These days, with the business of e-commerce booming, many Mums are asking, “How can I start a business for myself and still spend time with my kids?” and “What do I get out of it?”



1. First of all, consider the type of business you want to start. The best kinds of internet businesses are not those dodgy info-referral kinds, but the ones where you actually have a good product to sell. You're more likely to get people to buy from you if you A – have a good product that they want and B – don't have a reputation for being a dodgy salesman.

2. You can spend more time with the kids. If you need to volunteer in the canteen, you can! If you have to take a sick child to the doctor, you can!

3. You can get a real sense of self-worth and achievement. Many Mums feel ‘flat' after the birth of their baby, particularly if they've worked outside the home before they had their baby. An internet business allows the WAHM to develop something they have an interest in and REALLY want to do, instead of just working to pay the bills. In return, this feeling of ‘ownership' translates into positive self-esteem.

4. You can set your own hours. Start at 9am and finish at 3pm when the kids come home from school if you like! If you have a new baby, you can work around their nap times (unless you're so sleep-deprived you just want to curl up yourself!).

5. Improved time-management skills. You know you have to post that order today, so you can structure your time around the day-to-day running of your business.

6. Improved networking opportunities and positive social contacts. Through the course of your business you'll meet lots of other WAHMs like you. You can get together for coffee and discuss business strategy, ideas, tips and pitfalls. It will get you out of the house and give you some of that adult contact time that you crave!

Okay, so you want to be a WAHM, but where do you start? Here are some ideas:

1. You can sell your old kids' clothes on Oztion or Ebay.

2. You can research some distribution companies and sell some kid's clothes or gifts or shoes –whatever you like! But to do this in Australia, you have to register your business with the Office of Fair Trading and get an ABN (Australian Business Number). That'll cost you about $150.

3. Set up your website – Download FREE e-commerce solution ‘Zen-Cart'. Find a CHEAP web-hosting solution. With Zen-Cart you can set up and skin your own store and you don't have to pay thousands of dollars for a web-developer to do it for you!

4. Explore postage options for your products – low volume = National Postal Carrier. High Volume = courier delivery.

5. Join some Business Networks so you can meet other WAHMs in business!

6. ENJOY Yourself! – There's no point in working for yourself if you don't enjoy it!