Mommy Monday:: Flourgirls

Decorated cookies, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes and homemade artistic cakes are just a few of the products created at the one-stop bakeshop of Flourgirls. Flourgirls founder, Susy Pardo, launched the bakery in 2005 after attending the French Culinary Institute (FCI) in New York City and moving to Canada.

Within the span of five years, Pardo opened and bought a retail location for her business. The gluten free cupcake and nut free shop is located in Pardo’s hometown of Milton, only 10 minutes away from her home, making her life a little easier.  

Pardo reveals proximity is one important step in reserving time with family. She operates her business in a way to balance family and work life. “Try to keep your business close to home so that even if you have to work late, you can still take an hour or so to have dinner.” She also encourages making one’s family a part of the business if possible. “My daughter is at an age where she enjoys being at the store, sometimes she even plays at helping me.”

When asked what piece of advice Pardo has for other mom entrepreneurs, her answer was simple: Prioritize. “As women, we feel we need to be everything to everyone. Have a perfectly clean home, cook dinners every night and be the social butterflies.” As a mom and businesswomen, Pardo has learned to live with a slightly messier home and enjoy a few close friends. She has the ability to spend dinner with her family, and occasionally with friends, and watch a show on television with her husband because she has prioritized what is important in her life.

Pardo markets her bakery via blogging, google add services and social advertising. The bakery has been featured in various magazines including, Fashion Magazine and Canadian House & Home.

To learn more about Flourgirls or to contact Pardo, visit her website, write on her Facebook wall or tweet to her on Twitter.

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Business of the Week:: Choose Surthrival

Prime Time Health Talk TV and Radio Series recently revealed an addition to their Friday line up. Kim Power Stilson, Krista Anderson and Babs Rossberg will join feature hosts Steve Shenk and Scott Anderson in the new series “Choose Surthrival: Go From Surviving to Thriving the 21st Century.” The series will explore relevant issues for today’s families and educate them on how to thrive with the knowledge from those who are succeeding now.

Co-hosts Stilson, Anderson and Rossberg are all in different stages of their lives and bring assorted advice and knowledge to the series. Stiltson is an award winning talk show host on SiriusXM and the author of “Choose Surthrival”. The mother of three teenagers has given an eMedia, PR and radio voice to thousands of mother-owned businesses in the last ten years. She is excited to begin the show because she believes her new co-hosts have “something essential to share.” “For many years listeners have said that they are tired of just surviving. Here on this new show we promise fresh inspiration and solid solutions for thriving as we interview guests and share healthy topics and fun stories from people who have learned how to enjoy life.”

Rossberg, grandmother and entrepreneur of two successful businesses, will bring her own weekly segment called “Babs’ Food for Thought” to the television series. “Food is not only my business, it is my passion. Each week I will share food tips, recipes, cost saving and easy-to-make meals that will help you serve the freshest, cleanest and most delicious foods for your families.”

“It is easy to thrive in today’s economy when you know how to run a home-based business,” says Anderson, successful home-based business owner and mother of eight. “Watch the show to meet people who have found ways to move beyond mere survival to success every Friday on ‘Choose Surthrival’.”

The series is sponsored by GOFoods Global and weekly themes include: “Babs’ Food for Thought”, “To Eat or Not to Eat?”, “Dinner Table Challenge!’, “21st Century Home-based Business,” “Surthrival Solutions,” “Power Mom Tips,” and “Magnetic Giving.”

Watch or listen to “Choose Surthrival” live every week at 5 p.m. Mountain Time on KHQN 1480 AM, Utah Valley Life, UStream or on Facebook. For more information visit www.choosesurthrival.com.

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Mommy Monday:: Ollie & Bess

After having her first child, Susan Grimberg found herself unhappy with the clothing choices offered for children. Finding styles that made her daughter look like a little girl was difficult, not to mention expensive. The thought of designing her own line of children’s clothing ran through her head many times, but she was hesitant because after all, she was a business analyst not a clothing designer.

Grimberg finally took the leap of faith just over a year ago and created her own company called Ollie & Bess. Ollie & Bess offers children’s clothing made right here in the U.S. The look is traditional while the fabric is hand chosen offering the highest quality.

Grimberg notes that starting a business from scratch isn’t the hardest part, balancing family life is. “I now have two girls (four and six-years old) an- when I had to miss a ballet recital for a business obligation it was difficult!” Thankfully, she has a husband who is supportive and has become more involved with their daughters throughout the journey.

Grimberg offers advice to other moms out there stating, “You never know what creativity you will spark in your own children and it’s good for your kids to see you doing something that you are passionate about!”

Shop their online store for outfits to clothe boys, girls and babies. Right now, Ollie & Bess is having their summer sale with discounted clothes throughout the site!

You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

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Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs’ Business, Goals & Journey

          

Learn more about this infographic here!

 

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Business of the Week:: GOFoods Global

GOFoods Global offers easy-to-fix, healthy (Non-GMO, clean foods) in gourmet meal pouches that save families time and money.  GOFoods offers a wide variety of the healthiest food reserves with a 25-year shelf life that anyone can prepare in just minutes.

In addition, GOFoods donates one family meal for every 10 sold to local food banks. GOFoods was pleased to share our mission with a number of celebrities celebrating the 2012 Academy Awards. A celebrity fundraiser was launched that weekend. Pictured is Ali Fedotowsky signing a GoFoods backpack with Brad Stewart, president of GOFoods Global.

GOFoods is on a mission to feed and prosper American families and also has a GOForces program which offers free membership and great discounts to all Armed forces.  As part of the GO Forces program, eligible individuals will receive a waived wholesale membership fee (regularly $29.95 per year), special shopping days, and additional discounts and gifts through special coupon codes throughout the year.

GOFoods Global warmly extends GO Forces membership to the following recipients:

  • Members of the uniformed services and adult dependents (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy; active duty and both active and inactive reserve and National Guard)
  • Retired members of the uniformed services and adult dependents (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy)
  • Foreign exchange service members on permanent duty with the Department of Defense
  • Civilian employees of the Department of Defense (appropriated, non-appropriated, or retired) and adult dependents
  • Department of Defense dependent schoolteachers and adult dependents
  • Disabled American veterans
  • All active and retired law enforcement, fire, and emergency service personnel
  • All seniors qualify by being 65 years young

You can find more information about GOForces here.

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Mommy Monday:: 4 Walls, Inc.

Ellen Thompson is the mother behind 4 Walls, Inc. Founded in 2002, 4 Walls, Inc. offers companies Internet marketing solutions and social media management tools to attract and retain customers. The company has a total of 25 staff, and all but two are full-time. There are 10 moms in total working for the business. They use a variety of marketing tools that include email marketing, blogging, pr and trade shows to generate leads and build brand awareness.

When asked how she balances family and business, Thompson concluded that she has a, “unique virtual work environment which makes the balancing act not only easier for me but for everyone trying to balance work and family life.” In addition to not losing an hour of the day commuting, she has more flexibility with her schedule. Thompson is still able to drop off her son and pick him up from school most days. She also attains balance by not expecting everything to go smoothly or perfect all the time.

Thompson advises other mom entrepreneurs to, “aim higher than naturally feels comfortable,” because often times women impose artificial ceilings on themselves. Another piece of advice she offers to women is to, “build a support infrastructure which includes contingencies for childcare as well as a network of mentors and advisors.”

Find 4 Walls, Inc online, on Facebook and on Twitter.

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Business of the Week:: Young Living Essential Oils

In 1973, doctors told D. Gary Young that he would be confined to a wheel chair and unable to walk for the rest of his life. But in 1986, only 13 short years after his crippling logging accident, Young not only could walk on his own, but he completed a half marathon placing 60th out of 970 participants. How can someone regain the ability to walk, let alone run a marathon, a little over a decade after a near-fatal accident? The answer: natural medicine in the form of essential oils.

Young Living Essential Oils, founded in 1993 by Young himself, offers high-quality essential oils, dietary supplements, personal care products and other unique solutions for healthy lifestyles. Herbs and botanicals used by the company include peppermint, spearmint, basil, lavender, rosemary, thyme and many others. The products produced by Young Living Essential Oils help support individual weight goals, sharpen concentration, soothe digestion and supply a natural energy boost.

Young Living Essential Oils is the only company in the world that grows the seeds, harvests, distils, formulates, packages and markets products with essential oils. They also educate people about use and application through their 125,000 distributors in the United States and over 20 different foreign markets.

Celia Fleischer is one of the independent distributors for Young Living Essential Oils. A native of Ireland, she juggles being a mom of four, a wife and a businesswoman. Visit her site and discover which products she personally recommends.

Whether you’re interested in becoming a distributor (with benefits of wholesale price), or you’re curious about the product line, contact Fleischer via e-mail for more information. You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook.

It’s never too late to start living a healthy, natural life, so go check out Young Living Essential Oils!

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What should I do when business is slow? Ten ideas!

Question: “What should I be doing when my business is slow? How should I be making use of my time?”

Submitted by Bola of Slimy Bookworm

Answer from Shara Lawrence-Weiss, Mommy Perks:

There are numerous things you can be doing during slow periods. Here are a few examples of the way I spend my time during slow seasons.

Writing more content for my sites

I always focus on writing more content when business is slow for me. This offers long term value (SEO) as well as short term. In fact, I have found that when I’m having a rough day or really slow period, writing can be a source of comfort. Now and again, those periods have rendered my best articles (and most re-tweeted). I find that tapping into my frustration can really help my writing (morbid but true). Think Johnny Depp here. A tortured soul makes the best actor. The same might be said for writers. Out of frustration and pain come the best articles/posts.

Recycle old content

Now is a great time to recycle old content. Go back into your blog and find articles that are NOT timely (date sensitive). Re-tweet them, re-facebook them, re-Google+ them, re-LinkedIn them, etc. Give your old content new life. Update the post if needed with new links and relevant information.

Update your blog and website

This is also a wonderful time to update things. Go to your site and update old pages, stale information, old images, old content, etc. Put a fresh spin on things while you have the time.

Guest articles

I always accept more guest article inquires when things are slow. I may not have as much business during the down times but I can make use of that time by getting my Brand out there, right? If the blog/site links over to my own site that’s like getting free advertising. It helps the blog gain content and it helps me gain a link and new visitors to my site. {I never write guest articles that promote my site, however. I always write guest articles that help readers! The bio link is simply a bonus.}

Look for places to advertise

Spend some time looking around for new places to advertise. There are many affordable (or free) locations for small businesses to list. Although most of these locations won’t help you much, it can’t hurt either. Don’t list on spammy sites – choose sites that are relevant to what you do/offer/sell. Run an online search to find such locations or ask fellow business owners where THEY advertise. Do a little research. It never hurts to know your advertising market even if you choose not to list with someone.

Plan ahead

After years of business ownership I’m well aware of my down months and my up swing months. During the down months I do my best to plan for the busy seasons. What additional resources will I need? What materials, if any? What promotional data? What research should I be reading up on to help my clients or customers – so I can more effectively meet their needs? Make a list and check things off as you go. It’s always nice to mark things off; it makes you feel as though something has really been accomplished (it works for me, anyway).

Reach out to find new networking buddies

Spend some time reading over tweets or facebook posts on walls you respect. Are there folks there who might make a good networking pal for you? Someone who has a like minded business or cause, perhaps? Maybe you can reach out to them and chat about cross promotions or guest writing for one another?

What’s old is new?

Was there something you did a while back that seemed to work well for your business but… you got busy and let it slip? Now might be a good time to revisit those ideas or actions that were working once before. Now and again I think, “Hey – I used to do ________ and it worked well! Why did I stop doing that?” It’s usually during my down times that I have a moment to think about such things.

Give business to someone else

I know… this one is tough. If you are not GETTING as much business, why would you GIVE it? In my experience, doing something kind and generous for someone else always makes me feel better. I may not have much to spend but it does my heart good to find another struggling business and buy something from them. It brightens their day and mine! Have you heard about Flash Mobs yet? Groups of people descend upon a small business and shower them with sales (spending about $10-20 each). The business gets sales and the people helping feel great about it. Same concept here. Pick someone to help out and you’ll feel good about the fact that you brought joy to another small business owner.  

Reflect

Reflection is a wonderful tool: in life, business, teaching, parenting and more. Reflect upon what has worked for you and what has not. Reflect upon your business mission and purpose for doing what you do. Why are you in business? Who are you trying to help? What changes could you make to be more in line with your purpose and mission? Are your goals reachable? If not, why not? What do you need to modify or rethink?  Use your down time to ponder these questions and more. 

Shara Lawrence-Weiss has a background in education, early childhood, special needs, freelance and marketing. She owns various websites including: Mommy Perks, Kids Perks, Personal Child Stories, Early Childhood News and Resources and Pine Media (co owner). Shara is an active member of her town charity group and a Library Board Member. Learn more about her at Mommy Perks.

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Three ways to set your next presentation on FIRE

By Lucinda Cross

Presentations require energy and effort.  This will give you the edge you need in order to rock your audience and give them more than what they expect.

Here are 3 ways to set your next presentation on FIRE that I personally use:

1. Try your best to find out about your audience and the state of mind they are in. This will help you to craft the right message and have the right amount of energy. Think of what your audience is expecting and then surprise them by doing more.

2. Give your audience more than two reasons to invite you back for a repeat performance.  Show them that you are an expert in your field. Show your personality; be open and down to earth. Use humor gracefully and graciously.

3. Connect with your audience. Intellectual involvement will ignite your them. Get them involved- intellectually, emotionally and maybe physically without over doing it. This allows them to become a part of the performance. (This is what most concert performers do, they get people to sing along, rock and sway, jump and shout. The people feel like they attended one of the best concerts ever because they were a part of the performance.)

Have a signature opening and closing. You can play music or a movie clip before you start or you can close with an exercise or poem for example. Be creative

After you set your presentation on FIRE and the audience is well fed.  Think about what you want to happen next.  What action steps do you want your audience to take away after your presentation?\

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People stated” begins with the end in mind.” You should know what you want your audience to come away with and this will help you with delivering a power house, on FIRE presentation.

Check out some presentations on TEDx.  

Looking to create that signature presentation? Need assistance with adding some creative spice to your presentation? Maybe you just need help with the full presentation and would like some one on one support? Email me I will be glad to assist you.  

Lucinda Cross is a teacher, an innovator, a change agent and an author. Lucinda uses speaking, training and mentoring to help business moms attract quality clients and grow their business effortlessly by becoming an expert in their field. She is the author of Corporate Mom Dropouts and has a blog by the same name.

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My Mommy Likes to Wiggle

Kathleen Gauer is a Toronto, Ontario, Canada teacher and writer who has recently published a children’s picture book that is of interest to dance diva moms and families. Her daughter-in-law, a qualified Zumba instructor in Welland, Ontario, inspired her to write this book. 

“My Mommy Likes to Wiggle” is a charmingly-illustrated rhyming story about a mom whose passion is dancing (“Salsa, Samba and the Cha Cha beat Sweep my Mommy off her feet….). 

Available at Indigo/Chapters, this light-hearted book was created for parents and children to enjoy together.  Instructions plus diagrams and other interesting dance facts appear at the end of this catchy, rhythmic tale.  Find out how one family gets involved with this dancing obsession and learn some simple basic Latin dance steps in the process.

To get your copy, click here!

 

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