Shannon Davis was at home with two small children when a nagging thought just wouldn’t go away: There has to be a better way for stay-at-home moms to leverage their skills and still be around for their children.
Davis never wanted to be an entrepreneur. She just wanted to do something that she enjoyed with flexible hours, ideally a job that could draw on her master’s degree in instructional technology and distance education. Instead, she found administrative jobs that didn’t interest her or corporate jobs that weren’t flexible.
“I couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I just created it,” she said. “I wanted to be able to look for jobs that fit my schedule. I had many conversations with friends and other amazing women who faced the same challenge.”
In less than a year, the job board, BeyondMotherhood.com, has about 2,000 mothers and 450 employers signed up nationwide, ranging from Tiffany & Co. and the Container Store to small start-up companies and a handful of large employers. The company was supposed to feature just Northeast Ohio businesses like the Cleveland Clinic, a title sponsor, but word spread fast online.
Davis said she spends a lot of time e-mailing women nationwide, seeking their patience in listing jobs in other parts of the country. “My goal is to have something for everyone.”
Photo by Chris Stephens.
Matching Women’s Skills With Employers’ Needs
August 26, 2008 by Rich | 2 Comments
In Telecommuting, Women, Work at Home
jaeda on August 27th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
good thing for her, she had created the thing she wants.
cassy on August 29th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Very inspiring!