Today´s inspirational mom is Aliza Sherman, a woman I met over at Work It, Mom! Aliza runs Moonbow Productions, Inc. and is quite the jack (jill) of all trades . . . you name it, she´s probably tried it! I especially like that she isn´t trying to be a supermom and admits to being domestically challenged (I suspect many of us are) and isn´t afraid of help. I think you will really enjoy her interview.

1.What is your business?
My company name is Moonbow Productions, Inc. and it is a catchall for all my creative work that includes writing books, articles for magazines and Web sites, blogging, radio, video and even some Internet consulting. I just call myself a media producer.

2. How did you get started?
Over the years, I’ve had an Internet company, an Internet marketing company and have freelanced as a writer, radio producer, TV producer and blogger. So at some point I realized that my business was all about creating content for different platforms. I basically incorporated in early 2005, and set out to weave all my different “jobs” together into a media company.

3. What mistakes did you make when you were starting out? What did you learn from them?
Since this is my fourth company, I was able to get it set up quickly with a lawyer and good accountant. I wrote some notes that became my “business plan,” but still struggle with writing a full blown plan because I’m not looking to grow my business to include employees. I take on the jobs that I like and the clients I like and try to keep my workload manageable. My biggest mistake so far has been not letting my bookkeeper do more. I’m correcting that in 2008.

4. How long have you been working from home? (was this your first business or have you had others where you worked from home?)
My first business moved from my home into office space within 9 months. My other businesses have been home based, so I’ve been working from home off and on since 2000. I took a “day job” for two years - from 2001 to 2003, then left to work from home again.

5. What are your tricks for balancing work, kids and household chores?
I’ve hired a babysitter who comes in 4 hours every morning to help with my 18 month old daughter. I also pay her extra to keep the kitchen clean so dishes don’t pile up. Other than that, I have a fantastic husband who isn’t adverse to doing laundry or household chores and who is an amazing hands-on dad who changes diapers often. I’m domestically challenged but do the best I can.

6. How many children do you have? How old are they?
One daughter, 18 months old

7. When do you usually work?
My set workday is 9am to 1pm and then about an hour or two in the afternoon when baby sleeps. I also try to squeeze in work on weekends but also want to devote quality time to my family.

8. What is the best part of being a mompreneur? And the worst?

Being a work-at-home entrepreneur gives me the comfort and flexibility I want to have with my daughter - I want to be close and available to her. Our babysitter is fabulous with her and keeps her pretty busy and fed while I’m working, but those moments when my daughter needs me, I’m just a flight of stairs away.

The worst is only having 4 hours a day to do 10 hours of work. And if I squeeze in a meeting during that time, it sets me back and messes up my day. I may start meeting clients and colleagues at the local gym where I’m a member. They have a decent lounge and a playcenter for baby. That way, I can have afternoon meetings and devote the morning hours to getting work done. They also recently installed wi-fi so I could even go there to work another hour while baby plays, then work out myself or bring baby into the pool. Now this sounds like a great idea!

9. What are your plans for the future of your business?
My biggest client is phasing out at the end of the year so I’m really hustling to make up for the loss in income. I’d like a few new clients who are looking to explore Web 2.0 marketing and even virtual worlds.

I hope that by mid-2008, a good portion of my work will involve Second Life, the 3-d virtual world where I’m currently marketing, building community and doing business. I’d like this to translate to part of my consulting work.

10. What advice would you give new work at home moms?
Don’t try to do it all. Find a way to either bring in a babysitter, share babysitting with another work-at-home mom or invest in day care. You deserve quality quiet productive work time. And if you can get someone else to do the dishes and laundry, do it! Don’t beat yourself up over not getting to everything on your list. Just carry it over to the next day or learn to delegate wherever you can.