Most recent blog entries

Au Pair

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:03:43 GMT

I woke up this morning and got a very clear message as I began some things for the day. I am a woman entrepreneur—so who starts the day without thinking TO DO LIST! YIKES! It’s one of my work/life balance issues. So I thought; how nice it would be to have an Au Pair to look after me.

I suggested that to my husband, acknowledging that it could be lack of privacy in the house to have a live-in Au Pair, but I really thought it would make a difference in my life. If I had an Au Pair, she would make me breakfast and ask me to come down and sit at the table. If I had an Au Pair, she would say okay, let's go out to exercise now, let's go to the gym, and we'd go together because I of course I need the supervision. If I had an Au Pair, we would spend the day in my playhouse, which is my office, and she would provide me the supervision I needed to get things done. If I had an Au Pair, I would have a backup plan for myself 24 hours a day. If I strayed away from my focus too much, my Au Pair would bring me back. How delightful is that?

If I really want to be creative, I could make sure that my Au Pair spoke a second language so that in between focusing me, helping me do my work, taking care of me, cooking my meals, taking me out of field trips, she also might be able to teach me Spanish, Swedish, or possibly French. A bilingual Au Pair would be very good for my cultural development.

If I had an Au Pair, I would feel very taken care of. My husband has not been sold on the idea yet, so there has been no ad put in the paper. But when I’m ready the ad will read:

“AU PAIR FOR WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR. MUST BE CREATIVE, CARING AND UNDERSTANDING. EXCELLENT TECHNOLOGY SKILLS A PLUS. APPLY ONLINE.”

Tech Tips for Sending Your Holiday Cards

michelle@thesassyladies.com — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:37:50 GMT

Tech Tips for Sending Your Holiday Cards

It's that wonderful time of year again, when we layer all of the stress of the holiday activities to our already busy lives. I love the holidays, and all the merriment and joy that comes with the season. I just wish it wasn't so hectic.

One of the things that just makes me crazy each year is sending holiday cards. Each year, every night between Thanksgiving and a few days before Christmas, I would sit with a stack of cards, envelopes and stamps, and send a few out at a time, grumbling all the way. By the time I mailed the last one, I would rather have poked myself in the eye with an ornament hook than send another card.

Never again, I swore.

This year, I am going to enjoy sending out my holiday greetings, because I am using Send Out Cards! Santa created a way to write cards on your computer- and use it all year long! I will pour a glass of wine, turn on my favorite Charlie Brown Christmas jazz, and sit down at my computer for less than an hour, and my job will be done. Sweet!

Using Send Out Cards, not only can you upload a photo and/or create a custom card, but you can also type a unique message to each person on the list, if you so choose. And, you can upload a handwriting sample, so it looks like you wrote it yourself. They print the card and take care of the rest - the envelope addressing, stuffing, licking, stamping and mailing!

So, not only will it save you a ton of time, but for as little as a dollar a card, it will save you lots of money, too. Win. Win. Now, if only Send Out Cards could do the shopping, decorating, cooking, and gift wrapping…

If you're thinking along the same lines, we'll let you send one to yourself, using our free gift account. (Just click here to give it a try.)

Wouldn't it be nice to be done with your cards before Thanksgiving? If you want to get started sending cards to your list, we can even help you set up your own account. Just email Erin@thesassyladies.com, and she'll send you the information you need.

(There's even a longer story for why we use them in business--but I'll save that for when you set up your account!)

And, if you decide not to use Send Out Cards for your holiday greetings, we hope you think of us this season, every time you lick an envelope, and say "Well, maybe I'll make this easier next year." ;0)

Election Day- Time for Change

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:32:06 GMT

As you vote today--take a moment to listen to a perspective on change. Enjoy what is happening-no matter who your candidate is--it's an opportunity.

Please copy and paste the link into your browser.
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/W464Rq4x

Breaking the Glass Slipper Radio Show - Wendy's Guest Appearance

michelle@thesassyladies.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:16:34 GMT

Stacey Shipman and Kathleen Burns Kingsbury have a great online radio program, called "Breaking the Glass Slipper". One of their goals is to empower women around money.

The Sassy Ladies Business Coach, Wendy Hanson was asked to be a guest on their show and talk about THINKING BIG. Join Stacey and Wendy as they look at how to think big and explore some actions to take to get your brain working with you towards achieving your goals.

Listen to the radio show podcast now.

Use every tool in your marketing arsenal…(especially the free ones)!

michelle@thesassyladies.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:43:12 GMT

Use every tool in your marketing arsenal…(especially the free ones)!

Last month, we invited all of the sassy ladies in our community to join our social networking groups in LinkedIn and/or Facebook. Many of you jumped on it, and hundreds more of you haven’t joined yet.

Well, we know through our survey and coaching groups that Marketing is a big goal for many of you, and Social Networking is another tool in your arsenal. And, it is free – the only cost is your time to set it up. In this economy, you want to take advantage of the free marketing opportunities!

If you are looking for an avenue to connect and share your business message with other women in business, then join one or both groups. How are women using it?

- To promote your events - it's another great avenue for getting the word out to people outside your own network. For example, Jean DiGiovanna offers her "Introduction to Workshop Design" seminar, with a link to her site for more info. Log in and check it out!

- To share your wisdom – as an example, Karen Wenborn from the United Kingdom posted a response to a question we had at a recent business expo on how to get a press release into a newspaper. Thanks, Karen!

If online communities seem scary (it IS almost Halloween!) for you, as sometimes Internet technology can be, I created a You Tube video, to help introduce you to the pros and cons, and give you some examples of the social networking avenues.

So, check out the video:

So, if you’re already set up a Facebook and LinkedIn account, we hope you’ll join our group, and start connecting with others in our community. There may just be a good connection to be made to help you achieve your business goals.

Join the Sassy Ladies’ Group on Linked In.

Join the Sassy Ladies’ Group on Facebook.

And, if you don’t have an online profile, post a comment, and let us know why! We’re always eager to hear your questions and comments…

Sassy Ladies to sponsor new financial literacy courses for women business owners

michelle@thesassyladies.com — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:57:34 GMT

We’re proud to sponsor new financial literacy courses for women business owners!

Over the summer, The Sassy Ladies were asked by the Women’s Business Center of Maine to participate in an online workshop program for women around the topic of financial literacy for women.

We have been working over the last few months to develop a series of workshops with some of our expert partners in this arena, and are proud to extend the opportunity to participate to our own community in the coming months.

You can participate in these workshops online in two formats - live in the virtual classroom, or by accessing a recorded, self-paced version of the workshop, or both!

Here are the first two:

Pricing For What You're Worth
November 19, 2008
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sponsoredhttp:http://www.thesassyladies.com/http://www.thesassyladies.com/www.thesassyladies.comhttp://www.thesassyladies.com/Presented by: Women’s Business Center at CEIhttp:http://www.thesassyladies.com/http://www.thesassyladies.com/www.thesassyladies.comhttp://www.thesassyladies.com/Maine; Kathleen Burns Kingsbury of KBK Connections, Inc.; and The Sassy Ladies.
“Pricing For What You're Worth” is part of the Maine Women's Business Empowerment Program, for women who have been in business for at least six months and who want to boost their financial confidence and skills.
This workshop addresses pricing of products and services and is designed particularly for women who have found it difficult or uncomfortable to put a fair price on their products or services. After attending the workshop, participants should have: a better understanding of the emotional roadblocks they may encounter in pricing, strategies for pricing based on value-add and market dynamics, and more confidence in their ability to ask for and receive a fair price.

Learn Morehttp:http://www.thesassyladies.com/http://www.thesassyladies.com/www.thesassyladies.comhttp://www.thesassyladies.com/Register (Maine Business Works Website)
Keeping Your Business Records
December 3, 2008
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sponsoredhttp:http://www.thesassyladies.com/http://www.thesassyladies.com/www.thesassyladies.comhttp://www.thesassyladies.com/Presented by: Women’s Business Center at CEIhttp:http://www.thesassyladies.com/http://www.thesassyladies.com/www.thesassyladies.comhttp://www.thesassyladies.com/Maine; Debbie Bettencourt of Lighthouse Financial Services; and The Sassy Ladies.
“Keeping Your Business Records” is also part of the Maine Women's Business Empowerment Program, for women who have been in business for at least six months and who want to boost their financial confidence and skills.
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:

- Identify what types of records are required for the IRS and what for their own financial management, if different.
- Understand how long they need to maintain records and in what format.
- Know their responsibility for providing supporting documentation and have started thinking about Backup and Disaster Recovery.
- Know basic bookkeeping terms and information and where to get help
- Understand why it’s important to reconcile checking and credit card accounts and how to do it.

(Online Registration link to come soon)

Make it a point to vote! (And, take your daughter with you!)

michelle@thesassyladies.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:03:51 GMT

Make it a point to vote! (And, take your daughter with you!)

Today we’ll break from our usual business-related topics for an important public service announcement, for all our U.S. citizen sassy ladies:

Make an appointment with yourself on November 4^th to vote. (Go ahead, get your calendar right now, and block off some time to head to the polls.) You can’t let your business duties-du-jour take priority over your civic duty to vote in a presidential election!

And, if you have daughters, you might want to take 5 minutes, and watch a fun video (below) from The White House Project with them. These enthusiastic young girls are inspired to soar to great heights, and no doubt they will become adult voters.

I have always taken my kids to the polls, even for primaries. (At this young age, they seem to remember only that there is a gumball machine at the fire station, but let's hope it inspires them to vote as adults!!)

I also found a website, www.takeyourkids2vote.org, which has some games and fun facts for kids.

Whether you are Democrat or Rebublican, show your support for the candidates and issues that you feel best represent you, your business and your community. Get out to vote!

Turbulent Times

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:52:01 GMT

We're in a time that is called, by many people, financial instability. If you picture it like a river, you can see it flowing very quickly. There are tree limbs that have fallen off, even logs in the river. It's moving like there are rapids. What are you going to do to slow down the river for yourself?

There are opportunities to be the change you want to see and pull your canoe over to the side. Be patient and just wait as the river flows. Gain your own balance and your own equilibrium. In doing this, you will create support for the river to gain it's own balance.

Imagine this river flowing and lots of women pulling their canoes over to the side, sitting quietly, imagining how to support each other, how to create opportunities in what some people call a time of crisis. Now, imagine all those people sitting along the river creating a peaceful boundary. The river is going to continue to flow, the rapids will not go away, but slowly there will be less debris in the river. When the storms have stopped the river won't flow as fast. It will recede a bit. Just wait. Know that this is a time that will pass.

Many financial experts have expressed the feeling that this is a natural phenomenon that needs to happen; it just doesn't look pretty right now. We need to get our equilibrium again. It's the way Mother Nature handles things too. Don't focus on the chaos around you. If you focus on chaos, you will get more chaos. If you focus on opportunity, you will find the opportunity that sits along this river and allows us to rest.

As we watch the news and read the paper, it's hard not to get sucked up into the chaos. But if we maintain our own vision of what we want stability to look like when Mother Nature is complete, we can build on opportunities.

What are the opportunities available to you now?

How can you make this a time of possibilities?

What can you offer in your business that is recession-resistant?

Create Your Own Reality!

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:20:47 GMT


So, what is this picture? It certainly isn't very clear, because I was shooting it from a moving vehicle in traffic. Don't worry, I was only doing about 25mph.  I noticed a large van and on the back of the van were about 10 ads the size of 2 foot business cards for various companies. On the side was an ad for a Realty company. This particular ad showed a couple with a house, and on the side it read: If you buy a house from us, you can use this van to move.

In times like these, we have to do things that are unique as entrepreneurs to advertise our business. It certainly caught my attention. Not only were they making money by selling advertising space on the back of their van (which were all things relating to home improvement that a new home buyer might want), they were advertising on the side of their van. And a unique selling proposition;  buy a house from us and you can use this van. When I was young (YIKES!) they used to give away toasters. It's the same thing. Sometimes people just need a nudge!

What have you done unique in your business to get some attention in a different way? Don't let everybody's cynical thoughts and negative spin about this economy rain on your parade. Be innovative, be unique.

This week, I was in Bank of America and I spoke with the manager, who was totally delightful. He said that so many people are coming in and they're down in the dumps and other people are coming in and they are doing quite well in this economy. We both agreed it sometimes comes down to the attitude that you're holding. So, who do you want to do business with - the person that sounds like the sky is falling when you're about to buy their services or the person that says, "hey, you know, things aren't so bad?" In fact, my business is pretty good right now, I'm looking forward to new opportunities." So, just remember you have a choice about your attitude and communication. Be unique and enjoy the results!

RI Business Expo Questions and Business Challenges

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:38:26 GMT

It’s been an awful week for the economy. As a small business owner, we need to be careful not to get caught up in hysteria. “Main Street” which is us, needs to keep moving. Our small businesses that provide services or sell products, and don’t require large amounts of credit, can keep going.

Think about your business and the types of services or products people will continue to use and buy. Let’s reach out and help other small businesses by supporting Main Street.

In Rhode Island last week, Every Company Counts of the RIEDC, put on their annual We Mean Business Expo focusing on resources for people starting businesses and for small companies already in business. Check out our podcasts on the site.

We took some questions from the participants and have been putting them out on The Sassy Ladies Facebook Group and LinkedIn to get ideas from you.

What is the best way to market my custom embroidered products?

Some ideas include

-put the product on www.etsy.com

-put ads on www.craigslist.com in your area and other areas

- look for opportunities with companies that silkscreen shirts etc and offer to be a subcontractor to add to their line

-contact a trophy and awards company in your area to see if they want to expand their product line

- Other ideas…write on our blog!

· How do I find a manufacturer to do small sewing, handbags and accessories? (without shipping outside of US)

Some ideas include

-Go on www.thomasnet.com and put in “contract sewing” with your area. You will get a listing of companies that provide that service. You can contact them directly.

-Ask around and look around for locally made products. Contact the company. You may actually be able to get a better deal by combining forces!

-Go to women’s networking groups and stand up and ask your questions!

In times of economic trouble we tend to pull inward. Try to extend outward! Develop new relationships, new opportunities and strategic alliances. Don’t hunker down alone. We're all in this together.