In a coaching session I had a few months ago, I told the coach about my desire to provide a service to women (moms, in particular) who wanted to work from home, doing something they loved while being with the people they love the most: their family members.

My coach, Tala, was instrumental in helping me find a path towards this desire. Later on, my WAHM mentor (Ms. Holly of The Work at Home Woman) advised me to brainstorm the many different aspects of my work-at-home profession that could serve that specific niche I was aiming for.

The result of these coaching and mentoring sessions bore fruit, and filling in a specific need became the key aspects of my freelance services, which are:

1. Consulting. Whether it’s for their business or for pleasure, I’ve been able to help women start their own blogs and websites. (You can see samples of those on my services page.)
2. Content creation. My freelance writing service revolves around creating content for the marketing needs of small businesses and women-run businesses. For instance, I help mombiz owners create the marketing materials et al that they need for their websites and online stores.

WAHM Tip: Find a need and fill it.

Finding that niche where I could offer my services to a specific market and creating that service for them was like making sure each client had the perfect cup of coffee, made just the way they want it. (Hence, the Pin-able on this page: Do “pin” it, if you like!)

It takes time to find the right type of clients for you as a work at home worker, but you can get a head start by applying this tip:

If there’s a need in your niche market, step in and fill it.

I mean, this is the key to any business out there that has become wildly successful.

Case in point: The Mercato Centrale weekend lifestyle market.

The need: Mercato Centrale’s originator, Anton Diaz, saw the need for foodies in Manila to get their wares out in front of interested consumers and fellow food enthusiasts.

The solution:  Together with his business partners, Anton conceptualizecreated a weekend market venue that had a specific brand, one that was specifically targeted at foodies. Now, the Mercato brand has been identified as one of the city’s best hubs for some of the best gourmet, home-made, organic and unique foods. They have since established other similar markets in Alabang, Makati, and most recently, in Quezon City.

The Mercato concept actually spawned from Anton’s successful blog, Our Awesome Planet, which is the Philippines’ top food blog and one of the most-visited websites in the country. Today in the Philippines (and among Pinoy readers abroad), foodie-ism has almost become synonmymous with the Mercato weekend market. Boom: a successful business.

You can offer value. You just have to know where.

What need can YOU fill in for other women or moms? Is there something valuable that you can “plant” as a business and nurture into something profitable so that you can work from home? You are much more likely to attract (and keep) clients if your service offerings or business answers an existing need.

I wanted to use this blog (and the brand I’ve built with it) to fill in a need that was an oft-asked question: “How can I be a work at home mom?” Since starting this blog, I’ve gotten lots of emails from women asking me the same thing. The most recent outcome of this need is a partnership with an awesome company that is passionate about bringing one-of-a-kind events to specific niche audiences — a company I’m happily partnering with for Dainty Mom’s next, new project.

I wanted this blog to become synonymous with the term “work at home maker,” or a woman/mom who wants to work from home while making a home. That’s why together with the innovative events company, Manila Workshops, I’ll be launching my first ever venture workshop, just for women who are working from home or would like to be a WAHM. The first event will be this October 27! (You’ll find the full details here.)

Remember the take home point: If there’s a need in your niche market, step in and fill it. You may be at the brink of something great; you might have the answer to someone’s pressing need — and a hundred (even thousands) more like that someone. Think about it, research, study the market. What need can you fill for your niche?

Would you like to know how you can fill in a need, provide a service or business for others, while still making a home? Then join “It’s a WAHMderful Life: A Work at Home Moms 101″ this October 27. Visit www.ManilaWorkshops.com, or the WAHMderful Workshop page here on Dainty Mom, to know more about how you can be a work-at-home professional!