I started AtlantaMoms.com over 10 years ago, in the living room of our tiny apartment, while still recovering from injuries from a car accident. It was imperative that I kept myself busy while my 1.5 year old son kept himself busy even if for 10 minutes at a time, so I wouldn’t get depressed.
My brother-in-law introduced me to a web design software called Dreamweaver. I played around with it in my spare time. After spending a few weeks exploring Dreamweaver, I decided to take web design and development classes at Kennesaw State University via their online program (I still wasn’t able to drive much since the accident).
My self-assigned project during the web design and development classes was to build AtlantaMoms.com. I implemented the design and search engine optimization features I learned in the classes and by the time I completed the classes and received the web design and development certificate from the University, I had built a completely functional, interactive website where Atlanta parents could find local stores, events, services, and more. Then the emails and phone calls started pouring in. I received emails and calls from local businesses asking how they could advertise their business on AtlantaMoms.com. I wasn’t expecting or prepared for that! When I built AtlantaMoms.com, I was hoping to attract help local parents but it turns out that AtlantaMoms.com helps local businesses just as much by providing them with targeted exposure to their audience, local parents. Now, 10 years later, I am earning a full time income from AtlantaMoms.com and I also started another website in 2005 called TheMommyInsider.com. I work from home and although I struggle with balancing work and family life, I wouldn’t have it any other way. In the 10 years I’ve been operating AtlantaMoms.com, I haven’t received a grant or small business loan. If I won $25,000 from the Love a Local Business competition I would hire employees to help with the day to day operations, sales, and marketing efforts.
Did you know that small businesses provide more than half of our country’s jobs? That’s why it is so important to support our local businesses. Intuit knows what it means to be a small business. Intuit knows that small business owners work long hours, usually don’t have a lot of staff, and don’t have much money to spend on advertising in order to pull in more business. That’s why Intuit is sponsoring a Love a Local Business competition. They are awarding one deserving local business $25,000 each month for a total of over $1 MILLION in grants!
If you own a small business, enter the Intuit Love a Local Business competition.Take this chance to be able to expand your company, buy supplies for your business, or whatever you need to make your business even more successful with $25,000!
Click HERE to enter or if you aren’t a small business owner, nominate your favorite business!
It’s been very exciting starting my own business, and I’m curious to know:
What dream business would you love to start?
A bakery? A scrapbooking business? A website design firm?
By replying you will be entered to win an iPad 2!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Intuit’s Love A Local Business competition. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs July 6 to August 9, 2011. A random winner will be announced by August 11, 2011. Official Contest Rules
