She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

Working Through Your Struggle and Taking Care of Yourself

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by Susan Fiorentino

Kettlebella Fitness

This picture is from Summer 2016, after I finished my first summer fitness challenge at Kettlebella Fitness and truly felt strong and confident.

This Valentine’s Day, I celebrated my five-year anniversary of starting my fitness journey at Kettlebella Fitness. Most people probably do not celebrate an anniversary for the first time they took a fitness class, but that day truly changed not only how I handle the stresses of life, but how I feel about myself. It seems almost fitting that this journey for me started in February, a month which is strongly focused on love and women’s health. Self-love and body acceptance is something I struggle with but this group of women have helped me handle obstacles that come my way from my eating disorder. As most young women trying to make their mark, I have a very full schedule. Sometimes, I forget that if I do not take care of myself first, then I will never be able to give my other commitments the attention that each deserve. Today I wanted to share ways that help me remember to be kind to myself, so that I can my “best self” and not a “perfect self”.

I work with children, especially a lot of young girls, and as I have gotten to know them over the years, I am aware that I am some kind of role model in their life. I encourage them to be healthy and active, always try their best, never say “ I can’t” or doubt themselves. Why am I not able to send the same message to myself? If I ever heard someone talk to my students the way I speak to myself, I would be upset. These girls are growing up in a different time than I did, and I see the negative self-talk from girls as young as six or seven years old. I encourage them by reinforcing how well they are doing and building up their confidence and let them know they are capable of great things. Being around children so often also reminds me that if I am not taking care of myself, I will not have the energy to coach cheerleading or tutor them and am not living true to the talks I give to them.

When I am feeling especially down and find myself in a negative mind set, there is a high chance that social media is to blame. Social media is a trigger for me, specifically an overload of extremely edited and unrealistic health and fitness accounts so I take a break from it whenever I need it. I would constantly find myself scrolling through my feed and being upset that I was not able to meet these “standards”.  Now, I only follow a handful of legitimate health and fitness social media accounts and unfollow accounts as soon as I feel they are triggering for me. Social media should be a platform for good and when it becomes toxic, it is okay to walk away for some time.

I am not into fashion at all but I do make an effort to support brands that use realistic body images in their products. Everyone wants to feel confident and rock that outfit that makes them feel like a ten, but some companies make that difficult to feel. Aerie is one of my favorite brands and I love how real and inclusive they are in advertisements. In my experience, their clothing has been true to size.. and I know my size with their clothes. There is no guessing game and I am never in the dressing room near tears because I know I am size BLANK and the BLANK is not fitting correctly. Aerie is also a huge supporter of NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) and that organization has also helped me in my recovery.

My outlook and feelings about myself have improved when I actively remember these three things. There is no perfect body and your worth is not based on a number. I still have fitness and health goals for myself but they are definitely more realistic and attainable in a healthy way. Everyone will have a different “why” on why they are a path of healing and their different coping skills but our goal will ultimately have a similar focus – to be happy and healthy and in a positive life.

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3 ways to improve your productivity as a mompreneur by @mominbusiness_

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MomInBusiness

Learn how to improve your productivity as a Work-At-Home Mom

When I decided to walk away from my job in a multinational corporation to spend more time with my soon to be born son, I was sure that I’d need a side project.

I had a voice in my head that wouldn’t stop until I start something exciting.

On one hand, I wanted to continue contributing to my family economy somehow and on the other hand, I always wanted to work in a project that helps others moms to reach their goals.

That’s why I started www.vanessacast.com

But, with great power comes great responsibility and starting a business is tough.

Being said that, with a newborn, it was hard to stay consistent and with the right amount of energy to get up and work.

That’s why I want to share with you 3 tips that helped me raise my game and get the job done.

 

3 ways to improve your productivity as a mompreneur

 

1. The top priority for the day

For me, it’s important to keep the ball rolling. I know that I can’t fill my calendar with many tasks, so I just go with 3 tasks per day.

One of those tasks is the top priority, it doesn’t matter if I can’t complete the other two, but that one should be completed, no matter how.

That way you don’t add to much pressure and you can stay consistent.

For example,

  • Write a blog post (top priority)
  • Find affiliates
  • Reply to social media comments

In this example, writing a blog post is the top priority, the other two are also important, but if life gets in the way, writing the blog post is something I’m not going to postpone.

I like the concept of SMART goals. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Always define your goals having the SMART concept in mind.

Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organised their energies around a goal. – Elbert Hubbard

2. Go Outside

Being a Work-At-Home Mom doesn’t mean stay at home all day long.

When you stay at home it’s very common to get distracted with things like doing the laundry, washing the dishes, etc.

You can also suffer some creative and mental blocks, or get trapped by your own thinking.

To unlock your potential, you can do something really simple like going outside and work from your favorite coffee shop.

By doing this, you’ll eliminate those blocks and put your mind into productivity mode.

 

3. Find a community

I changed a crowded office for a quiet home, well not so quite with my baby, but you know what I mean.

I felt rather lonely sometimes.

Finding a community was a game changer for me.

In my case, I found a couple of Facebook groups that helped me a lot.

Hearing the stories from other moms who have experienced the same feelings I was experiencing at that moment, was liberating.

Moms are very supportive (you already know that) don’t be shy and talk to them.

You can also find local groups so you can meet each other face to face. Or create your own one.

Starting a business while cradling a newborn or taking care of a toddler is not easy. But you can find a lot of support out there, you’re not alone.

If you want to know more ways to improve your productivity as a Work-At-Home Mom, just click here and visit this blog post!

 

I wish you happiness, love and the courage to live your life according to your priorities ♥

Vanessa Cast

Vanessa Cast

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The Power of You in Business by @SaabyConsulting

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The Power of You in Business

Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels

by Karen Jensen | Featured Contributor

I’ve spoken to so many women over the last several years – across all industries, revenue models and business types.

In all but rare cases, there are still some old patterns of behaviors and expectations that we really need to be committed to get rid of PERMANENTLY.

Do you fit into any of these?  I know I did…

  • Lacking confidence – I don’t know why, but especially in business ownership, women are less likely to approach situations with confidence. It may be cultural, gender related or any number of other things, but it’s got to stop!

Remedy?

You got this!!  We are moms, sisters, friends, household managers, partners, business executives et al.  And we are doing most of those things at the same time!  If you aren’t born with confidence, that’s ok – it can be learned.  You ARE good at things – think about all those things, write them down, shout them from the rooftops.  People are naturally drawn to someone who is confident.  In a world of competition, you need every advantage you can get.

  • Not all women LEAN IN – I can’t say I know the why of this one either – but I’ve seen it too many times to know that not all women lean in. Some of our business sisters haven’t gotten the message yet, or they got it and disregarded it.

Remedy?

You be the business sister that LEANS IN.

When I first started out, I approached a woman that I thought might be a good mentor, or just someone that I thought would have a good perspective.  I told her I was having troubling connecting with potential clients.  She asked me to make my pitch to her – right there on the spot.  Well, see Item #1 above lol.  I stumbled a bit and told her I started my business after being laid off/outsourced.  She stopped me right there and said, “You sound like a loser”.   Needless to say, that wasn’t what I was looking for, BUT I did learn something from that.  She was right in a way.  I wasn’t owning my story with confidence and I wasn’t prepared.

I do things a lot differently to LEAN IN when I’m approached by an entrepreneur.  I know how hard it is when you are first starting out to approach someone you don’t know and figure out a way to talk to them.  When they stumble a little bit or start to apologize, I stop them….and tell them what they are doing, why they shouldn’t do that and how great they are for being on this journey!  Some of them have cried because no one has really treated them with any respect in their business journey.

It’s bad business to treat people disrespectfully and kindness is NOT weakness.  The business world is VERY connected.  Reputation is everything for a small business.  I’m not taking anyone’s crap, but I’m also mindful of my behavior and how it is a reflection on my business.

  • Failure to delegate and accept that you can’t do it all. We want to be everything to everybody all the time under every circumstance.  Sound familiar?

Remedy?

You are a leader, and leaders cultivate people who can do all kinds of different things.  It doesn’t make sense for you to get up at four o’clock in the morning and drive yourself tirelessly through the day until midnight, then do it again the next day.  I hate to break it to you, but on that schedule, you aren’t doing the best you can.  You might be doing the most you can, but not the best.  Get a good night’s sleep!  You want to be around to see all the results of your hard work.  Set realistic goals for yourself every morning but incorporate flexibility into your design.  Things happen!  The people who survive are the people who can best adapt to change.  Try a virtual assistant – just to dip your toe in the waters of delegation.  If you can let go of a few things (that someone else can do better than you can), you have more time to work on new business and solidifying core business.  You are also helping to strengthen the workforce supply chain.

You are the business!  Take care of yourself!  Believe in yourself!  Just think of the example you will be setting for those that come after you!

All the best.

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The Power of You in Business by Saaby Consulting Company

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Nature or Nurture? What it takes to be an entrepreneur By @DrRKayGreen

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Nature or Nurture? What it takes to be an entrepreneur

by Dr. R. Kay Green | Featured Contributor

Are entrepreneurs born, or made? Ask twenty professionals, and you are highly likely to get twenty different answers.

Some believe that anyone can become an entrepreneur, if you just take the right classes and learn the right skills. Others believe that the ability to be a entrepreneur is something innate, and if you do not have that, you are better off not even trying. And still others believe that a lot of the traits of a good entrepreneur are something that you are born with, but that does not mean that you are going to succeed right away, and you should always be trying to grow and learn skills.

There is something to be said for learning. I would like to argue that there are a lot of things that can be learned that people assume are innate. You can learn how to be comfortable talking in front of a crowd even if that is something that you are generally afraid of. You can learn how to network even if you are not naturally extroverted. You can learn to be organized even if you are more cluttered by nature.

However, some things simply cannot be learned. And the biggest thing that marks the difference between a successful entrepreneur and an unsuccessful one is motivation.

This is not to say that you cannot become a more motivated person, if you find yourself procrastinating and putting things now. But ask yourself this: why do you want to become more motivated? You cannot do it because your boss thinks that you should, or your friends, or your family. Instead, motivation begins with you, because you want to grow, change, and succeed.

And it is not something you can learn in a class. While you can learn tactics to decrease procrastination and learn how to manage time more effectively, at the end of the day those lessons will not do you much good if you do not have the motivation to put them into practice.

Phrasing it like that makes it sound easy, but anyone who has gone down that path knows that it is anything but. Growing a business and becoming a better professional is difficult, and requires sacrifice. You might not have as much time to watch TV, or you might have to turn down last-minute invitations from friends. You are responsible for your own schedule, and for setting your own goals.

This is simply not possible for people who do not want to do it. If you do not have the drive to succeed, you will find excuses to put it off.

But if you are driven and motivated, anything is possible. You can become the best version of yourself through hard work and careful planning. You can maximize your strengths, and keep your weaknesses from taking over and becoming a problem.

Every entrepreneur is different. Some are more people-oriented, while some are results-oriented. Some are introverts, and some are extroverts. Some thrive when they are the center of attention, in front of a large crowd, and others work better behind the scenes. And some are a mix of these traits, or somewhere in the middle of these traits.

But all of them have the drive and the passion to succeed. And that is something that cannot be taught.

———————————————————————-

Dr. R. Kay Green – Marketing Expert from RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. from Atlanta, GA.

Dr. KayDr. R. Kay Green is the CEO/President of RKG Marketing Solutions Inc. With over 190,000+ Twitter followers, 35,000+ Facebook Likes, and the Top 1% LinkedIn profile designation, Dr. Kay, a self-motivated trailblazer, is the Quintessential “New-Age” Professional Woman, and PhD Marketing Pro. She earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in Marketing, and has completed PhD coursework in Leadership and Organization Change. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Management, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, and an Associate of Arts in Marketing Management.

She is affiliated with several prestigious universities and has instructed over 350 courses online. A popular speaker on Marketing and Business topics, Dr. Green is currently featured on Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Black News, The Network Journal, Business Review USA, Digital Journal, College View, Business New Hampshire Magazine, Bay State Banner, Reader’s Circle, North Dallas Gazette, Harlem News, Top News Today, One News Page, NE Informer, Women in Business PR News, Consumer News Today, Women PR News, San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, Chicago Daily Herald, The Miami Herald, and Book News Articles.

Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn

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Four Steps to Launching a Successful E-commerce Site by Jackie Burke of #tiniluxjewelry

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Four Steps to Launching a Successful E-commerce Site

Photo by bruce mars from Pexels

by Jackie Burke

So you’re thinking about launching an e-commerce site? That’s great! Now, where to start?

There is so much information available for launching a business. The excess information makes it so difficult to know what to pay attention to. It also makes it hard to focus your energy on individual tasks. It can feel like you have to do a hundred different things to be successful. The truth is, you really should be focusing all of your energy on just a couple things when launching your site.

I launched my site, Tini Lux, in late 2017. Tini Lux is an DTC brand specializing in hypoallergenic earrings. My background is in systems engineering, so launching an e-commerce jewelry site was not in my wheel house. I had to learn a lot in a short amount of time.  I was overwhelmed by information and gave myself a to-do list of about 50 different things. It was really difficult to gain traction on my site when I was spreading myself so thin and not properly prioritizing my efforts.

My business really started to grow about 8 months in when I started to focus my efforts on just a few things.  Here is my simple formula for launching a successful e-commerce site. It is really important to follow these steps in order. If you already have an e-commerce site and things aren’t going well, start at the beginning of this list! Nail each step before moving onto the next one.

These are my four steps and focus areas for launching a successful e-commerce site:

  1.  Optimize your website. Your website needs to be ready to convert. It needs to be easy to use, nice to look at, have a clear message and branding, and have all of the information available that someone might be asking themselves as they shop. I have broken this down into four subtasks:
    1. Message/Story: Your story is the most important part of your business. This is what will draw people in and convince them to buy from you instead of someone else. Your customer needs to see themselves in your story. You will do much better if you tell them how your business or product will benefit them rather than what the features of your business are. Your story needs to be easy to see or find on your website. The mission of your business should also be clear and should be featured prominently on your site.
    2. Branding: Your website should be clearly branded. You need consistent colors and fonts, a nice logo, and a consistent voice in all of your content and wording.
    3. Images: This one is especially important if you a product based company. People need to see what they are purchasing. It is worth it (I would even say absolutely necessary) to spend the money for professional product shots.  Your customers also want to see the items in use and imagine themselves with your product, so lifestyle photos are very important. Your photos need to be high resolution, high quality, and have a consistent look or aesthetic.
    4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): I suggest doing so more research into SEO when you get to this step because there is really good information out there. I will sum it up to say that you should optimize all the portions of your website that you can.  Include your relevant keywords where ever possible, in your messaging, copy, alt tags, meta data etc.  Some parts of your website need to be optimized for humans to read and some for algorithms to read. Know the difference and tailor them accordingly.
    5. Call to Action (CTA): It should be obvious that you want people to make purchases. CTAs like “buy now” or “add to cart” should be clear. Make sure your CTA is visible and the checkout process is simple and painless.
  2. Emails: Make sure your website is set up to capture emails or ask visitors to subscribe. Your email list is one of the most valuable parts of your business. If someone is signing up to receive emails from you then they have already shown interest in your product. Set up an automatically generated welcome email, or series of emails, to give your subscribers more information about your brand.  Send regular emails to your subscriber list to keep your brand in their mind.
  3. Content: Producing content for your website is very time consuming and is an ongoing effort. Before you launch you should be sure to have some content available on your site to educate your visitors and keep them interested. Your content is where you can continue your SEO efforts by adding keywords that are relevant to your brand.
  4. Ads: Finally, you can start running ads. Ads can be very expensive, especially if your website is not up to par. That is why you need to go through all the other steps before your start spending money on advertising. At this point your website is ready to convert and you are set up to capture emails and keep your visitors interested. Now you can start running ads and driving traffic to your site.

There is no magic formula or shortcut to having a successful business. All of these steps will take time, effort, and money. It is really important to go through them in order and be patient. Good luck!

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Social Media Trends to Watch For in 2019 by @donnaamos

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Social Media Trends

by Donna Amos | Featured Contributor 

Social media is here to stay in a big way. One of the best ways for businesses to connect with a target audience is to maintain an active presence on social media channels. The era of, “My business is open, come and see me” is long over. Now, savvy business owners know they must go where consumers are and establish a relationship. Social media is THE place to do that, easily and relatively cheaply.

Therefore, as you embark on planning your social media marketing strategy for 2019, get on board with these important trends. They either gained popularity or became firmly established during 2018, and will play a vital role in how you connect with your audience in the coming year.

A “Pay to Play” Strategy

In the early days, companies could fully expect that 16% of their followerswould see their Facebook updates. By the end of 2018, that reach had plummeted to about 6% or less. Other social media platforms have followed suit. The day or organic reach has ended. Social media platforms will not give away what they can reap a huge benefit from – your followers. Now, you must pay to play.

Now, in order to reach your target audience on any social media channel, you must invest in sponsored posts, boosted posts, and social media ads. Fortunately, social media advertising is one of the most affordable means of marketing available. If you handle your own keyword research and audience targeting, Social media marketing is much more affordable than pay-per-click advertising.

Video is the Preferred Media of Most Users

Now is the time to get on board with video marketing, if you haven’t already. According to research by Wyzowl, “97% of marketers say that video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service, and 76% indicated that it has helped increase web traffic and sales.”

That is easy to accept when we also realize that 95% of Internet users have watched explainer videos to learn more about a product or service, and 81% have bought a product or service as a result of watching a company’s advertising video. No other form of media can boast these high use and conversion percentages.

Video is the absolute best way for a company to put a face to their business. It enables prospects and customers to get to know who leads and works in a business. Video gives businesses an opportunity to show not only what they do but also “who” they are. In our current climate where users seek a personal connection, this is a critical factor.

The Rise of ‘Live’ Video

Live-streaming will continue to emerge as a powerful way to engage people on social media. According to statistics compiled by Go-Globe, two-thirds of all internet traffic in 2017 was streaming video. By 2020, 82% of internet traffic is expected to be video content. And most of that will be live streaming. The interactivity of live video makes it a powerful tool for marketers to engage with their audience and strengthen the relationship between a brand and its followers.

The authenticity of ‘going live’ is a key factor that audiences want, as it helps build trust and loyalty with your company. Even if problems arise when you are ‘live,’ followers are likely to understand that and it may even further strengthen their trust in your company, as only authentic content leaves room for genuine mistakes.

Quality Long-Form Content

Word count isn’t everything when it comes to ranking high on search engines like Google, but SEO experts agree that long-form content can give you an edge. Users and search engines alike want to see high-quality content of more than 1,000 words, and we see that such content consistently outranks articles with 500 words.

Therefore, more publishers are requiring writers to submit articles over 1,000 or 1,200 words, and more company blogs are beginning to embrace similar long-form content. These comprehensive articles that are rich with information and insight, will go far to both attract readers and give Google and other search engines a reason to rank them more favorably.

Building Community

Building a community in social can help you to build trust with your followers. Groups on LinkedIn and Facebook are being encouraged on both platforms. And once you begin building that following you have to immerse yourself and be engaged.

Using hashtags in Twitter and Instagram can help you to find conversations that your community are having and allow you to join in.

Communities can also help to segment your audiences and customize your messaging. By the way, building community is the perfect way to build your personal brand and can be the beginning of influencer marketing!

Personal Branding

Particularly for small businesses, putting a real, human face to a brand name helps to build loyalty. A brand that’s more relatable, and has the human element, naturally garners more trust, and trust is essential for building relationships. Many companies have used the tactic of promoting their brand by promoting the business owner.

His or her face essentially becomes the brand, closely associated with the company logo. He or she personifies all that the company is about, or at least what they wish to portray. By enabling your audiences to get to know the character and expertise of company leadership, your business can strengthen its brand reputation.

What other important social media trends do you see emerging for 2019? Share your thoughts and insights with our readers in the comments below.

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How to Create A Great Brand and Step Into The Spotlight by @XLConsultingGro

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How to Create A Great Brand and Step Into The Spotlight

by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor

I often get asked, “How do I create a great brand?” There isn’t an easy answer to this question, because successful brands spend a lot of time figuring out how to launch and develop their brand.

Uber, Airbnb, Starbucks, Amazon all are fast growing brands worth millions, gazillions or billions.  How did they get to the top of their niche, because quite frankly it’s not all about having a snappy logo!  In the case of the Starbucks logo, I don’t see any relevance to coffee at all!  Don’t put all your time, effort and money on designing your logo before you have a better idea of how your logo could reflect your brand.

How do you create your brand?  It starts with answering these three simple questions

  • Who is my target market?
  • What does this market need, what are they concerned about?
  • What is my unique selling proposition to help solve the problems of my target market?

Who Is My Target Market?

For example, if you have a business idea to deliver healthy food to offices via a software delivery system, such as the company Feedr , invented by a young entrepreneur, Riya Grover, based in the UK, her target market group could be

  • Businesses in your home town that have 5+ employees
  • Businesses who have young employees (20-35)
  • Co-working spaces with limited kitchen facilities

Once you have figured out the next questions, you will be closer to developing your brand

What Does This Target Market Need, What Are They Concerned About?

Now that you have figured out your target market, the next question is, what do they care about?  Sticking with our business idea example of delivering healthy food to offices, what problems do these young people working in offices or co-working spaces have?  Here are some ideas

  • No time because they are totally immersed in work
  • Odd hours, because they have multiple deadlines
  • Care about healthy eating but don’t have any time to prepare their own meals
  • Like variety, and could be vegan, gluten intolerant etc. and have special dietary needs
  • Work on their phone or laptop and have no designated office space
  • Move around frequently

This profile now gives you a better idea of what brand you can develop and leads you to

Unique Selling Proposition

Understanding your target market and what problems you can solve, helps you come up with your unique selling proposition.  Your solution can now be the foundation to a create a great brand.

To serve a target market of young people, who are totally locked into their devices, are on the go, have very little working space and no time, you can see that your unique selling proposition must solve the problems and serve up solutions to make their lives a lot easier.

In our example, there are a couple of business ways to solve it.

One, you could have a retail space(s) that makes delicious food, delivered to the target market or

Two, you might develop a software system that with the tap on the app you can order up your healthy meal and have it delivered to your designated spot of the day in under an hour.  Perhaps it will be delivered by Uber!

Whether you decide on business model one or two, either one can give you great ideas to create your brand story.

Yes, Your brand Story Is The Base Of How To Create A Great Brand

Show the raw side, inject some personality of how you relate to your target market.  You are probably part of your target market because that’s how you knew there was a problem because you experienced it yourself.  Make a storyboard of your brand.  Include all the touch points and then tell your story.  And more importantly the story of your customers.  How they interact with your brand, how they love your brand because it solved their problems.

Your Customer Must Be At the Forefront of Your Brand

Everything you do to create your brand must relate to your customer.  How do they want to be treated?  How do you create trust and cement trust with your customers?  Over and over again, you must deliver in order to create a great brand that people love.

 

And as you create a brand you will develop a “brand voice”, that will be recognizable to fans of your brand.  The Kardashian clan have that unique “brand voice” that makes them relatable to their audience.  Love it or hate it, it is a unique branding style that they have developed over time. From their popular TV show, “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” the Kardashian brand has many offshoots with lifestyle, fashion and beauty products to create a mega brand and a loyal following.  Kylie Jenner’s lips kits sold out in a matter of minutes and she has propelled herself into Forbes top 30 under 30 list.  Look at the branding!

 

Now, back to your logo.  It’s pretty simple from here.  You decide what kind of brand you want to develop and how can you create a logo that speaks to your brand.   One of my favorite logos is the Tour De France Logo.   The font of the logo on the word “tour” and the sun create a racing bike.  Pretty clever if you ask me.  And because a yellow jersey is awarded at the end of each day of the Tour De France, the yellow sun is very significant on several levels!  This logo is fun, has a subliminal meaning and is relatable.

Once you have created your brand identity and logo, the next step is to incorporate your brand style into everything else you develop, your website, your promotional materials, your advertising, your blog posts, your YouTube videos, Your Instagram,  yes….everything!

If you want to create a brand with impact, we hope these tips will help.  If you are a startup company and would like to read more about branding for startups, check out this Foundr blog post.

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Consumer v. Producer : Which are YOU? by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Stretching your Entrepreneurial Thinking

While entrepreneurs will always consume certain resources, no different from our staff, or other citizens,, we shouldn’t think through a consumer lens nor should we spend precious time being one. So, let’s shake things up!

 

While reading, please invest time to ask yourself some questions. As I often advise mentees, be reflective; forego being reflexive or reactive. The difference is profound.

 

The Consumer

Per Dictionary.com , … origin: 14th C [1375–1425] = “squanderer”

 

What a strong connotation! Do we really desire to have our business(es) associated with this definition, even if its meaning has evolved somewhat over the passage of time?!

 

Why are we ‘encouraged’ , compelled, or even shamed into consuming?

The answer is too complex to address in a blog post, yet, we are able to unravel some characteristics of a consumerist.

 

He/She/They …

 

  • Oft carry a considerable amount of consumer debt
  • Will be watching, listening to, or reading lots of content from the mass media*
  • Quite likely is a side-preneur still receiving a regular paycheck as a W-2’er
  • Fairly often feel uncomfortable discussing economics or talking about money/finances

& …

  • Might use words like ‘retail therapy’, be distressed** , and/or focused on material things

( inc. transactions to make more $ versus building business relationships. )

 

Click to Tweet

 

“Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He is by constitution expensive, and needs to be rich.”

 

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Sign of a Consumerist

 

Self deception ( vid clip HERE ) is strong; maybe we know in the depths of our soul, by looking at our financial statements, or just in our gut that we are living a consumerist life while building our entrepreneurial venture/s, yet … we outwardly deny it, in our self-talk, our conversations with others, etc.

 

If you do this, you’re not alone. Some signals, both implicit & explicit to home in on & eventually course correct include:

 

  • Not paying off credit cards monthly
  • Driving in a vehicle that you don’t actually own
  • Expensive office space which raises your rates needlessly
  • Not leveraging the countless discount programs/apps/memberships available
  • Buying costly drinks or meals while at events

 

What’ll it Take … a ‘voice of courage’

Laying the groundwork for a major mindset shift will clearly impact all spheres of your business ‘being’ :  heart, mind, spirit/soul, & financial. Yet, it’s still January, and here’s hoping that you invested quality time and treasure creating and then taking action to live out these 2019 mantras, goals, or habit transformations instead.

 

If you’ve not yet carved a line item in your business blueprint for a mentor, a coach, or a niche consultant

( a good friend is ideal for the latter: Cherish Your World/Feng Shui Consultant ),  … now would be a great time!

 

A Producer’s Model

Defined here , with its synonyms including ‘builder’ & ‘creator’; which leads me to ask a few questions:

 

Don’t we all want to be known, in our branding, sales, & marketing, as these things?

Why would we knowingly choose its opposite?

 

Which characteristics might ID this type of business pro?

 

He/She/They …

 

  • Understand Y.D.I.L ***  when it comes to their finances/money ‘mind’.
  • Participate in social capital creating/expanding actions: Connecting others, serving in their communities, & building ‘roots & wings’ in their households.
  • Have eschewed a paycheck from a 3rd party & are sustaining on dollars earned through serving & solving.
  • Understand the value of time > money.  ( read previous post )

& …

  • Oft use words like legacy, leadership, leverage, significance, & value in everyday conversation.

 

Suggested Profiles

 

Brent Wehmeyer

 

Eric Kim

 

Producers Manifesto Poster

 

*** More on Y.D.I.L.

Y = You, Inc. [ ‘investing’ in your mind – trillion $+ ‘real estate’ ]

 

D = {consumer} debt [ pay off, or better yet, bypass proactively ]

 

I = Investments [ mainstream financial vehicles ]

 

L = Lifestyle [ far better to live below or right at par/your means ]

 

By committing to this informal, yet powerful acronym, my entire financial picture & level of consciousness, were shifted, bit by bit.

= I became a producer!

 

You can, too.

Starting, and perhaps expanding,  your business mustn’t originate from the scraps on your monetary table: It should be the main course, growing in parallel with your self-leadership as the “CEO” of You, Inc.

 

Value squared

Many thought leaders have previously opined on similar topic/s; I’m always pleased to cross reference their content & encourage readers in this community to learn more about them.

 

Their specialized knowledge, paired with mine, should generate lots of value for you, the reader.

 

The Producers Manifesto

Consumer v. Producer

Start Every Day as a Producer …

* Infographic – What is the ‘mass media’?

** https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/types-of-stressors-eustress-vs-distress/

 

In short …

 

  • Know the clear differences b/w a consumer(ist) & a producer
  • Click to Tweet the Emerson quote: there’s a very elevated level of consciousness within it.
  • Invest time to click on the links provided to follow the bread crumb trail of wisdom
  • Connect with the suggested social media accounts & thank them for being producers 🙂
  • Paint yourself with a producer’s Picassian flair!  #BeAnExample
  • Y.D.I.L. is very insightful, yet very contrarian.

 

Thank YOU for reading!

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Three Ways To Create Media Pitches Journalists Want by @ChristyALaverty

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by Christy Laverty | Featured Contributor

Story is king when it comes to the media.

Journalists want to tell good stories that entertain, educate and enlighten the audience. So if you are looking for media mentions, coverage and attention you need to give journalists good stories they can share with the audience that will entertain, educate and enlighten.

How do you do that?

Well, it’s all about knowing what people want to know, the problems that need to be solved, and the issues people are talking about. You need to find simple ways to get plugged in and stay plugged into what people are talking about, including journalists. Once you have a beat on the topics that most interest people you can better craft story ideas and then story pitches for journalists that resonate, and, of course, entertain, educate and enlighten.

There are a number of ways you can go about crafting media pitches that get a yes but I am going to share three simple and effective ways to help you tune into what educates, entertains and enlightens an audience.

1.Google Alerts: Setting up Google Alerts will help you see what is happening in the world and in your area of expertise. Head over to  https://www.google.ca/alerts and start setting up the alerts based on topics and themes you want to keep an eye on. Once you have set up your alerts, you will get emails with articles and links of all the articles. For example, I have several Google Alerts set up for a number of topics, including media, public relations, and communications. The alerts will allow you to stay on top of the news and information that is important to you and your business but it also gives you the content you need to create story pitches that resonate not just with a journalist but with an audience too!

2. Twitter Trends and Hashtags: Twitter is a wealth of knowledge. While I have always found a great community on Twitter but it is the added bonus of information that I really love. It is an absolute must for anyone looking to earn media mentions, coverage and attention. Just about every journalist has a presence on Twitter and they are very accessible on the social platform. The other great thing about Twitter is that you can see what those journalists are interested in and the kind of content they are producing! But back to the Twitter Trends. When you are logged into the desktop version of Twitter you can see what is trending on the left-hand side of the screen. You can set the location of the trends or select tailored trends. Why bother with trends? Well, journalists are going be paying attention to what is trending on Twitter and so you should be looking at the trends to see if there is a story worth pitching to a journalist. Think about Twitter trends like the water cooler. Trends are things that people are talking about and clearly interested in and that is the kind of stuff that helps to entertain, educate and enlighten an audience. And we can’t talk Twiter without talking about hashtags. Paying attention to hashtags are also a great way to follow what people are talking about. Hashtags are often listed in the trending topics. You can use hashtags as columns in a third party platform like Hootsuite.

3. Health Studies: Health stories are very popular. These are stories that affect all of us and add a human element to every show or publication. Journalists really like health stories because there is always lots to a health story that educates and enlightens. Health stories can be very personal and that is key to crafting a media pitch that will resonate with a journalist. Just think about stories of ground-breaking research that affect people battling cancer, ALS or MS for example. People care greatly about these kinds of stories because were are all impacted in some way. Collecting a file of links to recent articles on recent health studies can help you generate endless story ideas. For each relevant health study, think about how you could speak to the story, what expertise or know-how could you draw on to add value to the story. Check out this site to help you stay on top of studies and health and science news http://www.eurekalert.org

All these will help you craft media pitches that deliver stories that journalists and their audiences care about and will allow you to share your message and expertise with a bigger audience. You will be plugged into the news and information related to what you do and understand the problems and issues of the audience so you can offer solutions to help people like happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. It is about finding the topics, themes, and issues that allow you to use your expertise to help people.

Getting the attention of the media isn’t about reinventing the media pitch but rather is about using what is around you to create story ideas and pitches that jump on the back of what people are already talking about. You are able to offer your expertise and knowledge to advance and enhance the story.

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Entrepreneurship After 50: Courage or Insanity? by @wendykrichards

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If you want someone to hire you after your 50th birthday, you may need look no further than the reflection in the mirror.

The smile on my face was beginning to head south and I knew it was time to make a run for the door. I was attending a luncheon with a large group of women 50+ whose lighthearted conversation was totally out of my comfort zone. About to make my excuses, someone finally asked a question that caught my attention and deserved an honest answer. Sitting back down and rubbing my hands together to dive into an interesting debate, I was in the mood to be the nay in a room full of yeas.

The Question

I decided raising my family was more important than a career. So I temporarily put my plans on hold until the kids were old enough to fend for themselves. Is it too late to go back to school, complete my education and apply for work?

This woman did what many of our generation were told we were supposed to do. Her question was relevant and to be taken seriously. Unfortunately, what she received were platitudes.

Of course! You’re never too old to educate yourself or start a new career. What a great idea!

The Bad News – Ageism

I decided to play the devil’s advocate and tell this woman the truth. No, it was not a good idea. Not if that education was in order to get hired. Face it lady, you are too old. Take a look around at job sites such as Indeed, Glassdoor and Workopolis and sift through jobs for older workers. It shouldn’t take long to find that Walmart greeter position.

Age discrimination is alive and well in North America. No one is going to hire you. You will hear excuses such as: you are over-qualified, you’re not a good fit, we’ll get back to you. Hilarious – they won’t. Take a look on LinkedIn for photos of “meet our new team”. How many faces do you see over 45 besides the owner?

What those HR recruiting algorithms are telling you is that you are over the hill and too much money. They are looking for two 20-somethings at half your expected salary.

The Good News – Why are You Applying for Jobs to Make Someone Else Rich?

Are you feeling brave? Have you considered taking all that life experience and work ethic and employing yourself? If so, consider joining the club of crazy entrepreneurs! At your age, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want to do (baker, home stager, barber, dog trainer) and willingness to pore yourself into your passion.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

I’m a Late Bloomer. Until I was in my 50s, I worked at jobs I had no passion for but paid well enough to raise my kids. When the time came for them to fly the coop, I did too. I disengaged my life’s autopilot and decided it was time. There was no shortage of well-meaning friends telling me I might be a touch too old as they looked forward to retirement in warm places. What they didn’t know is I’d spent all my money raising kids and didn’t have two cents to rub together. So ignoring their kind advice, I formed a plan.

“…Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

~ Robert Frost

With one credit card to my name, I borrowed money to go back to school to become certified in tourism, took every available free and not so free on-line course, researched destinations, tours, hotels and suppliers, and reached out to anyone who could help me get into the business. I attended networking events, spent my own money to travel to trade shows, and read industry magazines on the bus to and from work.

There were days I thought I was out of my mind. So I would ask myself this question: If I don’t do this, what were my options?

  1. I live no better than I am today, keep buying lottery tickets and eventually die.
  2. I keep going and see if I can create some magic. What did I have to lose?

Fast forward 10 years and I now consider myself pretty successful as an independent  Virtuoso luxury travel consultant. Over time, I narrowed down my niche and love what I do. I also find time to write articles, blogs and get started on my book. But more importantly, I work for and love my boss – me, myself and I. The sounds emanating from my home office consist of chirping birds in the tree outside my open window. What a life!

The Bottom Line

I recommend you start by reading Jane Park’s insightful article published in Forbes.com Are Entrepreneurs Really the Happiest People on Earth? It might help you decide if you’re up to the task.

So how much do you really want success after 50? It can take a year or 10 before things click. Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. Be careful – you are about to find out the stuff you are made of. For me, I learned more under pressure about courage, people, business and what I am capable of. My life is still an adventure in progress but it sure beats busting my butt making someone else rich.

 

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