Goal Setting!

The Enterprising Moms: Setting Intentions and Goals for 2010 ... And, you'll have the opportunity to form connections with fellow self-employed, business-owner and entrepreneurial moms. As one business owner put it ... "I have found clients, friends and gotten information for services I need and ... Beltway Networking - Events Feed - http://www.beltwaynetworking.com/event/feed

Guest Post: 6 Tips to Start and Run a Successful Business

6 Tips to Start and Run a Successful Business

It’s not something that most of us would dare venture, but starting your own business venture does have its share of excitement. There are pessimists who say that 9 out of 10 new ventures fail, but then, failure is a relative term. It depends on how you define it – if you don’t make a profit in the first few months, are you a failure? If you are not busy all the time, does that mean that you’ve failed to succeed? And if you are going through a bad patch, would that count as failure?

The point I’m trying to make is that we all want to succeed, but success means different things to each of us. So when you’re starting your new business, here’s what you need to keep in mind:

• Do something you love: When you’re passionate about your work, it becomes a labor of love, not a chore that has to be endured. And this encourages you to strive harder for the success you dream of. When you’re able to make a business out of your passion, you know you have a surefire recipe for success.
• Do your research thoroughly: You need to use a little of your head as well when starting a new business. Study the market thoroughly and see if there is a need for the product or service you are selling. Only then can you rest assured that all you need to achieve success is a combination of hard work, dedication and initiative.
• Be prepared to work hard: Hard work never killed anybody, especially work that is well planned and equally well executed. Plan your operations ahead so that you get things done efficiently. Know how to delegate tasks so that you don’t overwork yourself. And know where to draw the line when it comes to taking the office home with you.
• Invest in a good team: You are only as good as the weakest person in your team, so ensure that you invest time, money and effort in hiring talented and skilled people who are not afraid of hard work and are willing to learn what they do not know. When you are supported by a good team of employees who work with you rather than for you, you know you’re well on the route to success.
• Remember that the customer is king: And last, but certainly not the least, without your customer, you have no chance of making it big. So treat your customers with courtesy and provide them with services and products that are of good quality. Be ethical and transparent in all your dealings with them, because it is their goodwill and continued patronage that works in your favor to bring you new customers and help your business grow.
• Continue to innovate: So now your business is up and running and you have a steady stream of income coming in. Stay one step ahead of the competition and prevent your business from becoming obsolete or defunct by innovating. Keep in tune with market trends and find out what your customers expect. Cater to their needs and watch yourself taste success after success.

About the author:
This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of executive mba programs. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com

Repost from The Savvy Entrepreneur

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The Savvy Mindset – Time Management While You Sleep! Working from home means you can run your own schedule. That sounds great until you get a “to do” list so long that clocking off time becomes when you can no longer keep your eyes open. Here’s an unusual tip for time management. As you go through the day you’ll accumulate things to add to your to do list. Jot them down, but if they can wait, don’t do them yet. Before leaving your desk for the day, sort the list into these two categories: Down to Earth, and Inspired Required. Down to Earth will be things like pay invoice number… and phone supplier X. By contrast, Inspired Required should include such things as, find the perfect marketing agency/publisher/virtual p.a. or write sales/advertising copy or need perfect product for Xmas sale and so on. Read over the Inspired Required list and just let them roll around your mind without attempting to solve them yet. Now, before you go to sleep, just mentally issue an instruction to your subconscious mind: “I’m going to sleep now. While I’m resting, I want you to take care of all the things on my Inspired Required list.” Then go to sleep. In the morning, deal with the Down to Earth ones that need handling – or, better still, get your p.a., partner or friends to do them. (If you hate accounts and you have a friend who enjoys them, there’s always some skill or favour you can exchange even if you don’t have a budget, isn’t there?) Now turn your attention to the Inspired Required list. You’ll be amazed at how many of the those tasks will seem to “do themselves”! I bet you didn’t know you had a “silent partner” living in your head who will willingly work while you sleep, did you? Try it. There’s no penalty for sacking them if they don’t come up to expectations! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Trevor Emdon, aka the “Wizard of Wisdom” writes and creates, (from his very soul), self help and law of attraction programs, such as Stop Worrying And Grow Rich, one of his most popular as it is about how to attract money.

Ego or being objective?

If you have a business you know that you need to know your stuff, right? Well, have you ever run across something and it's just all wrong?


Alright, I'll just be blunt. I design websites. I did not go to school for it (dropped my computer programming class after two weeks), do not claim to be a master web designer, but I enjoy doing it. I taught myself and continue to teach myself new things. There are days I come across websites and I'm like, "Really?! Are you kidding me? Are you really trying to sell products from this?"

My first reaction is to look at the bottom of the site and see who designed it. If there is nothing there, I go and look at the code. Why? Because I'm nosy!

One thing I have learned is to look at websites from a designer's point of view and the consumer's point of view. So I look at many small business sites to see how they are built and if they are user friendly. The easier they are to navigate, the longer a customer will stay on the site.

One of the first boutique sites I redesigned in awful shape. My client had been charged over $1000 for a site that took up to four mouse clicks to actually get to the products. When I first looked at it I thought that if I were a customer after 2 clicks I'd be done. If I can't get to the products right away, then forget it.

Today, I go to a website that belongs to a local mom and it's a very basic site (nothing wrong with that). But it hardly gives any information about who they are, how they got started. There are only a few products that you cannot enlarge and I know they make a lot more than that. I just felt bad because I was telling another friend about the products they made and they weren't even offered in the store.

I had to stop myself and ask if it was my ego or am I just being an objective consumer? I believe it's the latter because I want all moms to succeed in what they do. I guess when I see a part of their business (something I am good at) is not very good, I feel bad. So what to do?

Nothing...really. The fact I am faced with is that I hardly know this mom. I cannot very well go up and offer design services without really explaining why, "Uhh...your site needs some work..call me." Nope. Don't think so. Hopefully someone else will ask about products in the store or where to find more information.

When you start a business, any business, you need to think about presentation from every angle. Although you may be selling the best products in the world, if they are presented poorly it won't matter. Ask people about how it looks to them and be willing to listen to their critiques. If you like what they have to say, great. If not, then don't worry about it. Just be willing to see it from another point of view.

Being A Dad In A Mom’s World w/Jay from Crazy Baby Clothing

Awesome! This dad started his business in a mom-predominant world!

Being A Dad In A Mom’s World w/Jay from Crazy Baby Clothing

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Business Tips for Working Moms & Entrepreneur Moms

Here is another mom who has very good, basic tips about starting a business. I notice that if you keep to the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid) you are more successful. If you get caught in the details, that is all you focus on.

Business Tips for Working Moms and Entrepreneur Moms: Super Mom Place

abcteach.com : Interview with a successful mompreneur

Wow! If you are a mom starting a business, here is a great interview for you! Her tips are basic and true!

abcteach.com : Interview with a successful mompreneur

Balancing Business and Motherhood

Does this picture look familiar?
It is a common site at our house.

Mom on the phone and/or computer, baby is crying,
mom picks up baby and attempts
to go on with current project.

There are great benefits to being a mom who owns her own business:

1. You have the opportunity to be home with your children.
2. You are in control of your time.
3. No need to dress up for the office (many times I work in pjs!)
4. You are in control of your money inflow, not a corporate office.

There are also some downsides to owning your own business and being a mom:

1. When starting a business, there is a LOT of front-end work
that takes a LOT of time.
2. Figuring out how to balance "work" time and "mommy" time.
Learning how to prioritize.
3. Knowing when you need to stop everything
and do something for yourself.
4. Sometime the money "inflow" takes a while to "flow-in."

There is no perfect solution to the downsides.
Having a supportive, helpful mate is a great step.
Also, explaining in age-appropriate language what you do
will help your children understand why your focus is elsewhere.

Remember if you tell your kids you'll be done in 5 minutes...
be done in 5 minutes.
Time is very important to children because they spell
L-O-V-E with T-I-M-E.