Get Your ‘Side Hustle’ Going — The working mom’s answer to earning more money

Career Expert

So you’re already working a fulltime job but you’re still not sure how you’ll pay for your kid’s braces or start their college fund or get that full set of highlights you know you deserve. Hear this:

Thousands of working women just like you are creating another source of household income by operating a side business at night and on weekends.

You, too, can make it happen with the Arise platform.

Not only does Arise provide the technology to run a customer support business from home, it also connects you with Fortune 500 and other prestigious clients. This gives your new business servicing opportunities right from the start.

Right now, in fact, one of the nation’s largest cable and internet providers is offering opportunities for customer support professionals to provide service on weekends and during the week from 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. EST.

Sound good? Join thousands of other working moms making it happen for their families.

Register to use the Arise platform today, visit AriseWorkFromHome.com

About Arise

Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. provides a virtual platform to connect primarily work-at-home service professionals, running small call center businesses, to Fortune 500 and other large companies.  For over two decades, Arise’s platform has created thousands of work opportunities for small businesses run by stay-at-home moms, veterans, students, retirees and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals. This is a perfect opportunity for those interested in customer service, tax preparation, customer service representative, customer support, customer care and call center representative opportunities.

 

Learn more at www.AriseWorkFromHome.com

 

Content provided by Arise Virtual Solutions Inc.

Spotlight on Desreen Wilburgh— President / Owner, Desreen Wilburgh Virtual Client Services

Career Expert

“Want to realize your dream? Just take the next step.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2008 Desreen Wilburgh was a medical assistant, working nine-to-five, exhausted, taking important time away from family. That year, Desreen welcomed a sweet, little girl who required specialized attention and care. Desreen felt a constant stress for time and a nagging work/life imbalance. Am I spending enough quality time with my daughter? Is this job worth all the hassle and the commute? Am I getting enough satisfaction from my work— and my home life?

The questions swirled around Desreen’s mind… and then she saw an ad on Facebook about Arise Virtual Solutions, and how they provide a platform to connect work-at-home customer service representatives running small call center businesses with clients such as Carnival and other Fortune 500 companies. After reviewing a number of positive comments from other Independent Businesses in the Arise Network as well as finding the organization’s A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, Desreen got excited at the prospect of owning her own call center company.

“I immediately responded,” she explains. “And here I am today, my own boss, working from home and able to respond to my children’s needs and schedule work around MY life.”

“Establishing my own company was intimidating at first, but once I looked into it, I just needed to fill out some forms, pay for incorporation, and take the next step.”

Today, her company, Desreen Wilburgh Virtual Client Services, provides customer support solutions using the Arise platform.

Desreen explains, “It’s wonderful that I was able to start my own call center business by using the Arise platform to connect with clients. I think that when you are someone who wants to own your own business that means that you have something inside of you driving you. You’re not going to be put off by any obstacles. It’s just about focusing on the next best step.”

One of the big advantages of using the Arise platform is that Arise also provides call center companies the opportunities to work with quality, respected client companies. “Working with Fortune 500 clients is the best part,” says Desreen. “It helped me start my business and continues to help me keep motivated, knowing I’m serving legitimate people at impressive, high-profile companies.”

In the last several years, Desreen’s call center company has provided service to a number of clients including one of the nation’s largest retail groups, a roadside assistance company, a few well-known telecommunications companies, and a highly-recognized tax services software group. Having earned an associate’s degree in medical assistance, Desreen understood the value of investing in herself and her business. She quickly and easily decided to pay the small fee required to become certified in the client programs of her choosing. “For each client, I spent a few weeks learning about the client and their systems. It was all online so it was easy. In fact, it’s what inspired me to go back to school online and go after my bachelor’s in business.”

Another big lure for many individuals like Desreen to start their own companies, is the ability to schedule work around your own life, instead of visa versa. “When you work 9-to-5, your days off are limited and you need to plan them carefully,” says Desreen. “But now that I own my own company, I can make my own schedule and that’s a big advantage. I can service clients half of the day, take care of the kids, and then service clients at night again. This works out perfectly for me.”

Desreen says, “Overall, I have learned a lot about being a smart business owner and planning effectively. Plus, owning your own company is exciting! In fact, when I’m talking to people about using the Arise platform I tell them “This is your business; you’re going to be working for yourself now. You’re going to be even more excited once you begin to use the platform and you see other single moms, retired teachers or someone in the military. You’re going to meet a lot of different people doing the same thing all over the United States, and it feels good.”

Provided by Arise Virtual Solutions Inc.

About Arise

Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. provides a virtual platform to connect primarily work-at-home service professionals, running small call center businesses, to Fortune 500 and other large companies.  For over two decades, Arise’s platform has created thousands of work opportunities for small businesses run by stay-at-home moms, veterans, students, retirees and other entrepreneurial-minded individuals. This is a perfect opportunity for those interested in customer service, tax preparation, customer service representative, customer support, customer care and call center representative opportunities.

Learn more at www.AriseWorkFromHome.com

 

 

WORK AT HOME MYTHS DISPELLED

Career Expert

 

Working from home has become quite popular, but don’t be too quick to take it for granted. We have to admit, one great thing about working from home is not having to take your PJs off to get dressed in a suit and tie or heels and makeup. While you might believe that you can laze about whenever you want, the reality is quite the opposite. It’s still work and it can be overwhelming, especially if your tasks and the breaks you take are not organized. Let’s dispel 4 myths that people believe are true when working at home:

Freedom to work, whenever you want –

A work at home job might seem as if you’ve just been granted the freedom to work whenever you want. It does make it a bit easier to fit in minor tasks such as cooking, switching over a load of laundry or taking the dog out for a quick walk. However, you cannot sweep your work at home tasks under the rug and go to the salon or run your errands as you please. As fun as working at home might sound, you’re still required to work during a schedule that is provided for you. Working in CloudSource will have you interacting with customers, answering inbound calls throughout your entire shift, which would make it rather difficult to fit in personal activities.

You no longer need a babysitter –

You might be super excited that you will have more time to play games and watch “Paw Patrol” with the kids. However, working at home requires a lot of energy and focus. Since you will need to portray the image of working in a traditional call center, to the customer on the phone, there cannot be any traditional “household noise” in the background. We can’t hear children, barking dogs, video games being played by your children while you work. You will be required to provide a secure and quiet home office environment while working in CloudSource.

People working from home don’t really work –

People often believe that you’re not working unless you “clock in” at a traditional work place and sit at a desk from 9-5. The reality: employees tend to put in more hours when working at home. Brie Reynolds, director of online content for FlexJobs stated, “People who work from home actually tend to work more than in-office workers. 53 percent of telecommuters work more than 40 hours/week.” On the other hand, when working at a brick-and-mortar company, you more than likely won’t be taking work home with you. If you worked from home you’d probably be up late some nights crossing some more tasks off your to-do list to seize the day ahead.

I can watch my favorite TV shows while I work –

You might think that working from home gives you a chance to catch up on some of your favorite TV shows while you work, but this is far from the truth (at least if you work for CloudSource). Our positions require you to be highly trained on our client’s products and services, making you an expert customer support representative. You will need to stay focused on your customer calls and will not be able to perform well if distracted by the television. During your lunch or other scheduled breaks, feel free to grab a snack, prop up your feet, and catch up on a few minutes of the news or your favorite show and re-energize.

Content Provided by CloudSource

Visit www.sutherlandcloudsource.com to learn more about working at home with CloudSource.

Spotlight on Debbie Lowndes — President / Owner, NicTa Services Inc.

Career Expert

“I did it for me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debbie Lowndes was a mother of two working exhaustively as a Senior Purchasing agent for one of the world’s most well-known, all-inclusive, Caribbean resort chains. Maintaining a full-time job that included extensive travel, Debbie always felt pressed for time; she also had an ambition to do something more with her career… “something that felt more rewarding and that also gave me the freedom to be there for my kids when they needed me,” she explains.

In 2004, while feeling an overwhelming desire for greater work-life balance, Debbie thought back to a conversation she had with a close friend about starting a mini call center and working from home, using the Arise Virtual Solutions platform. “My girlfriend introduced it to me in 1996 when my son was about 6 months old but I didn’t actually make the move at that point; I wasn’t really ready.  When I was finally ready to become a business owner, I reconsidered the call center business and the structure made sense to me.” Her wheels started spinning. I can do this, she thought! The idea of being her own boss, creating her own work schedule and working from her own home office excited her. She did her homework and decided the opportunity and timing was right.

Today Debbie is President of NicTa Services Inc. (named after her children Nick and Taryn), providing customer support solutions using the Arise platform. She says, “It literally transformed my life.”

“Being a business owner gives me my independence. I don’t answer to anybody but myself… and I can be pretty demanding. It’s made me grow—as a woman and as small business owner. But ultimately, being my own boss and working for myself makes me feel empowered. It makes me feel that I can do anything,” explains Debbie.   Read More

Holiday Cheer or Holiday Fear? How to Balance Work and Home for the Holidays

Career Expert

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the holiday season is upon us. For many working moms, the holiday cheer feels more like holiday fear at the prospect of trying to fit in all the shopping, decorating, wrapping, dinners and parties while still making it into the office. In fact, a survey by Accounting Principals found that nearly 40 percent of Americans find the balance impossible this time of year and end up missing the chance to spend time with family and friends during the holidays due to work responsibilities. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of more work/life balance by gaining more freedom and control over your schedule.
 

Tis the Season to Be Balanced

If the joy of the holidays is often replaced by feelings of stress or anxiety, this may mean your work and home life balance is lopsided. Even for work-from-home moms, striking a balance between work and personal life can be particularly hard during the holidays. Here are a few tips to achieve peace and harmony:

• Plan ahead and start scheduling. Create a to-do-list for both work and personal tasks. Try building a schedule of when you will work over the holidays. Setting your hours will help your family and friends understand when not to interrupt or distract you.
• Don’t blur work and family mode. When you work from home, or your office is nearby, it can be tempting to slide in a few extra hours of work time. But, doing so will make your friends and family say Bah Humbug. When you’re in family mode, focus on that. Shut the door to your office or keep your laptop packed up to help minimize the temptation.
• Eliminate distractions. Technology has helped us all keep connected to the office, but it can be the number one culprit to disrupting work/life balance. If you want to have a meaningful day at work, or one at home, simply unplug. Turn off alerts, beeps, ringers, etc. You don’t have to go “cold turkey,” choose two or three times throughout the day to check them.
• Make a list (of fun things) and check it twice! Are there things you’ve wanted to do or see but never seem to find the time to do? Do it! Maybe you want to see the Nutcracker, or drive around and see holiday lights, or do the Polar Bear swim. Whatever it may be, choose ones that most excite you and focus on having fun.

 

While Visions of Freedom Dance in Your Head…

If the idea of working from home and gaining more freedom over your life sounds appealing to you, consider making “become an at-home business owner” your New Years’ resolution. As an Independent Business Owner, with the Arise Network, you can work from home on a schedule you choose that fits your life, while delivering call center services to some of the world’s leading Fortune 500 companies. As your own boss, you can schedule your day how you want, in ½ hour increments, or hire agents to do it for you!.
 

All is Calm, All is Bright

Imagine getting the freedom, flexibility, and financial success you deserve as a holiday gift this year. Arise provides technology and business infrastructure to a network of at-home small call center businesses run by people just like you.  When you use the Arise platform, there’s no need to stress about finding clients. Your company will have access to great opportunities to service trusted brands in industries such as, travel, communications, retail, healthcare and telecommunications. .
Join the tens of thousands of independent, work-at-home service providers who have registered in the Arise Network. Start a profile today to begin the process, and make this holiday season truly merry and bright. Learn More About Arise.

Want Extra Cash? Look Around You

Career Expert

Sometimes the best way to make money from home can be found right under your nose.

Totspot is a mom-to-mom mobile marketplace for buying and selling gently used or new children’s clothing.  Totspot users can list clothing items for sale in less than one minute, and all transactions are handled in-app.  Totspot then notifies the seller when their item is purchased.

For busy parents who don’t have the time to sell their outgrown children’s clothing on their own, they can have other mothers on Totspot do all of the work for them with the app’s new service, Totspot Concierge.  Some moms on Totspot’s online community currently make up to $1,000 per month selling clothing for other Totspot parents. 

Don’t have kids?  The company just introduced men and women’s fashion into its online marketplace, so you can sell that shirt you haven’t worn since the 90s. 

There are other, peer-to-peer marketplaces to make money off existing assets, whether it’s clothing, pets, even items around the house.

• VarageSale is an online marketplace for families who want to sell their unwanted items to people in their neighborhoods. Once approved for a community, members can sell and buy everything from children’s clothing to cars at a fraction of the retail price. An added bonus: members meet and develop closer ties with their neighbors.

• DogVacay lets pet lovers make extra money dog sitting a pooch or cat from the neighborhood. Once vetted, set a price and have fun for the weekend or even during the week, schedule permitting, with a loving pet. DogVacay also offers insurance, 24-hour support and other services that makes pet sitting easy and fun.

• Tradesy helps women turn closet clutter into cash, allowing users to sell items clogging their closets by handling the transaction from the time a photo of the product is uploaded to its delivery to the purchaser’s door. Tradesy brings white glove customer service to the fashion resale space.

• Everything But the House specializes in estate sales but its experts can also help you make money off collectibles, antiques and other speciality items, from appraising to delivering the items to the winning bidder.