Do you OWN your financial future? #OwnMyFuture

June 21, 2017 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

Do you OWN your financial future? #OwnMyFuture

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by SheSpeaks and Prudential, but all the opinions are my own.

by Melissa Stewart

When I was asked to take part in the Prudential #OwnMyFuture campaign about owning your financial future I thought YES! After all, I’m all about owning it. The hashtag spoke to me and I enthusiastically accepted the invitation. Then the reality of the topic set in. They wanted me to talk about money. They wanted me to talk about long-term financial planning. Life insurance. Retirement.

It was intimidating.

I didn’t feel qualified because I don’t have a fully funded retirement account or life insurance or…

Visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

You see, I’m a single mom of 4. My oldest son was born when I was a 17 year-old senior in high school. My boys are my world. Financial planning always took a backseat to today and now. My focus was on my family and our immediate needs. I wanted them to have all I could give and experience all we could experience on my one woman income. I worked full-time and side hustled like a boss. Budgets and a retirement plans were something I would think about later. After all, there’s plenty of time for that “someday” – when the kids are grown, when I make more money, when I have more time…

A family trip to Pikes Peak in Colorado.

And so it goes.

I reached out to the She Owns It community to see where our readers were on the subject. I was surprised with the answers.

Many of the responses went like this:

“Melissa, the years during and immediately after the great recession were tough. My business is only just beginning to recover now. During those years I neglected saving for my retirement. I will be changing that now that my business is back on track and doing better than ever. I do like using a financial planner.”

It’s never too late to take the kids to Disney World.

“I haven’t been as focused on this as I should be.”

“Hey Melissa, I’m the worst at financial planning for retirement.”

“Thanks so much for reaching out, Melissa! To be completely transparent, I’m just starting to dip my toes into this arena…”

“I need to do more planning, even as a single woman with no kids I have parents that I help and need to prepare for who’s going to take care of me when I am unable to.”

“I was raised with the belief that I would always have to work harder than everyone else and that I would never be rich.”

“Oh gosh I’m terrible!!! I need advice.”

“I’m playing catch up after two decades of single parenting and entrepreneurship when I wasn’t able to save, so 50% of my income goes straight into a money market account.”

Many of these responses echoed my own story.

Where am I now? Even though I put long-term financial planning on my “to-do” list, I was thankfully still smart with my day-to-day money decisions. I was scrappy and resourceful during the lean years and today I find myself with an empty nest and debt free. I’ve put an emergency fund into place and I’m working on that “someday” retirement plan.

I don’t know your money story but that’s a little of mine. I want future generations of women to tell a different story. I want them to be empowered from day one with the facts, knowledge, and confidence to become financially independent with fully funded retirement funds, college funds for the kids, and drool worthy investment portfolios.

If I could have a conversation with my younger self, I would tell her to be bold and stop playing it so safe. Start taking steps (even when things aren’t “perfect”) towards your dreams. Baby steps are still steps. Start saving. Start investing. Start a business. Just START.

I also got some very encouraging responses:

“I hired a financial planner in my 20s when I was an entrepreneur. I was making good money by then and I knew I was not the best person to manage it. He helped me take my “stockpile of cash” (as he called it) and invest.”

“The biggest aha moment I had about finances is that I’M DESERVING OF FINANCIAL HAPPINESS and that I’m worthy of being successful…I prepare for the future, but I also LIVE and spend money on the stuff that’s important to me.”

And many of you did respond that you were actively saving.

Knowledge is power.

Did you know:

On average women’s have 30% lower retirement balances than men¹
44% of women have no life insurance. Even among the ones that do own life insurance, most are underinsured²

Isn’t that crazy? There is a real paradox here. Women retire with 67% of the wealth of men, and they live 5-6 years longer than men do.³ Women are more likely to be single later in life. Marriage patterns have changed over the last few decades. Divorce has become more prevalent, and more women are choosing to remain single.⁴

It’s 2017 and these are the facts. Prudential has been researching the financial challenges women face for several years. The Financial Experience study tracks women’s outlook towards financial planning. Women do care about financial security (their most important goal is having enough money to maintain their lifestyle through retirement). Prudential has learned that many women don’t care for the financial services jargon and they feel time-starved and cash-strapped. So even though they take care of day-to-day budgeting, they leave out some of the important pieces of long-term financial planning such as insurance and saving for retirement. We characterize this behavior as lower engagement.

Here are some pretty eye-opening gaps that exist for women:

1) Wage and Income Gap:

The average woman working full-time earns 79% of the income earned by her male counterpart.⁵ This is because of many issues – lower likelihood to negotiate salaries, time out of the workforce, differences in pay.
The wage gap not only impacts women’s 401K balances over their lifetime but it also impacts their social security payments. Predictably women’s social security benefits are 27% lower than that of their male counterparts.⁶

2) Investment Gap: Women don’t invest to the same degree as men.⁷ Women’s discomfort with investing comes at a high cost for them: They are apt to delay investing, invest more in lower risk, lower return investments and are more likely to run out of money in retirement.

3) Women Are Living Longer and Living Alone: Women outlive men by an average of 5-6 years.³ Are they prepared financially for these years?

4) Time Gap: On average, women in the U.S. spend 28 hours per week on household chores – 65 percent more than the average for men.⁸ That is uncompensated work and it does not figure into women’s financial planning. Prudential has created a tool called the “Value of all you do” that lets you very quickly quantify the value of all the household chores you do on a daily basis. What you would need to pay someone to do those for you.

What am I hoping the outcome will be from this post? I want you to Become Aware. I want you to become an ACTIVE participant in your financial future. Become educated and aware. Visit Prudential’s site and use their resources to help gain a better understanding of the challenges we are facing and then take action. That’s what I plan to do and I hope you will join me so we can all OWN OUR FUTURE.

Sources:

Source: Prudential Retirement analysis reflecting defined contribution plan balances of Prudential record-kept plans as of December 31, 2015
Source: LIMRA study, Life Insurance Ownership in Focus, U.S. Person-Level Trends: 2016
Source: Prudential Retirement analysis; National Center for Health Statistics, Health, United States, 2015: With Special Feature on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Hyattsville, MD. 2016
Source: Cruz, Julisa, “Marriage: More Than a Century of Change” (FP13-13), National Center for Family & Marriage, 2013,)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables Table P-40: Women’s Earnings as a Percentage of Men’s Earnings by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2016
Source: Social Security Administration, Fast Facts and Figures About Social Security, 2016
Source: http://fortune.com/2016/05/11/sallie-krawcheck-ellevest-launch;
Source: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, October 2016, http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=54757
Source: US Census Bureau 2015;

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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?

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How to Build Your Dream Team and Grow Your Business in 2017! #OfficeSmallBiz

January 31, 2017 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Office 365, but all the opinions are my own.

Your small business is ready to expand. Exciting, right?

But do you know how to put together a team of employees who will catapult your business to success?

Growing your business can be a scary process. Words like “daunting”, “intimidating”, and “overwhelming” come to mind. I know from personal experience. That’s why I love the idea of mentors and mastermind groups (a hot topic since it’s a new year and we’re focusing on our business goals for 2017).

A great way to supplement or fill in the gaps when you don’t have access to a group or mentor is listening to expert interviews and webcasts. I thought the timing on Office Small Business Academy webcast featuring Les McKeown was excellent!

If you missed it, you can REGISTER HERE and watch the replay.

In this Office Small Business Academy webcast, host Carol Roth and special guests Les McKeown and Jovana Teodorovic share tips for hiring a team that will take your business to the next level!

Les McKeown on Leadership Styles

Les’ insight is based on years of experience. Here’s what I learned from his segment of the webcast.

The 4 leadership styles, and why it’s important to know them:

According to Les, a great company has a balance of Visionaries, Operators, Processors, and Synergists. He calls this the VOPS model.

If you’re at an early stage of your business, you probably only have Visionaries and Operators. (As host Carol Roth put it, “Santa and the elves.”)

For your business to really grow and thrive, though, you need to hire processors and synergists. As your business grows, sometimes the visionary (“Santa”) gets carried away. He needs someone practical to bring him down to earth. Sometimes, even though the elves are great at getting their jobs done, they don’t get along. That’s why you need processors—people who are very practical and strategic—and synergists—people who help the team work together.

For more details on this, I would recommend heading over to Les’s website and taking the leadership style quiz.

How to build a highly effective team:

One thing that stood out to me: you don’t need to hire a team full of superstars! That alone takes a lot of stress out of the hiring process. Don’t worry about attracting the #1 best (fill in the blank) in the field.

Simply focus on identifying, achieving, and maintaining a balance of the 4 leadership types.

Jovana Teodorovic on Creating a Great Company Culture

Rover.com’s rapid growth and Jovana’s enthusiasm for her company are incredibly inspiring! Here are the tips that resonated with me.

How YOUR small company can compete with the big dogs:

Jovana and her co-workers gush about Rover.com’s company culture: it’s supportive, fosters a great sense of community, and employees leave work every day feeling energized and excited about their job!

That’s #goals right there.

She explains that you can achieve that goal by hiring based on culture as well as hiring for function. (That requires getting really good at interviewing… something I need to work on!)

So you found the perfect person, but your small business can’t compensate them as well as the big dogs can? Learn to “sell yourself”. What are the best qualities of your company, things that big companies can’t offer?

How to make your team feel valued and satisfied:

Jovana highlights the importance of regular recognition. This is something that’s SO easy to put into practice. Don’t take employees for granted: if they’re doing an amazing job, tell them!

My thoughts?

I think it all boils down to a few things:

Carefully choose dedicated people based on your business’s needs (leadership-wise, culture-wise, AND function-wise).

Welcome your new employees and treat them right.

Make sure your team is on the same page and keep them informed.

Les’s insights on building a team that balances and compensates for your strengths and weaknesses is enlightening. As “the boss” it’s empowering to know that we don’t have to do and know everything. And Jovana’s peak into Rover.com’s company culture was inspiring.

I know I feel empowered to build my team after watching the webcast. Hopefully, after watching this webcast, you feel ready to take the next steps in growing your business!

Register now and receive a link to watch the Small Business Academy REPLAY.

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Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

Want To Build Your Dream Team in 2017? #OfficeSmallBiz

January 23, 2017 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Office 365, but all the opinions are my own.

Letting go is hard to do.

I know, I know, you’re Superwoman. You can do it all and you’re used to wearing a lot of hats. But why? You can’t handle every single task forever, You’ll get burned out and overwhelmed. And (my apologies in advance) “ain’t nobody got time for that!”

No man (or woman) is an island and even “solopreneurs” need support.

So what happens when your business starts to grow?

As your small business grows, it’s time to delegate. It’s time to BUILD YOUR DREAM TEAM.

But, where do you start? I’m glad you asked! She Owns It has teamed up with Microsoft Office to let you know about the Office Small Business Academy – a monthly webcast series to help you grow your business.

Sign up

and learn How to Build Your Dream Team!

What: How to Build Your Dream Team

When: January 24, 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET

Webcast Sign Up: https://resources.office.com/registration-small-business-academy-webcast.html

About: Every small business knows that a great team is essential to success – but how can you compete with larger corporations when it comes to attracting talent? Learn how to build your winning team and create a stellar workplace culture on the next Office Small Business Academy.

Here’s a sneak peak at this month’s episode:

Register now so you can hear real-world advice and valuable insights from this month’s small business experts.

This Month’s Guests:

Les McKeown: Best-selling author and CEO of Predictable Success, Les McKeown, reveals the four types of leaders you need to make a team thrive and how to develop your natural leadership style.

Jovana Teodorovic: Head of People and Culture at Rover.com, Jovana Teodorovic, shares her secrets to competing for top talent and creating a workplace culture that no employee wants to leave.

Host:

Carol Roth: Carol Roth, Small Business Academy host, on-air contributor to CNBC, investment banker, speaker, and author of The New York Times best-selling book, The Entrepreneur Equation.

Don’t miss this free opportunity to grown your business, connect with experts, and join the community! Find out more HERE.

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Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

6 Apps That Will Make Labor Day Travel A Breeze!

August 31, 2016 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

Labor Day weekend is just a few days away so I thought it was the perfect time for a good ol’ app roundup post! If you plan to stay home and relax, enjoy! If your plans will take you a little further, use these 6 apps to make the most of the extended weekend!

Roadtrippers

Android and iOS

Their unique content covers the wonderful “off the beaten path” places to visit, and they also offer a database containing millions of the world’s most interesting locations. Roadtrippers helps people discover the world around them in an entirely new way by streamlining discovery, planning, booking, and navigation into an engaging and intuitive process.

CityMaps2Go

Android and iOS

Featuring downloadable maps and guides to over 7,000 destinations around the world, this application is great for travelers without an internet connection as maps can be pre-loaded onto a phone. The app also features articles and suggestions for destination, if someone is interested in a more robust itinerary.

BringFido

iOS

Looking for a pet-friendly hotel? How about an awesome dog park, trail or beach? BringFido.com is the world’s leading pet travel website and the #1 trusted resource for dog owners looking for the lowdown on the best hotels, attractions, and restaurants that welcome pets. Our app brings the best of the website to your phone, giving you free on-the-go access to pet-friendly information worldwide.

Pack Point

Android and iOS

Regardless of how often we travel, we all have managed to waste time by writing up the same exact packing list many times before only to forget a toothbrush or socks. Pack Point takes the time and guesswork out of all of that. After asking you a few simple questions about your trip, the app will generate a packing list for you based on the time of year you’re going, what activities you plan on doing, and where you’re headed. Honestly, it couldn’t be easier and forgotten socks will be a thing of the past.

Weather+Free

Android and iOS

Weather+ offers standard weather info like condition description and temperature. Also more detailed info like wind direction, speed details, humidity, precipitation, pressure and visibility details. All this info in a 3-hourly weather forecast for a total of 5 days! This app will inform your decision about what to wear before stepping outside!

GasBuddy

Android and iOS

Save money and save time! GasBuddy locates the closest gas stations and provides approximate pricing. Particularly useful when you’re running on empty, GasBuddy will find the cheapest gas near you.

Disclosure: I’m a member of a pretty cool team of influencing users, I received mobile devices with line of service from Verizon (#ad). No additional compensation was provided nor did I promise a positive review. All opinions are my own. By the way, we meet every Friday @ 2pm CT on Twitter to discuss mobile phones and how you can use them in your daily lives. Join us!

#VZWBuzz #ad

Disclosure: I am a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle blogger. I receive products free of charge to review. This makes me happy. In addition, I receive mobile devices with a line of service from Verizon (#ad). No additional compensation is provided nor do I promise a positive review. All opinions are my own. I also do roundup posts showcasing great apps and accessories for your smart phone. And in case you’re interested, we meet every Friday @ 2pm CT on Twitter to discuss mobile phones and how you can use them in your daily lives. Join us!

Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

Tile Bluetooth Tracking. May My Son Never Lose His Keys Again!

July 27, 2016 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

Last month Verizon sent me a Bluetooth tracking accessory called TILE to play with and review if the mood struck me. Well, the mood has struck!

Last night I gathered the family around for a family pizza night. We had a full house with my 4 boys, their girlfriends, and my parents. One of my sons had a concert to attend and no time to spare. He inhaled his pizza and he was ready hit the road. Hard to do without his keys.

He’d lost them AGAIN!

We searched high and low. An army of family armed with flashlights and a since of urgency. My son could not wait or he’d be late. We located a spare key and sent him on his way while we continued the search.

An hour later, my dad found the keys.

I made a decision last night, my son was getting a gift.

I do hereby bequeath my Tile to my dear son. May we never have to search for his keys again!”

I’ve been enjoying this mini gadget since it arrived via Fed Ex in June and with it’s promise of “Lose less of everything, including your valuable time” I think this is the perfect gift for my son.

A few of the things that I love about TILE:

Easy set up
Loud alarm
Low price (get a 4 pack for $69.99)
App for both Android and iOS
Tiny with rounded edges
Attach, stick, or tie Tile to all the things you need to track
Bluetooth
Works for keys, wallets, pets, kids 🙂

The Technology: Tile uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to help you locate your items (Tile’s Bluetooth range is up to 100 ft. Bluetooth is most effective at the 30 ft range).

The Size: Tile is small, lightweight and fits in with the design of your favorite things. Tile can easily attach to items via an adhesive sticker or by attaching to keys using the cutout hole. 37mm x 37mm x 5.3mm – that’s about 1/4″ thin, and a bit less than 1.5″ length and height.

Battery Life/Lifetime: Tile will run for 1 year.

Security & Privacy: Tiles are only visible to the registered user, and they do not contain any personal identifiable information on them. If you mark something as lost, another user’s phone can find a Tile, but it relays the information to our servers anonymously. The user never even knows they did it.

I think TILE is awesome and I’m hoping my son will appreciate and use it STAT 🙂

NOTE: I’m part of the Verizon #VZWbuzz Lifestyle Blogger team and occasionally receive free items to review. The apps shared above are all apps I’ve tried and think you may enjoy too. A BIG THANK YOU to the Verizon Influencer group for letting me try their products and share my honest thoughts about them. No additional compensation is provided to me. All the opinions here are my own.

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Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

Apps for the 4th of July!

June 30, 2016 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

Ready for the Fourth of July? Need a few apps to get the party started? Well then, it’s America’s birthday and we want to share some technology our founding fathers never imagined! So grab that smartphone or tablet and get ready to celebrate. we’ve gathered together a list of apps to keep you entertained and informed.

Pro tip: Keep that smartphone out of the sun (and pool)! You’re welcome 🙂

Make your own fireworks show:

Fireworks

Wish you were watching fireworks at the Eiffel Tower? How about Sydney Australia? Rome? Chicago? Create your own show with the Fireworks ($.99) app and choose from 15 locations around the globe. This interactive app was designed to sync with your iTunes library, so you can build your show while listening to music on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

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Fireworks Arcade

With the fun Fireworks Arcade (free) app, you can either tap the screen or drag your finger to create firework displays with light and sound. Choose your own music, save pictures of your work, and then shake the phone for one big fireworks finale.

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Slow Shutter Cam

Turn your firework photos into works of art with the Slow Shutter Cam ($1.99) app. It allows you to capture images with slow shutter speed effects in three different modes: Automatic, Manual, and Light Trail, which lets you “paint” with light.

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Find Firework Shows Nearby:

EventBrite

The Fourth of July is best spent in good company. Hey, it’s a birthday after all and what’s a birthday without a party? See what events are going on near you or organize your own using Eventbrite. It’s a hyper-local app, focusing on what is happening in a small radius of your location. Find parties and gatherings planned for the Fourth, see where your friends will be spending the day, or send out invitations to your own gathering. You can find everything from neighborhood block parties to massive city parades on Eventbrite.

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Foursquare

It isn’t always easy to find out where the closest fireworks show is being held, and sometimes you want to see more than one fireworks show. If you’re want to find out where the Fourth of July celebrations are being held this year, all you have to do is search for fireworks in Foursquare, and you’ll find all the events in your area.

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To Help Get You There:

GasBuddy

With the GasBuddy app you can use your smartphone to find cheap gas prices at fuel stations nearby. Save money and time by sharing gas plus a chance to win $100 in gas money daily.

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iExit

iExit helps you decide where to take pitstops when traveling US interstates. It uses your device’s location to determine where you are on the highway, and then displays upcoming exits in real time.

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Become a Grillmaster:

GrillTime

If you plan to fire up the grill, then the GrillTime ($1.99) app is a must have. You’ll see grilling times and guides for 11 different food types, as well as a reminder of when to flip over the food. All the grilling guides are also based on the size of the food and how you’d like it cooked, so it’s pretty customizable.

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Weber Grills

Use the free Weber Grills app to get access to 250 amazing recipes and a timer that can help you track how long each different item on your grill needs to be cooked to make sure they are done just right.

There are grill guides that show you how long to cook, whether you should cook direct or indirect and more. The app also trains you will Grill Skills lessons that will shoe you setup, knife skills, food prep and grilling tips.

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There are literally HUNDREDS of patriotic, fireworks, and 4th of July iPhone apps out there, find a few that work for you and then:

Be safe and have fun!

Happy Birthday America!!

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Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

The #1 reason you’re not making strides in your side hustle by @inspiredbysgp

June 24, 2016 by Guest Post 4 Comments

Photo Credit: wocintechchat.com via Compfight cc

Diary of a Side Hustler: The #1 reason you’re not making strides in your side hustle.

by Tanea Smith

8 years ago when I started my stationery company She’s Got Papers I had just given birth to my daughter Jada, I had a 13 year old son Brandon and I was working a full time job as well. To say that I was overwhelmed would not be giving each and every crease in my Superwoman cape it’s proper due. However, I had a few great things working for me. There was James, my super supportive other half, a pretty clear vision (or so I thought), a steady paycheck and a few key players on my team who remain with me today. Seemingly I had it all in the bag. . . except I didn’t.

So what was my problem? Why couldn’t I seem to move an inch on the needle no matter how much I planned, made copius notes in a planner that became thicker than the King James version of the Bible and gave what I felt were really clear directives to my team? I mean, something was definitely missing. I cannot tell you how many pints of Prailines n’ Cream ice cream I devoured while wearing comfy pajamas and a silk head scarf tied way too tight pondering this very question. Enter my big sister Chermia, known in our immediate circle as “The Brain”.

Putting aside her MBA & my PhD in Anything is Possible, the major difference between us is that my Sister thinks of everything in black & white where I tend to gravitate more toward pantone colors. And in light of that fact, she has always been my voice of reason. Gently guiding me, pointing out my mistakes, helping me to see the bigger picture. And right there at her kitchen table while passively sipping on her latte she hit me with it between the eyes:

“Tanea, you’re scattered. Narrow your focus”. Boom.

There it was. The truth of the matter. I lacked Focus. Not, a little bit, but a whole lot. You see, anything can be changed but first you gotta face it. And once she put it on the table it forced me to face the music.

Look at it this way. The act of having a dream, the guts to go after it and being able to call yourself an entrepreneur has a sexiness to it. There’s a thrill that one gets from being able to declare that you own something. True? However, there comes a time where you will have a “come to Goddess moment” because the truth is always in the math. Some say details, but I like figures myself!

The scariest part of all? In the early days I was able to convince myself that I was making progress because checking items off a list is the most effective way to feed ones’ own delusions. In case you were looking for one, there you have it.

It wasn’t until my sister put a word in my ear and I listened that I was able to collect myself & recalibrate. The truth is your side hustle will never become your main business if you lack focus. And what exactly does that look like?

Prioritize – Break down your goals in terms of importance, then again and then once more for the road. 3 times is usually the charm. We’re looking for the nitty gritty here, the absolutes. You have the best muffins in town and they’re selling like hotcakes. You can barely keep up with the demand, but somehow you’ve convinced yourself that building your Instagram following is of the utmost importance? Like, right now! Umm, shut down that app and into your kitchen! Less sexy, more substance. Okay? Okay.
Get checked – Get an accountability partner. Your Aunt Geraldine doesn’t qualify for this gig. This person needs to be another business owner who can act as a mentor – no emotion, just facts. The key here is to trust that their advice is solid and really follow it. They’ll be instrumental in keeping the car from going off the road when you’re so busy driving that you blow straight through the stop light.
Unplug – You have to do it. Don’t try, do. You must. Why? Because many side hustles never get on the highway to becoming full time businesses because folks get burned out. To do one thing well can be supremely exhausting but to add a side hustle to your already busy life and to try to perform at maximum capacity all of the time simply doesn’t work. You don’t stand a chance without balance. Walk away from the computer, turn off your Iphone and just breathe for a while. It helps, I promise.

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Tanea is the Owner & Creative Director of She’s Got Papers, a lifestyle greeting card company which feature designs that are as powerful as they are witty and life affirming. As New York City’s Side Hustle Expert & Inspirational Business Speaker she teaches women how to launch their own businesses while working full time and maintaining their sanity.

Tanea has been featured in Essence, More, About.com, American Express Forum & The Wendy Williams Show.

Tanea has spoken at St. John’s University, City College of New York, New York University. She has a PhD. in Thriving Despite The Odds. She is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity.

See the stationery collection at: www.shesgotpapers.com

Get free side hustle tips at www.taneasmith.com

Guest Post

Social Media Has Changed Your Small Business Marketing Plan. Ready or Not.

June 22, 2016 by Melissa Stewart 1 Comment

by Melissa Stewart

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Comcast Small Business, but all the opinions are my own.

=> Curious about how other businesses are using social media?

=> Wondering which platforms work best?

=> Does the term “influencer marketing” boggle your mind?

You’re not alone. Most small businesses owners want to increase their social media impact but worry about the time and money they’ll have to invest. They know they need to integrate social media outreach into the overall marketing plan but they don’t have a Fortune 500 marketing budget. The challenge they face in figuring out how to achieve those goals in the shortest amount of time, and with often limited resources, can seem overwhelming.

I’ve been an early adapter on some platforms (I’m a little Twitter obsessed) but even I can’t keep up with everything! I’m pretty good with Facebook, average with Instagram and Pinterest, but totally out of my element when it comes to video or my kid’s favorite, Snapchat.

How about some facts to get us started.

According to Social Media Examiner, 92% of the small business owners they surveyed agreed with the statement “social media marketing is important for my business” but did not know if their efforts were working (i.e. how to measure the ROI of social media marketing).

How does you small business stack up against the Fortune 500?

The top 3 social media platforms used by the Inc 500 are:

93% of the Inc. 500 have a LinkedIn account
82% of the Inc. 500 have a Facebook presence
79% of the Inc. 500 have a Twitter profile

And according to Heidi Cohen’s article based on info from UMass Dartmouth’s 2015 Inc. 500 research findings, 67% of small businesses don’t have a written social media plan!

You NEED a plan!

I tweet that a lot and it’s true!

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Alice and the Cheshire Cat from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

SMBs must develop a social media strategy that includes related content, promotion and budget and it must be integrated into the rest of the marketing plan. If you

What actions can be included in your plan to increase the ROI?

Go visual. When you can, get photographs and videos of your employees and your customers.
Focus on relationship marketing.
Include a call-to-action with an offer readers can’t refuse.
Invest every marketing dollar wisely, taking risks on less-crowded platforms can pay off.
Provide customer focused content to support prospects and customers.
Give it time + keep testing. Most SMBs have been using social media marketing for 2 years of less, not enough time for an accurate measurement.

Need help? The Comcast Business Community page is a great resource. Whether you’re a small business, medium business, or solopreneur, you’ll find information to help your business grow.

Here are some links to get you started:

Using Social Media to Increase Sales. A great webinar on how to attract people to your social media content.
How to Make Your YouTube Channel Incredibly Engaging. Learn how to increase engagement through video.
Secrets of Social Media Power Users. Answers to mind boggling “influencer marketing” subject.

So much to learn and so little time! We’d love to hear from you.

Has Social Media changed the way you do business as a small business owner?
What were your initial thoughts of social media in the business world? Did you embrace it? Fight it?
Do you think it is possible for a small business to survive without social media?

Leave your answers and tips in the comments below!

Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

See How Milkhouse Restaurant Uses Technology To Turn Grilled Cheese Into Big Business

May 28, 2016 by Melissa Stewart 1 Comment

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Comcast Small Business, but all the opinions are my own.

by Melissa Stewart

I’ve been working with Comcast Business for a few months sharing how their services could help small businesses. From their Innovation 4 Entrepreneurs contest to their resource page, working with Comcast aligned perfectly with the She Owns It audience. This month I thought I’d write an article that shows you their services in action!

When I watched the Milkhouse video on YouTube, I thought 2 things:

How much are flights from Nashville to Philadelphia because YUM that looks good?!
WOW! 300 + customers just at lunch, multiple locations, and cutting edge technology. Impressive!

I also loved owner Shannon Heil’s comments in the video and the overall feel of the brand.

Want a peak into how Comcast is helping a real life small business? Read on.

Milkhouse is a quality focused concept restaurant in Philadelphia serving grilled cheese, fresh cut fries, homemade soups, and milkshakes in a “fast casual” environment. Owners Shannon Heil and Tommy Guest are true entrepreneurs who wanted to make their own rules while serving comfort food.

As their business grew, they knew they needed a fast, reliable internet provider to “do what they needed done when they needed to do it”. Other providers they used in the past couldn’t get it right. Milkhouse needed service “as quick as their presses” and that’s what they get from Comcast Business.

“We felt like we had a time frame to get things done and our business doesn’t work that way. Our customers don’t work off time frames, they work off when they’re hungry.” – Shannon Heil

Comcast Business wireless solutions allow Milkhouse to offer fast, convenient service to customers with reliable POS systems and Internet capabilities.

With fast + reliable service from Comcast Business, Milkhouse can:

Offer WIFI powered POS systems to their 300+ lunch customers to speed things up.
Owners can remotely access all store locations POS systems to see how each store is doing. It’s very efficient.
Allows customers to order at their convenience via iPhone, POS, face to face with a cashier or even over the good old fashioned telephone.
Customers who order over the phone can then do a receipt exchange when they pick up. It’s simple and fast.
A complete suite of integrated services that allow all partners to be in communication with each store throughout the day.

Milkhouse needed services that were built for business and so do you. Find out more about what Comcast Business can do for you at the Comcast Business Communtiy Page.

And in closing, if you’re in Philly, stop in and give Milkhouse a whirl (try ordering from your iPad) and then lovingly box me up a grilled cheese and fries and ship it to Nashville 🙂

Melissa Stewart

sheownsit.com/

Your Business Could Win a $25,000 Branding Package from Staples! #MakeMoreHappen

May 16, 2016 by Melissa Stewart Leave a Comment

by Melissa Stewart

How does your small business Make More Happen? Tell Staples and you could win a branding package valued at $25,000!

Staples, Inc. celebrated National Small Business Week with the launch of unbeatable ink and toner prices and a new in-stock guarantee. To help small businesses make more happen every day, these unbeatable prices on ink and toner are here to stay. In addition, Staples has also unveiled the Make More Happen Contest that will showcase the work of the small business contest winners across the U.S.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business. The price cuts and in-stock guarantee unveiled during National Small Business Week are part of Staples commitment to helping small businesses get more for less.

Staples has spent the past 30 years helping small businesses on the path to success, and we are committed to that legacy by continuing to deliver quality products and services at low prices. These unbeatable ink and toner prices are here to stay and help our customers make more happen with their small businesses every day.” -Peter Scala, executive vice president, merchandising, Staples

The Make More Happen Contest – which is currently accepting submissions through May 21 – showcases the winning small businesses. To enter, small businesses simply visit -> staples.com/MakeMoreHappenContest and describe in 200 words or less how their business is “making more happen.”

Five lucky winners will be selected, with each receiving:

An on-location, 30-second spotlight video about your business. Staples will fly a film crew to your location to create a video and promote it on Facebook, Twitter and more.
A $1,000 Copy & Print branding package. From business cards to banners, get everything you need to promote like a pro.

At Staples, we want to recognize and share the great work small businesses are doing every day across the country,” said Alison Corcoran, senior vice president North American stores and online marketing, Staples. “The Make More Happen Contest will help us acknowledge small businesses and share their success stories.” -Peter Scala, executive vice president, merchandising, Staples

You can’t WIN if you don’t ENTER!

Get your entries in before May 21st!

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Melissa Stewart is a purveyor of possibility, community builder, entrepreneur advocate and coffee enabler. She’s had a “home office” since age 5 (just ask her) and one of her first magazine subscriptions (paid from her piggy bank) was Entrepreneur Magazine. She is passionate about business, addicted to coffee and eternally optimistic. She Owns It is her passion project, dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs through resources, support and inspiration. Do you tweet? She does (a lot!). Follow her at @melissaonline.