Comeback Moms Part 12

Even if they say there's absolutely no way they'll hire you after the internship, you never know. They might. What do you have to lose by trying it?

Another friend, Abby, was slave labor for a year at Nickelodeon, the kid's television station. She wrote for a cartoon as an intern for what amounted to $2 an hour-she calculated it after the year was done. She was the first in the office and the last to leave. She learned the meaning of call backs-when you reference a joke again later in the episode-and the pacing of a half-hour television show. She even received a story credit on one show, which means she thought up the episode's idea. In television writing, you may create the plot of the show but at least five other people are involved in writing the whole episode. It's a very communal way of working.

After the year was done, Abby wasn't hired on. The staff and her supervisor liked her, but they didn't have a place for her. Abby was disheartened. At thirty-six she had felt too old to do the internship in the first place, and for it not to have resulted in a job was a little more than she could bear. She became depressed. She decided to go back to doing her stay-at-home mom duties while she regrouped. Nickelodeon called her six months later to offer her a job as an a.s.sistant to the head writer on another television show. She accepted. She plans to work her way up the ranks.

"It's not easy to break into a new career. I had to swallow a lot of my pride to do it. I'm glad I did," she said.

HOW TO FIND AN INTERNSHIP* Identify the industry you're interested in working in, for example, film, advertising, education.* Research what companies are located in your city or nearby.* Call them or visit their Web sites to see if they offer a formal internship program.* If they don't offer a program, figure out how many hours a week you could devote to working for a company for free for two months.* Once you calculate the number of hours and determine when you could be available, approach a company with an offer of free work for two months.* Don't be discouraged if the first one turns you down. Hone your pitch and try again.OTHER INTERNSHIP RESOURCES* Call your local community college career services offices. Typically they work with students and the community at large. They have a large database of internships.* Try professional organizations for the field you're interested in.* Hire a professional career counselor. This is the most expensive route, but can be useful.* Try one of the annual internship directories like Peterson's Internships 2005 Peterson's Internships 2005 or or The Internship Bible, 2005 The Internship Bible, 2005.

APPRENTICESHIPS.

An apprentice? Sounds like an indentured servant or maybe a position that requires a utility belt, gimme cap, and a polyester jumpsuit with "Arlene" st.i.tched on the pocket. Hardly the traditional comeback trail, but more women are finding their way into what was one of those last male bastions-the trades. Think about it-you can be your own boss, make your own hours, and at the end of the day you can point to something you did that's real rather than a bunch of papers you've moved from one side of the desk to another.

These professions aren't walk-ons. They require training, but they combine the school with work so you're making money while you're learning. Often your sponsor or employer will pick up the cost of the program. Rarely will you be asked to pay. But err on the safe side and carefully read the fine print in any contract you sign. You may be required to foot the bill for books and tools-it's good to figure that out before you start. If you leave the program early you might have to pay for the education you already received. Make sure you understand all the possible costs before you begin.

The big problem with apprenticeships is it can be difficult to find a position. At times there are waiting lists of qualified people angling to get a spot. Sometimes there's a brother-in-law system in effect-you know, where they hire people they know or are related to. Don't be discouraged if it takes you awhile to land a slot. With perseverance you can do it.

Sheila managed an architectural office for seven years. She quit after the birth of her first child. As she dealt with postpartum depression and diaper rash, she also went through a career crisis.

"I was obsessing about work. I didn't know I hated it as much as I did until I quit. I had to find something else to do," she said.

Unlike a lot of us, she didn't harbor any hidden desires to write or design clothes. She had no idea what she wanted to do. She only knew what she didn't want-a boss, set office hours, and high heels. She hates high heels. She's five feet, eight inches tall, she doesn't need them.

She scouted around for a couple years. She read What Color Is Your Parachute? What Color Is Your Parachute? She went to a career counselor who told her she'd make a good mortician-she begs to differ. She was stumped. It was her father who suggested she try plumbing. He owns a plumbing business, which he'd love to pa.s.s down to her eventually. He proposed that they work together until he retires. He'd train her and offer her flexible hours. She went to a career counselor who told her she'd make a good mortician-she begs to differ. She was stumped. It was her father who suggested she try plumbing. He owns a plumbing business, which he'd love to pa.s.s down to her eventually. He proposed that they work together until he retires. He'd train her and offer her flexible hours.

She was hesitant at first. She'd have to put in five years of education and on-the-job training and she'd be a plumber. "Hi, I'm Sheila and I'm a plumber," wasn't something she'd ever thought she'd say. Though she's tall, she's not a manly woman; she couldn't picture herself hauling around a toolbox and driving around in a van with a wrench decal on the side.

Months of her father's nagging and her husband's encouragement convinced her to try it. She liked the technical parts of school and she loved the idea of working up to owning her own business. Another plus, women make the majority of financial decisions in the household and they like dealing with other women. Sheila's being by her father's side increased business.

Sheila completed her third year of her apprenticeship. Her son is in second grade. Most days she picks him up from school, barring a plumbing crisis.

"I was lucky. My dad made it easy for me," she said.

There are a lot of owners of businesses like Sheila's dad. They're ten years or so away from retirement and their children have no interest in taking over the business. They are hunting for someone to buy the business from them. Women are increasingly proving themselves successful entrepreneurs and are moving into nontraditional fields.

Rebecca, a former teacher, had been home for five years with her two children. She knew she didn't want to go back to the high school science lab and she started casting about for something to do. She took a couple woodworking cla.s.ses and found her calling.

She convinced her teacher to take her on as an apprentice for a three-year term. She learned how to make old-fashioned dressers and bed sets without nails or glue. She learned how to carve ornate designs, take full advantage of a wood's grain, and do antique reproductions.

She worked five hours a day at her teacher's workshop and took certain pieces home with her. When her children went to sleep, she went to the garage, where she set up a workshop and continued to practice.

Her teacher specializes in high-end commissioned furniture. He was doing so well that he needed more workers to help expand his business. As Rebecca became more skilled, he asked her to take on some of his commissions. The relationship has worked beautifully. Rebecca finished her three-year apprenticeship and is now employed at the shop.

Paige went off the healthy living deep end when she stayed home with her four children. Four children can wreak havoc on the body and she was determined to lose her baby weight. She tried organic, vegetarian, and vegan diets. They were too lightweight for her. Then she discovered macrobiotic cooking-you know, the food philosophy where you shouldn't eat tomatoes, spinach, or eggplant because they are considered too yin. Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are fans. Paige became a fanatic. She bought five macrobiotic cookbooks. She enrolled in cla.s.ses. She had stumbled onto her pa.s.sion.

She got a macrobiotic cooking certification, and then she found an experienced macrobiotic chef to apprentice with for two years.

The chef catered to wealthy individuals who wanted to get healthy-making tasty organic, nondairy, whole grain dishes ain't easy or cheap. Paige helped her prepare meals for more than thirty clients daily. She learned a lot about varying cooking, creating recipes, and pleasing clients.

RESOURCES FOR APPRENTICESHIPS* The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration lists opportunities on its Web site, www.doleta.gov.* Wider Opportunities for Women lists on its Web site nontraditional job and apprenticeship opportunities for women, www.work4women.org.* Home Builders Inst.i.tute lists on-the-job training opportunities in home construction, www.hbi.org.* Check with your local chamber of commerce. Oftentimes they have connections or leads on what apprentice opportunities are available in your community.* Interested in becoming an electrician? Check out the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, www.njatc.org or the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, or the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, www.ibew.org.

After her two-year apprenticeship she snagged a job creating menus for a macrobiotic restaurant and is building up her own private client base. She's also experimenting with a nondairy no-refined-sugar ice cream that actually tastes good. If it works, she'll get a license for it and may try to partner with a large food company.

USING YOUR DEGREE IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

Our lawyer friend, Debbie, knew she didn't want to practice law like she did before she had children. She worked part time for a couple of years at a law firm. Then she started a monthly group for lawyers that met to discuss work and life balance, Flex-Time Lawyers.

At the first meeting, the room was packed. She knew she was on to something. She developed the group further and opened chapters in other cities. The meetings received a lot of national attention. There were write-ups in the New York Times New York Times and and USA Today. USA Today. Her law firm supported her and encouraged her to accept public speaking engagements while she decreased her case load. Her law firm supported her and encouraged her to accept public speaking engagements while she decreased her case load.

While Debbie still works part time at the firm, her main duties are public speaking and consulting with other law firms about how to make them more female friendly.

She says that more women should use their degrees and skills in different ways rather than abandon them altogether.

"It's great to explore your creative side, but you spend years getting an education and honing your skills. You should use them," she said.

A friend who was trained as a doctor and decided she could live without treating another patient has put her medical degree to use in two different ways. She's a medical expert for a local news program. She makes weekly two-minute appearances on the noon broadcast and covers drugs, health concerns, and diseases that have been in the news.

She also works for a consulting firm that writes reports for hospitals and other health-care inst.i.tutions about medical devices. The firm pays experts like her to evaluate devices and give their opinion about how useful they are and whether or not it would be a good investment to buy them.

Claudia had a teaching degree and a master's in social work. After staying home with her children for five years she decided she didn't want to go back into a cla.s.sroom or work for social services. She wanted more autonomy and creativity.

She saw an article in the paper about an increase in teenage dropout rates in high school due to financial pressures. Many kids quit high school to help support their parents. Others were now parents themselves and quit to provide for their children. From that article she developed an idea that she thought could help these teenagers.

Over two years, she applied for several grants and talked county and state officials into helping fund her program, which is basically a flex-time high school. If students work days, they can attend cla.s.s at night and vice versa. If weekends are the best time for them to learn, cla.s.ses are also available then. In addition to educational instruction, teachers provide career and life skills counseling.

EVALUATING YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND* Take your resume and copies of your college transcript to a human resources specialist in the field you think you might like to pursue. Ask her to suggest any courses or degree programs you should take in order to increase your chance for employment in that field.* If you're certain that you will need another degree in order to follow a particular career path, make an appointment with a college counselor. Bring copies of your transcripts to the meeting and ask her to give you some idea as to the types of courses and length of time it would take to pursue a degree.* If you're not sure what sort of new career you might like, ask the counselor to suggest a few options based on the degree or courses you've already taken.* Talk to a human resources employee at a company you want to work for, explain your experience and education, and ask for suggestions concerning cla.s.ses you should take to make yourself marketable.

10.

Entrepreneurs True Stories Some women change careers. Some women build empires. Have you heard of Pea in the Pod or Naissance? They're maternity clothing companies created by fed-up fashion-forward moms. And here's the best part, they're tallying annual revenue in the millions. Not bad for hormonally challenged females.

We talked to dozens of women who have succeeded in starting their own businesses. We'll discuss first steps you should take if you're considering such a move, as well as financing considerations.

We're not going to lie to you. Running your own business ain't easy. Then again, neither is marriage nor child-rearing.

The female entrepreneurs we've talked to listed the positives as:

* You're the boss. You make your own hours.* You can ramp up the business when the kids go to school.* You're putting your college education to work.* You're making your own money.* You're devoting your time to an activity you love.* No one can lay you off.* You can take vacations whenever you want.* Depending on their age, your kids can help and learn something about business.* You're doing something you never thought you could. Your confidence soars.* You can attend your child's soccer game and your boss can't yell at you.* You're showing your children a positive role model.

The negatives are:

* You're the boss. All the responsibility falls on your shoulders.* Underfunding is common when you first start a business or want to expand.* Your partner might look at your new company as a cute hobby rather than a job and may not give you the additional help you need to make it a success.* You may fail.* Your children may resent the long hours you're working.* You'll be spending less time with your children.

That said, the women we talked to by and large are glad they started their own businesses. And they're part of a nationwide trend. The number of women-owned firms grew by 11.1 percent to 10.1 million from 1997 to 2002, more than 1.5 times the rate of all privately held businesses, according to the Center for Women's Business Research. Firms that are 50 percent or more female-owned account for a whopping 46 percent of all privately held U.S. firms. And women aren't only starting more firms, they're growing them at a rapid clip. From 1997 to 2002, sales at women-owned businesses rose by 32 percent versus 24 percent for all private businesses.

Many female entrepreneurs are jumping into fields not traditionally populated by women. Between 1997 and 2002, the number of female-owned businesses in construction jumped by 36 percent, those in agricultural science by 27 percent, and those in public utilities climbed by 24 percent.

"There's no longer a stigma attached to a woman being an entrepreneur and taking a risk," says Carrie, a financial planner.

Carrie worked at Fidelity before she took three years off to spend time with her daughter. When her daughter started nursery school, she created her own financial consulting firm. She says the consulting business has blossomed.

"My specialty is high net worth women. There are a lot of us out there and many feel more comfortable talking to another woman," Carrie says.

COMING UP WITH AN IDEA.

Coming up with an idea for a viable business can be as easy as being pregnant. A lot of female entrepreneurs are inspired by their pregnancy and parenting experiences. Some get motivated by their former professions or hobbies. The important thing is not to talk yourself down before you even begin.

It's so typical for us to dismiss a brilliant idea because it is our own. Dare to trust yourself and agree not to discount anything until you've researched its plausibility.

Jennifer Noonan, a former public relations executive, hated the maternity clothes available during her pregnancy. She didn't like polyester blends. She didn't like the plastic hangers, fluorescent lighting, and industrial carpet that decorated most maternity stores.

"Do they think pregnant women have lost their joy of shopping?" she asked.

It was her husband who pushed her to do something with her idea. They drove by a new mall that was opening soon in their neighborhood and he suggested she open a maternity store done in her image. He dared her and she accepted.

She signed a ten-year lease and spent more than $100,000 renovating the store, buying inventory, and designing her own clothes. She dipped into her family savings to fund the first year of operations.

The first month went by and there was only a small trickle of people into the store. Jennifer tried to attract attention with a risque window display. She made a deerskin floor-length maternity halter dress. Its price tag was $3,000.

"I didn't expect anyone to buy it. It was meant to start people talking," Jennifer says.

Two days went by and no one went into the store. Jennifer was standing in line at a nearby baby clothes store and the two women in front of her were talking about what stores in the mall would close. They said in unison the maternity clothes store-they had never seen anything so tacky. Jennifer felt like she was punched in the gut. The comments made her physically ill.

"Even though I was upset I never doubted my concept. I thought, 'I have to move to closer to the city, where they'll get this,'" she says.

Jennifer did move the store a couple of months later, but before she did she sold the $3,000 dress to a fashion stylist who worked for Jada Pinkett Smith, who wore the dress in a Vogue Vogue photo shoot. photo shoot.

"It just goes to show, you should trust your instincts," Jennifer says.

Jennifer's new location was on Melrose Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Naissance on Melrose is light and airy with blond wood floors and gold velvet curtains. There are no sailor dresses. Jennifer designs many of the clothes, which are form-fitting and echo her regular outfits-jean skirts, halter tops, funky T-shirts, and cargo pants. California cool. She even sells her designs wholesale to other maternity stores across the country. She says she generates about $3 million a year in revenue.

Jennifer isn't the only woman to cash in on her motherhood frustrations.

Beth Besner got the idea for her business after her son threw his plate like a Frisbee after eating at one too many restaurants.

"Every mother knows the peril she's in whenever she takes her child out to eat," Beth says.

Beth, who practiced bankruptcy law, created the Table Topper, a disposable placemat that adheres to restaurant tables so that toddlers can eat on a clean, stable surface.

The path from idea to viable product was fraught with disappointment, regrouping, and inventiveness. Initially the placemat was made of rubber with suction cups on the bottom. It would've cost $30,000 to make a mold for the first one. That was out of Beth's price range. Discouraged, she dropped the idea for a couple of months. She racked her brain for another way to make the placemat. In the bathroom one day she was looking at the maxipad box, she opened up a pad, ran into the kitchen, stuck it on the table, and pulled it up. The adhesive left no mark on the wood and it was strong enough that it wouldn't be dislodged by a toddler's little hands. Perfect. She found a cheaper and accessible way to make the placemat.

Had she given up at the first sign of an obstacle, the Table Topper wouldn't be carried in Toys R Us, lots of grocery stores, and Wal-Mart. There wouldn't be a product.

She created a company called Neat Solutions. Using her legal expertise, she patented the disposable placemat and negotiated contracts for its manufacture and distribution. The company has also developed another product, the Potty Topper, a disposable sheet that adheres to public toilets. She got the inspiration from the mess her toddler made with the slippery paper toilet seat covers in public restrooms.

"It started out really small. I was frustrated whenever I took my son out to eat or to a public toilet, and I knew other mothers were frustrated, too. I created Table Topper and Potty Topper because I needed them, but I didn't expect them to sell as well as they have."

Today sales are more than six figures a year.

"You can't go into a business thinking that you'll become rich. You have to believe in or love what you're doing. From idea to money-making company took years. If I didn't love doing this, I would've stopped long before the idea became successful," Beth says.

Laura, a spokeswoman for a clothing designer in New York, plucked inspiration from discomfort to start her business. Her infant was colicky for three months straight in the dead of winter. Laura was with him twenty-four hours a day in her apartment as he cried hysterically. It was too cold to take him outside and she was going insane. Her husband suggested they take a road trip down to Florida because if they were in a warm climate they could at least take him outside to cry.

"Everyone thought we were crazy for taking a twenty-hour drive down to Florida with a crying infant. But you know what? As soon as we got into the car he stopped crying," Laura says.

Laura and her husband started joking around about the soothing effects of a baby road trip. Along the ride, the joke morphed into a video idea and a business plan. For the next week, while they were in Florida, they took turns holding the baby and writing the plan.

"I always had ideas for businesses but I never did them. Having a child inspired me to think in a different way and to take the next step," Laura says. "After what I went through in labor, I had plenty of confidence and motivation to make things better for my son."

As soon as they got back from Florida, Laura did focus groups and pored over other infant videos on the market.

She made a list of everything she liked and didn't like. There are so many products out there she knew hers had to stand out. She created an idea for a video series that was educational and included real footage of circuses, beaches, and jungles as well as puppets.

Ruth's business idea came straight from her former career. Before she had a son, and took three years off to stay at home with him, she worked as a press liaison for a food manufacturer. As soon as her son started nursery school, she launched her own public relations firm.

"Public relations is an easier field to go back into than, say, corporate law. I always knew I could get another job, but what I wanted was freedom," Ruth said. "My approach was risky but I thought if I didn't do this now I never would."