Meet "The Work at Home Woman"
Who Hardly Feels She's Working
I love a woman with chutzpah, especially a woman who uses that chutzpah to create a positive “work-life” scenario for herself and then others. Holly Hanna has done exactly this through her blog, The Work at Home Woman. Not content with the options she, herself, sought out when trading in her full-time, out-of-the-home nursing position for a career that made more sense for her and her budding family at the time, Holly gave up looking and decide to take matters in her own hands. Within minutes of her unenamored state, The Work at Home Woman was born -- turning this former healthcare professional into an avid online entrepreneur.
Today, Holly’s blog has become a valuable resource for countless women (especially moms) eager to remain in the workforce in ways suitable to their lifestyles and family choices. It is a one-stop-shopping mecca for everything “work-at-home” career-related, including helpful information, employment opportunities, and biographical stories of inspiration.
Driven by passion and the desire to do better for the very same women, who give their best to their loved ones everyday, Holly continues to demonstrate the importance of rising above mediocrity for the betterment of yourself and others. It’s a work ethic and life choice she hopes to inspire in her readers as she helps them find the perfect positions through The Work at Home Woman.
Like Holly, I believe that “teaching by example” is the best way to ensure success. Another way is to read Holly’s interview below. Enjoy getting to know her further, especially as you will, undoubtedly, feel Holly’s chutzpah jump right off the page throughout as you do.
What is your full name?
Holly Reisem Hanna.
Where do you live?
Austin, Texas.
How many children do you have?
One amazing daughter and two mischievous cats!
If you were asked to describe yourself in one word, what would that word be?
Honest.
What is your personal mantra?
I have two: “Everything happens for a reason” and “When one doors closes another one opens.”
When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Teacher, nurse, flight attendant, fashion designer, and mom.
Tell us about you and your life now.
I’ve always been a happy person, but having found my passion in my career, I am now completely content. As you can see from my answer above, I never really knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. This uncertainty carried on throughout college, where I changed majors numerous times.
Because I enjoyed traveling and learning about new cultures, I ended up graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Cultural Anthropology. I had no clue what I was going to do with this degree, so I ended up going back to school and became a Registered Nurse. While this job satiated my desire to helps others, it was extremely stressful and it didn’t make me happy.
It wasn’t until I got pregnant with my daughter that I decided to become a stay-at-home mom and explore some work-at-home career options. This is the journey that lead me to starting my blog and I’ve never been happier. I work from home - on my own terms - and I’m readily available for my family’s needs. And best of all … I never dread Monday mornings!
What do you believe is your life’s purpose?
To help other women achieve their “career bliss” — so that they can live life to the fullest, both personally and professionally.
How long have you been blogging for? Do you blog for any group blogs or websites beyond your own?
I’ve been blogging for 6.5 years and I absolutely love it! I contribute guest blog posts usually on a monthly basis. My most recent article was for SCORE, Austin.
What is the name of your blog? When was it launched?
The Work at Home Woman launched in March of 2009.
Share with us the significance of the name of your blog to you. How did you come up with it?
I wanted to include the keywords for my focus - working from home - so that’s where the “work at home” part comes from. I knew that I wanted to speak to women and moms, so that’s where the “woman” comes from. And I had to add “THE” because Work at Home Woman was not available.
What is the primary focus of your blog?
The Work at Home Woman is a one-stop-shop for home-based careers. It covers home-based business ideas and information as well as work-at-home job leads, career tips, and ways to make extra money.
What makes your blog unique?
Because I’ve “been there and done that” … it contains a lot of anecdotes from my own, personal experience. I’m also very picky with whom I work with and whom I let advertise on the site. If I don’t believe in a company or product, you won’t see it on the site.
Tell us about your blog in depth, including what you hope to accomplish through it.
When I worked as a nurse, I felt trapped in my career. I didn’t want to go back to school and I had no idea what to do next. All of these factors combined made me feel hopeless. I want to educate women and let them know that they don’t have to be trapped in career that makes them unhappy. To accomplish this goal, the site offers work-at-home ideas, job leads, information on running a business, career tips, and for inspiration, interviews with women who have found their “career bliss.”
Are you a Brand Ambassador and if so, for which companies?
I’m a Power of Broke Brand Ambassador for Daymond John. I’m a huge fan of Shark Tank and Daymond, so I’m very excited to be a part of this campaign!
Beyond your blog, do you engage in other social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, etc.?
Yes. I’m active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google Plus, and Instagram.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to moms who may be interested in beginning a blog?
Determine the target audience of your reader and potential advertisers. You may think they would be the same, but very often, they are not. For instance, when I started my blog, I knew that I was targeting women, mainly moms, in the United States. I used this target audience for potential advertisers as well, but women coming to the site didn’t care about baby gear and maternity products, they wanted career information! Once I applied what my target reader wanted to my advertisers, I was able to gain traction faster, which was a win-win for myself and my sponsors.
What do you do to decompress from the pressures of work, life, and blogging?
I turn off the computer in the afternoon (when my daughter gets home from school), and I keep it off at nighttime and on the weekends - this is "family" time. During our family time, we enjoy hanging out with friends and family members, playing board games, boating, and traveling. I also TRY not to be glued to my smartphone, but it’s an area that needs improvement.
What do you say to those who view blogging and bloggers as a hyped-up past-time engaged in by wanna-be journalists or entrepreneurs?
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Do you support – either formally or informally – a particular social cause? Explain.
I volunteer with Austin Women in Technology. Like The Work at Home Woman, their mission is to empower women. The technology sector is a male dominated industry, and I don’t want young girls or women to avoid careers in science, technology, engineering, or math because of fear, intimidation, or cultural norms. The more we can educate and connect women, the sooner we can breakdown the barriers to entry.
When all is said and done, what is the one thing you hope your loved ones and those who knew you remember about you?
How grateful I am that they are in my life and how much I love them!
I must say, I found it ironic that Holly noted her concerted efforts to put her smartphone away, when engaged with her husband and kids, in lieu of the topic featured in February’s “Editor’s Xtra.” There is much to be admired about this “wizard of the working world” as there is to be gained by you, given you make your way over to The Work at Home Woman regularly.
No matter the number of kids you are rearing, the location in which you live or the type of position you are seeking, there is something for every woman and mom to learn and employ from The Work at Home Woman. All you need do is begin HERE.