How To Lead A Guilt-Free Parenting Lifestyle

Published in PBS Parents on March 19, 2012

“Got guilt? It’s an epidemic. And we’ve all been there. Rushing out the door after dropping off your preschooler to get to work on time? Check. Late for a meeting because of a sick child? Check. Determining that you want to be a stay- or work-at-home parent and second-guessing yourself when you meet someone who chose to do the opposite of you? Check.

You can fight it. You can feel terrible about yourself. Or, you can take an active role in extinguishing the pain and suffering that comes with parenthood guilt. The Wall Street Journal has reviewed the “dependency dilemma” that exists in American families and Psychology Today has explored the topic of guilt in the context of “serving the cherubs” that are our American children. ABC News has even reported on the “external blame and recrimination that seems to bombard working mothers on a daily basis.” Nonsense, I say.” Read the rest of Jill’s PBS Parents piece here.

Dig the eco-chic lifestyle? Kimberley does. She’s created a unique gift item out of her desire to go green, which is a gift in and of itself. Check out how Kimberley did it and be inspired to find the inventor in you, too.

What business did you start up?

I launched Gift It Green, a cotton fabric gift boxes are reusable, fun, and unique. It has eco-chic crinkly tissue paper and multiple layers to capture the thrilling experience of unwrapping a gift. Gigs are designed to be gifted forward and are super easy with no scissors, tape, or waste.

What motivated you to do it?

I want to leave the world a little better for my kids. Opening presents should be a blast, but I always hated the waste!  There wasn’t anything like this available.

How many children do you have, and how old are they?

3 boys (5, 3, and 1 month.)

How long have you been running your business?

I’ve been readying the concept for 18 months but launched in April of 2012. Read more

Guest Post by Julie Schumacher :: A smart woman I’m related to is fond of saying, “There just aren’t any medals at the end of this.” What’s this? Motherhood. And she’s right. No one gives you a wreath of laurels for the late nights or a gold watch for all the barf. I’ve yet to see a plaque, not preschool made or cheesily punned, for the work we do. Sure, it’s a rewarding gig. Sure, I love my tot to death. And sure, she’s all the thanks I need and her happiness is my main reward.

What my sister was getting at was that there’s no glory in saying you do the work we do, all by your lonesome. Especially if you’re also a Founding Mom with a human baby and a business baby you are trying to nurture. No one invites you to accept the Oscar for “endurance solo performance by a mother/business owner.” Sorry to break it to any of you prepping your speech. Rather than feel defeated, what if we all embraced it and realized how empowering it truly is to not do it on our own? There’s freedom in that lack of glory, mamas.

In my first post here, I wrote about the power of saying no. Today, I’m arguing for yes. More yeses, please, all around.

When I talk to my friends whose kids are my kid’s age and whose businesses are like mine, the general vibe is that we’re all doing the best we can at everything. And by everything, I mean we’re doing everything seemingly all the time and all at once. We’re thriving in some places at some time, surviving in others, phoning it in on occasion. The list of jobs and duties and responsibilities (and joys and smiles and heart-expandingness) is a big one.

If we’re playing a ton of roles simultaneously already, why add martyr to the list? Read more

Rachel just launched her business after leaving her life as a teacher. She turned her educational know-how into a neat business where she can continue to help students grow. Read on to find out what Rachel came up with…

What business did you start up?

I recently started Skills for Success.  I work with middle and high school students who struggle with organization, time management, and effective studying.

What motivated you to do it?

After teaching high school for eight years, I needed a break.  I love working with students but I wanted to help them in a way that I couldn’t in my classroom.  Also, I was looking for a more flexible schedule that wasn’t dictated by a bell every 52 minutes, so I could spend more time with my young daughter. Read more

An entrepreneur’s confidence is inspiring. When we heard from Samana, we were thrilled to find a CEO who knows what makes her clients happy. And like the rest of us, she shares her desire to know so much more about marketing. Read on to find out more about this healthcare guru.

What business did you start up?

North Shore Natural Health Care. We focus on de-stressing moms and helping kids be healthy through natural and conscious healing methods which include energy balancing, diet and education.

What motivated you to do it?

I want to help moms and kids to be healthy, and to teach them greater awareness to cultivate health and balance in their lives and in their bodies.

How many children do you have, and how old are they?

I have two amazing stepchildren. Ian is 10 years old and Isabelle is 12 years old.

How long have you been running your business?

For about 1.5 years, my husband Rango and I have been developing it together.

How long did it take you to start becoming profitable and/or successful, however you choose to measure success?

We are still building. I am working part-time doing physical therapy with a physician’s group which I enjoy. The business can pay for our office expenses but we need supplemental income so my husband does some chiropractic and I do the physical therapy. We are working to upgrade our website and begin blogging to improve online exposure.

Read more

Do you wish you had some personal accountability when it comes to running your business? You’re not alone.

For the last 3 years, I’ve hosted a monthly Founding Moms’ Exchange, which is what we call our Meetups. Since I host Exchanges in 2 different locations, I meet entrepreneurs twice a month to talk business. To date, our most successful Founding Moms’ Exchange is our annual “Accountability Partner” Exchange. In a room of twenty members, we partner off with the following assignment:

Read more

Guest Post by Wendy Widom :: I saw a photo of L’Oreal Spokesperson Andie MacDowell recently and thought, holy shit she’s looking so fantastic at age 54. It made me mosey on over to the mirror and say, why the hell isn’t my face looking as fab as hers?

Well, we all know the answer. Photoshop. While I’m not against digitally removing a few bumps and blemishes here and there, this overly airbrushed photo is ridiculous and sends such a crappy message to women. We age. We get wrinkles. Things sag. Rather than fight the hands of time, I’d rather push back against a culture that says we’re invisible if we don’t stay young. Read more

We’ve got more powerful webinars coming up just for you! Check out these superb experts offering their guidance, tips & tricks:

7 Mistakes Women Make With Their Money & How To Stop Making Them
Thursday, February 28 @ 5 PM PST/7 PM CST/8 PM EST

Although this webinar will take place at night in the States, it will be 9 AM in Australia when we speak with Susan Broughton about your journey to abundance.

In “7 Mistakes Women Make With Their Money & How to Stop Making Them” Susan shares how she made mistakes with money, what she learned from her own mistakes and from working with her clients, in a practical and entertaining way. Learn more about the mistakes you may be making and get tips to put into practice immediately to improve your habits, your thought patterns, your financial situation and your life.

Susan Broughton refers to herself as a Recovering Financial Planner having “escaped” the corporate world of financial services. She now helps women slay their money dragons and live purposely abundant lives in her company Journey to Abundance.

Click here to learn more about Susan.

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Karen will be discussing why policy matters to business and entrepreneurs and some of the key issues that will be debated and decided over the next year impacting the Founding Moms Community.

For nearly twenty years Karen Kerrigan’s leadership, advocacy and training work has helped foster U.S. entrepreneurship and global small business growth.  She is president & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, and is the group’s chief advocate for its members. Kerrigan is a founding member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum, and regularly provides counsel to governments and business associations across the globe regarding entrepreneurial development, capacity building and policy formation and implementation.

Learn more about Karen here.

Paula will cover the many roles of a momentrepreneur;  the idea of “enough-ness”;  how to shift perspective of what balance looks like;  and provide suggestions to help a momentrepreneur find their balance.

Paula G. Rosario is a brand marketer with over 20 years’ experience crafting marketing strategies and engaging target audiences. In time she realized she received much gratification from supporting, mentoring and coaching others.  Following her heart, in 2005 she pursued training as a leadership and Certified Energy Coach. Today, Paula is the owner of Balance for Professional MOMS where her mission is to uplift and inspire women to fill their own cup, connect to their inner sparkle and create the business and life they love.

Learn more about Paula here.

Need business advice? Want to watch these webinars in our Community? Check it out here.

Guest Post by Mike Zammuto :: Whether you’re seeking new employment or you’re trying to land a big new client, you can assume in this day and age that your name is going to be a subject of intense Google and social media scrutiny. Before taking the time to read your entire resume or spend an hour hearing your sales pitch, potential business associates are going to do their due diligence, checking you out on the Internet and looking for red flags. An embarrassing sorority party photo from your college days probably doesn’t convey the sense of professionalism you would like the business community to see.

For all of the talk about things that can hinder a social media profile, there’s much less discussion about what can enhance a social media profile — and turn it into a valuable and powerful tool for those seeking career advancement and professional networking. The question, then, is not simply which things ought be kept off your Facebook page, but which things should be highlighted on it.

1. Profess your professional acumen. Believe it or not, a Facebook account can provide you with an ideal platform for expressions your professional acumen — showcasing your skills and expertise in much the same way that a LinkedIn page can. One way to accomplish this is to ensure that you have joined, or “liked,” any professional or academic organizations with which you’re affiliated; if you’re a member in good standing with one of your industry’s most esteemed professional associations, Facebook is as good a place as any to let people know about it. Drive home the fact that you’re a key player in your field. That can improve your professional networking tremendously.

Read more

Guest Post by Jessica Ciller :: What are your goals for your company in 2013? Have a business development strategy all mapped out yet?

Neither do I.

I’ve heard countless times that a business development strategy is in order when you’re running a business. Establish your goals. Figure out who makes up your market. Suss out what times of day people like your Facebook posts, read your tweets, and comment on your blog posts. But how are you supposed to carve one up if you don’t know these things, let alone know how to test for these things? Read more