When we moved 6,000 miles away from our families 22 years ago, I never envisioned that I would end up working in the business my grandfather founded. Back then, there was no internet, no affordable international phone service, no email, and no digital photography. My children are now grown, and while I could theoretically seek outside employment, I have chosen a different path. This decision is a deliberate one, shaped by years of balancing family and work from home.
When we relocated, I had to find a way to balance my professional aspirations with my family responsibilities. Armed with an M.Sc. in Human Resource Administration, I initially shelved my degree to focus on raising my children. However, I soon found a way to utilize my skills by starting an English-language word processing business from my living room. This was during a time when computers were still a novelty in many offices.
My clients were primarily from nearby academic centers and the burgeoning high-tech industry. As word processing technology advanced, I transitioned into desktop publishing, creating books, brochures, and journals. I attended seminars and read extensively to expand my services into copywriting and marketing communication. Over the years, my portfolio grew, and I took pride in seeing companies succeed with the marketing materials I created.
While managing my business, I was also deeply involved in my children's lives. Despite the pressures of meeting deadlines and managing multiple clients, I was able to "be there" for my children, participating in school and club events. Over the years, I co-authored a book, established and published an online magazine with two women partners, and built an online business—all while my children grew up, served in the army, traveled, and started their own families.
One day, during a routine phone call, my father surprised me with a proposition: "I've been thinking... Maybe you see a way to use the internet for our business? Is there a way you could direct something like that?" At that time, I was at a crossroads. My husband was preparing for a two-week trek in the Himalayas, I was recovering from knee surgery, and my son was nearing the end of his army service. The downturn in high-tech and tourism had affected my bottom line, and I was looking for a new challenge.
I decided to take on the challenge of creating an online presence for our 90-year-old family business, Maurice Goldman Fine Jewelry. The learning curve was steep. Within two weeks of opening our eBay store, we encountered fraudsters. One potential buyer from Italy, David Bloom, tried to scam us with a fake escrow service. Thanks to my husband's analytical skills, we avoided our first virtual theft. We quickly learned that not all escrow sites are legitimate and that the one recommended by our "customer" was a fraud.
Other challenges included dealing with stolen credit cards, fraudulent escrow sites, money transfer scams, and bank check swindles. As my husband pointed out, the crooks are always a step ahead. My work vocabulary expanded exponentially, as did my respect for the business world and my father. Our business issues remained the same: sourcing new products, marketing and selling to a growing customer base, and avoiding theft and fraud. However, while my father dealt with the real world, my business was virtual.
The global reach of the virtual world is incredibly satisfying. Customers have told us that our online presence allows them to acquire goods that would otherwise be unavailable in their small towns. So here I am in Israel, promoting and selling jewelry located in New York to customers around the world, all without leaving my house. The process of building and managing the internet extension of our family business, while balancing family and home, brings me full circle. My cup runneth over.
Balancing family and work is a challenging yet rewarding journey. From starting a home-based business to joining a family enterprise, the experiences have been enriching. The virtual world offers endless opportunities, and the satisfaction of reaching a global audience is unparalleled. As I continue to juggle these roles, I am grateful for the journey and the lessons learned along the way.
