Since the launch of Girlfriend's Biz Alliance over a year and half ago, I have had numerous conversations with fabulous business women just like you. All of you are passionate about what you do, but things just aren't happening fast enough. Whether you want more clients, more money, want to make a difference or want more visibility, it just isn't happening as quickly as you would like.
I have heard from many women they need help with focusing, creating a clear strategy, making the most of their time, and implementing actions steps to MAKE IT HAPPEN!
The Girlfriend's Biz Alliance MAKE IT HAPPEN Bootcamp is about providing you with the tools, support and accountability you need to get results faster and ultimately MAKE IT HAPPEN.
So, what can you expect from participating in the MAKE IT HAPPEN Bootcamp?
A Clear Vision of Where You Are Headed
Your 90 Day Vision and Goals Mapped Out
A Clear Strategy of How You are getting from Point A to Point B
Tools for Marketing and Tackling Social Media
A Kick in the Butt, so that you can Kick it into High Gear
Totally Action Orientated
Complete Accountability so you Make It Happen!
Tools to help you Get Focused
Ways to Make the Most of YOUR Time
How to Take Action Consistently
Have a Biz not a Hobby
Make More Money and Have Fun Doing It!
Plus...
You get lots of access to your favorite Girlfriend's Biz Advisor and MAKE IT HAPPEN Gal, muah - your accountability partner, cheerleader and ally (at an amazingly affordable price).
Connect with fabulous like minded women who are real, ready to share, ready to grow and learn, and be part of a team effort of helping each other get results and MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Join me starting January 20th for the Make It Happen Bootcamp! We will chat live every Wednesday at 11am Arizona time for 8 weeks. Each call will be recorded, so don't worry if you can't make the call. Plus, we will have 2 Q&A Calls to answser your questions.
Lets kick-off 2010 with a bang and make the success you dream of a reality!
Get the details by visiting the Make It Happen Bootcamp page on our website.
12.28.2009
Make It Happen Bootcamp - Kick Off 2010 with a Bang
12.21.2009
Join GBA to raise money for Entrepreneurs and Kick You Health into gear for 2010!
I am often only focused on Business Goals and have decided for 2010 to add some different to the mix and have some Personal Goals too. Personal Goals are just as important as Business Goals! With that said, I decided to start of my 2010 with a personal goal of running a 5K. I know for some this is a walk in the park and I hope it is for me too when the time comes, but for now it is a stretch for sure!
11.03.2009
Day Planner for Women Entrepreneurs
I am very excited to announce and introduce something to you that I have been working on all year!
Are you tired of trying Day Planner after Day Planner searching for the right one to help you get organized and be productive in your business?
I was so tired of buying and trying day planner after day planner and being disappointed every time! So, in January 2009 I decided I was done trying to find one that would work... and decided to create and design my own day planner that would be perfect for the woman entrepreneur!
For most of the year I have been testing different proto-types on myself and figuring out what works best for the woman and mom entrepreneur. I am excited to say I have found a system that not only works, but if you commit to using the system (which is easy) you will see results!
Creating and growing a successful business takes a CLEAR VISION, STEADY FOCUS, the "WHY" you to do what you do DEFINED, GOALS SET, and an ACTION PLAN to EXECUTE.
The Girlfriend's Biz Planner takes your typical Weekly/Monthly Day Planners and turns it into a Biz Planner that will help you define your vision, map your goals, keep you focused and make your time highly productive!
Here it what you will find inside:
Yearly Vision Statement
Yearly Goals
90 Day Mapping System
Your Monthly "WHY"
Monthly Master Task List
Monthly Calendar View
Weekly Calendar View
Weekly Appointments
Daily No Matter What
Weekly Goal/Intention
Weekly Affirmations
Delegate/Ask
Weekly Accomplishments
Weekly Gratitude
Weekly Reflection
Ideas Section
Stay In Touch Reminder
Daily Marketing Reminder
Weekly Notes/Messages
Mileage Tracking
and MORE!
The Details...
Size - 7" wide by 9.5" long (easy to have on hand all the time)
Sturdy Cover
Spiral Bound
Sneak Peak Inside
Get Your 2010 BIZ Day Planner Now!
9.28.2009
Pretty In Pink Spotlight - Jami Amidon
How long have you been in business? November 06. Recently incorporated under Intelligent Skin LLC.
What is a typical work day? Work from home office with women across the country, but locally the girls are all over town in salons and medical offices. Consultants work from their homes too. I really work on completing my daily intentions written down from the night before, or I am all over the place. I have my day broken down into segments. Only certain amounts of time for the different parts of my life and each day has a separate folder 1-31 with the task ready for me to work on that day. I am not perfect at this, but it is becoming habit for me like a budget. Yucky, but stress relieving.
What is your current business challenge? Up and down volume
What is your favorite motivational quote? Today it is. “Be more, so you can have more, so you can do more for others.” Rita Davenport
Family? Blended, 1 married stepson with 2 children, 1 married daughter with 2 girls, 2 boys in college, 1 son in highschool. I am NOT old!
How do you balance running a business, family and “me time”? Book it baby.
What is your favorite “me time” activity? Shopping!!! all over the country, mostly artist shows. I really want to go to the one in Ada, MI.
What is your best piece of advice for other Always Busy Women in Business? If you do what you love you will never work another day in your life. Find and create yourself within your business. You will have a blast and the hard days will be less hard. You decided your worth, not anyone else.
Do you have a favorite business tool and/or resource? Go To Meeting cuts down the travel time for me and allows me to have meetings all over the country. I also read a lot of great business books.
What is next for your business? Growing 2 new teams by end of November 09.
Special Offer? Offer code:ABW25 25% off any professional service in Tucson. $50 in skin care products plus additional discounts for hosting a skin care education seminar or make up training with 4 guests in attendance. Schedule online at http://www.yourintelligentskin.com/
Are you a Girlfriend in business? Would you like to be featured and show off your product or service. Contact us at empower@girlfriendsbizalliance.com.
8.25.2009
Pretty In Pink: Christine Siler
Pretty In Pink Spotlight: Christine Siler
10 Ways to Survive the Carpool Line
1. Grab a Drink. We all can use a yummy cup of coffee or a cold ice tea.
2. Have fun activities for the kids sitting in the back seat. You can even pack a fun bag for yourself and through in your favorite magazine, book or journal.
3. Make some calls. Catch up with love ones and friends while you are waiting!
4. Twitter or Facebook. Update your status or chat online.
5. Plan Your Day. Pull out your calendar and see what is on schedule for the next day and plan out your day. List your top 5 must get done tasks for the following day.
6. Car Dance. Turn up the music and rock out! Do some car dancing and rev up your engine for the rest of the day.
7. Write Notes. Take those few minutes to hand write some Thank you notes to clients.
8. Brainstorm. Have an upcoming project you want to launch or a new service you want to offer. Put it on paper and brainstorm on what you need to do to make it happen.
9. Kid Talk. Have little ones in the back? They are trapped in the carpool line too. Have some fun conversation with them or play an “I See” game.
10. Best Survival Tip. If the carpool line just has you going crazy, my best advice is to park in a nearby spot and walk in. This will save you from the frustrations and craziness of the line. Plus, who couldn’t use a nice boost of sunshine and fresh air?
8.20.2009
Great Article by Jennifer Fong - Your Newsletter is an Important Part of your Social Media Strategy
8.17.2009
Making the Most of Your Day
Being your own boss can be a challenge. You’re it! As an entrepreneur it is imperative to prioritize each day for maximum productivity. It is so easy to get caught up in surfing the net, chatting with friends on facebook or worse preparing to prioritize (you know what I am talking about… making a list, organizing papers, busy stuff that doesn’t get you any closer to your goal).
The most common time waster is procrastination. Any of us can think of a million different time consuming tasks to do, that ultimately accomplish nothing.
One of the best things you can do to maximize your time is to plan your day. Each morning or at the end of your day take 15 minutes to map out your day. The only way you are ever going to achieve your goals is to take action steps and these steps need to be in your calendar!
You might be reading this and think… yeah, yeah, I’ve heard this before. O.K., so then why aren’t you making it happen? Let’s take a second and get real. Think about what behaviors might be sabotaging your success. Do any of these sound familiar?
Continually preparing and not taking action.
Being unable to say “NO” to things that aren’t moving you forward
Failing to ask for help
Focusing on unproductive tasks
Being unorganized
Not having a clear goal
Waiting until late in the day to do tasks and then not doing them because you’re tired.
Did you connect with any of these? The first thing in correcting a behavior is recognizing it. Analyze the behavior and ask yourself why you are behaving this way? Is it possible there is something else holding you back?
Here are a few things that can help:
Focus on priorities first thing in the morning.
Tackle the most difficult task first
One of the best things you can do is carry a tote around with you, so you can be productive when free time opens up.
Don’t take phone calls, look at emails or get on the internet until your priorities for they day are complete.
8.03.2009
5 Ways to Help Tackle Self Motivation
While self-motivation is a simple concept, we all know that it’s one of the hardest things to attain. Despite purely good intentions, most of us are better at slacking off than getting motivated. But, no matter what your attention span it is possible for you to motivate yourself and reach your goals; you just need to follow a few simple steps.
Know what you’re doing
A to-do list is nice to have to help you get things done, but it doesn’t do much to help you stay motivated. Before you can make your to-do list, you need to set goals and priorities. They may be short term like “finish this project to attain more work” or more general like “increase workload to attain promotion”. If you give yourself a goal or vision to work for, you’re going to be more motivated to finish things than if you’re simply completing tasks.
Stay positive
A positive attitude can go a long way. People have probably told you this over and over, but you’re still not inclined to believe it. Take a little extra time each day to remind yourself of your accomplishments. It is also a good idea to try to surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. If you don’t have any at work, find positive and encouraging statements from successful people and post them around your office.
Set mini-goals
Finishing a project can be a daunting task. If it’s a large amount of work, you’re likely to look at it, get overwhelmed, and give up or put it off before you even get started. An easier way to accomplish a project is to break it up into smaller tasks. This way you’ll be looking at a bunch of small goals instead of one great big one. While it’s the same amount of work, it helps to keep you from getting overwhelmed. Plus, each time you accomplish one of your tasks, you’ll feel successful and motivated to keep trekking on through the rest.
Reward yourself
To help keep yourself going, set up rewards for each task you complete. They don’t have to be anything big; they could be going to see a movie over the weekend or spending 15 minutes on the phone with a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. It’s just something positive to help encourage you. You can also set small rewards for your mini goals and have a large reward for when you finish a large project.
You can also punish yourself to achieve goals. For example, set up a mini-punishment, like snapping a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you find yourself drifting off and not paying attention, or doing something counter-productive, snap the rubber band. This will help train your mind to stay on track.
Have a backup
While we may have the best of intentions, most of us really aren’t that good at sticking with our self-motivating methods. If this seems like you, you may be in need of some backup. This is a friend, co-worker, or associate - anyone who is dependable and trustworthy. Let them know what your goals are (and even your rewards and punishments) and set up a plan for them to check up on you.
It could be as simple as giving you a call to see how much you’ve gotten done, or maybe have them be the keeper of some reward and administer it when you reach your goal. This way, if your resolution wavers, you’ll have someone else there to help out.
Pretty In Pink: Nancy Jay
How long have you been in business? I started with Premier in February of this year.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall-Confucious
What is next for your business? I am really looking to engage in a lot more social marketing to build my customer base. I am also looking into re-structuring some of my shows and sales strategies to increase my sales. Also, I am working to promote our brand new line, which just came out last week and is absolutely beautiful!!!
7.13.2009
Tips for Staying Focused on Your Biz
If you are easily distracted or get bored easily, staying focused on your business can be harder than doing the actual work of your business! It is very easy to procrastinate, especially when you work from home. There are always ‘so many other things to do’.
Here is a secret that you may not have heard yet: The dishes can wait! The laundry can wait! So feel free to make those phone calls or answer those emails. The laundry and dishes will still be there, waiting for you! However, if you wait too long to call a client back, they may move on to someone who gets back to them faster than you do.
Why did you decide to go into business for yourself? Whatever the reason, write it down and put it where you will see it on a daily basis. When you are feeling distracted, look at what you wrote down. It will be easier to work when you remember why you are working in the first place.
You may want to team up with another work at home friend. Send each other your goals and keep one another accountable. Call each other at the end of the day and discuss what you accomplished; you can share your successes or lend each other a sympathetic ear over things that didn’t go as you planned.
Stay motivated by setting daily, weekly and monthly goals. If you “work backwards” you will create a road map to your success. For instance, if you are in direct sales and your financial goal is to sell $1500 in product that month. Do the math and you’ll see that you need to sell $375 of product each week. Now, how many home parties do you need to hold each week to accomplish that? How many phone calls do you need to make each day in order to schedule those parties?
When you accomplish your goals, give yourself a little treat to remind yourself that you worked hard and achieved success!
6.24.2009
How to be a Successful Mompreneur & Keep Your Sanity
Being an mompreneur offers the best of both worlds. You basically have it all, the career and the family. You’re in control of your schedule, your success and you’re able to be there for your family when they need you. However, this amazing lifestyle doesn’t come without challenges. Here are a few steps to help you be a successful mompreneur:
Step One: Know and accept that you cannot do it all, why would you want to? Wonder Woman is a comic strip. She had size double D chest, a tiny waist, bulletproof bracelets and an invisible airplane – she’s fiction! Besides all of that, she didn’t have kids or a business. If she did, she’d know to focus on her strengths and the tasks that make her the most profits and the tasks she enjoys and to outsource, automate and eliminate the rest.
That means if cleaning the house takes too much time away from your profits and you cannot round up the troops at home to help, consider outsourcing the task to a cleaning service. Equally, if customer service takes too much of your time, consider outsourcing it – there are wonderful and cost effective services to handle just about any task you can think of.
Quick tip – to help you determine if it is cost effective to outsource, determine your hourly value by dividing your annual profits by how many hours you work each year. For example, if your annual profits are $100,000 and you work 20 hours a week with four weeks of vacation each year that’s 960 hours a year or $104 dollars an hour. Anything you outsource will ideally cost you less than $104/hour
Step Two: Schedule time for everything – that includes fun time and me time! Scheduling, and a good scheduling system, are the key to focused productivity. If you know that from 9-12 each day you’re working on booking appointments and from 1 – 3 each day you’re open to exercise, volunteer, or share an afternoon with a friend, you’re much more likely to stay sane and get a lot accomplished during your morning work time.
Step Three: Set boundaries, expect interruptions. Life is full of surprises and usually when we least expect and welcome them. Set boundaries with your family and friends so they respect and support your schedule and work time however, make room for exceptions. For example, your child is practically guaranteed to get sick on your big day with a potential new client.
Step Four: Make time for you. Personal care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Whether you’re single or married with children or without, it’s important to take time out of your busy schedule to do things you want to do. As a mompreneur this is truly essential!
Life is about balance and in order to even the scales between work and pleasure, even if you enjoy your work, it’s important to make time for self-care. It can be anything from a trip to Italy, a day at the spa or a bubble bath by candlelight at the end of the day. The important thing is to practice it regularly and make it part of your life.
Step Five: Set aside time to plan. Yes, schedules and goals are essential to business growth however, if you’re a busy mom on top of being a business owner, planning your business often falls by the wayside. Schedule time to plan your business regularly, for example each month. Outline what you’ve accomplished, where you want to go, and how you’re going to get there. This habit will help you be more productive and you’ll be able to reach your business goals much faster.
Being a mom and a business owner isn’t easy however when approached strategically and with a bit of the common sense only a mother can bring to the table, you can have your cake and eat it too, without sacrificing your sanity, your profits, or your family.
6.16.2009
Marketing Your Biz via Social Networks
If you have a biz but aren’t using social network marketing to promote it, you are losing out on literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of potential readers and customers.
Social network marketing is becoming, if it’s not already, the number one way businesses are marketing today. This is because the potential to reach people all over the world is on the Internet through social networking.
In order to make social networking work for your business, obviously you need to be a member of the major social networks. However, more is required. You must be active on the social networks. You simply can’t just belong but not interact with other members and expect to build your business that way.
The whole idea of social networking is not simply to drive more traffic to your blogs and sites, it is to build relationships with potential new readers, subscribers and customers. It is then through those relationships that your new contacts will come to know and trust you. People buy and do business with people they know, like and trust.
So, how do you go about making social networking work for your business? One way is to add, follow or friend people in your target market or niche. Then, begin building relationships with them first. Yes, let them know about your blog, but don’t be all about expecting them to go read it without first knowing why they should. This is where the relationship comes in. Offer the valuable content, engage and help them. Once your subscribers know they can trust you and that you’re not just out to sell them something, but you genuinely want to help them, they will be interested in what you have to say and what you have to sell or your services.
Social networking can be tricky too. You may have a tendency to want to build up your number of friends and followers, but if they are not part of your target market or niche, then they are just a bunch of people. If you don’t have to offer what you’re followers need and want, then all your efforts are a waste of time.
As mentioned earlier, social networking takes time and effort. If you don’t personally have the time to devote to really make social networking work for you, hire an assistant or social network manager to do it for you. It won’t do you any good to belong to social networks if you never have the time to spend building relationships with your potential new readers.
The hottest social networks right now are Twitter, Facebook, Digg, De.lic.ious and Stumble Upon. Of course there are numerous other social networks you can join as well, but these are recommended to get started. Trust me; you will be plenty busy trying to keep up with these five.
Once you start building relationships through social networking, then you can begin promoting your products and services to your audience. But remember, helping your readers, finding ways to benefit them is what’s going to keep them coming back to your site for more! Don’t let your relationship become all about only selling to them.
6.10.2009
Empower your BIZ with the Real YOU
6.09.2009
5 Effective Strategies for Business Success
Starting and growing a business is a fabulous and challenging adventure. You can wake up excited to begin your day and go to bed feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The key to success is to maintain a clear focus, positive outlook and a can do attitude.
Easier said than done, right? Here are 5 strategies to help you create and maintain a clear focus and positive mindset so you achieve the success you desire.
1. Surround yourself with successful and positive people. The impact people have over our own personal energy is amazing. Moods and attitudes are so easily spread – think about how much of a difference a simple smile from a stranger can make for your day and then magnify it 1000 times to demonstrate the power of positive and successful friends, family and associates. When you have people around you who inspire you, believe in you and want you to succeed, there’s no room for doubts and even when they creep up, they’re quickly swept away.
2. Create a mantra or an affirmation. Repeating positive affirmations has been shown to get people through tough times and to actually help them truly believe what they’re saying.
For example, “I am building a powerful and profitable business.” Many of the most esteemed business professionals have used the same affirmation strategy to attain their success. To find the right affirmations for you, consider writing a quick list of your doubts, insecurities and complaints. These can then be quickly turned into affirmations.
For example, if you write that you’re always feeling disorganized then your affirmation would be, “I am organized and in control.” Repeat your affirmations several times a day and feel the power of positive thinking.
3. Capture negative thoughts. We all have negative thoughts from time to time, however, negative thoughts and emotions can derail us and prevent us from achieving all we desire. Of course catching those negative thoughts takes practice and persistence. When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts or having negative emotions, find a trigger to turn them around. The affirmations mentioned above are a great way to turn the negative into the positive. You can also find quick pick me ups like a favorite song, a walk outside in the fresh air, or some exercise to help improve your mood.
4. Set goals/intentions and then be willing to let it go. The law of attraction says that we attract what we focus on the most. However, desperation, needing your business to be a success, sends mixed messages and a lot of negativity into the universe. Set your goals and intentions and then let them go. A certain amount of faith in yourself and in the power of attraction is necessary. Give it a try.
5. Be grateful. Gratitude is perhaps the single most powerful and positive tool for success. When you’re grateful for all of the wonderful things and people in your life the challenges you face seem significantly less important and are more easily dealt with.
Consider keeping a gratitude journal and make a practice of entering into it daily. That way, when you’re facing challenges a quick peek at all the amazing things in your life will make you feel as if you can tackle anything. Additionally, an attitude of gratitude helps you maintain a positive perspective and to face challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles.
Success is within your reach and with the right attitude you can accomplish anything you set your sights on. Embrace these five powerful success strategies and you’ll build a better business and live a happier, more satisfying life.
5.18.2009
Quick Tips to boost Productivity for Always Busy Women Entrepreneurs
1. First things First. Instead of checking email or Facebook first thing and possibly wasting an hour or two in a blink of an eye, try focusing on a project or task and get it done.
2. Speaking of Email. Do you drop what you're doing every time you hear the new e-mail sound or see that little envelope icon in your system tray? Close Outlook and focus on the task at hand. Better yet, turn off the alerts and notifications in your email program. Try scheduling a specific time of day that you check email.
3. Tracking your Time. Do you have a good idea of how you spend your time each day? If you don't, use a paper time log or track your time in Outlook so you know how your precious minutes and hours are being spent. You might be surprised. This is a great way to see if you are wasting too much time on a certain aspect of your business that might be able to be delegated to a virtual assistant.
4. Best Use of Your Time. In the simplest terms, there are really two sides to a successful business: saving money and making money. If what you are doing doesn't help your company do one or the other, give some serious thought to whether it's a good use of your time.
5. Breakdown tasks. If you are having trouble wrapping your head around a project, make a list of the first few steps to get you started.
6. Guard your time. Manage your time, just like you would manage your budget. Don't just give yourself away to anyone that asks. Be selective.
7. Schedule appointments with yourself. Don't just use Outlook for your daily appointments. If you need to carve out time to work on something specific, put it on your Tasks and block out time just like you would a meeting with a real person. Don't stand yourself up!
8. Break It Up. If you can never seem to get the ball rolling on a big project, think of it as a series of smaller tasks. The work will seem less intimidating, and you'll have a good chunk done before you know it.
9. Group tasks. Don't let small, repetitive tasks repeatedly interrupt your day. Carve out a few dedicated minutes each day to handle repetitive tasks like filing, processing mail, or handling invoices. Get things done in groups.
10. Be decisive. Don't waste time with indecision. It will often take less time to correct a mistake than it does to obsess over the decision. Once the decision's been made, it's easier to move forward.
11. Organize your space. Clutter and confusion will not only slow you down, but it will drain your energy as well. Make the effort to get your work area in order and reap the benefits day after day.
12. End Your Day with a Great Start. Close out the day. Don't waste the last few minutes of the day. Make it a priority to close out your day by organizing yourself and setting priorities for the day to come.
5.12.2009
A Healthy Competition or a Deadly Comparison
Have you ever heard the term “healthy competition”? Competition can be a fabulous driving force when used properly. A great motivating competition might be when two or more Always Busy Entrepreneurs get together and see who can sell the most product in a month or who can make the most customer follow-up calls in an hour. Having that competition going can give you something to work for and you may end up accomplishing more than you would have otherwise.
Comparing yourself on the other hand to your fellow Always Busy Entrepreneur friends is unhealthy. If you have found yourself thinking “Wow, she is so successful. I wish I was more like her. My life would be perfect if I could be like her.” You are comparing yourself to others. Do not fall into this trap!
You need to be proud of who you are and what you are doing. You do not have your friend’s life – she may have older children and eight hours a day to work on her business whereas you have a newborn and a toddler and only a few hours a day to work. It is important to set your goals realistically. Remember the old saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day?” It applies to your business as well! And who knows if your successful friend is really as successful as she is? Maybe she is saying she is more successful than she actually is. It is quiet possible that she is comparing herself to you as well!
It is normal to wonder if your business is doing well, or if you are making as much as you could be. Seek out advice from someone who has been where you are now. They can offer an honest opinion and can tell you what they did to achieve their success. Remember to use their advice as a guideline. You need to set your own deadline. It doesn’t matter if it takes you a bit longer to achieve your goals. Building a successful business is not a race – it is a marathon! By working consistently on your business, you will achieve your goals.
5.05.2009
Easy Time Management Tricks for Always Busy WAHM’s
From the outside looking in, many people assume that work at home moms have it easy; however, if any of those people have ever lived a day as a WAHM they would know it is far from easy. There are children to take care of, a house to clean, a dog to walk, groceries to buy, dinner to cook and dishes to wash. Oh, and then there’s that business to work!
It may not be easy, but it is possible. By using some simple time management tricks, a WAHM can find time to “get it all done!” One thing every WAHM should have is a planner. Schedule your “me time” and “family time” first! Then schedule in the time you are going to work your business. Once you have your “work time” scheduled, make it a priority to stay focused on your business during those hours. It can be very easy to procrastinate or get off task when you are a WAHM.
If your work requires you to do lots of different tasks, try to group similar tasks together. For instance, if you are in a direct sales business and you have a team under you, designate one day to be your “training day”. Instead of helping various team members throughout the week, schedule all of your mentoring sessions for one day. Set aside an hour in the morning and an hour in the late afternoon to respond to email and/or return phone calls. By scheduling that time in, you will find that you are able to get more work done and feel less scattered.
Outsourcing some of your activities is another great way to manage your time. If you find that you are spending too much time on responding to email, returning phone calls, or updating your website, hire a virtual assistant to do those tasks for you. This will free your time up to work on your business, and by spending more time on the parts of your business that actually bring in money, you will be able to increase your profits.
You can also save time by setting aside a block of time each week to do your “regular” errands, such as grocery shopping. If you plan your meals for the week and go to the grocery store once, you will save lots of time during the week by not taking those daily “quick trips to the market”. And while you are planning your meals, try to schedule a few “cook once, eat twice” days. For instance, you can plan on having spaghetti on Monday and tacos on Tuesday. So, on Monday, brown the hamburger you will need for both days. On Tuesday, half of your work will already be done. And if you are making a meatloaf or lasagna, make two and freeze one for later.
Most importantly, do not feel as if you have to do it all by yourself. You are not a super hero. If you have a spouse or significant other, ask them to chip in on household chores. Children love to help out, and depending on their ages, there are multiple things they can do. And when it is all said and done, don’t forget to take out some time for yourself. Everyone needs a break– WAHMs included!
4.30.2009
Getting It Out Of Your Head
Are you...
- Inundated with ideas and don't know where to start?
- Running a business but seem to be staying in one place?
- Creative with a vision or analytical stuck without a vision?
- In a career, but want to start your own "business"?
- Searching for help in building your confidence?
- An entrepreneur and your significant other is not?
Have you...
- Always wanted a "coach" but were not able to fit it into your budget?
- Searching for that outside person to give you an out-of-the-box view?
- Wanting help developing a clear vision and steps on how to work backward?
You're invited to experience a powerful, result orientated worshop. This is a personal yet collective venture that provides consulting, coaching and a forum sounding board combined together. It is designed for the woman who has a vision of launching a new venture or is looking to expand upon an exisiting one.
As woman business owners, we understand the importance of "getting it out of your head" and establishing a clear and concise plan. This workshop is designed to utilize our knowledge and tap into our creativity providing the steps to take you to the next level.
The BIZ BUILDER - Segment 1 Workshop Series Focus
GETTING IT OUT OF YOUR HEAD (2-Hr Workshop)
Inductory Special
Thursday, May 14th 6:30 to 8:30pm $45.00
(Includes your choice of a Mixed Green Salad, Gourmet Chicken Salad Wrap or a Gourmet Veggie Wrap. It also includes dessert and beverage)
Saturday, May 16th 9:30-11:30pm $41.00
(Includes: Fruit Salad, Choice of Bagel, Pastries or Croissant & Beverage)
Register at http://www.alwaysbusywomen.com/article.asp?id=339 and scroll to the bottom of the page.
4.28.2009
Creating Balance in an Always Busy World
Whether we are a married, not married, with kids or without kids we are all always busy. We often find ourselves lost in the busyness of our day. Have you ever thought about what a balanced life would look like for you?
What is balance? Balance is taking care of yourself and all that is important to you.
Because each of us our unique in our own way, we will also have different ways of creating balance in our lives. What may seem crazy and out of whack to one person, may be the perfect balanced schedule for another.
So, how do we go about creating balance in our life? First we have to decide on what balance means to us.
What does your ideal balanced life look like?
· What do you have time for?
· What do you get to enjoy?
· How much down time do you have?
Once you have decided what your ideal balanced life looks like try this great exercise to help with re-organizing your schedule, so that it more closely reflects your ideal balanced life.
Clear the clutter from your calendar: Imagine that your calendar is like a room that you are going to clean out and organizze. Start by removing everything in your calendar. Once you have cleared your calendar, start by inserting what you absolutely must have to survive, like sleep and work. Then start to add things back in order of importance. Make sure to add "me time", just like it is an appointment with an important client.
Special Note: Make choices based on what YOU want and not on what YOU think other people want. Stop doing things because YOU think you "should". Remember that it is OK to say NO!
Today is the day to begin living in balance. Reconnect with your passion and interests and establish a sense of purpose. Remember a good plan and budgeting your time is a fabulous way to maintain balance in your life.
4.27.2009
4.22.2009
10 Fabulous Ways for Women Entrepreneurs to Stay Motivated
Running your own business is a lot of work and sometimes it can be hard to stay motivated. We all have days that we feel inspired, on track and powerful and we also have days that we want to crawl under a rock and ask ourselves what was I thinking… why in the world did I go into business for myself?
Here are some great ways to stay fabulously motivated as you grow your business:
- One of the most important things you can do is focus on your vision for your business each morning. Remember WHY you started your business and WHY it is so important to you.
- Re-connect with the excitement you had when starting your business. Let the feeling of endless opportunity soak through your body, then harness that feeling to move you throughout the day.
- At the end of each day celebrate what you have accomplished, even the smallest task. Keeping a positive attitude about yourself and what you have accomplished each day goes a long way to keep you motivated.
- Read, Listen and Watch. There is nothing like a great affirmation, quote, book or fabulous song to get you reconnected and motivated to move forward. In a slump half way through the day? Throw on one of your favorite songs and dance around for 5 minutes.
- Educate. Be willing to continuously educate yourself. Continually educating yourself builds self confidence and equips you with the knowledge needed to build your business.
- Surround yourself with high energy, positive people. The excitement and positive energy of others will rub off on you and get you just as excited about your business.
- Keep your space organized. Having a messy office space is a quick energy zapper. Before the end of the day straighten up and prepare for the next day by prioritizing your most important tasks to get done.
- Join a networking group. The right group will keep you inspired, motivated and can be a great place to share and support each other through issues and problems.
- Take time for yourself. A key factor in losing motivation is not taking time for you. It is easy to get wrapped up in business and lose yourself, but it is vital to your success that you take time to enjoy down time that is just for you.
- Judge yourself on the progress you’re making and not by the balance in your bank account or by the word success… What is success anyway? It is the continuous progress you are making.
You are an amazing person. Cherish yourself in all that you do and the value you have to offer to others. Believe in yourself and keep moving forward and your vision will come forth.
4.21.2009
Discover Your Compass
- Take control of your life
- Increase your income
- Impact the world!
To Register go to http://www.mylifecompass.com/arobertson
Come and learn how Compass is changing the world one woman at a time through a ground floor business opportunity.
We will feature some of our TOP Compass Representatives as they share their own passion and purpose for building a Compass business.
Compass is the first company to offer powerful and affordable coaching programs and services through a network of independent representatives.
Compass combines 4 of the fastest growing, recession proof global trends:Social Networking, Network Marketing, Personal Wellness/Self Improvement, and Professional Coaching
Don’t miss your chance to help change the world by building your own home-based business with Compass. To learn more and register for the online webinar visit http://www.mylifecompass.com/arobertson
4.15.2009
West Side Spring Fling Fun 4/16
Join us ladies for a fabulous night out with the girls! WineStyles, Auld Dubliner and Flemings is joining us with some fabulous food and drinks. Plus, we will have some fabulous woman owned businesses joining us as well!
You deserve a night off with the girls! Visit http://www.alwaysbusywomen.com/ to get your ticket by clicking on the banner half way down the page. :)
4.13.2009
Saving Relationships One Month at a Time!
PMSbuddy.com, the company that is literally saving relationships, one month at a time, just made their subscribers’ lives a little easier with the introduction of the PMS Buddy application for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Available direct from any web ready iPhone or iPod Touch and via iTunes, the PMS Buddy application is quickly becoming a must have download for both men and women everywhere.
“Let’s be honest, no man has ever been given a kind answer to the question Honey, do you have PMS?” explains Jordan Eisenberg, Founder and CEO of www.PMSbuddy.com. “It’s hard to put a price tag on never having to ask that question, but we did, and for $.99 cents, the PMS Buddy application keeps guessing games at bay with convenient updates.”
Eisenberg also stated that while women have been slower to publicly accept PMS Buddy, many users are indeed female and rely on the application to track their own cycles. Regardless of gender, most find the application to be both comedic, and useful. Reviews can be found on www.PMSbuddy.com and when purchasing.
Currently, the PMS Buddy service is utilized by over 100,000 people worldwide allowing users to track PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) via the website www.PMSbuddy.com. The new iPhone application features:
• A unique PMS meter that shows green to red warning levels
• Display of date when PMS will begin
• Automatically calculates upcoming PMS dates
• Ability to track up to 10 women
About PMS Buddy
Launched March 2008, PMS Buddy is the first and only user based digital service to keep men informed of when the women in their lives will be suffering from PMS. Complete with a “National Alert Meter,” Facebook application, iPod application and interactive message board, PMS Buddy has amassed more than 100,000 users. For more information, visit
www.pmsbuddy.com
4.06.2009
Hot Pink Pick of the Week
Spring is in full bloom and before we can blink an eye Summer will be in full force!
Have you ever thought about getting a body wrap to tighten and smooth things out? Wondered if it works? I have got some great gals who will not only take care of you, but give you a fabulous Body Contour Wrap that you will be raving about to all your girlfriends!
Body Contour & Detox Wrap is great if you have been losing weight, working out or just taking care of your body.
It's a wonderful natural way of detoxing the body of UNWANTED cellulite & toxins. This helps to free and remove trapped waste in connective tissue, eliminating internal disfiguring deposits and stimulating inch loss. From 2 to 14 inches lost in 1 wrap!
This is not a water loss but a permanent inch loss. This contours the body so the muscles will be more defined. We recommend a series of 3 to 6 sessions to achieve the best results. There shouldbe 4-7 days between each wrap or 5-10 lbs if on a weight loss program. Eating the right types of foods, proper exercise and drinking 8 glasses of water a day are always recommended.No shower or bath after the wrap.
The skin will be hydrated and refreshed. The creme will continue to work up to 24to 36 hours due to the stimulation of increased flow though the lymphatic & circulatory systems.
Our wrap hydratesand tightens the skin, leaving it looking and feeling soft. While you are wrapped on the table, the therapist will massage your feet, scalp or shoulders. You will feel Pampered and relaxed while losing inches.
Schedule your appointment this week and receive a special Always Busy Woman offer: 10% off your first visit.
Visit them online at http://www.massageac.com/
4.01.2009
GBA Member on Fox 10 Morning News!
I am so excited for Norma! She was on FOX 10 Morning News this morning showing off her Laughter Yoga Classes. You Go Girl!
Interested in checking out an upcoming workshop?
Laughter Yoga Workshop
- Yoga is normally a very relaxing exercise - but in this edition of the Girl's Club, we're turning up the volume and showing you laughing yoga. The more noise you make, the more you work out your muscles!
Laughter Yoga Workshop April 6, 6:15pm - 7:15pm
Norma Richardson, MScEd, CHC, AADP, AHMA
623-872-8606
thebodyknowsbest.com
Click here for workshop registration and location information
3.31.2009
Are you Living Your Dream?
You can redefine balance and go after your dreams by working with a Compass Coach! I recently realized, I am a total workaholic! I love to work! It wasn’t until I had both kids gone on Spring Break and having an entire Saturday to myself to do whatever my little heart desired that I realized this. Here was my chance to have “me time” and I was working! So, I had to sit back and say “What are you doing and Who are you?”My true goal of Always Busy Women is to inspire, empower and connect women! When I came across Compass Coaching for women, I got so excited. Not only for myself, but for the wonderful opportunity provides to women.
Compass is in the business of empowering women. They have assembled a network of the most qualified, skilled and talented coaches in the world and have made them available to you. If you were to personally hire a coach, you would need to invest between $400 to $1000 every month for the privilege to work with a coach. At compass you can access coaching programs for as little as $19 per month, and a Compass Coach for as little as $39 per month.
As a strong believer in coaching, I value what Compass has to offer all women. It is amazing. When is enough, is enough? Reclaim your confidence, redefine balance, and go after your dreams! You can do all these things working with a Compass Coach! Visit http://www.mylifecompass.com/arobertson for more information.
3.29.2009
Always Busy Spring Fling Invitation & Contest
Come prepared to share your business, your friends business and let your voice be heard on who you think are the gems in our city. Bring plenty of business cards to slip into each ladies goodie bag to be taken home with them.
When women get together, life just seems so much better! What's better than a night out with the girls for some chick chat, networking and an escape for the always busy woman!
The cost is only $10 per lady before the event and $15 at the door. Feel free to invite your girlfriends who love to be in the know.
Give Back
Clean out your closet and bring in your shoes, purses & business attire to donate to WHEAT's Clothes Silo, a women's resale boutique providing professional clothing at no cost to women entering or re-entering the work force through client assistance programs.
Contest Details...
How would you like to win a Gift Basket of Goodies, perfect for the Always Busy Woman? It is valued at over $125.00 and includes a Free One Hour Massage!
To win all you have to do is share! Receive entries each time you:
Forward this email to a friend by clicking on the "Share this with a Girlfriend" link below. Receive 1 entry per person
Buy a ticket for the Always Busy Spring Fling and get 10 extra entries
Blog about the Spring Fling Event and Giveaway and leave a comment that you did and where on our blog for 20 extra entries
Follow Always Busy Blog for 1 extra entry
Follow us on Twitter and Tweet about it for an extra 5 entries
Sign-up for the Always Busy Buzz and receive 5 entries
Contest will END on Wednesday, April 15th and the winner will be announced on Thursday, April 16th on the Always Busy Blog & Newsletter
2.22.2009
Have you dropped your advertising in hopes to help your bottom line?
Many businesses across the valley are looking for ways to cut back. If your advertising budget is part of the cut back, I urge you to rethink your decision. Although this may seem like a good decision initially, please remember…
If you are out of sight, you are out of mind!
Not actively keeping your business out in front of your market will cause your potential customers to forget about you. So, when they need your service or product who do you think they are going to think of? They are going to think of the business that has been aggressively marketing their service or products.
Don’t lose business to your competitor!
The companies who will survive and flourish are those who act as though there is nothing wrong and that their market has plenty of money to spend. In other words, they advertise!
I understand the difficulties faced as a small business owner! I, too, am a small business owner.
I started Always Busy Women not only to provide women a fabulous resource, but also to provide small businesses an affordable advertising option.
Women are the most powerful consumer market in the country with statistics quoting women as having 85% control or influence of the buying power for goods and services.
Don’t delay. Get your business listed today in the next issue of Always Busy Women and make sure the most power consumer market, women, calls you when they need your service or product!
For only $100.00 you get listed in print and online! Want your logo included in the print edition to build brand awareness? Its only $25.00 more to include your logo!
Snapshot of what you get
• Six Months of Print and Online Advertising! We print 15,000 copies and distributed across the valley. AlwaysBusyWomen.com receives over 60,000 hits and over 3,000 visitors a month.
• A business listing in the Always Busy Women’s Print Guide
• A business listing on AlwaysBusyWomen.com that you can edit 24/7 and add photo’s coupons and more!
• Free entry into the Always Busy Women Spring/Summer Issue Debut Party at Park West.
• Additional Promotions through the ABW VIP Card. A great way to help track your return on investment!
For only $100.00 you have the potential to reach 15,000 consumers, which equates to only 0.0067 per person. For every penny you spend you are reaching two people!
2.10.2009
Tips for Always Busy Women who tend to “Take On” Everything!
In my experience, women tend to “take on” more than we realize. After all, we are the CEO’s of our lives, our household, and for some of us-our businesses! We don't skip a beat when we “take on” tasks that need to get done. However, we may subconsciously tend to “take on” more than we bargained for by adding to it the emotions of our daily routine.
One day, I had an “ah-ha” moment when I found myself “taking on” a continuous cycle of emotions and sabotaging thoughts. In a matter of minutes, I was exhausted, my spirits were down, I was full of uncertainty, and self-doubt. I started questioning every decision I had worked so hard to make!
How many times have you “taken on” feelings in addition to the tasks you’re responsible for? Most of us have gotten to be experts at mastering the physical tasks at hand, but we may not have reached mastery of our emotional tasks. Don’t panic! I’ve got four steps to start you on the path of Mastering Your Emotions.
1. Make a list of the common emotions you feel each day. For example: anger, fear, frustration, guilt, self-doubt, uncertainty.
2. Ask yourself why it is you feel that way, write it all down. To help identify the answers, ask what people, conversations, or experiences “trigger” your emotions to appear.
3. Give yourself permission to feel those emotions and adopt an “attitude of gratitude”! By acknowledging our emotions, it provides us an opportunity to learn more about ourselves; what a gift that is!
4. Make a choice to only “take on” emotions that energize and uplift you!
When we can free ourselves of uncovered emotions, it allows us to be more present and authentic with ourselves and others!
Marci Tjader is a Specialist in Creating Personal Power. She offers individual coaching and group training to ignite others towards positive change! To learn more about her services, visit www.MarciTjader.com
2.04.2009
Need some Sanity? Join us for the Always Busy Sanity Retreat!
As Always Busy Women it is so easy to get wrapped up in the chaos of day to day life. We forget to nuture and love ourselves because we are busy taking care of everyone else. I know I have to remind myself all the time to put "me" first!
Always Busy Women and Sanity Journals has teamed up together to bring you fabulous ladies a night of fun, writing, being, connecting, creating, sharing, and growing
Join us for the Always Busy Sanity Retreat where you will learn to Find Peace and Purpose Right Where You Are! 
Carla Reeves, founder and designer of Sanity Journals will share a fresh perspective of journaling and how it can be a powerful tool for your life.
Come engage in a rejuvenating evening as Carla intimately weaves real life experience into an entertaining, memorable and even life changing event.
2.03.2009
February Pretty In Pink Spotlight
My father raised the most beautiful vegetables in his garden and the opportunity to eat fresh out of the garden was a delicious experience. While teaching for over 20 years, I realized that children performed better in the classroom when allowed to drink water and eat healthy snacks. My own experience with growing vegetables in my back yard garden provided the basis for home-made baby food for my three children.
1.25.2009
Always Busy Fitness Tips
As Always Busy Women, we often think we don’t have time to fit in a workout. Here are some quick tips that will help you squeeze fitness into your already busy schedule!
-Wear a pedometer. Keep track of your every move, and I bet you will be surprised at how much moving around you do. Park the furthest away, take the steps and avoid taking any short-cuts. Just by keeping track of your moves will help you realize how much exercise your are getting into your day without even trying.
-Put hand weights at your desk. Sitting at our desks all day long isn’t the best for us. Try taking 5 minute breaks throughout the day. Stand up, grab your hand weights and do a couple of reps. Not only will this help you feel better, but it will help you regain energy and allow you to refocus on your work.
-Find a work out partner. Find a friend or associate at work and make a pact. Walk at lunch or take a quick walk on your break. Keep each other accountable.
-How about a walking meeting. Instead of sitting at a conference table or in a coffee shop at a meeting how about suggesting a walk. We can all walk and talk, plus you will get that naturally rejuvenation from being outside and might even inspire some new ideas.
-Play with your kids. Take your kids, your friend’s kids or your niece or nephew to the park and run around with them. Kids have a never ending supply of energy, so let that rub off on you!
1.19.2009
January Pretty In Pink Spotlight
Angela Harrington began sewing when her Grandmother bought her a machine in the 6th grade. In 2007, Angela created Sew Diva 1 while balancing being a wife and mother of two toddlers and two teens.
Sew Diva provides Custom made products for Residential and Commercial (Home, Offices, Boutiques, Restaurants, Salons, etc.) Interior projects. Products include Draperies, Shades, Blinds, Shutters, Woven Woods, Sunscreens, Upholstered Cushions, Bar Stools, Ottomans and Headboards. Also, Bedding, Duvets, Shams, Dusters, Pillows and more! There are 1,000’s of Designer quality fabrics to select.
Angela’s background in Fashion is the reason for a Wedding division. She gladly accepts requests for Alterations (basic tailoring for men, women, bridal & clothing boutiques). She also offers an amazing line of body shaping & orthopedic under garments for men and women.
Sew Diva custom makes Ring Bearer and Quinceanera ceremony pillows to coordinate with event colors and theme which can also be ordered by Event Planners or wholesale to the trade. Some pillows are currently showcased and sold at Thee Wedding Warehouse Boutique in Goodyear, AZ.
There are 100’s of Bridal & Event Fabrics available for dresses and décor for wedding chapels, sanctuaries, gazebos, tables, chairs, etc.
Angela loves sharing her God given talents. She designs and creates unique products tailored to her client’s style during free one-on-one consultations at her design showroom or client’s location. She works with a team of industry professionals to help meet the demand for her services & products. Her goal is to inspire others to be creative and step out on faith to pursue life long dreams, enjoy life and bless others in the process! Never let weeds grow around your dreams.
Visit Angela's website at www.sewdiva1.com.
1.15.2009
Plan of Action
Have you made a Plan of Action for 2009? By writing down your goals, prioritizing them and then listing the action steps to take to achieve your goals will ensure that you spend your Always Busy time on items that are most important to you! Here are some suggestions that can help with your Plan of Action.
Grab a piece of paper, your journal or your notebook right now and take 5 minutes to focus on what your Business Goals, Financial Goals, Education & Personal Growth Goals, Health & Fitness Goals and Home & Relationship Goals are. Now next to each goal write down the action step(s) to take to accomplish your goal. Keep this list with you at all times and review as much as possible. This is also a great list to use for your weekly planning and you can plug your actions steps right into your weekly schedule. Have fun with this and remember how fabulous you are!
Another fabulous lady right here in the Valley, Elizabeth Hartigan with Sterling Expectations shared some great tools that she found as she was planning her goals this year on her blog. Check them out at http://sterlingexpectations.blogspot.com/.
Make this year, your best year ever! You deserve it!
