No, this isn’t the default WordPress homepage. I wrote this. Stephanie Foster. No lorum ipsum here. Except for that one.
Sometimes it’s hard to know how to get started on these things. What is it that you really want to know about me? What do I really want to say?
I’m a writer. I’m good with technology. Math and I are friends (most of the time). I’m quiet until I’m not. You will find me a little odd once you get to know me. Or maybe a lot odd, but in a good way. My best ideas come from surprising places. I’m an entrepreneur, running my own websites for nearly 20 years.
And I’ve decided it’s time to bring my skills to work for others.
What Inspires Me?
My career has been inspired by the desire to help others.
I started out as a medical transcriptionist before remote work was common. I had so many people, especially new moms, ask me how to get into that field so that they could work from home too. I was always frank that working from home is NOT easy with small children, and it’s not for everyone.
I founded Home With The Kids so that I could share what I knew with a broader audience. Most importantly, I wanted to ensure that work at home job seekers knew how to spot scams.
Even when I started, there were more options than medical transcription for remote work, although there wasn’t the sheer range of options there are now. It truly amazes and delights me how many jobs can be done from home now. My old point about it not being easy to work at home with kids still stands, of course.
Then Covid struck.
During the Covid pandemic, I realized I was ready for a change. So many people suddenly jumped into remote work, and I was ready to get out and do some good. I found a job working for the county at Covid testing and vaccine sites.
That was an interesting job. I dealt with all kinds of people in all kinds of moods. There were people who were grateful for the work we did, and people who were angry at us. I dealt with it all as professionally as possible, no matter how strange things got. Strange doesn’t begin to describe some of it. It was a quiet day at work if I didn’t come home with some new story to tell.
Education
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communications from San Diego State University. I had originally majored in Physics, before realizing that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. But I’m still more comfortable with math, science, and technology than many others. I also enjoy a good math joke:
Skills
Along with the usual Google Suite and Microsoft Office skills, I can handle some SQL, Google Analytics, medical terminology, ChatGPT, and basic graphic design. What I don’t know, I learn when I see the need. That’s what has allowed me to run HomeWithTheKids.com for so long.
And I can write. A lot. Blog posts, social media posts, product reviews, ebooks, and more. I even created a job aid as a project in college with a real client.
Volunteer Work
From 2013 – 2021, I volunteered at Yucaipa Animal Placement Society (YAPS). Helping the dogs and cats there was so much fun, although I also did a lot of less fun work, cleaning, folding laundry, and such. It’s a great feeling when you get a scared animal to trust you, and a better one when they find their forever home. I remember so many cats and dogs fondly from there.
Did I adopt any pets? Of course I did!