Sherman - MOM, Incorporated

Y oure in the midst of another midnight feeding. You are struck by the quiet, the peace, the connection between you and your little one who is looking right at you. And then you suddenly hear a voice

There must be something more.

Who said that? Your eyes open wider. Your babys eyes mirror yours as if to say, I heard it, too.

You hear the voice again.

There is something more.

Well, now you are starting to get a little nervous. You glance to the windows: closed. You listen past the sound machine: nothing. You push yourself from the rocking chair, at the risk of disrupting a peaceful feeding. Your husband? Still snoring.

But the voice sounds again. And this time you realize: it is the sound of your heart. Holding your baby in your arms, you are content, but there is a part of you that is searching for something else.

Something that belongs to just you.

You have no desire to return to the 9-to-5 grind working for someone else. You do want to be present for as many extraordinary moments in your childs life as possible. So what if you started your own business? What if you worked from home? How would you do it? Could you do it? Could you really find a way to handle it all?

Why, yes. Yes, you can.

This is a conversation you may be having with yourself while holding your baby in your arms. Or you may have small children at home when the idea for something hits you. Or you might be pregnant or planning to get pregnant and thinking a home-based business may create the ideal situation for yourself as a new mom. Your desire for something more may have been prompted by a life-changing event like it did for both of us one of those moments that smacks you in the face and reminds you that life is short and that you need to live your dreams. Regardless of the reason, if you are having the urge to birth a new business and you have a baby or small children in the mix, this is the book for you.

As two moms who have successfully built our own home-based businesses while negotiating the landscape of motherhood, we have a passion for helping women like you to do the same. Weve set out to provide you with the nitty-gritty details for starting a home-based business on your own from how to tap into your passion and create the business you want, to the practical tips you need to get you started and keep you going even when you think you cant. There are moms who have managed to pull this off, many who admit to making mistakes along the way, but they did it. In this book, we bring some of their stories to you. Were certain many of the womens experiences shared within these pages will be inspiring to you.

Peppered throughout the book are some interactive quizzes to help you assess what youll need moving forward, along with handy worksheets and checklists to give you step-by-step instructions for starting, running, and growing your business so you dont forget a thing. Weve also proposed ideas about businesses that might be ideal for starting and running from home, particularly ones powered by the Internet. Let us help you avoid the missteps and move right to your life as a mom with a business.

You are Mom, Incorporated!

Danielles story

A few years ago, I was floating through my days. I was happy as a mom, content that I was giving my kids all the attention and love they needed. But I knew my soul needed a little stirring. I ignored the voices inside encouraging me to pursue one dream or another until one Friday night in March 2007.

Driving home from my first night out after having my second child, my car was hit by a girl who ran a red light. I sped through the intersection, smacked a curb, and rolled down an embankment. I was conscious the entire time. I called my husband while I was hanging, nearly upside down, from my seat belt.

I walked away from that accident and into a new me. This new version of me vowed to listen to my inner voices, to respond to the soul stirrings, to start something of my very own. I decided I didnt want to work for anyone else unless they were three foot three in fuzzy pajamas and I wanted whatever I was doing to matter.

This was my passion coming up for air.

It was at that very moment that I decided to start ExtraordinaryMommy.com. My plans were vague. I knew I would be doing it all with my children right next to me. And that was good. I could be both mom and business owner. I knew there would be late hours. I knew it wouldnt be easy. But I knew I wanted it.

Now, chances are, you have the opportunity to listen to your soul stirrings without having to experience a released air bag and a totaled car. You dont need baseball-sized bruises and glass lodged in your hand to recognize the need to listen to your heart. You simply have to pay attention rather than hushing your inner voice and sending her back to her corner.

This experience, and my journey since then, taught me a few things:

• Listen to your soul stirrings your heart will tell you if you are on the right path.
• Once you recognize that path, you have to CHOOSE to follow it. No one will do it for you.
• Put a plan in place. You may be tempted to wing it, but your success will be dictated by that plan.