Singin’ The Work at Home Blues? Jazz It Up! Part II

Singin’ the Work at Home Blues? Jazz It Up With Feedback from These Successful WAH Stars…

All of us who work from home know that it can have its pitfalls. That doesn’t mean we’re not grateful, or that we’re ready to throw in the towel, but this coach will be the first to say that life at home 24/7 doesn’t always rock. There are days that I find myself singin’ the work at home – WAHhhh – blues!

Last week we got great feedback from 3 of my successful entrepreneurs. Here are 3 more – I hope you’ll add your feedback and ideas as well!

______________________________________________________________

Barbara Rozgonyi
Founder, CoryWest Media, LLC
Wired PR Works

Q -  What is the greatest recurring work-at-home challenge you have encountered?

Barbara’s Answer: Recruiting and organizing a virtual team to seamlessly deliver integrated marketing communications and pr projects.

Q -  What solutions have been most effective in combating the challenge?

Barbara’s Answer: Developing a systematic approach for every client and their projects helps keep the team on the same track. Using a Hollywood casting approach allows us to match the right people to the right roles as writers, designers or consultants for each project. Expanding your team beyond you is key if you want to grow and take on bigger projects.

Q -  What is the greatest work-at-home challenge you encountered during your first 6-months in business in your home office?

Barbara’s Answer: Getting enough clients to start my business from the ground up.

Q - What solutions were most effective in combating the challenge?

Barbara’s Answer: After choosing a name, CoryWest Marketing Communications [after my mother and grandmother] to sound like a real company, I decided to play off of my corporate sales training experience and focus on the healthcare industry. So, I picked up the phone and started making calls to introduce my company to hospitals, home health care agencies and insurance companies. On each call, I offered to send them my quarterly newsletter with updates about the latest in health care communications. It worked! My first cold call turned out to be one of my best clients. Our relationship lasted for six years.

______________________________________________________________

Deb Villarese
President, Bella Well Lifestyles
follow Deb on Twitter @debvillarese

Q -  What is the greatest recurring work-at-home challenge you have encountered?

Deb’s Answer: Needing order in my life and surroundings. Years ago, I wanted everything perfect. ( beds made, dishes done etc) Then I came to the strong realization that what I was really doing was procrastinating and avoiding what I needed to do, which was to pick up the phone or write the article, or prepare the speech……………..

Q -  What solutions have been most effective in combating the challenge?

Deb’s Answer: I had to decide that I had a real job and set a time that I had to show up at the office. Whether the things around the house were done or not. IF there had to be a change in time, then it had to be made up. Just like if a boss required 8 hours a day. I had a 12 hour time span to fit the hours into MY schedule.

Q -  What is the greatest work-at-home challenge you encountered during your first 6-months in business in your home office?

Deb’s Answer: The purpose of working at home is to have more control over my life. Once I got the hang of working at home, I found that my business was running me, rather than me running my business. It all came down to total time management.

Q - What solutions were most effective in combating the challenge?

Deb’s Answer: I have set hours I work. I usually take Friday afternoon’s off. I work 2-3 nights, but I don’t have those carved in stone. They are flexible. I call those evening hours the golden hours because that is the time which I have the most success finding people available to participate in web cast, conference calls and the like. IN summary – Time management, and discipline to myself and my business. BALANCE it ALL.

______________________________________________________________

VALERIE G JONES
Pre-Paid Legal

Q -  What is the greatest recurring work-at-home challenge you have encountered?

Valerie’s Answer: Balancing my time between appointments and phone call/follow-up time to get appointments. I can get so busy on appointments, then I have a slump because I haven’t set aside time to make new appointments.

Q -  What solutions have been most effective in combating the challenge?

Valerie’s Answer: Set blocks of time that are only available to do follow-up phone calls and treat that phone time as appointments and make that time unavailable for appointments.

Q -  What is the greatest work-at-home challenge you encountered during your first 6-months in business in your home office?

Valerie’s Answer: It was easy to put off work tasks or do personal tasks during work time.

Q - What solutions were most effective in combating the challenge?

Valerie’s Answer: Treat my business like a job and set goals for the day, the week and the month. Prioritize the items and do the “A” items (urgent and important) before “B” items (important but not urgent) and “C” items.