Whether you’re a stay mom and your days revolve around your little ones or you’re a working mom who longs for more quality time with your kids – there’s one thing so many families have in common these days… the need for additional income. That’s where an online business comes into the picture.
Passive income OR a digital service provider business are both GREAT options for moms looking to work from home and earn additional income. If you’ve ever considered starting an online business as a stay-at-home mom OR working mom, this post is for you! Today we’re going to be going over five essential things you need before starting your online business.
Spoiler alert: they’re not expensive, and you likely already have most if not all of them (or can easily get them)!
For long before I had kids, I knew that I wanted to stay home with them just like my mom did with my sisters and I. But I also loved graphic design and getting to express myself creatively, and I didn’t want to give up that creative outlet for myself. I always knew that once I started a family, I wanted to launch my own business from home and that’s exactly what I did after having my son in 2020. I now work through nap times + after bed, getting to spend my days with my kids AND working on a business I’m so passionate about – I currently work with clients for graphic design + web management, as well as operating a digital art print shop, Southbound Market. Now, I’m trying to help others mamas do the exact same thing!
You can’t really make money online if you don’t actually have a product or service to sell! As a graphic designer, it was a no-brainer to go freelance and take on some design clients (I still work with one of my very first clients from over 5 years ago!). My path to a career in graphic design started well before I even knew what it was. I used to spend my time creating websites with photos of friends and family, eventually moving on to writing blogs and creating fun graphics. My passion for design me to attend college for Graphic Design followed by working as a designer and marketing coordinator for the next ten years – so it was effortless to migrate over to freelance work.
What are your skills and talents? How could you package them up for client work, or create a digital product about?
What are you naturally good at? What skills you have developed over the years, both personally and professionally? How you can leverage these strengths in your business to create a competitive advantage.
If you can’t think of something specific, just wait for #4 and I’ll help you out 😘
You likely already have one at home, even if it’s not the latest top-of-the-line model. I started my business with my years-old Macbook Pro from my college days and upgraded it to a newer model once I had earned some income and had a few steady clients.
Technically, you also need Wi-Fi but most people do have that at home these days and if not – you can head to a coffee shop or library for access.
Once you actually have your product or service idea ready.. you need somewhere to sell it. One of the best places to do this is on your own website, though there is some time and/or money investment needed for that.
If you’re selling a digital product, you can sell it for free on a platform like Etsy (they just take about 10% back in fees) or Creative Market, depending on your product.
If you’re selling a service, you CAN do it super low cost with a free invoice generator and PayPal or Bank Transfers.
I ran my business through word-of-mouth referrals and didn’t have a dedicated website for years, so it’s definitely doable – but it made getting new clients sooo much easier once I spent the time to make myself a website. I do have another blog post all about 5 signs its time to create a website for your 1:1 service provider business, which may help you decide if a website is right for your biz. And if you know you want to launch a website for your business but have no idea where to start.. I’ve got something to help you with that, too!
Okay yes, this is a resource I’ve made so a bit of a shameless self promotion – but this totally FREE Roadmap is your step-by-step guide to building a profitable online business while being at home with your family. It’s packed with practical tips, actionable steps, and some soul-searching exercises to build a solid foundation for your business – including how to uncover your passions, strengths, and skills that you can rock in your business (like we discussed in #2!)
This step-by-step workbook is your roadmap to success in building a profitable online business while being at home with your family. Packed with practical tips, actionable steps, and some soul-searching exercises to build a solid foundation for your business – you’ll uncover your passions, strengths, and skills that you can rock in your business.
Finding the time to dedicate to your business might initially seem daunting, particularly as a busy mom. It can feel like you’re sacrificing your free time (or chore time) which is not always easy. But if you spend even an hour a day, five days a week – that could be an extra $400 per month if you charge even $20 an hour for your services (but you can charge much, much more!!). I work on my business during nap times and once my kids are in bed, sometimes extra on the weekends depending on what I’m working on that day (Sunday mornings are my most creative time, so I often spend a bit of time creating new products for my art print shop during this time!). If you spend those five hours each week working on your own digital products, eventually you’ll still be earning income for those products without working ANY additional hours.
You’d be surprised what even five hours a week can do for building a business! And don’t worry, you can absolutely work on your business while also watching Netflix.
What do you think – does it feel less overwhelming to start your own business now that you know the first 5 things you need to start an online business from home?
I’m a brand + web designer and work-at-home mom who is passionate about helping aspiring entrepreneurs build their dream business from home.
