To: Jazlady999@aol.com
Date: Sun, 13 May 2001 09:19:17 -0400
Subject: Re: Uniforms
From: Julia P Shanabarger <amazingevents@juno.com>

Hi Jeanie;

I am a work at home mom and love it.  I have approximately 650 square
feet in my home just for my business, I have a separate entrance just for
my customers so they never have to go through my house.  I have two kids
they are 9 and 14 now but when I started my business they were 4 and  9. 
My business is home but separate,  I have a door separating the two. 
When I am in the business side I am working when the door separating the
two is open the kids are free to come in the business side and be with 
me, when it is closed that means there is a consultaion going on and I am
not to be interupted.  

When I am really busy getting ready for jobs,  I let my kids have friends
over and they seem to entertain each other and that means less
interuptions for me.  I also have a t.v. on the business side that they
can watch while I work.  ( Sometimes just being around you wil be enough)
 My daughter loves to help and has gotten pretty good at it.  She cuts
ribbons, glues, some painting of large areas, turns ribbons on the bow
master machine, etc.

Try making yourself a list of things you need to accomplish at the end of
each day for the next day and making sure you get at least those things
done everyday.
I do not have strict hours.  My phone hours are from 8:00 a.m. to
6:00p.m. during these hours my phone is available that dsoes not mean I
am sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring.  I take off and to things
with my kids if I want or I am sitting up jobs or want ever but when I am
not here I forward my phone to my cel-phone and off I go.  My customers
don't know if I am answering the phone in my office or in the park. 
However, I will warn you that if you don't know what balloons you have in
stock  you could get caught off guard.  If people want to come by for a
consultation I do it by appontment only.  This way I always know when
they are coming, I can schedule they around there wrok hours which they
love.  It also elimates the do it yourselfers who just want your ideas
and not your services.  I tried a store front for about 6 months and
hated it.  My kids were unhappy and bored. Friday nghts they were
sleeping on a store floor in sleeping bags instead of there nice warm
beds.  Customers were getting mad because they would stop by and we would
be gone on delivery or decorating  and they couldn't catch us.  It's just
not worth it.  We bulit on the space for my business It added value to
our house , it cost less then renting a store front or warehouse, we get
added tax deductions working from home, we have more freedom then we
would being locked to some place else.  Yes, I am up late at night trying
to finish things for the next event, but your kids are only little once
enjoy!!!

Julie
Amazing Events with Balloons
Pinellas Park, FL

On Fri, 11 May 2001 00:56:41 EDT Jazlady999@aol.com writes:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm trying to polish up my image and was just wondering what you 
> used for 
> uniforms. Do you have a separate one for meeting clients? 
> Decorating? I like 
> to be comfortable when decorating without appearing too casual. I'd 
> like any 
> feedback on this.
> 
> Also, for other home-based businesses, how do you stay organized and 
> 
> disciplined? I've always worked outside of my home and can't seem to 
> get 
> myself disciplined to go to 'work' in my 'office'. I'm especially 
> worried 
> with summer coming up and I'll have my two kids home. Of course, 
> they will 
> expect Mom to cook 3 meals a day, play with them and take them 
> places. They 
> just don't understand when Mom is 'working'. HELP.......
> 
> Thanks to all,
> Jeanie Woolledge
> Riverside Amusements
> New Orleans, LA
> "Experience the Magic"
>