Ok, Dani

Name:

Debra Cohen

Age:

45

Location:

Long Island, NY

#of Kids:

2

What do you do for a living?

I own a Homeowner Referral Network (HRN) business that pre-screens and refers local home improvement cotnractors. Contractors pay a pre-negotiated commission for work secured and my service is free to homeowners.

I’ve also helped 300+ other women launch HRN businesses like mine nationwide.

What is your business’ name and link?

Home Remedies of NY, Inc.
www.hrnbiz.com

How did you choose your business?

My husband and I had just purchased our first house and–like many homeowners– we were struggling to find reliable home improvement contractors. When I finally found a responsible contractor, I felt compelled to share his name with other homeowners in our community. That was my “Aha!” moment and I realized that if we faced this challenge then other homeowners must as well. So, I decided to try to create a business to fill this need in our community.

I’m a networker by nature and love renovating and decorating so this business really seemed like a natural fit for me because it capitalized on my talents and what I loved to do.

Once my business took off, I was approached by other entrepreneurs/moms who were interested in starting a business like mine in their area so I wrote The Complete Guide To Owning And Operating A Successful Homeowner Referral Network©– a Business Manual that documents all of the “how to’s” of launching an HRN. I packaged it with forms, website, consultation time, etc.other moms start HRN businesses. There are now more than 300 operating nationwide and a few internationally.

Please give us a quick snapshot of an average day in your life

I get up at 6 and get an hour of two of work done before my kids leave for school.. I generally check my calendar for jobs pending, follow up with contractors before they leave for the day and respond to e-mail inquiries.

I take a break to help get my kids off in the morning and spend an hour at the gym. From about 11-2 I’m generally in my office responding to e-mails and phone calls. About 90% of my work is done online or by phone. (If I’m out of the office for longer than an hour, I call-forward my business line to my cell.)

I generally come back to my office in the evenings after dinner and finish up work.

Please show us your work area?

I hired a few contractors from my network and converted our front porch into my office. The exposed stone is the exterior chimney of our Tudor. And, one of my cabinet makers built the custom wrap around desk.

My old office was in the basement next to my children’s playroom so that I could watch them while I worked.

What are the pros of being an entrepremom?

So many! No commute, no stockings, flexibility, sense of fulfilment, time with my family, financial independence….

What are the cons of being an entrepremom?

One of the cons for me is that, since I work from home, my work is always there. Sometimes I feel like I can’t escape it especially on the weekends.

And some days, when I’m feeling a bit uninspired, it would be nice to just get a paycheck!

How do you balance your business and home life?

As a mompreneur, you have to wear a lot of different hats and it’s impossible to be an expert at everything.In order to work as efficiently, I outsource all of the periphery services associated with my business. I have a virtual assistant, web designer, accountant, software developer, etc. Having experts handle these jobs frees me up to focus on the most important aspects of my business.

And, regardless of how busy I am, my family is my priority–we eat dinner together every night and I never miss a sporting event or after school activitiy. I think I work more efficiently during the day because I know that my family will come first after 3pm.

What do you do for me time?

I also go to the gym every day which is my time to completely relax and do something for myself.

What 3 things are essential for your success as a WAHM?

1. Identify your talent and make it the cornerstone of your business.
2. Be passionate about your product or service.
3. Be disciplined with your time and don’t get distracted by other responsibilities.

What do you wish you knew before you started your entrepremom journey?

I wish I knew to not try and handle everything on my own. I wasted valuable hours and time on details that could have been efficiently handled by a professional. That’s one of the reasons I decided to write the HRN Business Manual–so that I could save other moms from making some of the mistakes that I made and give them a roadmap to follow.

What are your best tips for other WAHMS?

Before you decide to launch a business from home, do an honest self examination. Ask yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are, what you’re willing to invest personally and financially and what you hope to gain from your new business? Many women spend a lot of time doing market research and evaluating the competition but you should also evaluate yourself before starting to work from home.

What are the best resources you’ve found for business/life or both?

There’s a lot of technology out there today that makes operating a home based business more efficient than ever before. While I’m not a technological person, I do think using WordPress to create and update my website is a breeze. Also, autoresponder software allows you communicate with clients on a regular basis. And, the contact management software I created for my business, HRNMS©, is web based so I can work from any location

What’s next for you?

I’m constantly trying to expand and improve my business model to help other HRN owners grow their businesses. Right now, I’m looking into creating a strategic relationship with a national real estate firm so that we can offer the HRN model as the concierge arm of their business.

Anything else you’d like to share?

[Being an entrepremom] has afforded me an ideal balance between my career and my family. I think it’s also made me a better mother because I’m happy and fulfilled!

Thank you for participating Debra!!

If you’re an entrepremom and want to be featured email me at okaydani@gmail.com.