You may remember Tori from a guest post I wrote for her blog, ThesTORIbook, where I offered tips on how to promote healthy eating habits in young children. I’m thrilled that she is now paying us a visit to discuss how she left a grueling work schedule to start her own business from home. Her current employment affords her the ability to manage her own hours and clients while spending plenty of time with her one-year-old son. Please help me in welcoming Tori to Sleeping Should Be Easy:
Sleeping Should Be Easy: You run your own business from home. Tell us what it is that you do.
Tori Johnson: I am the proud owner of my own public relations, marketing and event consulting company, Tori Johnson PR. I also consider ThesTORIbook a second job because I spend quite a bit of time nurturing it.
SSBE: What did you do before you launched your own business? How did you decide to start and take the plunge?
TJ: Prior to launching my company, I was the Vice President of a PR agency out of Dallas, Texas. I worked long hours, and work-life balance was non-existent. While on maternity leave with my first son Luke, I started having the same concerns that many mothers face about returning to their jobs. Not only was I unhappy, but I also wasn’t willing to sacrifice all that time with my husband and child.
When Luke was seven-weeks-old, I had a big awakening. I have some heart troubles and had to get my pacemaker replaced. It was a pretty tough time with a new baby and not being able to use my arm.
I can still remember the day like it was yesterday—my mom set Luke in my lap so I could feed him with one hand. While I was sitting there looking at my new baby I knew that it was decided: I was going to figure out a way to still do what I love in terms of work (PR and marketing) but have the amount of time that I wanted to raise a child and be a better wife.
SSBE: As a work-from-home mom, how do you balance dealing with your clients and taking care of your son?
TJ: It wasn’t too difficult balancing everything when Luke was a baby. I’d basically work whenever he was sleeping. Now that Luke is a toddler and only takes one nap a day, it’s more difficult. Essentially, I try to split my day into three’s: one activity for work, one activity for Luke and one activity for mommy.
My husband and I also decided to put Luke in a Mother’s Day Out through our church starting in September. So he will go there two days a week, from 9am-2pm, which will give me time to complete client work and maybe get a workout in!
SSBE: What financial steps did you take before making the leap?
TJ: The financial consequences were definitely something that I worried over at first. I basically took a good look at our expenses (including new baby expenses) and then looked at what my estimated income change would be until I could get my business built up.
Since I wasn’t making as much, I just made some small lifestyle changes: buying less clothes (well, if I’m honest I should say buying less shoes), cooking from home versus going out to eat, making my own baby food, purchasing generic when possible, and looking for free activities around town for entertainment are a few examples.
SSBE: How is your current job different from your previous one? Do you work the same full-time hours or have you scaled down to part-time?
TJ: It’s worlds different. I used to work well beyond full-time hours and frequently worked on weekends. Now, I work a few hours a day on most days and don’t work weekends unless I have an event.
SSBE: How did you find your first clients?
TJ: My first client was a doggy daycare and spa owned by a friend of my husband and me (I love dogs so this was a perfect fit). I have been blessed that all of my other clients have been from referrals.
SSBE: What advice could you give other moms interested in running their own business or working from home?
TJ: I’d definitely say do your research and take risks. Some of the greatest rewards are gained from the biggest risks. Also, be sure to take some time for yourself to recharge, whether it’s reading a good book or even enjoying a glass of wine.
Thank you Tori for sharing your reasons for and process on how you started your own home based business. Hopefully other moms looking to do the same can be inspired, whether she’s a working mom eager to transition from career to work-from-home, or a stay-at-home mom looking for a way to work while still being able to be with their kids.
Have you ever considered working from home or running your own business? If so, what steps have you taken? What obstacles keep you from pursuing this goal? In which field would you ideally enter as a work-from-home mom? What questions do you have for Tori?
I currently SAH with no outside pay coming in. Before we had kids, I occasionally did some freelance work from home and I’ve thought about dabbling in something like that again. It’s always nice to hear how other people juggle their work and finances and kids…
Steph recently posted..Are We Expecting Too Much?
Let us know if you ever do get back into freelancing. The nice thing with freelancing on the side is that it’s usually extra cash with little pressure to maintain if it gets stressful. You can always “fire” your clients if they get to be too much.
Nina recently posted..How to work from home and run your own business
Start with a little freelance work here and there and then add on as time permits. Definitely keep us posted! Other mommy bloggers can be great support systems.
Tori Johnson recently posted..“Sleeping Should Be Easy” Interviews….Me!
I’ve freelanced for 20+ years. It doesn’t pay the bills, but it gets us through the rough spots.
Teresa Cleveland Wendel recently posted..Old and Penniless
Going to check out your blog! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. It’s good to meet someone who has freelanced for a long period of time!
Thanks for this post Nina and Tori. I’m currently contemplating whether I look for a part-time job or start my own business. Going it on your own seems really quite daunting but definitely more appealing.
I’m in interested to know how you manage to separate work and home life? Do you give yourself set hours to work or do you just fit in bits here and there when you can? Even just blogging I find I can get absorbed in it to the detriment of the attention I give my son and husband. Finding a balance really seems a big challenge.
Hi Laura! Excellent questions! It can be tough to separate. I have to set certain times of the day that are off limits for work/blogging. Mid-morning play time with my son, outdoor time with son in late afternoons, mealtimes and about 5:30pm on are “no computer” times. Once Luke goes to bed, I’ll occasionally allow myself some time to work or blog. I also will have “Luke Days” that are strictly for him where we do outings, play dates, etc. Weekends are pretty much all family time. You really have to find something that works in your schedule. If you have any more questions please feel free to email me at tori@torijohnsonpr.com.
Tori Johnson recently posted..Guest Post: Fall 2012 Fashion From His & Hers
Laura, I would set aside hours for just work, and hours for your son. If you could do it, maybe even get help, like dropping off your son on certain afternoons to a relative’s house so that you can do your deep, busy work then. Or do your hard work in the evenings/mornings when he’s asleep. Little to-dos you can do throughout the day if need be.
Nina recently posted..10 steps to prepare for a baby, so you can catch some zzzz’s
Great post. I agree with the last comment that finding that balance is definatly a challenge when working at home.
Visit what’s happening at toddlersthroughpreschool.com. Cathie
Thank you, Cathie! It seems like a challenge all work-from-home mothers face. We all just figure it out the best we can!
Tori Johnson recently posted..Guest Post: Fall 2012 Fashion From His & Hers
I also decided to start my own business. I was able to be a SAHM with my first but when my second came along I found myself as a single mom who still wanted to stay home. Needless to say, the financials on that are tough! So, thanks to a ton of support and help from my parents, I was able to finish my bachelors (which I had been working on and off for 10 years) and begin the process of becoming ICEA certified for childbirth education. In the past 9 months, I’ve started a blog and began teaching childbirth classes and offering minor doula services. It’s great because I can take the boys with me to class or my mom can watch them and I get to set my schedule. Probably the best part is that I’m doing something I’m passionate about! That’s my advice to any mom who’s considering working from home: Do something you’re passionate about, because that’s the only way you are going to truly be successful and willing to make the sacrifices and put in the time.
Thanks for the great article!
Darlene recently posted..Why I read parenting books….
Darlene, what an inspiring story! And I also have to reiterate that you should definitely do what you’re passionate about. I had tried a side business several years ago (hand made cards). I enjoyed making the crafts, was even good at it, but when it came down to it, it wasn’t my passion. For one thing, I didn’t even send regular greeting cards to people, so it seemed ironic that I’m suddenly making handmade cards. Then, when I stumbled on poor business models, I wasn’t motivated enough to stick through it to find solutions, making it easier for me to give it up.
I think if you’re passionate about something and would do it for free or on your spare time, then I think that’s a great basis to start a business on.
Nina recently posted..10 steps to prepare for a baby, so you can catch some zzzz’s