Today’s Money-Making SAHM’s are Donna Fisher & and a friend who wishes to remain anonymous. Both women took a product they loved, believed in, and wanted to distribute to others and/or created legitimate and successful at-Home Businesses or began selling the product from home.
Donna set up and established a business selling product she loves both to people she knows and to consumers online. She started by ordering and selling her first 50 items as an experiment and since then she has created a very successful business. She discusses how anyone can take something they love, sell it, and create a successful business as well.
Welcome Donna…
Q. What inspired you to begin working?
A. I had been home for 4 years, with my second child and hadn’t planned to go back to work for a while. I came across an amazing product, microfiber cleaning cloths and mops, from a distributor. This was back in 1999, when these microfiber cloths were new and unique, I decided to buy 50 and sell to friends and see how it went.
I sold those 50 so quickly that I purchased another 50 and it grew from there. Essentially this home business fell in my lap and wasn’t planned. My husband and I wanted me to be able to stay home with the kids, as he’s an airline pilot and with his shifts and being out of town, we don’t have to worry about sitters for the kids and he is able to be flexible to leave for work at any hour, knowing I’m there for the kids. It’s a perfect set up for me to have a home business and be available for the family.
Q. How did you go about starting your business or arranging a work at home position?
A. After I decided to take selling microfiber cloths more seriously, I set up the business name and I applied for the necessary tax numbers. In order for me to test the market and get feedback so that I knew it was a product that people would like, I participated in some out-of-the-home sales venues. I was involved in some small local home shows to promote the product and even went door to door to stores who could use them in their show rooms or sell them along with products, ie appliance and piano stores.
Sales were a challenge at first, because microfiber was still new to North America and consumers were very skeptical about this new fabric for cleaning. Although once people gave the cloths a chance, they were amazed at the results.
I decided I wanted to work more from the home and ecommerce sites were becoming more popular. I then had a website designed to continue the sales online. This allowed me to stay home more and concentrate on internet generated sales and marketing.
In 2013 I began to import product for the first time, as I found a new line of very high quality microfiber products designed in Denmark that had not yet been sold in North America. This is not a MLM company, so I am able to offer wholesale prices for new distributors.
After 14 years in the business, microfiber is much more well-known and a well-loved product.
Q. What are some tips you would like to share with others who are interested in doing something similar?
A. Find a product that you love and others would want. I would suggest starting small, try out selling the product and see how it goes from there. Don’t jump in too quickly just in case it’s not for you. It’s much easier to market a product that you love yourself.
As you get feedback from people, you will have an easier time selling something that has proven results. Once you know it’s for you, you may want to get a comfortable level loan to enable you to invest in the company, if you need to.
Q. How many hours do you work a week or how much of your time does this position require? Is it flexible? Is it consistent?
A. The hours I work are very flexible. It ranges from even only one hour a day to a few hours a day or more, some days more than others. In between the usual home multi-tasking duties, I grab time to work. I’m able to do a lot of online marketing. I try to do the online marketing late at night, as it takes up a lot of time.
Q. When/how do you find the time to work?
A. I just work when the time is right, early in the morning, while the kids are just playing on their own, or when the kids are at school. I can easily stop work and tend to home duties at any time.
My family is used to my work time and also understands when I am working in the evening. I also have the flexibility to go on school class trips, volunteer in the community, and spend time out with my other friends who are also stay at home moms.
Q. Are there certain tips/advice you’d want to share with others who want to start working like you?
A. Setting up a website is very important. Call around for a reasonable price to have one designed. Or you can set up your own, even if it’s a simple website to start.
Get well connected and familiar with the main effective social media platforms. Consider starting a blog related to the product you sell. Network with others on line. Watch Youtube videos on how to make the most of using social media to market your product. There are great tips out there. Keep learning.
Q. Was training/schooling required for the position? How/when did you complete it?
A. No, training is not needed to start up. Although I do have University honors degree myself it is not related to the work I do now.
Having a lot of motivation is important. If you want to learn more about running an a small business you will find many resources on line and YouTube videos, that is the best way to start to train yourself. You need to invest time into educating yourself on how to run a business.
Q. What is the income percentage you bring in? or Does the income help a little, medium, or is the main source of your family’s income?
A. My business brings in a good amount. I look at it as spending money for entertainment and clothing for my family. It is not our family’s main source of income.
Q. How would someone who wants to do something similar get started?
A. Search around for a product you love or something that is new and unique. Get started with a small supply to start and sell sell sell. You can try to start selling on Ebay before you set up your own website. It will grow from there. It helps to get involved in mom-to-mom sales in your area, small trade shows, etc.
You need to have an online presence so you can direct people to a place to contact you. Facebook it a good place to start.
If you are looking for a product and if you love microfiber cloths, I can certainly get you started selling microfiber cloths in your area. I find them an easy-to-mail item because of how lightweight they are. I do set up distributors and offer excellent wholesale prices so you will benefit nicely.
Thank you Donna for this awesome info!
Note from Anita (blog owner)… I just want to add that there are many items (as Donna mentioned) out there that you can order, distribute, and sell. I will be featuring another SAHM who actually makes her own items and sells them which (although more time-intensive) is another great way to make money!
There is a huge difference in being a distributor i.e. buying a much-loved or brand new-to-the-market item on your own from a manufacturer and selling it VS. becoming a distributor/sales rep. for a company like a MLM company. Distributing and selling products can be one of the best ways to start a business. I just want to warn against multi-level marketing distribution companies. Most of them (yes there are a few exceptions) require that you pay a lot just to be able to sell their product. Further, you are required to order a minimum of the product each month. Another downside is that they set the prices (you don’t set them) and often they are inflated to pay for all the commission yet, typically you only receive a small portion of what you do sell. So doing as Donna did and distributing straight from a manufacturer and avoiding a tier payout schedule i.e. multi-level marketing companies will allow you much more freedom and profit.
If you are interested in becoming a distributor please contact Donna (info below)…
Donna Fisher lives in Ontario Canada, with her husband and 3 children. Donna has had a home based business selling microfiber products since 1999. She is the owner of Ultra Microfiber Cloths and Mops. She imports and markets products and sets up distributors across USA and Canada. Microfiber outshines traditional cleaning methods. Visit website at www.ultramicrofibers.com To be entered in ongoing draws for microfiber cloths, Like their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Ultramicrofibercloths. If you want to be set up as a distributor please contact Donna at [email protected].
The other money-making SAHM who is a product distributor does so for a company she works at. She went about starting her at-Home business differently. I wanted to add her perspective because I found her way of creating an at-Home business very innovative.
Welcome…
My position–I am the training and script development manager for Diversionary Therapy Technologies (DTT). DTT has a device called the ditto that has videos, games and stories to help prepare children for hospital procedures and distract them during difficult hospital experiences. I train hospitals in how to use the device, ship devices for trials, manage sales, do marketing and conferences and write the scripts for the videos.
Q. What inspired you to begin working?
A. I worked as a Child Life Specialist in a children’s hospital for 3 years until my grant funded position stopped being funded. My husband and I were married but no kids yet so I knew I had to keep working.
Q. How did you go about starting your business or arranging a work at home position?
A. At first my job I was traveling 3 days a week flying to another state and back. After 6 months of doing that, I did not enjoy it at all. I also knew my husband and I were going to start trying for a baby soon, so I spoke to my boss and we rearranged my job so that I could do meetings via phone and Skype and not have to travel as much. My boss agreed and I began selling and training from home.
Q. What are some tips you would like to share with others who are interested in doing something similar?
A. Although my job is very different and I am the only person in the US that does it for my company, the concept could be used in different areas. Perhaps you are flying far distances selling products and want to be at home more. It doesn’t hurt to see if your boss would allow you to utilize the phone and Skype to make the same sales from home. It will save them money and you could be more efficient with your time.
Q. How many hours do you work a week or how much of your time does this position require? Is it flexible? Is it consistent?
A. I am technically full time but I basically work until the work is done. Sometimes that is 2 hours a day and sometimes its 10-12.
Q. When/how do you find the time to work?
A. I am just now starting back after having a baby May 1 and so far I work when the baby naps. Once he stops napping as much, I will have an bouncer, a swing, and a placard in my office with me to keep him entertained while I work.
Q. Are there certain tips/advice you’d want to share with others who want to start working like you?
A. Yes. It is important for your spouse to be on the same page and communicate well! My husband works flexible hours but full time and sometimes he’s in an office and sometimes just at a local coffee shop, so he can come home when I need help. When he’s done for the day, if I haven’t gotten all of my work done, I need him to cook dinner and/or take the baby. Communication is key!
Q. Was training/schooling required for the position? How/when did you complete it?
A.I have my bachelors in child and family studies, which was appropriate for my position. Extra training was not needed.
Q. What is the income percentage you bring in? or Does the income help a little, medium, or is the main source of your family’s income?
A. My husband brings in about 60% and I bring in about 40%.
Q. How would someone who wants to do something similar get started?
A. Since this is a very specific job that I turned from a travel position to an at-home position it may not really be helpful to other SAHM’s. But women who are working and traveling a lot, selling and distributing products who want to be a WAHM, it may work for you.
Approach your higher ups and present them with a plan of how you could do almost the same thing using the internet, Skype, etc. This may save them a lot of money on plane tickets, hotel, car rentals, etc. and be more convenient for the buyer. Offering to give it a trial run is a great way to begin.
Note from Anita- I love how my friend got so creative with negotiating a high-demanding travel sales position into an at-Home position. Thanks so much for participating and sharing your experience!
Other Posts in this series:
Introduction to Money-Making SAHM Series
Series 2: Starting an Online Business
Series 5: At-Home Airline Assistant
Series 6: Become an At-Home Employee
Series 9: Run an at-Home Daycare
Series 10: How to Write and Self-Publish an eBook Part 1 & Part 2
Series 11: Teach Music Lessons
Series 12: Distribute a Product You Love
Series 14: Become a Virtual Assistant
Series 15: Buy and Resell Cheap Finds
Series 17: How to Make Money as a Transcriptionist
Series 18: How to Write and Publish a Paperback or Hardback Book
Series 19: Do Online Tech Support from Home
Series 21: Sell Your Own Sheet Music Part 1 and Part 2
Series 22: Start a Preschool from Home
Series 23: Start Your Own Boutique
Series 24: How to Make Money on YouTube
Series 25: Take Legitimate Online Surveys
Series 27: Become a Photographer
Series 28: Become a Property Manager
Series 29: Make Money Locally Teaching a Talent, Sport, or Hobby
Series 30: Substitute Teaching
Series 31: Sell Shaklee (MLM)-removed
Series 32: Review Websites for UserTesting
Series 33: Sell Mary Kay(MLM)-removed
Series 34: Become an Affiliate with Spark Naturals Essential Oils
Series 35: Quilting and Embroidery
Series 36: Make Money by Doing Laundry for Others through Laundry Care
more coming…pin or bookmark for more.
For other ‘rich living’ and Money-Making Stay at Home Mom case studies please subscribe, like me on Facebook, and follow me on Pinterest.
jeremy
Friday 27th of January 2017
This is a good article. Thanks for the tips. What is a hot product that you know of now that is working great to make money online you would say
Anita Fowler
Wednesday 1st of February 2017
I'm really not sure. I'm sorry you could try googling trends or hot products 2017 or something. Best wishes!
Janet Fazio
Saturday 14th of March 2015
Getting behind a product you love is a great way to earn extra money. When you're excited about it, you want to share the info and it doesn't seem like work at all.