Brownie Points

Who of you hasn’t jumped off the deep end into the world of being your own boss, setting your own hours, and owning your own company? Having Entrepeneur, Owner, or Independent Consultant on your business card puts you into the right frame of mind (and it really feels hopefull and empowering), but…as the days and the hours pass, the job description continues to grow. If you are in a vicious circle of learning from your own mistakes through character-building experiences, you may find the book Brownie Points by Aundrea Lacy filled with some course-correcting ideas*.

*Note, the book is fundamentally geared towards people starting a business from scratch, understanding your market, advertising for the best return on investment, and growing strategically. In a future post, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of working for a company with an established product line, training, support, customer service, and brand recognition.

Here’s my favorite quote (page 69):

“As an entrepeneur, you are likely to put more hours into your new business than you will spend with your family or in any other aspect of your life. If you can’t find any enjoyment in that time, there’s no point to it. In the long run, it won’t even be profitable—you can’t keep coming up with the best product for your customers if you don’t respect that product and those customers. Don’t just chase the money. When you work toward your dream and love what you do, things fall into place and the money will follow. Don’t be afraid to stick with your own interestes and enthusiasms. The fact that you know more and care more about a particualr field than most people is going to give you an edge. Just make sure the numbers are there, too. If it pays its own way, and you love it—that’s your business."

Social Media and More

The other day I sat down and really listened (giant headphones and pad of paper) to a MetroMom webinar on using social media and other Smarter Not Harder ideas to succeeding in direct sales and business, emphasis on achieving a work/life balance. In a nutshell, here are my somewhat disjointed notes and thoughts:

Interactive Web

Ever since Al Gore "invented" the Internet, we started on a linear journey of pushing content at people (websites and email, for example). Then along came Web 2.o and cyber space has become a gathering place for bi-directional interchange (Blogspot, Facebook, Twitter, Messaging, and MySpace...anyone, anyone). The presence of social media and the act of collaborating and connecting on the Internet is opening many doors in the direct sales industry.

Spying on old High School flings aside, the groups and networks we join and create can serve as an untapped revenue stream--but with great power comes great responsibility. By this I mean that we need to provide both relevant content and benefit to our followers (remember, the delete and enter keys are only an inch or so apart).

Your Great Work

Everybody is better at some things than others. One of my friends hires a both book keeper and a house cleaner, citing mental health comes at a surprisingly affordable price. In looking at our talents and our hourly worth (i.e., billable rate), short-term loss is nothing compared to long-term gain.

Quite possibly the smartest content can easily be used is in another format. For instance, a press release to promote an event can be re-purposed online, in an event calendar, as an eNewsletter article, or as training material. The trick is knowing your audience and their needs (by this I mean a news reporter needs to see the who/what/where/when/why and an instructor needs detailed information for each speaking point).

Mindset

If you haven't heard the expression "you bring about what you think about," chances are you need to look up the definition of serendipity. Surrounding yourself with a mentor or leader is a common occurance among successful people.

Key to this idea is joining a supportive and active community of like-minded people. If you aren't part of a networking group, ask the people you respect for suggestions (ideas are Ladies Who Launch and Networking Venture). As mentioned above, your support system can be both virtual and local (remember, you'll never meet who will impact you the most if you never set out to find them).

Smarter Not Harder

If you didn't have a strong work ethic, chances are you would't be reading this post. Work ethic is as equally important as a work/life balance. We need to feed ourselves before we can feed those around us. Maximing Your Great Work, combined with delegating, re-purposing, and streamlining is often more of a journey than a destination. Hindsight and humility help us grow, and (thank God) we aren't still using typewriters.

Comments Please.

Women's Business Conference

There's something powerful about the name Women's Business Conference. Women in business- who mean business-conferring, collaborating, and coordinating. In two days from today, the Western Dairyland Women's Business Center will host the 2009 conference in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

With sessions and topics ranging from networking, funding, and business basics, to hiring employees, creating an effective website, and even to tapping into international markets, surely there is something to meet the needs of any new, growing, or established business.

If you scroll near the bottom of the current exhibitors list, you'll find our Tenseinobi listing. (Thank goodness phone books are on the way out--AATenseinobi just doesn't have the same ring.) Visit our table and say hello and you may even appear on one of the post-conference photos. (And (!) lucky people will be winning door prizes.)

We women are seeing our breadwinners losing their jobs. Let's partner together and bake a loaf or two!