Set the Example

I was watching Oprah's show on putting yourself first and Oprah's resident life coach said something that I thought was amazing.

She said that children pattern their parents. You need to Love Your Own Life!

If you only love your children and not yourself, they grow up into people who can't love themselves.

Children do not treat themselves the way you treat them, they treat themselves the way you treat YOU!
This is true with friends and other loved ones as well.

Set the example and LOVE YOURSELF!

Until Next Time...

Opportunities to Network

As I attended my younger cousin's graduation party this last weekend I was reminded of how important it is to always bring business cards, marketing brochures, samples etc. You never know who you will meet, even at a family event. Fortunately for me I did bring my business information and was able to make a couple of really good connections.

I feel this topic deserves a little bit of attention. Here are some strategies for making the most out of any event - remember everywhere you go there is an opportunity to network and build new relationships.

Always remember who you are and what you have to offer.

When you work for yourself you always should be conscious of who your ideal client is. If you are conscious of this when you are at social events then you will easily find opportunities to offer your services to those who you meet without being inappropriate. Some of the best business relationships are those that are developed in social situations.

Carry your business cards at ALL times.

Often times when attending social events we assume that we don't need to bring our business cards. Again, social events can be the best opportunities for you - AND if you are in business for yourself business cards should be on you at ALL times!

Be inquisitive.

The best way to determine is someone you meet can benefit from your services is to ask lots of questions. Rule of thumb is Who, What, Where, When and How - Avoid questions that require a yes or no response. Using open ended questions engages conversation by requiring an in-depth response. Using these types of questions allows you to get a better sense of who the person is and determine what their needs might be.

Examples of open-ended questions:

How do you know _____?
What do you do for a living?
What do you love about your job?
Where do you find you are most challenged?
What are you passionate about?
What does your husband/wife/SO do for a living?
What's your favorite way to relax?
Who is your ideal client?
If you could do anything, What would it be?

Ask to follow up.

When you do establish interest and hand out your contact information ask for theirs in return with permission to follow-up to continue your current disscussion. Then bring the subject back to social topics and enjoy!


With all of the graduations, weddings and family reunions you are sure to build new relationships. Go forward with intention and have fun!

Until next time...

7 Simple Tips to Running a Successful Business From Home

Most likely you've decided to start a home-based business for a variety of reasons. Some of them may include: staying home with your children, having more time for yourself and your family and creating an enjoyable lifestyle.

Here are 7 Simple tips to keep you on track for success!

Tip 1: Put yourself at the top of your to-do list.

This is one of the most important things that you can do. Women tend to nurture everyone else and forget about themselves. Keeping your self-care as a number one priority enables you to be more, do more and give more.

Fill yourself up first and you will always be overflowing.

Creating daily nurturing rituals is an easy way to do this! Start your day with a nurturing morning routine which may include writing in your journal with your favorite morning beverage followed by stretching and taking your "Sensational" shower using your favorite pampering products. This a simple, but great way to start out your day!

Tip 2: Take care of your body.

Exercising and eating healthy keeps you full of energy and your mind sharp.

Resources:

"Healthy Eating Habits" by Dawid Michalczyk.

Women's Fitness Tips by LifeTips

Tip 3: Get Organized.

Getting organized keeps your creative energy flowing. When your life, home or office become cluttered it blocks the flow of energy and prevents you from achieving maximum success.

My sister Melissa, owner of The Business Caddy gives helpful advice to small business owners and entrepreneurs to run efficiently. In her blog The "Caddy" Shack she provides 8 Simple Ways To Keep Your Home Office Organized & Functional.

Tip 4: Create Your Business Schedule.

This is especially important and often times hard to do especially with young children. Setting and working a consistent business schedule not only builds momentum in your business, but reduces stress in long run.

Where women often face obstacles in this department is GUILT. Women tend to feel guilty if they are not devoting 100% of their time to their children (After all isn't that why we work from home in the first place?).

I recently watched an Oprah show dedicated to women putting themselves first. One of her guests, Dr. Oz, made a terrific point about women and children.

Here's what he had to say in a nutshell:

"Children pattern their parents. You need to love your own life – If you raise children and you only love them and not yourself, they grow up into people who can’t love themselves. Children do not treat themselves the way you treat them, they treat themselves the way you treat you."

So, value your business and the purpose it serves - set the example!

Tip 5: Be Consistent.

Whatever business you run, consistency is the key. Set up your systems and work them. Inconsistency creates stress and dissatisfaction which leads to diminished results.

Tip 6: Have Fun.

Enjoy what you do! If you're not enjoying it you won't do it. I like to stick fun into my daily routine. So, you've set aside time for your business, yourself, your family and children and all your must do tasks - put fun in between! Have a dance party with yourself and your children. Watch your favorite movie with popcorn. Play a game. This is why you work from home - to enjoy your life!

Tip 7: Celebrate!

Celebrate every success. Be in gratitude. Celebrate others. This attitude opens you up to new opportunities and bigger things.


Following these tips will start you on your way to achieving all you envisioned with your home-based business. Here's to your success!

Until next time...