by Pam Rutyna
Thisweek Newspapers

When Cyndi Webb first got pregnant, she toyed with the idea of working from home. More than 12 years later, the Rosemount resident is able to raise her two children, all the while running her national Web site, Moms Network.

Her desire to work from home began when she was first pregnant with her son, Jesse. She was working at a local phone company and asked her boss if he would let her work part time from home.

"I was joking with my boss about working at home, and he granted it to me,î she said. "Since my job was computer-based, I could do it at any time of the day.î

But while she worked at home part time, that meant she still had to go into work part time. Webb found it increasingly difficult to leave her little boy.

She searched the Internet, which was fairly new at the time, for support from other mothers but had a hard time finding anything. "There wasn't much out there in the way of support for mothers working from home,î she said.

So in 1997, Webb started Moms Network. The Web site originally began as a way to offer work-at-home moms a way to build relationships with other work-at-home moms. It also served as a way for these women to gain exposure for their particular business.

"There are a lot of mothers out there who have side businesses and companies out of their home,î said Webb. "I wanted to provide an avenue for them to get their business name out there, but at the same time provide support.î

When she first began, Webb didn't have any experience with Web design. She taught herself everything she could and used free servers that allowed her to have a four- to five-page site.

Her vision was to grow the Moms Network site into a high traffic site and allow the work-at-home moms to benefit from its success.

"Our mission states that we are dedicated to offering the tools, resources and networking that moms need in balancing the important areas of their life,î said Webb. "Moms Network is built on the belief that we learn and grow most from each other and the relationships we build both personally and professionally.î

In the past eight years, Webb has grown her site and now includes a print magazine called "Moms Network Connecting @ Home.î She also puts together an annual expo for moms called "Celebrating Moms Expo,î which is held at Burnsville Center every October.

Moms Network has grown to include more than 20 Web sites that Webb mostly creates herself. These sites include various topics including a free online journal and blog, printable coupons, free cookbooks to download, free printables for kids and a free reminder service.

"We don't have a membership fee,î said Webb. "We wanted everything to be free. We've also listened to our free subscribers and what they wanted. So with all the sites we offer, I believe we've provided resources for every topic.î

Moms Network currently includes more than 500,000 subscribers nationwide and employs eight part-time people. Webb subcontracted some of the work to a variety of people from across the United States.

For example, she has an advertising representative from Illinois, a technology person who takes care of her two servers in Florida, and a vice president who lives in Ohio. She also enlists the help of her mother and husband.

While she has more help today than when she first started, Webb continues to design all of the Web layout, as well as the nine E-zines, or newsletters, that she sends out to her subscribers.

She also does most of the magazine herself, with the exception of some of the copy and the layout, which she subcontracts to a graphic designer.

The magazine is sent quarterly, and prints approximately 9,000 copies each time it's sent nationally. There is also a Minnesota version that includes eight extra pages distinct to Minnesota. That version prints 14,000 copies.

"This is a free magazine that is distributed at places such as churches, hospitals and moms' groups,î said Webb. "We call every place that distributes it to see if it's getting read. We also offer a subscription for a minimal fee if people want it sent to their house.î

The magazine includes a variety of topics for mothers and are written by women who are not only experts in their field, but mothers as well. "This magazine is for moms by moms,î said Webb.

Along with the Web site and magazine, Moms Network also puts out a "Celebrating Moms Expo,î each year. For the past five years, the expo has grown to more than 115 exhibitors in 2005.

"Last year, places at Burnsville Center ran out of food because there were so many people there,î said Webb. "We had exhibitors from all over the place, from Minnesota and California to Illinois and Michigan.î

The expo was so popular, Burnsville Center recently approached Webb to do another expo in June. The "Scrap N' Stamp Expoî will be held on June 10 and 11, 2006, at the mall.

And while Webb tries to provide her services for free, there are some things that cost money, including the actual Web site and magazine printing costs. In order to keep up with costs, her two advertising representatives sell advertisements for her magazine and online site.

Moms Network has grown to the point that it has attracted such advertisers as Disney, Cartoon Network, Creative Keepsakes, Veggie Tales and Balloon Time.

The presence of these big name advertisers reminds Webb just how large her Web site has grown.

"It started out with me, at home alone,î said Webb. "And has grown into much more than I ever thought possible. While I'm thrilled to be reaching so many people in the country, what's most rewarding is that I'm able to connect moms with other moms who can provide support.î

Pam Rutyna is at rosemount.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.

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