What Its Like to Work at Home as a Public Relations Consultant, Publicity Consultant, Maggie Holben, AbsolutelyPR

Maggie Chamberlin Holben, APR
Absolutely PR
maggie@absolutelypr.com
Lakewood, Colorado USA

Year You Started Working from Home: 1999
Hours per week you work: About 40
Happy at home index: 9.5 (1 - miserable, 10 – nirvana)

What kind of business do you have at home?
Public relations consulting -- specializing in media relations.

What did you do before you started a home business?
Director of PR for a Denver-based advertising and PR agency.

What was your biggest challenge in starting your home business?
I went "home-based independent" initially to better juggle the myriad of details to
help segue my elderly parents (now both deceased) into assisted living and nursing
care. I'm an only child, so hence the emphasis on "myriad of details." In 1999, the
"blackberry" was still a type of fruit, so if I wasn't at my desk, I felt out of touch.
Time and technology changed all that.

What has been your biggest challenge staying in business?
Managing my time and knowing when to tactfully say "no" to a potential client
relationship (the platter can get too full). Over the years, I've learned how to
effectively refer good client prospects to my colleagues, which is a win-win-win for
all concerned.

What do you love about working from home?
I can totally focus without interruptions from co-workers. Now, if I want that sort of
thing, I just tune in to an episode of "The Office." The other bonus is getting to be
around my darling calico cat, Rita, all day.

What do you hate about it?
Actually, nothing major, except I'm needing more space right now. Since inception,
I've had the office in our third upstairs bedroom. Plans are underway to expand
into a larger area in the basement, hopefully yet in 2007.

How do you inspire or motivate yourself everyday?
I'm an avid iPod music listener and I subscribe to XM Radio on my PC. My
favorites XM stations are Bob Edwards, Oprah & Friends and Hear Music.

How do you separate home life from your work life?
I just shut it down around 5, have a cocktail with my hubby and enjoy the evening.
I usually don't work on the weekend unless there's a special deadline (just like in
the non-home office days). I'm also eager to get the office relocated to the basement
to aid in the separation process.

Where is your office in your home?
Third upstairs bedroom, coming soon to the
basement.

What is your daily routine?
Log into my e-mail and start the day with my
cup of coffee. I'm already working while my
clients are still on the morning commute.
I shower and change into more traditional
business clothes midday before running
errands or attending a client meeting.

What is your biggest (or proudest) achievement so far?
This year, Colorado Bioscience Association named me "Partner of the Year." I was
honored and thrilled that the board thought that much of Absolutely PR's work
during the past two years.

What are you working on right now to grow your business?
I never stop marketing -- PR, networking, advertising and search engine
optimization for my websites: AbsolutelyPR.com, MaggieHolben.com,
DenverPRNewsroom.com, PublicRelationsNewsroom.com, Expert411.com and
Online-Presskit.com. Currently in the "birthing" process is the Media Comfort Zone
(at ReporterFriendly.com) to serve as a showcase of my PR bylined articles and case
studies.

What advice can you give about starting a home business?
Make extensive use of the Internet. While a home office doesn't have a traditional
brick and mortar "store front," that void can now be filled very effectively with a
great website (or several, as in my case).

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do (or not do)?
I'd do it all the same. All of the technology we have now available makes the task
easier than ever.

What do you do for fun when you’re not working?
I'm a movie buff -- every year my goal is to see all the Best Picture nominees in the
theatre before the awards telecast. A close second is a relaxing vacation in Maui.
During the past eight years, we've made it to Wailea beach five times.

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