Being an
entrepreneur that works from home and mom all rolled in to one, I’ve gained a
pretty unique perspective on how to strike a balance between work and personal
life. Between dance classes, trips to the park, the library and other after
school activities, I get to meet other involved parents. Once the kids are in
school, there is a community of moms and dads who are at home with some time to
spare. Many of them would be open to part-time flexible work to earn extra
money.
Many small businesses need
part time help and the untapped talent pool of home-based parents is a great
resource. When it comes to time consuming, but non-committal types of
tasks requiring a few hours per week, a
stay at home mom or dad is useful to a small business owner. In many cases the
parent pool is a better option than a virtual assistant because you access the
skills and background of the parents who are most likely running businesses as
well. Some examples of tasks that could be handled by home-based parents:
- Managing social networking for your business
- Organizing receipts and files
- Prepping RFPs
- Research (for marketing, competition, leads, advertising,
etc.)
- Checking government sites for contracts or business funding
opportunities
- Scheduling and project management
Where does one find these
awesome parental resources? Talk to parents at school gatherings, or at community
volunteer programs – basically anywhere where parents and kids come together. Strike up a conversation and do your own
informal interviewing. Don’t overlook a chance to connect – you could find the
perfect mom or dad ready and eager to help your business!
About the Author
Jenna Papakalos is the President of JRMP Enterprises Inc. which specializes in
learning, performance management, and social networking strategies. For more
information visit www.jrmpenterprises.com.
-Thanks Jenna. The key is to always to keep the “opportunity radar” on. When
looking to balance working from home and family, especially in tough times,
there are many places where people find extra income opportunities.
