She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

Financial Help for Freelancers, Gig Workers, and Creatives During The Coronavirus Pandemic

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As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the world, the United States’ economy is suffering. Businesses big and small are closing their doors, and hardworking people are losing jobs, struggling to put food on the table, and drowning in unexpected healthcare costs.

Thankfully, both the federal government and other groups recognize the need to provide financial assistance to small business owners, entrepreneurs, artists, freelancers and independent contractors. In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, unemployment benefits, grants, and funds are helping freelancers, artists, and SMBs survive.

If you’re a boss babe who needs some financial assistance to keep going, check out these funds, grants, and loans to help you make it through COVID.

 

Funds and Grants for Freelancers

Women freelancers are some of the most economically vulnerable workers in America right now. The companies and contracts that used to pay your bills are cutting costs—and that often means fewer jobs for freelancers. Here are some places you can look to for help during these uncertain times:

 

The Freelancers Union has cooperated with companies like Fiverr and Upwork to create a Freelancers Relief Fund that helps freelancers weather this storm. The fund offers “financial assistance of up to $1,000 to freelancers who are experiencing sudden hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether as a result of illness, lost work, or caregiving responsibilities.” You can use this money to pay for food, utilities, and more.

Freelancers Union

The Freelance Co-Op, a group established to empower freelancers with the resources they need to run their own businesses, has created a COVID-19 Emergency Fund. These funds can be used for medical bills, utilities, food and even childcare. It’s important to note that there is a stipulation that those who receive funding donate the same amount to a similar charity when they get back on their feet.

Freelance Co-Op

 

Financial Assistance for Small Businesses

Small businesses often run with little to no financial safety net, which means the COVID-19 quarantine is forcing many women-run businesses to permanently close their doors. Luckily, there are funds and grants popping up to help keep SMBs afloat.

 

The federal government and SBA are working with state Governors to offer financial relief as well as business counseling to small businesses who are struggling due to Coronavirus. The SBA is providing SMBs a low-interest loan with a long repayment schedule, if needed. You can use the funds to pay “fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.”

Small Business Agency Disaster Assistance Loans

Business For All grants. In partnership with Verizon, the digital fundraising and advocacy platform Hello Alice is offering emergency grants of up to $10,000 for companies impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. $10,000 COVID-19 Business for All Grants are awarded on a rolling basis. General Business for All Grant applications are due September 25, 2020 at 12:00 am PT.

Hello Alice Business For All

Google announced an “$800+ million commitment to support small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), health organizations and governments, and health workers on the frontline of this global pandemic.” Though they aren’t offering direct grants to small businesses, they are providing SMBs with active Google Ads accounts $340 million in Google Ads credits. According to Google, “credit notifications will appear in their Google Ads accounts and can be used at any point until the end of 2020 across our advertising platforms.”

Google Funding and Grants

 

Funds and Grants for Creatives, Artists, and Musicians

 

The Creator Fund from the email marketing company ConvertKit is offering financial assistance of up to $500 for artists and small business owners. Supporting Creators in Need.

The Creator Fund

MusiCares is aware of the enormous financial burden to those whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by COVID-19. In response, The Recording Academy® and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares® have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help the music community affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Recording Academy / MusicCares COVID-19 Relief Fund

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. In other words, Healing Musicians in Need.

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

 

Additional Resources:

Help for Small Businesses: Understanding the Paycheck Protection Program

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The main driver of small business stimulus in the CARES Act is contained in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – a big coronavirus relief bill aimed at supporting small businesses through the current pandemic.

Understanding what the PPP business loan program is, how it works, and how to apply will help you navigate this massive federal stimulus program and get the funds your business needs as quickly as possible.

 

Here’s everything you need to know:

 

The below information on the Paycheck Protection Program is from The U.S. Department of the Treasury. 

PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) INFORMATION SHEET: BORROWERS

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone.

The loan amounts will be forgiven as long as:

The loan proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, and most mortgage interest, rent, and utility costs over the 8 week period after the loan is made; and

Employee and compensation levels are maintained.

Payroll costs are capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee. Due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs.

Loan payments will be deferred for 6 months.

When can I apply?

Starting April 3, 2020, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.

Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.

Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans as soon as they are approved and enrolled in the program.

Where can I apply?

You can apply through any existing SBA lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating. Visit www.sba.gov for a list of SBA lenders.

Who can apply?

All businesses – including nonprofits, veterans organizations, Tribal business concerns, sole proprietorships, self-employed individuals, and independent contractors – with 500 or fewer employees can apply. Businesses in certain industries can have more than 500 employees if they meet applicable SBA employee-based size standards for those industries (click HERE for additional detail).

For this program, the SBA’s affiliation standards are waived for small businesses (1) in the hotel and food services industries (click HERE for NAICS code 72 to confirm); or (2) that are franchises in the SBA’s Franchise Directory (click HERE to check); or (3) that receive financial assistance from small business investment companies licensed by the SBA. Additional guidance may be released as appropriate.

What do I need to apply?

You will need to complete the Paycheck Protection Program loan application and submit the application with the required documentation to an approved lender that is available to process your application by June 30, 2020. Click HERE for the application.

What other documents will I need to include in my application?

You will need to provide your lender with payroll documentation.

Do I need to first look for other funds before applying to this program?

No. We are waiving the usual SBA requirement that you try to obtain some or all of the loan funds from other sources (i.e., we are waiving the Credit Elsewhere requirement).

How long will this program last?

Although the program is open until June 30, 2020, we encourage you to apply as quickly as you can because there is a funding cap and lenders need time to process your loan.

How many loans can I take out under this program?

Only one.

What can I use these loans for?

You should use the proceeds from these loans on your:

  1. Payroll costs, including benefits;
  2. Interest on mortgage obligations, incurred before February 15, 2020;
  3. Rent, under lease agreements in force before February 15, 2020; and
  4. Utilities, for which service began before February 15, 2020

What counts as payroll costs?

Payroll costs include:

  1. Salary, wages, commissions, or tips (capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee);
  2. Employee benefits including costs for vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave; allowance for separation or dismissal; payments required for the provisions of group health care benefits including insurance premiums; and payment of any retirement benefit;
  3. State and local taxes assessed on compensation; and
  4. For a sole proprietor or independent contractor: wages, commissions, income, or net earnings from self-employment, capped at $100,000 on an annualized basis for each employee.

How large can my loan be?

Loans can be for up to two months of your average monthly payroll costs from the last year plus an additional 25% of that amount. That amount is subject to a $10 million cap. If you are a seasonal or new business, you will use different applicable time periods for your calculation. Payroll costs will be capped at $100,000 annualized for each employee.

How much of my loan will be forgiven?

You will owe money when your loan is due if you use the loan amount for anything other than payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities payments over the 8 weeks after getting the loan. Due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs. You will also owe money if you do not maintain your staff and payroll.

  1. Number of Staff: Your loan forgiveness will be reduced if you decrease your full-time employee headcount.
  2. Level of Payroll: Your loan forgiveness will also be reduced if you decrease salaries and wages by more than 25% for any employee that made less than $100,000 annualized in 2019.
  3. Re-Hiring: You have until June 30, 2020 to restore your full-time employment and salary levels for any changes made between February 15, 2020 and April 26, 2020.

How can I request loan forgiveness?

You can submit a request to the lender that is servicing the loan. The request will include documents that verify the number of full-time equivalent employees and pay rates, as well as the payments on eligible mortgage, lease, and utility obligations. You must certify that the documents are true and that you used the forgiveness amount to keep employees and make eligible mortgage interest, rent, and utility payments. The lender must make a decision on the forgiveness within 60 days.

What is my interest rate?

0.50% fixed rate.

When do I need to start paying interest on my loan?

All payments are deferred for 6 months; however, interest will continue to accrue over this period.

When is my loan due?

In 2 years.

Can I pay my loan earlier than 2 years?

Yes. There are no prepayment penalties or fees.

Do I need to pledge any collateral for these loans?

No. No collateral is required.

Do I need to personally guarantee this loan?

No. There is no personal guarantee requirement. ***However, if the proceeds are used for fraudulent purposes, the U.S. government will pursue criminal charges against you.***

What do I need to certify?

As part of your application, you need to certify in good faith that:

  1. Current economic uncertainty makes the loan necessary to support your ongoing operations.
  2. The funds will be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or to make mortgage, lease, and utility payments.
  3. You have not and will not receive another loan under this program.
  4. You will provide to the lender documentation that verifies the number of full-time equivalent employees on payroll and the dollar amounts of payroll costs, covered mortgage interest payments, covered rent payments, and covered utilities for the eight weeks after getting this loan.
  5. Loan forgiveness will be provided for the sum of documented payroll costs, covered mortgage interest payments, covered rent payments, and covered utilities. Due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs.
  6. All the information you provided in your application and in all supporting documents and forms is true and accurate. Knowingly making a false statement to get a loan under this program is punishable by law.
  7. You acknowledge that the lender will calculate the eligible loan amount using the tax documents you submitted. You affirm that the tax documents are identical to those you submitted to the IRS. And you also understand, acknowledge, and agree that the lender can share the tax information with the SBA’s authorized representatives, including authorized representatives of the SBA Office of Inspector General, for the purpose of compliance with SBA Loan Program Requirements and all SBA reviews.

 

Additional information and resources:

 

 

The Power of Media… And Why You Should Harness It! by @Luana_Ribeira

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by Luana Ribeira

There’s no doubt about the fact that the media is incredibly powerful. It influences, it leads and it is all around us, everywhere we go. We’ve all taken action at some point due to something we’ve seen in the media. I have a question for you- are you harnessing the power of mainstream media for your business? If not, you are failing to take say yes to taking yourself and your business to a whole new level!

Here are the top reasons for you to harness the power of media!

Building Trust and Credibility

The number one reason that people don’t buy is down to a lack of trust. Trust in you, in themselves, or both. Being featured on TV or in a magazine that they recognise instantly lifts your credibility, positioning you as the expert on your topic.

This cracks the barrier of trust- if the media outlet they recognise are saying you’re an expert, you must be the real deal. What this also does is it helps them to build the trust in themselves to be able to get the result, as they would be guided by the top expert in the media.

More Money

When you are showing up consistently in the media, you will find yourself attracting more of your superstar clients. You know who I mean- those clients who are on your wavelength, who you adore catching up with and who can afford to jump in to your high ticket offers.

The people who are willing to pay more also expect a higher level. They want to work with the cream of the crop and you regularly featured in their favorite media outlets sets you apart from those who don’t dare enter that next level.
Anther side effect of being in the media is that you can, very justifiably, raise your prices. How much do you think your income would increase if you not only signed up more clients but you were able to charge more too?

Get Your Voice Heard

You weren’t born to hide behind a rock whispering your message to the ants. You’re a visionary leader who is here to make waves and to change lives on a global scale. To do that, you need to get right in front of your people and command their attention. You do this by getting the right sort of media and by speaking your raw, unfiltered truth delivering your message to the masses and calling them into your space.

Sometimes people say that they don’t like certain media outlets because they don’t like their values or what they talk about. If this is you, let me ask you this- if that’s the case, wouldn’t you want to change things by getting yourself on there with your positive message? I mean, you can moan about them all day long but that won’t change a thing and it definitely won’t move your business forward.

Slay Your Trolls

Have you had a troll attack yet? The fear of being trolled is something that holds a lot of people back from getting into the media and of course, being in the public eye opens you up to more of these heinous beings. However, you are now in a much more powerful position than you were if they were just trolling your Facebook page. You are proving yourself to be the real McCoy and have a platform where you can reach thousands and thousands of people with your truth. All Barry the troll will succeed in doing now is making himself look like an idiot sandwich. Sorry Baz!

More Opportunities

Media leads to more media… and also speaking and consulting if you choose to go down those routes. Your pitches will carry more punch when you can show yourself having already been featured by big names, and you’ll find that journalists and producers will come directly with more opportunities. The most challenging step is the first, but if you fail to take that step, you are missing out on a whole new world of possibilities!

I hope this has encouraged you to harness the power of media to skyrocket you and your business to crazy new heights.
You weren’t born to be ordinary… you were born to shine!

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Luana Ribeira is a book & media coach. She helps entrepreneurs to skyrocket their business with a bestselling book, and by helping them get media publicity elevating them into celebrity status in their niche. Since she became a bestselling author, she has been featured multiple times on FOX TV, become one of FORBES top 21 Female Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2018, developed relationships with media outlets including Huffington Post, NBC, ABC, Miami Herald and many more; been booked for speaking gigs internationally and rapidly grown her audience taking her business to new levels. Luana currently resides in rural Portugal where she is setting up a fully sustainable, eco friendly animal sanctuary. She is also a black belt in kickboxing and has 2 homeschooled girls.

 

Using the Passion Formula: Building Your Business with Empowerment

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by Brooke Hart

I was recently mentoring a client who is very passionate about launching an online business. But when it comes to taking action items, it’s a different story.

When speaking with her about circumstances, she openly told me she wasn’t happy with her 9 – 5. It paid well but it didn’t fulfill her.

But when it came to building a different stream of income, she wasn’t so excited about the topic or the type of business that she was creating. It was creative, but not really her “cup of tea.”

This is a circumstance that I continuously see among networks of women as well as with those who are looking at me for answers to create and build the business of their dreams.

The question is – when did building a business of the dreams become a way to earn more income outside of a regular job?

Passion must mean more to us than finding an answer to something we dislike.

If we dig deeper, there is a solution where we are expressing the core of our being, bringing our internal dreams into action.

No two businesses are alike and there is never any competition.

Why?

When we are truly tapping into and living out the passion of our dreams, then it takes us out of the mix and into our own expression of success.

Discovering Your Passion Formula

I often say that empowerment is an internal job. When we tap into our core, we find that our source of power and our complete expression comes from what we hold inside.

This is the same space where we find our passion for life and what we really want to be and express in this lifetime.

When you look at business opportunities, look further than what you like.

  • Is this something you want to speak about every day for the next 10 years?
  • Does your business idea come from a space of belief? Meaning do you believe it will help someone, add value or create a better life where you can give as well as receive?
  • Are you driven by the concept and mission of your business?
  • Are you creative, defined by your own character and using ideas that no one else has? If not, tap into your power to find what makes you unique and reflect this in your venture.

If you don’t check the boxes for one of these then keep looking. Get into something that you know you want to reflect and which brings a better life to you and to others.

Then reflect that in your brand, products or services and with the approach you take with building a business. You will find that your business will build faster and you won’t experience burn out or a business that doesn’t achieve what you want.

 

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Brooke Hart is an entrepreneur, strategist and marketing expert. She has worked as a digital strategist for over 12 years, assisting hundreds of businesses from launch to growth phases. She is also the founder of Angel Guard Fashion, a fashion – self-defence product line designed to empower and protect the global community by reducing violence.

Why Mindfulness Matters by John Parrott @RelaxLikeA

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by John Parrott

Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword over the last few years.

But just what does being mindful mean and how does it work?

In this guide, you’ll learn why being mindful matters and how to practice it.

 

So What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being consciously aware in the present moment, without judging your experience.

You see, we’re often worried about what could happen tomorrow – or ruminating on problems from the past.

By being ‘mindful’, we can enjoy every moment in the here and now.

By achieving this state of awareness, we can enjoy a sense of peace within – rather than being distracted by our anxiety.

 

What Are The Benefits Of Mindfulness?

So let’s look at some of the benefits of mindfulness:

  • It can help improve our self-awareness
  • It’s a skill that almost anyone can develop
  • Mindfulness can create an inner sense of peace and calm
  • Being mindful helps us reconnect with others – who we might usually take for granted
  • Increased confidence and levels of self-esteem
  • Enhanced levels of energy and productivity
  • More compassion for the people around us and for ourselves

Note: Looking for the scientific evidence? Then check out these research based studies on mindfulness.

 

 

How Can I Practice Mindfulness?

If you’re looking for some easy exercises, check out these five mindfulness trainings.

But before you begin, I’d recommend starting off slow.

Mindfulness requires patience and practice – it’s not something we can master overnight.

So take your time and enjoy the experience.

 

Useful Resources For Practicing Meditation

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John runs Relax Like A Boss, a blog that teaches people how to reduce stress and relax in a busy world. His passion is helping and inspiring others to beat stress and live a healthier, happier lifestyle.

20 Women Owned + Made In The USA Companies

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Photo Credit: Crooked Spirits Official Facebook Page

 

by Melissa Stewart

Have you made the commitment to support Women Owned businesses? Vote with your dollar! Click the links below and shop big and small, women supporting women. These companies — spanning clothing, bags, accessories, pet products, and more — are owned by women and proudly made right here in the USA. 

 

Caskata

Passionate about creating uniquely beautiful products. Made by hand in the USA.

https://www.caskata.com/

Photo Credit: Caskata Official Facebook Page

 

Thistle Farms

Handcrafted with love by women survivors. Natural products for your bath, body, and home.

https://thistlefarms.org/

Photo Credit: Thistle Farms Official Facebook Page

 

William Roam

William Roam crafts the finest hair and body care products offered by the best hotels worldwide. American-made and American inspired with a spirited sense of adventure and rich ingredients.

https://williamroam.com/

Photo Credit: William Roam Official Facebook Page

 

Alex and Ani

Meaningful jewelry designed to connect + empower. Female founded. Made in the USA with love.

https://www.alexandani.com/

Alex and Ani

Photo Credit: Alex an Ani Official Facebook Page

 

Military Apparel Company

Meaningful jewelry designed to connect + empower. Female founded. Made in the USA with love.

https://www.militaryapparelcompany.com/

 

Lolly Wolly Doodle

Lolly Wolly Doodle specializes in personalized, monogrammed children’s and women’s wear and accessories. Made in the USA.

https://www.lollywollydoodle.com/

 

Photo Credit: Brandi Temple in the Lolly Wolly Doodle production facility from Entrepreneur Magazine

 

SHHHOWERCAP

SHHHOWERCAP reinvented the shower cap because it needed reinventing. Chic silhouette and fashion forward prints. You deserve an upgrade. Made in the USA.

https://www.shhhowercap.com/

 

Stella and Chewys

Founder, Marie Moody, inspired by her own dog’s speedy recovery on a raw diet, launched Stella & Chewy’s. Made in the USA.

https://www.stellaandchewys.com/

Photo Credit: Stella and Chewy

 

Turbo Pup

Grain-free, all natural ‘complete K9 meal bars!’ Made in the USA.

https://www.turbopup.com/

Photo Credit: Official Turbo Pup Facebook Page

 

Womanswork

“Strong Women Building A Gentle World” Setting the standard for great fitting, high quality garden and work gloves for women. Celebrating 33 years as a woman owned business!

https://womanswork.com/

Photo Credit: Womanswork Official Facebook Page

 

Nicolita

Nicolita is a MADE IN THE USA Designer and Manufacture of Caliente Curve Confident Swimwear and Apparel.

https://www.mynicolita.com/

Nicolita Made in USA Women Owned

Photo Credit: Nicolita Swimwear Offical Facebook Page

 

Bold Lead Designs

Handcrafted dog leashes, collars, harnesses and service dog equipment. Made in the USA.

https://boldleaddesigns.com/

Photo Credit: Colorado Lending Source

 

Slobproof Furniture

Don’t sweat the mess. Slobproof’s upholstered seating line was created by award-winning interior designer, Debbie Wiener, to provide affordable custom seating with unmatched comfort, style and durability. Made in the USA from the highest quality and longest-lasting materials.

https://slobproof.com/

Photo Credit: Slobproof Official Facebook Page

 

Karen Kane

Karen Kane believes women should feel beautiful and comfortable, always. They create products with passion and integrity, guided by respect for our people and planet.

https://www.karenkane.com/

Photo Credit: Karen Kane Official Facebook Page

 

Zip My Dress

The simple solution to zipping your own dress. Certified women-owned. Made is the USA.

https://zipmydress.com/

 

14th Rose

Made in the USA purses and totes.

https://14throse.com/

14th Rose

Photo Credit: 14th Rose Official Facebook Page

 

R. Riveter

Made by military spouses with pride and passion. We create one-of-a-kind bags inspired by recycled military materials.

https://www.rriveter.com/

 

Photo Credit: R. Riveter Official Facebook Page

 

Cozy Pure

Designer and woman-owned USA manufacturer of organic sleep goodies for your bedroom, made fresh daily from nature’s finest ingredients.

http://www.cozypure.com/

 

Photo Credit: Cozy Pure

 

Crooked Water Spirits

Woman-owned distillery in Minneapolis, MN.

https://www.crookedwaterspirits.com/

 

Photo Credit: Alma Guzman City Pages Minneapolis

 

AK Athletic Equipment

AK Athletic Equipment, established in 1990. Manufacturer of protective padding for over twenty years. Made in Columbus, Ohio.

https://akathletics.com/

 

AK Athletic Women Owned Made in USA

Photo Credit: AK Athletic Official Facebook Page

 

Bloggers Wanted! She Owns It Open Call For Featured Contributors!

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by Melissa Stewart

She Owns It is seeking a few amazing women (and men) to share their inspiration and expertise with the She Owns It community. We’re very selective about our contributors. Featured contributors will be selected based on their level of expertise and their ability to provide the content that will deliver the most value to our readers.

 

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is June 28th.

 

WHO WE ARE

She Owns It is an online hub. Our mission is to inspire and empower women to turn their ideas into reality by starting and growing their own successful businesses.

Our purpose is to inform and inspire by providing the resources, connections and tools necessary to BYOB – build your own business and be your own boss.

 

 

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR

You want to make a difference in this space, to have your story and expertise heard. You want to give a fresh perspective to our audience. We want that too.

We are looking for bloggers with an established online presence and an area of expertise that helps our business focused community grow. We look for contributors that can provide original, practical, real-world examples that show real data, real successes — and even real failures.

 

 

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

Featured contributors will be asked to create original content for She Owns It that will not be posted on their blogs, but that can be linked to from their blogs. Posts must be in compliance with FTC guidelines, with proper credit and links back to all images.

Yes, video posts are accepted.

We are not able to provide compensation at this time, but this will be a great opportunity for contributors to receive exposure to a new audience across the web and all social media platforms. Contributor’s head shots and bios will also be added to the contributors page and promoted across social media.

 

Contributor Categories

Here are some of the contributor categories we’re looking for:

EntrepreneurshipGraphic DesignStartup Stories
Small BusinessBrandingFemale Founders
MarketingInfluencer MarketingBlogging
Social MediaFreelancing & Side HustlesPodcasting
Venture CapitalCrowdfundingAccounting & Legal
LeadershipHealthy LivingYour Expertise

OR tell us your expertise and maybe we can create a category just for you!

 

 

HOW OFTEN WE EXPECT IT

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Featured contributors must be able to commit to partnering with She Owns It from January through June 2019 and writing a minimum of 6 posts.. One post per month, for six months. After your six month commitment, you’re welcome to stay on and continue as a Featured Contributor. Many of our writers do and we are grateful for every post!

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, complete the Featured Contributor Application.

Although we would like to reply to everyone, if you don’t happen to hear from us in the next 2-3 weeks, it means that someone else has been selected.  Thank you so much for your interest and I look forward to hearing from you!

 

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is June 28th.

 

Dog Is Good Delivers Dogvergnügen and Steals Best of Show at SuiteWorld 2019

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Gila Kurtz and Jon Kurtz of Dog is Good

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

by Melissa Stewart

This was my second year at SuiteWorld and while I was wowed by last year’s keynotes from Rachel Zoe, Chief Executive Officer, Rachel Zoe, Inc. and Kara Goldin, Founder & CEO, Hint Inc., it was a little booth the Oracle/NetSuite put together that stole the show and my heart. Did I mention there were puppies?!

Yes, I was inspired by the Women’s Leadership general session. I loved last year’s women’s luncheon and was so glad to see they had expanded it into an entire general session this year. Listening to the speakers and the panel discussions sparked multiple “aha moments” and I recorded the entire session so I could go back and listen again and again. I love that SuiteWorld is growing and expanding these sessions and can’t wait to see what they do in 2020!

 

 

But when amazing speakers like Pamela Yanchik Connealy , CFO & COO of Kiva, stepped off stage and I was left to wander the SuiteWorld floor, I couldn’t help but find myself back at the Dog Is Good booth. I was drawn not only to the puppies but also the story.

D.I.G. Founders Gila and Jon Kurtz had an idea and recognized a need in the marketplace. I met Gila at SuiteWorld, all smiles and interacting with the attendees flooding their booth. I had to know more about her company and how D.I.G. uses NetSuite to grow their business.

Keep reading and get to know more about the “dog lifestyle” company delivering Dogvergnügen (The joy you feel in the presence of Dog) to the world.

 

Dog is Good at SuiteWorld 2019

 

Can you tell us a little about your story? Where did the idea come from?

I had been training dogs professionally for about 3 years when the Navy moved us to the NWst (Jon is now     a retired US Navy Capt).  We were seeing the humanization of pets moving from trend to lifestyle and wanted to be involved in the pet space but we did not want to create more pet products. While attending a continuing education conference, I discovered a vendor in the exhibit all selling tee-shirts.  However, there was nothing compelling- the tees were all white unisex shirts and all said the same thing with an image of a particular breed…” I love my…” i recall standing there and thinking- dogs played such a huge part of my life and the lives of my clients. To articulate “I love my dalmatian” felt too simplistic to describe the role my dog played in  my life and there was nothing stylish about the tees being offered. When I returned home, Jon and I talked about it and he noted there was nothing out there for the dog lover. It was then that we decided we should just try to create something ourselves.

 

Describe the first 90 days in your business?

The first 90 days involved determining who we were and what we were going to be about, designing our logo and website, researching products and manufacturing, and getting everything lined up to move into the first stage of selling- direct to consumer. This was a part-time effort.

We struggled with a logo to fit the personality of the brand.  It also took some time to figure out who we were as a company…what were we good at? how did we want to be perceived?  The pet space is a big one and we had to develop our unique proposition and positioning.

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

How did Dog Is Good go from idea to selling in hundreds of retail locations across the US and internationally?

Initially, we came up with a name and had a few ball caps embroidered so we could apply for a trademark, but we did not launch the concept immediately.  The navy would move us down to southern California before we took real action. I had worn a Dog is Good hat to a dog training session. When my client wanted to know where she could purchase a dozen of them, we had validation that the message resonated.  At this point we started moving into action and started a business.

We knew we wanted to create a brand and the fastest, most cost effective way to launch was to create apparel we could test at markets.  We sold items direct to consumers at local events and used the feedback to work on our messaging. A year later, we decided to take the leap and exhibit at a trade show to sell wholesale to retailers. We picked up only a half dozen customers, but it was exciting and we still have a few of those original buyers from 2008.  Getting into hundreds of retailers was a combination of honing our message, creating the right products, finding leads through trade shows and many, many hours cold-calling to introduce the brand.

 

Gila Kurtz of Dog is Good

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

Can you tell us a little bit about the structure of our operation?

We built the brand to become everything- products, services, and experiences.

-We sell  wholesale into retail establishments in numerous verticals that include: gift, pet, outdoor retail, resort, hardware… any retailer who has a customer with a dog can carry our brand and we have programs to support their needs.

  • We launched a business opportunity called the Dog is Good Pop Up Shop. This provides dog loving entrepreneurs an opportunity to have their own mobile business ( no brick and mortar) using the DIG brand and the support of our team.  We now have over 60 individuals operating Pop- Up shops around the country and have built a strong community to help them grow and prosper. We plan to add 100 in 2019, to bring the overall total to 150 by the end of the year.

-We have a robust licensing program with over 30 licensees – These companies use our designs on their products and sell them through their own distribution channels. This makes it possible to find Dog is Good at locations  in pretty much any retail vertical and in stores from Advance Auto Parts to Albertsons to Nordstrom!

-WE launched an education platform called, Fur Covered Wisdom for people seeking personal growth.

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

Now you have been out awhile, is it what you thought it would be like? (expectations versus reality)  

The expectation of owning a running a company has evolved along with our personal growth over the years.  We are not unique in the experiences we have shared building a successful business. We have had exhilarating moments and moments that down right sucked. It is a journey and the only thing we really ever expected was that we would commit to our vision, show up everyday as the best leaders possible, and focus on how we and our brand could serve others. Each day we are grateful that our messaging and brand has touched so many lives.

 

Did you start with Netsuite?  

No, we did not start with Netsuite.  Like most small business start ups, we launched with Quick-books.  Over a few years we struggled with systems that did not communicate, for example webstore integration with accounting. A goal back in 2012 was to find a system that we could scale and work with without issue for years to come.  After looking at the pros and cons of many ERPs and accounting systems, Netsuite, though not an inexpensive proposition for us, was the only one we found to meet the criteria we had set.

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

What do you use Netsuite for in your business? 

It’s basically part of everything we do with the exception of employee management/payroll and some of our CRM. It is our accounting system, drives process for the entire “order-to-cash” process, it is our inventory management system, purchasing, Sales force management, and CRM. We have only scratched the surface of the capabilities.

 

What advice would you give to those considering venturing out to Build their own Business?

Have full clarity around the vision of what you want to create- know what success looks like to you and integrate your life as part of your big picture vision for your business. It is easy to become consumed by growing a new business.  Additionally, focus on sales and know your numbers every day. All the marketing, creation, and “fun stuff”- don’t yield immediate ROI- so everyday emphasis needs to be on sales.

 

Gila Kurtz of Dog is Good at SuiteWorld 2019

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

What made you decide to exhibit at Suiteworld this year?   

The team at Netsuite wanted to showcase the Dog is Good brand through an experiential activation for the attendees.  We wanted to support the Netsuite Team at the booth and help to share the experience with the attendees.

 

Who gets the credit for the wildly successful “puppies at a booth” concept?  

Netsuite reached out to a local rescue group to bring the puppies in for the attendees-  They came from Waggin Train in Las Vegas. Although they were available for adoption, none were adopted out at the conference. There is a specific process involved to safely place a puppy in an adoptive home.  While everyone there wanted one, it did not make sense for many- as they would have to make flight arrangements etc… The rescue group knew that the pups would be adopted in the local community by the weekend as they had several applications in for them.   The pups were 10-12 weeks old- a great experience for the pups too, as they benefited from all the socialization.

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

What were the highlights of your Suiteworld experience?  

There were many highlights. Netsuite hosts the most amazing conference, complete with relevant workshops and access to important vendors.  Everything we experienced was spectacular, but watching the reaction of people to the brand and the puppies were the most fun.

Everything about who we are as a brand was visible in the reactions of attendees.  The impact that dogs have on humans is significant. Interestingly, our brand made an impact without even showing any Dog is Good product.  And that’s fitting, because as we work toward the goal of being recognized as an “experiential brand”, this Netsuite display really communicated what we share with consumers every day – the experience of “how great it feels to be with Dog.”

The Netsuite team also set us up with a number of interviews with popular podcasts and print publications. Having an activation like this available at a conference or trade show has lasting benefits.

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

Will we being seeing puppies, I mean Dog is Good, at Suiteworld 2020?   

We hope so!

 

Photo credit: Dog Is Good

 

How can people get in touch with you?  

Jon and I ( husband wife team):  gila@dogisgood.com    jon@dogisgood.com

People can find us at:

Dog is Good and on social media channels:

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Twitter

Linkedin

Infographic on How to be Happier at Work

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At ExpoCart, we take the happiness of our employees seriously. From enjoying their day to day work to ensuring they have a great work-life balance, happiness in the workplace is important to us. To help all of our employees and beyond increase their job satisfaction, feel happier at work, become more productive, and reduce stress levels, we created this infographic with tips, advice and helpful hints.

With mental health in the workplace a hot topic that needs to be openly discussed throughout offices and businesses worldwide, we hope to get the conversation started, here at ExpoCart.

Satisfaction Stats

Did you know that only 51% of people are satisfied with their jobs? Alongside this, 90% of people said they were stressed in their jobs. These aren’t the most positive of statistics.

So, our infographic aims to combat these issues, looking at what actually leads to job satisfaction, as well as 7 key things you can implement to start to reduce stress levels. From cutting out multi-tasking to welcoming feedback, we also take a closer look at 13 top tips for building more happiness for yourself in the workplace.

Let’s Talk About Work Happiness

It’s not just us talking about happiness at work. Publications as big as The Telegraph The Telegraph have been discussing the importance of happiness and the effect it can have on people, employees and the community.

Interestingly, The Telegraph’s article discusses the diminishing levels of happiness with higher income earners. This leads to the conclusion that pay is not a high factor when it comes to work happiness. Becoming more positive will come from a focus on forgetting societal pressures for happiness, such as wealth, marriage and property and paying more attention to creating our own narrative using the smaller everyday experiences of life is what will give us happiness.

International Day of Happiness

On the 20th March, 2019 it was International Day of Happiness, from a community created by and for people striving to create more happiness in their lives. This year, the theme was Happier Together, which focuses on bringing people together

In a time when work happiness is divided and stress is at an all-time high, International Day of Happiness is something we could all do with getting on board with. Starting with creating this infographic to encourage people to address what is making them unhappy in the workplace, ExpoCart aims to build a bigger conversation, leading to better job satisfaction, more productive employees, and, most importantly, happier faces in the office.


Infographic on How to be Happier at Work

Empowering Women Going through Relationship Challenges: The Untold Stories of Divorce Coaching by Lilly Parks of @naked_recovery

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by Lilly Parks

The good news is that the divorce rates in the US have started dropping since 1990, and have followed a downward trend since then. And thanks to millennials who are doing things differently, the rates will likely continue to decline. This is according to a sociology professor at the University of Maryland, Philip Cohen, in his analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) data.

Still, the divorce coaching industry is thriving, but not for reasons that you’d normally associate with it.

Divorce coaches make a living out of helping people, cope with the breakdown of a relationship. They also empower these men and women to become better. This makes divorce coaching a rewarding business, what with a bigger cause behind it. But the real reason that lawyers work with divorce coaches is that they’re the ones who take care of the non-legal work that lawyers and their legal staff generally don’t do.

It’s easy to associate divorce coaching as something similar to therapy, which is not exactly far off. But these independent third parties provide more than just encouragement, guidance, and motivation. Their work also covers pre-divorce, during a divorce, and after divorce.

The roles divorce coaches play

Before a divorce
● Assess a marriage to identify if there’s still hope to work on the marriage or if a separation or divorce is the only solution
● Assess the counseling needs of parents and children
● If the decision to get a divorce is final, prepare clients for the upcoming journey
During a divorce
● Help clients work through their financial and personal needs
● Encourage sound decision-making by providing clear information about the divorce proceedings to clarify thoughts and concerns
● Help a client build a personal support system

After a divorce
● Help set goals for the future
● Share the positives of divorce based on their own experiences since some divorce coaches have gone through divorce themselves

How divorce coaching helps and empowers women

● Hand-holding

While your friends and family can provide support, relying on them comes with its own emotional baggage. Family members could be pushing you to take your ex to the cleaners or suggest many ways that you can hurt the other party.
As an independent third party, a divorce coach can create a non-judgmental, patient, safe, and supportive environment for you to get down to what really matters without pressure. Emotions are also excluded.

● Overcome separation

And the emotional turmoil that comes with it.

Grieving the loss of a relationship is one of the many things that women go through following a breakup or divorce. A divorce coach will help you deal with the loss and then help you build your support system.

One of the first things they look into is the immense confusion you are experiencing and then help address your overwhelming emotions and fears.

Part of their job is to discuss major concerns, such as:
● How can you manage financially?
● What will happen to your children?
● How do you break the bad news to your children?
● How do you deal with co-parenting?

With a seasoned divorce coach, you will be able to navigate through the financial, legal, and practical challenges of divorce.

● Grow and learn

There are lessons to be learned following a divorce. But unless someone is guiding you to the right path, you may not see those important lessons. You could get stuck in the grief stage, never to move on from there. You could choose to use alcohol, drugs, and food to cope with the fallout rather than take good care of yourself.

The right divorce coach can help you appreciate the good side of such a horrific experience.
It is possible that you chose the wrong partner. You made mistakes that contributed to the breakdown of a relationship. By identifying what went wrong, you’ll know better next time.

● Help reboot and create a new life

After a divorce, the focus of coaches is to help a client establish a vision and goals for the future, both for the short-term and long-term.

This is how divorce coaching empowers women, especially women who experienced self-discovery and happiness following a relationship breakdown.

Short-term goals may include going on a divorce retreat to learn about mindfulness and meditation. Many women who went on a retreat post-separation came home with a new perspective. They got to know who they really are, which is the greatest gift you can give to yourself. Another goal is to travel a lot, which some women say has helped them re-evaluate their values in life.

A good example of a long-term goal is to live a healthy lifestyle. A study that appeared in the Journal of Women’s Health showed that 80,000 women became healthier after a divorce.

A divorce coach can help you set similar goals for yourself.

If you want to take back your power, you will find a guide and supporter in them.

Once you’ve rediscovered yourself, you can start building a new life, a new career, and a new you.

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Lilly Parks is a Divorce Angel and part of the dynamic Naked Divorce team. She is committed to helping her clients find the path towards healing and has been providing assistance to those who are going through the difficult trauma of divorce for more than 5 years.