Eric Smith   Online Professional
All of the above...

Plus it gives me time to spend with my special needs daughter if she is ill or unable to attend school for whatever reason...
Oct 26th 2007 16:35   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Eric,
That is great that you are able to do this. My children are both in school. I am here in the morning to send my son off to highschool and I walk my daughter to the park to catch her bus, then I go and pick her up at the park. And I am home when my son gets home. I wouldn't trade these moments for anything. Working at home also gives me the freedom to attend all school functions and sporting events. Take care, Lynn

Oct 26th 2007 17:44   

Eric Smith   Online Professional
.... yeah, theres rarely a day that i am not able to walk (or drive - depending on the weather) my kids to school. During the day hours i am either on the computer or managing my offline business. Then i pick them up in the afternoon...

Its the freedom that this type of working lifestyle provides that i enjoy. I physically CAN NOT work in a typical emplouee / employer situation... My schedule outside of work would have me looking for a new job every 2 or 3 weeks...
Oct 26th 2007 17:56   

Robert Coaster   Independent Business Owner
Hi Lynn,

For me it is because i need to stay home and assist three of my family members two of whom are elderly which is my mom and uncle and my brother who is autistic.

Take care and enjoy the weekend!,
Robert
Oct 26th 2007 18:07   

Penny Young   Consultant
Same here, Lynn, Robert and Eric. I think it is beyond wonderful that there is a way for us all to be there for our children and family no matter what the circumstances!

These are my two scenario options:

Not working online ... five days a week, every week, I rise very, very early, get dressed, get my tired three year old daughter dressed, organise breakfast, sit in peak hour traffic to drive her to long day care by 7am, sit in peak hour traffic to drive to work, find a parking spot, work all day, panic at 5:30pm because I still have work to do but have to leave, sit in peak hour traffic to drive to long day care, pick up my daughter at 6pm (she has been there eleven hours), sit in peak hour traffic to drive home, fix dinner, organise my daughter for bed, do the housework, chores and paperwork, and try and spend time with my husband.

Alternatively ... working online ... most days we have a reasonably leisurely breakfast. I take my daughter to preschool, which she loves, a couple of days a week from 9am to 3pm (six hours). We also go swimming, walking, on play dates and outings, she learns music and dancing, and we sometimes get away for a few days for a change of scenery. She can run around in the back yard while I work on the computer, as I can watch her. I can set up craft activities, we do some together, and then she continues while I do some work. All my customers know my daughter, and my doing the sales rounds is a fun social trip for us both. My husband comes home from work and we have a relaxed dinner in an organised household, and we get to spend quality time together as a family. I get to be a mum first and foremost, and still earn money.

I know this is long, and I apologise. It is just that I am passionate about it. I see so many mothers still struggling with the first scenario, and I just want to take them under my wing and show them the alternative. It is still hard work, but it's hard work on MY terms!
Oct 26th 2007 18:23   

Eric Smith   Online Professional
... seems to be a theme flowing... Its obvious, we choose to work from home because of our love for our family.

Individual circumstances are different but the overall reason is showing through...
Oct 26th 2007 18:38   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Robert,
Thank you for taking the time to share with us. Take care, Lynn
Oct 26th 2007 21:52   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Penny,
Don't worry about it being long. I enjoyed reading it. I really liked the contrast of the two lifestyle options. Thank you for taking the time to post. Talk soon, Lynn
Oct 26th 2007 21:56   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Eric,
That certainly seems to be the common thread so far...maybe others will share. Lynn
Oct 26th 2007 21:58   

Jennifer Underwood   Promoter
Thank you...you asked...so here goes!
I am a mother of 5 children. 3 of my own and 2 of my soon to be husbands! So look for the BIG DAY announcement too!

Let me see….Childhood.

I was a military brat. Born in Wichita Falls Texas, moved to Okinawa, Japan for 1-3..then on to Hawaii from 4-7 then on to Georgia. Ahem.

I have never liked Georgia by the way. I wonder why? Well, I lived in Georgia until I was in 5th grade and we moved to California. There in California I switched schools twice! While we were in Ca, we were informed that my grandfather was very sick and we had an emergency assignment back to..yeah you guessed it Georgia!

My entire life I really never knew what I wanted, who I wanted to be friends with. NOTHING! I was just a plain out mixed up child! My parents I think bore me just to add to the family of Air Force ‘people’. That was where I was going (or military) no if, and, or buts about it! Trust me the military did great things for my parents! Both retired Air Force! But…nope not for me!

I actually intentionally did bad on my ASFAB tests to help prevent it from happening. Oops sorry Mom and Dad…cat is out of the bag! Well, to make a long story short. I got pregnant at 17 and….no military for me! Yeah! (Hey but I did graduate on time)

During my struggles of being a mother and yes, I did get married, so wife. At such a young age..it was rough. I just knew that ‘my life is out there’…but this can’t be it!

My life I switched from friend to friend, boyfriend to boyfriend, job from job from job from job, , two husbands.. (yeah I think you get it).

I have always had the ‘entrepreneur’ spirit and the bull head that ‘I’m running it this way no matter what’! Well…ha that didn’t get me far (or has it). Mostly where I just said…blah you can take this job and shove it!

I finally had that head strong feeling last year with a position that I really loved. A job I really loved. But a boss from..ahem! I could literally see horns come out of her head! This woman would have me literally crying every night, until I reached the breaking point of enough is enough! If I am going to be broke (which I was still broke working there)…I was going to be broke sane!

So I resigned. Well at this time my boyfriends mother had just joined a (work from home company). Oh let me jump back a little bit too, I had tried this work at home thing with Party Lite. I love candles…but that was too much! So when she told me about this, I was like…yeah yeah. Ok. I am one to listen and not shoot it down immediately, so she invited me to go with her to a seminar that was held in Atlanta with this company (July 2006 a day I will never forget).

THIS SEMINAR CHANGED MY LIFE! I met the most wonderful people with the biggest and best money making life changing opportunity. It was Godsend! I met people like James Harrison (the co-founder), Brent Standing (our Chief Information Officer), Troy Dooly (My Advisor and Mentor), and many many others that just blew me away! I got it! I knew that this day would change my life forever!

The only problem with it all is I had to have $300.00 to start it all. Some it may sound like a lot, some it may sound like petty change. It was not a lot for me to change my life, but unfortunately it was not something I could not afford right then! (Hence I was jobless).

Well, February was a new beginning I had the money! And it has been on from there!

I am successful in my business! I am successful because I am fulfilled in every which way in and out! Am I an over night millionaire success? Uh no! And trust me if you believe it…..man I am so sorry for you! My business has not failed me not once. Actually they have gone over and beyond my expectations 10 fold!

Not only am I my own boss :0)

But I am surrounding myself with LIFE!

Last year….I had absolutely no dreams! Looking back…I had no life!

Now, I am not going to say my LIFE has been honky dory in these past few months. I still have had to deal with the ‘DREAM STEALERS’, the family DRAMA, this and that. That really started to affect my EMPIRE! And once I realized this, and told myself “These people are messing with YOUR Dynasty”. They were out! Now, I am not saying that I don’t talk to them, or this or that. But literally what they say to me, what goes on here or there. Does not matter to me! Because I am too busy building!

And that is exactly what I am doing with the best business opportunity that I have seen out there yet! And I may be biased because I don’t have to stand up for them. They stand up for me and make it easier and easier to do my job! Man what a life!

Thank you Ronnie for introducing me to your mother, and Patricia thank you for introducing me to Invisus. And INVISUS Thank you for introducing me to this life!
Oct 26th 2007 22:11   

Regina Williams  
For me, i'm working on getting where most of you guys are...which is being able to stay home and NOT go to a 9 to 5 and work for someone else. Being able to enjoy life and spend time with my family would be the most important reasons for working online for me.
Take care!
Oct 26th 2007 23:41   

Beth Schmillen   
Hi Lynn,

Great Topic!

Like many people, initially I started out with online marekting to see if I could
make some money. I found I really love this work. And I see it as a way to
create a better life for myself in the future... my retirement years are just around
the corner. I've been living on disability for several years now and have been
trying to work my way off of this situation even from here at home
because that is ideal for me. I don't drive so it's hard to find a job that is
suitable for me within walking distance. And I'm not really able to work at a
job in the way most people do ... which is why I'm on disablility and at home.

What has been the perc for me is discovering all the friends online that I have
with the social networks... And I prefer the positive, supportive people who
like me are working very hard to see their dreams come true!

Beth
Oct 27th 2007 00:14   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Jen,
Thank you for taking the time to share so much about yourself. Lynn
Oct 27th 2007 14:59   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Gina,
I hope you reach your goal of being able to stay at home. Being here anytime my family needs me is the best part. I wish you success, Lynn
Oct 27th 2007 15:02   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
Beth,
I agree so much with your statement about surrounding yourself with postive people. Negative people have a way of zapping ones energy. It's okay to be upset or have a problem. The best way to solve the problem, is to get it out on the table...deal with it....done! And move on with your next positive step! Talk soon, Lynn
Oct 27th 2007 15:20   

Penny Young   Consultant
Lynn, what a great subject you have started here. It is so lovely to hear everyone's stories. I feel like we all know each other just that little more now.

For those who are on the way, but not quite there, be encouraged that you CAN get there. I was so skeptical at first, and it seemed hopeless because I bought into things I had no interest in myself. Then I started playing with websites, and therefore bought webhosting with an affiliate program. I was also absolutely exhausted being almost forty, having to work full-time and caring for a new baby, so I bought an energy product which worked brilliantly. Now my two home businesses are webhosting and healthy energy drinks ... lol!

Everyone is different, so find a product/business YOU personally would use and can honestly recommend, and it all just falls into place. Plus. as Beth said, there are so many positive, supportive people here who are ready to help you.
Oct 27th 2007 20:04   

Eric Smith   Online Professional
That is so totally true for me Penny.

I was looking for quiet a while and then all of a sudden I woke up one day and realised everything had just fallen into place. Now i am a Leader of a group helping others to do what i have done already... I'm not where i want to be yet - but i can see from where i have travelled - i'm not far from it...
Oct 27th 2007 20:29   

Penny Young   Consultant
Eric, it is so great to read your post. I think if everyone took your example and realised that you get there by really helping others, it would change the whole way that the world looks at doing business.
Oct 27th 2007 21:39   

Keel W.  IT researcher
my reason very simple,just another challenge for myself ! im a stocks investor and i always believe that investing in stocks may bring most profits to me. working on internet just my hobby!
Oct 28th 2007 10:08   

Lynn I.   Earning Online Since 1999
It is really wonderful that so many members got involved in this discussion. Penny and Eric, you both were right on track with helping one another. This is going to be a great group :) Lynn
Oct 28th 2007 17:48