During the first few years of being a new mum, all of your time is taken up looking after your little one. As they grow up, though, and especially after they start going to school, you might find yourself at something of a loose end. This can be a difficult period, perhaps the first in your life when it feels as if you have nothing to do, and is a difficult time for many parents.
Fear not, though. Nowadays, there are plenty of jobs you can do from home. In fact, even many people who are not parents now prefer the comfort of working online, because it gives them a great deal of control over when and how much they work.
And, if you play your cards right, these businesses can actually be quite lucrative. Whilst starting out on a new venture is always fraught with frustrations and difficulties, if you persevere any of these ideas could just be the beginning of a whole new career.
Here are 4 ideas for businesses that you can do from home:
1. Work on Fiverr
Fiverr is an online marketplace that was founded back in 2010. The idea is deceptively simple – people post jobs that they are willing to pay for someone to do, and you can put yourself forward for them. If a client likes the look of your CV and previous work, they will hire you, and you can get to work straight away.
The jobs on the site range from large projects to small tasks, and accordingly range in price from $500 right down to $5, which is where the site gets its name from. Similarly, the types of job available are varied, everything from software development to freelance writing. The site is huge, currently listing more than 3 million services.
As with any job like this, it is worth thinking about where your skills lie. Specialist skills or knowledge can earn you a premium. If you have these from your previous career, then great. If not, it can be worth reading up on a particular area so you can sell your newly acquired skills.
2. Become a Voice Artist
Have you always dreamed of being on TV? Being a stay at home mum can be a great opportunity to finally realize your ambition. Big media companies are always looking for new voices, to be used for everything from TV commercials to radio plays. Who knows, you might even get your own TV show.
Breaking into voice acting is actually relatively easy, if you put your mind to it. Firstly, you should record a demo tape. Different companies have lots of different requirements for tapes like this, so it is worth checking with a few potential employers before you start planning what you will read. Typically, however, a demo tape should include a few different types of readings – perhaps a passage of a book and a voiceover for a commercial – and even, perhaps, some accents.
Send off your tape, and see what happens.
3. Work on Upwork.com
Upwork.com, like Fiverr, is an online marketplace that allows potential employers to post jobs, and potential employees to bid for them. The range of tasks available is huge, though services like online writing and computer programming dominate the marketplace.
As with any online marketplace, it is worth thinking about how you present yourself. A well-designed CV, and a snappy introduction to your skills and abilities, will go a long way toward convincing potential clients that you are the right choice for the job.
Similarly, with this kind of site perseverance really pays off. It will be difficult to get your first job, but once you have successfully completed a few, your clients will hopefully leave you positive reviews, and you will find that it is much easier to get more work.
4. Start your own website reviewing products
Or, of course, you can go completely out on your own and start a website reviewing products. If you know a lot about a particular type of product, and are willing to write about it, this can be a lucrative source of income.
In fact, you probably already know a lot about baby products, so why not start there? Baby product websites started by parents are an easy way to break into the online marketing world. Perhaps the most famous example is the baby site Kokopax started by a California mother.
With this kind of website, you generate money by your readers clicking on links to buy the products you review. Amazon, and several other huge online retailers, pay a premium for you to generate work for them in this way, so as your website gains popularity you can end up with a healthy income.
When setting up this kind of site, you need to inspire trust in your readers, and so having an inspirational back story, and writing your reviews in a way which allows readers to see that you know what you are talking about, are very important.
Those are just a few of the tips that mothers can you to kick start their own home-based business. If anyone else has any suggestions or ideas feel free to share below.
Author: Sia Mohajer is the founder of Online Resume Builders and the founder of several online business ventures.
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