I recently confirmed that I will be speaking at the 2007 Conference of Mocha Moms, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia in August. Mocha Moms is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting mothers of color who have chosen not to work full-time outside of the home in order to devote more time to their families. I serve as the National Work At Home Network Director for the organization, providing support and encouragement to other moms who are running home-based businesses while also managing their homes.
I do a lot of speaking, but I really relish the times I get to spend in a conference setting with other moms who are at home with their children while they are young. In my talk, I will be addressing a topic near and dear to my heart: "The New Family Business: How Moms Are Using Their Muscle To Create Familial Wealth."
I love being a member of Mocha Moms. I joined 6 weeks after the birth of my first child in 2001 when I was feeling especially lonely and overwhelmed. Through weekly support group meetings, family picnics and other events, I was encouraged through early breast feeding months and applauded for my decision to exit the traditional work force so I could be more available to my new baby. The stay at home mom lifestyle is not for everyone, but it sure was nice to be around like-minded moms so early in my season of life as a mother, when I spent much of my time looking like this lady — trying to sneak in a business call, get someone down for a nap and clean the spit up off the floor at the same time. Yikes!
For more information about the conference, and to register, click here.
If you are a mom who needs encouragement of any kind, Mocha Moms is a great place to start. Most states have at least one chapter and you can search for the one nearest you at their website.
