Moms In Business

Facebook App for iPad (and iPhone) Demo

Here's my quick little demo of the new Facebook App for the iPad and iPhone.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Secrets of Successful Mom Entrepreneurs

Juggling a business and a family can be tricky, but the benefits are huge!  Here's some secrets from successful moms in business who make it work!

Mom entrepreneurs share secrets of family, business mix

Air Force Wife and Mom Shares Tips for Relaunching a Business after a Move

As an Air Force wife and mother of 3, Teri Baxter has had to start and relocate her business as a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant in 5 states since 2003. As an expert in relocation, here's some of Terri's tips on how to relaunch your business after a move:

"3. Make New Friends

Establishing new and meaningful friendships once you arrive is the most important aspect to really liking where you live and growing your business!

• Find a new church, join a gym, volunteer at your children’s school, get involved in the local community, and pursue your hobbies and interests (check out www.meetup.com). You’ll begin to meet people you like and who will like you, too! Once you’ve established a friendship, you’ll create easy connections and lots of opportunities for people to ask you about your business.

  Nothing is worse than moving to a new town and projecting the image of the ‘desperate and pushy seller’ right from the first conversation. When you create a relationship based on trust and mutual respect, even those who don’t have a need for your product will be happy to refer your business.

4. Cover the 3-mile Radius

• Drive around your new neighborhood with business cards, flyers, pushpins and old catalogs with your new contact information packed in your car. Then, visit all the local businesses within a 3-mile radius of your house with a bulletin board or waiting room where you can leave your information.

  Even if the location is a grocery store bulletin board plastered with ads, you’ll make a much better impression by asking to speak with the manager and getting permission to advertise in their business! Make sure you’re wearing your company logo wear and if you have children, this is the time to leave them at home with Dad or a sitter!

• I’m sure you’ve either experienced it first-hand, or heard of consultants, who have met the bank teller, dentist receptionist, or even car-wash attendant who loves your product and becomes a star customer. You want to be THE consultant everyone recognizes for your company in your immediate area!"

Read the rest of Terri's tips here: http://julieannejones.com/guest-post-teri-baxter

 

Mom to be slams door on 6 figure job

If you've ever wondered how to get out of a bad job and into a life that you really want, this post is a must read for inspiration:

I slammed the door on my six-figure job - Real Families - Salon.com

Why Social Media Rocks for Moms in Business!

I think social media is one of the best ways for a mom with a small business to get noticed online. Before social media took off, I relied heavily on Google Ads (often expensive and not always worth it), news releases and search engines to drive traffic to my sites.  But now I use Twitter, Facebook and blogs to promote my online business to a much wider audience for a fraction of the cost.  The cross-promotion activity possibilities between them are limitless.

My favorite social media promotion right now is Facebook pages. They're so easy to set up for your business. Just a few clicks and you've got a page on one of the hottest platforms on the net.  It's like a blog and a discussion forum all in one. No software to learn, no domains to buy, no hassles with tech issues. And best of all it's free! If you don't have one yet, you need to get busy and get one started.

If you have any questions about how to use social media to promote your business or set up a Facebook page, just ask them in the comments and I'll be happy to answer them for you.

Linda Locke
Editor, Moms in Business
http://momsbiznews.com

A Little Change is Good for You

Change is difficult for most people, and I'm no exception. Hey I'm a Taurus and I like my life to be orderly and stable. But lately, a lot of sudden changes have happened that have helped remind me to embrace change and see the good things it brings with it too.

The first bombshell struck a couple of weeks ago with an especially nasty computer virus on my PC. I can usually fix this stuff myself, but this time I needed to call in the professionals. So I was forced to move over to my backup computer, an iMac, and start getting used to a new way of doing things. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to switch to the Mac and to get up an running so quickly. And on the plus side, the Mac is less prone to those nasty viruses. Another bonus!

The next change was an unexpected office move at work. I was perfectly comfortable in my old office, but the move netted me new furniture, a bigger monitor and a printer and helped me get rid of all the paper clutter that had accumulated over the years. Wow!  Change is Good!

In the past, I've often looked at change as the enemy, but when I remember to embrace it and focus on the good things it brings too, I'm amazed at how much better my life can be. So here's to change and to shaking things up a little. My lesson learned: You don't have to wait until change finds you, you can go looking for it any time you want to make your life so much better.

Linda Locke
Editor, Moms in Business
http://momsbiznews.com

 

 

 

Scrapbook Dropout Mom Creates Easy, Digital Way to Save Family Memories

Good ideas are borne out of frustration and Cathy Bennett's creation of her How Time Flies, 7 minute online scrapbook builder, was no exception. After a disappointing experience trying to create a scrapbook with paper and stickers, she found that she did not have the time or the energy to devote to the task.

"Bennett was guilt-ridden for being a self-described scrapbook dropout. But this former marketing executive figured out a better way. She started working on her idea about six years ago and launched How Fast Time Flies in 2007.

“We are a basically scrapbooking, 2.0.," Bennett said. “I founded the company shortly after that bittersweet ‘A-ha moment’ after trying to scrapbook when my son was 3 weeks old.”

How Fast Time Flies allows its 34,000 members to build individual scrapbook pages in one-tenth the time and half the cost of traditional scrapbooking, Bennett said. “Believe it or not, traditional scrapbooking is still as popular as golf, according to the Craft & Hobby Association. But there are an increasing number of frustrated defectors." 

“We've become enormously popular with moms who like the idea of scrapbooking but want a more modern digital solution,” said Bennett, now the mother of Patrick, 6, and Elizabeth, 5.

The new chapter in her business was the recent announcement that New York-based MyPublisher Inc had puchased her company, taking this Mom inventor full circle.

“It’s an intense time for me emotionally,” Bennett said. “The business was always growing, despite the economy and (I was) always feeling like I was swimming upstream. I was part of a whole wave of mom inventors that started five or six years ago. Now to be selling what I started and moving on to the next level — that's intense.”

Read more here: Walnut Creek Mom Inventor Hits the Big Time

2011 Business Trends for Moms

If starting a business is one of your goals this year, check out this article on some hot trends (Social Media, Apps, Green, Franchises) you may want to tap into: Hot Business Trends for Moms | Reuters

Linda Locke
Moms in Business

 

Facebook Page vs Website -- Which One is Better for your Business?

If you need a little push to create a Facebook Page for your business, cause or book, read this: Ask the Wise Guy: Facebook Fan Page or Website?

Cut the Rope - Holiday Gift: Fun, Free Game for iPhone and iPad

If you're looking for a fun free game you can play by yourself or with your kids on your iPhone or iPad, check out my new favorite -- Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift.

But I warn you, it's addictive!