My new twitter friend, Sugar Jones, is running a contest to give away a killer prize from HP. I mean really killer…

The reason I’m entering to win is because I am launching my training and support organization for women who work from home (or who want to work from home). I have discovered that my current equipment is no match for the challenges that lay ahead. : )

When I was first married, my three stepchildren were 4, 5 and 7. My brother was 8. Often, my stepkids half-sister, who was 2, would also visit. A couple of years later, we had a son together.

I had always worked, most often in a traditional job with a side business going. I had always had my own money. But now, I needed to be flexible for the schedules of five (sometimes six) children.

With a borrowed laptop and dial-up internet access, I started a direct sales business from home. I taught myself HTML because I needed a website. I began networking all over the internet, on message boards, connecting with people. I started implementing programs, like contests, that would get people to my site and fill out a form. People started requesting catalogs and placing orders. Before I knew it, my database was filled with over 10,000 names and my retail customers numbered over 3,300.

At some point, my husband and I went to the store for a real computer. I didn’t know what I needed, and we just got what the sales guy said was best (which remarkably was an HP Pavilion!).

I didn’t know much about hardware then, and considering my humble beginnings, anything new and shiny would work! My Pavilion gave me years of service. Now today, with all of the new applications that I’m using, I could really use the best again.

I will be hosting workshops and trainings locally, nationally and online through streaming media, to empower women who need or desire to create success from home. I will give a platform to other women, women who can share, empower and inspire those in need.

The additional notebooks that come in this package will allow the attendees to work on/set up their technology apps (like social networking) in real time. It’s truly teaching women to fish – navigating their way around technology and making it work for them.

And that copy of Kung Fu Panda? Oh, that will surely come into great use on days when we have a childcare option in the next room!

I am so grateful for technology. It has given so much to our family and my hope is to be able to use it to bring dreams to life for other families.

Thank you -

Ricci Neer