Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired!

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is: Spark An Idea that Will Keep You Motivated This Summer!

This is a really good one! Here’s what Michelle had to say about staying motivated in eCommerce:

Staying motivated in the summer is usually not that hard for me. It’s nice and sunny outside, warm, and I just feel more motivated in general. And I have more help around the house with my kids home from school, so I can work in my projects while they are doing their chores.

However, it is easy to get sidetracked with ball games, camping, doing stuff with friends, so here are some things that I do to keep me motivated, and that I think can help any online business owner.

1. Plan and implement projects for my business. Orders, in my industry, tend to slow down during the summer. People are offline, spending time with their kids and not on the computer. They’re going outside and generally enjoying the nice weather. So this is time to create that new information product, build that new website, or work on that new business model. For example, I just finished revamping my website hosting packages and consolidating several websites. My current project is creating full service website development, maintenance and promotion packages for Oklahoma women-owned businesses.

2. Set realistic goals. I tend to be optimistic, generally speaking, and in setting my goals for the summer. I think I’m going to get all these projects done — revamping websites, writing blog posts, updating software, etc. But it IS summer and I have to remind myself that I need a break. So I cut back on client work, focus on building my business during this slow time, and make sure I don’t bite off more than I can chew over a given period of time. For example, I don’t schedule 10 blog posts in one week. Instead, I’ve consolidated several websites and now only need to write two thought-provoking posts and two newsy and short posts. Woo!

Just remember — if your business cycle is like mine, and this is your slow time, be easy on yourself and take a break. But also take advantage of the slow time. If this is your busy time, then bookmark this page and come back for inspiration when your slow season arrives.

Awesome, Michelle!

For me – with eBay on my mind 24/7, I’m constantly thinking of what to sell the next season. I know from experience that while specializing in clothing – you HAVE to know the latest trends, and keep up with what the retailers are pushing off of their racks.

It’s idealy a perfect time to shop for any off season clearance items and get ready for back to school sales!  Summer is generally slow if you sell clothing on eBay as well, so what perfect time to catch up on how you want to improve your business in the up and coming busy times.

Of course with a new baby in the mix, and a 6 year old on my heals – making the time for everything is going to be a challenge.  One thing that I always have to keep in mind is that working from home is going to always warrant me to work on my terms!  It’s a wonderful thing to be your own boss! 

I stick to a very strict schedule, making sure to leave any extra time for those unexpected interuptions.  It’s also important to put time aside for yourself and your family so you don’t get too overwhelmed.  You’ll feel refreshed and ready to go when you make sure your time is wisely planned. 

When mommy is happy – everyone is happy!    Have a productive Summer!

Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired!

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is: Spark An Idea that Makes A New Business Ally.

Michelle & I have combined forces this week to bring you some of our ideas relating to eBay & eCommerce:

1. Providing an excellent product and customer service. This works whether you’re selling physical or digital products or a service. For example, I recently moved a client to my servers — a client who services a target market similar to mine. In doing so, and going above and beyond what many other hosts provide, I was able to make an ally out of the new client. We are planning to work together on some future projects.

2. Stop by and say hello. Sometimes just being friendly, particularly when the other business owner is local, can form an alliance. For example, I saw one of my ecommerce clients at a local festival about a week ago. We chatted about the products she sells and about how things were going for her at the festival. We are planning to have lunch together soon. This is a stepping stone on the way to building a business relationship.

You can do this at trade shows (remember to be courteous to those who are trying to sell their wares, by not hogging all their time), networking events, local festivals, or even the grocery store.

3. Find a niche that compliments yours – and cross promote each other.
There are a ton of eBay tools that you can use to help you work smarter, not harder. If you can find something that works for you, spread the word! There are a ton of mom owned businesses that love to help other moms and by doing this you will BOTH benefit.  For example, keeping track of your eBay sales is very important when you want to know your progress from year to year. I came across Easy Auctions Tracker – and have just fell in love with her spreadsheet for tracking eBay sales. I got in touch with her and we are now promoting each others business. It’s a win-win!

4. Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up!  Communication is a big, big part of a successful business. Having contact with a customer before, during and after an eBay sale will leave a lasting impression that is sure to give you repeat business. Word of mouth moves faster than you think! Having a positive impact on someone will ensure that you will have new customer contact. In turn your e-business can only grow from there!

Let’s hear your ideas, we’d love to have some comments on how you benefit from a new Business Ally!

Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called “Spark an idea Thursday.” As part of this tradition, I’ll be sharing with you my experiences and interpretations for each week’s topic for those of you who sell products or services online.

I invite you to grab our image over there to the right and carry the tradition through to your own blog. If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired!

So, let’s get started with the topic at hand: Spark an Idea that Entertains the Kids while you Work!

I’ve been training myself for or running a web hosting, design and ecommerce business for more than 7 years now. I started when my son was less than a year old and continued through a pregnancy and birth of my daughter. He’s 9 and she’s 6 now. So I’m going to break this down into age groups.

Babies

If you’re nursing, babies are easy. Just buy a Boppy Pillow and make yourself comfortable in your office chair. You can type while your little guy (or gal!) is nursing and napping. I did some of my best work done this way and actually built the foundations of my business while nursing babies. I did cut my hours back as much as possible during those early baby months, making sure I napped with my baby and followed his or her schedule.

Toddlers and Preschoolers

This is where it gets more challenging. Toddlers have very short attention spans and are still very much attached to you. Depending on your child, you may be able to put some interesting toys in front of them and keep them entertained long enough to answer a couple of emails or work on a few orders. My son, Chris, would be entranced by anything mechanical, or that he could take apart. He loved his cars and toy hammers. (I had to watch him closely or he’d get out Daddy’s screwdriver and start taking things apart that he shouldn’t… We used to joke that if we blinked for two long, he’d have the TV in pieces…LOL!)

My daughter, Aimee, on the other hand, was very talkative. (And still is!) Toys were not going to hold her attention long. She wanted to be in my lap, doing what I was doing, and yakking about it the whole time. She’s also the one who thought she could nurse upside down and then take off across the room. Ouch! With her, I just had to take more breaks to give her the attention she needed.

Elementary School

The one nice thing about homework is, it gives me a little extra time to finish my work after the kids come home from school. We live 15 minutes from the school, so we talk about how things went that day on the way home. At home, Chris does his homework and Aimee has her afternoon snack. Then we start working on chores. Sometimes, my chores involve work. Imagine that!

Now that they’re in school, I have from 8 am to 2 pm to concentrate solely on my work. Once we’re done with homework and chores, we usually end up outside playing (we’re a baseball family so this often involves playing catch and practicing batting) or watching some of our favorite TV shows. Or going to ball games. Or going to church.

Final Thoughts

In any age group, it’s important to have help from your family. My husband, in our kids’ early years, would come home from work and entertain them while I finished up a project. Now that they’re older, he’ll supervise while they play outside, riding their bikes or kicking a soccor ball around.

I also discovered the beauty of virtual assistants. If you have someone who understands your business, and who is capable of handling customer support or order fulfillment or blog writing, whatever you need help with, she can take a load off of you, giving you the time to spend with your kids.

So, those are my thoughts. Tell me, what are your ideas for entertaining your kids while you work?

Sparkplugging is starting a new tradition called ‘Spark an Idea Thursday’.  Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers.  We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog!  If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired!

The theme of this week’s Spark an Idea Thursday is Spark an Idea to Entertain the Kids While You Work.

This is probably going to be one of the toughest challenges for many new moms starting out on eBay.  Every child is different.  There are going to be different work schedules for each of us.

My oldest is now six.  Raising her while working from home is something I’ll never regret and something I’m going to treasure forever.

While I was learning my daughter’s schedule, I adapted into when I could work and not work.  As an infant, her naps in between feedings were my time for eBay frenzy.  Try these tips and let me know what you think!

First thing is first…

Make a To Do List:

It’s a MUST HAVE as a new mom.  I don’t know what happens to our brain cells when a baby is born, but suddenly forgetfulness is at the top of the list.  Let’s face it; lack of sleep has a lot to do with it.  Making a list will guarantee you have something to accomplish each day.

Patience Is A Virtue:

Remember, your main goal for being at home, is to be at home for your children.  If you are in the middle of a photo session and the baby needs to be fed…feed the baby!  Happy Baby = Happy MommyJ.  It’s one of the beauties of working from home.  You can do it at your own pace. You are your own boss!

As my daughter grew older, learning independent play was a blessing in disguise.  She would be right next to me in my office with her toys.  Although I wasn’t constantly interacting with her every second, I could be there if she needed me.  She was always content and happy with plenty to stimulate her mind.

The Toddler Years:

Ah, yes. The toddler years seem to come fast, don’t they?!  It may actually work to your advantage!  Now, they are able to follow direction and want to be mommies helper at all times!  Hey, let them help!

Share the photographing:

We have a spare camera that is here to ‘help mommy’ take pictures.  It’s been a real help when I have to get some things to auction on eBay and the little one is determined to help.

Stickers and Balloons:

I don’t know what it is about the two that just fascinate kids!  You know those small helium tanks you can get at the party store?  They come included with a bag of balloons and stickers that contain funny faces.  It’s amazing how long a toddler will stay occupied when you blow up a few balloons and let them go crazy with a sheet of stickers!  The helium tank lasts a long time, definitely something to use again and again!

Be Flexible:

I have to mention that we recently welcomed a new baby girl into the world!  I’m using all my ‘tricks’ from when my oldest was born to occupy her during the day while I eBay.

Of course, I’m finding out she is totally different than my oldest!  She requires a lot more attention during the day.  That’s fine with me, because I know I can shift my schedule around as needed.  Instead of being an early bird, I’m becoming a night owl.

I’m sure there will be new tricks to be shared with her as she grows, that I will pass along to you!