The following is a guest post from Gwen Payne of InvisibleMoms.com.

After a few years as a stay-at-home mom, you’re ready to start earning real money again. There’s just one problem: you’re not ready to go back to the office. Whether it’s the high price of childcare, the challenges of juggling a 9-to-5 with motherhood, or a desire for better work-life balance, there are lots of reasons why women prefer to work from home.

Unfortunately, finding a remote job with flexible hours, good pay, and a family-friendly employer is like finding a needle in a haystack. Under these circumstances, it’s no surprise that more women are striking out on their own: According to The State of Women-Owned Businesses report, the number of women-owned businesses skyrocketed to more than 11.6 million in recent years.