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Overview
Founder of VentureMom.com Holly Hurd recounts inspiring stories from women who have channeled their passions into money-making products and services, and delivers 12 steps to simplify the process and turn your idea into a budding enterprise.
How did she do it? You’ve probably seen your share of moms lately thriving in the whirlwind of motherhood and entrepreneurship, having taken their designer onesie or gluten-free cookie and turned it into a profitable venture, and wondered if that could ever happen to you. It can!
Without sacrificing precious time with their children, moms will learn about:
- Tips and techniques for honing a concept, doing just enough research, and finding the perfect name
- 5 factors that improve the odds of success
- Free resources for logos, web design, and branding
- Strategies for leveraging email, blogging, and social media
Don’t fall for the lie that you could never do what they did. It’s time to strip away the mysteries surrounding launching a business and unlock a fast, easy formula that anyone can utilize. Whether the goal is adding to the family finances or building a major enterprise, Venture Mom can help anyone get started.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780814436394 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AMACOM |
| Publication date: | 08/12/2015 |
| Sold by: | HarperCollins Publishing |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 256 |
| File size: | 617 KB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Venture Mom
From Idea to Income in Just 12 Weeks
By Holly Hurd
AMACOM
Copyright © 2015 Holly HurdAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8144-3639-4
CHAPTER 1
Week 1: Discover Your Venture
Leslie Josel had no plans to start a business that would help organize life for children with ADD. But when her son was diagnosed, she read everything she could on the subject and discovered that kids with ADD do better when their world is organized. She started with organizing her son's room and then the entire house, creating systems for each task throughout the day. When Leslie told other moms how it had helped her son, they asked her to systematize and organize their homes as well. And because they were willing to pay her, Leslie had a business venture. Without any plans to start a business, she had solved a problem in her family and one that other families wanted solved too. Leslie calls her venture Order Out of Chaos.
Let's get started. This is your week for self-exploration. It's time to examine what really makes you happy and figure out what you love to do or what you already do that you're really good at. Like Leslie, you may be poised to launch a business you hadn't planned. You just have to realize that you have a potential venture and get organized.
Begin your venture journey by getting a notebook to record ideas, notes, answers to assignments, and everything you think of along the way.
Each chapter contains assignments to help guide you toward your venture. Work to complete the assignments during that week so at the end of 12 weeks your business is up and running. Use your notebook to record answers and complete the assigned tasks each week. Try to complete each week's tasks on schedule. If you find you can't, give yourself another week. Remember, this is about finding work you love, not adding stress to your life.
WEEK 1 ASSIGNMENTS
To guide you through the process of self-exploration, you have eight assignments to complete during Week 1. Even if you know what your venture is, I encourage you to complete all the assignments. They might lead you in a slightly different direction or help you to create something to enhance your current idea.
Assignment #1: Track Your Time
Keep a time journal for the week in your Notebook so you can see where your day goes and how your week lays out. Record whether you spent your time on work (inside or outside your home), exercise, errands and chores, with friends, with children and family, or working on a hobby. At the end of the week analyze where your time went. Tally the hours spent in each area. Take a good look at the hours that aren't devoted to routine tasks. What are you doing when you are the happiest? Who are you with when you feel fulfilled? Where do you like to spend the most time?
If you're thinking, "Ugh, I don't want to track my time," do it anyway. Remember, you're looking for time that you can carve out for your new venture. At the end of the week you'll be surprised how you spend your time and may realize that with just a few adjustments, you'll have more time for yourself, your family, and your venture.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
• Record your activities for each waking hour of Week 1.
• Tally the time spent in each area.
• Analyze how you're spending your time on nonroutine tasks.
Assignment #2: Perform Imaginary Introductions
Imagine how a friend would introduce you when she wants to tell others what you do or what you're good at. "This is my friend, and __________." How would she fill in the blank? Here are some examples:
"She makes the coolest jewelry."
"Her oatmeal cookies are the best I've ever had."
"She plans the most inventive kids' birthday parties."
"She helped me choose colors for my whole house."
"The photos she takes could be in an art gallery."
"Her gardens are beautiful, and I wish she'd plan and plant a garden for me."
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
Imagine how the following people would fill in the blanks: "This is my _________ (who you are to that person) and she ___________ (your talent or skill)." Record their imaginary introductions.
• Yourself
• A parent
• A friend
• A child
• A coworker
• A mate
Assignment #3: How Would You Spend Your Free Time?
Imagine you had an hour, a full day, or a week with no mommy commitments. You could do whatever you wanted with that time. What would you do? Would you go to the gym, take a yoga class, make a cake, plant a garden, take photos, or go shopping? What project would you work on? What hobby gives you immense joy? Write down how you would most like to spend free time.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
What would you do without any other commitments?
• In an hour?
• For a full day?
• For a full week?
This week is for brainstorming about what you already do, what you love to do, and what your talents are. Gather your thoughts on what you might do. There are no limits. If your dream is to create a television cooking show or become a world-class exercise guru, take note of it. There may be a kernel of a venture in that idea. Dare to shoot for the moon.
Assignment #4: Collect Clippings, Take Notes
Gather your favorite magazines — travel, decorating, gardening, cooking, sports, whatever interests you — and add images to the thoughts you've recorded. Clip photos of things that make you happy, pictures of things that you want to do, photos of people, places, and things you like. Look through all kinds of magazines. Usually what you have around your home is what really interests you. Add these to your Notebook.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
Make a list of the kinds of books, magazines, blogs, and websites you like to read. What do you watch on TV or read online? Do you turn to programs or sites on cooking, exercise, travel, public opinion? Record the answers in your Notebook. Make a note of what feeds your soul. This assignment is similar to creating a wish board, where you put all the things that you wish for in one place. When you look at the clippings and list of readings they should provide clues to your perfect venture.
Assignment #5: Get Your Ideas Flowing
Now, let's focus on the things you do very well and the activities that bring you joy.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
Answer the following questions:
• What did you love to do before you became a mother?
• Is there something you do or make that always gets complimented?
• What talent of yours do other people admire?
• What do you enjoy?
• When do you feel most fulfilled?
• What did you enjoy doing in college, high school, and grade school?
• What career intrigues you? What do you want to learn more about?
• What activity or hobby makes you feel energized?
• What do you admire? Who do you admire? Why?
• Was there a part-time job you had that you loved?
• What five things do you want to do before you are seventy-five?
• What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
• Is there something you love to do that you want to turn into a career?
Assignment #6: From a Different Perspective
Now we'll come at the question from another direction. In this assignment, you'll fill in the blanks to get a clearer picture of the things you love and the talents you have.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
Complete the sentences below:
• I feel so great and energized when I' m ____________.
• I've only done it a couple of times, but I love to ____________.
• Everyone around me tells me I make a great ____________ and should sell it/them.
• When my friends need help with ____________, they come to me.
• In a local talent show, my talent would be ____________.
• If I were the star of a TV show, it would be about ____________.
Now your creative juices should be flowing, your Notebook filling up, and new ideas germinating. There are no wrong answers, too few answers, or too many answers. During this week keep notes on what makes you happy, what you enjoy doing, what fulfills you, what energizes you, and what you can't get enough of.
Assignment #7: Determine the Goals for Your Venture
Think about your personal goals for your venture. The answers to these questions will help you structure what you do.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
Answer the following five questions:
1. Do you want a part-time venture?
2. How many hours per week can you devote to your venture?
3. Is making a certain amount of money imperative?
4. Do you want something you can grow or take beyond your local area?
5. Do you want the satisfaction of creating a business?
Assignment #8: Where Does Your Happiness Come From?
Let's continue to narrow down the interests and activities that will define your venture.
IN YOUR NOTEBOOK
In each of the questions below, number the options in order, with 1 being the top choice, 2 being your second choice, etc.
What do you love?
[] Food
[] Animals
[] Home
[] Garden
[] Computers and Technology
[] Fashion
[] Health and Fitness
[] The Arts
With whom, with what, or where would you like to spend your free time?
[] In the kitchen
[] At the dog park
[] In a fabric, furniture, antique, or accessory store
[] In your garden or at a gardening center
[] At your computer or helping someone with their computer
[] In a department store or fashion boutique
[] In the gym or working out
[] In a museum
Who or what would you rather be with?
[] By yourself
[] With animals
[] With children
[] With people
Is a pattern forming about what you like to do, where, and with whom? Do you prefer to be at home with your computer? Is your favorite place in a clothing boutique with friends? Does cooking for others make you the happiest? Is biking outdoors your go-to activity?
Look at your ratings and write down what your "thing" is.
SEE WHAT YOU'VE DISCOVERED
Now that you've completed these eight assignments, you have discovered quite a bit about where your talent lies and what you love to do. For example:
• You like to be outside.
• You like to be in front of a computer.
• You like to be with animals.
• You like to be with kids.
• You like to exercise.
• You like to cook.
• You like to travel.
• You like to write.
• You like to teach.
• You like to be with groups of people.
In your Notebook, summarize what kinds of activities make you happy, where those activities take place, and who you are with when you engage in them.
What do you already do that others would pay you for? All of this information will inform your venture decision. At the end of this week, look at what your notes and answers point to. A clear focus on a particular area should be developing.
DISCOVERING YOUR VENTURE SUCCESS STORIES
The stories that follow highlight the interplay of self-knowledge, talent, skills, and serendipity I think you'll find them inspiring.
The Naptime Chef: Kelsey Banfield
She loved to cook, but when Kelsey Banfield's first baby was born her time in the kitchen became erratic at best. She found a way to incorporate her love of cooking with her newborn's schedule. When other moms begged Kelsey for her ideas and recipes, this turned into a venture that she had never planned.
When her hobby collided with her professional life it was an eye-opening experience. Kelsey Banfield was a self-professed foodie. In her first job with a large hospital, she found herself putting together a collection of recipes to create a charitable cookbook to benefit the hospital. As it was being compiled, Rizzoli Publishing jumped on board and the collection of recipes turned into a professionally produced cookbook. Kelsey's job was to see the book through the process from design to publication. Her first baby was born one month after the book hit the stores in 2007. Kelsey was not sure what her next career move would be, but she was sure that it would be in food.
Kelsey said, "Before my daughter was born my husband and I enjoyed our time cooking and eating. We had a blast trying out new recipes every week. And then we had a baby. My vision of maternity leave was me in the kitchen with a sleeping baby in the swing, whipping up dinner as usual. Boy, was I wrong about that."
Most moms call dinnertime the witching hour, when small children get cranky and need a lot of hands-on attention. Preparing a meal can be almost impossible. But Kelsey wanted to keep her cooking passion alive in her new life. So she decided to prep and assemble everything while her daughter napped in the afternoon, so that the meal would be ready to finish off at 6:00 P.M.
One evening as her playgroup was heading home to get takeout again, Kelsey pulled a homemade lasagna out of the oven as her husband walked in the door. The moms were stunned, saying, "When did you make that?" Kelsey's response was, "During naptime." Her mom friends dubbed her The Naptime Chef, and they wanted her secret.
With her friends clamoring for recipes and ideas for becoming naptime chefs themselves, Kelsey started a collection of recipes reworked to be prepared during naptime. She wondered if more moms might want the same mealtime solutions, so she decided to share her ideas through a blog she called The Naptime Chef.
Kelsey's blog audience grew right away and she was noticed by a popular parenting blog called Babble, which asked her to write for them. Before long The Naptime Chef was hitting the big leagues, writing about food, doing food product reviews, and, of course, providing busy new moms with great ideas for easy, healthy meals.
Soon an agent came calling and Kelsey was on her way to publishing her own book. "I have to pinch myself. This is so much fun and so rewarding to be able to do something I love." Kelsey's book The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life hit bookstores in the spring of 2012. Now that her first book is done, Kelsey spends her time writing and testing recipes for future books. She even offers in-home cooking lessons.
Kelsey says, "This whole experience has confirmed for me that this is something I want to do forever." You can bet that there are a lot of moms out there making great meals during their kids' naptimes who would call Kelsey their hero.
TAKEAWAY
• Kelsey knew what her love was, food; where she wanted to be, in the kitchen; and what she wanted to be doing, cooking.
• Kelsey started a collection of her recipes on a blog with no start-up capital after her friends pointed out a talent that she had that they could use.
• By looking at how she spent her time each day she was able to see how she could carve out time to pursue what she loved.
Smart Playrooms: Karri Bowen-Poole and Chris Simpson
When these two moms transformed a playroom for a friend using ideas that had worked for them during their days as preschool teachers, they fell into a venture. Karri and Chris were both teachers who saw the need to create play stations in home playrooms just like those found in schools. After transforming her sister's playroom, Karri saw an idea for a business venture and asked Chris to join her to expand her territory.
Sometimes helping your family can lead to a venture. When Karri's sister lamented that she had just finished renovating her playroom but her kids never used it, Karri came to the rescue. She had been a teacher for 20 years and was trained in how to engage kids in play. She spent the day creating active play stations in her sister's playroom just like she had for her students. Karri organized the toys and games in bins and labeled them so the kids knew where everything was stored. After the transformation, Karri's sister said, "It's amazing, my kids love it. They're in the new playroom all the time, and they even clean up."
After hearing about her sister's experience, other moms asked Karri to help them redo their playrooms. Karri realized she had uncovered a need that wasn't being met. Systematizing what she did for her sister, she developed a format to follow for creating others. Karri named her venture Smart Playrooms. Initially clients came from her Westchester County community but when her longtime friend Chris Simpson moved to Connecticut, Karri saw an opportunity to expand. Chris had been a special education and elementary school teacher in California and had complementary skills, so the two became a team. "It's more fun to work with someone, and we get ideas from each other. And when one of us has a kid issue, the other one can cover." The women are on call all the time, but because they work for themselves they are able to turn their phones off when they need to, returning client calls as needed. And now that their kids are older their available time to work and take on more projects is expanding.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Venture Mom by Holly Hurd. Copyright © 2015 Holly Hurd. Excerpted by permission of AMACOM.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments, vii,Preface, ix,
Introduction, xiii,
PART I: FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, 1,
1. Week 1: Discover Your Venture, 3,
2. Week 2: Get Input from Friends and Family, 16,
3. Week 3: Do Your Research, 26,
PART II: GET ORGANIZED, 39,
4. Week 4: Name Your Venture, 41,
5. Week 5: Develop Your Brand (This Is the Fun Part), 52,
6. Week 6: Price Your Product, 64,
7. Week 7: Take It to the Web, 80,
PART III: PUT IT OUT THERE, 91,
8. Week 8: Tell the World, 93,
9. Week 9: Join the Blogosphere, 108,
10. Week 10: Do Some Social Media Networking, 121,
11. Week 11: Do Some Real-Life Networking, 134,
12. Week 12: Ka-Ching! Get Your First Sale, 148,
PART IV: VENTURE PATHS TO SUCCESS, 157,
13. Make the Time and Reap the Rewards, 159,
14. Serving Up Food and Drink, 164,
15. Service Ventures, 170,
16. The Mother of All Ventures: Children's Products, 177,
17. Creative Classes for Kids, 184,
18. Fashion-Forward Ventures, 191,
19. Ventures in Home Decor, 199,
20. Say What You Want to Say: Publishing Ventures, 205,
21. Your Art, Your Venture, 214,
In Closing, 219,
Resources, 221,
Index, 225,
About the Author, 234,
Free Sample Excerpt from Do It! Marketing by David Newman, 235,