The Lifestyle CEO Choice
On September 11, 2001, the moms of this nation experienced a major wake-up call. Since then, we have been forced to finance a now regrettable invasion of a country which apparently had nothing to do with 9/11. We have seen how the greed of multi-millionaire corporate executives (Bernie Ebbers of MCI (formerly WorldCom), and L. Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco to name a few) can cause our pensions and 401K plans to vaporize before our eyes.
Our brothers and sisters on the gulf coast have barely begun to recover from Hurricane Katrina as Hurricane Rita threatens to make landfall there this weekend. With so many matters of world importance decidedly out of our control, on a more personal level now, we are looking inward to regain a sense of life's purpose and meaning. We realize that we have become complacent, not only about world and business events, but also about our own lives. We have delegated control over the details to other people, and with it our ability to have much say at all about our very own destinies. Today, we are taking that control back.
We are rethinking our priorities, seeking more freedom, flexibility and control in our lives. Instead of settling for a job that merely pays the bills, we are looking for ways to make a living without sacrificing our souls. Whether we are writing a book, launching a new cosmetics line, providing personal concierge services or joining a direct sales company, we are laughing all the way from the bank as we trade in the straightjackets of corporate America for the creative fun of being a Lifestyle CEO.
I have spent the last decade with mothers who are left weary and drained as they struggle to juggle the ins and outs of working on someone else's terms. It's not that we don't want to work. We just don't want to work like we're being told we should work. Ever since I left my 9-to-5 job 12 years ago, it has been my goal to help women combine their visions and values to build their own corporate ladders. According to research released in September 2005 by the US Small Business Administration, the rate at which women are launching businesses is more than double the national average. My interaction with women around the country indicates that a significant portion of those businesses are owned by people just like me -- moms with young children.
The Lifestyle CEO Choice is not for everyone. Small business ownership has significant risks and sometimes, it doesn't work out. But even with the risks, I rejoice in my life more today than ever because I enjoy my family while also contributiong to our financial bottom line. Plus I can't beat my 10-second commute. I co-produce a television show with my husband so we are enjoying each other (mostly enjoying each other) while also creating opportunities to teach our children about entrepreneurship, asset management, discipline and self reliance. I have the privilege of working with hundreds of entrepreneurs every day through the Handmade Beauty Network, which I founded in 2000 to serve the needs of "micro-formulators" of handmade beauty products such as soaps, cosmetics, fragrances, candles and aromatherapy products.
If you have made the Lifestyle CEO Choice or would like to, join me at he first Lifestyle CEO confernce on January 28, 2006 in suburban Washington, DC. Meet women who are just like you and get some business building tips and fantastic networking. To register, click here.
