed its unique selling proposition you should have no problem attracting your target market.

To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com.  You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!

When was the last time you were on FaceBook?  If you aren’t on FaceBook yet and you have started your own business you need to stop reading this Blog right now and go register yourself on FaceBook. 

Did you know that is estimated that 25% of the world’s population is already on FaceBook? 25% – that includes children, people who don’t have computers, people who can’t read, and people who don’t even know what the internet is (Let’s face it we all know someone who just “doesn’t get the internet”) So if 25% of the world is on FaceBook it is safe to say=2 0there are plenty of potential customers for your business on FaceBook, enough that you simply can’t afford to miss this opportunity.

For those of you who are on FaceBook already you might be thinking, “I just opened a business; I don’t have time to be talking to high school friends on FaceBook!”  It’s time for a little shift in your thinking.  FaceBook is an opportunity to tell people about your business in a passive, non-intrusive way. 

There are several different options; first there is the status bar.  This is the bar that allows you to tell your friends what you are thinking, feeling or doing.  Why not fill that with something positive about your business. “Jackie is…Thrilled about her new website for her miniature cupcake business.”  Or “Rebecca just finished writing a 13 page business plan for h er client” It sounds ridiculous but people will ask questions, “Really, I didn’t know you knew how to write a business plan?”  Now their question has gone out not only to your friends but also all of their friends.  In all likelihood you have just told 300-500 people that you write business proposals or make cupcakes or whatever it is you do.  For every person who comments on your status the number goes up.

Three weeks later if some one needs miniature cup cakes or help with a business proposal, do you think they would rather hire a friend or a friend of a friend – or try to find an unknown person?  They would rather hire you.  Even if you set yourself the goal of entering one positive comment about your business a week (which will take you less than 5 minutes) you will see positive results for your business.

Another great thing to do is import your Blog20into your facebook page – you’re taking the time to write the Blog, why not share it with your warm market, people who already know you are good at what you do?

Once you have mastered FaceBook and have a sizable number of friends, make a FaceBook page for your business, this is different than a regular FaceBook page.  It allows you to have fans of your business instead of friends and gives you great ways to market your business on FaceBook!

Social Networking is a great way to utilize passive marketing.  Search the web to see if there is a social network that is specifically geared toward your business.  For instance Active Rain is a social network just for Realtors.  Use your social networking; it’s fast, efficient and FREE!

To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com.  You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!

 Are you a strong writer with a keen eye for detail?  Do you enjoy research?  Then grant writing may be the work-at-home career for you.  Grant writing doesn’t require an expensive education, though strong writing and grammar skills are a must.  Grant writers must also be comfortable with the financial aspects of business.  If you’ve got the skills, why not try out this flexible, family friendly career?

The Technology

Equip your home office with a telephone line, fax, and computer with Internet access, and you will be ready to work.  If you don’t want to invest in a fax machine and second phone line, consider using an online fax service.  For a nominal fee, you can send and receive faxes via email. 

Getting Started

It is easy to gain experience and familiarity with the grant writing process, if you are willing to work free of charge.  There are many nonprofit organizations looking for grant writing volunteers.  A quick search of the web will turn up plenty of opportunities.  Idealist.org and VolunteerMatch.org both match willing volunteers with nonprofits organizations in need.  Developing needed career skills is even more fulfilling when you are helping out a cause you care for. 

Build a Portfolio

Keep track of the grants that you have written and record any awards gained by your hard work.  Potential employers will want to know that your work produces results, and in grant writing that adds up to more than just writing samples.  A proven record of success will keep the clients knocking on your door.

Choosing a Niche

Once you have built an impressive resume, you may find it beneficial to choose a niche or specialty.  If you have background in medicine or education, then that may be the market for you.  If you enjoy helping a worthy cause, specializing in the nonprofit sector may make for a gratifying career.  Whichever area of expertise you choose, capitalize on your strengths and interests.  Specializing will help you gain credibility with your clients.  If you are willing to put in the time and effort, you too can enjoy the flexibility of working at home as a grant writer.

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

Is your To Do list cluttered or covered in dust?  Maybe your To Do list is a mess of subconscious worries prone to resurfacing at the most inconvenient times.  A To Do list is a work-at-home mom essential.  Here are a few tips to help you manage the job that never ends:

Write it down.  Give your brain a break by writing everything down.  When you are juggling a career and family your mind is bound to be distracted at various times throughout the day.  Once you have noted an action that needs your attention, your mind will be free to return to the task at hand.

Keep it all in one place.  Whether you prefer a notepad, daily planner, or PDA, be consistent with where you keep your To Do items.  A note in your purse, another on the back of your hand and a third hanging on the refrigerator only adds confusion to an already hectic day.

Use single action items.  Your To Do list should consist of specific action items, not projects or goals.  These are the steps you take to complete a project, or accomplish your goals.  When you finish a task, cross it off.  When you work at home your boss isn’t there to pat you on the back, so you may find it gratifying to assess what you have accomplished at the end of the day.

Be specific, the more details the better.  If you include all the information you need to complete the task at hand, you will be able to finish it with ease.  This is especially helpful when squeezing things in throughout the day.  A quick phone call while you are in the waiting room of your doctor’s office becomes simple when the phone number is at your finger tips.

Estimate the time you need.  Be realistic with yourself about how long it actually takes to get things done.  If you block off a half an hour to run 30 errands, you’re not likely to stay on schedule.  Your schedule is there to help you plan out your day.  Overextending yourself will only leave you feeling stressed out and let down.

Categorize your list.  Breaking your list into categories will help you become more efficient.  Use a page in your planner or notebook for errands, another for phone calls, and a third for emails.  If you are in the car, flip to the errand page and check off anything on the way to or from your destination.  You can save loads of time by accomplishing similar items while you have the resources readily available.

Set priorities.  Use priorities to keep from falling behind.  Make sure you accomplish the items at the top of your priority list, but don’t be afraid to group those items with less urgent tasks that can be done at the same time.  The goal here is efficiency. 

Reassess regularly.  One phone call can change your priorities in an instant.  Review your priorities and change them as necessary.  If your To Do list isn’t quite working for you, switch it up a bit.  A few minutes invested now can add up to hours of time saved in the long run.

www.sandrabeck.com
www.motherhoodincorporated.com

This is a story told to me by a friend and I thought some of you might be able to relate.

I started so beautifully. I was going onto a 4 day week, and I found out my new boss Amanda was also working reduced hours to make time for her family. She was glamorous, successful and supportive of her family. I confess, I allowed myself to think that I might have found a mentor.

We still fall into deep conversation whenever we bump into each other.  However, it is without doubt the most difficult and stressful working relationship I’ve had.

I’m on the cusp of going to work for another working mother, and I’m reflecting on what went wrong. Was it a straightforward personality clash? Or is it a symptom of the politics of working motherhood.

How we choose to balance our home and professional life is a very personal decision. It reflects our own insecurities that we can feel judged simply because another woman has chosen a different path. Most commonly, it is a working mum feeling guilty that she can’t bake cookies for the school disco. With two women working together, the issue is more of ‘not letting down the side’.  My male bosses seemed unconcerned about the occasional very prompt departure. With Amanda, however, I felt that I was being monitored more closely. Was she afraid that I would give mothers a reputation for being work-shy?

Amanda managed her life with an army of domestic staff. There were nannies, cleaners, personal trainers, au pairs, piano teachers – a real zoo. There was something patronizing in Amanda’s tone to me. It is as though she wasn’t making a distinction between her staff in the office, and the young girls who worked for her at home.

Perhaps it all got too personal. My male boss would never dream of putting his arm around me or commenting on my clothes. Perhaps it’s me. Maybe I couldn’t adapt to being micromanaged now that I knew I could juggle house and work and children.

My new manager has one grown up daughter, who’s been raised with the best nannies money can buy. Let’s see what she makes of me and my ragtag crew.

And for all of us with out own ragtag crew, let’s hear it for getting the job done!

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

“I just don’t DO routines. It cramps my style” I overheard someone saying recently.

The funny thing is that I tell my 5 year old exactly the opposite every morning. “Sweetheart, we can spend all morning discussing the ins and the outs of brushing our teeth – or we can just do everything that we need to do and then have lots of time to play before school.”

Before kids, I used to be an untidy-bordering-on-unsanitary creature. It strikes me as ironic that although I’m three times as busy now, my home is cleaner and better organized.

One of the deep held beliefs that I’ve had to let go of is the ‘Magic Saturday’. On ‘Magic Saturday’ there will be ample time to catch up on sleep. Housework will get done effortlessly with some music on. My husband and I would harmoniously hoover and dust while we chat. On ‘Magic Saturday’ all the bills will be paid, and filed alphabetically. Even before kids, it was a myth – hence why I lived in mess and chaos. Now that kids are here – ‘Magic Saturday’ is a laughable dream.

I’ve had to learn about routines to deal with the fact that there is too much going on in my life for me to think about it all at once. The next best thing to having a live-in cleaner, is to be able to do the bulk of the regular chores on auto-pilot without needing to get stressed about it or think about it.

I ignore the looks from the people who knew the old me. I proudly pin up menu plans and housework routines on the fridge. Everything is in little must-do chunks. It means that I have a definite point when I’m free to enjoy my kids, or indulge my muse, or log on to check my emails.

And my kids? They have their own ‘get ready for school’ pictorial chart. It means that even my nagging can go onto autopilot: “Get ready for school, darling. Look on the chart for the next thing you need to do”.

http://www.flylady.net

is a great site to check out!

www.sandrabeck.com

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

“You’re a waste”. That’s was my friend’s mothers reaction to her decision to stay at home with her baby. “I don’t know why you even bothered with university”.

In my circle of friends, decisions about how to raise kids are inextricably woven with the politics of women’s liberation. I hesitate to generalize – but there is a very strong generational divide in attitudes.

There are the pioneers, who remember when women’s higher education wasn’t a given thing. However, most of these ladies didn’t work while raising their kids. Working practices and society’s attitudes hadn’t caught up. They’ve felt regretful about it ever since, projecting their attitude onto their daughters.

Accordingly, their daughters have children later and go back to work earlier. They aim to make the least concessions to maternity that they can. They are shocked and dismayed at how hard it can be – and how unequal the sacrifices are in their partnership.

The sufferings of the daughters breed the reactionary born-again 50s housewives. They buy floral print aprons without a hint of irony. They abandon their jobs – replacing corporate superwoman with an even more ambitious and perfectionist hausfrau incarnation. They earnestly re-manualize their lives – from baking their own bread to washable nappies.

There are real people in my life who are described by these sketches. The reason why the caricatures seem crude and almost grotesque is that there is a guilt driver behind the decisions. The concerns and preferences of the human beings involved get swallowed up in a play for an unseen audience, who are felt to be judging the decisions made, judging if the woman deserves her advantages.

My view? Education is freedom – and women will never be free without education. In any case, the strongest indicating factor in the level of educational attainment of the children is the educational achievement of the mother.

www.motherhoodincorporated.com

http://www.sandrabeck.com.