March 5, 2020August 25, 2020 - Ashley

How To Start A Blog – Simply!

This post contains affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission should you choose to purchase through one of my links. I only recommend products and services I personally use, like, know and trust.

If you’re reading this post you are probably trying to navigate how to start a blog, simply, as a part of your personal brand. You’re wise to do so! A blog allows you to connect with like-minded women, monetize your message from home, & build your capacity for influence/impact on a platform you own – versus building your brand/influence solely on social media. You’re spending all that time creating amazing content – it should be discoverable to the world outside of and not dependent upon the algorithms of Facebook or Instagram!! In this post I’ll walk you through things to think through and have in place before you start a blog, as well as a step-by-step how-to to get you ready to launch it!

My blogging journey.

I launched my first monetized blog while I was on maternity leave in the spring of 2016. I wanted a place where I could share things I was learning, using and doing to navigate my new role as Mama with other new moms, and to start something I could build upon as an additional stream of income. After returning to work as a school district administrator for one year, and building my blog/brand during that time as well (it IS possible to do while working full-time and with a newborn!), I transitioned into the Stay At Home Mompreneur lifestyle. I’ve since been able to replace my full-time income, with this blog as the catalyst. Now I am passionate about teaching others to create multiple streams of impact and income online through creating a magnetic personal brand with soul-filled marketing strategy to support it – with your blog as the hub!

Is it complicated to start a blog?

It’s really not, I promise. Trust me, I knew nothing about any of this tech stuff when I started mine (still not super techy to this day!!), and was able to start a blog with SiteGround in under 15 minutes. Just take things step by step and keep your “why” in mind. Your why is the reason you’ve decided that you want to share your heart, knowledge, and content on a blog in the first place.

How do you monetize a blog?

There are many ways to monetize your blog. Six of the most common ways to make money with a blog are:

Advertising
Affiliate Marketing (could include Network Marketing/Social Retail depending upon company business model and marketing)
Sponsored Posts
Sell an info product
Creating a physical or downloadable product
Referral Credit

What do you need to consider before you start a blog?

What is your brand?

YOU are your brand. Your brand sets you apart from your competition and allows you to create multiple streams of income. Your brand attracts YOUR TRIBE because you’re being authentically YOU. To keep it simple, your brand is the 3-5 things that you will create content around on your blog – the things that will put you on the map in the blogging/influencer space! It doesn’t mean there aren’t a thousand other things that make you uniquely you, but you have to narrow it down to which areas you can provide the most value for OTHERs in that you’ll also enjoy continuing to create content around. For example, for this mom blog my brand pillars are: Organization/Checklists, Personal Mom Life-related Storytelling to connect/encourage/inspire my readers, and First Time Mom Advice (including things I use/buy/love/do that I think will enrich other mama’s lives). However, when I first started Taylor-made Mama I was blogging about ALL the things – workouts, recipes, organization, relationships/marriage, mom life, Mompreneur tips etc. I had WAY too much going on, and my audience didn’t know what they could come to me for and count on me to deliver VALUE about. What do you want your blog to be the go-to space for? What are the 2-3 topics you’d like to create content around?

What is your niche?

A niche is a specific group of people with common interests that you know, understand & can speak/provide value to. Your niche will become your tribe, and your goal is to turn them into raving fans that will read/share/buy whatever it is you’re putting out there because you’ve established their trust for and liking of YOU! For example, for this blog my niche is essentially new/first time moms interested in advice for navigating and organizing the first few years of motherhood (birth through toddlerhood). Here are some questions to help guide you in determining the specific niche your blog will serve: What are you passionate about? Who can YOU best relate to? What problem/s can you solve for others? What are their needs, wants, and desires? Are people asking questions about what you want to share (is there a need for your content)? I cover all of this in greater depth in my Free Facebook community, Elevate Academy. This group is a place for multi-passionate female online entrepreneurs who are in network marketing but understand the importance of personal branding, utilizing attraction marketing, and creating multiple streams of income.

Choose your blogging platform.

There are several popular platforms such as Blogger, Square Space or WordPress.org. Back in the day, I had a blog on Blog Spot (would not recommend for what you want to do with your blog!). WordPress.org is what almost every professional blogger uses. This is the platform your website actually runs on. It’s not to be confused with WordPress.com (a similarly named free blogging platform). Free platforms should only be used if you are strictly blogging for fun. If you want to make money blogging, you NEED to have your own domain name and web hosting. But don’t worry, setting up your domain name and web hosting is easy. I promise you don’t have to be tech-savvy at all in order to do this! I much prefer and highly recommend WordPress.org sites, with SiteGround hosting. Hosting is access to the server that will run your blog. Siteground hosting makes it super easy to get started and maintain your site. Their support is literally 24/7, and you can speak with them via phone or in an online chat.

Choose your domain name.

You could choose your first and last name (I also run https://ashleysamadani.com/!), or something clever and easy to remember that represents what your blog is all about and will resonate with your readers. For this blog I chose Taylor-madeMama.com because I knew it would be obvious to my readers that this was a site meant for moms, and Taylor is the name of my daughter. When in doubt, use your first and last name – sets you up to be able to pivot and also not pigeonhole yourself right away to a particular niche as you’re working through your creative ideas! Once you have your domain name idea/ideas, check to make sure it is available and that it’s not astronomically expensive (Go Daddy is a great website for this!). Now, you’re ready to start a blog, simply, with SiteGround and WordPress.org! STEP 1 – Choose your plan:

STEP 2 – Choose and Register your domain name and click on Register a New Domain, unless you already have a domain – then click “I already have a Domain”:

(I’m so excited for you right now!) STEP 3 – Enter your information:

STEP 4 – Select Domain Registration and Domain Privacy fees. Personally, I register with all three of the following:

STEP 5 – Start a new website and set up your Siteground hosting account

Yassss! You officially have hosting up for your blog.

Next you need to install WordPress.

STEP 6 – Go to “My Accounts” then “Manage Account”, then “Go to cPanel” (red button).

Launch the Set Up Wizard, click on “Start a new website,” enter your WordPress login info, confirm and complete set up!

STEP 7 – Click on “WordPress” in the Autoinstallers section.

Now, click on the blue Install button.

After install, fill in the information in the next screen (see below).

Choose Protocol: generally keep it the same (http:// or https if your site has SSL – recommended)

Choose Domain: choose your domain name from the choices in the drop-down menu but, most likely the first choice you see is the one you want.

Site Name: The name of your blog.

Site Description: You can change this later or leave it blank, but it’s a short description of what your site is all about. It will show up in Google searches.
Admin Username: This will be the name you use to log into your WordPress blog (or you can always use email address here)
Admin Password: This is the password to access your WordPress backend (your blog dashboard). Choose a strong, but easy-to-remember, password.
Admin email: Enter your email address
Choose Theme: I recommend installing a theme once you’re in the backend/dashboard of your blog (see below)

Click “Install“and YEAY – you officially have a blog!! Now, you can now log in with your username (or email) and password, and access your dashboard by adding “/wp-admin” to the end of your domain:

*Make sure to confirm your domain name through the validation email you will receive within 15 days!

Selecting Your Theme

You’ll need to choose or purchase a theme. Think of your theme as the exterior to your house – you want it to have curb appeal!! I purchased mine through the fabulously talented Tiffany of Beautiful Dawn Designs. Simple, professional, stylish, easy to navigate, mobile responsive design, and lend nicely to a variety of lifestyle/creative blog content. Taylor-mademama.com is the Elegance Theme. You can upload purchased themes to your blog through your dashboard.

How excited are you right now to get started?!

I recommend you have 5 posts written prior to launching your blog – with at least one from each of your brand categories (if you are working through my Influence, Impact & Income Academy, these posts will be part of your assignments throughout the 12 Week program!). Next, you will obviously need to tackle your content creation and promotion, traffic generation, audience nurture, marketing, and monetization strategies. To help you get started, I have a blog post checklist to send to you if you used one of the links in this post to set up your blog through Siteground. This will be your one page, printable guide to all the necessary elements of a killer, discoverable blog post and post-publish promotion! Simply forward or screenshot and email your Siteground receipt to ashley@taylor-mademama.com and I will reply with your Blog Post Checklist. I am so excited to see the impact you create through your unique message with this platform you’re building!

If you are partnered with a Network Marketing or Social Retail company/brand and would like more information on the 12 Week Live coaching program (this is NOT a packaged course!!) where I walk you through building the exact framework that’s allowed me to create a multi-stream six figure income online, while building a top 1% network marketing biz as a complementary asset to my personal brand (not my end all be all!) … enter your email HERE, or in the form below and I’ll send you some info to review via email.

If you want to integrate and build your network marketing business with automation/authenticity/searchability, and without pigeonholing yourself or sacrificing your personal brand….the Influence, Impact & Income program was designed for YOU!

November 1, 2019May 22, 2024 - Ashley

How To Become A Modere Social Marketer

If you’re reading this you’re probably wondering,” how do I become a Modere Social Marketer?”

Modere is a 30-year-old clean + healthy lifestyle brand who has flipped their business model to Social Retail 5 years ago. It’s like being a part of a stable yet energized Start-Up (or “ground floor opportunity”) without the risk or need for hype. I know, right?!

UPDATED 2022:

Although I still actively use and sell Modere products (you can check out how I sell between $3-6K every month without sending any DMs, hosting online parties, or posting about products on social media in THIS POST, and/or learn more about my fav products in THIS POST!),

I am not currently onboarding new affiliates (I can absolutely refer you to an active leader though!).

In 2020 I made a pivot into Online Business Coaching and have since transitioned to doing that full-time. I recorded an episode on my podcast, Maverick Mompreneur Podcast™️, explaining the thinking behind this decision, and giving you the 10 questions I use when evaluating making life or business pivots (you can listen to Episode 36 HERE!).

I now have the opportunity to work with women entrepreneurs from many companies and industries to build long-term, aligned searchable brands/businesses through SEO-based + affiliate marketing, coaching, and courses!

If you found this article on Page 1 of Google, you already know I know my stuff when it comes to getting my message in front of the right people via Search Engine Optimization (SEO)!

If you are interested in learning more about my 1:1 mentorship/coaching, Signature Group Coaching Program (Social Seller To CEO Academy™️) or Courses, head over to elevatedwithashley.com and check out the Courses or Coaching tabs!

Do you have 5-10 friends already partnered with Modere? Do you see the name of the company or products all over your social media? I’m guessing not, which is exactly what you want (saturation not a problem!).

In this article, I am going to show you exactly how you can get started as a Modere Social Marketer, what to expect once you partner with me + our team, what sets Modere apart in a sea of business opportunities, and finally review some of the frequently asked questions about Modere.

But first, because if you choose to partner with Modere I hope you’ll choose me as your success guide. I know you are someone who realizes the importance of choosing a mentor, so let me tell you a little…

about me!

I’m Ashley Samadani – solo mama to 4 year old Taylor – lover of weight-lifting, wine & true crime podcasts (to name a few things!) – and my mission is to show other women how to make income & impact online – utilizing their God-given talents to build a sustainable, successful BRAND & business that honors their TIME & authentic selves.

Life is too short not to love what you are doing.

AND It’s so important to consider whether or not what you’re doing is in alignment with what you actually WANT for your present & future.

I’ve been building online businesses for over 4 years now, and have worked hard to learn how to create success and show others how to do the same.

As a blogger, professional network marketer and coach of multi-passionate female online entrepreneurs, I know my stuff when it comes to building a modern network marketing business as a stream of income whether your focus is building/leading a team, online sales or a combination – without pigeonholing yourself, bugging your friends & family, and while being authentically YOU!

I started at practically ZERO 4 years ago. No marketing or sales experience, or following. It’s taken a lot of learning, effort and failing forward but if I can do it, so can you; I’m here to teach you what I know so that you can experience success and build a brand + business you’re proud of!

Get a head start – snag my guide to creating social media posts for products or opportunity that actually convert to sales, without leaving you feeling spammy:

My Background Before Modere

Prior to entering the Stay-At-Home Mompreneur life, I was a Special Education Teacher turned School District Administrator for 13 years. I loved my profession and never saw myself leaving or wanting to be a stay at home mom…until I had my daughter and had to go back to work after maternity leave.

Then I was kicking myself for not having a plan B that would allow me the option to stay home. No exaggeration, I cried every day driving to work for a month after maternity leave was over.

I just wanted to be at home not missing all of my baby’s moments, or seeing her milestones through pictures sent to me while I was away at work.

Flash forward: we made big changes as a family to be able to stay at home with my daughter after a year back at work with the plan to return to work once she was school-aged. You can read all about that transition in this post. Again, I had another realization pretty quickly that I really didn’t want to have to go back to work and AGAIN be away and missing things from age 5-18…

Time flies (Taylor is now 4!!); It’s our most precious resource, and I want to spend as much of it with her as I can while being 100% available to care for her!

However, I didn’t see myself NOT working either…I love to work when it’s something I’m passionate about and I’m able to help/impact others through my work. I was also used to talking to and collaborating with other adults when I worked for a school district; The stay at home mom life can be a little isolating, even for introverted mamas like me.

I began brainstorming ways to have something that was mine to build an income and make an impact again, BUT on a schedule flexible to our family life and the limited time I have to devote to work at this stage in my daughter’s early, preschool years.

Introduction To The Network Marketing Profession:

I was introduced to my first network marketing company a few months after leaving my career, and I naively jumped in feet first!! It seemed like the answer to being able to create a time leveraged income, doing something I was already doing (sharing things I use/buy/do/love on social media), in the pockets of my days with Taylor.

My mission became and IS helping other mamas to build a brand & income online that can allow them to spend more time at home with their little ones should that be their choice too.

However…back then, I didn’t know anything about network marketing or the 10 questions I really should have asked before getting into a company. Ignorance on fire, as they say!

While I met a lot of awesome women in my first company, and I wouldn’t trade the learning experience…

That endeavor consumed all of my time with many things I didn’t enjoy but needed to do to sustain and or grow my business (inventory/stock, 4-8 online Facebook parties per week, packaging, shipping, running Facebook groups by myself, sending endless samples, home parties, lots & lots of hours explaining product or opportunity, product demos, etc…). it wasn’t something I could see myself doing in 5, 10, 15 years down the line and I found myself totally burnt out. Never again!

I left a career in Special Education to spend time with my family, but I found myself constantly pulled away from them.

I Almost Quit The Industry Altogether

In addition to feeling like I was selling my soul to the grind for relatively little return on investment, I wasn’t seeing the women on my team experience success.

What’s the point of it all if you’re a leader and the only one winning? How can you offer an opportunity you no longer believe can really work for the woman who was truly putting in the effort?

The market was saturated with hundreds of thousands of others doing essentially the same thing and there wasn’t a simple system for duplication…

Simple systems that allow for duplication + timing of when you get in with a company are both key for you and your team’s long term success!!

I started praying about next steps and planning my exit from the network marketing industry…

When I came across something DIFFERENT.

Change the vehicle, but never the goal!

Why I Chose To Become A Modere Social Marketer

So, as I was swearing off network marketing forever, I saw a Facebook post from a friend saying she had the “fountain of youth (liquid collagen) in her fridge”. She didn’t say the name of the product or company outright, which prompted me to reach out to ask where I could get some (Attraction Marketing in action!!). At 36, I’ll take all the anti-aging I can get, thank you!

My friend’s response was that she had actually just partnered with the company who produced it, so she was going to:

invite me to a group,
tag me in some info where I could learn more (I ended up seeing a ton of other clean living products I wanted to try without her ever having to post about them!), and
message me to follow up with her affiliate link for the exact product giving me a $10 discount if I was interested.

Oh, I WAS interested for sure…And now not just in the liquid collagen!!!

CHECK OUT MODERE’S CLEAN LIVING PRODUCT LINE (& GET $10 OFF)

Finally – a simple, duplicatable 3 step system!

I thought, “wait, WHAAAATT? All they do is 1) add people to a team group, 2) tag them in info to explain the product someone already indicated they were interested in, and 3) message them to follow up + hook them up with an affiliate link with a promo code attached???

THIS anyone could do! Heck, a 9 -year-old could probably work this system!”

Very curious, I asked to take a look at some information on the business side of Modere. Again, I was invited to a group, tagged in some information, and sent a message letting me know we could check in once I did a little independent research! SO SIMPLE, time-efficient, and non-salesy!

In the group I watched this video on the difference between MLM and Social Retail, and one or two others within the private group to give me a feel for the incredible team culture & leadership!

I saw a model for people looking to supplement their income from home, or wherever they needed to be, all online #laptoplifestyle

I saw people from all kinds of backgrounds winning (whether they were recruiting or just sharing clean living products!), ranking up, and having FUN!

No inventory, 3- way calls, home parties, spamming about product all over social media or cold messaging!

What I’ve found since becoming a Social Marketer

I signed on to partner with Modere as a Social Marketer on September 1st, 2018.

Quite honestly, being a Modere Social Marketer has turned out to be even BETTER than what I anticipated.

I’ve found a tribe of amazing women, and way to build an additional stream of income ALL ONLINE while:

being/branding ME, attracting customers & business partners through providing them VALUE & SOLUTIONS.
sharing a clean living brand with a vast product line that lines up with my lifestyle authentically.
showing others exactly how I do it through duplicatable systems

My team and I finally have the right vehicle. They are celebrated for their activity versus rank, and have a way to monetize their social media accounts/influence in an authentic way that opens the doors to creating multiple streams of income – in the midst of their busy lives!

Women on our team who never had success in network marketing are finally able to build a stream of income through their efforts.

Modere is ahead of the curve in implementing a duplicatable system that follows global trends in the social media space!

And we have so much FUN doing it!

Of course, each individual’s effort, background, experience, skills, determination, mindset and so many other factors determine the speed and level of their success, but for me finding social retail has been a complete game-changer.

Now, I’m also teaching how it’s possible to build a network marketing business with the automation and as a complimentary asset to your brand, without sacrificing that duplication. If you’re interested in building a business with automation that allows for time freedom, we should definitely chat!

Make sure to join my free Facebook Group, Elevate Academy For Intentional Influencers & Mompreneurs, to get an idea of my style, and some awesome training on personal branding, attraction marketing, and building an online business with integrity & in alignment with your giftedness & passions:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ElevateAcademyGroup

WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH ME AS A MENTOR?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE TESTIMONIALS!

How To Get Started As A Modere Social Marketer

Here are the simple steps to get you set up as a Modere Social Marketer on our team:

Step 1:

Go to: https://www.shiftingretail.com/enrollment/firstorder

IMPORTANT NOTE:

( If you would like for me to be your sponsor & mentor, please contact me via message by CLICKING HERE & typing “SPONSOR ID” for my Sponsor ID & the sign-up link specific to your market. You can also email me at ashley@taylor-mademama.com. I currently support team members in the US, Australia, Europe, and Canada!)

Step 2:

Click “Join” at the top right and select your essential pack to get started with us.

The annual Social Marketer fee, which includes both apps and websites you’ll need to run your business, is only $39.99. This will be automatically added to your cart. You choose your first product order.

The XM Launch Packs are definitely the best bang for your buck to get started with product to authentically share! They come with $200 in Live Clean Product credit, and a ticket to Modere’s Annual Social Retail Conference. XM packs are also a qualification requirement in order to earn a Modere Experience (iWatch, iPad, weekend getaway, or shopping spree!). There are kits at a lower price point as well, but they do not come packed with as much additional value as the XM Launch Packs. You also have the option to add items a la carte to create your own first order!

Step 3:

Select your Smart Ship order of 75 points or more to qualify for commission. I recommend setting it for the 1st of the month (the month after you sign up will be the first time you’re actually charged!) I have one bottle of Liquid BioCell Skin Collagen as mine – but have never actually paid out of pocket for it as we earn Live Clean Product credits in addition to commissions through our sales! Woo hoo!

Step 4:

When that’s all done, I’ll receive a text that you’re part of the squad! Please send me a friend request on Facebook (Ashley Latimer) asap, so that I can then get you plugged into our amazing community & step-by-step training, including our proven Launch Plan to get you off to a successful start!! You will also receive an immediate “Welcome To The Team!” email from me.

I can’t wait to get to know you and find out your goals.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

( If you would like for me to be your sponsor & mentor, please contact me via message by CLICKING HERE & typing “SPONSOR ID” for my Sponsor ID & the sign-up link specific to your market. I currently support team members in the US, Australia, Europe, and Canada!)

Being a Modere Social Marketer on our team is seriously so much fun, and I can’t wait for you to experience it all with me!

Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming A Modere Social Marketer

What Makes Modere Different?

1.Built-in Referral System. This is at the heart of Social Retail. Modere has a genius referral system set up to benefit both customers AND social marketers!!! Customers and social marketers receive a Share The Love affiliate link to Modere.com. When that link is shared by a customer, they give their friend $10 off, and they get $10 in product credit toward their own Modere goodies! This is the same system used by brands like Stitch Fix, Gilt, and Uber to generate customers through social referrals.

Modere Social Marketers are paid the exact same way on all referral purchases INFINITE lines (if your friend, shares with their friend, and that friend shares with their Grandmother, and so on – you get paid for ALL of those sales!!). Customers love the chance to earn their products for a discount or possibly even free each month, and social marketers benefit by making commissions from those purchases as well! Here’s a video that explains it even better:

2. Customer-Centered. Because of the referral system, and customers who LOVE Modere products, 85%+ of Modere’s revenue comes from actual customer sales. NOT from marketer purchases, sign up kits, etc as you see with most network marketing companies. In Modere we have a 10:1 customer to marketer ratio! Our job is to share about products we love and point people to a retail website where they can snag some for themselves and get product credits for sharing with their friends.

3. Attraction Marketing. You won’t see the name of Modere products or the company name splattered all over social media. As a Modere Social Marketer, you’ll be taught and encouraged to brand YOU and create curiosity around the Modere products you do authentically share via Social Media. You will be the HUNTED instead of the Hunter! I created a video answering why I choose not to talk about my company or product names on social media & you can check that out HERE. I also teach Attraction Marketing as it applies to automation – basically, how you ended up finding this very post!

4. Daily Pay – not only does Modere have a dual-sided compensation plan wherein you can choose whether or not you would like to build a team or just focus on sharing from Modere’s product line and building a customer pod, but sales are also paid out in DAILY PAY! Make a new sale = money deposited straight to your bank account, on that day!

5. CULTURE. From the top down, we have a company and team culture where everyone is celebrated for their activity and being a part of a movement, regardless of their rank or achievements! One of the unexpected blessings of partnering as a Modere Social Marketer has been the incredible mentorship and friendships I’ve made here.

6. Affiliate Marketing – many savvy social media influencers, bloggers and people who see the benefit of being able to share an product they buy, use, and love with their family and friends and get paid a percent commission if anyone takes their recommendation and makes a purchase through their affiliate link, are partnering with Modere. Because there is no team building required, this is possible!

Learn more about Modere’s affiliate program in this video:

7. You’ll have tons of support – I know this sounds biased, but my team is the BEST in this business when it comes to training and support – we’re here to help you be successful at this. That is because our team is supportive and has the most useful training for you – from time to advice, to online resources for EVERY topic, to business plan development, to excellent online training modules built by social media marketing gurus! It’s all served up to you on a silver platter and it’s up to you whether you take it and run with it!

We absolutely have the on-ramping system, training, resources, and systems in place to help you hit the ground running! All you need is a willingness to learn, and put in the work!

What products are in the Modere line?

Mōdere has a wide line of nontoxic, clean living lifestyle products (120+) including the following:

Liquid BioCell Collagen
Logiq Creamer & Coffee
Clean, Nontoxic household and personal care
Fat Loss Supplements
Health & Wellness Supplements
The only EWG certified oral care line
Coming soon: Performance/fitness line

Modere has clean versions of everyday products you and your customers are already spending money on elsewhere (Target, Walmart, Amazon, etc.), as well as patented products you can’t get anywhere else!

A wide range of lifestyle products lends itself to a broad customer and potential business partner base. You can choose to share the products that most authentically fold into your life!

SHOP MODERE PRODUCTS FOR $10 OFF THROUGH MY AFFILIATE LINK – CLICK HERE!

how to become a modere social marketer — My daughter is obsessed with the biodegradable packing peanuts!

What is the difference between Social Retail & Traditional MLM?

What is Modere’s Compensation Plan?

Here is detailed information on Modere’s compensation plan.

I hope this article gave you a great idea of what you can expect from partnering with Modere, me, and my team.

When you are ready to become a Modere Social Marketer simply click right here to sign up and make sure to enter my Sponsor ID I sent to you via message or email if you would like to work with me and our team..

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Do you have any questions about partnering with Modere?

Please leave a comment here on this post or email me: ashley@taylor-mademama.com and I’ll be sure to get back to you ASAP!

Best to you,

Ashley Latimer

P.S. If you’re not already in my Free Facebook Community (non-company-specific training in social media, influencer marketing, attraction marketing, and modern network marketing strategy!) – Elevate Academy – I’d love to have you there! CLICK HERE TO JOIN!

October 27, 2019October 27, 2019 - Ashley

Work At Home Mom Tips, For The Full-Time Stay At Home Mama!

Work At Home Mom Tips For The Stay At Home Mama

Today I want to share 5 work at home mom tips for the full-time stay at home mama. but all of these can absolutely apply to any mom trying to get #allthethings done in the pockets of their days (hello, that’s ALL of us!).

A question I get asked semi-frequently is how I get work for my businesses done as a full-time stay at home mama, without a nanny or babysitter. From the month I left my career to become a stay at home Mompreneur until August 2019, my 3.5-year-old (Taylor) hasn’t been in pre-school, and hasn’t napped in a year.

Being a work at home mom with a toddler is no joke; if that’s you too, then sister… #solidarity.

She’s now in preschool twice a week for 4 hours – TOTAL game changer – but I still find myself trying to find ways to maximize productivity so that I can meet my business goals, show other mamas I work personally with how they can meet theirs, yet be present with my daughter.

I left my career to spend time with her, not to spend all my time working. But there’s tension there and…

I’m NOT perfect with this…

Many days I find myself scrambling/struggling to do #allthethings I need/want to do to continue to grow & scale my online businesses, AND be a fully present mama. It’s harder than we can see it look for others on social media or in the Blogosphere. I experience flickers of Mom Guilt but then I remember that what I do makes me really happy & I believe the best gift we can give our children is a mama who is whole/happy.

There are also some days I go to Starbucks while she’s at preschool with the best of productive, time-blocking intentions only to end up in a Facebook scroll-hole or a deep Google dive into something that is soooo NOT income producing…

However, I have been able to build two successful online businesses in 3 years with a babe on my hip full time (and working full-time for a year of that!!), so I wanted to share a few tips for how to get as much as you can done in a season of limited work time.

Hopefully, these work from home mom tips will give you a nugget or two to make working at home mom with a toddler a little less chaotic.

5 Work From Home Mom Tips

Multi-task things that don’t require full focus/attention. This isn’t ideal for brain function, I know, but #necessaryevel. I have specific routines, like checking & responding to emails/messages while I walking at an incline on the treadmill at the gym (good for biz + booty lol). Think of ways that you can do simple tasks that don’t require large time blocks that you can combine with something you are already doing within your day.
Apple Air Pods. You can be listening to Personal Development on Audible, voice messages from team members, or a work training while you cook dinner, blow dry your hair, snuggle on the couch with your little one while she watches a cartoon, etc. (just keep one out so you can always hear what’s going on!). If you’d like a list of my top personal development reads – almost all available on Audible.com – over the last 3 years, check out this list!
Find a gym that has childcare and a place you can work. THIS has been the key in the last year for me. We attend a Lifetime Fitness gym. I split the childcare time we get between a workout and work 4 days a week. Sometimes I work from the cafe, sometimes poolside. This glorious “me time” + work time is worth the price of the membership. Plus, I’m pretty sure it could be considered a tax write off.
Time blocking. Finding 2-4 hour time blocks, even if that means sacrificing sleep when you’re in hustle mode, is so key! My hubby travels a lot for work, so many of the nights he is away & Taylor is asleep I will work on a post or a project for a few hours at a time. Or I’ve gone through seasons of getting up at 5AM – NOT my favorite, but a Mompreneurs gotta do what she’s gotta do! When you do get a chance to sit down to work, tune everything else out. No checking phone messages, social media (unless you’re working there), etc..I find it helpful to put my phone in another room entirely so that I’m not tempted.
Last but not least, give yourself GRACE. Being a work at home mama, especially if you’re in a season where you have your little one/s with you most of the time feels like the OPPOSITE of balance. You want to do everything, and implement all your business brain-children RIGHT NOW, but the important thing is that you take a few steps toward your vision/goals every day. And don’t quit because it seems like there’s never enough time. There ISN’T enough time for dreams as big as yours, mama! And that’s okay. In a year, you’ll be surprised at how much you accomplish if you show up INTENTIONALLY for your business even a little bit each day. BUT, In this season, the priority is showing up intentionally every day for your little one – and you’re kicking butt at that!

Which of these work at home mom tips can you see yourself implementing?

If you have any additional tips for moms working at home with a toddler I would love to hear them – just leave a comment here!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase through a link I may receive a small commission. I exclusively recommend products I actually buy, use & love that I think you may too! That you for your ongoing support of our little blog.

P.S. Are you a Mompreneur with a network marketing side hustle, interested in learning how to Utilize Attraction Marketing, and build your authentic brand + influence to grow your business?

If so, I would love to have you in my free Facebook community – Elevate Academy! Click HERE to find out more!

May 3, 2019June 4, 2019 - Ashley

The 10 Questions You Should Ask Before Joining A Network Marketing Company!

The 10 Questions you should ask before joining a network marketing company

Is it just me, or does it seem like every day someone else you know is joining a network marketing (MLM, direct sales, social selling) company? It can certainly be a savvy financial move as it allows anyone the opportunity, with relatively little investment and/or qualifications, to build their own residual income.

But not all companies are created equal. How do you choose who to jump on board with?!

If you’re open to making some additional money (and having fun in the process), or even replacing the income from your current job + working from home like I have, then partnering with a company/team in alignment with your values & lifestyle is definitely an option to consider – especially with the way commerce is moving quickly toward the internet, Influencer marketing, and social selling!

When you’re looking at opportunities, it’s important that you don’t get distracted by hype (we’re the “best”, “ground floor!”, “founder’s shares!!”, everyone is doing it – see #6 below for why that can be a no-go!), do your research, and know the 10 questions you should ask before joining a network marketing company!

Everyone always says their company is the “best”…

So, how the heck do you know which to join and which to run from?

The answer to, “which network marketing company should I join?” isn’t one I can give a definitive answer to because a large part of that is going to be what works for and appeals to YOU, your lifestyle and values as far as products, business model, and leadership (your chosen upline or sponsor!).

To help you avoid getting into something you later realize isn’t all it was pitched/made out to be, I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along my journey in the industry in the form of the questions I now strongly recommend any of my friends/followers ask before joining any network marketing company (or making the decision to partner with a new one, like I did!).

I hope you find these 10 questions a super helpful framework in your decision making if and when you get serious about adding that additional income stream!!

10 questions to ask before joining a network marketing company!

Is the company product focussed? This should be a “yes” answer. Sketchy companies are selling an opportunity to sell an opportunity, and that’s a BAD sign! That’s where network marketing companies get the “pyramid scheme” reputation (those are actually illegal, and those are the companies that can and do get shut down!!). Another red flag is a super pricey and required Starter Kit. Personally, I would ask what percent of the company revenue comes from customer SALES versus the purchases/sign up kits of distributors or customers who are considered “distributors”.
Do you have to build a team if you don’t want to? This should be a “no” answer. Remember, you want to look for a product-focused company unless you want to recruit the masses and assume that everyone else wants to + is skilled at that, which I can tell you that 98% of people are NOT.
Do you have to build a team to make good money? You really want to find out if the only people making money, receiving recognition, and rank advancing are those who recruit and build teams. If you were to build a team with the company, would the majority of your team’s volume (AKA your paycheck!!) be coming through customer sales (that’s good!!) or through new distributors sign ups? Remember, most people are NOT going to be recruiters. If you’re looking at a company where everyone is flocking to sign up or has in the recent past, and people at the top have made their money that way, you want to make sure that there will be actual customer sales to replace those starter kits padding your paycheck after the momentum burst is over.
Can you “outrank” your sponsor? This should be a “yes” answer. You do NOT want to partner with a “top heavy” compensation plan where all of your efforts would benefit your upline, and you wouldn’t see equitable compensation for the work YOU do.
How old is the company? You will want to join a company that has been around and thriving for a while so they’re 1) not constantly working out “kinks”, 2) have a tried & true product and process, and 3) you’ll actually be able to collect residual income down the road versus looking elsewhere if and when the company folds (95% of network marketing companies do NOT make it long term). “Ground floor” can sound sexy, but “Stability” sounds even sexier, IMO ; ) The IDEAL time to join a company is pre-momentum (the period in a network marketing company when the most millionaires are made, lasting anywhere from 2-7 years!).
How saturated is the market? You do not want to get in with a company everyone has already heard about. If you know a bunch of people who partner with that company, then likely so does everyone else that you’ll be speaking with – making the competition a lot more stiff; The likelihood that your potential customers and business partners have already bought from or joined in with someone else a lot higher. It IS possible to build a successful business in a saturated, but it will be an uphill battle and you’d better have an existing large network. Trust me on this one : )
Is the product or product line unique? Can someone just go and get the product/s (or something super similar) just anywhere? How well do the products sell? You’ll want to find this out for obvious reasons – you want to be with a company that has a product that’s in high demand ALWAYS – not a fad. This is essential for customer retention and referrals (see #10!).
Is the product consumable? Meaning, will people want/need to buy the product fairly often? For example with Tupperware, that’s not a consumable product so you have to think, how many plastic bowls can 1 person actually buy?? Does the company have “anyways” items, in addition to “hero”/unique products that can’t be purchased anywhere or through anyone else, that customers could repurpose their spending from Amazon/Target/Walmart/etc to YOU, for life? THAT is where the real residual income comes into play from the sales side of your business…
Consider the way the company & team teach marketing. What marketing strategies do they teach, use and expect? Are they teaching you to build a brand around yourself (opening doors!), or are you expected to become a billboard for a product/product line? Will you be compromising your personal brand or limiting future endeavors by partnering with this company based on the way they teach/expect you to market for them? Are you comfortable marketing the way you see people in the company doing so for the long term (e.g. if home parties aren’t your jam, don’t join a company that encourages building that way)? Who is your sponsor/upline, and are they a leader and/or mentored by a true leader In the industry (AKA do they know what they are doing, and can they teach others to do the same?)?
How is the culture of the team & company? This is really about 10 questions rolled into one because it’s THAT important. Are these people you’d like to sit down and have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with? Is it something you’d want to be a part of long term? These are people you’d be around at events, chatting with regularly, etc. Are they having FUN or is it ALL about business?? What does the company believe in? Does it align with your own purpose and passion?
Ok, I have to make it 11… What systems are in place to incentivize referrals and make them easier to acquire? Referrals are true residual income. A referral is business/sales that YOU do not have to actively work to acquire. One of the biggest draws to the company I partner with was their referral system (half of my customer volume is from people I’ve never met, and I only post 1-2 times per month about product – without using the company/product name – and have $4-7 in personal sales each month).
BONUS questions to consider regarding time: How much time approximately would you need to spend working your business each day for the financial goals you have with this company? Will you need to be spending tons of time on the phone for 3-way calls, explaining products, etc.? Will you need to do trade shows, vendor events, or home parties to grow your business? These things can add up to a TON of your time. And if you have very little time to devote to building a side business/income, or you value TIME FREEDOM like I do, you are going to want to look for highly efficient, duplicatable systems to get the job done in the pockets of your time! No amount of $$ is worth having NO time!

In conclusion, don’t get caught up in the hype around the next “best” company. Do your homework and due diligence by asking these questions in light of your goals and what you want your lifestyle to look like in 5/10/15 years, and you too will find a company that you’ll be stoked to be a part of and an additional stream of income that can be a turnkey to so many of your other goals!

As with anything in life, your success in a good company is going to depend on the work ethic you have and the actions YOU take to build a business, but it’s super important to consider the products, business/revenue model, compensation plan, marketing systems and whether or not you can work with all of that, before joining a network marketing company!

I hope you find these questions helpful in your search for your own “home” company/team, and set you up for massive success and FUN!!

In asking these questions, I was able confidently commit to a company that I consider the #jackpot when it comes to partnerships for myself + those I’ve brought on board!! If you would like to chat with me to see if my leadership, company, & systems are a fit for you, email me at ashley@taylor-mademama.com, or enter your email below and I’ll be in touch: