A bit of a dilemna

[SueC]

I just got an email from my client--another CORF (Comprehensive Outpatient Rehab Facility) that he communicates with is unhappy with their biller and wants reccomendations. He wants to know if I'm interested in another client. Not that I'd have it for sure, but I think I'd have a really good chance if I wanted it. I've been totally overwhelmed lately because my client's business has almost doubled (its great moneywise, I'm finally making a nice profit). I'm keeping up but barely, and being pregnant and tired isn't helping. I'm already worried how I will handle my business when the baby comes. Seems like a no-brainer for anyone who is still reading this message, but the catch is we are kind of hard up for the extra money another client would bring in. I'm almost reluctant to tell my husband about this because I don't think he really understands how hard the business and all of my other responsibilities are and I think he would want me to go for it. What do you all think? Should I try to make it work to put us in a better position financially or should I leave well enough alone.

[DCJenn]

Well, my first thought is this- why don't you find a nursery school or mom's day out program one day a week for your two older kids, they'll get to hang out with other kids, and you'll have one day to focus exclusively on work. I'm not talking about putting them in a program that would cost as much as you're going to bring in, but maybe there's an inexpensive program that could work.

Just a thought...

or, do you have a neighbor that you can trade a day with? It sounds like you could do it if you had time.

Jenn

[SueC]

Well, I actually already send the older two to mother's day out two days a week, plus I have a babysitter that comes in one afternoon a week. When the new baby comes, I plan to bring in more childcare to help out with the kids. Somehow, with 12.5 hours of childcare (assuming nobody stays home sick) it doesn't seem to be enough. I also feel a bit conflicted since the whole reason I started a home business was so that I could be at home for the girls. Right now I have as much childcare as I can possibly afford with how much I'm making. If I'm making more, then I can afford more, but I guess I need to weigh how much more I'll be making with how much childcare I'll need to make it work and decide if its worth it both monetarily and in regards for what I think is best for the kids. Maybe I need to hire an assistant???

Sue, that does sound tough. It seems like a good thing for you in the long run but with some big short run hurdles.

From my experience working at home, I really can't get much done with Bryn here and I really don't feel very available to her. Her arts and crafts desk is right next to my desk and I can usually work for 1/2 hour or so while she stays busy. Otherwise, I only work when she is at preschool or after she is in bed. It's just too frustrating for both of us for me to work while she is here. Maybe you can increase the afternoon sitter or add another day at the Mom's Day Out? Whichever is less expensive, maybe. I also found that if Bryn was in preschool from 9-3, I would think I had 6 hours to work. Not really....more like 5 1/2 by the time I drop her off, pick up, and settle in at home. I had to change my expectations a little!

Hiring someone to help you sounds like a great idea. That way you could add this new client and hopefully have someone trained by the time the baby comes. They could pick up extra work until you are ready to start working again. You might want to consider contracting the work out. That way you don't have to deal with having an employee, paying employment taxes for them, etc. I take a lot of work as a sub-contractor and it works really well for me and the people I am contracting with. In some cases, they take a cut of my hourly rate -- usually 10%. That is fine with me because I don't have to be the one writing proposals, dealing with the client, etc. If you did that, you would still be bringing in extra income from the new client even though you wouldn't do the day to day billing. And you would get some compensation for your time that will be spent on oversight, managing the client relationship, etc. You probably could go higher than 10%, too.

Good luck finding a solution!

[SueC]

I know what you mean about drop-off's and pick-up's cutting the day short. Technically they are in MDO from 9:30 to 2:30 but I really only get to work from 10 to 2. As it is I end up skipping lunch because I'm too busy to stop what I'm doing. Make that 10.5 hours of childcare per week. And it is pretty impossible to work during the girls' waking hours. They end up hanging around my desk rifling through my papers and screwing up my fax machine!!!

And it is pretty impossible to work during the girls' waking hours. They end up hanging around my desk rifling through my papers and screwing up my fax machine!!!

I hear you! It sounds like the still take a nap? That provides some good work time, too. It's just so hard when your day is broken up into small segments, I think.
Bryn likes my sticky notes, tape flags, stapler, and "pretty" legal pad paper. The fax machine is unplugged (I plug it in only when I need to send/receive). We have worked out which papers belong to whom...most of the time. I share my other stuff as much as I can -- except the sticky notes (mine, all mine!). I never knew my boring office supplies could be so much fun!

[SueC]

Unfortunately, only my 2 year old takes a nap, and somedays even she doesn't. I miss the days of a good solid 2 hours guaranteed naptime every day!!!

[SueC]

Sorry to keep rambling about this, though I think I have reached a little more clarity on the issue. I mentioned it to my husband last night and after the inital shock of me potentially doubling my income (and surpassing his which I have to admit would be kind of cool!), he said he thought I had way too much on my plate and thought I'd be unhappy if the new client were to take me away from the girls even more. That made me feel pretty good that he was prioritizing my sanity over money, and I decided that doubling the piles of paperwork on my desk really doesn't appeal to me right now. So I guess instead of bringing it here, I probably should have cut to the chase and talked to him in the first place! I was just so worried the either of us would be blinded by the money aspect and not think clearly on whether or not I should go for it. Anyhow, thanks for the advice Jennifer and Nellie (even if I didn't end up taking it! )

[Meenah]

Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!
Luanne

Sue,
I think that sounds great.
I'm sure you will have another opportunity like this come along at a better time for you. What a compliment that your current client suggested it -- they must be really happy with you!

[PrincessFiona]

Sue,

I'm a little late chiming in here, but congrats on making a decision that you feel good about. I have been agonizing over something similar....one of the profs is going on leave and I was offered the opportunity to teach her class in the Spring. This just seemed like an awesome chance for me to learn more, to teach and to really get my foot in the door...not to mention the fact that it would have meant more money, etc. I have agonized over this even though I found someone who does inhome daycare that would have taken Aidan for a few hours a week.

Today I met with the dept. chair and I declined the offer. Yes, Kelly is going to kill me. What I finallly decided is that in order to do a good job I would have to really devote myself to the project. It is a new course for me that would require a great deal of prep time. I could have done it but it would have meant that I would be really stresseds out, tired and my family would have suffered. It was very hard for me to step back out of my "but I really, really, really want to do this" mode and be honest with myself about my limits.

I am still going to do the lab coordinating next semester because it will require very little on-campus time during regular hours and Thomas and I have already worked something out so that he is at home the mornings that I do have to go in. This will still mean a little bit of cash in my pocket...so I'm not completely out of a job.

I did tell the dept. chair that if the course comes available again in the Fall to teach that I would be more than willing. It would give me the summer to prepare and would still be a very part-time on-campus gig...but this would also give me the chance to set the hours for the class so that Thomas could be home again with Aidan in the morning while I taught. He seemed interested in this option and told me that he would come to me in the Fall if the instructor doesn't come back...which is a possibility. For her sake, I hope that she does come back though...unless she finds a position where she is happier.

In any case, I can totally relate to the decision-making process that you went through. It's so hard to confont these kinds of choices....this is the part where I tend to whine "why didn't anyone tell me it would be like this"

Kris

[SueC]

I know what you mean Kris! It is hard to shift modes of working hard towards a goal (in my case starting a business) and then putting the brakes on when you get further then you thought you might. The money would have been awesome and in my case we really could use it right now, but when I really stop to think about what I want, it would be more work and less time with the kids, and I'm just recently felt like I found that balance (sort of--I doubt I'll ever truly be there!!). And I keep thinking long term, when my husband is done with his fellowship, we may move, and I don't even know if I'm going to continue my business or take a few years off. Anyhow, I feel good about the decision now, though I still daydream at times about what it would have been like to have more money coming in!!!

[PrincessFiona]

I hear you, Sue. I really agonized over this for an entire week. I hadn't even decided what I was going to do when I went up to the University this morning to meet with them. Funny how things work out.....

Even funnier is how little Aidan was while I was meeting with them. First, he immediately woke up once we started talking and began making grunting noises and filled his pants then when I picked him up, he decided that he was hungry and that it was time to eat and began trying to find the milk source....he turned his head and was making smacking noises/trying to nurse

I nearly died

kris