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I have been a member of the WAHM community for many, many years and learned so much about working from home and running a home based business.

So, it is an honor to have Cheryl Demas of WAHM.com come and interview with me. :)

1. Cheryl, you helped to bring in the new generation of Work at Home Moms (or WAHMs), what would you consider your greatest accomplishment?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. Other than personal accomplishments, my family, etc. on the business side I guess it’s just the growth of WAHM.com and the fact that I’ve been able to reach so many people around the world all while working from home.

2. What made you decide to become a ‘Work at Home Mom’?

It wasn’t so much a decision because it just kind of happened to me. When my seven-year-old daughter was diagnosed with diabetes the same week my second daughter was born I decided to stay home full time. I started using the Internet to research diabetes and to connect with other parents (this was back in 1994, so the Internet was still pretty new). I started doing website design to make some extra money and also started writing about the whole experience of making the transition from being a working mom to a stay-at-home mom and finally a work-at-home mom. That was the beginning of WAHM.com and as I started hearing from other moms who were in the same boat, the site just took on a life of its own.

3.What sort of challenges have you faced being a work at home mom?

Getting enough sleep can be a challenge. I always say that taking care of a home and family is a full time job in itself, so if you add a business to the mix something just has to give. Overall though, the positives have outweighed the negatives my far.

4. What kind of traits do you need run a home based business from home?

I think it’s important to be independent and self-motivated. I’ve also found that those who are able to “roll with the punches” have the most success. Because when we’re running a business we often don’t know what the next day will bring.

5. What advice would you give to a mom looking to start a home based business?

I always recommend that moms consider their strengths, skills and interests first, and not just look for a business that will make money. Of course making a profit is very important, but I think that one has a much better chance of success if there is a passion and genuine interest in the business from the beginning.

6. You had written two books about running a home based business from home, what made you decide to write a book?

I call it the Oprah-scare Jackie. I got a call from the Oprah show when the site was starting to get recognition and although that didn’t result in an appearance on the show, it made me realize that if and when I ever did get another similar opportunity I’d be smart to have a book to promote. The first book was published by a small local publisher (also a work-at-home mom) and then I knew another work-at-home mom who had a contact at Time-Warner. They liked the book and wanted me to modify it to make it more personal and humorous.

7. You have built a WAHM empire, helped many women launch successful careers as WAHMs and published two successful home business books, so what is up for you next?

I’m not sure. I’m in the transition phase with WAHM.com through April so I have some time to decide. My youngest daughter is starting high school this fall so it will be a good time for me to do something new. I’m going to look at some business ideas, I’ve been looking at help wanted ads and just see what’s out there. I’ve also started doing standup comedy and I love it. So you never know. That might turn out to be my new career.

8. What made you decide to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian?

That kind of happened by accident too. I took a class to learn more about humor writing and our instructor gave everyone a chance to do a bit of time on stage. I told a joke and a guy in the front row laughed so hard he put his head down and slapped the table … that was the moment that I thought “I really want to do this again.” After that I started to sneak out to open mics and got more encouragement and just kept going. It’s a lot of fun.

9. How have family and friends reacted to your new career move?

Well they didn’t know at first because I had to get more comfortable on stage before I wanted anyone to know what I was doing. Now, they’re great. My girls help me with jokes and my oldest comes out to shows all the time. She’s my coach.

10. Do you have anything you would like to say to the online community?

I’ve “met” so many people over the years, they’ve all really meant a lot to me. I can’t imagine ever leaving WAHM.com completely.

Thanks Jackie

Cheryl’s Work at Home Books

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