Home Based Business > A WAHM Slaps Back
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Kelly McCausey
I’m a huge fan of Scott Stratten (UnMarketing.com) and I
loved his recent rant about 'looking the part' in business.
(On BizSlap.com.) If you haven’t been there yet to listen,
you should definitely do that before you read any farther.
I wouldn’t be a good Mom if I didn’t warn you in advance
that he uses a colorful expletive that you won’t want kids
to hear – so slip on the headphones or make sure little ears
are in another room.
Alright, so you listened? Great! You’re probably
experiencing one of two common reactions: One possibility is
that you’re laughing your head off at his boldness, agreeing
with him the whole way. The other possibility is that your
ears are burning and you’re feeling picked on.
Either way – I have to say that I completely agree message.
It’s true that a business website should look like a
business website. It’s true that we need to be willing to
spend money on our business image.
Fair or not, work at home Moms do have a reputation for
being cheap about their businesses. Some say it’s hard to
get Moms to spend any money at all and to some extent it’s
true. Some Moms are starting their websites on a tooth
floss budget, they can’t even afford a shoestring! They’re
looking for every penny pinching opportunity that they can
find.
Scott makes a great point. Why should he or anyone else
spend money with you when you’re not willing to spend a
little money upfront to present yourself properly? I know
it hurts, I know money is tight – but you do truly have to
spend a little money to make a little money. And, as your
business begins to grow, you have to be willing to reinvest
a portion of your profits back into the business.
So, if I agree with him – why is a WAHM slapping back?
It’s not the BizSlap itself that bugged me. It’s the wide
array of responses posted on forums, blogs and networks
around the web that got under my skin.
Scott specifically mentioned Virtual Assistants so many of
the comments were aimed at new VAs, work at home Moms VAs to
be more specific. Several Virtual Assistants took the
opportunity to give their own 'slap' – attacking those who
don’t come up to their business standards – calling them an
embarrassment to their industry.
The VA industry isn’t the first to try to set some standards
that everyone should operate by and it certainly isn’t the
first to create some kind of quasi-caste system; separating
the ‘haves’ from the 'have nots'.
The message is clear. A 'real VA' presents them selves a
certain way, charges a certain rate and performs up to a
certain standard. Anyone who doesn’t present themselves
that way, charges less, or offers fewer services – are just
'making the rest of us look bad'. Who crowned who the VA
fairy? Who gets to decide what a VA is and what a VA isn’t?
It’s not like being a lawyer or a doctor – but they sure
act like it is.
It makes me think of the lawyer who chooses a career with
Legal Aid instead of joining a big name firm. How about the
doctor who opts to serve in the inner city hospital instead
of opening a private practice? The lawyers and doctors who
choose the high priced specializations often look down on
those who simply want to help the Average Joe.
Should Virtual Assistants organize and try to raise the
level of professionalism offered in their industry? Sure.
Any field is going to organize and set up some simple
standards that stand to improve opportunities for everyone.
Don’t read the wrong message in my words – I’m not
anti-standards.
Set standards, make suggestions, provide resources and offer
guidance. Those are all good things. Just don’t take
things too far and start condemning others who don’t choose
to sign up for your ideology of business.
If someone wants to set up shop and offer virtual services
of one kind or another and calls herself a VA – she’s
allowed. If she chooses to charge a fourth of what you
charge – she’s allowed. If she chooses to have her kids
around her while she works – she’s allowed! Why come along
and shame her for it? When you do this, you’re no different
than the high priced nose doctor shaming the poorly paid ER
doc for ‘wasting his skills’. Who are you to tell her what
she should and shouldn’t do, charge or enjoy?
We need to embrace the beautiful diversity of the home based
business community. Some are highly polished executive
types and some enjoy a more relaxed 'fuzzy slippers'
lifestyle. One is not better than the other. Not all
clients are looking for the polished perfectionist. Many
clients are glad to work with a home based parent who can
burp their baby while they work. I’m one of them. And
don’t be fooled into thinking that the Mom or Dad who
chooses a child friendly home office environment is any less
of a professional or that they’re turning out sub-standard
work. Parents are very capable of making a living with kids
under their feet and in their arms.
About the Author: Kelly McCausey is the host of Work at Home
Moms Talk Radio (http://www.wahmtalkradio.com) and is
co-coach at Mom Masterminds, (http://www.mommasterminds.com)
where Moms learn process of building profitable internet
based businesses.
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