When my first son was born eight years ago, I was a consultant for Creative Memories, a scrapbooking company. Like this next mom entrepreneur, I soon became a scrapbook dropout after my son turned one. My second child who was born three years later has no scrapbooks or picture albums. I was so burnt out creating them for my first child that I never went back.

That is why I love Cathy Bennett’s product. Cathy is the owner and founder of How Fast They Grow, LLC , which she established in 2007. Six months after the birth of her son, Cathy realized she would never be able to put the title ’scrapbooker’ on her mommy resume. She had visions of becoming a great scrapbooker because she considered herself at least somewhat creative and sentimental. But despite her best efforts to buy supplies, cut, paste and journal, she found the hobby impossible once her son was born.

Cathy now the mom of two children, created the idea for digi-scrapbook™ where you can create, edit and save your scrapbook pages online or have them printed out. Like most online retailers however, she did see a cut back this year in purchasing of the product. Cathy acted quickly and implemented strategies to boost sales. Here is her story…

How has this economy affected you, your business and your family?
Since it’s just been 17 months since I started, we’ve been tracking month over month sales vs. year over year sales as a more relevant comparison. Sales were up month over month consistently, until October, 2008. We noticed a noticeable shift in the size of orders and the number of orders. It was enough to sit up and take notice.

Every other business owner I talked to had a similar reaction to the October results, regardless of industry. We took a hard look at what we were doing and in November and got more aggressive with our campaigns and discounts as well as doing a permanent price reduction. November sales came back and we had a record month. People are responding to the price change well.

How are you making lemonade from lemons?
Luckily, I’ve benefited from two really positive market trends, even in this economy. The first is the growth of digital photography and the second is the interest level in cool new web-based applications, or Web 2.0. People are enjoying the creativity they have online, and our digi-scrapbook is a fun, free way for people to have a creative outlet. Moms also see my business as a huge savings or bargain relative to traditional scrapbooking.

The core of my target market is a group I affectionately call “scrapbooking dropouts,” the moms that became disenchanted with the hobby of scrapbooking due to the time and money it takes. I try to spur additional activity through free shipping and other incentives. We also bend over backwards on customer service, and it has definitely paid off.

Specifically we:

• Lowered our per page prices from $7.50 to $5.50.
• Created value-oriented holiday messages to our customers.
• Communicated the value of digital scrapbooking over traditional scrapbooking ($5.50 per page vs. average of $10 per page).
• Expanded our designs from 190 a year ago to 486 currently.
• Moved all our PR and marketing in-house.

Any encouraging words you would like to offer mom entrepreneurs?
If you are just coming up with a business concept, this is a great time to really evaluate the marketplace and ensure your idea is focused and targeted. Since money is so tight right now, there is only upside to a well-strategized business plan that can be executed now and grown as the economy comes back. Businesses that survive this recession will become stronger because of it.

For more information, visit howfasttheygrow.com or email help@howfasttheygrow.com.

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Inspiring Women: Cathy Bennett

Women get paid less than men, in part, because women are less likely to ask. Especially young women. Myers cited a fascinating study from Carnegie Mellon University that studied a bunch of graduate students who were going out into the world to find their first post-college jobs, and found that men often got higher starting salaries were an astonishing seven or eight times more likely to just ask. And did you know, that by failing to negotiate that first salary, women stand to lose $500,000 by the time they’re sixty?  Women, apparently, are much more timid when it comes to negotiating their salaries and asking for what they’re worth.

There still aren’t enough women in politics, business, science, and academia. Women currently occupy 75 seats out of 438 in the House, and 16 of 100 seats in the Senate. 77 percent of university presidents, in a 2006 study, were male. Women held 14.7% of all Fortune 500 corporate board seats in 2007.

What would happen if women ruled the world? The main argument that Myers is making is that if women had more access to power, the world could be a better place. Women are exceptionally talented at communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and leadership (and she cites plenty of studies to back that up– read her book if you want all the evidence). Getting more women in positions of leadership in politics and business could lead to fewer wars, it could give a huge economic boost to developing countries; it could improve the environment, economy, and education system, which could have a huge ripple effect. Communities could be healthier, businesses more productive.

It’s also worth noting that she’s not a man-hater, although I’m sure she’ll get called that, since most feminists get called that at some point. In fact, I doubt you can be a really successful, notable feminist without being called a man-hater, bitch, or whiner at some point. But despite that, it is worth noting that she is a feminist but NOT hating on men. She thinks women should rule the world…but alongside men, not without men.

I often get a lot of questions and funny stares when people, particularly people in college, find out I write for a political website specifically for women. Is it feminist, people ask? No. So then why do women need their own site? Well, in part because when men talk about politics they claim to speak from a universal point of view, but when women talk about politics it’s still seen as a “minority” point of view — or I wouldn’t get such reactions in the first place. A political website written for and by women still elicits a double-take from most people because it’s still an uncommon thing. But it’s a necessary thing — and that’s why we’re doing it.

When men talk about politics as if they are experts, people listen and believe them. When women talk like experts, even when they are experts, they have to prove their credibility first and then people listen (maybe — but if they have a bad hair day or something, forget it). The problem Myers highlights in her fantastic book is exactly the problem that CJP exists to fight: the tired belief that women can only succeed in the corporate world and political world by becoming more like men and hiding the things that make women different.

Instead, what needs to happen is that women need to own their differences and talk about how our differences are positive, instead of hiding them. And people, particularly women themselves, need to recognize that our differences can actually make the world better.

Hear, hear! That’s what we’ve been hollering about at CJP forever!

Nisha Chittal is a writer and journalist who currently serves as Associate Editor of CitizenJanePolitics.com and is a political columnist for UniversityChic.com. Her personal blog is Politicoholic, where she offers commentary on a range of topics, including but not limited to politics, technology, and the changing role of women and Generation Y in politics today.

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What would happen if women ruled the world?

Share your success. It is incumbent on the person being promoted, according to Mark Meloy, President and CEO of First Business Bank, to pull others along with them. Make sure that as you become more successful, your leaders feel that their careers are moving forward as well.

Network to problem-solve. Finding groups that help you problem-solve will save many a headache, according to Brett Armstrong, CFO of the IT company Trident Contact Management. Like if you’re being audited, the group will have your back. But choose your involvement wisely, Armstrong advocates, since you only have a certain amount of time and need to spend it wisely. If you’re only half-involved then that is how people will know you.

Balance… well, it’ll all even out in the end. First, you have to decide if you want a job or a career, according to Mark Meloy. If it’s a career you decide upon, make sure you’re engaging in a two-way street. Work and life won’t always balance out that day, week, or month, but equilibrium will be found. Eventually. Meloy walks the talk at First Business Bank. When his employees go on vacation, they are not allowed access to email and have only limited access to voicemail. The company gives vacation, he says, for a reason.

A vision can’t just be a pie in the sky. A vision must be a concrete vision, according to Donna Sollenberger, President and CEO of UW Hospital and Clinics. To create the right vision, you must find the right direction for your organization to take. To do this, look at the industry trends and listen to your market. Then build a case, a good solid argument, and back it up with data to demonstrate where you need to go.

Entrepreneurs – socialites, control-freaks, risk-takers, and self-promoters. So says Curt Brink, a successful real estate developer. You must not only deal with a wide range of people in entrepreneurship, he argues, but you must also follow through on getting things done. Don’t be afraid to try something new, because once you’ve done it, you then understand how to do it better. A successful entrepreneur likes being in control, but can delegate fully. If you don’t, no one will grow. By the way, Brink was unconsciously promoting his current and past projects the entire time he was talking. That’s called passion. Get some.

Do a lot, and make sure everyone knows. Don’t let anyone pigeon hole your talents, says Annette Knapstein, Vice President of Office Administration at American Family Insurance. Stretch yourself, develop new talents and volunteer for different committees. And then, make sure everyone knows it. If they don’t know, it doesn’t exist.

Leadership is lonely sometimes. A good leader and manager makes effective decisions and communicates clearly, while putting the right people in the right spots. Not always easy, according to Gary Wolter, President and CEO of MGE. To illustrate his point, Wolter told a story about a receptionist he saw year after year. Each morning, the receptionist would say, “Hello, Gary.” Yet, when Wolter was promoted to CEO, the next morning was different. “Hello, Mr. Wolter,” the receptionist said. Leadership fundamentally changes relationships and people expect different things of you. People who were your peers, you now supervise, and while you can still be friendly, you can’t talk about the boss anymore because you are the boss. The support group that you had developed, who had remained loyal to you, and helped you along your journey has changed. Be prepared.

Throw an open door party daily. Reaching out to younger people for fresh air is essential, according to Richard Lynch, President of J.H. Findorff & Son, who had a great sense of the upcoming workforce. He recognizes that young workers are entrepreneurial, and need a flexible and honest environment to work in. He has an open door policy for this purpose and subsequently attracts the brightest young workers.

Speaking of honesty… Surround yourself with people who will tell you that you’re an idiot, says Gary Wolter. Look both inside your organization, and outside, for individuals you can bounce ideas off of, and who can communicate with you effectively and honestly.

Rebecca Thorman (www.modite.com) gives career advice for the next generation of workers. Barely out of college, Rebecca job-hopped her way to becoming the Executive Director of MAGNET, an organization dedicated to attracting and retaining young talent in her region. During that time, she also began authoring the blog Modite, featured in several media outlets including the New York Times as the key community for Generation Y leadership. Rebecca is known for writing candidly from experience.

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Advice from top Executives, Presidents, and CEOs

Every woman should own a pair of comfortable, black leather boots that accentuate her legs, remain stylish year after year and give her the confidence to venture out in the cold. I found my beloved Enzo Angiolini boots a little more than three years ago, at the end of the season. The knee-length boots are fitted without a zipper, and perfectly cradle my ankles. The two-inch kitten heel makes them suitable for long walks. Best of all, they were heavily discounted.

The catch? Well, reporters are supposed to pound the pavement. And I tend to do so with extra enthusiasm. So halfway into the season, without fail, I manage to scratch the leather off the stem of the heel, which, by that time, I have already rubbed down to the metal underneath.

Since I couldn’t bear to part with the boots, I became friends with the local shoemaker, a meticulous Italian man who worked out of a little shop on Victory Boulevard in Staten Island. His shop smelled of leather, oil, shoe polish, and … pride. He was a true craftsman.

Then, last spring, he shuttered the doors. Rent had gone up and it was about time he retired, he said.  He isn’t alone. Today, only 7,000 shoe repair shops exist in America. Only a decade ago, there were 12,000. “The trade is dying off; people go to college and do other things,” says Jim McFarland, a third-generation craftsman and member of The Shoe Service Institute of America’s board of directors. “Instead of repairing shoes we buy new ones and there’s a lot of cheap footwear out there,” notes Ilye Romanov, the 25-year-old entrepreneur who gave my boots a new shot at life.

Too busy to find a repair shop after the Victory Boulevard one closed, I had stuffed the boots into my closet and forgotten about them — until I heard about Romanov’s AmericanHeelers.com, which bills itself as the world’s first online shoe repair. The two-year-old company offers heel stem recovery ($29.99) in addition to shortening the length of high heels ($29.99), dyeing shoes ($21.99) and fixing tassels ($11.99). The company has recently branched out into orthopedic work, building up shoes for those with leg-length discrepancies, through a second Web site, www.orthopedicshoelift.com.

The process is quite simple and not all that different from getting movies through Netflix. Customers log onto AmericanHeelers.com and choose the shoe repair service needed. Within two to three business days, a postage-paid, self-addressed bag will arrive in the mail. Customers stuff their shoes into the bag and drop it in a mailbox. A cobbler based in the American Heelers headquarters in Ohio fixes the shoes. Those who chose not to prepay by credit card are billed via Pay Pal. The shoes are then mailed back within five to seven business days (about the same wait time one would expect at a traditional shoe repair shop).

Romanov, whose father has owned a shoe repair shop since the early ‘90s, when the family emigrated from Kiev, says he created the site because he “saw there was an opportunity.”

“Most other businesses have online presences; the shoe repair industry really does not,” he explains.

Romanov had not grown up planning to join the family business. He never learned the trade and instead, attended the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University. “My father never wanted me slaving over one shop,” he says. “That’s why he sent me to college.”
Upon graduating, Romanov began a career at a boutique equity research fund. As a sideline, he persuaded his father to let him create a company Web site. The site launched in November 2006, and orders came pouring in, mostly through referrals.

Today, American Heelers employs four full-time cobblers. In 2007, an estimated 1,000 customers placed orders. The company is on track to grow its customer base to 3,000 in 2008, with the average customer spending between $50 and $65.

“My goal is to revolutionize the way people get their shoe repairs done,” he says. “Eventually, the goal is to shift the industry from a brick-and-mortar business to the Internet.”

Tamar S. Snyder is a New York-based journalist specializing in business, personal finance, education and careers. She holds a master’s in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is a frequent contributor to AOL and MSN. Her work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, Edutopia Magazine, and The Jewish Week.

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Attending to Wounded Soles

I chose to do it because I believe that today’s consumers want transparency; they want to know what they are going to pay and what they are going to get for what they spend. Despite having this desire as a consumer myself, I kept my business rates clouded and a little bit confusing up until a few months ago.

It’s interesting: at a restaurant, they will put their prices right up front, but they will keep their recipes secret. In a retail store, each item is marked, but they may not tell you from where the item came. In a marketing firm, they usually keep both their pricing and their methods somewhat secret.

There is a great video about this concept that you might want to check out: The Benefits of Radical Transparency. Let me know what you think!

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Transparency in Marketing

Peter presents Why Self Awareness is Fundamental to Personal Growth (& How to Cultivate It) posted at The Change Blog. “The more doors we open the more doors we discover there are to be opened. Self awareness is the very beginning of personal development. It may very well be the ultimate end.”

Stephen says, “Hi Chandra, There are many tools out there that will help you get the most out of the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction is always working and running in the background - whether you use the tools or not. The fastest way that I know to manifest with the Law of Attraction is to use the ‘Appreciation Sob’. It has produced miracles for me out of thin air and it puts the Law of Attraction into over drive. See the article to learn more.”

Stephen Martile presents Accelerating the Law of Attraction (Appreciation Sob) posted at FreedomEducation.ca by Stephen Martile.

Surfer Sam says, “Do you truly know yourself? Do you like the person you see? Would you like to become a better person? Self-esteem is the value you place on yourself. It is your sense of personal worth, along with your confidence and your respect for yourself. You have hopes and dreams for yourself, but you don’t know how to reach them. There is a gap between wanting and having, a gap between desiring and realizing your desires. Take heart. You can make changes in your own life, real and lasting changes.”

Surfer Sam presents Building Self Esteem. Skills for Self Improvement and Self Help ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends.

MBB presents How To Become A Self Made Millionaire posted at Money Blue Book.   The Process Of Becoming A Millionaire Is Not A Get Rich Quick Scheme, But A Patient and Systematic Approach To Earning, Saving, and Investing Money.

Zhenren presents What is your motivation? posted at Seeing. Knowing. Doing.  He says, ” When your motives first formed, you were a different person, in different circumstances. Recognise this, and you may find that your motive evaporates in the light of your awareness.”

Kelly Turner presents Appetites: Why We Supress Them and Why We Should Stop posted at Grounded Fitness.  Kelly says,  “Women have so many more opportunites than we did 100 years ago. We can vote, go to college, hold jobs- more doors are open to us than ever before. We are equal; we are entitled; we are human. Why do we continue to be ashamed of and supress our most human desires?”

Jeff presents Core advice lasting you a lifetime posted at Gobs Health.     “Here is an article on a book I have high esteem for. It’s a summary of core principles created by Dale Carnegie and my reaction on how they can improve relationships with almost anyone.”  

Chris Edgar says, “Many of us, rationally or otherwise, get nervous in social situations because we worry that others are going to verbally attack us and we’ll be unable to “defend” ourselves.   How do we overcome this fear and regain a sense of composure in our interactions? In this article, I describe three approaches I’ve used myself and in working with others.” 

Chris Edgar presents Calling A Truce In The “War Of Words” posted at Purpose Power Coaching.

Mike Salara presents HOW TO MAKE PATIENCE WORK FOR YOU posted at Mike Salara.

Pearl mattenson presents What do you think of me? chameleon qualities - strengths - handwriting | Carrie and Danielle posted at Carrie and Danielle.     Pearl says, “I believe we are infinitely complex and there is no end to the ways in which we can surprise ourselves.”

Louis Burns presents Crafting Mental Movies For Others posted at NLP Marketing Blog.  This article is about not only visualizing your own goals but the experience you want other people to have as well.

In a national competition, Chandra Alexander, MSW, was selected by THE OPRAH MAGAZINE as the Life Coach to deliver a series of coaching sessions to the grand prize winner of their prestigious Toyota Moving Forward contest. She also spent five years on NBC/TV “DAYTIME” giving a weekly “Reality Check”. Chandra has been living and teaching authenticity for the last 30 years and is the founder of Coaching for Authenticity, a place to explore and discover the essence of who you really are.

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A for Authenticity Blog Roundup

1. Do Not Send E-mail: This seems obvious, but it’s not. We’re so used to being able to type off a quick response to someone that we forget sometimes that e-mail should never, ever be used to express anger or frustration. It is simply not a good tool for such severe emotions. Now, sometimes it can be a helpful form of venting in the heat of the moment to DRAFT an e-mail in Microsoft Word (so that there’s no chance of it being sent), but never, ever send it!

2. Do Not Approach Facebook: In today’s world, it seems as if everyone is jotting down thoughts and activities. “Just got back from Starbucks,” “Waiting for the train,” and “Loving my new haircut!” are all appropriate things to mention on Facebook, Twitter, and the many other social networking sites that we enjoy. Not so appropriate are notes like “I hate you Jimmy!” or “Jane is a b*tch.” When you feel that way, it’s probably better to write it on the bathroom wall than on a social networking site - the consequences will be much worse online.

3. Do Not Blog: Sometimes a blog is a wonderful place to be “real” and let the world know what’s going on in your world. When you are angry though, it might be good to write what you feel in a more physical medium (say, a journal or a Word document) and then sleep on it for 24 hours before posting it online for the world to see. It’s amazing how a little bit of time can make a huge difference in how we see things, and while all feelings are valid in the moment, you might not want to remember them for prosperity.

In short, when anger gets the best of you, perhaps it is best to avoid the computer alltogether. Go outside, take a walk, write the old-fashioned way. After all, most anger is (thankfully) fleeting, and can be replaced by more manageable emotions with some thought and time.

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3 Things You Should NOT Do When Angry

I just have to tell you how exciting it was last week to be invited by the Governor and his wife to their home—They live on the second floor in the Governor’s mansion in Salt Lake City. Because I am a docent (as I have said before) we were on the guest list with about 300 others. As we were standing in line I saw Jake Garn (a congressman who went into space) which was pretty fun for me. The governor walked over to me, shook my hand and then we stood with him and his wife to have a photo taken with them and the Lt. Governor and his wife.

On the third floor in the ballroom we had wonderful H’ordourves. I was thinking of all the things that have to be organized for an open house this size or for an intimate one in our own homes. So today I am sharing some organizing tips for a successful open house on a much smaller scale.

Organizing Tips when planning a party:
1. Plan size, type, date, time and place.
2. Write out the guest list.
3. Send the invitations—either by e-vite on the computer or through the mail.
4. Decide what food will be served and how it will be served.
5. Shop for the ingredients.
6. Check the serving pieces to ensure there is enough and that they are clean.
7. Make the food if you’re not having it catered.
8. Plan what activities you are going to have—games, eating, drinking, or movies etc.
9. Welcome guests with open arms and have fun at your own party!
10. Be sure your plans have included you to be at the party and not stuck in the kitchen. Your guests came to be with you, not your home.

What organizing tips do you have that make a successful open house/party?

Marilyn Bohn is an energetic, lively, compassionate, hard working and creative organizer. She was born to organize! Before becoming a professional organizer she worked professionally in diverse environments. She is involved in her community, providing her clients with a broad base of experience and knowledge.  She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO).

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10 Organizing Tips To Have A Fun Open House Party

An inevitable result of our constant rushing around in celebration of the season is that I am not able to follow my usual fitness routine. Luckily, my wellness coach, Nora, suggested that I write into my calendar “Life Will Be Normal Again” on Monday, Dec. 29. Having this firm date in my mind allows me to go easy on myself when I just can’t squeeze in the exercise that I know I need.

This week we have a different family member coming over each night to light the candles, and next weekend will be our big family Christmas, as my brothers will be with their wives’ families on the 25th. My goal is to simply do the best that I can in regards to exercise and eating, constantly reminding myself that life will be normal again next week.

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Life Will Be Normal Again

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In a recession, should you settle?

Tell us about yourself? 
Hazel Walker:I am a mother of 3 adult children, I have owned my own businesses for 20 years now and I am always seeking new opportunities and challenges.  I own 3 businesses and a fourth possibility on the horizon. I believe that my purpose in this life is to be a contribution.  So everything I do I  ask myself, “Will this be a positive contribution to others.”  I love my life, it has not been an easy life, but I have learned and gained so much from each adversity.  Each one has come together to create the person I am today. 

What made you become an entrepreneur?
HW: It had never been my intention to be a business owner.  In my late twenties I found myself suddenly a single mother of 2 little girls and a go nowhere job with a bank.  When I asked my boss at that time for a raise and promotion, she said no and made this comment “No, and you need to get use to doing what you don’t like; you have two kids to feed.”  I gave my notice and left the job, went on welfare, got into a training program for Word Processing, (using a WANG) and completed the class early and number one!  I went to work for an entrepreneur and ran his office while he was starting a new telephone equipment business.  I was fascinated by the start up process, being your own boss…wow.  

I later married a man who owned an insurance agency and became a stay at home mom with 3 kids.  One evening after going with my daughter to a Girl Scout banquet, I came home to a missing husband and son.  After some phone calls, I found my husband in the hospital with a brain hemorrhage.  Our 4-year-old son had saved his life after a fall down the stairs.  My husband could no longer work and someone needed to learn to run that Agency.  

I had to get my insurance licenses, learn how to SELL insurance, learn how to underwrite insurance, learn how to run a business, learn how to network and how to manage my family at the same time.  It was truly trial by fire.  At this point, it was important for me to learn how to network to find more potential clients.  So I read everything I could get my hands on and about this time I was introduced to this small organization called “The Network” now called BNI.  I started a chapter and learned everything, then became an assistant director to the director of “The Network” and in 1998 bought the BNI Franchise (The Network) from her.   In 2000 I sold my agency, by the time I sold it, it had become ‘By Referral Only.’  

You see, adversity creates opportunity; I never ever would have become a business owner if my husband had not had such a tragic accident, (he later went on to find a job in the insurance industry, but nothing was ever the same for him.)  Adversity can make you or break you. Look for those opportunities that are often hidden in the smoke of the fire. 

Once I became a business owner, I found a passion for it.  I am a natural thrill seeker, and being an entrepreneur is a thrill.  Learning new things, new ways of doing things, and implementing them then teaching them to others is a thrill.    

Tell us about your business? 
HW: Today, I do many different things, all tied together.  I own and run a very successful award winning BNI Franchise in Central and Southern Indiana. I took a mortgage on my home and a loan from family members to buy the franchise, it was a very scary moment, but I acknowledged the fear and I did it anyway.  BNI is a referral organization allowing one person per profession in any individual chapter.  The purpose of the group is to build credibility with fellow members and pass referrals to one another in a non-competitive structured manner.  I learn a lot from BNI.  I became a Toastmaster to learn to be a better speaker, in becoming a better speaker I have become a better writer. 

I started training, speaking and consulting company called Crystal Synergies.  In this organization I began to develop programs to teach others. I joined the National Speakers Association to build my speaking and training business.  I speak at conferences around the world, write, coach women around starting and running their businesses so they become business owners and not just self-employed. 

Three years ago another opportunity came along with the Referral Institute.  Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and the world’s foremost authority on Networking, created the Referral Institute as a way of teaching others the value of networking well, with a system so that they could build businesses they love.  I bought that franchise; Referral Institute is only a few years old and has been voted a top franchise to own.   I will put 200 students through our Referral Dynamics Program here in Indiana this year, so I took another leap and opened my own training center.  

I am also working on a book with Dr. Misner and Frank DeRaffele called “Networking and Sex” looking at how the different genders build their networks.  In fact your readers can participate in the book by taking a quick survey at, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=204762616512 

How do you juggle the work/life balance issues? 
HW: I really do not try to balance them instead I work on having harmony in all areas of my life.  When you are a business owner, it is hard sometimes to find balance.  I was always trying to figure it out and felt like a failure when I could not make it happen, I could balance my check book but I could not balance my life.  The idea behind harmony is understanding that sometimes life is all about the family, and other times I have to really focus on the business to take it to a new place, and not feel guilty about what I am doing.  I have learned to weave my business, my family, my physical and spiritual life together, creating flow between them and accepting that there will never be perfect balance but there can be harmony.  When I gave up being guilty, when I gave up being perfect, I found harmony.  Today, I no longer have kids at home so it has become easier but family still requires attention, I have a mother, two grandmothers and 6 grandchildren who need to also fit into my life. 

Are there any obstacles that you face, in the fact that you are a woman? 
HW: Stress and Guilt.  When you are a female business owner and you have family, you tend to stress out over everything because you are seeking that elusive work life balance.  When I gave up the Balance and went for the Harmony, my stress and guilt lessened.  I have learned and I am still learning to be present in the moment.  If you are with your kids BE with the kids, not thinking about all the other things at work, when you are working, BE present with your task at hand, and when you are with your spouse BE 100% there in the moment, not being stressed and guilty.  Create Flow, manage a healthy calendar and run the business, don’t let the business run you. 

Otherwise, I would say that being a woman I have had to learn some of the techniques of men.  Like how to ask for the business, how to leverage my time and my network, how to delegate to others and how to toot my own horn. Women tend to wait for the business, we hope that our network will help us but we don’t ask or set clear expectation, we believe that we can do it all so we are not good at delegating to others or saying No, and we never ever toot our own horns we have to learn how to do that well.   Ask any guy about his accomplishments and he will rattle them off, ask a woman and she will have to think about it.  

What advice do you have for women thinking about starting their own businesses?
HW: 1.   Find your passion, if you start a business that you are passionate about you will be amazed at how much that will come across to others. People are attracted to people who are passionate who have energy. 

2.  Never ever stop learning always be willing to go to seminars, travel to conferences, ask someone to mentor your, pay a coach to help you be accountable.  Women don’t spend money on their success, they think they need to figure it out.  If you learn one thing at a seminar, or meet one person at a conference or a coach helps you be accountable to one important goal, it will make a difference in your life and your business. 

3.  Be Present, be in the moment.  Don’t let your mind wonder to other places and things, embrace what you are doing right now, take it in and rejoice in the now.  When you go to the next place or thing, start over and be present with that moment. 

4.  Mentor someone else.  You learn what you teach; when you are mentoring someone else, you will learn too.  Grow by helping others grow. 

5.  Have gratitude at the end of every day, journal all the things you are grateful for, the good, the bad and the impossible. 

I have an affirmation that I say every day, many times a day, “Today, I create wealth and prosperity for myself and others.”   

Thanks.

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Inspiring Women: Hazel Walker

This morning I received an email from Marbig. The stationary supplier…  I’m not sure if I should delete this one because they’ve got some pretty great competitions:

100 x FREE Marbig Correction Tape up for grabs!
Throw out that old liquid correction pen and discover correcting your work with tape!  No need to wait, tape goes on dry so you can make your corrections immediately.

Unsubscribing is a lot like breaking up with someone.

Some companies adopt the bandaid approach. Click ‘unsubscribe’ once and you’re redirected to a page that tells you that you’ve successfully unsubscribed. “If that’s what you want, fine. Never call me again.”

Some companies have trouble letting go. Click ‘unsubscribe’ and you’re redirected to a page asking you, “are you sure this is what you want?”

Some companies respect your wishes, but want to know what they did wrong. “We’re sorry to see you unsubscribe, tell us in 250 characters or less why you’re leaving us”.

Some send the ‘closure’ email. Once you click unsubscribe you receive an email in your inbox reminding you of the break up. “We got your request to unsubscribe, and will respect that, but there are just a few more things I want to get off my chest…”

Then there’s the strangest tactic, the “I will confuse you into staying with me”. This is when clicking ‘unsubscribe’ redirects you to the company’s website with a million things going on all over the page so you can’t find the button to confirm your request.  I think this is the break up equivalent of when someone with good debating skills challenges the break up with clever arguments. “Ah yes, I knew you would say that because you have commitment issues. I’d like to remind you of November 2004 when we were in the park and you said that thing…Yeah, well I guess that kinda proves my point. OK, so where do you want to go for dinner?”

Amazon was by far the most difficult break up. I clicked ‘unsubscribe’, was redirected to a busy page full of options, found an ‘unsubscribe’ button buried somewhere, received an email to confirm the break up and then another email reminding me that it was actually only a partial breakup. I would no longer receive general notices, but I would still receive recommendations for books based on previous purchases, special announcements and legal notices (”OK, so we’ll stop hanging out on the weekends, but I’m still going to call you every day, and hey, let’s spend Christmas together”). So I went back to step one and clicked ‘unsubscribe’ again (”no really, I don’t want to see you anymore”). Was redirected to the busy page again, and noticed this time that I had to select each mailing list I wanted to be removed from. No, I do not want to receive recommendations based on previous purchases; no, I don’t want to receive special announcements; no I don’t want to receive legal notices. (”No, you can’t call me! No, I will not come with you to your sister’s wedding!”)

One constant with every mailing list break up is that when you finally do get to the “You have successfully been removed from our mailing list” page, it’s written in tiny font, cowering in the top left hand corner of the page, like a defeated, beaten, sad shell of a mailing list.

This post was submitted to BizzyWomen by a great blog, Where is Sarah?, written by Sarah Fortuna, an Australian writing for her friends and family while she is living abroad.

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Unsubscribing is Hard to Do

Consider whether you really need a car or not. If you live in a city, chances are you might not. Public transportation is great in cities and can usually get you everywhere you need to go. You’ll lose the convenience of having your own car, but it’s worth it when you see how much money you’re saving. If the kids are old enough, they can ride the bus to school or walk there if it’s close enough. You can always accompany them on a public bus if need be. Purchase a frequent-rider pass for reduced fares.

If you’ve decided that you need your own vehicle, you’ll probably want to avoid the dealerships and look for alternative places to purchase your car. Habitat for Humanity takes donated cars and sells them for reduced prices. You should also check the paper or CraigsList.com to look for used cars. You could also write a post on Craigslist.com explaining your situation and saying that you’re looking for an affordable, reliable automobile. You never know who will read it-maybe someone has a car they were going to sell but would rather it go somewhere it’s really needed. You could also check with car rental companies-they occasionally have rental cars for sale. Just be sure to have a mechanic inspect any used vehicle before you buy it.

Don’t forget to check with your local Social Services agency, credit union, or any related non-profits in the area. Many times credit unions will design loan programs that help single mothers purchase reliable transportation a credit union is a very good source for financial help . More often than not, a vehicle means the difference between a single mom receiving government aid and not because of her ability to get to work. Agencies know this and many will take extra steps to help you on your quest to find a car. Use the power of the internet to help you, too. Search for automobile grants and loans for single moms.

The goal of SingleMomFinancialHelp.com is to help women change the world through information and education. We are creating a support structure through which all women of the world can educate one another about where they have been, where they are right now and where they are going. With help from our site and the information and articles we distribute women will be more educated in finance, business, home matters, relationships, career and higher education.

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Finding Reliable Transportation As A Single Mom

The New Year is almost here.  A time for a fresh start, for new opportunities, and time to reflect on what we have accomplished in the last year.  It is time to set new Goals for the coming year, time to draw the road map for business and our goals operate as sign post along the way.  Without them, we are just rambling along.

It is important to set goals in every aspect of our lives, Personal, Professional, Spiritual, and Physical.  Most entrepreneurs get so caught up in their day to day businesses that they forget about their personal, spiritual and physical goals, and that leads to a lack of harmony in their lives.

As entrepreneurs it is important that we look at all aspects of our lives and set goals with the intention of having harmony in our lives.  Everything is often out of balance for entrepreneurs but we can create harmony so that the personal, spiritual, physical and professional goals begin to have flow between them.

Spiritual - a goal as simple as taking 15 minutes daily to reflect, to go inward, to rejuvenate the soul will make a difference in your day to day life.  A friend of mine set a goal to  go to church regularly and become more active in the church.  Unfortunately she has gotten so caught up in the DOING of church that it has become just more work to do in her already hectic life.  She still is not nurturing her spirit because she is distracted with the doing.

Physical - setting goals for our physical well-being is important for entrepreneur.  If we are not in good health, we cannot perform at the top of our game when running our business.  Don’t just set a weight loss goal, set health goals.  Plan a physical, find out where you are at with your health.  Set a goal to take time out daily to do some physical exercise, even if it is only walking for 30 minutes a day.  When your health suffers your business suffers, and unlike big companies who have employees to replace the one who is off sick, most entrepreneurs do not have someone to cover for them while they take sick time.

Personal - Look at your family life, have you been neglecting it?  We often do that when we are busy working on our businesses.  Set a few goals around family time, vacation time, or dating time.  I cannot tell you how many entrepreneurs I speak to who virtually have no personal life.   I promise that when you are 70, 80, 90, you are not going to look back on your life and wish that you had spent more time at work.  Take time out honor your personal life.

 Professional - What is there to say about your professional goals?  It is the one area that entrepreneurs often have goals.  They may not be written down, there may be no plan and they are often not measured or reviewed, but everyone says they have them.  A professional goal not written down and without a plan behind it, is little more than a dream.

It may be wise to set fewer professional goals and spend more time digging deep into them, make them SMART and ask yourself why?  Why is this goal important, what will it do for my life and the lives of others?  How will it affect the others Goals I have set in my life and how can I make it flow with the rest of my life.

You are one person, your goals should be for your life as a whole, they should flow with each other.  Your spiritual life affects your personal life, which affects your physical life that affects your professional life.  Each goal should support the other to create a healthy well-rounded life.

As the year draws to a close, take time to reflect on the past year was our life well rounded?  If not make, it your mission to set goals that will create a well-rounded, rich life for yourself and others.

Hazel  owns and operates a franchisee of Referral Institute, a worldwide referral marketing training organization. As a Master Trainer, Hazel provides business-expansion expertise to entrepreneurs and corporations by teaching business professionals comprehensive referral marketing stratagem. In 2006, her franchise earned both the Top-Grossing Franchise award and the honor of hosting the Referral Institute International Conference.

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Entrepreneurs - Set Balanced Goals for 2009

1. Facebook: I like Facebook - it’s fun! I just can’t figure out why so many businesses use it for shameless self-promotion. There seem to be two ways to use it: for genuine friendship reconnection and for yucky, over-the-top marketing promotion. There must be a way to find a blance, but so far the only people using it for marketing purposes are just kind of yucky.

2. Podcasts: I read “Podcasting for Dummies,” and I get the concept, but what I can’t find is anyone who listens to podcasts - other than podcasters themselves. Is there a true marketing opportunity here? I really don’t know.

3. Site Conversion: It seems like we need to re-vamp our sites into more targeted sales machines, but, as with Facebook, it feels to me like the people who are doing this are cheezy and a little yucky. There has to be a way to be an authentic, transparent marketer online without being perceived as “yucky,” right?

I’m working on solutions for all of these, but would love to hear comments and ideas if you have any!

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3 Things I Can’t Figure Out

I used to be a lurker.

You know who they are: those surfers of the web who revel in dark, unknown corners.  Who consume but don’t reciprocate. Whose existence is known to none but themselves, whose presence we are never aware of as anything more than a number on our blog stats that might pique our curiosity. They lurk and disappear back into cyberspace, and no one ever has to know; no trace of them is left behind.

I knew the ups and downs of Penelope’s divorce, Ryan’s workaholism; but until recently I had never so much as left a single comment on any of their blogs. Your first reaction might be: creep! But something like 90% of blog readers are equally creepy lurkers. Chances are, you are lurking right now and will read, digest, and move along without ever saying a thing to me (including you, email subscribers - I know who you are!). You’ll never voice your opinion. So before you call me a creep, don’t forget what you’re doing right now: creeping.

Daring to commit your opinions and your intellectual thoughts down in words, permanently etched into pixels in cyberspace, is unnerving. It takes balls that most people don’t have, and that is why the vast majority of users of the Web are what we so affectionately refer to as lurkers. They’re afraid to voice their opinion and let anyone who Googles them find them; afraid that someone will disagree and criticize them.

I was one of those, and I was hiding. And for a long time that was a theme in my life: hiding. I have about 4 drafts of blog posts I have written over the years, saved in my archives, about how I hide different parts of my life from everyone. But, in my typical fashion, I never posted one of them. Because it takes courage to even blog in the first place. It makes you an outlier, it makes you different, and that opens you up to a whole new level of scrutiny.

Blogging is at once intensely personal, yet unnervingly public. And it connects people in the most individual, human, personal way. Of my college-age friends, I have very few who have blogs. And when one of them first started her blog, she proceeded to get mocked and made fun of behind her back, constantly. Her blog is a joke to the rest of them, constantly bantered about; every new post is gossip fodder, eagerly devoured. Spending so much time around people like that had left me paralyzed, afraid to just be who I am; and prancing around in that living charade was exceptionally tiring. Why did I care about these people again? It was illogical and irrational.

The difference between me pre-blog and me post-blog is simple: I went from an invisible, hiding lurker to a real person, and an outlier. Seems simple, but that transformation is empowering in a way you’d never expect. I went from letting others define me to defining myself. Instead of always having to hide what I do from people, I can just…be. I have something to say that is worth saying, and I actively contribute to the conversation.

It’s no longer a simple matter of writing a blog and hoping someone reads: it overflows into every other area of my life. Now, I want to have more conversations and put out my opinion on everything. I want to seek out new people and new perspectives and constantly learn from everyone around me. I want to explore new ideas, challenge them, and be challenged. I want to do something worth doing, instead of just what everyone else is doing. And sadly, though perhaps not surprisingly, most people aren’t willing to do that. But blogger are.

The mockers matter less and less, because, really, I’d rather drop them from my life now. When one of my favorite writers, who is far, far more successful than me, emailed me out of the blue and told me she loved a piece I wrote, the game changed a little. When my work started to get noticed by some others, the game changed a little. I no longer care to be just one of millions of college kids that are exactly the same. Who wants to blend in?

I realized I am different from them, but instead of continuing to try to hide it I started to reluctantly embrace it. I constantly strive to be an outlier, to be above and beyond, to put myself out there and be someone who challenges the status quo — and not someone who maintains it. I no longer want to be part of the norm. As one blogger said, that’s fifth place, when I know I want first. But if your presence is never known, how will you make an impact? How will you leave your mark? The simple act of voicing your opinion and expressing yourself means you are challenging the status quo, however insignificant you feel. But if you aren’t visible, to the world you don’t exist. If you’re just lurking and not participating, you’re outdated, obsolete, last year’s season. That’s not even fifth place; that’s invisibility.

Now, I’m no longer letting things happen to me. I don’t let others tell me what to do. I don’t believe in destiny; I just go out and make things happen. And I tend to brazenly defy everyone who doesn’t believe me. I realized that the way I defined myself and my life had to change. And in doing so, I won the inner battle that has been raging inside of me for twenty years. I killed the inner critic, the voice that stops so many people from doing great things. I stopped living for what other people think, and started living solely to create an impact and a difference.

And blogging, and everything and everyone that came with it, are what forced that change.

So when I sat down to write a post about how blogging has changed my life, many things came to mind. I wanted to write something as flawless as Andrew Sullivan’s brilliant essay, “Why I Blog.” But I am not Andrew Sullivan, so I can’t. Instead I thought of all the things I had learned, the advice I had gained, the opportunities I’ve received, the people I had interviewed and the late night discussions I’ve had when I could have been studying. And those have all been amazing things. But to this day, nothing compares to the surprising rush of empowerment that comes in that moment when you hold your breath and hit the ‘Publish’ button. It’s your blog, and no one can fuck with you there.

It’s something those legions of lurkers will never understand.

—–

(Hat tip to BC - what a challenge. This is probably the hardest thing I have ever written!)

Nisha Chittal is a writer and journalist who currently serves as Associate Editor of CitizenJanePolitics.com and is a political columnist for UniversityChic.com. Her personal blog is Politicoholic, where she offers commentary on a range of topics, including but not limited to politics, technology, and the changing role of women and Generation Y in politics today.

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Forget careers. Blogging changes lives

In this current economy there is one thing we can be certain of…change. It may be good change or bad change, but we can expect to experience lots of changes. Mom entrepreneur Rebecca Rodskog is the owner of Rodskog Change Consulting. Established in 2007, the company helps people grow through change.

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Inspiring Women: Rebecca Rodskog

Here are a few things to remember about word of mouth.

1. In order for WOM to work well for your company or you as a person, you MUST have a clear, concise message that others can carry easily and repeat to people they know. For instance, I have a friend who reviews property taxes for commercial buildings, if you are over paying then she will file an appeal and get you a refund of the over payments. That message is too long…here is the message that everyone carries for her….. Denise takes the pain out of property taxes, you should call her.  Simple, easy for others to remember.  Most business people have a muddled message.

2. WOM is the most dangerous form of marketing, in that you cannot control people. They may carry the wrong message or a negative message.

3. Word of Mouth is always working, it just may not be working in your favor. Negative WOM travels faster than positive WOM.  Dr. Misner discusses this topic in the book, Truth or Delusion.

I remind