Birthing an Online Business?

The busiest shopping season of the year is over and online retailers are raking it on. And why not? Online shopping is the fastest and easiest way I, and millions of others, have found to comparison shop, buy, and save. I love to shop online and will very rarely step foot into a brick and mortar retail store. I love online shopping so much that I even opened my own online store. Punkin Pockets began as an online boutique specializing in stylish baby slings, clothing, and natural toys. After being in business for a little over a year though, I realized that I didn't really enjoy being on that end of the retail market.

I have since moved on to the blog format you see here and am loving the change. I can offer my friends a comprehensive directory of all the same sites I love and buy from the most, while contributing a little to my family's income, being home to raise my daughter, and being free to assist my husband in building his graphic design business. Along the way, I have made friends with a lot of very successful women with their own retail stores and admire their tenacity and business acumen a great deal. The business world still excites me and I have since encouraged many other mothers I know to get their own business started as well.

One of the easiest ways to take the plunge is to open an online store. The internet has become a common tool used by mothers who work outside the home to earn extra money so they can leave the workforce. And many moms who are already home with their children have found that an online business has enabled them to remain at home. The basics of getting started include deciding what you want to sell, getting a domain name and host, and finding good ecommerce software.

Once you've decided on a business name and a domain name, check to be sure they are available. An online search and a visit to your county courthouse can take care of that. And after you've figured out what you're interested in selling, take a look around at the different shopping cart software available. One of the things that most frustrated me was the shopping cart software I had to use. It was severely limited but came with my host's package and I couldn't afford to upgrade or change it. One company, Ashop Commerce, offers a FREE 10-day trial of their web-based shopping cart service. In addition to its ecommerce software, they also offer domain name registration, logo design, search engine submission and optimization, plus a whole lot of other stuff. If you're willing to invest some time and money into your business (and why wouldn't you) Ashop Commerce is worth checking out. They even have live sales & support, a video demonstration, and a test drive feature that is fun to try.

Remember though, you might be entering a whole new world you know nothing about and it can be quite intimidating. Like entering motherhood for the first time, you never really know what you are getting yourself into, but once you take the leap of faith, you can't imagine your life any other way.

For the Entrepreneur in you

As the wife of an entrepreneur, I've recently been bitten by the same bug my husband's had for years, even before I knew him. Everywhere I look, I see an opportunity to do something creative and new with something old or forgotten. And I know a lot of work at home moms (WAHMs); One who does incredible photography, another who sews beautiful nursing covers, a mom who makes cloth diapers and other baby accessories, and another I inspired to sell baby carriers. Sometimes though, I am at a loss for original ideas. As I've mentioned many times, I lack creative ability. But one thing I am amazing at is taking something already established and managing it and making it better. That's why the idea of starting a franchise appeals to me so.

Franchises are a great way to dive into the world of business ownership. With less risk than starting your own business from scratch and with a business model already shown to be successful, franchises are a popular choice for those with entrepreneurship on their minds. I've read a few books on franchising and have come across a handful of franchise ideas that hubby and I are sitting on until we raise enough capital.

If you are interested in starting a franchise, I suggest you do your research to find out just what opportunities are available. One site, RedHotFranchises.com, makes it easy to browse and search for franchise opportunities by industry and request information directly from that business. There are hundreds out there and I'm certain you will find something that interests you... See, I've just found two more already!


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Book Club: Business

Ever since I realized I could "order" books online from my library, I've been on a reading rampage. I'm known to read several books at a time. Here are some of the ones I've enjoyed recently. There's a long list but hold off on being impressed. I didn't read every word of all of them. Remember to shop for your book wish list at Alibris.com. You can click on each book cover to go directly to that book.

Enter GARCIAMARQUEZ on checkout at Alibris to get $3 off $30 or more of books, music, and movies! Offer expires November 25th, 2007.

Here are the business books I've been digging into.

Mommy Millionaire: How I Turned My Kitchen Table Idea Into a Million Dollars and How You Can, Too! by Kim Lavine

• I skimmed this and read the chapters that I felt I could get the most from. I have recommended this book to all of my mom-preneur friends and I'll probably refer to it again and again.

The Unofficial Guide to Opening a Franchise by Jason R. Rich

• By the time this arrived, I was on to a new business idea, so I returned it without reading past Chapter One. I will definitely buy this one in the future though.

Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude by Jeffrey Gitomer
Little Green Book of Getting Your Way by Jeffrey Gitomer
Little Black Book of Connections by Jeffrey Gitomer

• I like this guy's books alot. They are informative and SHORT. I can get a lot out of them in a little bit of time and as a busy mom, wife, and business partner, that's very important. These are good to read over and over and work into your daily routine.

The ABC's of Writing Winning Business Plans by Robert T. Kiyosaki

• I didn't give this one the attention I should have and will be buying it very soon.

What do you like to read to help you run your business? What are some books you seem to always recommend to your business network? What books have been invaluable as you start and grow your own business? I'd love to hear from you! I'll have some more from my "book club" later in the week.