The family was sleeping when Tanya Jackson was working. Her two children were at school while she was sleeping. Schedules often conflicted. Exhaustion was a constant companion. Sure, the money was good, co-workers nice and the job worthwhile, but it just wasn't a complete life. Not when schedules were more criss-crossed than an interstate cloverleaf. After all, who wants to be the ship passing in the night?

"The 11-7 shift was killing me," Jackson said. "With a 7- and 10-year old, I had to find something I could work from home so I could be with the kids."

And so began Hampton Roads Medical Billing in Williamsburg, Va.

Jackson had no training in medical billing. She worked in a brewery preparing hops for that Budweiser you drink after work but ironically never touched her own lips. Jackson turned to the internet search engine. Typed in entrepreneurship. Found medical claims. Came upon ClaimTek Systems at claimtek.com.

And then Tanya's life changed for the better.

"I thought, 'I can do this,' " she said. "I prayed on it and I knew I could do this."

Two years later, Tanya has several clients that fit around her active life of shuttling kids to activities while even slipping in a pilates class herself. After all, Tanya's schedule is her own. She works weekday mornings while the kids are at school. Anything left over can be finished later that evening.

Tanya just landed a chiropractor for her practice. There's a nurse practitioner and others. Finding clients wasn't that hard in the heart of one of America's colonial centers where George Washington and Thomas Jefferson once wandered the present cobblestone streets that later saw Robert E. Lee and Ulysses Grant pass through. She joined the local chamber of commerce and Better Business Bureau. Went to a lot of meetings to network. One referral led to another. One client even found Tanya through her website.

The biggest surprise Tanya encountered in starting her business? Just how easy ClaimTek's software program was to learn. This coming from someone with limited computer skills.

"The system is so user friendly, so easy," Tanya said. "Once you get it, you've got it."

Of course, Tanya wanted a company that was more than a software seller. She needed tech support and tutoring. Something more than a manual and a voice message.

"ClaimTek offered the support. I'm glad I chose them," Tanya said. ClaimTek is easy to work with. They offered more than other companies in terms of support and training. They returned my calls right away."

The nightshift is no longer a nightmare for Tanya, but she left a lasting impression on her friends. The ones who dream of escaping the grind themselves. They ask Tanya all the time how she did it. It's not a secret -- motivation and confidence.

"I tell them they can do it," Tanya said. "You have to be self motivated, but if you can set goals and set time aside you will get it done.

"I love my job. I plan to become a big company."