Do you work at home? Yes.
How many hours do you work a week? It really varies, but my average lately has been 20-25 hours a week.
Company Website? www.sterlingcareerconcepts.com
How long have you been in business? 6 years in January
Tell us a little bit about your company and how you got started? I am a career strategist and professional resume writer who helps clients with projects related to resume development, career change and transition, job search strategy, interview coaching, and salary negotiation. Before starting a family, I was an executive recruiter, and once we decided I would stay home full-time, I immediately started thinking of what I could do from home. Resume writing was a perfect fit. I've always loved to write, and while in executive search, I gained a strong understanding of what made a resume effective. I found I was always tweaking, editing, and revising my clients' resumes so what could be better but to create a business around it!
How did you fund it? Through savings. Start-up costs are relatively low for home-based a resume writing and career services business.
What has been your biggest business struggle? Finding the time to get everything done while also being a full-time mom, and "everything" includes not just project work, but website design, marketing, blogging, social networking, following up with prospective clients, community outreach, bookkeeping, and continuing education, including seminars, conferences, and certification programs.
What has been your biggest accomplishment? The compliments from clients when they let you know the resume was successful and that you helped get them a new job. Those really make my day.
What are your 3 favorite Desserts (websites or blogs)? There are so many! I'm an online junkie, but if I had to name three: Mommy Tracked is a site with multiple columnists that really speaks to me, HybridMom.com is a website, online community, and print magazine that I devour cover to cover, and I can't live without the customer reviews and super saver shipping on Amazon.com. I'll also admit to being a Facebook addict – if I can sneak in a fourth!
What advice would you give to a new mompreneur? I would share five things with her: (1) Have confidence and faith in your self that you can do it; (2) Don't expect the business to flourish overnight – it takes time; (3) You have to take time for your self. You will burn out if you don't balance your work and family commitments with downtime to decompress, (4) You will become an all-time expert at multitasking (and in ordering take-out!), and (5) Keep at it! This is an amazing way to combine staying home with your children and maintaining a professional life. There's no reason women need to opt out of their careers completely to stay home to raise children. With all the ways that we can conduct business virtually today, there are endless opportunities for mothers to earn money and flourish professionally.
Family? Yes, happily married with a 4- and 6-year old.
If so, how do you balance your family and business? Working from home and being able to fit in periods of work throughout my day is the best and worst part of working from home. I love the flexibility, but I constantly feel pulled in different directions. I am trying to do a better job of blocking out time for work and for my children.
What do you do to de-stress? For a midday pick me up, I treat myself to a latte. I also sometimes allow myself to shut the computer off for the rest of the night and relax and recharge with a bowl of popcorn and a good chick flick. An occasional date night also helps!
What is your favorite Café beverage and your favorite mug? Skim cafe latte with a shot of syrup, usually hazelnut or something seasonal, and I always have my morning cup of coffee in my favorite Longaberger mug. 
Do you have a Café you visit? If so, what do you use it for? Yes, Java's Always Brewin' in town. I have one-on-one dates with my son or daughter, stop by after church on Sunday, or grab a latte before I head home to write another resume.
