The following is a guest post by Lisa Morosky of The Bootstrap VA.

In 2008, I was 22 years old. I was a recent college graduate and I couldn’t get a job in my field, so I settled for working as an Administrative Assistant (a boring position with a terrible commute and a boatload of stress that wasn’t worth the pennies I was paid).

I was a newlywed living in a city far away from family and friends, with the burden of being the provider while my husband was furthering his education. I was unhappy, I wasn’t being challenged at work, and every month I just prayed we’d be able to pay our bills.

So in an effort to stimulate my brain, I sunk my teeth into all the blogging, Internet marketing, and online business information I could find. I started up projects on the side, taught myself new skills, and experimented with everything I was learning.

When I stumbled upon an opportunity to work with a well-known blogger, I jumped in full throttle. A few months later, I had more clients coming my way than I had time for, so I quit my job to become a virtual assistant (VA) full-time – and I’ve never looked back.

If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that there has never been a better time to create a work-at-home business as a VA. So why aren’t more people taking the plunge? I’ve learned (from the ton of emails I’ve received from people over the years) that it’s not a lack of passion or marketable skills. It’s not knowing where to start!

I totally get that. When faced with a huge goal, I get lost if there isn’t a step-by-step plan to reach it. So that’s what we’re going to tackle right now (and I’ve covered this in a lot more detail in my eBook, The Bootstrap VA). If you’re looking to work from home as a virtual assistant, here’s a five-step plan to get you on the right track.
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If you could do anything, what would it be? Is there something in you that stirs and taps your insides, asking if it can come out and play? In that deep, dark part of the day, when the lights are out and the family sleeps scattered under your roof, what do you hear that voice telling you?

You know, it’s that voice from God who whispers, if you’re really listening, what He’s made you for. Have you heard that voice lately?

Susan said something simple a few weekends ago, almost in passing. I’m not sure she even remembered she said it; it was between two larger thoughts, I’m pretty sure. She said this: “Why do we women feel the need to apologize for enjoying work? Men don’t do that; they don’t say, ‘Sorry I’m spending time making us money.’ If you’re good at something, and your family would be blessed by your doing it, then go do it.”

It percolated in the deep part of my mind the rest of my day.

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On Tuesday I asked my Facebook followers what work-from-home topics they’d like to see around here. There were some great ideas! There were also a few topics that have already been covered—and instead of rewriting more or less the same posts, I thought it’d be good to republish some. Like this post from last spring, when I shared what fuels me to keep writing this blog. (And if you’ve heard me speak at a conference this past fall or spring, you’ll recognize some of this!)

A number of your questions about blogging and writing as a business has to do with intention. Did I start Simple Mom with the intention of monetizing it? Was my plan from the beginning to get a book published? At what point did I decide to turn it from a hobby to a career? And just how do I do that, too?

I’ve written already how and why Simple Mom was started (at least in general terms; there’s only so much I can say in one post). But today, I’ll go in to a little more detail about the fuel that has kept me going after I started.

Questions related to intention are interesting, because I think it points to something called “the element.” Ken Robinson (one of my favorite modern-day thinkers) wrote an excellent book a few years ago called The Element—describing that place where your passions and your skills collide. This, he says, is essential for each of us to find, “not simply because it will make us more fulfilled but because, as the world evolves, the very future of our communities and institutions will depend on it.”

Quite unbeknownst to me, blogging is my current element. I knew I loved to write, but until I started, I didn’t know how much I loved the intersection of writing, encouraging others, graphic design, social media, and entrepreneurialism. These are the things I love to do. And apparently, these are the things I’m also somewhat decent at (all credit to God and his DNA construction there).

This is one of the reasons I think Simple Mom has done fairly well. It also speaks into a few other “truths” about why and how you can blog as a business.

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Written by contributor Heather Allard of The Mogul Mom.

“Where’s Mommy?” my son asked. “Where do you think she is, Brendan? She’s at the computer,” my husband replied in an annoyed tone.

I overheard this exchange between my son and husband two years ago (when my son was three) and had a huge realization.

While I was working on the computer—writing new posts, planning my editorial calendar, invoicing advertisers, responding to email and social media—my family had no idea what I was doing.

To them, it looked like I was just farting around on Facebook, or worse; neglecting them.

But I wasn’t. I was working. Hard, too.

Earning a great income. Making a difference in the lives and businesses of other mom entrepreneurs. Building a solid career for myself. Why couldn’t they see that?
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Written by contributor Heather Allard of The Mogul Mom.

Working at home is a dream come true for moms who long to both be home with their kids and earn an income.

But once you’re elbow-deep in the chaotic mix of running a business and raising a family, you may discover that there are some, er, challenges to working from home that often go untold.

Have no fear! I’m here to share with you five common work-at-home problems and some pretty nifty solutions.
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