Buzz a Mom: Leslie Truex from Work-At-Home Success

This week Leslie Truex from Work-At-Home Success, Pajama Mama Living and the author of The Work at Home Success Bible is participating in our Buzz a Mom feature.

Here is our interview:

Leslie, it’s obvious from your website, Work-At-Home Success, that you are passionate about helping Work-At-Home Moms.  Please share with us how and when this passion developed.  How did your passion take the form of a website?

I was a WAHM wannabe that struggled for a long time. I started sharing what I learned or discovered about working at home by building a website in 1998. In some ways it was a like a blog in which I’d share stories and resources.

As I started to work at home (as a social worker, online freelancer, online entrepreneur) I expanded the site. Its always had information about work-at-home jobs, home business and avoiding scams. Over the years I’ve added information about affording to stay home, international telework resources, and a blog.

My goal has to been to help people avoid the pitfalls that I experienced by giving them the information and resources they need to find or create the best work-at-home option them.

You recently published a book based on your website, The Work at Home Success Bible.  Some of our readers have a dream and goal of publishing a book one day.  I’m sure they are interested in hearing what steps you took to make your book dream/goal a reality.

My first attempt at getting published didn’t go so well.  The information in the original concept and the published version was actually the same, but the delivery was vastly different.

On my second attempt, I studied a lot about platforms and proposals. Then I wrote a query and emailed it to agents that said they represented business books. I started querying agents in July or so and by August had 2 who were interested. By September (2006) I had an agent who helped me improve my proposal. The book was sold around June (2007).

Its hard to give time lines because it takes so long to do anything in the publishing world. Adams Media expressed interest sometime around March or April, but it took a few months to get the contract. The manuscript was turned in January 2008 and the book was published in Feb. 2009.

For people who want to get published I suggest you:

• Write a lot and develop your own unique voice.
• Define and create your platform. Today its really hard to get published if you don’t have a ready-made audience (platform).
• Study books on writing book proposals and pay special attention to the marketing section.
• Find agents or publishers that fit your book. I went the route of getting an agent.
• Use the writer’s guides to find sources that publish the kind of book you’re writing.
• Create a query and a pitch that is interesting to read.

Like I said earlier, the content of my first attempt was the same, but this time I wrote like the pajama-clad work-at-home mom that I am instead of like a college student writing an essay.

Everyone experiences setbacks and hurdles in life, how have you learned to handle negative experiences in your business?

Stuff happens all the time. I had a biz op I joined go out of business the first month I signed up. I had a typing business but only had one client. I’ve run ads that have had 0 results. If you can name it, it probably happened to me at one time. But that’s a part of life.

In the past I would have doubts and sometimes give up. But my dream of working at home was too big to fully die. Now I know that set backs are a part of the deal so I usually just get annoyed … maybe angry and then figure out what I need to do about it.

Because of the current economy, a lot of people are starting at-home businesses.  What are the 3 most important things to consider and do when starting a new home-based business?

1. Do your research first. Most people get in trouble because they don’t completely understand working at home. The more you know, the easier it is to pick the right idea for your.
2. Stick with the skills, experiences and passions you currently have. Too many people focus on fast and easy money which either leads them to scams or to businesses they don’t enjoy or take to long to figure out. Tapping into your current knowledge and skill base can get you home faster. Plus you can create a home business that’s fun or fulfills a passion.
3. Make a plan and work the plan. The fastest way to reach success is with a road map that not only has the shortest route, but can be a resource when you need to take a detour (when those set backs happen).

In addition to Work-At-Home Success you also have a blog, Pajama Mama Living , where you freely admit to spending a lot of time in your pajamas.  Boy, do I relate!  Just for fun, describe your favorite pajamas and slippers for us. 

In the winter I have a pair of green fleece pj bottoms that I wear with a sweatshirt. In the summer, when its hot, I usually wear a pair of old cotton shorts and a t-shirt. Living and working comfortably is my motto. My slippers are an ordinary navy blue with extra padding. 

Thank you, Leslie, for giving us some great ideas about starting a home-based business and pursing a book deal.

For more valuable home-based business ideas and tips buy your copy of The Work At Home Success Bible and visit Work-At-Home Success today!