Guest Post by Suze Solari :: Spring is here! Even if the cold still plagues us, the days are longer and warm nights will soon be upon us. In preparation for the new season, take a little time to review what’s in your closet. Remove what’s worn out, doesn’t fit or items you just don’t like anymore.
This is a perfect time to invest in a few key pieces for spring and summer. I’ve officially put away my tall boots and will be bringing out my platform sandals and peep toe wedges, ready to slip them on the minute the temperature get over 60 degrees. Read more
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.
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:
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.
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
Have a question about your business?
Maybe it’s a social media quandary. Or a marketing issue. Or a legal question. Maybe it’s about your graphic design, or your current website, or your work-family juggling act. Whatever your current company concern is, we’re here to help — publicly.
If you send in your burning question, we’ll make a 60-second video to answer you. We’ll post it to our blog and to our social media sites so that you’ll get great publicity for your biz. At the same time, we’ll get to help thousands of entrepreneurs who may be wondering the same thing.
Think your question is too embarrassing? Think again. We’re all in the same boat. Fill in the Show & Tell Form here and help us help you. Ask and ye shall receive (and grow, and profit.) Go now!
“Did you know that newsletters are far more effective at driving business to your company’s website than social media? For you “I-Don’t-Have-Time”-ers and you “Why-Bother”-ites, maybe you should rethink your marketing efforts and create a promotional email. Only please make it less annoying, less spam-like and less cringe-inducing than everyone else’s newsletters.
How?
1. Content matters. Don’t get lazy and turn your newsletter into an aggregator of other people’s newsletters. Come up with short, to-the-point information, stats or opportunities. Make sure that you have relevant, concise information about your industry that’s interesting. Without the interesting part, you’ve lost me…” Read the full article at NBC Chicago here.
Guest Post by Intrist’s Joe Garbarczyk :: The majority of your website traffic will see your homepage at some point. It’s important that your homepage is working hard for you. This is usually the first step in the conversion funnel (and one of the most important!) If this is the first time a potential customer or client is hearing about your company, you’ll want to make a great first impression.
Here are five elements that should be on your homepage to make it effective:
Simplicity.
Simplicity should be used to minimize distraction. Think of your homepage and the user experience similar to making a cold call. It should be short (“We do X”), sweet and clutter-free. Take it easy on the images and animations. One trick that we like is going to Starbucks and asking people who could be in your target audience what they think.
