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.
6.24.2009
How to be a Successful Mompreneur & Keep Your Sanity
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.
