The Conversation, 1891, oil on canvas by Edouard Vuillard

This is my response in the second installment of a Cross-Blog Conversation with Christie who’s an Intern at Profitable Mommy Blogging at WAHM Talk Radio. (Classes starting soon!) If you’re just stumbling upon this for the first time, Part 1 of the conversation started HERE, and a recap of the format goes somewhat like this:

Cross Blog Conversation … a conversation between two people that takes place on their respective blogs.

The conversation starts when one side posts a letter to the other and finishes up by asking the other side a question. The other participant answers the question on their blog and adds on a new question for the other and so it goes – back and forth.

Readers will want to keep an eye on both blogs to catch the responses and new questions – and, since the conversation is being carried out in public, they can comment and share their own perspectives about the questions and answers.

Christie asked the following questions of me:

What resources (free and paid) on the internet have helped you the most with your online business?  How have they changed your business?  What is the best advice you have received that has helped propel your business forward?

Perhaps the best advice I was given when I first opened my eBay store was to start writing a blog in order to promote my ecommerce site.  I began writing in 2007, and now have 3 blogs as well as a Virtual Assistant website.

As I traverse the blogosphere I’ve visited and met many work at home moms and commented that I’ve discovered that so many have taken up blogging to supplement their family income. Many of the WAHMs are doing so for a variety of reasons. I have noticed that a substantial number are blogging due to illness or disabilities that prevent them from working outside the home.

Coincidentally, when I was a Moderator on a now-defunct eBay forum, I responded to a question by a member who was an eBay Store owner and was home-bound and about to go on extended bed-rest due to surgery and was wondering how she would pass the time. I suggested that she read this article that I posted about taking up blogging as a method to promote her ecommerce website.

I’ve recently made the decision that once my current employer approves the Golden Handshake package, this Baby Boomer Grandma definitely will be taking it, and will delve into a second career as a full-time WAHM, hopefully this summer!

As a business major, I learned that research is a key component that one should consider before embarking on any business venture, and is a continuing, ongoing process to keep one’s finger on the pulse of any market. It just isn’t wise to fly by the seat of your pants.

Christie, you spoke of your goals for the next 5-10 years as including venturing into informational products as well as membership sites. My experience during the relatively short time that I’ve been blogging is that the social networking community has undergone a profound change in formatting, for both private and open networking sites. I’ve seen once vibrant, unpaid networking sites fail and fold. Perhaps as a lack of interest and stale topics ~ there’s only so much that can be rehashed over and over. My overall opinion would be that the new Ning sites include more bells and whistles. There’s really no way to project the future of social networking, no matter how many RSS feeds of knowledgeable sources one might subscribe to!

I think it’s fantastic that both you and your husband are anticipating combining your knowledge and giving back to the community. One method that I might suggest is starting out as instructors at your local Adult Education continuing ed classes at the local high school or community center. I actually got my start on eBay by taking an “eBay” course at an adult ed class one winter. And then for fun, I took a gourmet cooking class with my newly-widowed sister-in-law. We both shared a passion for cooking, and it was a wonderful way for us both to gain some insight into a new topic and foster a better outlook on our mental health by acting as a grief and stress-reliever.

If anyone can help point me to a Graphics Program, that would be fantastic.

Before I leave you, I’d like to try to answer your final question of whether I have any working knowledge in online education courses. I did, in fact, finish my degree online and was one of the first to advocate the virtues of online education. You might find my posts insightful as to the hows and whys of my reasoning in choosing online courses.

I wish you well in your future endeavors and have sincerely enjoyed being asked to participate in the Cross-Blog Conversation. I’m a big fan of Moms Talk Network as well as Mom Masterminds and recommend that my readers check it out to see all that it has to offer working moms.

Thank you for the opportunity to join you and a most enjoyable experience!

Photo Credit ~ Creative Commons

Related Reading:

Recuperating or on Bed Rest? If you have an eBiz or Work at Home – Start a Blog to Promote your Business

Why Business Blogs are a Necessity for a Work-At-Home Mom’s Success

Achieve Your College Degree through Accredited Online Distance Learning Courses

Online Degrees Becoming More Popular ~Finish Your College Education

How to Get Your College Degree Online While Staying Home with your Kids

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