4 business ideas & strategies for stay-at-home mums this 2020

Stay-at-home mums (SAHMs) don’t have it easy. Like any parent out there, they face challenges from raising kids, homeschooling or helping them with schoolwork, to dealing with all sorts of emotions. Some of these mums may want to go back to work or be engaged in moneymaking activities while at home.

Are you a SAHM and looking for business opportunities this year? With internet access, time management, determination, commitment, and passion for learning and growth, your skills and knowledge may help you make money at home, online, or both.

Sell Products Online

Selling is one of those profitable and easily actionable business ideas. It’s not capital intensive because you don’t have to open a physical store and your inventory can come from your closet or home. Of course, you have to iron out all the details for a smooth entry into the world of entrepreneurs.

One crucial decision that will determine the course of your action is finding out which products to sell. There’s a wide array of goods for sale, from necessities to luxury items. Whether you ultimately focus on selling clothes, fashion accessories, art pieces, handmade crafts, or shoes, through research and surveys, find out what (1) people want to buy and (2) will churn out a profit.

Another cornerstone is building your online store. Fortunately, you don’t need to create one from scratch because you can take advantage of platforms that enable you to set up shop and sell right away. Essential qualities of your storefront are the following:

• Secure to process online payments and protect customer information

• Super convenient to add items to cart and check them out

• Suitable and responsive across all types of devices, especially mobile phones

Create a Vlog or Blog

Do you consume a lot of online content like videos and articles? Why not be at the forefront of content creation and earn money out of it?

Vlogging

How much money do content creators on YouTube make? For starters, YouTubers earn money primarily from ad revenues and, if they have a vast following or fanbase, from sponsorships, affiliate links, and donations. To help you monetise video content, do these:

• Choose a niche that is successful or people are interested in. Gaming, tech, DIY, beauty, lifehacks, cooking, pranks/spoofs, reviews, and family are examples.

• Apply for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to get paid for videos. Eligibility requirements include the following:

* Over 4,000 hours of public watch in the last 12 months

* Over 1,000 subscribers

* An Adsense account for the payments

Not all YouTubers earn millions of dollars; however, decent money can be had from vlogging. It wasn’t long ago that YouTube superstars, like PewDiePie, were virtually unknown.

Blogging

Creating videos as a format to deliver content has not killed blogging. Videos help you visualise, and blogs fill in the details for a complete picture. Just like the evolving nature of vlogs, you have plenty to write about in the blogosphere and generate income.

Bloggers make money from these:

• Online advertising networks, Google AdSense being one

• Fees from accepting guest posts

• Product reviews with affiliate links

Starting a blog only needs a computer, quality content, and time, which can be between child-care duties.

Start a Virtual-Assistant Business

Are you good at handling administrative matters? Do you know people who know others who need help staying on top of their emails and office tasks, or are you also joining freelancing sites? If the answer is yes to both, then you may be cut out for a virtual-assistant role.

A computer and a reliable internet connection may be all resources you need to start this kind of business. You can negotiate your work hours or schedule them around your child care and housework.

What does a VA do? Here are examples of tasks that you can include in your service offerings to clients:

• Writing and answering emails

• Ghostwriting

• Providing customer support

• Doing data-entry tasks

• Setting appointments or meetings

• Creating email newsletters

• Managing social media

• Creating images with graphics for social media posts, infographics, etc.

Being a VA exposes you to a lot of skills, technologies, and ideas that you can add to your portfolio. Interestingly, it’s an opportune time to dress up and look your best when meeting with clients via videoconferencing.

Final Words to Begin Your New Journey

• Study how to make a business plan.

• Secure the necessary permits and licenses for your business.

• Set time aside to reach out to people who can mentor you as an entrepreneur.

• Seize the opportunity to learn and earn every day.

Good luck on your new endeavours.