Is there any job in the world that's better than being a mom? You get to mold the life of a little human being, hear giggles that will melt your heart and feel the immeasurable satisfaction of sharing uncompromising love. But let's get real: there is a major downside to being a stay-at-home mom...the pay stinks.
Hundreds of thousands of moms around the nation are battling this same struggle every day: you want to stay at home with your child, but you need to earn money to help pay the bills. Fortunately, now is the best time in history to be a momma-preneur. (Okay, I just made that up...but that's what we brave, intelligent, multitasking mommas are!)
Home Based Business Ideas for Moms
If you want to join the ranks of the working stay-at-home moms, you might want to consider these popular home business ideas:
1. Virtual Assistant
Are you great at data entry, making travel plans, tracking orders and replying to emails? Are you extremely organized and are great at doing 10 things at once? Virtual assistants are one of the fasting growing jobs in the marketplace.
Global Market Insights, Inc. states that between 2016 to 2024, the “global intelligent virtual assistant market size is estimated to grow at an annual growth rate of 34.9%.” There are great websites that can help you to get started in this new career. Look into Boldly, Uassist.ME, People Per Hour or one of the many other virtual assistant platforms to get started.
2. Freelance Writer
If you have awesome online research skills, enjoy learning about varying fields and are flexible enough to work with a plethora of personality styles and technology platforms, then freelance writing might be a great fit for you. As a freelance writer for more than seven years, I've written on topics including cloud computing, hydroponic gardening systems, point of sale apps, legal issues, elder care, nonprofit fundraising and more.
Freelance writers usually have longer deadlines for projects, so you don't have to work the normal 9-to-5 and can write or research when your schedule permits (like between kids' nap times or running to and from school). There are also a lot of different types of writing projects: you can blog, creating emails, craft social media posts, ghost write for authors, write product or catalog descriptions and much more. You can search for job opportunities on UpWork, Indeed, CloudPeeps and more.
3. Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) Distributor
This option has been a working mom's best friend for decades, but don't let the Tupperware parties of the past influence your decision about the current possibilities that are available. There are more MLM companies today than ever before (over 1,400!), and the total annual retail sales of all U.S. MLM companies equaled $34.5 billion in 2014.
To get started, consider your favorite hobbies, interests or past times and look for opportunities to pursue them as a career. If you love makeup, maybe Mary Kay is right for you. Enjoy jewelry and fashion? Stella & Dot is a fan favorite. Into health and wellness? It Works! has a full product line that might be of interest to you. Do you adore fun and funky manicures? Jamberry is a hot new trend.
4. Ecommerce Store Owner
I love the global marketplace, and one of my favorite things about it is that I can find original, one-of-a-kind pieces that no one else has. Maybe you love to make crafts, sew, crochet, design jewelry or make digital art. If so, consider looking into eBay, Etsy or Pinterest as platforms where you might want to sell your homemade works of art.
It also is extremely simple to sell goods online with Amazon. You can market your items directly to the customer, or you can become a vendor and have Amazon sell your goods on your behalf (if you receive an invitation). Additionally, there is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), where you send your goods to the Amazon warehouse and they will store your products and ship them to the customer once they're purchased.
5. Contract Worker With Technology Skills
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the number of self-employed people in the U.S. has grown by nearly 150,000 since 2014 to 8,751,000. Not only can you start your own business from home, but you can partner with some of the thousands of entrepreneurs who are looking to outsource help to keep their costs down.
These business owners need graphic designers, web designers, social media marketers, app developers and other technology specialists to function in this online world. If you possess these skills, you may be able to find a job on Mashable, Stack Overflow or AngelList.
Do I Need an LLC for My Home Business?
Regardless of whether you're working with a virtual job platform, you have clients as a freelancer or you are a distributor for an MLM company, you should consider creating a Limited Liability Company (LLC) for your home business. Here's why: In any one of these industries, as soon as you start working, you become an independent contractor. That makes you immediately liable for the service you provide, the content that you write or the products that you sell.
If you accidentally share proprietary information that compromises your client, for example, you could get sued and your personal assets may be at stake. Or if you sell health products to someone who has a specific allergy without disclosing vital information, again, your personal assets could be seized if you lose your case. However, if you form an LLC, your personal assets will be legally protected against debt or any legal matters that could arise for your company.
Fortunately, Incfile was created to help small business owners just like you start their company on the right foot. Our business formation packages include a lifetime of customer support, online access to your incorporation documents and your first year of registered agent service for free. Check out our online business formation packages — starting at $49 + state fees — to form your home-based business today.
Once you've decided which amazing home-based opportunity to choose, you'll already have done the hard work — filing legal paperwork with Incfile is the easy part!
