New Renegade Collection from Stella & Dot

Christie Hosea, independent Stella & Dot stylist, is very excited about the new Renegade collection that is debuting in June.

The Renegade Collection takes a new twist on the spike trend we’re seeing all over the runways, providing just the right amount of edge with a delicate and feminine touch. You’ll find lots of versatility and great layering pieces in this collection.

With the new collection being unveiled, it is the perfect time to host a trunk show and earn free jewelry. Hosea is sure that your friends will be thrilled with the Renegade pieces.

According to Stella & Dot, trunk shows are the ultimate personal shopping experience. Shows are fun and casual without the pressure. Stylists bring the jewelry so you can try it on and see what works best with your wardrobe and lifestyle.

Stylists are trained to make your experience wonderful and personal. Plus an average hostess earns $250 in free jewelry and four additional half-price items.

Why not schedule your trunk show today? To schedule, contact Christie Hosea via her website or her Facebook page.

*Sponsored: This post is part of a sponsored ad package purchased by Christie Hosea.

 

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Mommy Monday:: Ivory and Moss Baby

Bianca started designing baby shoes right after her second daughter was born in 2007. Shortly thereafter she began selling them and created Ivory and Moss Baby.

Ivory and Moss Baby {who is also on Etsy}, sells handmade baby shoes, booties and accessories such as headbands and hairclips.  Somehow, she finds time to run her business and balance it with her family, which includes homeschooling her ten and three-year-olds.

“I make sure to spend at least a few hours during the day for fun activities like macaroni art and colored pancakes!” she said. “Then, I spend a few hours sewing, and then a few more hours in the evening marketing and working on my website.”

Bianca encourages other mom entrepreneurs to be confident. “Don’t be afraid to ask for the help of other mom entrepreneurs,” she said. She also acknowledged the importance of a strong product line. “Make sure your product is unique and fun and something you clientele need as well as want.”

To celebrate her spring line, Ivory and Moss is offering 10% off to all Market Mommy readers! Simply enter code springivoryandmoss to save!

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Meet Our New Expert Blogger Panel!

Market Mommy is thrilled to introduce you to our fantastic new Expert Blogger Panel. These fabulous business women have a wealth of knowledge that covers a variety of topics. And, the best part is, they’ve agreed to share their knowledge with you!

Beginning next month, there will be regular posts each week from our panel. I’m really looking forward to adding this new expertise to our line up and am excited about what all we’re going to learn!

Take a look at our great panel and browse through their credentials. I’m sure you’ll be impressed. Feel free to suggest topics as well!

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Mommy Monday:: Magical Memories Travel

Lori Hardegree is an owner and agent with Magical Memories Travel and has been in business for six years. The travel agency specializes in Disney vacations. According to Hardegree, she helps families who want to plan a magical Disney vacation, packed with memories, without breaking the bank and waiting in long lines.

“Our vacation specialists help save you time and money. Not only do we continuously monitor your reservation for any available discounts, we also provide advice and customized itinerary plans to help you avoid the long lines and crowds whenever possible,” she said.

Hardegree acknowledges that balancing family and work is a challenge for all mom entrepreneurs. “There are days where I feel guilty for working because I know my children need my time and attention and then when I am with them, I feel guilty for not working because I know my clients need my time and attention too and that my family benefits from my work as well,” she said. To find balance, she carves out time each day that is “unplugged.” Meaning, no phone calls, no emails, no time on the computer, and devotes that time to family each and every day.

She is also a firm believer in goal setting. She encourages other mom business owners to set a long-term goal, but then to break it down into smaller, short-term, more attainable goals. “Achieving those goals and moving along your road map to your big goal will keep you motivated. Make and take time for your family. Seek advice from other mom entrepreneurs. There is a wealth of knowledge out there and most moms are happy to help other moms,” she said.

Magical Memories Travel has offered a generous $50 off of your next Disney vacation package simply for mentioning Market Mommy! In addition to the main website, you can also find them on Facebook, Twitter and their blog.

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Mommy Monday:: Tiny Hiney

Tiny Hiney was started in May of 2010 by a two-mom team. The company offers designer infant and toddler clothing and accessories.

I can honestly say that the products are great. I reviewed one of their fabulous t-shirts late last year. You can see my review here.

Because the business is a team effort, The Tiny Hiney moms feel as though they have more balance between work and family. According to co-owner Danya, she and her partner share the business duties so that they can both manage their households as well.

When speaking to other new entrepreneurs, she encourages them to believe in themselves and reach for their goals. “However, at the same time, remain realistic and don’t get in over your head financially or responsibility wise,” she said.

Tiny Hiney has graciously offered a coupon code to all Market Mommy readers. Simply use code MarketMommy at checkout for 20 percent off of your purchases!

You can learn more about Tiny Hiney at the company website, or on Facebook!

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Spark & Hustle National Tour:: Details & Exclusive Discount

Are you or someone you know ready to launch or grow your small business dreams? Tory Johnson’s Spark & Hustle, a three-day program on an eight-city national tour, is the can’t-miss conference to help you make it happen now. With just three stops remaining, you’ve got to get in on the action before it’s over! Next up is Orlando on May 19-21 and they’ll wrap up with a huge reunion conference in Atlanta on July 21-23.

Today Tory is the weekly Good Morning America workplace contributor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a millionaire business owner, but she hasn’t always been.

Far from it, in fact.

After being coldly FIRED from her dream job, Tory set out to build Women For Hire — a company that now has a solid presence across the nation. No deep pockets. No family connections. No special education. Just a “do-or-die” need to replace her income to support her family—fast. Now, she’s stretching her entrepreneurial muscle to help others do exactly the same.

To deliver her jam-packed agenda, she’s lined up more than 30—yes, 30!—top speakers in each location, all of whom will open their playbooks to share their challenges and triumphs to arm every attendee with the tips, tricks and tools to make money as an entrepreneur.

Join Tory along with social media star Gary Vaynerchuk, founder of Stella & Dot Jessica Herrin, Dove Real Beauty Ambassador Jess Weiner, maternity maven Liz Lange, author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Happiness Project Gretchen Rubin, QVC queen Laura Geller, co-founder of Vera Bradley Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, TV Personality Judge Glenda Hatchett, senior producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show Candi Carter, and so many more.

The conference covers specifics including branding, pricing for profit, social media marketing, public relations, identifying collaborators, establishing multiple revenue streams, putting products on shelves, franchising, implementing effective sales strategies, overcoming sales objections and figuring out how dive in and do it.

It’s impossible to walk away from this event with anything less than a gigantic dose of determination and specific know-how to make BIG things happen for you and your small business goals.

Who should attend?
• Women and men who have tried it all, invested way too much, and are frustrated with what seems to be years of “spinning their wheels” in business.
• Small business owners who aren’t satisfied with their current income—and who are ready to hustle to grow their bottom line.
• Aspiring small business owners with a great idea (that spark!) that hasn’t yet launched—who want the tools and courage to go for it.

We want you (or your partners, family, friends, colleagues and cousins) to be there for three-days of non-stop action. This promises to be one phenomenal business-building kick-in-the-pants for everyone who’s there.

Watch the videos and read the real testimonials from a few of the conferences on the national tour (LA Testimonials and Tulsa Testimonials).

You’ll find everything about Spark & Hustle at www.sparkandhustle.com. Feel free to call Alex at 212.290.2600 or email her at [email protected] with questions anytime. Scholarships available and student rates available. Sign up today!

The 2011 Spark & Hustle National Tour Schedule:

Los Angeles: February 3 – 5
Tulsa: February 10 – 12
New York: March 10 – 12
Dallas: March 24 – 26
Chicago: April 7 – 9
Boston: May 12 – 14
Orlando: May 19 – May 21
Atlanta: July 21 – 23

Exclusive Discount Codes:

Market Mommy has secured some great discount codes for our readers! You can save 10 percent off your registration fee with the code ‘MARKETMOMMYO’ for Orlando or ‘MARKETMOMMYA’ for Atlanta! Enjoy!

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Groovy Gear for Baby Unveils New Products

One of our great sponsors, Groovy Gear for Baby, has recently unveiled some great new products on their site. You’re sure to have a groovy baby with some of these great items!

First, Groovy Gear for Baby is now featuring the Balboa Baby nursing pillow. The innovative nursing pillow is contoured to fit around the mother easily and it’s designed to help ease the stress on mom’s back, neck and shoulders. The pillow was designed by Dr. Sears with both mom and baby in mind. It also comes in a variety of prints to match any nursery décor.

Win it! Groovy Gear for Baby is going to give one lucky Market Mommy reader a Balboa Baby nursing pillow valued at $46. Simply visit their page on Facebook, then post on their wall why you think you should win the pillow. Be sure to mention that Market Mommy sent you! Leave a comment on this post to let us know you’ve entered! We’ll announce the random winner next month!

Groovy Gear for Baby has also added  stainless steel baby bottles from organicKidz to their inventory. These bottles come in a variety of colors and sizes. The unique bottle design allows for easy heating and cooling of liquids. In addition, there are several accessory options to make the switch from bottle to sippy cup an easy one.

A line of Teagan and Mack 100 percent certified organic baby apparel has also been added to the online store. The line features yoga cargo pants, long sleeve bodysuits, short sleeve body suits, baby blankets and hats.

If you’re interested in organic, you may also want to take a look at the products from Oh Baby Organic Baby Skincare. The products pride themselves on being gentle and protective of baby’s sensitive skin.

Buy it! Market Mommy readers can also save $10 on the purchase of any Timi & Leslie Diaper Bag. Simply use the coupon code MARKETMOMMY10 at checkout.

**This is a sponsored post paid for by Groovy Gear for Baby as part of an advertising package.

 

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Mommy Monday:: Consignamania™

Jenifer Gifford is the proud creator of Consignamania™. She held her first seasonal consignment sale (Once Around the Block Kids) in 2005 and then started Consignamania™ in 2010 because she was receiving so many requests for mentoring new sale start ups. “With the launch of Consignamania™, I have been able to share my knowledge without sacrificing my family time,” Gifford said.

Consignamania™ is a mentoring program to help new sale organizers navigate the process of starting a seasonal consignment sale. The program includes the Consignamania™ manual, forum support, onsite and phone consultations to help families avoid making costly mistakes and pitfalls.

To balance business with family, Gifford tries to keep her business hours set so that she only works while her children are at school. “Fortunately, my seasonal sale only takes a few weeks of prep time and I can do almost everything via the internet,” she said.

Gifford’s number one advice to other mom entrepreneurs is to remember that starting any business is going to cost you. “Either it will cost you money, or it will cost you time,” she said. “Make sure that you are aware of your time investment in any new venture that you are involved with.”

Consignamania™ is offering a free one hour phone consultation to anyone who purchases The How To Guide To Starting Your Own Seasonal Consignment Business. Simply use code MarketMom11. The coupon expires June 31, 2011. Phone consults must be used within 60 days of purchase.

In addition to the Consignamania™ website, you can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is this weekend, which I’m sure all you mothers are keenly aware of. Last year, I did a weeklong tribute to all of the mothers in my life. You can see it here. I’m definitely blessed to be surrounded by some great women.

This year, I kept debating what I was going to do on my blog to acknowledge the holiday and celebrate these women. As you know, I’m pregnant with my third child. But, still every day I’m learning something new from the other mothers in my life. So, anyway, I had been debating what to write about when I came across a post {contest} from the Totally Desperate Mom. The former child actress and author has a great contest going that requires you to answer four out of five questions about your mom.

I thought it might make for some good reading. So, here goes!

1. What is your best childhood memory with your mom?
I have a ton of great childhood memories with my mom, but the things that probably stick out the most are Christmases and swimming in the summer. Christmas was always great at our house. They were filled with tons of excitement, good moods, Christmas Eve mass and of course, lots of presents. We celebrated with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and it was always a long, fun-filled day.

Swimming in the summer was terrific. Almost every day after mom would get home from work at 3 or 3:30, we’d load up and drive to the swimming pool. We would have a great time swimming until it was almost dark and buying penny candies in the little general store. Those were the good ‘ole days.

2. Was she consistent in her discipline?
Not really. I’m sure she tried her best, but it’s hard to be consistent all of the time. We three kids turned out pretty well, so I know she doesn’t have anything to hang her head about. My brother and sister may disagree, but I was the oldest so I definitely got the brunt of the discipline. The younger two got away with EVERYTHING!

3. Did you ever make your mom cry because you were so unruly or disobedient?

Haha, I’m sure. I hope we can both look back on these times and laugh now. Raising children is not easy. I’m sure most of you didn’t realize that when you were a teenager. I know I sure didn’t. It’s amazing how your perspective changes with age. I probably took a couple years off of my mom’s life with some of my shenanigans. Although I regret that now, I’m proud to say that we made it through the rough patch and have a great relationship today.

4. Do you remember any of the special things your mom did for you?
I can’t begin to name all of the special things my mom has done for me. She’s always been a selfless mom, giving all of her time, energy and love to her children before herself. She’s always been there for me and I can’t imagine that will ever end.

5. Did she teach you anything really significant?

Yes. She taught me the importance of family. She has nine brothers and sisters and they’ve all been a big part of each others’ lives. She taught me about God. Thankfully she always drug me to mass on Sundays so I could realize its importance. Now, I get to do the same for my kids. She also has shown me how to sacrifice. After having a child, it’s no longer about what’s important to you or your husband, but what’s important for that child.

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone! Kudos to all of you who are raising a business along with your family. I know it’s hard work! And, if you want to enter the contest and join the fun, there’s still time!

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Contests, Awards, Nominations – What does it mean?

I’m so excited to announce that Market Mommy made StartUp Nation’s top 200 list of Leading Women in Business for 2011. We are thrilled that our fans, clients and colleagues showed their support and voted for us in the competition.

There have been several contests, awards, opportunities for nominations, etc. floating around lately. If you frequent Facebook I’m sure you’ve seen the asks for votes and so on. So what does it all mean for your business? Will an award set you apart from the rest or will the lack of one destroy you?

The short answer is no, I don’t think an award alone is going to make or break you. However, there are several benefits that can come from it.

Publicity. Just being a contestant, or nominated for an award can often garner you and your business some publicity. Being publicized as a nominee can create more traffic to your website. Those who are researching who to vote for will most likely visit your site to take a look. We’ve already mentioned Facebook. That and other social media platforms are a great way to get your name out there to gain exposure and ask for votes. This can multiply if you’re an award recipient.

Media Attention. If you win an award, most likely you will be supplied with a press release template. This was the case with StartUp Nation and is the case with most others. If you’re not provided with a template, you can definitely work to create your own release. Local newspapers and other outlets generally publish business news and include area residents who have received awards. Depending on the contest, it can also generate some larger media attention.

Credibility. By listing your awards and accomplishments you gain credibility. It’s a great thing for potential {and existing} customers to see that you’ve been recognized. By showcasing that others have found you worthy you can increase customer confidence in you as well. The links and SEO that are generated from such awards are invaluable. They will benefit the ‘searchability’ of your website forever.

Networking. By winning an award, you can open a whole new chapter in your networking life. You can open new dialogue with other winners because you have something in common. You can also network with award presenters and organizers. Plus, when introducing yourself you have a new opener. “Hi, I’m Dawn Berryman, owner of Market Mommy and one of the top 200 Leading Women in Business according to StartUp Nation.”

There are many ways you can use an award to your advantage. Be creative and utilize it to the best of its potential.

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