Many Empty Nester Moms reach a turning point after the kids leave home. When deciding what’s next for work, some Moms may update their resume and prepare for interviews, while others see this as an opportunity to build something of their own.
If you’ve ever thought about creating income from home, setting your own schedule, or finally pursuing an idea that’s been sitting on the back burner, this may be the perfect season to Start An Online Business.
In this post, you’ll discover why starting an Online Business—with a blog as the foundation—makes sense for Empty Nester Moms, and why this stage of life gives them advantages they may not even realize they have.
What You Need To Start An Online Business
Starting an Online Business doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need a few simple basics, some of which you may already have. Here’s the essentials to get started:
- A laptop or desktop—for researching, writing, and building your business
- A printer—to print blog posts for proofreading, and other general purposes
- A Smartphone—for photos, Pinterest, and staying connected
- Internet service—high speed is best
- A simple workspace—a quiet, comfortable place to focus
You’ll find more details and recommendations in Steps To Start Your Blog below.
If you’re still trying to decide between working The 9-5 or Entrepreneurship, read this post first: How To Figure Out What’s Next For Work.
Why Empty Nester Moms Are Perfectly Positioned To Start An Online Business
Following are some reasons why you, like other Empty Nester Moms, should start an Online Business:
- Lack Of Work History/Skills
- The 9-5 Burnout
- Be Your Own Boss
- The Creator Economy Is Booming
- Affordability
Lack Of Employment History/Skills
Starting an Online Business is a smart choice for Empty Nester Moms, especially stay-at-home Moms with little to no employment history or skills, and who:
- have no desire to spend time and money to acquire (or update) their skills;
- don’t want to go to college (or go back); or
- don’t want a mediocre job with low pay, long hours, and possibly a long commute.
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The 9-5 Burnout
If you’re an Empty Nester Mom who worked outside the home while raising your kids, and you’re tired of working your current job, commuting, and answering to others, NOW is the perfect time to imagine your life as an Entrepreneur.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to start your own business, but thought it was just a pipe dream.
With today’s technology, it doesn’t have to be!
If you need to work The 9-5, but ultimately want to be an Entrepreneur, consider starting your business as a side hustle.
For inspiration, check out the book, Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield.
For the reasons listed below, I’m rooting for you to be able to start an Online Business, and I’m here to help you jumpstart the process!
Check out The Guide, which outlines how I started my Online Business.
Be Your Own Boss
Rather than working The 9-5, imagine a work life where you’ll be making your own business decisions—and not being told what to do, where or how to do it.
Plus, without the dreaded commute, you’ll have more time for your spouse, other family members, pets, friends, hobbies, and travel.
Those are some of the biggest reasons why I started this blog.
YOU can do it, too!
Do you want to take action and work hard to build the life you’ve always wanted to live, working toward your goals and dreams, versus working day after day for someone else’s dreams?
Are you ready to manifest your own destiny?
If so, Entrepreneurship is for YOU!
The Creator Economy Is Booming
“The Creator Economy,” a rapidly growing ecosystem of content creators who monetize their knowledge/passions through a variety of channels, including social media, streaming platforms, and subscription services, is projected to grow significantly over the next few years.
The Creator Economy is becoming the fastest growing type of small business!
Affordability
There’s no comparison between the startup costs for starting an Online Business vs. a brick-and-mortar business.
The latter comes with a hefty price tag just for leasing space and utilities, let alone having to potentially remodel it, furnish, stock, maintain, and insure it. In addition, you’ll likely need to hire, train, and manage employees, provide benefits…and the list goes on.
Creating a blog is one of the most affordable ways to start a small business!
With the technology that’s available today, there are so many affordable courses and tools that, along with your hard work and perserverence, can help you get started and be successful.
As an added bonus, some of the perks that come along with creating an Online Business, include:
- You can work from home…or anywhere!
- You’ll have freedom and flexibility to set your own hours, daily schedule, and monthly calendar.
There are so many reasons why you should start an Online Business…
In fact, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t!
5 Hidden Advantages Empty Nester Moms Have When Starting An Online Business
1. Life Experience and Perspective
Empty Nester Moms have decades of life experience, problem-solving skills, and resilence. These qualities are helpful while learning new technology, creating content, and building an Online Business.
2. A Clearer Sense Of Identity
Many women spend years focused on raising children. The Empty Nest stage can create space to rediscover personal interests, passions, and expertise—all things that make great blog topics.
3. More Control Over Your Schedule
Without the constant demands of parenting young children, many Empty Nester Moms have more flexibility to learn the skills for starting a blog, and build their Online Business gradually.
4. Financial Perspective And Patience
Unlike younger Entrepreneurs who may feel pressure for quick income, Empty Nester Moms often have the patience to grow a blog steadily and make thoughtful business decisions.
5. Relatability To A Huge Audience
Every year, millions of women enter the Empty Nest stage of life. Building an online presence during this time can resonate deeply with readers who are experiencing similar changes, and looking for what’s next.
Creating A Blog Is Safer Than Building Your Business On Social Media
Creating a blog is the best foundation for your Online Business.
Some Entrepreneurs make the mistake of starting their Online Business just by using social media platforms, without creating a website. The problem is, they don’t own their social media accounts.
Their accounts can be suspended or deleted whenever the social media platforms choose to do so, and for whatever reason. Worse yet, the platform could just suddenly fold, taking their business down with it.
Every business needs a website—build an Online Business that you will own!
Steps To Start Your Blog
With so much to learn about Online Business, you should grab this FREE EMPTY NESTER MOM To .com ONLINE BUSINESS Checklist to help you stay on track while starting your blog.
Some of the important decisions to be made and steps to take, include:
- Purchasing Equipment, Tools (see below)
- Choosing Your Niche
- Defining Your Avatar
- Naming Your Website
- Signing Up With Web Hosting Service
- Purchasing Legal Templates For Your Website
- Hiring A Registered Agent (if forming an LLC)
- Applying For A Business License (if needed in your state)
- Opening Business Bank, PayPal Accounts
- Taking A Blogging Course
- Creating Content
- Launching Your Blog
- Signing Up With Email Service Provider (ESP)
- Taking Marketing Courses: Email, Pinterest, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media
Purchase Equipment
To create a website for your blog, you’ll need some essential equipment. You might already have what you need. If not, the following list of items that I have researched/purchased to create my Online Business may be helpful.
Computer
You’ll need either a Laptop or Desktop to create your website. I have both—my laptop allows me to work anywhere in my house, a coffee shop, or while on vacation, whereas the desktop provides a larger sceen to work on, and more powerful video editing capabilities.
Lenovo is a great brand—I’ve had my laptop for years and love it! This is the laptop I recommend for you to start your Online Business.
If you think you’ll be adding a YouTube channel to your Online Business, this laptop would be good for both blogging and video editing.
I also have an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil—great to use while traveling—for reading, learning, note-taking, and even video editing. There are various sizes, models, and price points for the Apple iPad Pro, and there’s even a Magic Keyboard you can add to it. If interested, browze on Amazon to find which would work best for your needs and budget.
Printer
For years, we’ve been loyal users of Canon printers—this is the one we own and recommend, for its all-in-one copier/scanner/fax capabilities, at a very affordable price.
Smartphone
A good Smartphone is necessary for much more than just communicating.
You can also use it for research, creating/editing blog posts, taking original photos for your blog posts/social media, noting ideas that come up when you’re on the go, and for creating videos.
If you’re looking to buy a new Smartphone, this is the one I’d recommend.
Tools And Services
Internet
You will need reliable Internet service (high speed is best).
The Guide
If you want to save time, money, and get a jumpstart on your Online Business journey, you should Get The Guide (see information below).
Practical Advice For Starting An Online Business
Once you’ve purchased your equipment, you’re ready to start your Online Business!
Easy, right? Well…
Blogging Is A Long Game
Throughout my research, it’s been noted many times that blogging is not an easy, get-rich-quick scheme. This is something that you need to consider before starting your blog.
If blogging was easy, everyone would be doing it!
Even though blogging is a long game, it’s well worth the hard work and the wait, as proven by many successful Online Business owners.
With most things involving ever-changing technology, the blogging learning process can seem endless at times. Therefore, you need to be patient.
Once you get it set up, however, with continued education, hard work, and consistency, blogging can be very profitable.
So, in the end, it will be worth your time, effort, and money to put it all together—you just have to stick with it!
Invest In Yourself
Starting an Online Business is a lot of work, and I encourage you to invest in more education, tools, and/or seek help (free and paid), when you think you need it.
There are a couple ways to go about your Online Business journey. You can either:
- spend hours, days—or even years—scouring the Internet trying to figure out how to do it; or
- invest in yourself by learning from others who are a few steps ahead of you.
I chose the latter—a little late, however—after I’d spent hours and hours reading, learning, asking questions in Facebook Groups, and watching countless YouTube videos!
Teach It Forward
All that consumption of info wasn’t a waste of time, because I figured out whose advice to follow, which courses to buy, and what tools and guides would be useful for starting my blog.
Then, one day it dawned on me…
Just as there are many Entrepreneurs who are ahead of me, with the progress I’ve made so far, there are many Empty Nester Moms, wanting to become Entrepreneurs, who are just a few steps behind me.
I learned that I only needed to be 10% ahead of others to be able to help them, so that’s what I’ve set out to do by creating The Guide. One day, you can do the same!
The Guide
When I started answering (vs. just asking) questions in Facebook Groups, I realized that I needed to share what I’ve learned about Online Business.
So, in an effort to help others, I created EMPTY NESTER MOM To .com (The Guide).
The Guide has five sections that outline the path I followed to start my Online Business, and can help catapult you from stuck to start:
- FOUNDATION
- CONTENT
- PROMOTION
- MONETIZATION
- MINDSET
Learn From Others
Along your Online Business journey, you should follow and continue to learn from the right people. As a beginner blogger, however, it’s hard to know which mentors are the right ones to follow. The Guide introduces you to some of the mentors who I chose to follow.
By taking their courses, joining their FREE FB Groups, connecting with them on social media, and watching their videos on YouTube (if applicable), you’ll discover which ones you resonate with and trust.
Try to limit the number of people you follow, because if you start following everyone who claims they can help you, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated.
After setting up your blog, I encourage you to:
Sooner
- Take A Blogging Course Perfecting Blogging *
- Learn About SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Use Keyword Research Tools—Keysearch, Keywords Everywhere
- Use the FREE version of Canva for DIY Graphics
- Purchase Stock Photos For Your Website—Deposit Photos
- Take An Email Course Perfecting Email *
- Take A Pinterest Course Perfecting Pinterest *
- Learn About Affiliate Marketing
- Take A Social Media Course Perfecting Social Media *
* Ultimate Perfecting Blogging Bundle (Best Deal: All Four Courses)
Later
- Consider Outsourcing Blogging Tasks—Fiverr, UpWork
- Learn About Sponsored Posts
- Create Digital Products To Sell (Worksheets/Checklists, eBooks, Courses, etc.)
- Set Up An eCommerce Shop—Shopify and/or Stan Store
- Learn About Selling Physical Products With POD (Print On Demand)
- Create A Membership For Recurring Income—Teachable, Skool
- Offer 1:1 Coaching Services
- Start A YouTube Channel
- Start A Podcast
In addition to time and effort, starting an Online Business will require some money to get started, and continue to develop it. But, remember that it’s one of the least expensive ways to become an Entrepreneur.
In some of my other blog posts, RESOURCES, and inside The Guide, you’ll learn about my mentors’ courses and tools that you can purchase—from the continued setup of your blog to implementing money-making strategies—at your own pace, and as your time and budget allows.
Your continued learning can help you generate multiple streams of income!
As mentioned in other posts, and in The Guide, many mentors have FREE Private Facebook Groups, where you can facilitate your learning.
If you get stuck, you can search the topic within the group, as many others have likely asked the same question. You’ll gain so much insight from these mentors and other group members, by asking your own questions and also by reading others’ questions and comments.
Conclusion
Starting your own Online Business as an Empty Nester Mom may feel daunting at first, but with the right tools, guidance, and mindset, it’s completely achievable.
This is your chance to create income, set your own schedule, and pursue a passion you’ve been putting off.
Every big journey begins with a single step—take yours today!
Next Up
Excited to get started? If so, after you:
- Purchase Equipment—see above or RESOURCES
- Get The Guide
…read about the three important first steps for starting your blog.
Related
Why It’s Important To Learn SEO For Blogging Success
5 Reasons You Need An Email List For Your Online Business
3 Must-Have Pages To Make Your Website Legal
It’s Your Turn To Fly, Mama!
