More Than WE Know

Today I’m interviewing full-time work-at-home mom, Crystal Berney.  Crystal is a Regional Sales Director for Ameriplan,  the author of a blog for work at home moms and the mother of three young children.

Crystal is currently presenting at the online  Work at Home expo running today and tomorrow.  There are lots of interesting speakers and exhibitors at the expo.  Registration is free - so hurry over!

Crystal, tell me a little about your business.

I am an independent rep with Ameriplan. It is a 15 year old, Health care benefits company. I either help people save money on their healthcare costs, or I help people make money by training and coaching them to work from home. 
 

What motivated you to start your business? 

My kids. I didn’t want my children to go through the life that I did growing up. I wanted to make sure that I was there for them any time they needed me, as well as provide for them financially without having to depend on anyone else to do so. 
 

How old are your children?

My son is 8, and I have 2 daughters…One will be 7 at the end of this month (Nov) and my youngest just turned 2. 

How do you integrate your business into your life and your children’s lives? 

We have found that a schedule is a wonderful thing. I am able to focus my work around our personal schedule, and in that same sense, the children are doing great at respecting my work time, and they help around the house & with taking care of their little sister and playing with her if I have a call or 2 to make.

It’s neat how much interest they already take in the business itself. My 6 year old loves to pass out business cards whenever we go places, such as to the mall or the grocery store. She will say “my  mommy works from home,” then hand them a card. I couldn’t be more proud.

All 3 of the children also sport “My Mommy is an Ameriplan Diva” t-shirts.

What’s the hardest thing about being a work at home mom? 

At first I would say making sure I found time to actually do my business. It’s easy to let all the many other daily tasks and chores stand in your way. Especially if you are a person who is a little bit afraid to pick up the phone and talk to people. You may find that every closet in your home is spotless, but it’s important to set a schedule in regards to “work” hours and stick to it. 

What’s the best thing about being a work at home mom? 

Knowing that I am always able to be here. If the kids have something going on at school, I’m always able to go and help out. If they are sick, I’m home with them. That and the fact that I can get up and get ready whenever I choose, now that is wonderful. 

How has being a mom made you a better entrepreneur? 

Being a mom made me grow up a great deal. Knowing that it is not only my future at stake, but that of these 3 wonderful beings that I brought into the world, it pushes me everyday to try a little bit harder.

I also know how important it is what I do and how I can help others. I don’t know any mom who wouldn’t want to be home with their children if they had the choice and the ability, I am able to connect with other moms and help them do just that. 

How has being an entrepreneur made you a better mom?

I know that since I have been an entrepreneur our life has become more structured. My kids are seeing a stronger, more consistent mom and compared to the mom I believe I started out as, that is huge. 

What advice do you have for other mothers who would like to become an entrepreneur?  

Find something that you can honestly believe in, with a company that you can feel good about promoting, or a product or service that you feel people truly need.

Don’t focus so much on the compensation plan, well not solely, because if you choose to do something simply based on how much you make from each sale or what not, you will find it hard to make any money if you can’t market the products themselves.

Be sure that you have someone to go to when you need help.

And last but not least, jump in with both feet and don’t slow down until you’ve reached your goal. Just be consistent and don’t give up. If you remember why you decided you wanted to be an entrepreneur in the first place, and always keep that in front of you, any time you run into a bump in the road, you will then be able to keep pushing forward.

I’d like to thank Crystal for sharing her insights. 

If you are a Woman Entrepreneur and would like to be profiled on this blog, or know someone else who would be a good candidate, please let me know.   I can be reached at Liz (at) morethanweknow [dot] com.

WE can all learn from each other.

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