Motherhood Incorporated

By Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated

 March at last!  February is without a doubt my least favorite month of the year, and it’s not just the dreary weather.  February is the month when I usually realize that I’ve already lost sight of the goals on my resolution list.  That is until a friend of mine insisted I participate in a little goal writing exercise during our girls’ night out.  The small group of women let out more than a few groans at her suggestion, but we figured why not give it a try?  It was then that I learned a few simple steps to bring any goal within reach.

Make It a Priority

Before you begin setting your goals, take a few minutes to list out four or five things that matter most to you, such as family, career, health or spirituality.  Taking a look at what we truly care about will help us set attainable goals in areas of our lives worthy of the effort. 

Be Specific

Once you have a list of the most important things in your life, set specific goals to improve in those areas.  For example, don’t set a goal to spend more time with friends, instead set a goal to call a friend once a week, or invite a friend out once a month for coffee.

Write It Down

Writing goals down doesn’t just solidify them in our minds, it serves as a much needed reminder.  When my friends and I took the time to write down our goals that evening, I didn’t think too much of it.  It was only later, as I stumbled across my list while thumbing through my notebook, that I realized the advantage of such a practice.  I encountered my list of goals many times throughout the year.  When I took a look at that sheet of paper, my zest to achieve my goals was renewed.

Celebrate Success

When you have made progress on one of your goals, reward yourself.  A pat on the back, or night on the town for your hard work is incentive to keep heading in the right direction.  Personally, I find that a good piece of dark chocolate does the trick on most occasions.  Setting goals with a group of like-minded friends makes celebrating our successes that much more enjoyable.

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By Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated

Today’s clutter, as unassuming as it may seem, is tomorrow’s crisis waiting to happen.  Be it a misplaced phone number, unpaid bill, or botched assignment, there is little worse than a headache that could have been prevented.  Follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to a clutter-free workspace. 

Schedule It

Set aside time each day to take care of paperwork, such as opening incoming mail, refiling documents, and shredding items that contain personal information.  These tasks quickly fall through the cracks of a busy day, and leave behind telltale piles of paper throughout your home office.

Take Action

Taking immediate action on open items will prevent paper, and stress, from piling up on you.  If you are unable to complete a task immediately, record it in your To Do list along with a due date.  Create a Pending file for items that require further action.  Note any actions you have taken in the file, then schedule some time in the future to follow up.

Go Paperless

Store anything possible on your computer.  A scanner is handy for filing documents electronically.  Organizing data files into folders makes it easy to retrieve what you need, when you need it.  Gone are the days of the sticky note.  A PDA is a handy way to jot down any important information, not to mention schedule appointments, track your expenses, and store your To Do list.  Be sure to back up your PDA and your computer regularly.

Start Small

Set small, reasonable goals, then schedule a few minutes a day to achieve them.  Try cleaning out one file drawer at a time, or clear out your inbox.  If it’s not useful, throw it out.  If you feel uncertain about tossing something, store it in a box and label it to be thrown out at a later date.  If you still haven’t used the item by the date on the box, it’s not likely you will need it again.  Taking small incremental steps will keep things moving in the right direction, off of your desk and out of the way. 

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 By Sandra Beck, Motherhood Incorporated

 I hate turning down a job.  Being in business for myself, I have to manage my time wisely.  There is also the unending tasks of being a mother.  Sometimes, I have to tell my family no too.  Ultimately, it comes down to quality.  Whether we aim to produce a first-rate product for our clients, or be a top-notch mom, saying no once in a while may be the only way to achieve our goals.

So everyday we make choices.  What is most important for our families, for our businesses, for ourselves?  The first time I realized that I was going to have to turn a client away, I was torn about what to do.  I was already heavily committed, and he was looking for some work on short notice.  I didn’t know if I could maintain the relationship we had, and turn down the offer.  On top of that, I had already committed to a weekend hike with my children.

As I weighed my options, I considered the disappointment my kids would have in me if I let them down.  I also considered the possibility that the work I had committed to finishing for my other clients may be rushed, or late.  In the end, I sided with my children and the commitments I had already made.  My clients return to me because I keep my commitments and hold myself to high standards when it comes to job performance.  My children learn how to do the same because they watch me.

Turning down a customer is risky.  They may turn to someone else.  But to me, tarnishing my reputation and integrity by taking on more than I could handle seemed worse yet.  In the end, I thanked him for the offer and explained that my schedule wouldn’t allow me to accept this time.  He thanked me by offering me another open project at a later date.  I’m glad I learned to recognize my limitations, because now I know that saying no can be a good thing.

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 By Sandra Beck/ Motherhood Incorporated

When you are getting ready to start your own business doing your research is the single most important thing you can do to prevent failure.  Before you commit a single dollar to your new business make sure you become an expert in everything to do with your business.  Find out who and what your competition is. Is there a market for your product or service?  Is the market already saturated with other businesses that are already fulfilling the needs of your target client? What do you have to offer that is unique?

What is the price point for your service or product?  Are you able to sell at that price and still recoup a reasonable profit beyond your overhead costs?  How much volume is required in order for you to make the funds necessary in order for you to survive?  Are you capable of creating that volume or do you need to hire additional employees?  How skilled do your employees need to be, what wage are those types of workers getting in today’s market?  Is your business something you can start part time while you continue to work your current job?  Can you effectively hire employees to work for your business while you continue to work your job?

When starting a business you want to think outside of the box, but you don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel.  Is anyone doing what you want to do in a different market?

When possible try to put yourself in a position to have a working knowledge of the business you want to start before committing to it.  If you want to open a window washing business that specializes in tall buildings take the time to visit a nearby city and observe a successful window washer as they go through their day.  Don’t stalk them…call them and ask them if you can observe them, if your markets are far enough apart they may be willing to let you pick their brain.  Take advantage of it!

Research everything you possibly can about your prospective business and you will save yourself time, money and heart ache, not to mention energy.  In the next Article we will discuss formulating a business plan.

To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com.  You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!

By Sandra Beck/Motherhood Incorporated

You’d really like to start your own business but you have no idea what kind of business to start.  The first thing to do is make a list of all of the reasons why you would like to own a small business.  If you are looking for the freedom to create your own schedule you probably won’t want to open a business that is centered on the sale of food.  However you might want to consider a service based business that has a flexible time line.  If you are interested in financial security, you probably won’t want to open a business that requires maintaining a huge inventory.  You may want to consider buying a business that has an existing client base.

You also want to consider what your interests are.  What are you passionate about? Starting a business and growing it to be a successful concern takes energy and passion. Don’t make the mistake of devoting your time and energy to something that doesn’t really flip your switch. Life is too short to spend it on something you don’t love.  If cupcakes are your passion consider all of the different businesses you could create around cupcakes.  It’s important to fully research whatever business you decide to go into, which we will talk about in the next article.  At this phase, though, don’t be afraid to think out of the box.  Is it cupcakes that you really love or is it simply decorating cupcakes?  It may make the difference of whether you open a bakery or give private cupcake decorating parties.

Lastly you need to consider what your limitations are.  Do you need to start this business with virtually no capital?  Buying a franchise or a turn key business is going to be out of the question.  Do you have capital but not a lot of time to spend “finding your way?”  If that is the case a franchise or turn key could be the ideal situation for you.  Take into consideration whether you need to work from home or if you are someone who likes to keep your home removed from your work environment.  Do you have time constraints because of your spouse’s job or your children’s schedules? 

Take the time to consider all of your desires and limitations now, so when you find the business of your dreams you can start to build the lifestyle of your dreams.  In the next Article we will talk about researching perspective businesses.

To learn more about Starting Your Own Business, check out www.sandrabeck.com and www.motherhoodincorporated.com.  You too can work from home, have time with your family and make a great living with what you already know!

Heart Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson / Beadphoria

by Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Beadphoria

A relatively inexpensive and positive way to promote your business is to align with a charity. When choosing a charity for your business, consider the following:

1.       Go local.  By giving locally, your name is given to members who live in the area and could turn into potential customers.

2.       Give in unusual ways. Giving a piece of your work to be auctioned at an event, offering to teach a class to the recipients of the charity, or donating your time as a speaker, are all alternatives to writing a check.

3.       Choose a charity you believe in. Consider the goals of the charity and if they fall in line with what you want your company to be known for.

4.       Be choosy whom you give to. You can say no to those you may not feel comfortable with or may not have the means for.

5.       Group sales. Team up with other businesses to have a fundraising event where part of the proceeds go to the charity. This is especially a good idea around major holidays where people can do one stop shopping and help a good cause.

Beadphoria proudly supports The Kalo Foundation. Click here to find out more about this charity.

If you have any questions about beading, or choosing a charity, feel free to contact me directly at 224-305-3321 or Suzann@Beadphoria.com . Always happy to share the joy of beading with you, Suzann Sladcik Wilson of www.Beadphoria.com .

By Lisa Mendell

You need to get rid of any self-doubt you have. Turn the negative into positive thoughts- instead of telling yourself you aren’t worthy or good enough, tell yourself that you are good enough and worthy. For more tips go to http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/2009/07/How-to-Celebrate-Yourself.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER&ppc=73053&utm_campaign=Inspiration&utm_source=NL&utm_medium=newsletter These tips will help you to celebrate yourself and the great things you can accomplish.