Mommy Monday:: Irene Hatziantoniou

Irene Hatziantoniou is the co-owner of North Coast Aesthetic Center in Westlake, Ohio. They are a skin care clinic and won Best Facial four years in a row in the Fox 8 Hot List Cleveland. Hatziantoniou has been a licensed aesthetician for 17 years and opened their clinic four years ago.

At North Coast Aesthetic Center, the focus is on bringing back your skin's natural beauty. “Through my unique blending of aesthetics and the latest in scientific advancements, youthful skin can again be yours. As a client, you will not only receive the best care possible, but also learn how to effectively care for your skin,” Hatziantoniou said. Services include facials, peels, microdermabraision, waxing and more.

Since the beginning, she says balance has been challenging. “I started my business when my boys were three and two-years-old, a husband, and caregiver for sick parents. My parents were in and out of nursing homes for rehab sometimes at different facilities. I felt like I was everywhere and ready to lose my mind.”

However, through faith she began to realize her blessings and put herself first. She recommends reaching out and asking for help. Depending on your situation, someone out there has an answer or solution, she said. “Being a full-time working mother can lead to feelings of guilt and stress because of divided attention between work and family. The key for me is to focus on a plan, get organized, and find the right balance between profession and parenthood,” she said.

Hatziantoniou relies on networking as a strong marketing tool. “For me the best way I have found to market my business is to get out there and connect and meet others that could be a client for you. Yes, that takes time. But that is where balance comes in. Even if it is once month you join a networking group to meet others and get your name out there,” she said.

You can find Irene Hatziantoniou online at NCA Skincare.com.

Product Review:: Citrus Clear

I was recently contacted by Citrus Clear to see if I would be interested in reviewing their new Tangerine Tingle face wash. Several months ago, I had tried their sister company's Shielo hair products and loved them. So, of course I agreed.

I was immediately impressed when I received the package. The product packaging looked great and a wonderful aroma emerged when I opened the box. In addition to the Tangerine Tingle, they had sent me some Grapefruit Acne Spot Treatment, which was a pleasant surprise.

The Tangerine Tingle Face Scrub is so much fun! It can be used as a face wash or a face mask. The longer you leave it on the more it tingles! The tingling action is from the ingredients in the scrub doing two things: (1) removing dead skin cells, and (2) stimulating production in new, fresh skin cells. Contains gentle exfoliating ingredients which remove oil, dirt, and impurities. Contains glycolic acid which exfoliates dead skin cells and keeps pores from clogging. Lemon oil helps improve and brighten complexion.

So far, I have not used it as a mask, just a wash, but plan to do so soon. It smells great and leaves my face feeling fresh and smooth, exfoliating all of the dead skin cells. The product description states that you may experience some redness but I have not. The tingling lets you feel it working.

The Grapefruit Acne Spot Treatment is great too and I’ve already seen results from using it.

This spot treatment contains a maximum strength dose of salicylic acid to treat existing and prevent future breakouts. It even prevents the formation of blackheads. Contains 100% naturally derived grapefruit extract and vitamin C. This is the best defense against breakouts of acne. Designed for use right on the spot where the acne breakout has occurred, it may be used up to five times per day to clean away the oil, and heal the site of the acne. Treats acne fast while minimizing pores. Fresh grapefruit overtone scent, with a natural green tea undertone.

The price points for these products are both reasonable and affordable, $16.99 and $12.99 respectively. I'm a big fan of their holistic approach, natural/organic ingredients and environmentally friendly business operations. Learn more here and get some Citrus Clear for yourself!

*I did receive free product in order to write this review, however all opinions are my own.

Mommy Monday:: Leslie Truex

Leslie Truex is the author of The Work-At-Home Success Bible (Adams Media, 2009) and Jobs Online: How to Find and Get a Work-At-Home Job. She is also the owner of the 14-year-old WorkAtHomeSuccess.com, which has been recognized by telework and small business associations as a quality resource for work-at-home information.

Since January of 1998, Truex has been offering free information and resources on work-at-home jobs, home business and more. In addition, she offers the Profit Blog Blueprint, and Work-At-Home Success University, an email course on various work-at-home topics.

Truex agrees that it’s much easier to balance work with family when the kids are at school; summer and evenings are much more challenging. “One thing I learned is to learn to focus. When it’s work time, I need to focus 100 percent on work. When it’s family time, I’m 100 percent focused on family,” she said. “I also have a schedule and if I have to work when the family is home, I let them know what’s up and I’m sure to connect with them before and after any work I do.”

When giving advice to other entrepreneurs and work-at-home moms, Truex said to research the business and create a plan to avoid pitfalls “Second, focus on your strengths when choosing a business. Find a business that you’ll love,” she said. “Finally, learn all you can about marketing. Marketing is CRUCIAL to success and an area many small businesses fail to implement effectively.”

How does she market her businesses? “Since I’m online, most of my efforts are online and include PR, article marketing, teleseminars, social media and social networking. Offline marketing includes drop cards with QR codes to my website and public speaking,” she added.

The End (of Facebook) is Coming!

By Stephanie Shaterian

Perhaps you’ve noticed some of the buzz around recent data that seems to show Facebook user numbers are declining in big western markets. Perhaps it is your own personal use starting to dwindle as you see less and less of what you’re interested in and more paid ads and articles on things you’re not. A world is fast approaching where Facebook may no longer be the 800 lb gorilla in the room and more interestingly, it doesn’t look like anything is rising up to take it’s place.

First, let me say that this is NOT a call to stop your Facebook marketing efforts. Your social media channel selection should always, always, always be tied to your marketing goals. (In fact, depending on what you are trying to achieve, Facebook may still be the best place to do that) However, if the current trends play out the new social media landscape may be a segmented and nuanced one. As busy mom entrepreneurs, we have to be as strategic as possible with the time and energy we spend on social media marketing activities. Soon a Facebook Page may no longer be a have to but just an item on the options menu.

Now is the time to start thinking about the alternatives and (if you have the bandwith) to start doing a little experimentation. Here’s some demographic information about the major players waiting in the wings to help you choose where to start:

Twitter: Yes, that 140 Character, revolution-starting, hashtagging social media service is still there and still growing, albeit at a slower pace. Currently slightly more popular with men than women, Twitter is big with the 18-29 year old set, urban-dwellers, and black and hispanic users.

Instagram: According to Pew Research Center, the recent Facebook acquisition captures a whopping 28% of 18-29 year old US Internet users. January 2013 user engagement (likes and comments) increased thousandfold since they last reported statistics. Bonus: 98% of Instagram images are shared to Facebook. (You can experiment - AND keep your FB efforts going. Win-Win)

Pinterest: The numbers haven’t changed. If you’re looking to reach affluent, well-educated (white) women, Pinterest is the place to be.

Tumblr: Where my ladies at? Tumblr apparently. Rich in educated 18-34 year olds with no kids. While Tumblr users are primarily caucasian, the percentage of the hispanic internet using population who are on Tumblr is enormous. Tumblr has been around awhile but brands are not making big use of it yet. You can still get in on the ground floor!

Pick the channel that most closely aligns with the audience you want to reach and get to experimenting. Before you know it you’ll be ahead of the pack.

Stephanie Shaterian, owner of fLO Content Marketing,  is the consummate online actress, taking on the identity of any brand and creating winning, witty content that helps companies and non-profits build loyalty and top-of-mind awareness among clients and prospects. Stephanie has worked with a diverse range of clients including: consulting, advocacy, retail, greentech, commercial furniture, medical, performing arts and animal boarding(?!). She also helps parent entrepreneurs get a handle on their social media marketing with her quick and affordable Coach fLO program

Shop the One Stop Kids Shop

What child doesn’t have a favorite television, cartoon or movie character? At the One Stop Kids Shop, they specialize in character themed pajamas and clothing that your child is sure to love. And, they have a wide variety!

Disney Princesses, Spiderman, Winnie the Pooh, Thomas, Sesame Street; these are just a few of the many, many fun options at the One Stop Kids Shop. They know that your child is the cutest, and they strive to offer the best selection of children’s clothing to show them off in.

They also stock some holiday specialty items as well as accessories. They have merchandise for infants up to teens available and they do the research about what is popular and trendy.  They are sure to have something for everyone.

They also have a variety of sibling and family oriented pieces available. Wouldn't this shirt be perfect for your daughter to wear on Father's Day next month?

BUY NOW:: You can buy with confidence because One Stop Kids Shop always honors a no questions asked return policy.

FUN ON FACEBOOK:: Follow them on Facebook. They frequently run contests and you can win items that are slightly flawed.

SAVE:: One Stop Kids Shop offers competitive pricing and always quick and FREE US shipping. International buyers can contact them for large discounts on shipping as well. And, if you mention Market Mommy, you can save an extra 10%! Shop now!