Bringing Motherhood Into an Online TV Show

Can you give a description about your business?
Mommy Talk Show is a an online parenting talk show where I connect Atlanta moms with businesses they'll love to TALK about using the power of mom blogs, social media & video marketing.Each month, I tape Mommy Talk Show at a family-friendly business in Atlanta that sponsors the show. In return, they are promoted to Mommy Talk Show social media followers and promoted on YouTube. The guests are other mompreneurs and we discuss a variety of work-life balance topics in each video. The sponsor is mentioned in each video, something like a commercial.

What's your bio? I am an Emmy award-winning journalist who is now a work at home mom. I created Mommy Talk Show to combine my passion (motherhood) and my profession (TV news). My TV news career highlights include appearing on ABC's The View twice and getting a one-on-one interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Is this your full time job? Yes and no. I don't commit 40 hours to Mommy Talk Show, but it is my only focus as a "job." I work about 20 hours a week and mainly work from home, a coffee shop or a co-work space.

How long have you had your own business?
I started my business in 2009 right after I got married. But I changed my idea from just doing promotional videos for small businesses and created Mommy Talk Show in December 2010 with a focus on connecting moms to small businesses.

What made you want to start your own company? I wanted the flexibility of being home with our son and using my journalism skills. My TV news career was extremely rewarding, yet demanding. 

What's the scariest thing you've had to overcome to achieve your dreams? Charging what I'm worth and not being afraid to turn down clients. I have learned to narrow my niche and focus on who my ideal clients are. It's helped me save time and make more money.

What is your family like? I'm married and we have one son who is 16 months old.

Time commitments? My commitments are divided between Mommy Talk Show, networking with other mompreneurs and play dates. I wish I could commit more time to having fun, but I use every available moment I have to build my business, whether it's spending time on Twitter to promote my business or even doing guest posts on other mom blogs.

Advice to other parents who want to do something they love for a living? Do it. Fight your fear. Get a business coach. If there's something you don't know how to do, look it up on YouTube. I can't tell you how many things I've learned from someone who created a video tutorial.

Any changes to your business planned? I am writing an ebook for other moms who want to start their own business, but can't figure out a business idea.

Where/how do you market? Facebook, Twitter and Meetup groups are how I network and market Mommy Talk Show.

How do you manage parenting and being your own boss? It's extremely challenging since my son doesn't take long afternoon naps and wakes early. I had to stop replying to these interview questions because he woke up after napping for 20 minutes and I rocked him back to sleep. I have enrolled him in a Mother's Day Out Program so I have free time one morning a week.

What do you tell your son about your work? A.J. is too young to understand what I do, but he enjoys watching YouTube clips of me hosting the show.

Anything else you want to share? I'd like to encourage moms to use what they already know and make it a business. Erase any self-doubt. Surround yourself by positive and encouraging friends. Hire a babysitter or a teenager you trust to watch your child so you can get work done at home.