We´re back for a whole new year of Motivational Mondays! To kick things off, we have an interview with Jan Pepe of Making Scrapbooks. She´s a busy mom of three, earning a living at something she enjoys and something a lot of you have probably thought about trying as a business. So read on to find out exactly what it´s like.

1. What is your business?

My business name is Making Scrapbooks – I carry the full line of Top Line Creations paper scrapbooking products, as well as the LifeTimez Online digital service where you can create photobooks, board books, brag books, calendars, greeting cards, posters, and chore charts with your photos in minutes!

2. How did you get started?

A friend of mine introduced me to scrapbooking over 10 years ago. At the time I was with another direct sales company. I fell in love with scrapbooking and decided I wanted to try making money at this hobby.

3. What mistakes did you make when you were starting out? What did you learn from them?

I think the biggest mistake was not having a system to keep my paperwork organized. At tax time, I was in a crunch to get everything together. Now I use quickbooks and excel spreadsheets to track everything. This works perfectly for me!

4. How long have you been working from home? (was this your first business or have you had others where you worked from home?)

I have been working from home for 15 years. I began by selling Mary Kay part-time to supplement my teaching job. Later when I began having children, I found Discovery Toys. I spent five years with DT, part of that time as a Group Manager. It was when my friend introduced me to scrapbooking, that I knew that was my passion. I searched for a scrapbooking company that would allow me the freedom to earn money from home while raising my kids.

5. What are your tricks for balancing work, kids and household chores?

My kids have chores that they understand are “part of being in the family” – (taking out the trash, feeding our cats, making their beds, tidying their rooms, helping with the house cleaning, and folding laundry). This helps me out a lot.

When I work on my business, I try to be as productive as I can. If I’m putting together catalog packets to mail, I make multiples at a time. If I’m working on emails, paper work, phone calls, etc. that relate to my business, I try to take care of things as completely as possible. This keeps me focused, and allows me to get more done because I’m not looking at the same email, paper, etc. multiple times.

When it comes to shuffling my kids around to activities, I’m lucky that my husband works from home most days. I am able to leave the other children home with him when one child needs to be somewhere. During the time of that child’s activity, I always bring something with me – my laptop, paperwork, phone #’s, etc. just in case I have free time.

6. How many children do you have? How old are they?

I have three kids, ages 11, 10, and 7.

7. When do you usually work?

While they are working on school work or in the evenings when they are in bed.

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

The best part of being a mompreneur is the flexibility of schedule. I am able to be there for my family and put them first. I love being able to earn money while doing the hobby I love and being available to my family. The worst part is that it is hard to “turn off”; meaning there is no time clock to clock out of your job. You have to know when to say, “I’m off of work now.” That can be a difficult line to draw some days.

9. What are your plans for the future of your business?

I hope to work my business until I one day retire and pass it along to my daughter. I love the consultants on my team, and I look forward to working with & hearing from them each day.

10. What advice would you give new work at home moms?

I would suggest that a new work at home mom decide on a schedule for her business. Set aside time each day to work and time each day to play! You need both to have good balance. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. When I have an event my husband and kids help me pack up my products, load my van, and put everything away when I get home. Finally, never give up! There will always be hills and valleys in any business. Don’t let a ‘down’ time get you down. Use that time to think of creative ways to spice up your business. Try something new!

If you´re interested in what Jan does, check out her website to learn more.

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