She Owns It

Celebrating, Connecting, and Supporting Women Entrepreneurs

3 Steps To Help Build Your Confidence

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by Bernadin Bridges

Step 1 – Know Yourself

Most importantly, you first need to build a strong sense of who you are. God has made all of us beautiful in a unique way. Find out what makes you unique. Take time to think about your strengths and passions. Write them down and remind yourself of the things you’re good at. We are usually the most critical of ourselves and our self-talk is sometimes so negative. Ask yourself, “Would I speak to a friend or loved one this way?” If not, then you shouldn’t speak to yourself that way either.

Schedule time to do the things that you love and allow yourself time to develop those skills. Maybe take a class to learn more about a subject you’re passionate about. Or learn something new that you’ve always wanted to do.

Make yourself a priority. Get to know yourself better. You need to love yourself first, so you can love others well.

Step 2 – Know Your People

Just as we are all unique, every relationship is unique. There are different levels of friendship. People you may trust more and people you may trust less in opening up about your dreams and goals. Identify which people encourage you, support you, and are completely truthful (not brutally honest) with you when needed.

For the most part, we get to choose the people who remain in our lives. We get to set boundaries in our relationships. People can only treat you the way you allow them to treat you. When you know your value (see step #1) you can better select your circle.

Step 3 – Know Your Purpose

What is it that you’re trying to accomplish? Are you an artist who enjoys your craft? Maybe you are business-minded and want to start your own company. Or you are a philanthropist and want to change the world. There is not a right or wrong answer here. It’s a question you ask yourself simply to get clarity on your goal. When you identify your purpose you can set realistic expectations.

If you are an artist for instance, then it doesn’t matter if you profit from your art. Because your objective is mainly your personal enjoyment. However, if you are business-minded, then you will take a more logical approach and study metrics to ensure you make a profit. Additionally, if you want to change the world, you may sacrifice your own time or comfort to get your message out to people and help as many as possible.

Each of these purposes have different expectations. When you identify what you want to accomplish you can be more purpose-driven, rather than results-driven.

Ultimately, when you build your confidence you empower yourself and those around you.

So go ahead…Be fabulous, beautiful, unique!

How to Connect at a Networking Event (Without Saying A Word)

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by Latrice Cole

We all know it’s necessary for growth professionally or personally, but let’s be honest, it can be dreadful, intimidating, and downright awkward. What do you wear? Do you suck it up and wear the four-inch heels? How do you sell yourself? Do you humble-brag about your degree, or do you grit your teeth and smile until the very end? The most awkward part of networking is striking up the initial conversation with a complete stranger. But what if you didn’t have to? With just a dash of fashion-savvy, you can skip the stress-inducing walk-up and the whole boring introduction speech with this simple trick I teach all my clients: Wear an ice-breaking accessory that’s a stellar conversation starter. Below is a list of accessories that will get people approaching you now – and long after the event.

1. Scarves –Try wearing a unique vintage scarf or a scarf that you bought while on vacation with a great story behind it. This will allow you to share the story while taking the pressure off you. There are several ways to wear your scarf. Close to your face is best (around your neck), but if you’re not comfortable with that tie it on your handbag, but remember the key is for people to notice it. So, if you are going to tie it to your bag, make sure you can showcase it.

 

2. Pop of color with your shoe or handbag – Wearing a classic or neutral outfit to a networking event is a great way to look polished and professional (think Little Black Dresses, pantsuit/pants, and blouse combo).  However, show a little personality by adding a great pair of shoes or bag in a print or color that pops (like burnt orange or red). You will surely gain compliments that can ease into a conversation.

 

3. Jewelry – One of my favorite ways to top off an outfit. Try wearing a stand out heirloom, like a ring or brooch or handmade earrings that boosts your confidence. Last October, I attended a fashion networking event, and I wore handmade earrings. They were a hit! People started conversations with me based on my earrings. It broke the ice, allowed me to engage with others, and exchange contact information.

 

 

4. Eyeglasses – Those who wear them use it out of necessity, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Use your necessity as an advantage by stepping up your eyewear game with an interesting shape, color, bedazzle, or print, according to your personality. I wear glasses and depending on the type of event, I may switch my frames to make a statement. Glasses draw attention to your face making it easy for people to make eye contact with you.

If you don’t wear glasses you can always flip the script and admire someone else’s to get the conversation going.

How Public Relations Can Benefit Your Brand by @lucyrk78

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by Lucy Render-Kaplan | Featured Contributor 

Public Relations is vital for increasing your brand’s visibility. Not only can it help more people learn about your company and services, it can strategically speak directly to your target audience. A successful PR campaign generates media coverage, builds your status as a thought leader, helps develop trust and increases your presence, which leads to more sales, new clients and even potential investors.

Develop Brand Identity

Getting the word out about who your brand is and why you exist is important! Only you can tell the unique story about your product or services and why people should choose you over other similar brands. If the public doesn’t know that you exist, you are missing out on sales and helping others via your services.

Grow Trust and Credibility

People buy from people they trust. More and more, consumers are growing wary of companies telling them who they are – they’re listening to others recommendations. When a company keeps popping up in the news or written about by a journalist people follow is not only beneficial in building trust, it can directly lead to sales. Being featured in the press – especially in this day and age, where social media outlets can distribute your articles across the entire spectrum of Internet users — allows you to leverage this attention as support for your cause. Create a press page on your company’s website so you can display your success in the press to viewers.

Thought Leader Spotlight

Your PR agency can work with the founder of your client’s brand or a spokesperson from the brand on how to best present on camera and in interviews with the press. They can then pitch them to talk as an expert in industry-related news. Having an internal spokesperson serve as an expert is a great way to grow awareness about your company and is key in growing brand awareness.

Create Buzz

A public relations campaign can help share your key messages, create or boost brand buzz and help you build an engaged following, leading to more exposure, clients and brand awareness.

Attract Donors & Increase Funding

Earned media coverage can attract donors and investors to help increase funding.  Media coverage is often vital and can be a deciding factor in how they decide to give.  A powerful PR campaign shows that you invest in your business, your reputation and have a commitment to growth, which is very attractive for funders.  The right media placements at the right times can be used to attract the attention of VCs and other investors. With the right messaging and strategy, PR increases your credibility as a stable and potentially lucrative investment target. So why do PR? If you’re an early- or mid-stage company, your next round of funding may depend on it.

If any of these reasons appeal to you, securing a publicist or signing with a PR firm may be the next step to level up your business.

Gig – Sharing – Youpreneur – [Ec]onomy by @SBSLEducSoltns

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by SJ Barakony | Featured Contributor 

 

‘Lean in … it’s growing daily.’

 

As this blog goes live, we find ourselves on a chronological cusp; it’s not just A New Year’s Eve/Day:  it marks an entirely new decade!

The 2020’s will bring us untold innovation which’ll make us do double-takes; one trend, though, that we can better understand since it’s been growing since ~ 2008 ?

 

A > It has multiple monikers:  Gig / Sharing / Youpreneur. 

 

All = synonyms for an independent workforce which’ll continue to improve day to day life, so long as we don’t stoke fear, assume, become too comfortable, or let corporate entities dictate the narrative.

Here’s a fundamental Q:

 

How can we entrepreneurs be trailblazers for our peer generation, those older, and, yes, younger, for this economic paradigm?

 

Gigs are Great

We’ve likely heard, or know someone who’s a ‘side’ hustler; this person’s also a side ‘gigger’.  She’s pursuing gig economy income, driven not by trading units of time for currency/dollars & cents; rather, via representing a product/s, service/s, &/or sharing her specialized knowledge in/to the marketplace, earning $$ in return.

This infographic offers a flyover, showing how many ‘gigs’ are available, just via smartphone apps.

Yet, there is far more at ‘work’ here: Entire new business models have, and will continue to be formed. One recent example?  Click here.

The back to back [ ‘blue’ & ‘white’ collar ] industrial ages shall continue to be supplanted by gigs, although it will necessitate re framing, challenging 20th century assumptions, & being willing to exchange calculated risk for more time & financial flexibility.

 

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars . . . the house . . . the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

 

― Diane Mulcahy, The Gig Economy: The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time Off, and Financing the Life You Want .”

 

Sharing = Collaborative = Interdependent   

‘Share & share alike ..’ – weren’t we told this by a doting parent(s), or maybe a primary school teacher at some point?

However, as we aged into adulthood, and started our business(es), we might’ve forgotten this sage advice. We either learned how to be dependent ( ‘employ’[ee] – to be used (utilized)) , and/or that we had to be a cowgirl, & do entrepreneurship all by ourselves, as an in-dependent.

Not so fast!  Sharing economic models enable us to rebuild trust with our peers, be inter-dependent, and find/leverage ways to collaborate & partner with others.

This visual is worth many words.

 

Multisided Platforms / ‘Matchmaker’ Economics

This new economic era is restoring and flat out creating new sparks of creativity that were lost in the very linear, centralized, & hierarchical industrial ages preceding it.

This terrific post will make you think; next time you grab your smartphone & search for an AirBnB, you’ll look at this research in a fresh way.

Matchmaker (‘ing) is worth trillions – it squeezes inefficiencies out of conventional producer/seller→ consumer/buyer bilateral relationships & builds bridges. It is beyond intriguing & sits squarely in this new [ec]-onomy.

 

What’s a “You” Preneur, anyway?!  

YOU ‘re worth far more than a rigid, pre-defined wage, salary, or compensation package. Shouldn’t your pay be aligned with the absolute value you deliver to your clientele, & not based on the usage of space & time ( = occupar / occupation ) ?

Most, if not all, entrepreneurial minded people reading this would say ‘absolutely!’

Thus, we’ve 2 words fused together, creating a combo which richly reflects the spirit, heart, & mindset of this new economic model:  YOU + [entre] preneur.

 

Overcoming …   

There are 5 (‘for the hand’) root issues which stand in the way of ‘giggers’ & ‘youpreneurs’ ‘sharing’ more & building a stronger entrepreneurial edifice in the 2020’s:

 

  • Our 125+ year old schooling ( not truly education ) tracks, ‘K-12’
  • Fear ( cynicism, unhealthy skepticism, & negativity )
  • A completely broken political system
  • The incumbent hierarchies

&

  • Comfort/familiarity

 

We can hurdle over the first by focusing on self-directing our education & loosening the grip of credentialed degree signaling ( esp if we have staff ); next, we can win out over fear by being faithful & focused; thirdly, how about turning towards local elections to drive grassroots transformation upwards to state/provincial &/or national/federal offices?

Fourth, be wise to what the ‘status quo’ says, and especially does. Often times, they’ll attempt to buy influence through the deeply flawed politics of today. Don’t let them; put your trust in your own small business & those of your peers. Lastly, don’t rest on your laurels or read your own press clippings. Always strive to sit in a learning zone.

 

Future = Free: IF we Choose

Many step up to ‘be their own boss’ ; yet, the promises heralded in transition tend to be lost in the haze of working harder, not smarter.

Freedom is such an overused word; for the purposes of this post, let’s frame it this way: It’s having many conscious choices always available to match with our  most irreplaceable asset, time.

The ultra flex & portability available in the gig/sharing economy is there for the taking. Lean into it!

 

Twitter ‘To-Do’s 

Youpreneur

Sharing Economy

Future Workforce

VisualCap

Suitcasepreneur

 

Let’s ‘future’ proof …

… your business(es).

Be unique & willing to unlearn what you were taught in a conventional classroom about economics & entrepreneurship.

 

A dozen things I’ve learned about …

6 Ghosts of Fear

 

… Multisided Markets

The Matchmakers 

 

Mutual Aid Societies & the Gig Economy

Rise of the Youpreneur

 

Read to Lead

25 Ideas …

 

Summing up … 

  • A major milestone is upon us!
  • A fundamental question …
  • Multiple monikers
  • Multisided & matchmaker
  • 5 challenges
  • “Free”dom
  • ‘Future’ proofing

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

4 Pillars of a Civil Society by @SBSLEducSoltns

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The ‘Holidays’ …

 

… offer entrepreneurs a renewed opportunity to serve, solve, & be civil, especially in hyper competitive industries.

 

With this mindset, we can ask ourselves a key question:

 

How can business owners strengthen the pillars of our civil society?

 

Please think & then brainstorm ways to turn thoughts into energy; consider this post both informative AND actionable.

 

Defining civil society

This topic echoes last month’s post, many definitions exist, leaving us with another question to ponder that’s also well worth our time. Which to pick?

 

Here’s my chosen one.

 

Yet, if you settle on another, there isn’t a ‘wrong’ answer; your choice is likely tied to your unique perspective, lens, and/or life experiences.

 

Civil societies, in the 19th century, often included a ‘sister’ term, a component, [a] mutual aid society …

 

[they] prefigure most functions of the modern state. They’re at least as old as armies, but their mission is life, not death. For millennia, people have banded together to provide each other with health care, pensions, … and livelihoods. They have also leveraged their numbers to elicit some of these same benefits from those other two institutions, business and the government. Mutual aid extends the bonds of kinship and makes individuals into citizens.

― Anya Kamenetz

 

1st pillar :  The Family   

The holidays & families often are rightfully intertwined: so, too, the first pillar of civil society is emblazoned with the word ‘family’ & it’s an earned label.

 

Maybe you’re a family business? Nearby where I live, the Conway Center is a terrific resource for them & the other businesses who seek to serve this demographic. Quite likely, there are ‘like’ organizations elsewhere in America, as family businesses are very common.

 

Perhaps some/all of your clients/customers are families?

 

No matter how we look at it, it’s rather challenging to separate family from civil society, and a civil society from entrepreneurship.

 

2nd pillar : Non Profits ( inc. social enterprise )  

As the 19th century transitioned into the 20th, mutual aid societies began to fade; previously thriving organizations were often overshadowed as America became more centralized, corporatized, & urbanized.

 

We’ve now begun (  this post offers backgrounder ) turning back, with a modern flair, to where we once were as a civil society. Rough edges & burrs on the saddle of the Gig (Sharing/Youpreneur) Economy can, without question, be ‘buffed’ by devolving & delegating societal challenges & thorny problems to non profit institutions, especially social enterprises.

 

What’s a social enterprise? As stated in this annual report, they’re ‘easy to understand’ & more necessary to renewing our nation than many might realize.

 

3rd pillar : Faith institutions 

Faith in the entrepreneurial ‘square’, our common culture, let alone civil society, often stirs up emotions & thorny debates.

 

To avoid needless arguments, I humbly encourage everyone to consider multiple definitions:

Perhaps you’ll pick ‘faith’ as defined by the venerable Napoleon Hill in his masterwork, ‘Think & Grow Rich’ , or maybe you’ll instead lean into a Judeo-Christian foundational definition, as espoused by organizations like Truth At Work.

 

No matter your decision, this pillar’s densely strong, earning its place as one of the key four; it props up each & every business owner at some point(s) in her journey from ideating a business, to launch/startup phase, thru ebb & flood tides, linear or exponential growth,  & further ahead into an as of yet unknown future.

 

How so? Faith oft times can act as the antithesis of fear; it can buttress your failures & keep you anchored to your purpose & mission.

 

4th & final pillar:  Entrepreneurs

And now, the spotlight shines brightly on Y-o-u:  The business founder/owner, the entrepreneur.

 

If by now it wasn’t crystal clear, it now will be: Entrepreneurship, in all its forms/types , is absolutely a pillar.

 

You’ve likely seen/heard statistics about small businesses’ vast importance to our nation’s vitality.

Or, maybe you’ve encouraged someone to start their own business at some point: maybe a family member?; neighbor?; a past co-worker?; or as a mentor for a future graduate or recent alumna from your alma mater?

 

Action(s) as common as keeping your business viable, including delegating task(s) to someone like Karissa , or expanding your product line, are each useful in ensuring that this fourth pillar will always be foundational for generations of Americans in the 2020’s & well beyond.

 

Further context to the first question

The first three pillars have boundless potential: leveraging 1, 2, or all 3 can enable your business(es) to morph from a pure ‘S’ [ self employed ]; to at least a hybrid ‘ S/B’, or even a straight ‘B’.  It’s the latter state where you’ve reached the nirvana of time freedom; you’re definitely working “on” & NOT “in” your venture, thereby freeing the owner to participate more actively in civil society.

 

Profiles Worth Following

NapHill.org

Social Ventures

Truth@Work

DSC

Sivers

YEA USA

Conway Center

 

Please invest further…

… in your thinking.

You’ve read & trustfully sensed the heart, soul, & spirit of this created content; now, will you commit to dig into this curated content from other valuable resources?

 

Civil Society

Mutual Aid Societies & the Gig Economy

Social Capital Primer

Root

B2C v B2B 

Working “ON” & not “IN” a Business

 

In short

  • The holidays offer a chance to reflect
  • Civil society: Quotable quote & definition[s]
  • First two:  Family & Non profits
  • Second 2 : Faith & Entrepreneurs
  • Further context
  • Follow these Social profiles
  • As always, take action: curated content from add’t resources

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

Stages of Success by @SBSLEducSoltns

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[ ‘S o S’ ] = Leveraging Stages to Earn Something More: Significance

 

Flying @ 35K ft

 

As entrepreneurs, we’ve often heard how important it is to be successful.

 

And, as so many of us also know, success is defined in so many different ways, through lots of different life experiences & lenses, that there could be a fairly large library filled with content on ..

 

What is success?

How to be successful?

Who is a success & Why?

Where can success be learned?

 

To be clear, the stages that will be discussed below all DO feed into this ‘black box’ known as success, however, in my reasoned view, if each is leveraged unto one another, you’ll earn something far more impactful in the long term:  Significance.

 

Success vs. Significance

It’s left to you, the reader, to decide what you seek to pursue. A quick web search returns oodles of success quotes & related content:

Click HERE , then HERE to dip a toe ever so slightly into the ocean: The video & infographic in the latter are wonderfully displayed, by the by!

 

“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

―Peter F. Drucker

 

Turning the page to significance, one of the best sources to land on?  THIS one.

Our businesses can either drive us, as their owner/founders, to a significant life, or our lives can be the spark on the embers of the business, turning it from just surviving, to a modicum of success, and perhaps significance.

 

So, the road, visualized as two lanes, does have one going in one direction, and the other in its opposite.

 

“The difference between real life and a story is that life has significance, while a story must have meaning. The former is not always apparent, while the latter always has to be, before the end.”

― Vera Nazarian

 

Breaking down the stages  

 

I contend that each stage can be swapped for another, so the order below isn’t as important as the very high level explanation of the stage. And, if you happen to have multiple business ventures, you might even leverage the 5 stages differently, if & when you choose to pursue significance in either, or more.

 

Mental 

There are miles upon miles of created content online that talks up the vast importance of an entrepreneur’s mental mindset – the ‘inner game’ between the ears, so to say.

 

To be successful, you might’ve already noticed how you might ( or already have ) had to tune out cynics, critics, and unhealthy skeptics.

 

How it is often best to replace, 1:1, the mass media’s many arms with podcasts, webinars, audio books, and the like.

 

Yes, that quote about your mind being a garden, and having to pull the weeds?  It’s quite accurate.

 

Cultural  

Your workplace culture, or the culture ( coffee shop/cafe?  Coworking space? ) in which you invest time if not at a physical location of some sort, definitely is a puzzle needing solving.

 

Culture is an amorphous term, just like success; many thought leaders come to varying conclusions.

 

Yet, if you’re the founder or owner of a business with staff on payroll, you know how crucial culture is; your customer service; turnover; &/or engagement/satisfaction are each outward signs of how healthy it is.

 

In this post from a few years ago, I opined that culture feeds into vision, then strategy, & lastly, tactics.

 

Social [ Capital ] 

Your professional network/s are immensely valuable; while it’s best understood that clientele can come from any one of many concentric circles  ( perhaps a connector led to to a center of influence to this individual ), a very important concept is that of social capital.

 

While there are many phenomenal resources out there, one of the most impactful is found in the work of Mr. Robert Putnam — linked below is his ‘primer’ website, which by itself is chock full of goodness and explains well why this is a stage of success.

 

Financial

Whether or not you believe in retaining the services of a financial advisor/planner, or otherwise, you’re definitely encouraged to embrace the vast value in understanding the financial stage.

 

In my own professional journey, which began with one business venture as a side gig/hustle, one of the most impactful stages I ever engaged in?

 

= Moving from a consumerist/W-2 to a producer/entrepreneurial view of dollars & cents.

 

Since the vast majority of conventional classrooms in our nations don’t include much, usually any, content on money/literacy, let alone wisdom on how to invest, spend, and/or save money, it is left to us, as the owner/founder, to tap into the deep rivers of resources.

 

Leader[ship] -> Legacy

This stage alone could comprise a series of volumes, if not another separate library, alongside the success.

 

In this recent post, I unpacked variants of leadership. It wasn’t all encompassing, however, feel welcome to re(read) it and combine this stage with that post, to equal greater impact.

 

An informal mentor of mine teaches that one’s influence ( Excellent podcast HERE ) flows to impact ( which we’ll intentionally define as significance, as you leverage all 5 stages ) , then the entrepreneur reaches what she needs to be a viable business:  Income.

 

Intentionally moving from leading to legacy is a topic that deserves its own post; yet, it’s included above since both seem to be deeply intertwined:

 

leaving a legacy necessitates leading, just as much as the river of influence x impact feeds the ocean of legacy.  

 

Suggested Social Follows 

 

Robert D Putnam

 

Jim Collins

 

John C. Maxwell

 

Robert Kiyosaki

 

Mindset Works

 

As always, you’re encouraged to …

 

… use this monthly post as a jumping off point; take it as the sound of the starter’s pistol in track & field:

 

Ready ( reading this  ).  Set ( click on the links ).  & …  Go!  ( invest in content, set goals, et al. )

 

Social Capital Primer

Success Magazine

Servant Leadership Institute

Great By Choice

Rich Dad Radio Show

 

In short

 

  • A high level overview
  • Comparing 2 ‘S’ words
  • The 5 Stages – one by one
  • Recommended Twitter follows
  • Additional content

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

Mompreneurs Educating Kids by @SBSLEducSoltns

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So, you’re a mom with a business …  

… & you want them to understand your why . 

 

Aspirations

 

You’re already the CEO, COO, & CFO of your household. Yet, you desire to create a legacy, being remembered as more than just a mom-preneur who provides a product/s, service/s, or specialized knowledge to the marketplace.

So you resume the role of primary educator; you’re on a mission to educate your kids on why you don’t have to go to “work” like their friends’ moms do.

Yet, the school that you’ve entrusted to prepare them for adulthood isn’t cutting it when it comes to discussing business principles & your value system; so, what should you do?

 

Values & principles 

 

How would you answer?

“What values and principles led you to become a mom-preneur?”

 

  • Autonomy ( I like to make my own hours, pick my own clients )

  • Mastery ( my prior experience in “Y” industry is enough to be confident in my abilities )

  • Purpose ( I am driven to be a difference maker on “Z” ; I am ‘called’ to serve “X” )

  • Maximizer ( I’m not paid enough by a 3rd party to do all that my family wants  )

  • Independent ( my personality & social style align with owning a business )

  • Quality time ( I needed to spend more hours w/ family )

 

Family Culture 

As someone who embraces entrepreneurship & leadership/professional development, you might be familiar with the late Peter Drucker’s attributed quote about culture.

Having defined culture, you can better explain your decision to be an entrepreneur as not only best for yourself, but one made in the best interests of the family; including your child(ren) will enable them to buy in 

Congratulations!! You’ve taken a huge step in ensuring that they will better understand if a client calls on you at an inopportune time or if you have to adjust the family’s budget due to ups & downs in your income.

 

Family Vision

Many entrepreneurs choose to start a business based on where they see themselves going after leaving the nest of an employer = a wise step!

While Stephen R. Covey has passed, the shadow left by his legacy is so large, he’ll always be remembered for his 8 habits

 

Of them, Habit 2 [ ‘Begin with the End in Mind’ ] is foundational.

 

“Covey says that all things are created twice: first, the mental conceptualization & visualization and a second physical, actual creation.

Becoming your own creator means to plan & visualize what you’re going to do and what you’re setting out to accomplish & then go out and creating it.”

 

Apply this truth to your household; then answer these Success Law questions …

 

Why are you in business?

Do you have multiple income streams?

What dreams have you put on the shelf due to a previous decision to trade time for money from an employer?

 

Insightful Infographic 

 

How mompreneurs balance …

–  h/t to @99designs for this –

 

Visuals tell more of a story than words alone, so your impressions gleaned after studying this one will further aid in self-educating your kids.

 

School falls Short

I often advise mompreneurs of this fact; it’s a somewhat inconvenient truth:

When you send you kid(s) to a conventional school, private (secular or faith based), or public (default option), the curricula, testing, mindset, & counseling offered for ‘careers’ almost always fails to include entrepreneurship.

 

Fill in the [Swiss Cheese] Holes

Think of a “C.A.R” when it comes to addressing the above …

 

C = Complement

 

Find mentor(s), online curricula, &/or teach your kids from your own experience about business to parallel what schooling doesn’t include.

 

A = Add on

 

If your kids are in their late teens & about to/or have graduated from HS, please discuss all 12 options besides college with them.

Or, if you truly want her to get a degree, ask pointed questions of the university re: if they teach about the “E” pathway

 

Bypass the holes; find or carve a clear path

The final letter in the acronym is a bypass …

 

R = Replace

 

Creating an end-around to conventional school can be done through a co-op w/ other parents ( your own school startup ) , or personalizing your kid(s) education by home schooling.

Both of these offer far more flex to include business concepts rarely, if ever, taught in default classrooms.

 

Dealing with Doubters

 

As Rocky passionately shared, the world [of entrepreneurship] certainly isn’t all ‘sunshine & rainbows’ …

… so for those fellow moms in your neighborhood who still “go to work” for a paycheck, for a spouse who isn’t quite on board with your business, or maybe you haven’t yet ‘closed the deal’ with your kid/s …

What do you do to quell cynics & critics?

There are many answers; I’d first encourage you, as someone who has built thousands of business relationships, to be the best version of yourself.

Simplistic? Yes, however, true leadership isn’t complex; it begins w/self.  Remind yourself of this by reading the inscription on the tomb of the Bishop at Westminster Abbey.

 

Suggested Follows 

 

The MomPreneur

 

majestapatterson

 

Mompreneurs in Heels

 

Mompreneur Show

 

Inspiring Mompreneurs

 

Top 40 Mompreneurs

 

In the pursuit of knowledge 

I encourage you to review the additional resources below. A blog of this length leaves the door slightly ajar; please empower yourself to kick it wide open!

 

10 Mompreneurs Who Are Crushing It

 

Mompreneur Magazine

 

The 25 Best Business Ideas …

 

Mompreneur $

 

10 Inspiring Tips …

 

Mompreneur Media

 

In short

  • Moms with businesses & kids are trailblazers
  • Your values & principles
  • Culture into Vision
  • School needs supplements …
  • … or choose a parallel path
  • Staying the course
  • Add’t resources for you, Mrs. Mom-Preneur

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

Leadership’s Many Flavors by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Leading from the Front with Four

 

Ground Floor : Leadership & Management

 

It’s nearing mid summer in the northern hemisphere; recently, we celebrated national Ice Cream Day! Many have favorite flavors of this delish dessert; this holds true for leadership, too.

 

Paraphrasing a Supreme Court justice: ‘We know leadership when we see it.” , yet we all don’t ‘see’ the same thing, since we view business through our own experiences, lenses, & mindset.

 

Further, let’s push a related theme up for thoughtful discussion:

 

Leadership & management are NOT differing flavors; instead, they are two landmasses, separated by a gigantic ocean. We realize this while standing on the ground floor; now, let’s climb up a metaphorical ziggurat for a panoramic view.

 

Position, power, experience, credentials …?

On level 1 & 2 of our ziggurat, we start separating the wheat from the chaff; this act drives big answers , bringing us closer to leading from the front.

 

Q> Are any of the below characteristics necessary for organic leadership?

 

  • Seniority / experience

  • Credentials

  • Power \ Authority

  • Position

  • Perks /privileges

 

A> None are truly required. For a positional leader, they might bring benefit in a company’s hierarchy; however, in a free enterprise entrepreneurial business, they’d likely delay professional development.

 

Q>> Does leadership necessitate a certain type of business structure?

 

A>> No. Most structures ‘tell‘ us that an established business has an uneven field; you’ve built a ladder for your staff to climb up a pyramidal hierarchy, &/or you’ve not empowered them to address deep issues, like customer service, in your workplace, putting a collar on their ability to organically lead.

 

Bottom Up > Top down ; front > back

 

Leading is most impactful from the bottom up if there is a structure; Why? Easy. Those people are most aware of the day to day matters impacting your business’s success.

 

Take note, founders:  if you’re one, put yourself out front, clearing roadblocks so your staff can be most effective in building a better workplace for the betterment of all.

 

“People ask the difference between a leader & a boss. The leader leads & the boss drives.“

— Theodore Roosevelt

 

Q >>> What to do in situations where staff engagement, customer service, &/or client retention are below par?

 

A >>> Leverage this call to action using a ‘Test of 3’

 

 

First of 4 Flavors : Thought

 

Your climb up our ziggurat continues! Any of 4 could be next, as we aren’t building a rigid hierarchy; instead, you’re encouraged to visually sketch out this post’s content to better grasp these principles.

 

A thought leader leads from the front by sharing learned wisdom, stories, & a vision for the future with her staff, fellow entrepreneurs, & her tribe.

 

She might call herself a futurist, a disrupter, or an innovator. No matter the lingo, she oft comes up with fresh ways to address persistent business problems.

 

Second of Four : Replicative

 

Often, an entrepreneur, especially a family business owner,, recognizes replicative leadership as = succession planning; it could be, yes.

 

I thoughtfully ask you to expand your mind, furthering the case that this ‘flavor’ is imperative for all types of businesses, regardless of size, industry, or age.

 

A replicative leader seeks to replace herself; no longer is she indispensable; she’s begun, or accelerated her ability, to work ON her business & no longer IN it, becoming dispensable.

 

Systems thinking, soft skills [ e.g., humility & adaptability, ] & a focus on a self directed education all enable the above.

 

Third of 4 : Servant

 

When we serve, we win = Truth.

 

Yet, sole proprietors & entrepreneurs with staff, especially those who’ve come from corporate backgrounds, each have big adjustments in unlearning positional leadership & replacing w/ servant leadership’s unwavering principles.

 

Allow yourself to challenge assumptions, dismissing nostalgia & past credentials earned, as you realize that serving first gives you rich tools to lead from the front, flipping hierarchy upside down.

 

Fourth of Four : Conscious

 

Leadership done well is often a lonely path. Engaging mind, soul, & spirit is far stronger than merely one. Thus, being conscious about leading yourself & others enables infinitely more progress in your business culture, while concurrently helping you buck societal winds regarding capitalism.

 

Rarely are we taught that free enterprise & capitalism are very different concepts. Those who become conscious leaders better grasp this truism & cultivate a business that embraces the former.

 

Organizations dedicated to this flavor of bottom-up leadership often hold gatherings in your local area; seek them out & turn their events into networking opportunities.

 

Suggested Social Follows :

 

SR Thought Leader

Angela Montgomery

Waters Center

SLI Lead

Greenleaf 

Conscious Leadership

 

Dig for more gold — it’s 1849 all over again!

 

This blog is a drop of water into a deep sea. Be a modern day gold prospector & start a new rush!

 

How to Become …

6 Steps …

Don’t Let the … 

Rela Leadership

The Serving Leader

5 Ways to … 

Practicing the 15 …

 

In short :

 

  • Ground floor
  • Characteristics of leadership
  • Test of 3 – CTA
  • Thought & Replicative
  • Servant & Conscious
  • Social follows
  • There’s a vast universe to explore

 

Thank YOU for reading!

____________________________________________

Education … School(ing) … & Degree Signaling by @SBSLEducSoltns

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Dissecting the Differences

 

 

Remember ‘synonyms’ & ‘antonyms’?

 

Let’s revisit 2 words from our common past in a primary (‘K’-’5’) classroom.

Our teachers very likely taught us that a synonym’s definition = this ; whereas, an antonym’s = this.

Many graduates would admit, being authentic & unguarded, that much of what they learned while seated in a neat row of desks rarely, or maybe occasionally, applies to their professional lives post graduation.

This post’ll put these 2 terms in an entrepreneurial context; be advised that your assumptions, mindset, or experiences could be challenged head on, or perhaps, be confirmed.

 

Whichever it is for you, I appreciate your open mind all the same.

 

What might ‘education’ , ‘school(ing)’ & ‘degree signaling’ have in common?

Before dissecting the differences, we’ll talk a bit about what binds these three unlike concepts together.

 

  • They’re all often lumped together by companies who hire using conventional ‘HR’ practices
  • Over time, each one split off from the other two, in theory & in practice
  • Each have a purpose in the eyes of [a] stakeholder group/s

 

Let’s take each at face value individually. As you read, ask yourself: How might I envision, strategize, & apply each to my business?

 

Education = ‘educare’

 

Becoming deeply educated can absolutely result w/o hard evidence in the form of ‘POC’ (proof/s of credential/s).

 

Great education defies structure because it is always (always!) individualized, personalized, interactive, nimble, responsive and inspired.

– O. DeMille

 

Does this quote sum up your own experience inside of a school’s classroom?  If not, why? Ask big, open ended questions to net the very best long term value.

A self directed, customized path exists for most any citizen who looks for it.  Have you?  Do you encourage your staff to be lifelong learners?

 

Some education options to thoughtfully consider as a new startup, an existing business seeking to scale up, or if you’re looking to further diverse your income streams with a 2nd ( or 4th 🙂 ) venture:

 

  • 1:1 mentorship
  • Digital badging ( a form of ‘hot unbundling’ )
  • Apprenticeships
  • Extern/intern -ships
  • Digital nomadic / Gig economy

 

School(ing) = ‘skhole’

Going to school does not automatically imply that one is educated, nor should anyone jump to conclusions & suggest that all schools fail to educate. It’s not that clear cut, nor is it a ‘public v. private’ dichotomy, either:  There are above average, even great public, the same as exemplary private ones, from border to border, & sea to sea.

 

In this powerful essay, the late John Taylor Gatto opined:

 

Schools were designed by Horace Mann and Barnas Sears & W.R. Harper of the University of Chicago and Edward Thorndike of Columbia Teachers College and others to be instruments for the scientific management of a mass population.

 

Think this over:  As a business professional in the late 2010’s, does this sound anything like being educated?

Keeping squarely in mind that ‘skhole’ ‘s etymology clearly shows a word that no longer equates to educare, the root of education.

 

Huh? What’s ‘degree signaling” ?  

As America transitioned from a wartime footing ( mid 1940’s ), the economy morphed from one focused heavily on blue collar industry to one where white collars were the in demand choices.

 

As …

Factories = Products = blue collar industrial age

 

So … ( oft times )

Offices = Services = white collar industrial age

 

The ‘Organization Man’  was in the driver’s seat; it was a supremely influential read.

And the GI Bill offered taxpayer monies to returning vets to encourage careers in a service industry, often in a large office managed by a large corporation.

 

Year by year, decade by decade, by the late 80’s- early 90’s, a ‘college for all’ mentality sunk into many facets of our society, discouraging entrepreneurship (‘E’ pathway), the trades ( CTE/Career & Technical Education, primarily available thru community colleges ) , & other viable options

 

Thus, degree signaling was birthed …

If you had ‘POP’ ( proof of paper ) in hand, plus a resume / cover letter, you were more likely to be hired by a company, given a title, salary, & cubicle, & asked to play your often invisible role in the delivery of a service to the marketplace.

Yet, creative disruptors such as Praxis put forth for rational discussion that there IS a different way.

 

It’s up to you, with your open entrepreneurial mind, to decide if you’re willing to hire/promote, &/or make choices that are, ahem, ‘educated’, or driven solely by nostalgia.

 

Suggested Podcasts

 

How to Start a Startup

School Sucks Project

Modern Learners

 

Keep on learning, dear readers

 

As always, it’s a pleasure to provide additional resources to move you further along the journey.

 

School vs. Education. Where are we now?

Why the College Degree Is a Signal …

 

Mindvalley U

Stop Stealing Dreams

This is the sequel to ‘Stop Stealing Dreams’

 

30 Best Education Podcasts

Series: School is Optional

 

In short

 

  • Revisiting definitions: synonym & antonym
  • What these 3 terms share in common
  • Defining education more sharply
  • Schooling is its own concept.
  • Degree signaling?!
  • Podcast suggestions
  • Add’t resources

 

Thank YOU for reading!

______________________________

Confidence, Clarity and Taking Action Steps by @XLConsultingGro

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Confidence, Clarity and Taking Action Steps

by Elaine Slatter | Featured Contributor

Entrepreneurs who spend a lot of time working in isolation can easily lose their confidence, clarity and then taking action steps is more difficult.  Why is that?  Often that voice in our head becomes very negative and convinces us not to be bold, not to take risks, not to put ourselves out there.  So what do we have to do to change our mindset to have confidence, clarity and taking action steps every day?

Confidence

Confidence is a muscle that must be exercised frequently or it gradually withers away.

During your life, every success you have ever had leads to confidence in your own abilities.  This could be a success as a child in academics or athletics.  Perhaps it was the great summer job you aced as a teen or work success you have had.

You can even gain confidence from things that haven’t gone so well.  That promotion you deserved but didn’t get, the salary increase you expected but didn’t happen.  Everything we do in life adds layers of confidence. We learn from both events that went well and those that didn’t.

Keep A Journal

One great way to get over the confidence hurdle is to write all the events that have added to your confidence in a journal.  When you are having a bad day and need to get your brave on, read your journal so all your successes are again manifested in your sub-conscience.

Assess your skill set and Build Up Your Weaknesses

Networking

If networking isn’t your strength, check out our previous article. If you are an introvert you might think that networking isn’t for you because you just don’t like being the centre of attention.  But honestly, introverts are the best at networking because they love to listen to others talk and be the focus of a group.  While you are listening you can decide if you can add value to the conversation and if the people you are meeting are the right fit for your tribe.

LinkedIn

If you are having trouble finding events where you can physically network, then think of LinkedIn as your virtual networking community.  It isn’t just a resume and job-hunting site.  It’s much more than that.  Have you thought of how you are connecting with people on LinkedIn?  Do your research before you connect with people on LinkedIn and use the personal note section to let people know why you would like to connect with them.   (Remember, it’s all about the why…..why someone should connect with YOU.)  Don’t use this note space to sell yourself!

Once you have connected on LinkedIn you can invite people for a virtual coffee date over Skype or Zoom to find out more about them and

Public Speaking

If public speaking is not your forte, consider joining your local Toastmaster chapter to gain the speaking confidence you need.  One business professional I know uses the local toastmaster chapter to test out blog post ideas.  The feedback from the toastmaster speech shows whether the topic resonates with an audience or not.

What else should be in your confidence toolbox?  In today’s world, some kind of social media presence can help you gain traction for your startup.  Either train yourself up to have that confidence online or if you have a budget, hire professionals to learn about your branding voice and have them be your social media spokespeople.

Clarity

If you have confidence in your abilities, next on the list is clarity.  Clarity about your business objectives, and your personal objectives.  Write two lists, one for your business objectives and one for your personal objectives.

Are your objectives CLEAR?

These are maybe’s, they aren’t just dreams, they are actual objectives that you are going to SLAY! Once you have everything written down, then prioritize your objectives by importance to you and your business.

Some of your objectives might be huge and seem overwhelming, so don’t tackle those right away, we will cover these in the section on Action.  For now, just look at your list and knock off a few of the items that are easy to conquer.  Because conquering some objectives will help give you confidence that you can tackle some of the more difficult tasks.

If you have big, clear objectives that are hard to accomplish, then break them down into smaller bite-size pieces and follow this tactical plan and take ACTION.

Action

Once you have the confidence and clarity, take action.  Yes, take action steps right now!  If you use the SMART goal formula you will not waste your time going around in circles.  You will have achieved success.

S specific (from your clarity list)

M measurable (what is the measurement you are going to use)

A actionable/achievable (Is the item on your list achievable?)

R realistic (It just can’t be impossible!)

T time sensitive (Putting a time frame around your goal makes you take ACTION)

This applies to your personal life as well as your business life.  Step out of your comfort zone. Are you in the mindset to find confidence, clarity and taking action steps to change your life?  We hope so because every day is too valuable to waste.