Expert tips on working from home with Kelly O’Neill

Working from home is fantastic and Sumy Designs has successfully operated from our home offices for over 11 years. But while working from home has its benefits, like not having to deal with rush hour traffic and a flexible schedule, it also has its challenges. Amy and I have blogged about working from home over the years, but I thought I’d take a few minutes to get the perspective from someone whose career is helping others manage and start their careers from home.

I interviewed Kelly O’Neill, who is a business and marketing coach strategist for ParentPreneurs™. In January of this year, she formed KellyO Consulting & Coaching, LLC to fulfill her true passion for helping small business succeed at working from their homes.

She gave me some great information and I’m she has the answers to some of your questions about successfully working from home.

What made you want to help others, particularly parents, be successful by working from home?

Parent entrepreneurs deserve a chance at success. They deserve equal access to the same methods and technology that big brands use. Why should they miss out simply because they have a home office instead of a traditional brick and mortar? Who else to help them than someone who has been where they are now than a parent and entrepreneur who has successfully maintain a business through all phases of family life? How about someone who was raised in a family of entrepreneurs? I am a fifth generation business owner. We all have our own businesses and worked hard for it.

I’m here to help parents build a legacy business and make some money doing it.

How long have you worked from a home office?

My first venture in online space was 17 years ago when I started a medical transcription business. I’ve maintained positive cash flow contracts ever since.

What are some of your greatest challenges working from home?

My challenges weren’t what most people think – being isolated or working with kids at home. My challenges were keeping up with ever-changing technology while not being “tapped in” to an in-office network. That’s actually the reason why I started coaching other women, female entrepreneurs, to make sure access to information was easy to obtain and easy to understand.

What advice can you offer someone who is considering making the move to work from home and/or start his or her own business?

Now you’re talking my jam! My best advice is to seek out a mentor. When an employee starts a new job, they are usually, if it’s a good company, matched with a veteran to learn the ropes. They are taught company values, how things work and where to go for help. This time-tested method cuts the learning curve for the employee and increases revenue for the business. The employee can “hit the ground running” as they say.

This should be no different for someone who works from home either as a subcontractor or as an entrepreneur. Parent Entrepreneurs, or ParentPreneurs as I call them, have unique challenges that require a mentor with a skill set.

Seeking help from a mentor, someone who is where you want to be is invaluable. I’m not only talking about following Gary V on social media. I mean, finding one-on-one business coaching, marketing strategist and perhaps even mindset.

Bill Gates’ mentor is Warren Buffet. Mark Zuckerberg’s mentor was Steve Jobs. Sheryl Sandberg’s mentor is her college professor, Larry Summers. We should take a lesson from those who go before us and those who know more than us. If these successful people have mentors and sponsors, why would it be any different for entrepreneurs who happen to run our businesses from home? With 17+ years in business, I have a business coach and strategist. Avoid common mistakes, save time and money by investing in yourself – choose a business coach wisely.

What methods do you use to communicate throughout the day with coworkers and clients and what do you consider the most successful in terms of turnover or production?

Nothing compares to picking up the phone and calling your client, coworker or staff. Sure, email, text or online messaging such as Slack or Skype, is efficient. The person on the other end cannot hear your tone in a text or an email.

I also utilize Trello as a project management tool that helps my team communicate effectively about each project. It’s easier than finding that long email string from three weeks ago. We can assign parts of the project to the person most qualified and once that piece is complete, it will seamlessly move on to the next person. There are other PM tools; I like this one the best.

Webinar meetings via Join.Me or Zoom are always a plus to get everyone on the same page. This is actually new for me. In all my years working in the online space, my first “on camera” meeting was only a few months ago. Want to know who it was with? You guessed it, my business coach!

Whatever the system or tool is, no matter what industry, the process must be written down. In the unfortunate event, that a team member leaves, the next person responsible can easily pick it up easily.

Regarding turnover, all of my support staff consists of contractors. As an entrepreneur, I support others building their businesses as well. The terms of our agreements are well laid out in contract form to avoid any misunderstands. I also have a process in place for the event of a conflict or misunderstanding. My team consists of highly qualified, dedicated, and well-paid members. Not only does that help lessen the turnover rate, but it lets them know I value their time and energy. I couldn’t do any of this without them. And I tell them all the time!

What is the most important thing you do for yourself personally to make working from home successful and/or to avoid cabin fever?

Investing in myself is nonnegotiable. Whether that is reading, attending a conference, meeting with my mentor, or, most recently, reconnecting with my personal trainer, I understand that we are most effective when we are at our best.

Managing time is the #1 way I make sure this works. It’s a little funny, actually. I wanted to work from home so I could have flexibility. I used to fight anything that had a structure or a schedule. Now, it’s at the core of everything I do!

I don’t really believe there is a work-home “balance” because that implies that at some time, one is out of balance or alignment, which would be a disaster in the making. It is more of a blend – maintaining a business from home and managing your family is a lifestyle. It isn’t for everyone.

My ParentPreneur 360™ program begins with a time assessment where I show entrepreneurs how to gain at least 5 hours a week to work on their business. Imagine how much money you can make, how much you can get done with an extra 5 or 10 hours a week. It really opens people’s eyes.

One of the big reasons why I started working from home was so that I could spend time with my kids. That includes taking them to and from school, sports, and other activities. That is non-negotiable for me. This gets me out of the house! Since I work from home and make my own schedule, I also schedule in things like cleaning, laundry, etc. My goal is to make my weekends free to be out and about.

It also makes sure I put on real pants and talk to other people face-to-face. Home-based entrepreneurs know what I’m talking about here. If pants are required, it is a serious commitment.

Do you adhere to normal business hours of operation or do you, like many of us, find yourself losing track of time and working evenings and weekends?

I know that I am most effective when my kids are at school so I use that time very efficiently. I also track all of my time. Data doesn’t lie. Time is money. ParentPreneurs™ don’t have time to waste. We are busy. If I’m working on a weekend or evening, it’s because I traded that time for something else. I may have taken the entire week day off to do something fun. Or I’m working the evening to meet with someone in a different time zone.

Tracking my time provides a blinding glare on the chunks of time I spent binge watching Billions on ShowTime. Yeah, I don’t always get it right. And I’m OK with that.

What do you consider the most important tip for someone working from home?

Make intentional, strategic choices about how you spend your time – work, family, business. Find the blend that works for YOU. Oh! Take a break. You’re the boss which means you don’t have to eat lunch at your desk.

Do you listen to any podcasts or read any blogs that help you with your business?

I’m constantly reading and listening to consume all types of content. You never know where inspiration might strike.

If you are interested in contacting Kelly O’Neill, you can find her at KellyO.com or you can email her at hello@kellyo.com.