HOME BUSINESS OWNERS SHARE THEIR STORY

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Mershon Bell - Home Business Personal Coach
Laura Burkey of Laura Burkey Coaching

Work at Home Personal Coach

Name:  Mershon Bell
Business:  Personal/Professional Coach
URL:  http://www.mershonbell.com

Job title Certified Professional Co-Active Coach

Job description
I help Moms and more reach their personal and professional goals and dreams.

Reason for starting at home business
Some reasons include: needing to travel, becoming a parent,a job layoff, health reasons, wanting to be your own boss, being a single parent, being disabled, moonlighting, wanting a simpler life, home schooling, upholding family values,  17 years ago I started a homebased marketing/communications business.I wanted to earn an income, use my talents and be the best mom I could beall at once. I had three children at home then. I loved being my ownboss and having the challenge of growing a business. Five years agoI changed my marketing business into a coaching business. I still work fromhome although all my children are grown and on their own.

Deciding factors or motivations influenced you
I grew up as an only child whose mother died when I was eight.  I knew what it was like to not have a parent there before and after school, summers, etc. I wanted to be at home for my kids. Besides, I had been a homemaker and volunteer for 15 years and loved being at home. I knew how to schedule my time and be productive on my own.  I was ready to go back to work and working from home seemed ideal (andit still is).  Now I love working from home because as I move into semi-retirement, it gives me the flexibility to work from a variety of locations (ie our house on a lake).  I also love the productivity level one can achieve without all the interruptions of an office environment with lots of other people.

Describe how having an at home business has changed your lifestyle
It didn't change it, it maintained it.

What is your personal passion and how do you express that in your business
I love working with people. Coaching enables me to be there when my clients reachtowards their dreams of growing their business, leaving a miserable job,losing weight, having greater life balance, starting a new business or achieving otherpersonal/professional goals.  I love using my years of considerable experience to coach others.

Past job:
Child welfare social worker supervisor

Transferable Skills
Working with people, realizing deadlines

Necessary Skills, Education for Job
Intensive coach certification program

Equipment, software, and tools needed for Job
Internet connection, web site, ezine, multiple phone lines (I have 4), Microsoft Office, fax machine, printer.

Industry Insight
Coaching is booming. Soon the question won't be, "what is a coach?"it will be, "Who is your coach?"

Most Effective Marketing Strategies
Twice monthly newsletter (for over 6 years), networking, providing excellence

Top revenue streams
Coaching clients

Pricing strategies
Price at the lower end in order to serve and attract entrepreneurs.  I prefer this audience over the "bigger buck" corporate market.  I used this strategy when I had the marketing business also.

Recommended resources
Get a good accountant to get you started. Don't try to do everything yourself. I had someone build and maintain my web site, I have a CPA do my taxes, I have a bookkeeper, I have a virtual assistant.

Best part of the job
Seeing people grow and create the life they love.

Worst part of the job
Being isolated from other people (live).

Secret to your success
????

Worst business mistake and what you learned from it
Being afraid of too much business. I learned that if I maintain my boundaries I can still achieve balance with increased business.  It is a matter of forming alliances with others who can take on the extra work if necessary.

Any tips on keeping your spouse happy and supportive when you own your own business?
Keep a regular schedule. Don't work nights or weekends.

Do you involve your kids in your business, if so then how.
Once in a while I had my son help me with mailings.

Were your parents business owners or entrepreneurs, if so tell us your story.
Nope

Work at Home Business and Personal Coach

Name: Laura Burkey
Business: Laura Burkey Coaching
URL:  http://www.lauraburkeycoaching.com

Job title  Business and Personal Coach

Job description
I work with Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and
Professional women who desire to strike out on their own in business.

Reason for starting at home business
I wanted to follow my passion (supporting people to accomplish their goals) and I didn't see opportunities elsewhere for me to do that....so I started doing it on my own.

Deciding factors or motivations influenced you
I also knew that supporting, encouraging and empowering others was a natural fit for me, and wanted to be fulfilled by the work I did.

Describe how having an at home business has changed your lifestyle
Having an at home business has enabled me to take better care of myself. One of my values is authentic expression....to self and to others and having my own business (which I equate with having a 'life' really) has freed me to live very authentically and true to myself.


What is your personal passion and how do you express that in your business
My passion is supporting those who are in the pursuit of their dreams and goals.  I admire and respect anyone who actively pursues what they really want and believe in.   My personal belief is that those are the one's who are truly 'living'.  I express this viewpoint in my business by taking my clients very seriously
and staying as committed (if not more) to their desired outcome.

Office location
I live in California (near San Fran.).  One of the bedrooms in my home has been remodeled into an inspiring office.   I do all of my coaching via the telephone and via e-mail.


Start up costs
Very low costs to get started.  To start I only needed a Computer and a phone.    So we are talking under $2000.  As I have grown so have some of my needs and resources.  But still, I have virtually zero overhead.


Start up strategy
Got very good, high quality training from Coach U, and told everyone I knew what I was up to and asked for their support in sending me new clients at a nominal fee.   (Experience was my priority at first)

Years in this business
I have been full time in business as a Coach for 3 years.

Income potential for this career
I think the income potential is unlimited (as with anything).  It's just a matter of how big your goals and dreams are and what plans and support you have to achieve them.

Ideal customers
My ideal clients are Mom's with at-home businesses and Professional Women
wishing to strike out on their own... who:

1.  Lack the support and structure they need to start up or nurture a
thriving business doing what they love to do.

2.  Want to dramatically increase their business and enhance (or maintain)
the quality of their life.


Previous career
Writer, producer in Television and Radio

Transferable Skills
The skills I bring to my coaching business have been developing and evolving from the span of my life experience...in both professional and personalsituations.

Necessary Skills, Education for Job
Natural and sincere interest in others.  Ability to hear more than what is being said.  The ability to make intuitive leaps from what you client is saying, thinking and feeling.  Professional Coach training.

Equipment, software, and tools needed for Job
Phone - absolutely.  Computer - quite necessary but not an absolute.

Industry Insight
Coaching is not the kind of business one will succeed in if their primary interest is to make lots of money or simply work from home.  You must have a serious interest and passion for the success of others if you want to enjoy your work and succeed financially.

Most Effective Marketing Strategies
For me, person-to-person marketing has been the most effective strategy in building a thriving practice.  What I have learned is that people are largely hiring 'what it is I have' or  the results I have personallyattained when they hire me, and feel comfortable with their investment that they too will reach their goal.
Top revenue streams
Group Coaching programs.
Speaking tours
Authoring and Publishing books

Pricing strategies
Monthly retainers.

Recommended resources
CoachU.com
Coachville.com
CoachUniverse.com
Guerillamarketing.com


Best part of the job
All of it.

Worst part of the job
None, really.

Secrets to your success
I love what I do and it shows. I stay informed and educated on the vast approaches and methodologies to success. My attitude.

Worst business mistake and what you learned from it
Worst business mistake was avoiding 'connecting' with people to build my business.   At the beginning I tried to get business playing it safe....staying isolated in my office and  reaching out by very indirect methods such as advertising, writing articles, etc.  (I was afraid of 'networking' activity).

My mistake was how I was approaching 'networking'.  Once I 'got' that networking is really about relationship building I was free from feeling like I was 'asking for something' or trying to make a sale.

I have learned (and strongly believe) that 'opportunity happens through people'.  You must be among and with people to expand your capabilities.

Helpful advice for someone getting started in this career
Get solid training and work with a coach yourself.   This is a business where you must 'walk your talk'.
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What are your future plans for business growth
In addition to my 1-on-1 coaching business and group programs, I am the founder of The Coach Master Skill Group which is an organization for trained professional coaches who wish to master their art of coaching through focused practice.   CMSG is growing nationwide and in the UK.

I also plan to write and  produce a book and/or radio show in the future around the topic of Personal Success.

How do you balance your career and family life (IE child care etc)
I know my boundaries and am clear about the kind of lifestyle I want to live.  My family and my personal well being are just as important as my professional success, so I give them all equal time and attention (without feeling guilty).

Is your spouse involved in your business?
My spouse in involved in that he supports me emotionally.


Any tips on keeping your spouse happy and supportive when you own your own business?
5 Tips:
1.  Show (or tell) your spouse how he can best support you.  During the good and tough times.
2.  Make time to be with your spouse every day.   (In other words: don't make your business more important than him)
3.  Let him be a part of the solution....when you are challenged with something (and you think he could contribute to the solution) ask him for advice or his point of view.   "It's good for your challenge and good for his ego".
4.  Celebrate your successes with him!!  (Point out how he was a part of the success!)  "He gave you the time you needed to work alone", or "He had a great idea about marketing yourself"...and so on.
5.  Take care of yourself.  When you are happy - your spouse is happy.

Do you involve your kids in your business, if so then how.
No kids.

Were your parents business owners or entrepreneurs, if so tell us your story.
No.

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