 |
 |
|
|
|
Main
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing book marketing expert John Kremer on the Lifestyle CEO Show. According to John, no matter what kind of buisness you have these days, you also need a book. By way of example, he shared how a New York dentist who sells Zellies, a chewable product to clean and protect teeth and freshen breath, uses a self-published book to enhance product sales and promote brand awareness. The book includes information on how to avoid going to the dentist. What a perfect complement to the product she sells! The combination is a powerful 1-2 punch that makes it hard not to buy one when you've already committed to buying the other. What sense would it make to buy Zellies without also getting a book to help you understand how best to use them?
What information do you have that can encourage people to buy your product? Connect these dots by writing for as little as an hour a day for 30 days and you'll have a book and the makings of a new way to get the word out about your products and while generating another stream of income. What's not to love?!
To enjoy John's interview and all of the other Lifestyle CEO Shows, click here.
In a pamphlet entitled, "Preparing for a Financial Setback," Northwest Airlines recently advised employees who are possible targets for layoffs that they should always be prepared for life's little financial emergencies. In addition to the very helpful admonishment to "manage money better," Northwest cheerfully reminded everyone that there is no shame in "pulling something you like out of the trash." Another meaty tidbit encouraged people who might be about to lose their jobs to take "a walk along the beach or in the woods."
For all you corporate leaders who are contemplating similar layoffs, why not give your employees some real advice? Tell them to start their own business.
Don't worry about creating a fancy pamphlet like Northwest Airlines did. A short letter will suffice. To make it easy, I've drafted one for you. Simply insert your company name and cut and paste. Oh, and one more thing! Don't worry about going to the expense of mailing it out via snail mail. Take a tip from Radio Shack, which recently used email to layoff hundreds of employees. Now how easy was that?!
To get your draft letter, continue reading.
Continue reading "To Our Valued Employees ..." »
 Tired of being trying to be all things to all people? If so, take a tip from Mickey & Co. (Note: Mickey's photo courtesy of one-time use policy of The Walt Disney Co.).
MSNBC reports that The Walt Disney Co. is dumping high level executives in charge of labor intensive projects that do not result in lucrative licensing deals. Riding high on the success of the Pirates of the Carribean movie franchise, Disney is proof that the power of one good project can far outweigh the benefits of many mediocre ones. Check out the Pirate Goodie Store, where you can buy back packs, tee shirts, watches, lamps, sheets, snow globes and about anything else you can stick a skull and crossbones on.
So the next time you consider adding a new product to your line, think first about whether simply expanding the power of an existing one might be a better strategy.
More money.
Less work.
More family time.
Isn't that what you're in business for in the first place?
I get many requests from people who want to see more pictures of my kids. Of course I love their photos so I'm happy to share them on occasion
Take this one for example. My husband bought our 2-year old son, Brooks, his first bike with training wheels, complete with a sporty new helmet with a frog motif. At nap time, he refused to take it off and the result is adorable. I hope you agree.
Well, since I do more all day than stare at my kids' pictures, it's back to work.
There's a lot of talk this month about the celebration on July 6 of President Bush's 60th birthday. Despite how I feel about his political persuasions, I am consistently impressed with his personal message and example of health and fitness. I wish he were more vocal (and perhaps knowledgeable) about the impact of aging on some of his peers who, unlike him, will have to work well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65. Of course Prez won't have to find sources of income since he can live off of his family's financial investments and healthy checks from Texas and federal government retirement funds. But for most people who are honing on on 40, 50 and beyond, the options are limited. Many are finding that they have to work well beyond age 65 in order to live comfortably, yet the traditional work place is decidedly brutal and unforgiving when it comes to accommodating more experienced workers.
Take the case of 60-year old Richard Rocco ...
Continue reading "Get A Gig Of Your Own Before It's Too Late" »
As a small business owner selling products by the hundreds per month that mega-companies sell by the hundreds per minute, do you ever wonder if there are enough people to buy your "indie" product when so many are buying the mega-company brands? If so, stop wondering and just get to work selling your wares. If the microbrewery industry is any indication, indie has more appeal -- and the big boys know it. This means that if you are willing to work hard, you're already a winner no matter what.
Continue reading "Indie Has More Appeal -- And The Big Boys Know It!" »
How many times have you sat down in front of your computer or in your office and just stared at the walls because you didn't know what to do next. If you're a mom like me, it probably wasn't long before someone in the house found something for you to do. But let's say the young ones are out for a while and it's just you trying to figure out how to get your business from where it is now to where you want it to be -- generating more cash flow! Sound familiar? If so, then these Simple Steps To Make Your Cash Register Ring are for you.
Continue reading "Simple Steps To Make Your Cash Register Ring" »
A few years ago I met Marla Russo through a member of the Handmade Beauty Network. At the time, I didn't know much about public relations and since meeting Marla, I still don't know everything, but I know a whole lot more than I did then. Marla is the founder and president of Bella PR where for the past five years, she has represented women-owned businesses to the most influential editors in the magazine publishing industry. If you want to generate buzz about your products but don't know where to start, here's Marla's advice.
Continue reading "The "Buzz" on a Budget" »
I am the Business columnist for District Chronicles, a Washington, DC neighborhood weekly newspaper. My columns provide helpful information and tips to encourage and inspire small business owners to new heights. A few months ago, I received an email from someone who saw my column. "Karla" invited me to "speak briefly" at a breakfast event with a recognized "sports celebrity". Her email stated the event date and time, and asked me to RSVP soon since seating was limited. Karla did not say how long I was expected to speak, who the audience was, how many people to expect, who the sponsor of the event was or any other helpful information. The invitation ended with her name and phone number, but no business information. Don't you just hate that?!
Continue reading "Be For Real!" »
I recently enjoyed a talk radio show where the guest discussed the future of unions in this country. One of the things he recounted was the air traffic controller strike that occurred in the 1980's. President Reagan ordered the striking workers back to their jobs under threat of termination. Those who did not heed his order were fired. Those who stayed on are now headed for handsome retirement packages.
The workers replacing them today are being offered jobs that pay only 70% of the outgoing workers' salary. Mind you, inflation is rising far faster than wages, even when wages are headed in a positive direction! The handwriting is on the wall, and it's not in pencil or subtle black ink. It's in bold fluorescent colors and blinking wildly to get our attention. No matter where you work, who you work for or what you do, now is the time to start your own business.
I used to date a guy who had trouble holding a job. When I expressed my concern about this, he told me, "Don't worry about me. I'll always have a hustle." I had visions of him pimping and selling drugs on street corners. I don't know what he's doing today, but I think at least part of what he was trying to say was that he would never rely on other people to meet his needs.
It's great to have a job, but these days, you also need a hustle.
What's your hustle?
When I was in high school, I played a lot of tennis. In fact, I was so obsessed that my parents used to bring my dinner to the tennis court. My tennis coach told me that the secret to hitting a winning shot every time was hitting the ball when it was in the center of the racket where the "sweet spot" is. When a tennis ball hits the sweet spot, it makes a specific noise -- a kind of solid "pop," and you know even without looking that you have made a good shot.
In business, everything you do must be designed to hit your sweet spot, the place where your passion, your knowledge and your action intersect to create a solid "pop," letting you know that you have hit a homerun. You can't have a sweet spot without passion, knowledge and action. Lack of any of the three will create a chasm in your business that will be difficult to overcome. You can have endless passion and unquestionable knowledge, but if you don't take action, you won't be successful. You can have knowledge and take action, but if you don't have a passion for what you are doing, you will become bored and burned out. If you have passion and action, but are without knowledge of your capabilities, your market or your product, you will be shooting in the dark.
Passion. Knowledge. Action. Combine the three and you'll hit your sweet spot every time.
Sometimes, it's hard to continue to move a business forward simply because of the sheer number of things we have to do to keep it afloat. As chief cooks and bottle washers, we wear most (if not all) of the hats, and we can become so buried in daily tasks and details that we forget what we're doing it all for in the first place.
When that happens, repeat this mantra:
I am in business to help you while I pursue my passion, and also make money.
It's simple, but it works. When you become bogged down in a particular task or detail, repeat this mantra. If in doing the task at hand you are not helping someone, not pursuing your passion or not making money, then do something else.
I recently attended a meeting of women business owners. Each of us was asked to stand and tell the group a little about our businesses. One woman said in a very soft voice, that her business provided products and services to mothers. Someone asked her to be more specific, and she said she was just getting it off the ground and didn't want to share details yet. Hey, I'm all for keeping secrets secret, but if your business is a secret in a hotel conference room, it will also be a secret in a trade show filled with potential buyers. And then, you won't have much of a business at all.
You don't have to give away commercial trade secrets to share a bit about your business with a group, and you should always be ready to do so because you never know where the next business opportunity will come from. Always have a 3-4 sentence summary of your business stored away in your head and be prepared to share it when asked.
In business, what you don't say can hurt you. So get your 30-second "elevator speech" together and practice it until you can say it like a yoga mantra. Use active words and practice saying it with gusto and ease. Here's mine.
Lifestyle CEO Media Corporation helps women combine home management and business ownership. We do this through an annual conference, radio show, television show, books, articles and other branded materials that provide nuts and bolts business advice. If you are a woman in business, we can inspire, encourage and equip you for success, so check us out at lifestyleceo.com!
Your elevator speech should hit all the high points of your business:
1. the name of the business
2. who you serve
3. your mission
4. where to go for more information
What's your elevator speech?
As Bill Cosby said, "Kids say the darndest things."
Along with the Talented Two (a fun name I collectively use to refer to my kids now and then), I was running errands yesterday. As we drove past the local shopping mall, my 4-year old daughter said, "Hey look! It's mommy's office!" It took me a second or two to realize that she was pointing at the coffee shop on the corner. I asked her to tell me more about mommy's office, and she explained how whenever we go there, "Mommy's working on her computer".
Her statement reminded me of how different today's working world is than the one my parents were raised in. There was a time when everyone was chained to a particular work space. Whether it was a manufacturing or service related industry, you had to be in a particular location to do it. Those days are gone, especially if you are a Lifestyle CEO.
Continue reading "Hey Look! It's Mommy's Office!"" »
When I was a child, my parents insisted that I display good manners, particularly toward my elders and people who reached out to help me. Of course this "attitude of gratitude" became quite automatic over the years and I find myself saying "thank you" regularly without giving much thought to it. Today, I am drilling the same message into my kids. I take a singsong approach that goes something like this:
Mommy: If you need help what do you do?
Kids: You ask for help!!
Mommy: And if someone helps you, what do you do?
Kids: You say thank you!
We have a lot repetitive "lessons" in my household because I want to make some things automatic in their lives. I don't ever want them to flounder around in need of assistance, and not have the courage to ask for help. And I always want them to express appreciation when someone does help them.
This morning, the January 2006 Lifestyle CEO To Know Denise McMillan of Plush Creations in Colleyville, Texas contacted me. Denise is featured in the current issue of Southern Living Magazine, one of the premier magazines for women. After the feature came out, Denise wrote the editor to thank him for including her company. A short time later, the editor called her to thank her for the thank you note. The two chatted, and the conversation resulted in the editor scheduling a personal meeting with Denise to do a more in-depth story on her and her business, also to include her husband who owns a restaurant in town.
I have read that Southern Living has a rate base of 2.45 million, making it the largest regional magazine in the country. This means that Denise has a lot to be thankful for. She tells me that as soon as the magazine began circulating, she noticed her site statistics start to climb. Of course Denise quickly moved to start filling the new orders, but first she took a moment to email the editor and thank him for including her. That simple act of gratitude not only resulted in a pleasant conversation, but it also opened new doors for Denise, the editor and Denise's husband. Denise may be featured in a more expansive article. Her husband's restaurant may be included. The editor found a new angle for a story that will interest his readers. Denise's hometown of Colleyville will benefit if the feature comes to fruition. And Denise's son will see how his parents' hard work, dedication to craft and good manners results in greater and more exciting opportunities.
Yes, it's still good manners to say "thank you," and we should all do it regardless of whether or not we get anything tangible in return. But as Lifestyle CEOs, it's nice to know that expressing gratitude can also open new and exciting doors, and help us create the life we love as businesswomen, mothers and home managers!
My dear late friend and mentor Nancy Brown Manville always told me that if you do what you love, and do it well, the income would follow. When I first went into business for myself in 1993, I really wanted to believe that. Nan was my biggest cheerleader and a very wise woman who unselfishly shared the benefits of her experiences -- good and bad -- with me. When she told me that I would eventually be able to actually support myself doing what I loved, she also told me that in order to do so, I was going to have to be willing to work harder than I had at any job I ever had. When she told me that, I was flat broke and could not see that there was much financial light at the end of the tunnel no matter how hard I worked. I thanked Nan for her encouragement and good wishes, but it took many years before I actually began to see that what she was saying is indeed true.
Continue reading "Yes, Virginia. You Can Do What You Love, and Still Eat" »
Today's New York Times contains an interesting article about women, especially mothers, in the work force. Apparently, women are not joining the work force in the numbers they were a decade ago. Statistics show that mothers' participation in the work place has slipped since 2000, after rising for 5 straight decades. For example, from 1995 to 2003, the time mothers spent working outside the home dropped by nearly 4 hours a week. Additionally, while from the 1950's to the early 1990's, women's participation in the work force overall (either working or activiely seeking employment) rose from 40% to about 75%, since 2000, the numbers have declined.
Gee, I wonder why . . ..
Continue reading "The Mommy Options" »
Good Morning American Mom!! Have we got some news for you! If you have exited the traditional work force, either temporarily or permanently, to enjoy the opportunity to focus on your family while your children are young, you are hurting yourself, your children and society as a whole. So says former visiting Brandeis University Professor Dr. Laura Hirshman. And ABC Good Morning America co-host Diane Sawyer and the producers of last week's "The Mommy Wars" show segments, apparently agree with her.
While the show had the redeeming quality of showing moms and their children in their real home settings, and included interviews of both stay-at-home and working moms, overall the show was unbalanced and poorly assembled on at least three fronts.
Continue reading "Good Morning American Mom!!" »
I don't know about you but I hate hearing people say that we can change our destiny simply by thinking good thoughts. Not that I have anything against "good thoughts," but I think that in and of themselves, they are highly overrated. My guest on today's Lifestyle CEO Internet Radio Show confirmed my belief.
Jack Canfield is a mega-successful author, entrepreneur and speaker who spends at least an hour a day thinking good thoughts and engaging in positive visualization. But he doesn't stop there. Not only does he think good thoughts, he also acts on them. And I think this is the key to becoming successful at anything you do.
Thinking good thoughts is the first step to acting on them. If you have set certain goals for your life and your business, ponder them often. Visualize yourself accomplishing them. If you achieve your goals, what will life be like? Will you be driving a different car? Living in a different neighborhood? Socializing with different people? Enjoying more family vacations? Spending more quality time doing fun things with the people you love? Once you begin to see yourself as having accomplished your goals, take the steps to make them reality.
We all know people who think good thoughts, yet nothing tangible ever comes of them. That's because they think too much. You have to stop thinking and take some good old-fashioned action! When I first started hosting the Lifestyle CEO Internet Radio Show, I never dreamed that a speaker the caliber of Jack Canfield would take the time to be on my little ol' show. But I first thought about how great it would be to have him on the show. Then I visualized myself interviewing him on the show. Then, I contacted his assistant and asked if he was available to be on my show. And BAM! (You all know what that means!!) He said yes, and there we were on today's show! That's the beauty of putting yourself out there. The more you do it, the more opportunities come your way.
Jack and Chicken Soup co-founder Mark Victor Hansen pitched their first Chicken Soup book 144 times. It was rejected 144 times. Then they arranged for an agent to pitch the book for them. The agent pitched a bit, but eventually gave the book back to Jack and Mark because he had no success. So the visualizing duo spent 3 days pitching their book at an international book publisher's convention. They believed in their message, and on the third day, they met a Florida publisher who was looking for a book to revitalize his floundering business. They gave Chicken Soup a try and sold 8 million copies in the first 3 years.
The publisher was not just sitting around waiting for his business to take a turn for the better. They took a chance on a book that had been rejected countless times because they believed in it. Jack and Mark didn't take "no" for an answer. They set their goals, visualized their success and then went out and pursued it. Their good thoughts lead to mega-success because they acted on them. That's the kind of "BAM! (Business Action Model) we discussed at the Lifestyle CEO Conference last month. BAM! You're in the game.
So stop sitting around thinking good thoughts. Get out there and get in the game! If you don't, someone else will. And then all you'll be left with is your good thoughts.
By now, you probably know that figure skater Michelle Kwan has dropped her bid to medal in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. While it was a groin injury that finally sidelined her, Kwan had been suffering for a while from a variety of physical ailments that made her progress toward the Games bumpy and unpredictable. After a successful petition to compete in January, Michelle's disappointing practice sessions over the weekend clearly indicated that she would never win Olympic Gold.
No doubt, the pressure was on for Kwan. While she is the most decorated figure skater in American history, the decision to leave Italy ended any hope that she would ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. It also put an end to the endorsement contracts that would have followed the competition, whether or not she earned a medal. And as if that was not enough pressure, some network big shots were said to have been actively pressuring Kwan to skate because they knew it would draw millions of viewers to the advertisements they had lined up for her swan song on the ice.
None of it was to be. But there's something especially touching and beautiful about Michelle's exit from the Games. I read a news account quoting her as saying, "I have no regrets. I tried my hardest. And if I don't win the gold, it's OK. I've had a great career. I've been very lucky. This is a sport, and it's beautiful." In withdrawing, Kwan did what was best for her, despite the intense pressure coming from all sides. In the midst of great physical pain and emotional disappointment, it's a defining moment indeed when you can leave the race and still say that you did your very best.
When you are living your passion as Michelle clearly is, no matter what happens, your best is always good enough. There is no such thing as failure. There are only opportunities and sometimes they work out the way we hope and sometimes they don't. But either way, they pave the way for The Next Good Thing to come our way. In the case of Michelle Kwan, who turns 26 years old in July, the opportunities have only just begun.
Congratulations Michelle. I'll be looking for The Next Good Thing.
 So many things about life can be challenging, even difficult. But when you make the best of it anyway, it will always surprise you for the better. This was the case with the first Lifestyle CEO Conference where women from around the nation gathered for inspiration, encouragement and unparalelled networking. We laughed, cried, learned, shared and generally lifted each other up to new heights as we made strides toward Breaking All The Rules, Building Our Own Corporate Ladders and Creating The Lives We Love!
Continue reading "The Importance of Showing Up!" »
I am a big fan of newspapers. Sure, I know you can read stuff on the Internet (like this fantastic blog for example!), and I do. Maybe it's the college Journalism major in me, but there's nothing like holding a newspaper in your hands and feeling the inexpensive paper suck the moisture out of your fingers (perfect excuse to buy some lotion made by members of the Handmade Beauty Network!) and slightly stain them with the news of the day. I read about 4 newspapers every other day. No, I don't have the time, but I find the time because the benefits are substantial. We should all know some details about the news of the day so we can put our world into context. And one can't possibly grow a business without also understandig the world in which that business will either live or die.
So this morning, I was having a cuppa Joe at a local coffee shop and reading the paper. I later discovered that an 83-year old gentleman named Sy Mohr had been carefully watching me. No, it wasn't anything creepy.
Continue reading "Seek And Ye Shall Find" »
(click photo for larger version)
Do you remember being a little girl and playing dress up? Well, I do, and I really don't have much to say about it. I think the picture says it all. Does it remind you of anyone?
Party dresses, lip gloss, high heeled shoes, confidence and friendship. What more can a girl ask for?
 During the holidays, we had no routine to speak of. We had lots of liesurely brunches and unstructured playtime. But now that the holiday is over, I am trying desperately to get back to work. My husband does his best to help, but yesterday, we both just gave up.
The kids just can't seem to get used to mommy being back in her office again. I really have a lot of work to catch up on, and while in the middle of the workday, I'm usually not in the mood for Thomas The Tank Engine on video or Shopping With Barbie, yesterday, I just gave up.
As I left my office with the realization that I'd be up until at least midnight making up for lost time, I suddenly had an idea. While we were having a great Christmas season, the dirty clothes just kept piling up. "I have an idea, guys! Let's wash clothes!" So here you see us. We were supposed to be washing clothes, but alas, we just ended up making an even bigger mess.
It's still not cleaned up. Oh well. Making the Lifestyle CEO Choice comes with these kinds of strange balancing acts. When you want to work but can't, you go and play knowing that moments with your kids are precious and will never come again. At the same time, you're going to lose some sleep if you're going to get those customer orders taken care of. Yes, it has its challenges but in the end, it's the best life of all.
Now for a cuppa Joe and then back to work for a while, and then back down the hall to wash some clothes.
 Do you have a close circle of girlfriends that you can count on no matter what? Who did you call when you were a new mom to help you through breastfeeding or those nights of colic and spit up? Who was there for you when you were so tired you couldn't take another step? Who held your hand when you had a week or two with no new customers, and then said, "This is temporary -- you can do this!" Who on this Earth knows all of your faults and most of your secrets, yet loves you anyway and never compromises your confidences?
Your MaBuKi's, that's who!!
MaBuKi is a term I coined last month while trying to invent a novel and memorable way to thank my closest friends for their support in 2005. I was looking for an end of year event that would let them know how much they are appreciated. A Christmas present in a box would have been nice, yes. A lovely card or a handwritten letter. All really good options. But I wanted something that they had never gotten from me or anyone else before, and something that they could treasure in their hearts as I treasure them in mine. And I needed to do it on a budget.
Then, it came to me. Ma-Bu-Ki! Marriage. Business. Kids. Three of the most important things in my life! I wanted to honor women who had helped me to sort through the challenges and enjoy the triumphs of 2005 as it concerned marrige, business and kids. Ma-Bu-Ki. Get it!? So I hosted my first (of many) MaBuKi Party!
You're invited ...
Continue reading "Do You MaBuKi?!!" »
 (Photo courtesy of ABC News via AP)
I think it's great, don't you? I mean, here's a man who started out as an office boy at a small New York radio station and today, owns a multi-million dollar communications company that spearheads world renowned productions like The Golden Globe Awards, the American Music Awards, the Family Television Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards. And if that were not enough, he licenses rights to several restaurants including one named for The American Bandstand show which was so popular in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
In December 2004, the 76 year old icon suffered a severe stroke. And after months of grueling rehabilitation, he was back two days ago -- just over a year after the stroke -- to host another of the shows he created, Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve. As he opened the evening, he said, "I wouldn't have missed this for the world." What an incredible attitude, slurred speech and all.
Of course it doesn't hurt that he owns the show. And isn't that the point. If he had been employed by someone else, he would certainly have been put out to pasture after his stroke. But Dick Clark created the show. Dick Clark owns the show. Dick Clark is the show. You go Dick! I applaud your gusto, entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm and determination.
When you love what you do, as Dick Clark obviously does, wild horses can't keep you away, much less an annoying little stroke. Thank you Dick for showing us that we can be vibrant and useful as long as we choose to be, and that building your own corporate ladder has benefits that last forever and spread around the world and back again!!
 It's the start of a brand new year and I could not be more excited!
My blog is a bit sparse in the way of content for last month, but I'm forgiving myself since like you, I spent every spare moment with my family. We enjoyed a fantastic Christmas season and I hope you did too.
Now, onto the New Year and the promise of exciting new opportunities for all of us. One of my most important tasks this month is to bring you the most exciting event of the year -- the first ever Lifestyle CEO Conference!!
Boy am I ready for that! Won't you join me and 100 other women from around the nation as we uplift, inspire and encourage one another to break all the rules, build our own corporate ladders and create the lives we love?!
I can't wait to meet you there!!
(click photo for larger version)
This is for anyone who thinks that Big Dreams are for "other people". My 4-year old daughter is holding copies of the newly published Handmade Beauty Business Magazine, a publication of the Handmade Beauty Network (HBN). For those who don't know, HBN is the business I started in 2000. At that time, I had big dreams and no money. But I started small. Believing I was on a divine appointment, I shared my dream with the world and waited. It took some time. A lot of time. And I was down to my last dime on more than one ocassion -- literally.
But after a while, others joined me to help launch an industry of people who care about producing beauty products that are made by hand from scratch using a high proportion of natural ingredients. Before I knew it, an entirely new industry was being birthed. Today, HBN is a worldwide community of entrepreneurs who inspire and encourage each other to new heights every day. The Handmade Beauty Business Magazine celebrates every one of them, and I am so very honored to have the opportunity to spread the word about the unique benefits of handmade beauty products via the printed word.
The Handmade Beauty Business Magazine is a tangible representation of what can happen when one person believes strongly and unwaveringly in a dream. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Do you have a dream? Believe in your dream. Toast your dream. Nurture and protect it. Breathe into it the breath of life. And watch yourself soar.
Here's to your dream.
 Finally! Art actually does a relatively decent job of imitating life by portraying the "balancing act" that women perform everyday managing home and work -- whatever forms they come in!
As a busy mom with a busy business to run, I don't get much of a chance to watch television these days. Not that I'd want to if I could, but it sure is interesting to note that all of the shows I might watch if I had the time are shows that are making reasonable attempts to accurately reflect the lives of mothers like me all over the country.
Continue reading "As Seen On TV ..." »
(click photo for larger version)
Yesterday, my husband and I taped the Lifestyle CEO cable television show, and we did it with our kids at our sides. We waited until the last minute to secure our usual sitter and she was not available so we were stuck. At the eleventh hour, a next-door neighbor agreed to help us, but since she was too young to stay in our home alone with the children, we piled into the car and went to the studio to tape the show.
Seeing my children sitting just feet away from me as my husband and I taped our television show reminded me that we really are creating the life we love. We are not bowing to traditional notions of what parenting should be like. We are making up our lives as we go along, doing things we love to do on our own terms and including our children every step of the way. The whole experience reminded me that you can either make things in your life the way you want them to be, or you can allow the world to dictate how your life should be.
In other words, you can make it so the way things are is however you want them to be.
Continue reading "Back To The Future" »
 Aesop's fable tells the story of an woman who raised a variety of birds, ducks and geese. Because one of them laid golden eggs, she kept it housed in a yard of its own. Every morning, the woman could hardly wait to get up and get her golden egg for the day. One day, she decided to kill the goose and get all the golden eggs at one time. Imagine her surprise as she held her dead goose and found not a single golden egg inside. In her impatient haste to become rich, the woman had cooked her goose and destroyed a lucrative source of income.
Aesop's fable reminds us that the love of money is a destroyer of good. The woman was so greedy that she eliminated her one means of support in an impatient desire to have it all. Is your goose cooked? Are you microwaving it on "high" so you can get rich quick? Or are you slowly simmering it in the crock pot as your creative juices keep it moist, tender, ripe and flavorful?
Continue reading "Your Goose Is Cooked!" »
 When I became pregnant with my first child, I was blissfully unaware of the chaos that lay before me. By the time I became pregnant at age 38, I had enjoyed a professional career and was adept at handling one business crisis after another without much problem. Life had been a bowl of cherries and I expected that a baby would add the perfectly placed dollop of whipped cream on top.
Yeah, right!
Continue reading "Help!!@(%&$%($%)#$(%!!" »
I recently enjoyed an email conversation with a mother of two in the western United States who is trying to start a new business. She wrote to ask if I had any kind of "help" to assist with managing business and home. She shared that her husband was not generous with his spare time in terms of being with their children so she could work on her business. To his credit, he suggested that he would engage a nanny a few days a week so she could get some work done. She was hesitant to do so "because I do not want my children to be dependent upon anyone but my husband and me." Her specific question to me: "How are you able to get so many things done?" I thought I'd share my answer with you since that is one of the questions I receive most often. (Get a cup of tea; it's a long one!)
Continue reading "Help Is On The Way!" »
A Washington Post article tells the story of countless professionals dragging themselves into a relentlessly boring office every morning to face another day of being paid handsomely (often with taxpayer money, but that's another story) to do nothing. Instead of challenging their minds, implementing new policies and executing corporate goals, they are asked to do nothing. This apparently leaves them with little alternative but to meet up with friends for an afternoon watching the latest box office smash. It's frustrating to think that our hard earned tax dollars are paying people to twiddle their thumbs all day. Why are they there if they are so miserable?
Continue reading "The Bored And The Restless" »
So many people are talking about balance today. Every woman's magazine features articles on balance. Some magazines are even totally devoted to the concept. According to the dictionary, one definition of balance is "a state of equilibrium or parity characterized by cancellation of all forces by equal opposing forces." As a wife, mother and business owner, I don't have balance. At least not according to that definition. And I don't need balance. Things don't always have to be equally opposed in order for me to feel a sense of contentment, accomplishment and peace. But since there's so much talk about balance, I checked around with some other moms in different parts of the country to see what they thought about balance and whether they have and/or need it. Here's what they had to say.
Continue reading "On Balance ..." »
I used to hate my name. My mother named me Donna because she liked the Donna Reed Show. Great. I'm named after the perfect neat and tidy television stay-at-home mom. I think that my mom would have named me something else if she could have glanced into the future to see the current sorry state of my family room turned toddler speedway. Donna Maria always reminded me of a nun and that's not what I wanted people to think of when they met me in high school. Today, I love my name. It rhymes, people remember it and it just kind of sounds pretty. My father wanted to name me Jennifer. Just one of many battles he lost over the years.
According to the Social Security Administration, the most popular baby names for girls today include Emily, Isabella, Olivia and Samantha. For boys, there's Ethan, Christopher and Daniel. Naming a baby is easy. You can always find something you like and there's no rule against choosing a name that someone else already has.
The rules are different and the stakes much higher when it comes to naming a business. Not so long ago, it was pretty easy to pick a business name. You looked at your products and picked a name that essentially announced what you sold. If you sold soap, you might have the word "soap" in your business name. Sonia's Soaps. How easy is that? Today, it's different and if you don't learn how to play the Name Game, no matter how great your products and services are, you will lose in the game of business.
Continue reading "The Name Game" »
 When I was in high school, I was a dutiful daughter. While I had my lapses, my parents could usually count on me to follow their rules and generally comply with societal norms. I attended the school where my father was principal so there was only so much deviant behavior I could get away with anyway! After graduating and attending college, I decided to go to law school because I couldn't think of anything else do to. I also knew that if I graduated still not knowing what I wanted to do, at least I could get a job. I was right. I landed a well paying job at a small but growing law firm in Baltimore, Maryland. I worked with nice people, enjoyed challenging work and officially launched my slow but steady climb up someone else's corporate ladder.
But then, a funny thing happened on the way to the boardroom.
Continue reading "Live Or Die Trying" »
 According to recent US Census Bureau statistics, women are starting businesses at twice the speed of the national average. The growth of women-owned businesses, especially those owned by minorities, is skyrocketing. I have been counseling small women-owned businesses all over the country for over 10 years and I am convinced that women with young children own a growing number of these businesses.
On October 13, 2005, my chapter of Mocha Moms proved my point as the brains and power behind fifteen Mocha-owned businesses presented their exciting products, services and business opportunities at the regularly scheduled support group meeting. As their children played in a side area, these industrious moms who are successfully managing both home and business shared the many products and services that other Mochas can use to enhance their daily lives and maybe even start their own businesses.
As host and coordinator of the event, I was especially proud. I have been a member of Mocha Moms since 2001 when my first child was born and this event made me even more determined to find creative ways to help mom-owned businesses gain the knowledge, support and exposure they need to compete effectively in the global marketplace. The Mocha business owners represented a variety of products and services: body care products, vegan cookies, holistic cleansing, travel services, consumer products delivered to your door, tutoring services, digital photography organization and storage, health benefits, weight management services, human hair, work/life balance, nutritional supplements, cloth diapers, manicures in your living room and more!
In the first taping of the first Lifestyle CEO television show in early October, guest Debbie Bilezikian of Monave Mineral Cosmetics in Baltimore, Maryland, was asked to tell viewers her opinion on a sure-fire way to grow a small business. Her answer without hesitation was, "Network." Although Debbie expanded on her answer a bit, she needn't have done so, and she's not the only one who knows the first-hand power of networking. An October 5, 2005, Associated Press article entitled, "The American Dream Begins With Networking," confirms the power of collaborating with your competitors as a business model all its own. If you have ever been fearful of chatting it up with your industry colleagues because of fear or having your ideas stolen or fear of being seen as an opportunitist, or just plain old scared to waste your time, you have been missing out on one of the best business building tools on earth.
Continue reading "Schmooze Or Lose" »
One of the questions I am most often asked is, "What does it take to be successful as a small business owner?" The answer is different for everyone, but even before attempting to answer, the first things that need to be addressed are: What does success mean to you and what do you want to accomplish? How can we know how to be successful unless we first know what success would mean to us? Having answered that question for yourself, there are three basic things that critical to success in small business, no matter what the goal is.
Continue reading "Keys To Success" »
My children (ages 4 and 2) are children. They think like children. They act like children. They speak like children. And like all children, they view every situation through a paradigm of short term, knee jerk reactions. If my daughter snatches a toy from her brother, it's cause to push her into the fireplace, even if he really doesn't want the toy and even if she could be seriously injured. But he's not thinking about that because he wants his toy NOW. He's not thinking about all the good things he gets from his sister, like how she saves him a lollipop every Friday after school, or how she taught him how to spell the word "blue" the other day. To him, it's all about what's in it for him now, and to you-know-where with the long-term consequences. We expect children to behave that way, but you'd think that adults --particularly the ones running huge corporations that put their workers at risk everyday -- would focus on long and short term results. You know, take the good with the bad for the long-term benefit of all? Well, if you thought that way, you'd be wrong.
Continue reading "Taking The Good With The Bad, Or Not?" »
 In her September 27 remarks at the Change To Win founding convention, top executive Anna Burger said this: "American workers do play by the rules. But the rules no longer work. Wages are down, work hours are up. The gap between the rich and the rest of America is staggering and growing. Health care costs are exploding. Pensions are wiped out. Job security is a thing of the past. Part-time employment is on the rise. Giant corporations that salute no flag but their own corporate logo, and worship no [G]od, but the almighty dollar, roam the globe in search of the lowest wages.
"The result is families now face the impossible challenge of getting their children to school in between their two or three jobs. Choosing between bus fare and breakfast, health care or housing, in between taking care of their mother or their father or their children. Sisters and brothers this is not the American Dream. It is an American Nightmare. . . . Unions are the antidote for what ails us."
I agree with Ms. Burger on all but one point. And it is a biggie.
Continue reading "The Cure For What Ails Us" »
The cover story in the October 3 issue of Business Week Magazine highlights the ridiculous treadmill of the American employee. Sixty-hour work weeks, less than 7 hours of sleep a night, frantically inhaled lunches and little family time. The pay is good they say, but according to the article, people still feel like, "They work like dogs and are wasting time." I believe that we are seeing a new and enlightened mindset where overworked employees are realizing that exchanging a life for a good salary is not all it's cracked up to be. And no one knows that more than moms.
Continue reading "Get A Lifestyle!" »
Today's USA Today features an inspiring story of the power of options, and the joy that comes with having created the life you love. Sheryl Crow, popular singer, Grammy Award winner and soon-to-be first time wife at the age of 43, is going to marry one of the darlings of the sports world (Lance Armstrong).
Continue reading "As The Crow Flies" »
Not that there's anything wrong with being rich, mind you. The problem is that when us common folks eking out a living doing either what we love (because we like to) or what we hate (because we have to) are constantly bombarded with it, it gets a little sickening. One of the gag stories of the week is that so many newly bankrupt airlines are paying their attorneys millions of dollars while those who invested in their stock get an empty seat. And I haven't even started on how it affects the employees. You know, those people who foot the bill so the company can get back on its feet just in time to promptly fire them as a cost cutting measure. It's a shame when the nation's largest companies run by what are supposedly the brightest minds in America would rather file for bankruptcy than respond to the marketplace with innovative ideas and concepts. You know -- compete.
Today's USA Today says that Delta Airlines' attorneys bill up to $785 an hour. If they work the way most law firms do, the ultra-highly paid attorneys are delegating most of the work to the merely highly paid attorneys, and then laughing all the way up their own corporate ladder.
Get my drift? While your goal may not be to become a millionaire or get paid $785 an hour, let's face it, if you don't own something, you are at the mercy of a lot of people who you don't know. And don't care to know. Consider building your own corporate ladder, not so you can be the gag story of the week but so that you can build your future on the only solid economic foundation there is -- you and your own abilities.
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.
Continue reading "The Lifestyle CEO Choice" »
Remember when multi-level marketing (MLM) companies were regularly accused of being illegal "pyramid schemes" because their business models were often based on collecting money rather than the legimitate sale of goods or services? (I know I'm dating myself here!) Well those days are gone and today, the MLM concept (also referred to as "direct sales" or "network marketing") is of great interest to Lifestyle CEOs from all walks of life. Whether you want to use the direct sales concept to grow your own business or join an established company, the direct sales concept is gaining considerable groud, especially for moms seeking to generate income without having to establish the infrastructure required to build a company from the ground up.
The Lifestyle section of the September 16, 2005, issue of USA Today contains a full color 2 page spread placed by the Direct Selling Association, a trade association for companies that sell goods and services using the network marketing framework. "Family ~ Future ~ Freedom!" screams one of the headlines. And if what they say is true -- that more than $30 billion in products and services are sold through direct selling each year -- indeed, there's a lot to scream about.
Continue reading "Family ~ Future ~ Freedom!" »
The Lifetyle CEO Blog is sponsored by Yours Truly, Donna Maria Coles Johnson -- the Original Lifestyle CEO. It complements my book, online newsletter, conferences and other products designed to inspire and encourage moms to successfully integrate life and business, without compromising either.
The Lifetyle CEO Blog shares my views on lifestyle, and home and business management from the distinct perspective of a wife, mother and businesswoman. It provides a fun and entertaining way for people to check the daily pulse of the growing group of women who are managing home and business on their own terms. Women are starting businesses today at more than twice the rate of the national average, and a significant number of them are simultaneously mothering young children. Tired of struggling, juggling and working for companies that don't provide the flexibility needed to be good workers and good mothers, these women are finding ways to combine business vision with personal values to build their own corporate ladders. They are using technology, their natural networking and social skills, their desire to create a legacy for their children and build familial wealth as springboards to a better lifestyle. They are making the Lifestyle CEO Choice, and loving every minute of it. If you want to know what they are thinking and doing, you'll find it here.
This Blog is a fantastic complement to other Lifestyle CEO related activities, including the Handmade Beauty Network, the leading trade organization representing manufacturers of candles, soaps, cosmetics, fragrances and aromatherapy products.
We currently allow for the posting of comments on the Lifestyle CEO Blog. Under each item, you'll see the word "Comments." To post a public comment about that news item, ask a question, or just see what other people have said, click on "Comments."
In the future I'll introduce guest bloggers including the Lifestyle CEO "Brain Trust," a group of successful mom business owners who share their expertise and tips for success.
dM
|
|
|
|
 |
