TOPAZ HORIZON: Blogs & Blogging

Showing posts with label Blogs & Blogging. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

4 home-based business ideas that actually make money

Many moms ask me how I earn from home, especially now that many of us are suffering a loss of income because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I earn money from just writing. I contribute articles to websites and magazines, my blog earns from sponsored posts, and I get paid for links and guest posts. There are many more ways to put up a home-based business. Today's guest post tackles 4.

GUEST POST - Whether you’re saving up for a huge purchase or looking for a supplementary income, starting a business can be a profitable side hustle. With the available technology today, you don’t need to rent a commercial space, hire employees, or even leave your house to establish a business.

You can earn an extra income just by staying at home and making use of the resources that you have (e.g., your skills, expertise, or hobby). Or you can also find a reliable manufacturer that will supply you with products to sell.

Either way, you can earn money while running your business at home and with minimal capital to start. If you’re looking for inspiration for a home-based business, here are five profitable ideas to try.

Sell Your Handmade Products

Are you a crafter? You can earn money by selling your creations online. Handmade and personalized products are popular gift items, which means there is a market for them. With you making the products, you have a lot of control over the production process. You can tailor products for a particular audience, find ways to make them more cost-effective, or innovate methods to improve quality.

Then you can sell your handmade products through a marketplace, social media, or your own online shop. Certain products, particularly those that ingested or applied on the skin, are regulated under laws. These include makeup, skin-care products, food, and beverages. Be aware of the legalities and permits you need to apply for if you’re planning to sell such products.

Here are some examples of handmade products you can sell:

Artworks
Dolls and toys
Home accessories
Jewelry
Knitwear
Party favors
Pet accessories
Wedding supplies

Making your own products takes a lot of time and energy, but you have full control of how many you’re going to sell. You can also stockpile your creations before opening the shop. Many crafters take commission work to avoid getting overwhelmed.

Try Drop Shipping

According to Big Commerce, drop shipping is “an order fulfillment method that does not require a business to keep products in stock.” The business is more like a distributor who does the selling and marketing and then passes on the production and fulfillment to a third-party supplier.

Drop shipping requires significantly less effort on the business’s part, but you have to make sure that your supplier can consistently provide quality customer experience. Otherwise, your business’s reputation will suffer.

This business model also creates a minimal opportunity for personal branding and customization. One way around this issue is to curate products from various suppliers to provide quality items for a specific niche.

(Note on drop shipping vs. affiliate marketing: As mentioned above, drop shipping allows you to sell other people's products as your own while affiliate marketing is you promoting other people's products and you earn a commission from each sale from your promotions.)

Sell Your Skills or Expertise

Do you specialize in a specific field or have a marketable skill you can sell? Monetize your skills or expertise by starting a service-based business.

Social media managers, writers, proofreaders, editors, designers, and developers can take freelance projects or sell their skills to marketers, agencies, publishers, companies, or individuals.

If you’re an expert on a certain field (e.g., finance planning, medical billing, college applications, and SEO marketing), you can publish courses or e-books and sell on your website or platforms, like Udemy, Teachable, or Podia. Or you can start a consulting business and market your skills to companies, organizations, and individuals.

Monetize Your Blog

Create a blog, and choose a specific niche so that it’s easier to find your audience. Pick a niche that you’re knowledgeable in and passionate about. Then publish quality content that’s relevant and valuable to your audience. Engage your readers so that they’ll spend a lot of time consuming the content you create.

Here are some ways you can monetize your site:

Affiliate marketing
Advertisements
Sponsored content
Email marketing
Selling digital products like e-books
Selling coaching services
Sponsorships

The bigger and more loyal your audience is, the more you can earn from your blog.

My blog earns money from brand ambassadorships, too!

Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent or a freelancer, earning a living has been made easier through today’s technology. Anyone can now run their own home-based business and earn money by selling products or services or monetizing their knowledge and skills.

So if you’re interested in starting a home-based business, here are a few ideas you can try:

1. Sell handmade products online.

2. Start a drop-shipping business.

3. Sell your skills or expertise.

4. Monetize your blog.

Making money is hard work, but it can be made easier by using the resources that technology and the internet have made available to everyone. You only need to put it in work and find the right opportunities.

*This guest post was written by Melissa Page. She writes for a living and goes bowling for fun. Follow her on Twitter: @melissapage90. If you want to place a guest post on this blog, please email frances@topazhorizon.com.

*Photos from the Biogenic Alcohol campaign 4 years ago! Don't forget to wash your hands with soap and water and sanitize surfaces with alcohol. Stay well and healthy!

Monday, March 02, 2020

Hello there! My name's Frances and this is what I do to make money.

Hi everyone! I've noticed a growth in my readership and so I'm betting a lot of you are new here and don't really know who I am. Thanks for giving me a chance to be part of your life!

Today, I'll share with you what I do for a living. People ask me all the time, "What exactly do you do?"

Well, I do a lot of things but since I don't go to an office, people sometimes assume I don't work. Oh, I work a lot! I hustle for need (pay bills, send kids to school, etc) and for pleasure. I love working!

But what exactly do I do? I always say I'm a writer. That's what I do. All my jobs has writing in there somewhere. The more writing it has, the happier I am with it.

My favorite photo from my PR job last year. L-R: Cosmo.ph EIC Jill Gatcheco, Paint It Red managing director Cath David, me, and our client Dr. Candy Drilon-Dalman of Centro Holistico.

Last year, I had an 8-month stint as a PR Manager at Paint It Red. I learned so much from that job. It was intense because I haven't been employed for 6 years and I literally didn't know anything about the PR industry. I was really lucky I had bosses who took a chance on me and were diligent in teaching the oldest member of their staff new things.

I think they didn't have an easy time (this old dog had a hard time learning new tricks!) but I did learn and I did have fun. I was surrounded by young blood and they were so masipag and mabait! I only left because I found I couldn't juggle a job with being a mommy and running my own business.

Yes, I have a legit, BIR-registered freelance writing business. My writing business earns from foreign clients and local magazine websites. I write product descriptions for e-commerce sites, write branded content for websites, do proofreading and editing of manuscripts, and - my absolute favorite - I write articles! Articles may pay the least but they nourish my soul.

My business also covers my PR consultancy work. Now that I'm no longer employed, I have more time to do freelance PR. I've decided to just focus on family-friendly brands, so my PR work now involves promoting products and services moms would like or are owned by mommies. So now, I like my PR work better because it's more meaningful (and easier) to me.

Ask me what job earns the most, however, and it's blogging hands down. It earns me more money than my job as a PR professional and my freelance writing and editing combined. And I'm not even power blogging like I did in 2013-2016! What I earn from blogging now is a third of what I used to earn and yet it still is the one that brings home the fattest bacon. My blog also lets me earn through speaking engagements and workshops, which scare the shit out of me but are fun to do anyway.

Sneak peek: New campaign involves me admiring a giant bell pepper.

Anyway, I guess I should say I'm a blogger first and everything else after. It's not my dream job (will always be magazine editor!) but it's made my dreams come true so I can't complain. And I guess the point of this post is to say all that I do to earn money so people will stop wondering haha. I also want to say that I'm grateful I have my blog.

Everyone hates bloggers, I know, so I feel weird when I say I'm a blogger. I shouldn't because I know people have been moved by the things I write. That's a profound change in people's lives I know I've done and I am so proud of that.

Now, if you've ever read any of my blog entries, shared them, left a comment, attended my workshops, sponsored my blog, got me as brand ambassador, invited me to your events, even clicked "like" on my blog shares, THANK YOU!!! You have helped feed my family and you are a blessing to me! Love you all!

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Uh oh. The kids have discovered my blog. What now?

I know you all have noticed that I'm not really sharing personal stories and photos anymore. Ironic since I blogged last year that I'm ready to blog again. You know what happened? My kids discovered my blog.

Yep. And while I don't mind spilling my guts to you all, I found that I was uncomfortable with the thought of my kids reading how I feel about motherhood. Because you know too-honest me—I just don't enjoy motherhood 24/7. I don't even think I'm a great mama 24/7. Who is???

But that's the whole thing about motherhood for the last few millennia. We mothers kept quiet. We just say, "Oh it's the most wonderful thing, a woman's peak accomplishment, the only thing worth living for!" We basically never talk about how hard it is, how it wrecks your body and your sanity, how punishing it is. We just grin and bear it.

Well, I don't. Not because I hate motherhood. I love it. I love it so much actually, it's so corny. But I can love it if I can be honest about it. There's something so incredibly liberating and there's so much tension and worry released when I can say, "This is hard and I want to scream and just curl up and sleep for 10 years!" Then after I say that, I feel better and I can be a better mama. Anyone else feels the same way???

Anyway, well, my kids discovered ze blog and now it's weird. I dunno what to do.

Well, I will still blog. I'll definitely still blog! I just don't know what I'm going to blog about. Maybe I'll just do reviews now—Frances Finds stuff for your home! Frances Food! Frances Fun! Frances Faves! It's all going to be beauty, fashion, food, travel and more! That sounds safe, right. Also I must admit, it's more guaranteed to get more search results than my usual weepy confessions. What do you think???

It's so exhausting how my blog keeps evolving. But at the same time, it's kinda nice, seeing how I evolve, or how my circumstances change. I used to be so chill and full of myself, like, I was the coolest mom in the world because I got everything under control—my weight, my hair, my nails, my schedule, my kids. Coolest mama evah! Ya, I said that all the time.

But now I'm a mess haha I'm happier now actually, even though I'm never on top of things. Weird. I feel like every day now is SURVIVAL! And yet, because I'm just letting go a lot, I'm more relaxed. What will be will be. And I also depend on God a lot now. "Lord God, You love my boys more than I do. You love me more than I love myself. So I cast all my cares on You and You just do everything through me. Amen!" And you bet I can breathe after that!

Anyway, it's kinda nice (and kinda not nice haha) that my kids know I'm so in love with them. And that their Mama is just human and has struggles even with such a gift as them, and that I am—more and more—learning to trust God with this whole motherhood thing. I hope that they see that no matter how hard it was for me, especially when they were young, we more than survived and thrived, we had a great time. These last 10 years were the most challenging but also the most amazing years of my life. And it's because of them, my three boys. I hope they read that!

*My prayer claims God's promise in I Peter 5:7: "Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you." I love the play on words in that verse, how the meaning of "cares" is "worries" or "anxiety" and then the meaning becomes "to look after, to feel concern, to love" in the second part of the verse.

Friday, July 05, 2019

I think I can blog again

2008 at my first ever bloggers conference at Singapore with Erica Paredes and Alodia Gosiengfiao. At this moment, I never even considered that my life would be changed by blogging forever. It changed my career trajectory, it saved me and my family when our magazine careers died, and it gave me so many friends (and haters!). Blogging has given me so much, and taken so much, but now I feel I can take it back again.

Remember blogging before 2010? Before Facebook, which everyone with a blog and website now needs to promote, we bloggers relied on word-of-mouth and Google. I'd get maybe 300 views a day and I was happy. People who came upon my blog were usually people who were just like me—weird and too honest—and the kindred spirit made me feel not so alone in this world.

Facebook changed all that. Plus all the exposure I got as a mommy blogger back in 2012. I started racking up to 60,000 page views a month. While the audience was much bigger, they were also not my people and I got a lot of negativity in the comments. It was strange because I was getting a lot of love from brands, hence the blog became a business; but I was also getting a lot of hate from strangers. I kept blogging because the money made it possible for me to stay home with my kids—that was the most important thing. But my heart was heavy and my mind not so healthy. And though the income was welcome, I also realized I couldn't be as honest anymore because brands like chirpy, I'm-so-blessed, oh-so-positive mommies. They didn't like brutally honest mommies who struggled with despair, exhaustion, and the fact that marriage and motherhood can be so damn hard.

Looking back, I don't feel any anger or resentment towards the brands that helped me or the people who hated me. It's a business so you have to respect the arrangement. It's a public platform so you gotta deal with people who don't like you. That's all. I think I have a healthy attitude now because brands have shifted their attention to Instagram and bloggers like me don't matter anymore.

And what a relief hahaha

Yes! I feel relief! I don't have to check my stats anymore! I don't have to blog when I'm lazy and tired just to keep the audience engaged! I don't have to entertain. I can just live my life again and share what I want again and I can say bad words and bad feelings and basically be... authentic.

Yes, that much-abused word. I like to think I remained true throughout my blogging career. What changed would be if before I would say what I think and feel—and I can be mayabang or mega nega or depressed—I had refrained from doing that. Actually, I still did write a lot of blog posts that were far from happy-happy-joy-joy. Motherhood was really a bitch to me. I love being a mom but it's fucking hard and maybe because I didn't want to be a mom, I had a harder time with it. But I couldn't really say that, you know? It's not... advertiser-friendly.

So I just focused on the positive even though I was going through post-partum depression and my marriage was going through hell. Hindi ko naman tinago yun. Diba I still wrote about those years? But I wrote about them when I was out of them na, so that may positive spin pa rin. You know, "I went through shit but I came out of it victorious and here are 5 lessons I learned and this was brought to you by Brand A." Hehe still brutally honest but also kinda full of bullshit haha

Joking aside, I tried to be authentic and honest all the time. I hope you agree.

But I'm also past that, that feeling that I need to write for you. When I blog thinking about the sponsor and the reader, I fail me. I. Fail. Me. And when I'm unhappy, I can't make anyone else happy, right?

I am so grateful to my sponsors and to my readers but it started getting scary when readers got angry at me for killing off Topaz Mommy ("Yan na nga lang binabasa ko, kukunin mo pa!"), for not posting about my kids anymore ("Madamot ka!"), for not blogging when they wanted me to ("Mommy, wag kang tamad."). I went through a few years wondering if I should do what my readers want—sing and dance, offer my kids as entertainment, share the most intimate parts of my life as a pastime. And I decided, as I watched vloggers do stunts to rack up views, and bloggers renovate their houses to be Instagram worthy, and influencers get into debt just to have a social media moment, I decided I'm going to just be me. And if people think that me is boring, then so be it.

And as if to make me feel better about my decision, the strangest thing happened. I got into the PR business and learned—now that I'm on agency-side—that brands don't like blogs anymore anyway. They prefer Instagram and you have to have at least 10K followers to be even considered. I only have 8K followers. And then readers also prefer Facebook and Instagram now. They don't like clicking links or even visiting #linkinbio. There are no readers anymore. People don't like to read, and they don't like blogs that have loooooong posts like this. So I guess my blogging as a business is dying haha

I say this with a truly relieved heart. Sure, I was sad. But I can claim my blog again. I can say shit and fuck again. I can even maybe not blog anymore. And that's okay. It's okay! My blog can be what it was like way back before 2010 when I just rambled about my dumb thoughts and silly observations of life and the universe, when I just shared my eBay finds, when I talked about movies I watched without trying to list down 5 lessons learned so I can be "inspirational" and it's such a relief!

I know you understand because only my Loyal Readers are around to read this anyway. You who have stuck around for years and years, through my many incarnations, and my many many confused, angry, depressed posts. That's why I feel like I was ready to write this post because I know you'll understand that I may have pulled back, I may have shown you peeks instead of the whole show, I may have done what I could to make brands and my readers happy, but ultimately you understand that I need my blog to be my own space. And you're the kind of reader who respects that.

That's why I love you and I'm so grateful for you all. You guys inspire me to still keep blogging! Even though I've wanted to quit so many times! So many other readers told me to do this, do that. But my Loyal Readers just stayed and read and encouraged and even criticized, but always I felt your open mind and welcoming hearts. Thank you.

I think I can blog again, the way I used to. And I hope that's okay with you, too.

*photo by Ashley Gosiengfiao

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Going strong

Guys, can I make sorta yabang? LOL

I'm emailing influencers and editors now, right, introducing myself and all. And some of them reply, "Aren't you TOPAZ HORIZON???" And when I giddily say, "YES!", they go sumtin' like dis:

1. "My MOM is such a fan!"

2. "You're one of the pioneer bloggers! And you're STILL AROUND! So galing!"

3. "Aren't you still blogging? It's been YEARS! Amazing your LONGEVITY in the business!"

4. "Wow, you're doing PR now. But you're still blogging? That's great! So many of your peers have RETIRED."

This is good. This is good. Riiiiight???

Wow. Thirteen years this May, folks. 13 YEARS. Thanks for sticking around, my dearest Loyal Readers. I so love you all!

P.S. That's a throwback photo of me blogging on my first ever netbook, an HP Mini. Best investment evaaaar!

P.P.S. Who are the bloggers who have retired??? Kaloka naman these kids!

Monday, February 18, 2019

Top mommy bloggers in the Philippines ranked according to Facebook followers

As a newly minted PR Manager, I now have to keep an eye on bloggers, vloggers and KOLs (that's key opinion leaders) a.k.a. influencers. I guess a lot of people roll their eyes at the job title "influencer" because that is an invented word as well as an invented career so the world had to invent the term KOL.

Anyway, I wanted to blog about the top mommy bloggers in the Philippines today because...

(a) Marketing and PR people research this topic all the time so I want this post to be on page 1 of Google search hehe. And also to help out my colleagues in the industry. Of course! (UPDATE: It's the top entry on the search list yey!)

(b) I want to tell you, my dear Loyal Readers, that I'm not even on the Top 10 list! What! Please help me out by sharing my blog, FB page and IG with your friends and family!!! Thank you. Love you!

(c) I need to remind myself to prioritize blogging because it is more lucrative than ever and I'm being lazy lazy lazy.

There are hundreds of mom KOLs in the Philippines but most of them are celebrities who charge hundreds of thousands of pesos per mention. Most are only on Instagram, which means they can't explain a brand campaign or do a thorough product or service review. Also, branded posts on IG are not searchable on Google. Many mom KOLs don't have a Facebook page so they can't share a partner brand's FB links and therefore have a harder time making posts go viral. And lastly but most important of all, many mom KOLs don't have blogs!

So for this report, I picked mom bloggers who:

- regularly update their blogs (at least once a month)
- have an Instagram account set to public, and
- have Facebook pages for their blogs with minimum 5K followers.

Aaaaand now, without further ado, the Top 30 Mommy Bloggers in the Philippines!!!

(CURRENTLY UPDATING NEW STATS SO LIST IS NOT FINAL YET - JUNE 2020)

Facebook.com/TopazHorizonBlog ranks 29.

FACEBOOK
For brands, these are the bloggers you want to recruit. Their blogs are not just well written, they're also regularly updated (once a month at least) so you can be assured they have loyal readers. When they blog about your product or campaign, their readers are a captive audience (vs those who blog erratically). They also have a lot of Facebook followers to share your links and Facebook posts with. Facebook is the home for viral content because everything is so easy to share on this platform.

Ranked according to Facebook page followers:

1. Ciara Magallanes of Mommy Diaries PH - 540,224

2. Pehpot Pineda of Mommy Pehpot - 251,823 (last year: 154,781)
3. Denise Rayala of Royal Domesticity - 143,962 (last year: 126,163)

4. Gracie Maulion of Tipid Mommy - 102,277
5. Levy Martinez of Mommy Levy - 36,415 (last year: 13,112)

6. Nessly Hamoy of Mom Nessly/Tribobot - 26,731
7. Kaycee Enerva of Kikay Sikat/The Macho Mom - 25,347

8. Sheena Sy Gonzales of Sheena Loves Sunsets - 23,153

9. Peachy Adarne of Mommy Peach - 21,624 (last year: 19,691)

10. Louise Fandiño Santos of Mommy Practicality - 20,231 (last year: 14,914)

11. Ginger Arboleda of Mommy Ginger - 17,430 (last year: 16,982)
12. Kaye Figuracion of K Figuracion/I Love Keisha - 16,571

13. Sigrid Dugeno-Lo of Lovingly Mama - 16,014

14. Nish Dyosa of Dyosa the Momma - 15,613 (last year: 3,007)

15. Mhaan Arambulo Santos of Mommy Rockin' In Style - 15,205

16. Rochelle Rivera of Rochelle Rivera - 14,906 (last year: 10,508)
17. Michelle Ressa Aventajado of Momma ‘n Manila - 13,200 (last year: 12,852)

18. Rowena Wendy Lei of Animetric's World - 12,107 (last year: 11,661)

19. Berlin Domingo of Momi Berlin - 12,103
20. Jackie Go of Go, Jackie Go! - 11, 715 (last year: 11,761)

21. Kath Rivera of Dear Kittie Kittie Kath - 11,011 (last year: 7,046)
22. Mauie Flores of The 24 Hour Mommy - 10,881 (last year: 7,754)

23. Istin Dizon Paigna of Rants & Raves of a Bum - 9,174 (last year: 9,413)
24. Kathy Kenny Ngo of Life is Kulayful - 8,905
25. Michelle Estranero of RockstarMomma - 8,903 (last year: 4,501)

26. Jen Maslang of Shop Girl Jen - 8,832 (last year: 3,935)
27. Earth Rullan of Earthlingorgeous - 8,582
28. Frances Sales of Topaz Horizon - 6,838 (last year: 5,087)

29. Fleur Sombrero of Mommy Fleur - 6,488 (last year: 5,951)

30. Dorry Lyn of Mom's Shout Out - 6,293

31. Richelle Molon of Morena Mom - 6,215 (last year: 2,838)
32. Madz de Leon of Mommy n' More - 6,187

33. Shen Cala-or of Shen's Addiction - 5,410 (last year: 5,354)
34. Kimberley Reyes of Mom On Duty - 5,255 (last year: 2,996)

35.

TO THE MOMS ON THIS LIST: I know you're happy to be on the Top 30 list. Congrats! BUT please don't share what your rank is yet haha I'm updating it this week so baka tumaas o bumaba ka pa (or in my case, baka mawala pa ako huhu).

Anyway, if you know a mommy blogger who needs exposure, kindly tell me about her so I can include her on this list. Remember: She has to regularly update her blog, have an Instagram account set to public, and have a Facebook page for her blog.

By the way, many of you may be wondering why some popular mom bloggers aren't on the list. That's because I checked many mom blogs and some don't do sponsored posts or they have reached mega celebrity status that they are just way too expensive. But if you think they should be on a top mommy bloggers in the Philippines list anyway—regardless whether they accept brand sponsorships or not, or simply because they have a huge following and therefore is a top blogger—tell me and I'll make another list!

As for me, my goal this 2019 is to increase my Facebook followers to 6K and my IG followers to 8K (UPDATE JUNE 2020: Goal achieved!). Very humble goal. I believe in organic growth but I think I've reached critical mass. It's time to advertise. Hopefully, the next time I make a top mommy bloggers in the Philippines list like this, tumaas na po ang ranking ko haha

Help meeeeeee!!! Love you all!

Friday, August 10, 2018

My 2019 media kit is ready! Plus, a bit on being depressed

I'm finally done making my blog's media kit for 2019! I usually make a media kit around August, then email them to agencies and brands at around September to October. I get polite, noncommittal replies throughout November. Nothing in December. But by January, I get proposals na.

So, bloggers, make a media kit now!

This media kit is actually two separate pages. I just put them side by side so it will be blurry. Para hindi niyo masyadong mabasa hehe. Send me an email if you want to get a clear copy (and collaborate!). Also, I should have new photos taken. I'm still using the ones that Louie Arcilla took in 2016. If you want to create a media kit, too, use Canva. There's a lot of beautiful templates available there.

What do you think of my 2019 media kit? It's simpler than my 2017 one. Yes, I skipped a year. I didn't make one for 2018. Too exhausted from 2017 being a not-so-good year (physically, mentally, and as a mother). In fact, I remember praying, "Lord, I just want to rest this year. One whole year that I can sleep and just focus on my kids. I'm so tired." And to make sure I have less work, hindi talaga ako nag-send ng proposals last year.

Yet God had other plans. He sent me Nido 3+, BabyLove diapers, National Book Store, Gold Seas Tuna Chunks, Fern-C, Kinder Joy, Downy, Olay, Manulife, and Mr Muscle. Most of these brands were interested to work with me not because I pitched to them but because friends recommended me to them. So thank God for friends! Imagine if I got my way and I didn't have any work at all this year. Di tunganga kami sa gutom, right. While I wasn't allowed to rest from co-providing for my family, what God did instead was heal me. I feel healthier this year. My anxiety also dissipated. I have a better attitude this year.

So maybe yun lang pala talaga problema ko. I had a bad attitude last year because I had a hard time coping with being a mother to my school kids, being 40 and with no career prospects, no achievements, declining health, diminishing looks, aging, fattening, uglification of me and my life. Dear heavens, yes, when I'm depressed, I just really focus on the negative!

But I'm better this year! I started exercising and eating better this summer. Did me a lot of good! But I stopped as soon as school started because I'm just so TIRED again. I sleep a lot instead. Doctors say if you have to choose between sleep and exercise, always choose sleep. Maybe if I get a kasambahay to do the chores, then I can use that time to exercise. But I can't afford a kasambahay now actually. Tuition is killing us huhu So I need to work more so I can afford a kasambahay!

And that's why I made a media kit! I'll be pitching to my favorite brands soon. Just figuring out what I can do for them. I always want to work WITH brands, not FOR them. While I always collaborate with brands I already use (because dapat may integrity tayo, mamas), not all the brands I use want to work with me. The reasons I hear are I'm not big enough as an influencer and/or not young or sexy enough hehehe. Ganyan talaga. So I need to either start lying about my age or start exercising and start posting bikini shots on Instagram! No joke. Even mommies in bikinis posing on the beach or by the pool will attract tons of followers. So if ever I start posting bikini shots, alam na (#forthegram).

One thing that always convinces brands is my fantastic writing skills. Naks! "Fantastic" is an adjective that only I came up with to describe my writing skills haha. Modesty aside, I do write better than most influencers out there and brands grudgingly agree. They want to at least get one blogger who can be coherent about their product. Hindi yung "This is so yummy! #blessed #sponsored" lang. So if you're not sexy, pretty or young, you can still get brands to work with you by being TALENTED.

Now, go, dear mama blogger. Make a media kit for 2019. List down the brands you want to work with. Find out who their digital manager is (use Linkedin). Think of ways you can work together (you will cook a recipe for Gold Seas Tuna every month, you will share your crafting projects on IG and say everything came from National Book Store, etc). Send a proposal. Make sure that your proposal is short, clear and grammatically correct. Then pray and wait.

Good luck!

Thursday, May 24, 2018

5 Ways Blogging can Bring in More Income at Home

As you all know, a chunk of my income comes from blogging. I've even registered my blog business with the BIR and pay taxes through Taxumo. I'm very proud of this, mamas. I think everyone who's turned their hobby into a legitimate income-generating venture should celebrate that fact and also encourage others to do the same. After all, as the adage goes, "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life!"

That's not true. Work is still work haha! It can still get exhausting and frustrating many times. But at least since it's work that you enjoy, then it doesn't hurt so much!

Blogging brought me many opportunities I'll always be grateful for.

A lot of mommies ask me how to earn from blogging, too. Aaaaand that's why I have blogging workshops! Well, I haven't done any this year yet. Too busy with my work as beauty editor at L'Oréal, but I do miss doing blogging workshops. It's so nice sharing with other people how to make money from blogging. I want my success to be every blogger's success! Especially if it's a mommy blogger. Any income is always welcome to moms, right? And if it's enough income that lets you stay home with your kids, then it's the best kind of income!

Since I'm not doing a blogging workshop soon, let my guest writer Clarissa Caouette share with you 5 ways blogging can earn you extra money. Take notes, mamas!

* * * * * * *

Is your budget a little tight at home? Perhaps you aren’t working right now in order to take care of kids and there’s only one wage earner in the house. But you want to contribute to that take-home pay. How can you do it? Taking a job outside the house kind of defeats the purpose. It means paying for gas and parking, lunches out, new clothes and shoes, so that income can be eaten up in added expenses. What you really need is a way to earn money at home.

One way to make some cash at home is blogging. Yes, you can make money at it, although it is certainly not guaranteed. But if you want a flexible method that lets you stay home, this one fits. So first thing to do is to set up your blog, then we’ll talk about how it can bring home some cash.

Getting Started

This is the short version, so make sure to check out a more in depth tutorial if you need one. First two things you need: your own domain and a web hosting service. Often the hosting company will offer domain registration as part of their charge, so factor that into your research. Make sure you get a domain that you own, don’t go with a free hosting service with a tacked on name. Either you control your site or someone else does. Free sites can be shut down at any time and have many restrictions on how you can make money from them. Take control, you’ll be glad you did.

Now install WordPress, it’s by far the most common blogging platform and very easy to use, and a framework. Consider a premium framework, they aren’t very expensive and come with a much better design which is easier to use and more powerful. Choose your topic and your schedule and start writing. You’ll need some articles posted, content as it’s known, and some readers before you can really make much money from your blog. So post useful articles and draw as many people to your blog as you can.

Affiliates

Once you’ve got some readers, you can start with one of the easiest ways to ‘monetize’ your blog, affiliate marketing. Simply put, you sign up for an affiliate program for a company you like and direct your readers to it to purchase things there. If they do, you get a commission. Your reader doesn’t pay any extra, the commission is directly from the affiliate. A common example is Amazon. Reviewing or recommending products that are available through Amazon lets you earn that commission if your reader uses your link to buy the product you talk about.

Pretty simple! Make sure you would honestly recommend the product or you may lose readers who feel you are simply pushing those items to make money. And be sure to disclose that you are an affiliate and are earning a commission. It’s best to be upfront and honest about that.

Digital Sales

Another great way to go is to create a digital product, an eBook, video seminar, or artwork for example, and sell that through your blog. Digital is a great way to go since there is only the initial cost of creating the item and you don’t have to manufacture it each time to sell it again. Be sure the product is something worthwhile, something valuable to your audience. One way to convince people to buy is to offer a free item first. A short eBook where the only cost is signing up for your mailing list for example. Then market your longer books later on.

Physical Sales

If you do crafts or are willing to buy items wholesale for resale, you can sell physical items over the internet as well. Be sure to budget in shipping costs, but as long as you set it up properly, you can still manage most of this from your home. Another option is setting up a system where you take orders then have them drop shipped directly from the producer to your customer. Selling physical items does have some extra expenses associated with it, shipping, inventory, materials, etc., but if you are willing to invest in those you can make it work.

Memberships

If your blog itself is enough of a draw, you can charge a membership fee for people to access it. This is usually a way to earn from either a very popular site, or one which has a great deal of expertise and experience behind it. If you happen to have experience or training in a field you could set up a members only site for your most useful articles. Some pay sites will allow any reader to see the first few paragraphs but ask for registration to see the rest. As with any of these tips, there are several ways this could work.

Advertising

Finally, there is simple advertising. Placing ads along the border of your blog is an easy and low maintenance way to bring in some income but be prepared for it to be small. Click through ads only deliver a small amount each time a reader uses them, and CPM ads need huge numbers of viewers to return large amounts of money. Most internet users pay little attention to ads, although if an inappropriate one appears on your site you will probably hear about it. Be sure to screen the companies on your ad feed to prevent offensive content.

As you can see, all five of these allow you to stay at home and work from there. There is a fair amount of work to be successful, though. You may need to spend several hours a day researching and writing your articles, so don’t over commit to your blogging schedule. If you can only manage one post a week don’t say you’ll do more. Missing your schedule is worse than having a relatively long update cycle. Now that you know what to do, get to work! Set up your site and blog!

* This is a guest post, with my edits. To place a guest post, email frances@topazhorizon.com for my rates.

Monday, February 05, 2018

Why mommy blogs have a short life span (also how Kylie Jenner's pregnancy inspired me!)

Business mogul Kylie Jenner finally announced she gave birth to a baby girl, confirming pregnancy rumors. She said she wanted the whole experience to be private while she was going through it, and she apologized for keeping it private when she'd always been so public about her life.

While I don't think she should be sorry, I totally understand why she apologized to her fans. Yes, it's her life, her pregnancy, her decisions. Hindi naman kailangan lahat i-reveal. I feel like because she saw her older sisters so publicly pregnant and she witnessed all the hate with the love, it's so understandable that she'd keep her own pregnancy to herself. What do you think, mamas?

Kayo, how did you feel about your pregnancies? Super public every day ba ang updates? Or immediate family lang ang may alam? Why was that so?

Me, my first two pregnancies talagang super share ako with everything. But my third one, hindi na masyado. By then kasi alam ko na that when you put yourself out there, maraming unwanted comments. Like, nagpost ka ng may hawak ka na Coke and someone will comment, "Mommy, linalason mo na yung baby mo." Or may photo ako na kasama yung first two kids ko and may magsasabi ng "Grabe you're pregnant every year do you even care about your carbon footprint?!" So nakakawalang gana mag-share, you know? In fact, that's one of the major reasons I turned my blog from a mommy journal documenting my motherhood journey and my kids' lives to a working mom's blog so I can talk about career and home, and my kids can have their privacy. Yes, all photos and stories shared now are with my boys' permission. And most of the time they say no. Kaya kung napansin niyo, parang naging beauty blog na ang Topaz Horizon haha

But if you notice other mom bloggers, they also evolve. Or kill their blogs entirely. From mom blogs, nagiging cooking blogs or DIY home stuff or kiddie arts and crafts ideas, or they evolve to brands selling products for moms, kids and the home (my dream!). Kasi when the kids start having a sense of social media and privacy, the moms will have then realized they can't just blog/IG about their kids anymore. There are security reasons to consider, too. I have never said where my kids go to school, for example, although people have guessed. Also, many schools discourage a social media presence for their students so paano na mga mom-and-me OOTDs??? So, if you're a mom blogger with babies, know that your blog has maybe 5 years. Unless you keep making babies and grabe na yun hahahahahaha

But anyway, balik sa topic of my third pregnancy. I want to acknowledge that I had many blog readers who also sent me messages asking why I wasn't so generous about sharing my third baby. They said they're so happy for me, they love my third baby also, that they're disappointed wala masyadong updates or pictures. So to you, I'm so sorry that I kept my Piero all to myself and yet thanks so much for the love!

Naaaaaaks, na-inspire talaga ako kay Kylie! Actually, I just recalled that time when I also didn't want to talk about my third baby but kinda had to because I had sponsors or because readers asked. So sobrang bilib ako kay Kylie because she put her foot down. She decided that in this special case, her sponsors, her family's reality show, and her fans didn't matter. Her privacy and her baby did. And in this age of super public motherhood, that's amazing. I am truly inspired!

Check out Kylie's pregnancy video:

What I loved:

Kendall telling Kylie to pose better.

1. I love it that the video doesn't allow ads or comments. As I type, it's already at 19,900,000+ views. In 10 hours! If she had allowed ads, she'd have earned a lot na. But she didn't allow it. RESPECT!

Mama Kylie showing off her bump and her bling.

2. I loved how she's so sure and calm about everything. She's 20 years old, yes, but if you're 20 and have a business worth USD 420 million - your own business, not inherited or married to - then you are more mature than most 20-year-old kids.

Kylie with her nieces and siblings.

3. I loved how her family is so supportive. Her mom, Kris Jenner, was absolutely certain Kylie would be the best mom ever. Kim K gently and humorously wanted to warn her about what will happen to her vagina (such a sisterly thing!). Khloe was excited she and Kylie were pregnant at the same time. Aww, makes me wish I was surrounded by pregnant family and friends when I was also preggy (I didn't because I got married late and had kids even later while my friends had kids in their late teens and early 20s). It just seems such a womanly tribal thing. I never had that!

With her friends at her baby shower.

4. I loved how she celebrated her pregnancy with her friends, with lots of food, with parties—she's just so obviously happy! And then when it mattered, she didn't reveal anything—we didn't see her giving birth, we just heard it. We still don't know her baby's name. And we never heard anything from her, her man, her family or her friends when she was pregnant—all 9 months of it and even on the day she gave birth. Nothing. I love how she's so in control of everything.

Kylie and baby daddy Travis Scott at the doctor's clinic.

5. I loved all the hospital scenes haha The ultrasound, the heartbeat, the family all around her at her prenatal check-ups and when she gave birth (I didn't have that huhu). I seriously cried when I heard her baby's first cry. Brought me back to my own birthing and how giving birth trumps all experiences. Nothing, absolutely NOTHING, comes close to that amazing experience. And I'm so lucky I got to go through it three times.

Congratulations, Kylie! You'll be an amazing mama! And a working mama, too!

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Questions to ask yourself before deciding on a career change

When a new year dawns, most of us think of making changes. One of those changes probably involve a career shift. I know this because I've been seeing resolutions on my Facebook friends' updates and many of them talk about starting a business or hoping to work abroad or even to work from home.

This is understandable. I think that when faced daily with the terrible Manila traffic, the worsening political climate, and the changes caused by technology, people are wondering, "What's my next move?" To me especially and to people like me who are from media (print and online), we're always dreading if this is the year we go hungry.

If you are not getting enough job satisfaction or recognition, or you are worried that your company or entire industry is going to disappear in a few years’ time, you might want to change before it is too late. That's what I did years ago when magazines started dying off—I focused more on my blog even before my own title was killed. That way, when the magazine shuttered, I had actually already started another career online and so I wasn't so annihilated.

No matter if you want to start a new career, or a business, it is important that you complete a reality check, and you are aware of the risks and challenges ahead. Find out more about what you should be asking yourself before making a final decision.

1. Are you ready to learn?

To enter a new work environment coming from a different industry, you are likely to have to complete some kind of training. No matter if your new job doesn’t require a degree, you will still need to learn. For me back in 2010, when I decided to focus on blogging, I did a ton of research on how other successful bloggers were doing it. I read up on all the blogging tips I could find. I asked established bloggers for their secrets—not all were helpful haha that's why I promised myself I'll always give blogging tips and do blogging workshops!

Now, if you're looking for another career that's not blogging, that's okay. Maybe you can ask your company if they offer on-the-job training and say you're expanding your skills set. You can also check out if your company (or another company!) will pay for your education in case you want to get extra training or a master's degree. Some people who want to go abroad train for an entirely new career altogether. I know nurses are paid well in the US, for example. Getting a family nurse practitioner degree can take a few years, but will pay off long term. You will, however, need to be committed to studying new subjects you are not familiar with.

2. Can you afford a new career?

If you need a degree or accredited qualification to do a new job, you need to find out two important things: how much it will cost, and if you can fit in learning in your current schedule. To be honest, I had thought of taking classes in marketing and public relations in the digital age. I looked at Coursera and there were lots of free classes offered. Why did I think this? Well, around two years ago, I was told that advertisers now prefer Instagram and vlogs. I'm a words person, not a visual or video person so I knew I couldn't compete. I don't want a massive following from pictures or videos. I want people to follow me because of what I write. So I thought maybe it's time to shift to a career in digital marketing.

Here was my problem: With babies and a blogging business, I just couldn't find the time to study again. Thankfully, I was able to find my job as beauty editor at L'Oréal. I don't know if this job will be mine 20 years from now or even next year, however, so maybe I should start learning something new!

So there: Think of the money involved in taking up a new career. If it's the same industry but in another part of the city, think of the transport costs. If you aim for a more prestigious position, will the extra hours spent in the office be worth it? Mothers find it hard to balance family and work life, so if you have small children, you might not have enough time to study, for example, not to mention the financial side of education, travel, and taking time off. If that's the case, maybe you should stay put first in your job and wait it out.

3. What are your career chances?

Before you decide on changing your career, maybe you should read industry growth predictions, to make sure that you will have a job 10 years from now. If you're dreaming of becoming a magazine editor, I hate to break it to you but it's not going to happen anymore. A moment of silence please for magazines.

It's not just print media that's in trouble. Some jobs are likely to disappear, due to the development of information technology and artificial intelligence. For example, the accounting of my business is currently handled by both Pinnacle Sources and Taxumo. Pinnacle does my business permit renewal and other things that involve talking to the government; Taxumo does the automatic payment of my taxes. Thing is Taxumo is adding more to their menu of services, and that means I'll let go of Pinnacle Sources in two years, maybe as early as this year.

Some processes in different industries are going to be completed by robots, and you don’t want to end up being redundant after a few years, due to industry and technology changes. Build transferable skills, such as management, communication, languages, and so on, so you can change your career path when needed.

So before taking a leap into another company, check the jobs currently advertised, the benefits, salaries, and career progression opportunities. You might want to have a chat with some of your friends who work in the sector and ask them about their experiences, so you don’t end up disappointed.

4. Will you enjoy your work?

Chances are you would like to change your career because your job satisfaction level is low. You absolutely must make sure that you will enjoy your new vocation, and you will find continuous challenge and learning opportunities, as well as recognition.

If you find yourself fascinated by programmers that work behind what people see in the internet, you can enroll for courses that will enhance your logical and coding skills. This will eventually open opportunities for you as you start to find a software engineering job.

This doesn't have to mean bigger pay, funnily enough. A lot of us moms are okay with smaller pay if it means having more time with our kids or not having to go through traffic every day, or if there are other benefits like traveling opportunities with the kids. Sometimes, we'll be happier if we start a business or leave the city and start a farm. Some of us want to do meaningful work—usually with no pay. Or maybe some of us moms will be happier if we decide to NOT work and be a housewife. No shame in that!

Good luck, mamas! Happy new year and may this be the year your career dreams come true!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Monday, January 15, 2018

What an accountant can do for bloggers, freelancers and small business owners

It's January and that means it's time for me to renew my business permit. It's no joke starting and maintaining a business in this country. It seems like the government hates businesses, what with all the hardships and documents and fees and taxes to pay every single month for as long as the business is up. It's also no joke closing a business here because to do so is quite expensive and such a painfully long drawn out process.

So yes, I sometimes regret starting a business but because my business has allowed me to work with huge brands like Smart and L'Oréal Paris, I really can't regret it. I didn't want to be small-time. I wanted the big guns and so I had to open a writing business. It's thriving and providing for my family so even though I hate all government transactions, I am willing to go through all the hoops required.

Unless, of course, someone else will do it for me!

Because I am always on the look out for things that will make my life easier, I have found that hiring professional accountants from a reputable company is the best way to make my businesswoman experience better. Emphasis on "professional" and "reputable" because I hired an accountant before and he was unreliable and I am still dealing with the mess he left.

I'm so grateful for Pinnacle Sources Global Consultancy Inc. They are a team of qualified accountants who provide end-to-end business solutions for start-ups. They will handle everything from business registration, HR and recruitment to all the nitty-gritty of accounting services that streamline a business’ accounting tasks to help us reduce costs and maximize profits. Through a team of skilled Certified Public Accountants, Pinnacle Sources will not only keep track of expenses but help the business create and manage budgets, forecast future revenue and track the financial health of the business.

For me, Pinnacle is more than a service. They are so kind and patient with me especially when I'm so stupid and just can't understand all the hows and whys of what the government requires. Even when I've lost my resolve and given in to despair, they encourage me. Even when I am so ashamed and say, "I don't have money now," they tell me what we can do. They are more than professional. They care.

If you're a business looking for accounting services, if you're just starting out and need a professional accountant to manage your bookkeeping and taxes, you must give Pinnacle Sources a call. You will not be disappointed. They will really take care of you. I think they're one of my best finds as a businesswoman. Because of them, I don't regret starting a business anymore. In fact, they've made me believe I'm doing a good job. Thanks, Pinnacle!

Anyway, if you're still hemming and hawing about hiring a professional accountant like Pinnacle Sources, let me share with you what they told me which convinced me to hire them:

A qualified team of accountants will not only keep your books in order; they can help your business save by offering cost-efficient spending solutions or even help your business earn by helping you make accurate financial forecasts.

Yet for businesses that are just starting out, it can be difficult to allocate time and resources for accounting personnel as you focus on getting your company off the ground. That is why for small to medium enterprises or new business owners, outsourcing is a viable solution to fulfilling your accounting needs. Here’s a closer look at the specific advantages outsourcing your accounting:

Financial Savings

Money can be tight when your business is just starting out. By outsourcing your accounting, you can pay for the specific accounting services you require without incurring the additional cost of hiring an employee. This will help you save on expenses like benefits and insurance and also on work space, office furniture, computer and software that you may not be able to afford just yet.

Outsourcing your accounting also gives you more flexibility in terms of scale. Whether you are looking to grow your business or suddenly have to cut back, you have a team who can help provide different plans and options to achieve your goals, which in-house accounting can’t provide.

Time Savings

Think of the weekly hours it will take to manage in-house accounting staff—taking away from the time you can spend on business. Outsourcing your business’s bookkeeping operations frees up valuable time that can be put into better use for the company, such as improving your operations, product or marketing. Entrepreneurs also don’t have to deal with the typical headaches involved with recruiting, hiring, retaining and overseeing staff because that’s what the outsource service provider will handle.

Expert Services

Outsourcing gives you a great way to have full-time knowledge on your team without having to pay for it around the clock. By putting your books into the hands of highly skilled staff who understand the best practices, your job becomes a whole lot easier—and efficient. Accounting service providers also have to constantly hone their skills to keep up with the competition, ever increasing the quality of their work. This means when you go to an accounting service firm, you can trust that your accounting will be handled well.

Access to top systems

Outsourcing your accounting operations gives you more access to the top tools in the industry. Most businesses can’t afford to pay for the extremely expensive bookkeeping programs nor can they afford to spend the time keeping up with changing laws and regulations. By outsourcing, you’re essentially purchasing those tools and that knowledge by proxy. In addition, these top systems create nightly backups and keep organized records and books for years, ensuring that you will have access to reports and will always be ready should an audit be required.

Contractual Obligation

Accounting service providers face higher liability than in-house staff, which makes them less of a risk for your business—they’re more likely to follow through on their obligations because they have more to lose if they don’t. Furthermore, dealing with the contracts or agreements of outside providers can be much easier than dealing with the hiring negotiations, employee management and other human resources issues involved with employees.

One of the companies who offer outsourced accounting services is Pinnacle Sources

“Accounting is something that every business needs whether it is small or large. When you outsource your accounting services to us, you are assured of a team of Certified Public accountants that will help you make better financial decisions that will grow your business,” said Pinnacle Sources’ Managing Director Christine Li.

To find out more about Pinnacle Sources and their services, visit their website, http://www.pinnaclesources.com/ or their office at 32/F BPI-Philam Bldg, Ayala Ave., Makati. You can also send them an email: ask@pinnaclesources.com.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Before Your Business Rushes Into Its Next Big Project, Here's What to Consider

I briefly mentioned our Beauty Biz Bliss business in my invitation to my Boss Bellas workshop this Saturday, and a few Loyal Readers couldn't help but send me notes mourning a business that failed to fly. You know, I also feel bad about it but, like I said, Ginger and I are now sloooooowly going into it again, calling our same endeavor Boss Bellas now. It may have taken a year of delay, but it's happening! And we're now doing things better. Still, I'm going to do a short post today on the things I learned about launching a big project.

Undertaking a big business project always presents a challenge for your company. On the one hand, you want to dive in and get to work right away because this could be the big thing that drives your company forward and helps it to move onto the next level. But there are some important things that need to be considered before you can do that. Here are the questions to ask before rushing into your big project:

Has your team got the right range of skills?
First of all, you need to think about the team that is being assigned to this project. Whether it’s a big team or a small one, it needs to have people in it who possess the required skills. If your team is short on skills that are going to be needed, you probably won’t see the outcomes that you want from this whole project. You don’t want a group of people who are all good at the same things and bad at the same things. Instead, you need a mix of talents, abilities and backgrounds in order for things to turn out well.

With BBB, we were all women with different skills—Ginger would be in charge of the business side, I was assigned the content side, and Martine was going to do the branding and marketing job. So it was supposed to work! I'll tell you later what didn't.

Do you have a plan for managing it coherently?
Managing your project is going to be a big deal. You should have one person in the team who is assigned the role of project manager. If this is a really big project, it might even be necessary to hire a project manager for the duration of the task. That might sound like a pretty drastic move to take, but sometimes, that’s what’s required. It needs to be managed in a coherent and organised kind of way. Alternatively, you could send a team member to a Project management class. There, they will gain the required skills.

For BBB, we hired a wonderful project manager, RJ Dancel, who is the most capable woman in the world. You tell her what you want and she will execute it. No whining, no complaining, no constant clarifications, and always on time. She's a dream and now she's working with Mommy Mundo/Creative Juice. They are so lucky to have her!

Is your schedule really realistic?
Schedules can be tricky to manage because no one is capable of predicting the future. You don’t know how things are going to plan out or which snags you’ll fit along the way. But you do need to make sure that your schedule and timescale are as realistic as they can be. That’s especially important if those things will have a knock-on effect on what the business does afterwards. Be realistic and be cautious. Don’t expect things to go according to plan at every turn because that’s rarely the case.

This was our trouble—we had planned a workshop, a brand activation, and a meet-up with the community every month. It was the one that made the most business sense. Unfortunately, all three of us in BBB were extremely busy last year with our own individual projects and personal dilemmas. On my part, I was juggling my blog, my kids in school for the first time, a toddler, and no household help and yaya! I simply couldn't take on more commitments. That was a tough realization for me—just because I want something and am qualified for it doesn't mean I can get it if I can't commit the time to it.

What outcomes do you want to see?
Finally, you should think about the outcomes. It’s not a good idea to jump into a business project unless you know how you want it to pan out and how you want the business to be positioned when all is completed. You should have a very clear vision of what you think success should look like for the company. And that’s a vision that should be shared with your whole team. You want people to be on the same page throughout this process.

This was another crazy thing that happened to us at BBB. It was supposed to be a simple workshops-for-working-women business. But as word got around and people got excited to work with us, we veered away from the initial goal and added many other goals and dreams to the drawing board—with the to-do lists that came with them! We were simply overwhelmed!

All of these questions are really important, and they will certainly all need to be answered before your company can get underway with its next project. If not, things could start to get messy before you’ve even begun.

With all that we've learned from last year's failed attempt, Ginger and I decided to take things slow this time with Boss Bellas. We had a simple goal—workshops for women who work, want to work or start a business. The schedule is really forgiving—a workshop every two months. And this time, Ginger decided to take Boss Bellas under her Manila Workshops wing so that we're working with her extremely efficient team. And the results? The first workshop was a success! The second workshop is this Saturday! We're planning the next few workshops and we are so excited! In fact, people are again eager to work with Boss Bellas, but we're pacing ourselves, only taking on what we can handle. And this time this big project feels just right!

I hope you learned a lot from this post! Don't be afraid to fail, mamas. That's what Ginger assured me. She wasn't even fazed at all when I confessed I was so discouraged and embarrassed about the whole thing. She just shrugged and said, "Let's try again!" And we did.

*image from Pixabay. This post has affiliate links.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

5 Fulfilling Jobs to Consider When You’re a Mom

Hi, working mamas! I was inspired to write this blog post because I get messages from my readers asking me for job suggestions since they want my situation—earning a living while being with my kids. I did blog about how not all parents can take to the blogger/freelance life (the income is erratic, for example). Now that my kids are older, I'm starting to think of a job that will give me regular pay checks, too!

Mom bloggers Nikki Tiu, Jackie Go and myself actually have other jobs!

Many moms find blogging as a glamorous career—like when we mom bloggers do photo shoots like above. But what you don't see is that we mom bloggers have other jobs doing what we really love. Yes, because for a lot of moms blogging is the platform to talk about what we love. Blogging is not the real job (although sometimes, it's the one that pays most!). I also want to point out that we mom bloggers have to wear many hats to supplement the blogging income that we do sometimes get. For example, Nikki Tiu is a makeup artist, makeup trainer, brand consultant, and HR consultant. Jackie Go is a commercial model and owns a business. Me, I'm a freelance writer, an editorial consultant, and I do PR and am a blogger handler for agencies sometimes. Lots of hats! That's because we mommies are always looking for ways to earn money while being there for our family.

When you’re a mom, it isn’t always easy to find a job that suits your needs. Not only do you have to think about finding a career that you’ll enjoy, but you also have to factor in flexibility, pay, and childcare, too! So many moms end up working retail jobs they hate because the hours fit around childcare, or they end up never seeing their kids because that job that pays well has long hours. It doesn’t have to be that way!

Okay, since I'm seriously considering changing careers (because careers for writers and editors are dwindling), I'm going to share with you mommies what I've been looking at. So without further ado, here are some truly fulfilling jobs that are perfect for moms:

1. Early Years Education

If you're a mommy of older kids but now you miss babies and toddlers, what could be better than spending your days caring for little kids? Working in early years education is a great way to balance your responsibilities as a mom with a great career. You can earn an early childhood education degree online, and then you’ll be able to work in kindergartens, daycare centers, or even as a childcare professional within your own home, earning a living in a way that truly fits in with your family life and your mommy responsibilities.

I'm actually thinking about this because I used to be a preschool teacher and there's a preschool very near my home. My other mommy friends and I have also thought of putting up a playschool, but that didn't pan out because it's going to take a lot of money! But I'm still dreaming of it! If you want to be my business partner, let's put up a daycare center!

2. Tutor

If you love kids and teaching, you can make a very good living as a tutor. I know because I've been asking around for tutors' rates and it's about P500 an hour. If you tutor just 4 kids a day, that's already P2,000 for half a day's work! That's P10,000 a week, mommies! I'm thinking this is something I can do—from tutoring kids to teaching English to Koreans!

You might need to go back to college to get education credits or to update yourself with new methods (like Singapore Math and the like), but once you’re qualified, you’ll be able to offer your services in any way you say fit. You could teach kids in your own home, thus ensuring you’ll be around for your own kids; you could become a mobile tutor, traveling to your clients’ homes at a time that is mutually beneficial; or you could open your own tutorial center!

3. Music teacher

Same as being a tutor, teaching music is big business. I asked around for my kids and for 12 sessions, it's about as low as P5,000 to as high as P12,000 to teach kids to sing or play the guitar/piano/drums/violin/etc. The great thing about teaching music, unlike tutoring, is your students don't need to be kids. Your students can be as young as 3 to as old as 80! You'll always have work!

Now, sadly for me, I don't know how to play any instrument, but my brother does (cello, piano, drums, bass, guitar, etc!) and he knows a lot of musicians so I'm seriously considering asking him to put up a music school with me.

4. Financial Planning

If you have a degree in accountancy or similar, or you’re willing to get a financial planning qualification online, you can set yourself up as a financial planner from your home and set your own schedule. You’ll be able to make a good living, working around your family commitments, and you’ll be able to put your brain to good use, which is something a lot of moms really miss when they take convenience jobs over jobs they love for the sake of their kids.

I've thought about this because my financial planner keeps asking me to consider it. Maybe one day! If there's one financial job I wish there was more of, it's accountants. So many Filipinos now work from home or are bloggers and we all need accountants to help with our business.

5. Freelance services

Last but not the least because this is where I am, try freelance work. If you have a skill, any skill, you can work freelance on your own terms. Selling skills like writing, book editing, web designing, graphic design and literally anything you can do well, you can find someone who is willing to pay for that service. For example, I write for magazines and websites. It doesn't pay as well as blogging but it's something I enjoy very much. Most of the time you’ll be able to do your freelance work from your own home, or at least at a time and place that is suitable for you and your family.

Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg, since there are other careers mommies can look at. There's selling homemade products, driving an Uber or a Grab—in fact I blogged about how my former magazine editor friends transitioned to other jobs here: Work-from-Home Careers for Busy Moms. And of course, there's professional blogging, which is something a lot of mommies still consider. If you've been a blogger for a while and hope to make your blog make money, I'm doing a workshop next month! It's another Boss Bellas workshop from me and my friend Ginger Arboleda.

I hope this post has highlighted that there are many fulfilling career options out there for moms trying to get the right work-life balance. Good luck, mamas!

*This post has affiliate links.

TOPAZ HORIZON

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