20 Women Owned + Made In The USA Companies

July 4, 2019 by Melissa Stewart 1 Comment

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/

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/

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/

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/

Photo Credit: AK Athletic Official Facebook Page

Melissa Stewart

Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?

https://sheownsit.com/

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

June 13, 2019 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

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:

Entrepreneurship	Graphic Design	Startup Stories
Small Business	Branding	Female Founders
Marketing	Influencer Marketing	Blogging
Social Media	Freelancing & Side Hustles	Podcasting
Venture Capital	Crowdfunding	Accounting & Legal
Leadership	Healthy Living	Your 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.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

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

May 7, 2019 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

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.

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.

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:

https://sheownsit.com/

Infographic on How to be Happier at Work

April 15, 2019 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

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.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

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

April 11, 2019 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

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.

—————————————————————————————–

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.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

Let She Owns It Promote YOU! Bloggers Wanted. Open Call For Featured Contributors.

December 27, 2018 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

We are looking for a few amazing women (and men) to share their inspiration and expertise with the She Owns It community. Featured contributors will be selected based on their level of expertise in their particular fields. Featured contributors must be able to commit to partnering with She Owns It from January through June 2018 and writing a minimum of 6 posts.

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Here are some subjects we are interested in:

Entrepreneurship
Small Business
Marketing & Advertising
Public Relations
Social Media
Product Development
Success
Inspiration
Graphic Design
Branding
Online Strategies – Website and Email
Legal
Accounting
Human Resources
Operations and Business Strategy
Customer Service Programs
Startups
Entrepreneur Success Stories & Inspiration
Creative Entrepreneurs
Better Blogging
Recipes & Tips for Healthy Living
Crowdfunding
Venture Capital
Web Design
Dressing for Success
Podcasting

…or tell us your expertise & we can create a category just for you!

Here’s how it works:

Featured Contributors will commit to six months with She Owns It. Each Featured Contributor will provide six unique posts during their six month commitment. They can be written articles or video posts.

Our Featured Contributors will receive:

Listing under Featured Contributors on the She Owns It site
Bios and pictures on every post submitted.
Exposure through our social media networks on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

A woman entrepreneur that has seen success in business.
A woman who is an expert in her industry or field.
A woman who has excelled in a specific area of business.
A woman who is committed to helping other women.
OPEN to men with the same qualifications!

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.

Have questions? Reach out to Melissa Stewart, at melissa (at) sheownsit (dot) com

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is December 31st.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

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

December 17, 2018 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

Photo by Emma Matthews on Unsplash

by Melissa Stewart

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is December 31st.

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.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

Yes, video posts are accepted.

Contributor Categories

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

Entrepreneurship	Graphic Design	Startup Stories
Small Business	Branding	Female Founders
Marketing & Advertising	Influencer Marketing	Blogging
Social Media	Freelancing & Side Hustles	Podcasting
Funding & VC	Crowdfunding	Accounting & Legal
Entrepreneur Lifestyle	Healthy Living	Leadership

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

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, complete the Featured Contributor Application.

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is December 31st.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

How a Facebook Livestream Series Empowered Me to Become a Better Entrepreneur by @HeidiLynneCo

October 30, 2018 by Melissa Stewart 1 Comment

by Heidi Lynne Kurter

19 months ago, I quit my corporate Human Resources job in Boston to travel Asia and start my own business. I’ve always lived life a bit impulsively and craved massive challenge, so while this seemed impossible, it wasn’t out of character for me. Last month, after wrapping up my tour of Asia, I traveled back to one of my favorite European cities, Berlin, to bring calm to the chaos and establish some roots for my business.

The journey of entrepreneurship forced me to do a lot of self reflection, deconstruct and rebuild habits and routines, and face the inner demons that became a part of my identity from a lifetime of suppression. As women, we are amazing multi-taskers with the determination to exceed our own expectations in everything we put our minds to.

As an ode to the amazing women entrepreneurs who are pursuing their dreams of entrepreneurship, I launched a live-stream interview series in my Facebook group The Global B.L.E.N.D. interviewing women entrepreneurs and their journey exposing the transparent and raw truths of the struggles and challenges they’ve faced while building and scaling their business.

This series has been incredibly eye-opening for not only myself, but the members of the group. It’s easy to fall into comparison syndrome and lose motivation because we feel inferior to those who rose to success almost instantaneously since declaring their decision to start a business. My goal was to bring to light the reality of the powerhouse women we admire and respect and level the playing field in a way that connects us to support and empower one another.

Here are the things I learned that helped me to enjoy the global entrepreneur life and become successful in my life and business:

-> Be Selfish with Your Time

Everyone has their own definition of self-care, but the end result still remains the same. It’s the maintenance of your physical, mental and well-being by treating yourself kindly. This can come in the form of reading, making time with girlfriends, scheduling a spa appointment or any feel good activity that nurtures your soul and brings life back to you again.

-> Make a Date with Yourself Daily

It’s easy to get caught up in the distractions that come with living a life of travel. We cram so much into our days that we gloss over our emotions and needs. I’m a professional at jam-packing my days so I get a generous mix of the local experience and business tasks. The quickest way to burnout is by neglecting yourself. Make sure to schedule daily check-ins with yourself even if it’s setting aside a half hour to grab some tea and people watch at a local cafe.

-> Dial into What Feels Right

As a former corporate robot, I lived a life of burnout. It became the new normal. If I wasn’t feeling stretched thin, stressed out or on the verge of breaking, I thought I wasn’t doing enough. By listening to my body, I learned when stress becomes too much my sleep is the first to be impacted. Start to tune into your body and know when it’s time to take a break. Take breaks often and be mindful of when your sleep starts to fall short.

-> Take it Down a Notch

While others plan for the upcoming year, I get attached to a vision six years in the future. I became so future focused that I couldn’t take in the now. Taking the time to focus and appreciate the now has allowed me to slow down and take advantage of every second. Slow down, breathe and take the time to appreciate the here and now. It’s the most simple acts that bring us back to reality and allow us to be grateful for where we are and the progress we’ve made.

——————————————————————–

Heidi Lynne Kurter is a coach and consultant helping creative women entrepreneurs scale their businesses as smoothly as possible. She is the founder of Heidi Lynne Consulting where she brings 8+ years of experience in human resources working and living in America, Asia and Europe. She recently launched a program where she walks entrepreneurs and small business owners through everything they need to know to hire the right talent, attract high ticket clients, increase their productivity and bring in more money.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

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

June 13, 2018 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

We are looking for a few amazing women (and men) to share their inspiration and expertise with the She Owns It community. Featured contributors will be selected based on their level of expertise in their particular fields. Featured contributors must be able to commit to partnering with She Owns It from July through December 2018 and writing a minimum of 6 posts.

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Here are some subjects we are interested in:

Entrepreneurship
Small Business
Marketing & Advertising
Public Relations
Social Media
Product Development
Success
Inspiration
Graphic Design
Branding
Online Strategies – Website and Email
Legal
Accounting
Human Resources
Operations and Business Strategy
Customer Service Programs
Startups
Entrepreneur Success Stories & Inspiration
Creative Entrepreneurs
Better Blogging
Recipes & Tips for Healthy Living
Crowdfunding
Venture Capital
Web Design
Dressing for Success
Podcasting

…or tell us your expertise & we can create a category just for you!

Here’s how it works:

Our Featured Contributors will receive:

Listing under Featured Contributors on the She Owns It site
Bios and pictures on every post submitted.
Exposure through our social media networks on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

A woman entrepreneur that has seen success in business.
A woman who is an expert in her industry or field.
A woman who has excelled in a specific area of business.
A woman who is committed to helping other women.
AND a few good men!

If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.

Have questions? Reach out to Melissa Stewart, at melissa (at) sheownsit (dot) com

-> APPLY HERE! <-

Application DEADLINE is Monday, June 25, 2018.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/

5 Lists that Save Time, Money and Sanity by @Marcie_Hill

May 30, 2018 by Melissa Stewart 2 Comments

Image credit: Pixabay.com

We live in a society where everything and everybody is constantly moving. We are multi-tasking and trying to get as much done at one time as possible.

Rarely do we stop and sit down to organize our thoughts with lists, which means we probably don’t think about they save us time, money and sanity. Following are five lists that are sure to help with all three.

1. Grocery Lists

You can save time and sanity with grocery lists by writing down the foods you need as soon as you run out, that way you don’t have to try to remember everything at once.

Money is saved in two ways. First, you’re buying only items on your list. Well, you’re sticking to the list as close as possible. Second, you can find coupons and other deals prior to your shopping trip.

If you visit several stores for your needs, save on time and gas by mapping out a plan according to the items on the list.

Your sanity is saved just by having a list to reference during your trip to the grocery store.

2. Monthly Spending Plans

Monthly spending plans allow you to see your cash inflow and outflow, thereby giving a realistic picture of your budget.

Record your income, the amounts and due dates of expenses and how much you have to save and invest. In addition, you will know how much money that will be left over for extras.

Documenting this information saves time because you don’t have to guess which bills are due and how much they are. Also, money is saved when you avoid late fees and other charges by paying your bills on time.

Paying expenses on time and having a financial cushion puts your mind at ease now and in the future.

3. Daily To Do Lists

Daily to-do lists are priceless. In addition to having a clear idea of which projects you need to tackle, you can determine which ones to address first.

Save money by planning ahead for projects that require money, when possible. As for the tasks that require driving, try to make as many stops in one day to preserve gas.

Sanity is saved by writing down what needs to be done, making plans in advance, and completing as many things on those lists as possible.

4. Weekly Menus

By preparing weekly menus, you will know what you are going to eat each day in advance.

Money is saved when you buy only the food you know you are going to need, when you use coupons or buying food in bulk from warehouse stores.

To not have to try to figure out what you are going to eat every day is great on your mental.

5. Wardrobe Calendar

Use wardrobe calendars to plan your attire for your entire work week. You can select, coordinate and iron your clothes over the weekend, and have time during the week focus on other things, like sleep a few minutes more in the morning.

Putting your wardrobe together early gives you a realistic view of clothes in your closet. You can save time and money by coordinating garments you already have, instead of going to

You will save your sanity by getting rid of pieces you don’t need and not worrying about what you are going to wear on any given day. The extra sleep will help, too.

The above five lists will not only help you organize and plan your activities better; they will add order to your life. The to-do list helps with daily living; menus and wardrobe calendars will make your week go a little smoother. Monthly spending plans will keep your financial house in order, and grocery lists are handy at all times.

In addition to planning and organizing, these tools can help you to save time, money and sanity.

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Marcie Hill, M.S., is a freelance writer, blogger, trainer and author who left her job and 12-year career in human resources to pursue her dream of writing.

She has written over 3,000 blog posts and nearly 1,000 articles in international, national, and local print and online publications. Her interview with Dr. Maya Angelou is her greatest accomplishment. She has owns three sites; has authored and self-published eight books; and has presented at national and local writing, blogging and social media conferences.

Melissa Stewart

https://sheownsit.com/