http://www.healthy-eating-made-easy.com/
I live in the UK with my husband, and our two children aged 10 and 14. My background is in women’s magazines and publishing, and I’ve worked at home as a freelance writer and editor since my kids were tiny.
Why did I get into building websites? Because freelance work is precarious. I wanted to grow a new source of income long-term, so that by the time my children were through university I wouldn’t still be chained to my desk, working until 2am to meet deadlines. I didn’t have a clue how I’d do it, but I needed something with great financial potential, that offered total flexibility, and where I called the shots.
I turned to the Internet – where else – did loads of research, and in a mood of excited trepidation bought SBI! at the end of 2004.It took three months to settle on a topic. I discarded all my original ideas, and finally focused in on the question of how to produce healthy-but-yummy family meals using fresh, seasonal and unprocessed food. I launched healthy-eatingmade-easy.com in 2005.
At first the learning curve was vertical, since my skills were minimal, but I did some reading here, some page-building there, and gradually it began to make sense.
The site has grown slowly, but steadily. My traffic builds, month-on-month, and so, steadily, does my income. I have more visitors each month, and I’m about to collect my first check from Google. I’m not in a rush. I’m still working at my dayjob, but I can see my site’s potential, and I’m looking forward to growing it over the years to come, and creating other sites too.
I found what I was looking for. But I discovered a lot more I hadn’t expected – and that’s been the secret bonus! I’ve cured the isolation of working freelance through connecting with other site owners around the world. And I’m forming a vision for my future working life that’s better than I could ever have imagined.
Catehttp://www.budget-and-prosper.com/
I live in upstate New York, USA with my husband, son and two daughters, ages six through nine. Between church, school, baseball, football, dance, soccer and golf, we’re always on the go!
I left a 10-year corporate finance career in 1999 to stay home with my then twoyear-old and infant daughter. I became a WAHM right away, juggling medical transcription and motherhood.
However, as great as it was to be home with my kids, I still had a boss to report to, reports that had to be typed every weeknight (even if the kids were sick or I was up with a colicky baby) and at least one weekend a month when I was on rotation. If I didn’t work, I didn’t get paid.
In 2002, my husband lost his job and my transcription agency lost their major contract, so I was out of work, too.We decided to start a home business and truly work for ourselves. “Job security” just didn’t exist for us any more. I began researching opportunities on the Internet and found Site Build It! almost immediately. The idea of building content websites had never occurred to me before, but I quickly realized its potential.
I started budget-and-prosper.com in March 2003. Immediately, my site began to see traffic, but then I built another Internet venture, and didn’t work on my site for about three years! When I came back to it, I realized that the traffic to my website had remained constant, and even grown. So I decided to build a portfolio of websites, with different monetization models. While currently revising and re-building budget-and-prosper.com, I have two more SBI! sites in development.
I love being an online WAHM. I don’t have to commute and I can work a different schedule every day, depending on what’s best for my family. My brain is “engaged” more than it’s ever been! And instead of feeling isolated at home, I’ve met wonderful people from around the world (like Elizabeth, Jen and Erin) and developed lasting friendships. I am working with some of these new friends on profitable joint ventures.
I’ve never enjoyed “going to work” as much as I do now.Erin
http://www.home-organize-it.com/
I live in the Midwest, USA. I have 3 children aged 17, 13, 11. My work background began with Golf Club Management. But after having children, long work hours drove me to look for different, preferably work at home, options. Finally, in 1999, I started my “It’s About Time Organizing Service” that I continue to run.
When word-of-mouth referrals slowed, I knew I needed to market my organizing service differently. After much research, I decided a website would be the best solution to promote my business.
Being a do-it-yourselfer, I looked at how I could build my own site, hoping to find an all-in-one solution. Not being exactly “tech-inclined”, I needed a step-by-step approach. You know… point here, click there. When I found Site Build It!, there was just something different about it. Not only was the CTPM concept a real “aha!” moment for me, but it spoke to my heart. They seemed to be saying if you’re ready to work hard, you CAN do this… quite contrary to everything else I had seen! So I guess you could say I thought it was believable. And it is.
Choosing SBI! and building my own site, www.home-organize-it.com, put me on a most unexpected and rewarding journey. I originally planned to build a site to just promote my local organizing service. However, not only did I get so much business from my site, I also learned how to generate other income streams by recommending and referring quality organizing products and related services to people around the world.
Organizing the homes of busy families has also led to a side business... helping parents achieve their own dreams of working from home by building their own content-rich websites, based on their passions and interests. After getting several of these moms and dads started, I began a second site, www.niche-build-it.com (http://www.niche-build-it.com/) which offers help and guidance to those starting internet businesses. And now fellow e-booker, Jen has teamed up with me to expand this site!
The combination of these ventures gives me variety and a respectable income. But what’s best of all? Flexible hours, so I can be there for my children.Jennifer
I live in sunny San Diego, California, with my sexy Canadian husband and our four kids, ages 1 to 14.
Before entering the world of Internet marketing, I worked in a variety of administrative assistant positions, from talent agencies (you haven’t lived until you’ve sat next to Johnny Depp... trust me on this one) to law offices. Though I’ve always valued my skills and worked hard at my jobs, my heart was never in it. What did I want to be when I grew up?
Fast forward to Spring 2004. Pregnant with my last baby, I was put on bedrest due to complications. I quit my part-time legal assistant gig working with my dad, the best boss in the world, and suddenly had a lot of time on my hands. How many episodes of “Blind Date” or “People's Court” can one woman watch, anyway?
It was during this four month period that I turned to the Internet for solutions to my boredom and unemployment. When I discovered people actually make money by promoting affiliate programs on their own websites, I knew it was the answer.
I learned everything as I went, teaching myself Frontpage, choosing a site concept (online dating... let’s just say, bad idea), picking a domain name, selecting hosting, marketing my affiliates.... ack! I suffered information overload, becoming easily confused by the contradictory advice espoused by Internet “experts”, and when I didn’t make a million dollars, let alone a profit, by the end of that year, I sold my website to the highest bidder on eBay.
After working another home business, I realized all of my energy went toward selling product and building my downline... online. I spent days creating a great website with keyword-rich content and uploading terrific graphics to appeal to my visitors. In the end, I didn’t throw one party!
Clearly, I really wanted to get back to the building of websites. But, I needed better, consistent information to guide my Internet success dreams.So why Site Build It? Because the CTPM process just made sense to me. There’s no magic pill, no false promises, no hype. Sitesell’s CEO, Ken Evoy, understands that hard work, patience, and being true to yourself = success. Novel concept, isn’t it?
Here I am, seven months after purchasing my first SBI! site. Besides www.favorite-puppy-names.com, I have two other websites in progress, and have partnered with my fellow ebooker, Erin, on www.niche-build-it.com. I love the creative element of building, coupled with the practical aspects of business. And as long as those Google checks keep coming, I’ll keep building.
And there you have it… four very different individual WAHMs, all with different backgrounds and experience, all at different stages. So, how did we come together to write this Guide?