I became a WAHM because I had to.
I was forced to leave my corporate career to care for our premature son. The plan was I would take care of our son for two years until he is given a clean bill of health by the neurologist. But barely a month into WAHMing, I knew I would never go back to corporate. I was like a fish in a bowl that was thrown into the sea.
Today, family, friends, and acquaintances ask me random questions like…
So you’re a VA? What is that?
What does a VA do?
Can I be a VA like you?
Can you help me become a VA?
Nobody asked me WHY.
Why I do what I do. Why am I so happy doing what I do.
I have conducted a number of workshops on how to become a Virtual Assistant, how to become a WAHM, how to stay sane while WAHMing, and in my last classroom workshop, I shared my VA Success Blueprint. In all these workshops, I ask this question…
Why?
Why do you want to work from home?
And I have received answers like…
I’m tired of commuting to and from work.
I want to earn in dollars, too.
I want to be present for my child’s milestones.
I want to own my time.
These are all good reasons. And the answer to your BIG why will play a big part in determining what niche best fits you. You need a driving motivator to help you develop skills and abilities that will fulfill your BIG why. You are going to design and build your business around your reasons for wanting to become a WAHM. Or a VA. Or a graphic designer. Or even a product-based business. Whatever niche you plan to be in, your motivator will help you develop a long-term and profitable business.
As a long-term WAHM and VA, I’ve been in enough fora and online courses to gather people’s top motivators for becoming a WAHM.
Flexibility
Having the power in your hands to make time for both work and family. You can make time for yoga (or Zumba), take up a hobby (crochet, anyone?), attend a parent-teacher conference (unless you are also homeschooling like us), and still be productive at work.
Independence
Not having a boss look over your shoulder anytime. Having the freedom to be creative on how you approach work. Being able to create systems and processes that work for you so you are more productive and happier with your work.
Mobility
Being able to work anywhere. Work at home, in a cafe, in a hospital lobby, I’ve done all these. Geez, I even brought my work one time in the cemetery, on All Saints’ Day. Migrate to another country in a heartbeat, and bring your job with you.
Earning Potential
The more skills you have, the more opportunities you have for earning more. The harder you work, the more you are rewarded. This does not happen in employment where your salary is fixed. And even your annual salary increases have caps.
Lifestyle
Choose when to work, where to work, and how hard you have to work. Be a part-time soccer mom while still maintaining a full-time status with your client.
Family
Being a hands-on parent. Being present for each and every one of your child’s milestones. Or maybe you want to homeschool your kids. Or be your parents’ caregiver.
Health Challenge
When you cannot commute to and from work every day, or have limited time and mobility to work outside the home. (I used to have blind transcriptionists.)
All these motivators are good to start with.
Sustaining a WAHM life, living it long-term, is another matter. And that’s why you need to have a strong and solid conviction on why you want to be a WAHM.
Let me share with you an example.
About four years into WAHMing, I had a former officemate approach me, asking to help her become a virtual assistant. She was my staff in my corporate life. I worked with her side by side for years, so I knew she could be a VA. So I trained her. Our agreement was that I would find her a client when she’s ready. And I did.
On the day that I signed the contract for her, she quit. She said it’s not for her. So she went back to employment. And to this day, she’s still working outside her home.
Yes, she wanted to become a WAHM. But maybe the life of a WAHM is something that she’s not ready for. Her reason for wanting to become a WAHM was not strong enough for her to weather it out.
You may want to become a WAHM for a wide variety of reasons, but there should always be that one great reason that will keep you going each and every day. Because believe me, it’s not a walk in the park. And it’s not for everyone.
And so I ask you, have you determined your BIG why? Do you have the skills to support your passion? And is your passion supportive of your skills?
If you answered YES to the questions above, then you are ready to become a WAHM.
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about this post?
Please leave a reply below, or post them on my Facebook Page.
Marge, also known as The Happy WAHM, is a virtual assistant who turned her passion for entrepreneurship into a worthy endeavor of offering complete business solutions to CEOs and business owners around the world. She turned her back on a thriving corporate career to become a hands-on mom and created a lifestyle that allowed her to build a homebased career, homeschool her children, and still have time to pursue her passion for arts and crafting.
She only posts her content on her website, TheHappyWAHM.com. If you see this content on someone else’s site then it is NOT by any means authorized.
