Hot Take: I Believe ... (how you can work from home)

I believe that times have changed. You are no longer beholden to employers for a job because the internet has changed everything. You CAN work at home and be your own boss!

Back on December 1, 2017, I wrote the inaugural post for this blog. It's the more lyrical section below, starting with "I Believe ..."

At the time, I'd been blogging and working online for 11 years, full-time for 5 of those. 

The Employee Mindset vs The Entrepreneur Mindset

It had been my dream to work from home for many years but back then, it was almost impossible to find remote jobs. 

I was still in the employer/employee mindset, not thinking yet about having my OWN business.

I was signed up for all the job alerts.

I thought I had to find a JOB where I worked from home for someone else.

Someone who would decide all these important things on my behalf:

• When I worked (8-5 with lunch and 2 breaks, would still need child care)
• Where I worked (no travel, you must work AT home!)
• How I worked and what my job duties were (using their computer, while they spied on me)
• Who I reported to (almost always a hated boss; I had 2-3 bosses in 50 that I fully respected)
• And most importantly: How much I made (salary or per hour but it was capped)

Like many of you probably, I'd never had an entrepreneur in the family, and I didn't even know any business owners.

I came from a long line of government employees, so a total "job search" mindset shift was in order!

You Can Work at Home as a Small Business Owner

Eventually, I realized that while I'd had my nose to the grindstone all those years, an inflection point had occurred! With the advancements made in technology - and Al Gore discovering the internet (ha!) - it was truly within my reach to work from home. 

I may receive commissions for purchases made through an affiliate link on my site. Please see my full disclosure for further information. *The links to Kajabi, Thinkific, and Canva provide you with 30-day free trials, yeehaw!

​

I no longer had to apply for countless jobs, wait forever to hear back (or never), cram for interviews, wait forever to hear back (or never), finally find a work-from-home job only to have the WFH part ripped away after I worked there for months, etc.

Yes, I was gun shy because it had happened to me twice already.

Through my internet research, including reading Heaven-sent blog posts similar to this one, I learned that I could create my OWN job. Omg, what a frickin' revelation!!

Getting Ready to Work at Home

I just needed a "why" to sustain me as I burned an already short "wife-and-mama" candle at both ends, working my day job while setting up my new home business at night.

My "why" was to be more present for my family and I didn't give up until I made it happen. I was ready for the next chapter.

So I started a "side hustle" from home before that was even a thing. 

After answering an ad on Craigslist, I started doing forensic transcription 'til 2am every night, then went to my day job at 8am.

Within 6-8 months, building my transcription business and sleeping 3-4 hours per night, I was making enough money to quit my day job, woo hoo!!

I had arrived. I was a small business owner working at home.

Now, I got to decide:

• When I worked (nap time, school hours, or after everyone was in bed; no more need for child care)
• Where I worked (with my laptop and a foot pedal, I could work anywhere!)
• How I worked and what my job duties were (I chose the work I wanted to do and the best way to do it)
• Who I reported to (I only took on clients I wanted to work with)
• And most importantly: How much I made (my rates were set by ME, and I worked as much time as I wanted or needed)

 
When You're Ready, Add Kajabi to the Mix

Over time, I learned more about online business.

When I realized that 1. transcription was very hard on my body, and 2. technology was again advancing and likely to put me out of work, I transitioned to building my own website and starting my virtual assistant business.

I've been a solopreneur ever since!

Now I'm a blogger and content creator. I share my expertise on an all-in-one solution called Kajabi ... more on that later.

Having my own digital business is the best career in the world and I count myself as very fortunate!

The Work at Home Revolution

The excitement of this "new" way of working was palpable.

And back in 2017, I wanted to provide encouragement that everyone else can do it too! This post was done in "one take" as they say.

I just poured my heart out into a blog post of all the best things I wanted to shout from the rooftops and share with all the other moms out there!!

Here's that original mini-post:

I believe that times have changed.

You are no longer beholden to employers - to someone else - for a job or career. I believe that the internet has changed everything.

YOU are now in power.
YOU now get to decide.
Everything.
What work you do,
when you work,
where you work,
when you'll take time off,
and how much you're paid.

I believe that you CAN make a living from your passion if you choose to. You can take your loves, your hobbies, and your talents and make money from them online.

I believe that there's no such thing anymore as "I can't find a job." 

MAKE A JOB.

Even if it's temporary while you search for a job like your old one or the one you went to college for.

I believe that it's not easy,
you have a lot to learn,
it won't happen overnight,
and you won't be rich tomorrow.
But you CAN do it.
It WILL happen. 

I believe in YOU because you're smart, you're driven, you work hard, you have talent, and you have passion.  

I believe that this is a very exciting time in our world and the possibilities are endless!

Kajabi Took My Solopreneur Business to the Next Level

When I wrote that, I was even more excited about this whole concept of working online because I'd discovered the Kajabi all-in-one software the year before. 

I'd not only moved my entire business to Kajabi, from the mish-mosh of other tools I'd slowly built my business on (WordPress, Mailchimp, Thinkific, and more) but I'd become a complete Kajabi convert and decided to specialize my general VA business to one of a Kajabi Virtual Assistant. 

And like a cherry on the sundae, I ended up saving money too!

The possibilities seemed ever-more exciting, knowing that with Kajabi we can have our website, blog, landing pages, funnels, online courses, membership sites, email list and more under one roof. 

By then, I was really craving a more simple business that didn't require Zapier zaps and duct tape to hold it all together. 

Remote Working During the Pandemic Also Changed Things

A big shift happened for a lot of people when a few years later, the pandemic happened.

Employers who'd spent decades fighting tooth-and-nail to keep their employees "on site" were forced to allow them to become remote workers. 

Shockingly (gasp!), employers found tons of benefit to this new arrangement, including reduced workplace expenses (aka building leases and utility bills), drastically lessened traffic and smog, happier employees, and INCREASED productivity. 

Best of all, employees found tons of benefits as well, including increased work/life balance, with decreased childcare and commute costs. They were happier and less-stressed from work. Imagine that.

And Now We're Almost Back Where We Started

Eventually, the pandemic restrictions eased and employees were called back to the workplace, some quite rapidly and others more slowly, as some companies did see the benefits to letting people continue to work from home. 

Unfortunately, it now seems that many/most employers want people back in the office, at least part-time or "hybrid". 

Yet a "staggering 98% of workers expressed the desire to work remotely, at least part of the time . This overwhelming figure reflects the workforce’s growing affinity towards the flexibility, autonomy, and work-life balance that remote work offers." Remote Work Statistics And Trends In 2023, Forbes Advisor, 06-12-23

It's now to the point where people are just refusing to go back to full-time "in office" mode because they got the taste of working from home, and loved it.

Kajabi Grows + Your Business Grows

Those are likely the people busting down the doors at Kajabi, who've experienced unprecedented growth* during and after the pandemic!  

*Did you know that Kajabi customers recently passed the $6 BILLION mark in collective earnings?!?!

So the excitement is again multiplied for online businesses by knowledge entrepreneurs selling digital products and building their own thriving business. Here's my Kajabi story ...

I Still Believe ...

The mini-manifesto I wrote back in 2017 called "I Believe" is still relevant today.  

It's my siren call to all of you out there who're unhappy at your office job or your teaching job or your bus driving job. 

It's my reminder to all that there IS another way to make your income. 

Because of the internet (and Kajabi and Zoom and Stripe and Canva et al), anyone who wants to can now have their own solopreneur business and work from home, including you!

You can take your years of experience at whatever you do, be it for employment, education, or a hobby, and turn it into a money-making business.

I'm Not Gonna' Sugar-Coat it: It's INCREDIBLY HARD

Don't let me make it sound super-easy. IT'S NOT. Running my own business is the hardest I've ever worked. 

The difference with self-employment and a day job is that now I'm invested and I love what I do. (How could I not? I chose it).

But it's not overnight. It's not guaranteed.

You might fail at your first try, second try, even third try. 

But entrepreneurs - we pick ourselves back up, pivot, recommit, and try, try again, right?

You have to be open to learning and listening to those "wise ones" who've done it before you and have a proven success record.

But you CAN do it, if that's what's really in your heart 🩷

Forget the College Degree: Learn By Doing

The beauty part - again, with the amazing internet - is that you don't even have to go to the library, take courses, or read a bunch of books, if that's not your thing. 

You can learn much of what you need to know from YouTube and blogs! (like this one)

You can join Facebook groups in your niche, ask questions, and learn from others there. 

You can take free webinars, follow your pick of gurus on Instagram, and take online courses (as your budget allows). 

If you're willing to put in the effort, you can build a successful business, tell your on-site employer boss-man to take a hike, and work from home as long as you want!

Isn't that exciting?!?!  And totally empowering?? I sure think it is. 

My Hot Take: I Believe ... (how you can work from home)

"I Believe" .... in the whole shebang, in better work/life balance, in setting your own course and making whatever kind of money meets a comfort level for you. 

I believe in making your own rules, doing business the way YOU want to, and ending your work day when your kids get out from school. 

I believe in moving back to be near your family, now that your career isn't dependent on where your J-O-B is located.

I believe in biz besties, well-deserved vacations (submit your Vacation Request to yourself, please!), and, unfortunately, being your own IT department (waahh).

In 2023, I believe in it even more than I did in 2017.

​

Is this what you want? Then I believe in you.

You got this. 

xo,

Blog post updated 10-29-23 

Want to Pin this post for later? Here you go!