Homeschool in a Smart Way - Pocket Homeschool

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melissa Brander, Founder of Pocket Homeschool, located in Milwaukee, WI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I run Pocket Homeschool, and I focus on providing homeschool parents with SMART Learning Collection resources. SMART is an acronym that stands for Simple to Implement, Meaningful Family Experiences, Academically Oriented, Reasonably Priced, Tools for Explorative Learning. I also give homeschool parents personalized support and advice through my community, the SMART Homeschool Society.

Tell us about yourself

My business, in many ways, grew out of what I already was naturally doing. I have been homeschooling my own children their whole lives. I was already sharing my advice, experience, and resources very informally, and friends of mine encouraged me that I had something valuable to share. I love serving other homeschoolers because I truly love homeschooling, and I want other families who are on this journey to grow and thrive as well.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Definitely starting my own membership - that took a big leap of faith! I'm really glad I did, though, as it's created connections that are amazing and beautiful.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

As a solo business owner, the hardest thing for me is wearing all the hats! I hope to be someday able to hire others to support me, but for now, it's a one-woman show. Some parts of my business come very naturally to me, but other parts take a lot of work to learn!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. If you're thinking about starting, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. Even if you've been running your business for a while and you're thinking about growing or trying something new, you can plan as much as you want, but you have to be willing to start.
2. You will fail along the way - and that's okay, as long as you use the failures to teach you something. You aren't a perfect person, so don't expect to run a perfect business.
3. Connect with others for support - reaching out to others in your field can be really helpful. Community over competition is valuable. No one is just like you so connecting with others won't make your light shine less.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://pockethomeschool.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pockethomeschool
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pockethomeschool/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pocket_hs

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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