Go Go Mama Go » Straight Talk Tuesdays

Eating The Chocolate of Life

Christine — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:54:28 +0000

That famous quote from Forest Gump is hokey but true: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

The other day, I read this pretty inspiring post from Yaro Starak, one of my favourite bloggers. Without realizing it, I have been managing my life this way for the past two years – and really consciously for the past six months.

The words “flow” and “mystery” particularly resonated for me since I’ve been searching for something that explains how I plan and make decisions that isn’t just referring people to The Secret, which doesn’t exactly encapsulate what I’ve been thinking anyway.

I love the concept of “mystery.” It’s true: Life is a mystery. The only truth we really have is right now. You don’t know what’s happening 10 minutes from now and your memory of the past is just that – a memory and oftentimes one so altered by your perspectives and selective at best.

Don’t believe me? Someone from high school recently connected with me over Facebook. She remembers driving to prom in my car with me, along with Jesse and another girl from high school. And yet I have absolutely no recollection of her – her presence in the back seat of our car, what we talked about, what she even looked like – all of it remains a mystery. If not for Facebook, she – and the other girl for that matter – would be gone forever. And honestly, I’d be neither worse for wear.

We don’t know what’s going to happen in 10 minutes from now. We get so caught up with the “what if” of decision making – what if I get that job and I’ve already accepted this other job? What if I run out of money? What if… – all under the guise of better planning. As one successful entrepreneur recently said to me, “this is all imagining.” And she’s right. We are gripped by analysis paralysis, crippled by what might happened rather than focus on what is happening now. You can’t predict what is going to happen. You can only give it your best guess. So often things will happen that you didn’t expect – and that’s the joy and whimsy of life.

So all we have is right now.

Which brings us to the concept of “flow.” Years ago, I read that if you are holding so tightly onto something – your job, your house, your vision of who you are, whatever – then you can’t open your hand to receive. Life is about keeping yourself malleable. The problem with trying to predict and plan too much into an imaginary future is that you can easily fall into the trap of not listening to what the universe might be telling you. Or you might be so rigid that your mind is made up even before you think of a possible alternative.

It’s essential to keep yourself open to possibilities and provide yourself with permission to “go with the flow” – without prior judgment of any imaginary outcomes. After all, isn’t that what life’s all about?

Stacey Smith Chats About Social Media

Christine — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:00:15 +0000

A few months ago, I introduced you to Stacey Smith. Here’s how her business Hybrid Mom uses social media to grow her business.

What’s your take on social media tools?

They are critical in the growth of any business these days. It’s all about engagement and finding ways to connect with your customer. Social media is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to communicate. And for a company like Hybrid Mom – which at its core is all about the connection and support of fellow Moms – it’s completely mandatory!

How do you leverage social media for your business?

We use them to drive visitors to our website, for contests, and mainly for our customers to interact with our brand. The more we have engaged with us on our social media pages, the more attractive we are to advertisers – and the more we can refine our services to meet the needs of our Hybrid Moms.

Which social media tools do you use?

We are mainly on Facebook and Twitter. We are dabbling in LinkedIn but not completely engaged there yet.

What other online resources do you recommend to mom’s starting their business?

mommytrackd.com
workitmom.com
entrepreneur.com
SBA.gov

To find out more about Stacey, check out my interview with her from earlier this year. You can also visit Hybrid Mom or follow her company on Twitter.

Natalie Kaminski’s Tips on Online Resources

Christine — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:00:45 +0000

For Straight-Talk Tuesdays, I asked Natalie Kaminski of FinCode Solutions what sites she’d recommend to women starting out their business. Her list includes Savor the Success, The M3 Race, Women Entrepreneur and Tut.com, for positive thinking and inspirational quotes. As for her take on social networking sites:

“My all time favorite is LinkedIn. It is an amazing resource and a social media tool that helps you brand yourself. The key is not to become an “open networker” and befriend every person you see, but rather to create a true network of people that may be helpful to you and your business growth. Every time I get a new business card from someone, I search for them on LinkedIn and add them to my network. People don’t do business with companies people do business with people, so any entrepreneur must learn to become a good networker.

I also search for events on LinkedIn, participate in Questions/Answers, and belong to a number of groups that relate to my industry. Finally, a great way to create exposure to yourself is to ask for recommendations and become group administrator – it is free and creates an impression that you are the subject-matter expert.

As far as Twitter and Facebook, I believe these are not very good tools for businesses. The only reason I would recommend creating a Twitter account is to utilize the search function (filters) because it allows you to know what is going on before any search engine picks up the news.”

I personally do not use Facebook for business. Although I have work colleagues on my Facebook account, I view it as strictly personal. My LinkedIn account is particularly handy in helping me stay in touch with people on a career networking level. I haven’t thought of participating more actively on Questions/Answers, but I can see the value in doing that.

Natalie’s perspective on Twitter is particularly interesting to me. Having only had a Twitter account for a few months, I consider myself a relative newbie. I went through a phase of trying to grow my followers as quickly as possible. I implemented tools like Twollo and TweetLater, which supposedly would grow my followers by leaps and bounds. My perspective quickly changed when I realized that I was diluting the power of Twitter. Although I would not say that Twitter should not be the thrust of your business lead generation, its fulfilled its purpose of helping me build relationships over the Internet.

Husbands Rock!

Christine — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:30:39 +0000

The jury is in: husbands rock. Tweet about it!

I was on Twitter and noticed the hashtag for #MomsRock and realized that so many moms rock because their husbands rock too. When I scan through some of the 5 Questions posts published (and to be published) on Go Go Mama Go, I can’t help but cheer on the husbands that support us as mom entrepreneurs. Here are what some of you have said:

“Making myself work hard on my website comes from the support that I get from my husband. He and my daughter motivate me to strive and make this the best that I can make it and not give up.” - Abbey Fatica, LivingmyMOMent, @livingmyMoMent

“My husband is really helpful and supportive too. There have been some weekends when he has taken the kids to do something fun like going to the water park or playground for hours so that I can have time to get things done.” - Candice Broom, Mom Most Traveled, @MomMostTraveled

“My husband is my biggest cheerleader and is always there encouraging me to pursue my dreams. I’m always coming up with different inventions and business ideas – and he is right there by my side cheering me on.” - Jennifer Finke, PReparedPublicist, @PReprdPublicist

“I was inspired to start my business by my ultra supportive husband, who came to me with the business idea for our online maternity and baby boutique, Madre Gear. He really encouraged me and reminded me that as a mother of four I had lots of knowledge to share with other mothers.” - Laurie Gonzalez Milliron, MadreGear, @madregear

“It’s always a balance and I find I get the most done at night – especially on my husband’s night to put the kiddos to bed. My husband and I have created a swap: he gets workout time and I get small blocks of uninterrupted time to work.” – Heidi Farmer, The Good Stuff Guide, @goodstuffguide

“My husband encouraged me from the moment he saw my first sketch of the Baby Dipper bowl. He is an inventor himself (of antennas!), so he helped me conduct some prior art research on the U.S. Patent and Trademark web site and we haven’t looked back from those days.” – Barbara Schantz, Baby Dipper, @babydipper

“My husband and I have an unspoken deal where once in a while he’ll take Isabella for the day and I can have several hours completely to myself. I used to spend those hours working—now I may go to the mall, or get a pedicure.” – Karina Gallo, Soap That Makes Scents, @kreatedbykarina

“My husband is extremely supportive and I think this is really the number one thing that enables me to succeed!” – Laura Flood, Mortgage Intelligence

Here’s a bit about my husband: Jesse and I have been together since high school – now nearly 20 years, almost 10 years of them married. He’s my rock, my supporter, my biggest fan. We’ve been going through a lot with this move to Vancouver and he’s been nothing but stellar. I’ve been concerned these days about being able to get through everything in one piece, as well as keep the momentum going on the business. It’s been challenging, but he’s been terrific.

On Tuesday, I’ll be posting a terrific article by Shelby Riley, a licenced marriage and family therapist. Shelby shares some tips about juggling marriage and running a business – while keeping your sanity.

Until then, it would be great to hear more of your stories about how your husband has supported you!

Either comment below, or let us know on Twitter by clicking on this link:

My Husband Rocks!

Best Mom-owned Sites to Advertise On

Christine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:00:46 +0000

Call for submissions! I’m looking for some of your favourite mom-owned web sites – blog, content sites, directories, whatever. I’ll be using the information in a future post. Which sites do you like and why? Please be sure to include the URL! Related posts:Re-inspiredEating The Chocolate of LifeGo Go Mama Go Names Top Online Communities for Women [...] Related posts:

Mentorship, Informally Speaking

Christine — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:06 +0000

This post is part of Straight Talk Tuesdays, where mom entrepreneurs provide their thoughts on concepts and topics that drive their businesses forward.

Last week, I blogged about how Natalie Kaminski of FinCode has assembled an advisory board. Not only does a fledgling entrepreneur’s confidence get a boost from associating with industry experts, but the business also benefits from the mentorship found in a board’s collective experience and knowledge – not to mention access to their vast network. An advisory board helps guide your business decision and acts like a mentor in your entrepreneurial journey.

Zuzy Martin Lynch from Cooking for the Clueless, Inc. knows the benefits of mentorship: “Find mentors, take their guidance and strength and learn from their mistakes,” she advises. “I could not have launched my business without the support of my mentors and advisors. It would have seemed too daunting, but they gave me the confidence and lit the path to move forward.”

Do you have a mentor?

I don’t. I’m a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to asking for help in general – a trait that I intellectually know isn’t necessarily a strength. Although I’ve had plenty of informal mentors in my career and many inspirational people in my life, I’ve never had an honest-to-goodness mentor with whom I declared a mentor-mentee relationship and where we discussed my career advancement or business in a formal way.

According to Women’s Media, a blog offering expert advice to working women, I’m not alone. In their post “Stop Whining and Get a Mentor,” Molly Dickinson Shepard, with Jane K. Stimmier, suggest that men benefit from the mentor relationship more than women. “[W]omen regard their mentors as protective and supportive allies, while men use mentors more actively to gain visibility, promotions and choice assignments.” They advise: “We women need to rethink our ‘passive’ use of mentoring relationships and decide how we can derive more value from mentors in terms of career advancement.”

While I recognize that I could probably benefit from seeking out and establishing a formal relationship with a mentor, personally, I prefer to go the informal route.

My strategy has served me well. When I look back at my career – a fairly successful one for a person in her mid-thirties – I can easily pick out a handful of people who helped me in my development.

There was David who showed me that I really should go into technology instead of traditional publishing and taught me a lot about HTML, the Internet and the Web specifically. David had the ear of our vice president and was able to get me time away from my boring day job to work on plum assignments.

There was Jennifer who gave me the confidence to lead a women in technology association, who gave me tips about getting interviewed by the media, and who introduced me to the concept of “impostor syndrome” and “faking it until you make it.” She also opened the doors to her network, introducing me to her who’s-who list of the Toronto interactive community, which has helped me tremendously in my career.

That’s just to name a few.

Whether you declare a formal mentor-mentee relationship or if you’d like to keep the connection fairly informal, here are some potential mentor profiles who can help you advance your business:

1. Seek out experienced entrepreneurs.

I’ve talked about Kevin who inspired me to explore my business idea. Kevin is the most savvy and experienced entrepreneurs that I know. He has started and sold a business for millions of dollars. He holds a masters from MIT and an MBA from Harvard. He has known me since I was starting my career as a project manager almost 10 years ago and now we are working together on launching a web site for his company.

I don’t think Kevin would consider himself my mentor. But almost everyday, he inspires me to think differently about my business and uses a lexicon that forces me to take myself and Upside Guides seriously. I also know that if I had any question at all around my business, that he would freely offer his advice, as well as open doors to people he would think would help.

An expert entrepreneur as a mentor can boost your confidence, advance your knowledge, and give you access to people in their inner circle.

2. Alternatively, seek out people ahead, but who aren’t that far ahead of you.

Many people overlook this possibility when seeking out a mentor. Yaro Starak of Entrepreneurs-Journey advises that it’s sometimes easier to associate yourself with bloggers that are around the same level as you or maybe a little bit further on, rather than “superstar” bloggers who receive many followers vying for their attention.

The concept works when seeking out a mentor, since someone who only marginally ahead of you is nonetheless still ahead of you and can offer you advice. If you have a start-up online store that sells baby products, find someone who has been around for a year and is running a store selling, for example, women’s apparel. They’ll be able to impart information about setting up a newsletter, advice about snags in shipping, cash flow – whatever.

3. Find people who are strong in the areas where you are weak.

A common issue for entrepreneurs is that their business demands them to be generalists who have a decent knowledge in running a business, when their backgrounds often are as specialists in, for example, marketing, sales or operations. Some people, like Jennifer Thornton of Geekling Designs, love this challenge. For others, it can sink their business.

You can outsource your weaknesses, or if you’re just starting out and in bootstrapping mode, find someone who can mentor you in your weaknesses and learn from their successes and mistakes.

My list could have included “find people who are the same as you” but that wouldn’t really be a mentor relationship. While you could learn and be inspired from a peer, the real point of a mentor is to have them “teach” you and help you unlock doors to exclusive networks not necessarily open to you.

I’d love to hear about everyone’s take on mentorship. Do you have a mentor? Is your relationship formal or informal? What are the spoken or unspoken rules around your relationship with your mentor? How has your mentor helped you in business?

I’d love to read your comments!

Mixed Messages

Christine — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:00:25 +0000

This post is part of Straight Talk Tuesdays, where mom entrepreneurs provide their thoughts on concepts and topics that drive their businesses forward.

I’ve been writing a lot about the Universe and how important it is for you as an entrpreneur to listen to it. Consider Adrienne Hoban’s story of trying to get her company Allure Decor up and running:

I left a plum job helping a friend manage her burgeoning business with my sales, marketing and publicity know how and I enjoyed the challenge of developing her web site from scratch. The flexible hours and close proximity to my home gave me the opportunity to fully participate in my children’s school related activities and I even managed to serve as the school’s Board President while almost working full time. But alas, I still hadn’t found my calling and now I was voluntarily unemployed. I have always been super creative by nature and this was something that I was missing. Prior to working with my friend, I was an interior decorator and I longed to get back to my creative core, as I am in my element when I am expressing myself artistically. Then one day, I just surrendered to the universe and said, “Put me where I need to be, show me my true calling,” and then almost magically it all just clicked! That, and listening to what I call the “little birdie” that guides me with an instinct to focus on my passion and just take the leap and go for it!

But what do you do when the Universe or “little birdie” are giving you mixed messages?

I’m writing this after my husband and I have come off a nail-biting conversation with our realtor about a house we are about to close a deal on. The house is a cute “character” home in Vancouver, on a lovely tree-lined street that’s close to super trendy neighbourhoods. The interaction with our real estate agent was nothing but nerve-racking as we debate about whether we should move ahead with putting a huge down payment on the house. On top of that, we’re not in our best mental shape: we’ve just cut our holiday on Gabriola Island short to address some real estate issues, travelled 5 hours and arrived late last night to get back to Vancouver and we are also running on a very short amount of sleep.

I absolutely adore this house. We visited it today for the first time since putting the offer on the house a week ago and I fell in love all over again. The girls would have an adorable playroom, the backyard is so sweet, complete with a mature herb garden, and the house features wonderful original details from when it was built in 1938.

That said, I’m very much a believer of the Universe and following my “gut”. But I’m getting mixed emotions over this move. First off, this would be the fourth house my husband and I have bought and compared to our other purchases, this has had its share of obstacles from a very unreasonable seller to a surprise oil tank that would have to be removed to a bank that’s dragging its heels to confirm finance due to the economic climate. I’m also nervous because it’s the first time that I’ve been between jobs and my instincts are muddled because I’m still on the fence with how hard I plan on going with my business.

So I’m muddled and confused, which I rarely am when it comes to decisions of this magnitude. And I’m increasingly seeing that it’s less about the house and more about my uncertainty about the business. And if you’re a believer in the Secret, you’ll know that that’s a thought and feeling that I’ll have to nip in the bud if I want my business to succeed. I’ve been talking about the Universe a lot these days. The high-achieving, goal-oriented side of me wants to strong-arm my life into a particular direction. Another part wants to accept that what will happen will happen. That part knows that events will unfold as they should, and to position myself in a way that sees the things I want to attract, rather than focus on the things, like a potential “failing business that won’t cover our mortgage” – which might just make it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what is the Universe telling me? For now, I’m going to stay positive and open to possibilities.

Using Networking To Advance Your Business

Christine — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 04:00:12 +0000

As part of my Straight Talk Tuesdays series, I asked the question: When launching your business, is there anything you know about now that you wished you had implemented from the start?

Here are some entrepreneurs’ answers:

“When I first started I greatly underestimated the importance of networking. You can learn so much from your peers–their triumphs as well as their mistakes. I thought I would make my soaps, open my shops, and that it would fly out of there like hotcakes. It took a little while before I achieved that stage. Nowadays, there are all sorts of tools for entrepreneurs to get more exposure for their businesses, pick up tips on how to improve their products, and forums to bring their name to a mass audience. TheSwitchboards.com is a fabulous place to meet many women-owned businesses and connect with buyers. The people on there can answer so many business-related questions based on their own experiences.”

Karina Gallo, Owner, Soap That Makes Scents, @kreatedbykarina

“Build a good network of entrepreneurs who will share information. Join professional groups and attend their meetings. Network every chance you get. Every time you meet with someone to get help for one area of your business, ask that person a couple of questions you might not have planned, even if they have nothing to do with that person’s expertise. Try to get the confidence to ask at least one off-the-wall question of everyone you meet.”

Gretchen Penny, Founder, Easy Expression Products, @GretchenPenny

Networking. It’s essential for the success of your business. I must admit: I’m not a fan. Especially when it requires going into a room full of strangers absolutely cold, milling about the hors d’œuvre table, trying not to get tipsy on the wine since I’ve shown up before having any dinner, then lurking around clusters of conversations before needling (or, heaven forbid, pouncing) into just-that-right moment to smile, shake someone’s hand, introduce myself and stuff my card into the palm of their hand.

Well, I’m not a fan when it’s done that way. Thankfully, I’ve come up with some strategies to help make the networking experience an enjoyable one. More on that in a future article.

For some it comes naturally. For others it’s a detested but essential event that is absolutely critical if you want to take your career or business forward. But with some planning and preparation, you can most certainly make the experience easier on yourself.

But just in case you’re not convinced on how essential networking is…

Consider My Story

About three years out of university, I found myself in a dead-end job as an editor of legal reference publications, listening to my boss deliver my annual review and tell me proudly that she had given me the same salary as someone who had been there nearly 10 years. Looking at my counterpart and being in my mid-twenties, I knew I was doomed and just needed to get the hell out of there.

Thankfully, I had been fostering an excellent connection with one of the senior managers, who took it upon himself to mentor me on all things technology. He taught me how to code HTML from scratch and let me dabble with an intranet site where my coworkers could access some simple reference material. During a time when products were mostly on CD-ROM and hardly anyone had seen – much less knew about – the “World Wide Web”, David transformed my keen interest in technology into a driving passion.

I knew my future would be in a career in producing products online.

I joined an organization for women in technology. After attending their annual Career Day and sitting-in on seminars and sessions, I discovered that I wanted to become a project manager. I remember quite clearly walking home from the session (it was around the corner from my house) in a complete daze and declaring to my now husband that I knew exactly what I was “going to do with my life”.

Only a year later, I found myself addressing the attendees of the next annual Career Day as the organization’s Director of Volunteers (as a volunteer myself) and announcing that I had also found my dream job as a project manager in a interactive agency. Little did I know that four months later I would become the organization’s Executive Director, oversee a volunteer staff of 16 women, serve on advisory boards for schools and other organizations, write for national online magazines, be a guest on a major morning show on CBC Radio, appear on national television programs, and be quoted in newspapers.

I was 26 years old.

How did I do it?

Aside from it being “the Secret” (for all you believers), it was plain and simple networking. While I do owe this accomplishment to my own personal moxie, talent, skills – whatever – a lot of what I was able to accomplish stemmed from who I knew and what people perceived I knew. I made phenomenal connections with like-minded people. I associated myself with high-achievers in an environment where people wanted to help people. I met women who had started their own businesses, who were VPs by the age of 30 and who taught me concepts like branding and marketing which I would never have been exposed to as an editor of legal reference materials.

In case you’re not convinced, I’ll be running a series on why networking is essential for your business, as well as give you some tips on how to make the most of your networking experience.

What Keeps You Sane?

Christine — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:00:25 +0000

So what keeps you sane? I’d really like to know how you mompreneurs keep an even keel. It’s tough enough to be that “super mom” but to load on a business on top – that in itself can be borderline insanity.

A few weeks ago, I launched my Straight-Talk Tuesdays series and asked women that very question. I had so much response to my 5 Questions Series that I thought I’d expand and create more opportunities to feature moms and their online businesses.

Here is what some of savvy moms said in response to my question, “What Keeps You Sane?”:

“The same thing that sometimes make me feel a little insane – my kids. When I start to overload or boil over, I just stop, take a breath and look at their innocent, little faces and realize that they are so fragile and that they are why we do it all!”
Beth Aldrich, Founder, ForHerInformation.com, @bethaldrich

“The support from my husband with the business and the kids helps keep me sane. That and that I’m too tired to go insane!”
Barbara Schantz, President & CEO, Baby Dipper, LLC, @babydipper

For me, the very act of limiting the amount of work I do keeps me sane. I’m that type that can let it bleed into all hours of the day (and night) if I let it.

My husband and kids definitely bring me back to earth and remind me of what’s important in life. Working from home, it’s easy for work to bleed into family life. I noticed that the laptop was getting opened more and more during “off hours” when I really should be focused more on my kids. Admittedly, my biggest nightmare would be to have my 3-year-old show up from preschool with a drawing of her mother behind a laptop computer. I do want my children to see me as an actively working person, but I don’t want them to get the impression that that’s what I’m all about.

Here’s what else keeps me sane:

Leaving the house during the day. It might seem kind of crazy, but I can become a bit of a hermit if I let myself do that.
Seeing friends for lunch or coffee at least three or four times a week. It keeps me from feeling too isolated and it helps me accomplish the first point.
Working at a nearby cafe or on my back deck.
Connecting with people online. I find it so incredibly motivating to meet new people on Twitter and through my blog.
Switching from “micro” tasks like formatting images and entering content, to big picture visioning that really drives my business ideas forward. It keeps me from getting too bogged down in the details.
Listening to audio books, watching videos and generally learning new things.
Sleep!

I would love to hear what everyone else does to keep themselves sane. Post your comment below!

If you’re interested in being quoted in a future Straight-Talk Tuesday post, check out the Straight-Talk Tuesday page. Have a look at the upcoming questions and send me your answers. Feel free to answer any or all of the questions!

Looking forward to hearing from you!!

Straight-Talk Tuesdays

Christine — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:00:07 +0000

My Big Question posted by KarmenRose on Flickr

Because of the success of my 5 Questions series, I’ve decided to put together a new series called “Straight-Talk Tuesdays”. In this series, I will be asking just one question and will be featuring the answers of several mommy entrepreneurs.

Who: Any mother who is running her own online business no matter where she is in her cycle. Blogs count – it just needs to have a strong online component.

What: Answer one of the questions below. Include your name, name of your company, URL and Twitter ID

When: I hope to post answers at least once every other week, but the goal would be for it to go weekly.

Why: To get more insight from what it means to start be a mom and start a business online.

Where: Well, here on GoGoMamaGo.com of course!

How: please contact me if you wish to participate or add your comment below.

Here are the first round of questions:

What keeps you sane?
How do you overcome setbacks?
When launching your business, is there anything you know about now that you wished you had implemented from the start?
How do you “unplug”?
What’s the best piece of business advice you ever received?

Feel free to answer any or all of these questions. Email me at christine _at_ gogomamago.com or just comment below!

Looking forward to hearing from you!