Maria is the true meaning of balancing work and family. She grew her business with no outside help while raising her children. She later discovered the benefits of outsourcing which enabled her to grow faster and have more time to focus on mom life. Listen as her story unfolds...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

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OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

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Maria Dismondy from Cardinal Rule Press was a New Year's breath of fresh air and is an inspiration for all with her energy, process and resourcefulness.  She started in a structured teacher's position, spent months upon months getting her book published.  She was a resource genius in getting book sales and driving income.  Next she has taken her business and evolved it help more and more do precisely what she did!  You are going to love every step of this conversation including Maria's energy!

We talked about so many things:

• Hybrid publishing
• I believe in you.. You have passion for the project.  Go for it. 
• Working with well-known distributor.
• Speakers budget in School Systems
• Started sending postcards
• Nurtured relationships 
• Created additional products from what was working
• Online courses
• Grassroots marketing
• Social media marketing contents and giveaways
• Provide a lot of value
• Sample Content
• Finding a new distributor
• Creating my own publishing company
• Intensive 8 hour day
• Does it bring you joy?
• Ah-ha moments in her business
• Embarrassed by her numbers
• Local assistant & an accountability partner
• Clients - self-publishing for high profile client
• Course - 10 hours of video - what she did pitching online summits

Resources

• Amy Porterfield
• SCBWI - Online Author
• Day Designer
• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

More from Maria

I always wanted to be a mom-- that was my dream job as a kid!!!

My first job was at local chicken fast food restaurant which was a family franchise.  I took this job very seriously and was assistant manager at the age of 16 or 17.

I am an avid reader and like to mix my choices between easy novels, parenting books and business related books. You can see all of my current reads here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1820515.Maria_Dismondy

My favorite business book is:

• The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. A few others include: 
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

Apps that I use regularly to help with my business

• Asana- To manage my team and projects we are working on
• Google Sheets
• Forest App- To help me stay focused during my work hours
• Facebook Groups- This allows me to check in on my private groups for work without getting sidetracked in my FB feed
• Overcast-I love this app to listen and organize my podcasts
• Voxer- My accountability partner and I check in almost daily on this voice message app
• Instagram- This is my favorite social media platform because I can mix my passion of photography with my marketing my speaking engagements and products

My Favorite Gifts to Give

• Personalized gifts-I love Jane.com to find these
• Homemade gifts-I use Pinterest for inspiration of course! The kids and I work on projects in July and August that will be given as gifts in December since we have time when they are home from school.
• Handwritten letters
• Photos-photography is a hobby of mine-pictures make me so happy because they are reminders of special memories. I love to give photographs away
• Autographed books-whether they are my own books or a book or an author I’ve met, an autographed book is a special gift

Maria's Free Workshop

We talked in the interview about Maria's workshop - here is the exclusive link - for the Mompreneur on Fire podcast listeners!

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As a working mom and business owner, Alli Webb took one of those business ideas for women and blew it out of the water!  (Pun intended!) She made the blow-out, a natural add-on service to the haircut and made it an affordable yet luxury item for women.  Her story on Drybar's creation, expansion and explosion is not only inspirational it's informational!   

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post may contain affiliate links.

“I can’t tell you how many people said ‘you’re crazy’ to start this during a recession.”

— Alli Webb

Tweet: From Mobile Blowouts to 100,000 Blowouts (a month!) I love loved talk with @alliwebb @drybar! https://ctt.ec/46Ds3+ #girlboss

The Interview:

We talked about many different things:  

• From NY to LA
• Starting out of necessity
• Transitioning from SAHM to Mompreneur
• Mobile blowouts to brick & mortar Drybar
• Bald business partners
• Leveraging mommy-bloggers for advertising
• Taking a stand and being different in the industry
• Quick growth and expansion
• Starting a business during a recession
• Taking a leap of faith
• Overcoming stress and overwhelm
• Teaching kids the importance of hard work and good values
• The appeal of affordable luxury 
• Mistakes and learning opportunities
• International expansion
• Product and tools in the works
• How to re-charge

“There was no hesitation on my part.”

— Alli Webb

Links:

• The Drybar Guide to Good Hair for All: How to Get the Perfect Blowout at Home

More From Alli

• What did Alli want to be when she grew up?
  • I wanted to be a professional tennis player! 
• What was her first job?
  • Working at my parents clothing store, Flips in South Florida.
• What are her go-to books and apps?
  • I love workout & shopping apps! (Tracy Anderson, Soul Cycle, ShopBop, Zara, Net-A-Porter)
• What are her favorite gifts to give??
  • That’s easy, the gift of great hair! All my girlfriends love getting free blowouts :)

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

Marilyn was a great interview.  She's a mom and business owner who works with large and small businesses.  

The Key Take-Aways For Me Are:

• Your business can look however you want it to.  It's up to you create and decide with whom you work. 
• Traditional networking business practices still work to help your business grow. 
• Do what's good for your soul.  You can feel her warmth as she talks.  Happiness is...

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• When the big market dried out, smaller markets win
• Re-tweaking services to help people 
• Word of mouth has been biggest tool for selling the different packages and services
• If you think it's something I can't do, please give my card out anyway
• Pool of clients in trainers and early childhood
• Work that warms the soul
• Filled with highs and lows
• Don't get too comfortable
• Her mentors - Top level and all over
• The importance of collaborators
• How she does it - she's really good 
• Genuinely can re-invent yourself
• Taking care of herself
• The trigger that lead to yearning

Links

• Our favorite coach ever - Josephina Santiago

More From Marilyn

• What did you want to be when you grew up?
  • I wanted to own an ice cream truck!
• What was your first job?
  • cashier at Key Food Supermarket!
• What are your go-to books and apps?
  • wouldn't say I have a go-to book or app.  I have a small personal library and my favorite are poetry books and cultural themes.
• What are your favorite gifts to give?
  • I enjoy making hand creams and scented candles and sell them seasonally.  I also make a small stock to give them out as gifts on occasions.

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post may contain affiliate links.

Rachel Adams is a Realtor, Public Speaker, Coach, Author & Entrepreneur.  She is 32 years old, lives in Northern California, and is the CEO of 4 different companies. In just 3 years in the real estate industry, Rachel hit the top 1000 agents in the country for the Wall Street Journal.  On the outside looking in, her life was perfect.  She had the perfect car, the perfect social life, and everything looked top notch.  You could say she had the perfect "Facebook" life.  But as well all know reality isn't always what it seems.  And then one conversation changed everything.  Rachel decided to start leading her life with full authenticity and intention and everything changed!  She now travels around the United States teaching others and coaching on her life changing book and program, "Lost to Found in 90 Days".

“You can’t be the best person you want to be if you are not taking care of you. ”

— Rachel Adams

“You’re never going to have balance. You’re always going to be in a state of counter balance.”

— Rachel Adams

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• Being a 100% percenter
• Create enough passive streams of income 
• Investment Company
• Mommy's & Mimosas & Kids & Crafts
• From Limited to Legendary 
• How your personal development directory
• Lost to Found in 90 Days
• Navigating through the messiness
• When fancy makeup was streaming down her face
• Embrace your bounce back ability
• Take 90 days
• Writing Joy & Happy Lists
• Set really clear boundaries with my personal & professional life 
• Reason, Season or a Lifetime
• Editing your peer group
• Eating healthy
• Huge believer in leverage
• Relationship-based businesses
• Breakdowns lead to Breakthroughs
• High-level Mentors
• Where you put your priorities

“The right people are going to come into my life and the right people are going to leave my life. It’s not the wrong people who are leaving your life, like people always say. They don’t deserve to be in your world. Because when you are really leading a life at a high level, you start to crave deep conversations, passionate conversations and people that have big goals and you don’t want to talk about surface stuff anymore. ”

— Rachel Adams

Links

• Nina Rowan Heller

• Lost to Found in 90 Days

• The first 3 chapters of the book

• Chalene Johnson

• Linsey Mataway

“When I cut out drinking I finally hear what my body felt. A diet is what you eat. ”

— Rachel Adams

Rachel's Morning Routine

Rachel shares her morning routine that preps her for a successful day! She does this 7 mornings a week and my body has changed as well as my mindset! Enjoy!

“Breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess, dinner like a pauper. ”

— Rachel Adams

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post may contain affiliate links.

I had the most amazing conversation with Gina Horkey from  Horkey Handbook.  You see, I seek out people with wisdom as I usually need a good grounding and within a few moments of talking with Gina, I knew she was my go-to gal!  Gina, an online business owner and a mom of 2 little ones, knew she wanted to make a shift from her Finance job. She liked the idea of writing, the idea of a flexible schedule and the opportunities in online business.  Gina set a goal, one goal and worked to prove her concept.  Within a matter of months, Gina trained her replacement at her J.O.B. and high-tailed it to freelance work full-time.  The evolution and growth was so interesting to hear including her great nuggets of wisdom was refreshing!   

“Failure isn’t necessarily the end of something rather it’s the evolution of something better.”

— Gina Horkey

She is a married, millennial mama to two precocious toddlers from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s a professional writer and online business marketing consultant with a decade of experience in the financial services industry. Gina enjoys helping other freelancers gear up to quit their day jobs and take their side hustles full-time via her website, Horkey HandBook.

Notable Quotes from Gina:

"It started with one goal and then building off that momentum."

"Networking should be about building relationships and not getting your next client. Clients usually do come from that stuff but it's should be focused on meeting some really cool people that you have stuff in common with."

"You have to have a strong why to have initial motivation and then (use it for) long-term motivation."

"And I don't always know what I'm doing. I think people think either super smart or have my stuff together. When the reality is a lot of the time I am just trying things and putting myself out there and setting myself up to fail.  Because failure isn't necessarily the end of something rather it's the evolution of something better."

"Shut off the firehose when it comes to consuming content and start doing things and trying things and you can see what works." 

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• From Finance to Freelance Writer to Online Business
• Transitioning into freelance work
• Getting Up First thing
• Proof in the pudding, income goals then doubled
• Doubling down
• Her process of trying new things
• Learning on a surface level vs a deeper level
• Batching conversations
• Knowing how to be flexible
• Mentors
• What's she's interested in learning now
• Her fun new timer!  Think Pavlov
• Her Masterminds
• Keys Conferences 
• Building a community
• Work - Life Balance - It's All Life

Links

• Emily Griffin
• Dave Ramsey
• Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape the Average, and Do Work That Mattes by John Acuff
• 30 Days of Hustle
• 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success
• The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve
• Pavlok
• Double Your Freelancing Conference
• Converted Conference
• EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches by Dave Ramsey

More From Gina

• What did you want to be when you grew up?
  • A doctor. ;-) 
• What was your first job?
  • Babysitter, but then my first W2 job was as a dishwasher in a cafe - great for learning work ethic! (But I always smelled like french fries.)  
• What are your go-to books and apps?
  • I really digged Derek Sivers, Anything You Want, I read a lot by Bill Hybels and I have a ton of books sitting and waiting to be read (just need more time!). Apps - Podcast Addict, iHeartRadio, anything Google... I'm not a big app girl. 
• What are your favorite gifts to give?
  • Thoughtful ones - I try to keep mental notes and then use them when searching for just the right thing.

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post may contain affiliate links.

So many of us are the "Jack of All Trades, Master to None."  It's hard not to be that in today's instant information, instant access age.  There are so many things we can learn, so many things we can do and give ourselves to.  You're a doula, a photographer, a mom - oh my!  That's precisely the story of Cindy Collins from Euphoric Herbals.  Well, part of it anyway. Realizing she couldn't be on call as a doula gig with 3 little ones running around and also realizing she was over editing all those photos, Cindy made a conscious choice to focus one business.  With no time at all, Cindy outgrew Etsy again and again and again.  Now her initial hobby has grown to over $100,000 business with over 10,000 orders in all 50 states and 44 countries.  She's moved from home office to warehouse and produces 600+ orders a month.  She's doing great work and just last month put all 3 kids on the bus!  She's committed to growing and also having time for herself. 

Seriously you will want to listen to this power chic, Cindy Collins!

A few great takeaways:

• Motto - Service before Sales
• Her "Hustle" comes from wanting to create change and make a difference.
• Just start - you can always improve.

More Notable Quotes

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• Her hobby and side hustle start
• Running 3 businesses with 3 children
• Outgrewing Etsy
• Determining "my 1 thing"
• Doubling Orders in 2 Months
• What she did after Momentum 
• First thing she did when all 3 were on the bus and went to school
• Looking forward to having a nap
• How she got started
• Giving away scholarships
• How her upbringing prepared her for today's work
• Hustle comes from wanting to create change and make a difference
• Her goals
• Mentors and mentoring
• What does her day looks like
• Her thoughts to women pondering...

Links

• B-School by Marie Forleo
• Store Envy
• Shopify
• Dave Ramsey
• Zig Ziglar
• Growing a Handmade Business: 10 Lessons Learned

More from Cindy

• What did you want to be when you grew up?
  • My earliest memory of thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up was a mermaid, and then I remember I wanted to be a writer. 
• What was your first job?
  • My first "real" job was a kindergarten classroom aide.
• What are your go-to books and apps?
  • My favorite business books are: Brewing up a Business and E-Myth. Apps: google analytics, Typorama and 30/30.
• What are your favorite gifts to give??
  • Favorite gifts to give are a french press and the book Half the Sky.

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post may contain affiliate links.

“When I shifted the mindset, things just changed.”

— Monica Froese

There is something that happens when you have kids that is inexplicably, irrevocably different in you.  Yes, yes, you love like you never thought possible.  There is also this change in the value of your time.  Your time away from your kids, your time with adults, family, and friends.  Everything is looked at with a new lense.  The meaningless become important.  Things you didn't mind before become important choices in your life.  LIKE that corporate job.  Sure in your twenties you could go into an office, do your thing and hit up happy hour in the evening.  Then you become a mom, a busy mom and your corporate job becomes a means to an end.  And you start a side gig.  You are working for everyone else, your boss, your clients, your family but how - oh - how do you work for yourself??  My conversation with Monica Froese from Redefining Mom was about just this story.  How do you leave your corporate job for you side gig?  Monica's story is pretty amazing and now she's helping others make the shift too!  You are going to love this story.

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• Started not intending to have a business
• Her visit to the White House
• Passive Blogging
• Her bridge into working full-time
• Busy Moms Building book
• Multiple Revenue Streams
• Going from Information Overload to her Tipping Point
• Bringing in Revenue Streams
• When I shifted the mindset, things just changed.
• Fear of Missing Out
• Learning Overload
• Having to get over the skeptical-ness of myself
• Her mentors & business coach
• Her deep thinking moments
• Her 90-Day plan
• Her next time-management hack
• Her thoughts on Perfectionism & Entrepreneurship

“People can make a business out of anything.”

— Monica Froese

Links

• Flex Jobs
• Ruth Soukup - Living Well Spending Less
• Elite Blogging Academy
• Megan Flatt
• Money Saving Mom
• The Get Paid Podcast

“I was expecting some momentous things to happen where somehow I was going to walk into my corporate salary by doing one thing. That is how you are trained. You do this one job and that’s how you make your money. You can’t be an entrepreneur and thing that way.”

— Monica Froese

More From Monica

• What did you want to be when you grew up?
  • A lawyer.
• What was your first job?
  • This one is gross! My dad got me to work in a butcher shop at 14. It was owned by a distant family member. I am an animal lover and it was not a fun thing to do but it did teach me to appreciate jobs later on.  
• What are your go-to books and apps?
  • I track all of my morning walk/jogs using the app RunKeeper. It gives me a look back of all my runs for the last 5 years! I can't live without my Podcast app. My absolute favorite book of all time is The Notebook. I read it while I was working on the alzheimer's unit of a nursing home when I was 16. It's a very touching story. My favorite recent reads have been Big Magic and #GIRLBOSS.
• What are your favorite gifts to give?
  • I love giving meaningful gifts. I like to think outside the box and get something meaningful for the person I'm buying for. I tend to do a lot of my gift purchasing on Etsy these days.

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post contains affiliate links.

I have had the honor and privilege to talk with many women this past year about their businesses.  I have loved every moment our conversations.  Truthfully, today's podcast was just a little bit different.  Meredith Haberfeld, Founder of ThinkHuman leadership development firm, an organization that works with cool companies like Soul Cycle and Spotify, spoke to and of things that have really stuck with me since our recording.  Not only do I connect with some of the things she discussed (business divorce, iterative businesses, wanting to make an impact) I was also inspired by this power, knowledge and confident enthusiasm from within the conversation.  When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up and her answer was Secretary of State, I laughed because it seemed so post on.  Meredith is making waves, no doubt about it. 

My Key Take-Aways

1. Wait, I'm not the only one to go through a devastating business divorce? 
2. Wait, you want to break things on purpose to make them better?  Phew - me too!
3. Wait, how do you help people have personal responsibility, live raw and honestly AND turn that into "quantum results"?
4. Her heart is called to have and make an impact.  She's sorting through the HOW now.  (YES!)
5. More and more the world has become a place where purpose and profit can intersect. (Yes!)
6. Focus on bringing one's legacy true. Focus on fulfilling one's vision. 
7. "Life is messy and humiliating ridden with failure, tell the truth about it all.... (and so becomes the more joyful) path!"

“I was ridiculously privileged to have a dad that thought I could do anything.”

— Meredith Haberfeld

We talked about many things including: 

• Leadership development for fast-growth companies
• Cultivate the best in your own work and your team
• Iterating your business
• The chess pieces in business
• Being a senior leader in a $200 company in your 20s
• connected the dots when people have personal responsibilty raw and honest those dynamics in a an or quantum results
• Her devastating business divorce
• Lifting her head through the mommy fog
• One to many impact
• Current state of her business 
• Want to break things on purpose to make them better.  
• How they're sorting through how to have the impact
• Business is a powerful lever for doing good & how
• Take notes about things in the night
• Her oh-so wonderful mentors
• Inward & Outward pieces of advice 

Links

Bread and Wine by Shauna Neiquist (one of my mentors)

More from Meredith

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• Secretary of State

What was your first job?

• White water river guide for ARTA River Trips

What are your go-to books and apps?

• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Noah Yuval Harvard

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• I live for Etsy gifts

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post contains affiliate links.

“Having other women entrepreneurs you can connect with is quite powerful.”

— Malea Anderson

I am always curious how people get into their businesses.  How do they start? How does one decide they are going to create a fitness apparel company?? To me, that would never ever cross my mind.  But when you talk with Malea Anderson from Moxie Fitness Apparel, you see how it fits, how it makes sense, how she created a business and sales off of the things and needs happening in front of her.  In our conversation, she talks about each year, every step, and how she and her business have evolved.  Have you not yet taken "the leap" and want to know how another woman (and mom!) did so?  Have you taken the leap and are still thinking about your own evolution and growth?  Malea talks with me about all these steps, her 3 steps forward, 2 steps back.  Quite frankly, it's inspirational to hear what and where she's going. 

We talked about many things including: 

• Taking what's natural to you and turning it into a business
• Creating additional revenue streams
• Creating relationships with people in the industry
• Evolution of her businesses and sharing her passion
• Primary driver of sales
• Importance of defining your customer and how (in nitty gritty details)
• Process of educating herself during business growth
• How her business has evolved over the years
• Developing relationships with influencers
• Evolving her business whole fit lifestyle
• HOW to live the whole fit life
• Adding more resources
• Mentors
• Loneliness in being a entrepreneur
• Benefits of a mastermind
• How she guards her time
• How she wasn't an entrepreneur herself and became one

“All the awesome education is out there. It’s so neat that we have so many ways to learn right at our fingertips but it can be a little bit overwhelming. You can overload on all of these cool ideas and then run out of time to implement them.... I ahve been on a self-imposed hiatus. No more courses until I implement more. ”

— Malea Anderson

Links

• Chalene Johnson
• Amy Porterfield
• Pat Flynn
• Lewis Howes
• Tiffany Lee Gaston

More from Malea

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• When I was a kid I wanted to be a teacher, a doctor or a veternarian.

What was your first job?

• Ocean lifeguard.

What are your go-to books and apps?

• I love personal development books.  My all time favorite is You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. I am also LOVING Gabby Bernstein's new book The Universe Has Your Back. As for apps, I am usually listening to podcasts or Audible, and I've recently gotten more organized using Evernote.

• I love personal development books.  My all time favorite is "You Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero.  I am also LOVING Gabby Bernstein's new book "The Universe Has Your Back." As for apps, I am usually listening to podcasts or Audible, and I've recently gotten more organized using Evernote. 

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• I love to give cute, girly gifts like fun jewelry, a cute trucker hat, or a fun water bottle.  Something personalized or motivational is always fun to give too! 

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

This post contains affiliate links.

“I think you sometimes hit your stride a little bit quicker if you jump in and start. ”

— Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeve's is a mom of several, a homeschooler and a business owner.  She's a badass chick with contentment seeping out of her and the conversation was unreal.  Her businesses, Declaration Learning and Attic 17, both celebrate history and are as unique and inviting as she is.  

“I do have this entrepreneur inside me that wants to “push push you can make this bigger, you can grow this, you can reach more people” I also have to be realistic because if I try to do that in my season of life right now I will only be disappointed and it won’t get the results I really want which is to love what I am doing and enjoy it at every step... I am still really satisfied and am doing what I can and am enjoying the process.”

— Rachel Reeves

We talked about many things including: 

• Taking what's natural to you and turn it into a business
• Expanding on your loves
• Turning a stale subject and making it  come alive
• Just jump in an do it
• Businesses she's given up 
• Priority and her time
• Keeping expectations clear
• Her specific time management 
• How she skips past the learning curve
• Her thoughts on Perfectionism
• Her mentors
• Where her caution lay with online business

“There is a time for everything but I can’t do everything all at one time.”

— Rachel Reeves

Links

• Course Craft
• Bean Soup - The Pioneer Woman
• Mary Poppins

“No is just as good of an answer as Yes.”

— Rachel Reeves

Where You Can Find Rachel

• Instagram: rachelreneereeves
• Instagram: declarationlearning  
• Facebook: Declaration Learning
• Etsy shop: Attic 17
• At Home 06 Podcast

More from Rachel

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I had always wanted to be a Broadcast Journalist.  I even began taking courses during my first year of college.  Who knows... maybe I'll still be on CNN one day.

What was your first job?

• My first official job was working at a candy counter in a mercantile.

What are your go-to books and apps?

• "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is a daily devotional that never, ever gets old.  My favorite work of fiction is "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith and my favorite history book is "The Reagan Diaries" by President Ronald Reagan.  My favorite app would have Five Star because my husband and I love to eat out and you can earn points by eating at your favorite local joints!

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• I love to give candles to everyone because they are one of my favorite things.  I also enjoy finding the perfect book and almost always give a vintage photography instead of a greeting card.

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PS: You May Enjoy These Too...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“Good food should not (just) be for the wealthy.”

— Samantha Rodgers

Imagine knowing what you and your family are going to have for dinner tonight.  

You are going to know tonight and tomorrow night and the next night too. 

Imagine knowing that when dinner time comes by all you have to do is open the fridge and prep the meal for about 20 minutes.  

20 minutes until dinner is done!  What?

Sure there are expensive delivery plans that can take care of your meals but, again, they are really expensive.  These meal plans add up!  And I still have to go to the grocery store!  

I loved talking with Mompreneur Sam Rodgers about her new business Eating Clean Cooking Dirty.  Not only is the subscription meal planning a helpful idea to us busy moms, I love how she offers a personal touch with group coaching.  You can connect with her, including text with her if you have questions or need to substitute out some foods!

I love it!  And I loved talking with her about her business.  There are several points that stand out for me from our conversation but mostly I think I loved how she created the business and why which is not quite what you think!  And how she wished she would have started sooner!

Mompreneur on Fire Listeners & Readers get a 30-Day Free Trial!

“For someone who doesn’t want to think about the food part of their life, I can help them.”

“I wish I had started sooner.”

— Samantha Rodgers

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• Monthly subscription - meal planning
• 30 Day program - group coaching
• Transitioning a natural habit to a business
• good food should not be for the wealthy
• Her big moments in the business
• How her subscription & group coaching business model works
• Where can she connects with people
• How she makes her business work when she's horrible with social media, 
• Managing her schedule in building a business
• Finding time on her own
• Her favorite series to settle her time
• How her upbringing helped her in today's business

Links

• Trello
• Outlander

More from Sam

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I wanted to be a fashion designer.  Coco Chanel was my inspiration.  I did go to design school in London right after high school, but decided to switch to a business degree with emphasis in entrepreneurship after a year.  I realized that my true goal was to be an entrepreneur.

What was your first job?

• My first job was in a pet store cleaning up after the animals.  I was 15.

What are your go-to books and apps?

• I LOVE Trello and OneDrive.  Both are on my phone and they are awesome!  Go-to books include: The autobiography, D.V., by Diana Vreeland, Miracle Mornings, by Hal Elrod

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• I love to give the gift of food.

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

Do you love listening to Podcasts? Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you. It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late at night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“I think sometimes women hit a wall. You have to say to yourself, ‘Do I completely switch directions or do I give this up?’”

— Kate Casey

Kate Casey hit the nail on the head when she said she was a disruptor. She’s a disruptor for women who are under tremendous pressure and need an escape. Those women like me. I relate to that and I go to her for those reasons. 

I have been a fan and follower of Kate Casey from Love & Knuckles for years now. We have mutual friends and I’ve seen her around in town, but I have always felt too shy to talk with her too much. It even took a while for me to invite her on the show, to be honest. But I bit the bullet, and like she says about other things, I wish I hadn’t wasted that time.  

Kate, with four kids, did full-time work in PR and had her comedy hobby blog. This year, she gave up the full-time gig to really make “a go” at her hobby! She seems to be very conscious, intentional, and doing quite well at her new full-time gig!

Today, Kate is doing stand-up comedy, she’s writing all over the place, including doing reality show recaps on her site, writing for the Fashion Police in US Weekly, writing for several other publications, and doing seriously funny parodies on Instagram. (Some of my favorites are below.)

“Unless you take the leap, you can’t give yourself that challenge. You may say to yourself, ‘Why did I waste so much time?’”

— Kate Casey

“It’s a hustle. I’m a one man band.”

— Kate Casey

There were so many good nuggets of information and moments of inspiration from this interview - a few of my favorites are below:

On Building a Business

• She’s a hustler. Never took a maternity leave and never told anyone she was pregnant. That’s the problem with consulting. If you are not available, they will find someone else.
• No matter what you are doing, you have to look at the business side of things. Nicholas Sparks determines what he writes next by what’s missing in the market. 
• The business you need to start is the disruptor. Are you disrupting the system?
• Be more than one thing.
• If you paint yourself in a corner, you're going to come up short.

“I am writing. I take my computer everywhere I go. If I am waiting in the carpool lane, I have my computer with me.”

— Kate Casey

On Life

• Unless you take the leap, you can't give yourself that challenge. You may say to yourself, why did I waste so much time?
• People need to be more mindful of how easy it is to help someone. It's so easy to help someone. Your little introduction could be huge for them.
• We are all too hard on ourselves.
• If you love something, you can make time for it.  

The Interview

• Problems with consulting
• Transitioning her hobby into a full-time job
• Internal struggles of taking the leap
• Business side of comedy
• Her career advice from Travis Kalanick - Founder of Uber
• The real side of blogging and what people don’t understand
• Hustling
• People need to be more mindful of how easy it is to help someone
• Her hardest client
• 2 mentors - I am so grateful. I've got to pass that on.  
• Her Sh*t or Get off the Pot moment
• Logistics of having 4 kids and hustling
• Some frustrations
• Time Management
• Helping people - again

Kate does a parody on of Celebrity Moms often with the title "Same Thing, Right?" (Below are a few of my favorites from her Instagram account.)

Links

• Leslie Jones from Saturday Night Live

More from Kate

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I always envisioned myself either being a cast member on Saturday Night Live or a politician. 

What was your first job?

• My first job was filling folders at a small investment banking firm. 

What are your go-to books and apps?

• My favorite books are Bossypants by Tina Fey, Revenge: A Story of Hope by Laura Blumenfeld, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. My favorite apps are Twitter, Instagram, SiriusXM, and A Beautiful Mess for my picture parodies. 

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• My favorite gifts to give are books, monogrammed lucite trays, and photos. 

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

This post may contain affiliate links.

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

Today’s conversation on the podcast was with Erica Ziel from Knocked Up Fitness.  I always love to talk with health professionals, to hear their niche and where they think our focus should be.  THEN of course you know that I love to hear all things on how they build their business.  Erica specifically focuses on working with and helping the busy mom move better through the day!

Erica has written a book, produced video content in the form of dvds and digitally.  She consistently working to help the busy mom live a healthy lifestyle be it through easy recipes, exercise moves or ways to create balance in your life.  Having lived the country and beach life her perspective is unique too! 

Now she's focusing on CORE Rehab a program that will help us moms, postpartum strength our core and move better throughout the day!  I especially loved her tip where she references using the high ponytail to help strength up. 

ERICA'S TIP -Walk As though you have a high ponytail to Help You Move Through Your Day

“Figuring out what to say no to and priorities are a big part of figuring out balance.”

— Erica Ziel

We talked about many things including: 

• CORE Rehab Program
• Every year for the last 5 years she's created a new product
• How her upbringing prepared her for entrepreneurial life today
• How she gets help
• Her Mentors 
• Her Training
• How she manages between the kids and building her business
• How she works at balance
• Figuring out what to say No to and Priorities are a big part of figuring out balance
• How she manages when there's always something to do
• How with growth you have to change your mindset and how she does that
• How they handle bumps in the road with raising the kids
• Little Kids - Little Problems, Big Kids - Big Problems

Links

• AMAZING Cassie Piasecki - (She was my FIRST interview!)
• Angela Mader from Fitlosophy
• Sean Croxton from Underground Wellness

More From Erica

• What did you want to be when you grew up?

At one time I wanted to be an architect, and go to the Art Institute of Chicago. Then near the end of high school health, fitness and nutrition became a big part of my life {in some aspects probably too much, but I’ve learned to balance over the years}, and started Iowa State University to double major in Dietetics and Kinesiology but came out with my Bachelors just in Kinesiology and have since added nutrition certs rather then going the RD route.

• What was your first job?

Well I grew up on a farm so I guess you could say it was just working for my dad and maybe got paid a little here and there once I was older, but my first ‘real job’ was crop scouting - yes I used to be able to identify weeds easier then flowers ;-)

• What are your go-to books and apps?

Anything about nutrition, health, fitness. The last book I read was “FASCIA” - yup, your heard me right. Apps, well I don’t really do fitness apps, so it’s more just social media...

• What are your favorite gifts to give??

I love giving practical gifts, things that I know people will use. So if it’s for a pregnant mama I’ll give her a Moby baby wrap or Aden + Anais lotion, for others my favorite candle or chocolate/treat, things that will get used rather then just stuff that sits around. 

PS: You May Also Like ...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you -- the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones, and listen as you work out, do your errands, or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast is via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“Be confident your decisions because indecision is harder than once you made the decision and moved forward. We’ve learned to make decisions fast and then live with them.”

— Jacynda Smith

I first heard about the Tyme Iron from my hair dresser.  It’s this flat iron turned curling iron.  You want Lauren Conrad hair or Connie Britton hair, this is the tool to get that.  Then my sister-in-law met a whole bunch of their employees at a country music festival and was beyond impressed with how nice everyone working was!  From there, I wanted to talk with Jacynda.  How did her product come about?  How did she build this amazing company in such a short period of time?  I had to talk with Jacynda.  I am convinced and have started placing bets that she’ll be the next Sara Blakely, you know, the billionaire who invented Spanx?!

Here’s the other thing, aside from Jacynda being a mompreneur, which you know I connect with, this is not just about her, but this business is an all-hands-on-deck family-owned business.  Her brother is the Co-CEO, her husband is the CFO, her other brother does this, her cousins do that, and family friends are also heavily involved in making an awesome product an amazing business.  They have been specific and strategic.  There’s a lot to learn from our conversation.  

“Stop looking for your passion, instead follow your excitement.”

— Jacynda Smith

Here are a few things that stood out for me when learning about Jacynda and this company that is on. the. rise.  

4 Great Takeaways

1. Having Great Products

• They wanted a product that would last for 10 years.  If someone wanted to buy a new iron, it was because the paint had faded, not because the iron stopped working. 
• They started working with people in the industry who had experience and produced quality products beforehand.

2. Customer Service

• They wanted to give a Nordstrom-like customer experience.  No matter what the interaction is, they wanted the customer to walk away with a good feeling.  
  • Note: I am thoroughly impressed that they will Skype with you while you use the Tyme Iron to walk you through curling your hair!  I have never heard of a product company Skyping with you.

3 & 4. Empower Those Around You & Welcoming Challenges

• “The good thing about family (and working together) is you can put it real together.  We have all embraced that this is something we can build.”
• “In the beginning, challenges were daunting to me.  Now we welcome challenges.  What’s really helpful in a startup is to embrace challenges and experience new things.”
• “We try to empower everyone to be in charge of whatever it is they are great at.”  We look at it more as guiding or nurturing instead of being in charge.  We try to nurture everybody.  I know my ideas aren’t always the best.  In fact, most of the time they aren’t the best, we try to nurture everybody including ourselves.  We know we haven’t been here before.”
• Her brother kindly told her… “You’re going to have to learn to email if you are going to be a CEO of a company.” 
• “We don’t want challenges to drown you.  We call it moving piles. You’re moving one pile at a time.  Grab a shovel and start digging or start moving it.”

More Notable Quotes

• “We all worked for 2 years for free to build the back end of it before we actually launched the product.”
• “Be confident your decisions, because indecision is harder than once you made the decision and moved forward.  We’ve learned to make decisions fast and then live with them.”
• On Family-Owned Business - “You hunger for it when you watch your parents do that.”  
• “We don’t set hours.  Everyone is just hungry to succeed.”
• “Live your life like your grandma is watching over you and then you won’t have any regrets.”  -Jacynda’s Dad

The Interview:

We talked about so many different things:  

• Working in a family-run company
• Finding that right product to get behind and how they built it
• They worked for 2 years before launching
• Striving for Amazing Customer Service
• Her upbringing and how it prepared her for today’s business
• How they took their family business one step further and hired friends, too
• How they empower their team
• Hardest part of the business - so far
• Using your instincts
• How her kids are involved
• How she’s involved with her kids
• The fine lines in working with family and her husband (aka trying not be bossy!)
• Being Real
• The surreal moments
• What’s she’s learned
• The importance of decision making & trusting your instincts
• Forget finding your passion - find THIS instead

Links

• Hello Fresh

More from Jacynda

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I didn't have a precise goal for when I grew up, but I did know I wanted to do something that was out of the ordinary!

What was your first job?

• Bussing tables at a restaurant where my Mom worked.

What are your go-to books and apps?

Books

• I love the Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 
• Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
• Good to Great by Jim Collins

Apps

• Facebook - of course
• Instagram
• Spotify
• IMDB
• Google
• and Pokemon GO because I can hunt for Pokemon on my trips for the kids, it's been great at keeping us connected:)))

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• Any well thought out gift:)))

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“Time for me. I take that very seriously.”

— Josephina Santiago

This post contains affiliate links.

“I was in a particular space where I said I could drift or I could design.”

— Josephina Santiago

Ever wonder how people get it right? How do they do all this work and live with peace?? Live a settled life? A happy, peaceful life? There are people out there, real people, who live the same experiences we do, but they are doing it better. I dream of the other side. I actually, actively, work to get to the other side. The side of life where I move forward with confident decisions and peace. Peace. I dream of peace. 

Today’s conversation is with my personal mentor and coach, Master Coach Josephina Santiago. When I met her almost ten years ago, I was at the lowest point in my life. Most people hugged me and told I was too young to be so heartbroken. Josephina skipped past that and worked to empower me.  

She worked to empower me. 

I was stuck in the muddiness of my life and she helped pull me out. That's my truth. At the end of last year, she announced she would be accepting new coachees and I recommended her to everyone I knew. This is an amazing woman with an amazing opportunity! You would be crazy not to take her up on it. Then weeks passed, and I thought, "hmmm...I am going through a few things myself, I will call her, too."

And my life changed. Lifelong learning as she says.

This woman has power and grace and works to help you find yours. Words would never do justice for how wonderful, knowledgeable and wise this woman is. Not only do you need to meet her, you want to learn from her, my dear Josephina.

I loved our conversation. Below are a few great takeaways you can start immediately.

5 Ways Master Coach Josephina Takes Care of Herself (& You Can Too!)

1. Self-care is a priority

   • She intentionally slows herself down. One example of how she does this is by writing as she journals. 
   • She commits to listening to her soul. She makes that commitment.

2. Community is important

   • Community -- we don't do this alone. She encourages us to open up and expand our community.
   • She surrounds herself with a network of support, and learned to let go of people "with lots of opinions."

3. She's a commited life-long learner

   • "Learning didn't stop once I graduated."
   • Vacations from her "9-5" have always been opportunities to continue learning.
   • She is always learning, every moment of every day.

4. She's a decision maker 

   • At one point she realized she could be a "drifter or a designer" and had to make a decision.
   • "I was living from the stories of my past... 'I can't do that,' but we can change our narratives."
   • From a space of awareness, she notices what's going on! But then KEEPS GOING. From this space of awareness you can make a choice to stay in the way you have been if it serves you (or even if it doesn't), or to begin to put your attention onto the practices for being what you choose.
   • How going back to a "9-5" gave her what he needed at that moment -- grounding -- but it didn't stop her from dreaming. 
   • "When people said you can't open a public school, we said 'watch us.'"

5. She Practices. 

   • Create a space of awareness, notice what's going on, then make a choice
   • Ontological Body Learning
   • Body movement through music
   • Go to your edge -- step into your vulnerability in the presence of others
   • Understand what your inner critics are telling you and to help you move past it
   • Meditation
   • Commitments

“In terms of busy... I am creating a space where I take care of myself. ”

— Josephina Santiago

We talked about many things including: 

• Being busy in a space with ease and grace
• Committing to listening to her soul
• Community & how we don't do this alone 
• How she learned to let go of people with lots of opinions
• How we don't see us as others see us
• Drifting vs Design
• Learning to listen within
• Closing the door and allowing the next space to open
• Trust 
• Inviting others to the edge
• How being in a 9-5 didn't stop her from dreaming 
• Ontological Body Learning and how to use music to continue your growth
• Understand what your inner critics are telling you and how to move past it
• Go to your edge; step into your vulnerability in the presence of others
• How one can create a space of awareness, notice what's going on, then make a choice
• New learning takes place with commitment
• It's not enough to say, "I am going to do this." Then you haven't done it. You need practices.
• Learning didn't stop once I graduated
• I was living from the stories, of my past "I can't do that"
• I was able to be a better mother. It was learning for a lifetime. 
• We can change our narratives
• When people said you can't open a public school, we said "watch us"
• Yes, you have insecurities, you acknowlege them, and then find the way
• Finding mentors and recurrent learning
• Tapping into the other creative possibilities
• Being called to other ways of learning. "My experiences matter." 

“Beyond the degrees I had gotten, I was still learning. I could declare myself a beginner in one area and be confident and a master in other areas.”

— Josephina Santiago

If you want to connect further with Josephina, you can find her on Facebook, email her at somalearn@gmail.com or call her at 917-202-2975. 

Josephina can also be found as the Director of Somatic Learning Designs & Senior Faculty at The Institute for Generative Leadership

Books By Josephina Santiago

• No Stopping Us Now
• Earth Spirit

Links

• Our FAVORITE meditation
• The Institute for Generative Leadership
• Newfield Network
• Barbara Teer
• Julio Olalla
• Luis Garden Acosta & Frances Lucerna

More from Josephina

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• In middle school (I wanted) to be a flight attendant. In high school, I switched to want to be a mid-wife. 

What was your first job?

• My first job was when I was 16 -- Cashier at a local department store. 
• At the age of 18 -- Summer job at a NYC municipal hospital as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the department of Gynecology.  

What are your go-to books and apps?

• Spiritual inspiration book, Apps: Calm, Shazam ( Always looking to expand my musical library)

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• Books, incenses, unscented candles, and words of inspirations

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“I’ve really always tried to foster relationships with local, fellow creatives... time and time again that has been really helpful. ”

— Hilary Walker

This post contains affiliate links.

How cool would it be to be a commercial and editorial photo stylist for your favorite brands like Neiman Marcus and Horchow?  How does one even become an interior stylist??  At minimum - I just want to have the good taste they have!  

Hilary Walker of Our Style Stories has both the taste and the technique and is pulling together styled rooms for all kinds of brands we are familiar with!  Neimans, Horchow, Michael's, the list goes on and on with whom she has worked for.  It was great to talk with her to learn not only how she manages the different aspects of her work, including a blog, a podcast and styling but also how she does it with her kiddos in tow!  How does one manage with an ever-changing schedule?  How does she promote herself and her work when it's an untraditional field like interior styling?  

Hilary is really sweet, you know that person you want to be friends with.  What's great is how she uses the mediums of blog postings and podcasting to set the message she is looking for.

How Her Blog & Podcast Are Her Calling Card

1. It displays her portfolio and voice
2. It gives her audience and potential clients an insight into her process, style and quality
3. It's a well-loved overfunded marketing department and passion project
4. It is a way for her to take ownership in getting work
5. It became her calling card before she had a full portfolio
6. It fits how she reads and communicates with others

 

We talked about many things including: 

• Difference between a freelancer and an entrepreneur
• Her over-funded marketing department
• How she took ownership of getting work
• What 3 things her blog means to her and getting work
• How she gets clients
• The differences between interior design and styling
• How she started out
• Passion Project / overfunded marketing department
• Her Podcast, the goldmine it could be and her plans for the future
• How she spends her time being a project-based business owner
• Her mentors
• How the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree
• Her quilt of income sources
• What's she's learned along the way
• Using the mobile and paper calendars
• How genuine and authentic relationships have helped her
• Creating new connections with Cold emails

Links

• Christine Visneau of veecaravan.com
• Hello Fresh

More from Hilary

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I was always a very romantic kid. I took ballet growing up and dreamt of becoming a professional ballerina. I also loved flowers and thought being a florist would be so much fun. Never in a million years did I think I would be doing the type of work I’m doing now, primarily because I didn’t realize this kind of job existed! But now that I look back, it all makes sense. I’m in love with fantasy and I get to create those (to an extent) in my job. And I work with flowers quite often too!

What was your first job?

• I’ve had a lot of jobs starting with working the cash register at my parents cafe. But beyond the family business, I worked at a dance clothing shop in high school and then taught ballroom dancing during college. 

What are your go-to books and apps?

• I LOVE the Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle Laporte. I listen to the audio version and it always fires me up! I also learned a ton from Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit, also great in audio form. As for apps, I use Expensify to track mileage and it’s a big help and Dropbox is my life saver when I’m working away from the computer.

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• I don’t have a favorite gift to give typically, but what I do love doing is purchasing gifts from my friends’ shops. It’s like giving a gift twice… one to the recipient and one to the friend whose business I’m supporting with my purchase.

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“I just kept asking more and more questions. And I found that when you ask questions, people want to help. People are willing to give you piece of advice or knowledge. I just put all the pieces together and I created a company.”

— Nita Tandom

Nita Tandon from Dalcini Stainless is your classic entrepreneur.  Well, except that she's anything but traditional.  She was a stay-at-home-mom completely not satisfied with her messy cupboards, cloudy, ugly, plastic food containers.  She grew up with better, cleaner, more organized food storage and knew North America was ready this too.  With a little bit of elbow grease, months into her launch Dalcini Stainless won Start-Up Business of the Year for the prestigious Mompreneur group in Canada.  Now she's got everyone from glampers to Hollywood calling to learn more. 

What I love is the classic moves Nita has taken to build her business.  

1. Nita had a problem and she worked to solve it. 

2. She asked questions.  She talked with her local manufacturers.

3. She asked more questions and talked with more manufacturers. 

4. She started out wanting to solve to a problem and didn't stop until she found the right solution including testing her market. 

It was as simple and as hard as that.  

Her curiosity and hard work moved her as she started out looking to solve a problem.  Now Dalcini Stainless is a year and half old, international, award-winning company. 

How does she do it?  She's curious.  She talks to others.  She breaks her time up in between big, thoughtful moments, to mindless moments to family time.  

And she doesn't stop. 

We talked about many things including: 

• How she needed a simpler system for snack time
• How she took her east Indian background and customized it for today, for North America
• How her first idea (a lunchbox) evolved
• Challenges she faced getting over people not used to working directly with a woman
• How asking the right questions lead her to finding her ultimately starting her business
• How she didn't tell her husband what she was doing
• How her husbands supports her and their skills are complimentary
• Her timeframe to making the business happen 
• Good way to teach kids how to make a proper, healthy meal
• Her workday - step by step day incorporating private time, family time, couple time and time to work
• The difference between the Big Thinking Moments and the Mindless Moments and how she plans for that each day
• How your kid see her in different roles
• How she tested her market
• Winning the Start-up of the Year Award for Mompreneur
• How her business and planning has changed
• Social Media moves. 
• Diversifying with 3 Revenue Streams
• Building an advisory board

“I don’t think having a child in your home should change who you are. ”

— Nita Tandom

Links

• Where she won Start-Up of the Year from Mompreneurs

More from Nita

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• I wanted to be an optometrist - I know, strange choice for a 7 or 8 yr old.  I just really loved all the vision tests and thought I wanted to do that for the rest of my life!

What was your first job?

• First job- I had so many jobs, I forget which one was first, but I think it was working at the popcorn stand at the local drive-in theatre.  (yes, a long time ago when they still had drive-ins!)

What are your go-to books and apps?

• Hmmm... honest answer?? Truth is I don't have much time to read boos or use many apps - oh except my coffee app.  I do love my coffee!

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• Dalcini Stainless containers of course!

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Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night!  

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go!

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

I met Veteran Blogger and Podcaster Jane Maynard from This Week for Dinner at the Mom 2.0 Summit this year and loved her immediately.  She is a mom, a mompreneur, a podcaster (!) and blogger. I knew immediately I wanted to talk with her on my own podcast and she didn’t disappoint.  Several things from our conversation stood out for me.  She talked about how her blog was her base or resume for getting her work in other areas.  How podcasting is at the ground floor of entry and why it’s got such huge potential.  Imagine what will happen when cars easily access podcasts?  Then, I loved, how she talked about Scruffy Hospitality, and where and how she prioritizes things for her family.  

Jane helped frame how the blogging world was shaped.  I have no doubt she’s “in” on how podcasting will be framed out too.  Actually, she helped me without even knowing it with her How to Start a Podcast post!

“Networking is really key to whatever business you want to start and tapping into the people you know and they know.”

— Jane Maynard

“It’s work, right? It’s work and pounding the pavement. That’s where the success comes from.”

— Jane Maynard

We talked about many things including: 

 - How she started out freelancing.
 - The power of networking
 - How you can still reach out and people *will* respond
 - How and why she started her podcast
 - How Storytelling Podcasting is "where it's at"
 - What will happen when technology and podcasting catch up with one
   another
 - Bloggers vs Podcasters - what the difference in followers means
 - Building good content on the ground floor
 - How she's a little more strategic with her podcast than she was with her blog
 - How she manages the different relationships
 - Where and how she spends her focus in terms of time spent
 - Why there's such a differentiation in time spent
 - Her upbringing and how that prepared her for her work today
 - How she manages her time, projects and family
 - Here's how I'm failing! - Ann Miura-Ko
 - Scuffy Hospitality

“I find I need to be flexible in my approach to make income.”

— Jane Maynard

Links

• SocialLuxe Lounge
• Design Mom
• Hostess with the Mostest
• BlogHer
• Ann Imig
• The Big Short
• Gimlet Media
• Startup Podcast
• Boston Mamas
• Sodium Girl
• Her interview with awesome Ann Miura-Ko
• Scruffy Hospitality

More from Jane

What did you want to be when you grew up??

• My dad had me trained to say "astrophysicist" when I was really little, which is pretty darn funny. I actually always wanted to be a teacher, from when I was tiny right up through college. I'm actually surprised that it never happened in the end. Maybe one day!

What was your first job?

• Boston Chicken, which is what Boston Market was called back in the day. I think more than anything I learned that I didn't ever want to work in restaurants ever again, but I sured did love easy access to mashed potatoes.

What are your go-to books and apps?

• Books? The ever-classic "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman is the book I pull out most often. As for apps, I use IMDB all the time (embarrassing!). Podcasts, of course! Shazam gets a lot of use on my phone, too. What else? PhotoForge2 is my favorite photo editing app, although it is sadly no longer available for purchase. Oh, and Spotify! It's funny, I don't have any cooking or recipe apps on my phone!

What are your favorite gifts to give?

• Le Creuset butter crock is my go-to gift. I love that thing and love spreading its wonderfulness to others. High quality chocolate for baking is another favorite, usually Guittard products.

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In full disclosure, this blog post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase from any of these links, I may make a little money. So thank you in advance for using these links as it adds a cushion in my accounts too! 

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night! 

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“If I could find the information, I can figure it out.”

— Wendy Hively

Today’s conversation is no different than the others.  Well, a little different.  Wendy has a full-time job AND she runs her side business AND she has daughters that she is raising.  Charliemadison Originals, a beautiful jewelry line named after her daughters is growing, growing growing.  They have a substantial following on social media, wonderful supportive partners and a mission behind them.  

I love how authentic and real Wendy is.  She is a great example of how to start, how to proceed forward, how to maintain her current responsibilities (ummm keep her JOB as a scientist) and also work on something she, personally, cares about.

We talked about many things including:

• The evolution of her jewelry business
• From Etsy to her own shop - website
• Military Spouse Entrepreneurs
• Several Online Business Classes
• How her family helps her
• If I could find the information, I can figure it out
• Figuring out what works and doesn't
• The piece that she loves about business, the pieces she'd love to outsource
• Mentors
• How her family is involved
• How her work is the example for her daughters
• The mess that's in the background
• What she lets go of
• What lists she holds on to
• Doing what you like
• What she admitted she just binge watched!
• What they consistently do with the girls and as a family
• Her 1 List that helps her out most

Links

• My conversation with Cameron Cruse from R.Riveter
• R.Riveter
• MilSpo
• Flourish & Thrive Academy
• B School by Marie Forleo
• 21 Day Insta Course 
• Compliment

More From Wendy

• What did you want to be when you grew up? 

  • I think I changed my mind so many times when I was a kid, but I remember wanting to be a teacher or a veterinarian.

• What was your first job?
  • My first job after I graduated from college was working a laboratory for the Department of Defense.  As you know, I work full-time job in addition to my jewelry business and have worked for different agencies of the federal government since I graduated from college.  That was almost 25 years ago!
• What are your go-to books and apps?

  • I actually love to read, but I don't often have extra time to read non-business books.  There are a few books that have captured my heart of over the years - The Alchemist, The Red Tent, and Wherever You Go, There You Are.  The last one really helped me to love meditation and it's such a great book for beginners and those who think meditation is too difficult.

  • My favorite apps are Instagram, Word Swag, Afterlight, and Rainbow Love - all of them help me with marketing and graphics for my business.

• What are your favorite gifts to give??

  • My favorite gifts to give are those that have a special meaning, which is why I love to give my jewelry.  I am at the point in my life where I've just got too much stuff, so I look for gifts that help the receiver to feel special, to remember something special in her life, or to help her know how strong, beautiful, and loved she is.  My bracelets and necklaces are reminders each time they put them on, so they are my favorite things to gift.

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PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

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In full disclosure, this blog post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase from any of these links, I may make a little money. So thank you in advance for using these links as it adds a cushion in my accounts too! 

Do you love listening to Podcasts?  Or do you not really know what one is quite yet?? Let me make it easy for you.  It’s perfect for you - the super-busy-always-running-around woman that you are.  Pull up the podcast on your phone, plug-in your headphones and listen as you workout, do your errands or even the dishes late night! 

CLICK on the LINK Below & Go

OR another easy way you can pull up the Mompreneur on Fire podcast via the Podcast App that is already. on. your. iPhone.

“I don’t take no for an answer. I am going to push until we can make it work.”

— Cassie Krygsman

When was the last time your kiddos got mail?  How excited are they when something comes and it’s for them?  Ever wonder - what am I going to do with the Littles today?  Of course you have!  Cassie Krygsman combined the joy and the problem into one solution with Curiosity Box a craft & activity subscription box for the kiddos.  

Genius, right?? 

My podcast guest Julie Cole (remember her from awesome Mabel’s Labels?)  recommended that I talk with Cassie as she is making waves in Canada.  With each turn she is winning award after award for her ingenious product.  Now she is giving back her (very little) extra time to help up and coming entrepreneurs.   

Today’s conversation you will learn about how she created the product, how and when she has shifted gears, how she pushes herself and who pushes her.   I really love both answers there.  How and who she works with.  Then how she utilizes a great cross between partnerships, mentors and accountability partners to achieve her successes and also giving back. 

We talked about many things including:

• Igniting & Start-up Mompreneurs
• How it's good to see other mompreneurs come together
• When going back to work and your heart changes
• Being open to shifting your business idea
• Who pushed her beyond limits
• Entertaining kids
• How being an entrepreneur can be lonely sometimes
• Developing partnerships and how it opened up other doors
• Their first big WIN
• Good old fashioned hard work - giving back & hard work
• How much & how little sleep
• Her upbringing and what her family taught her
• How do you push yourself?
• How her lists push her
• How she manages the day and how it's changed over time
• Where and when she turns off AND HOW
• Where has she changed her mind
• How her systems allow her to get things done
• Her mentors & accountability friends
• What's for dinner tonight?!

Links

• Elaine from Easy Daysies
• Maria from Mompreneurs 
• Julie Cole from Mabel's Labels

More From Cassie

• What did you want to be when you grew up? 
  • A teacher - this is my informal way of doing that without having to be in the classroom!
• What was your first job?
  • My first job was babysitting
• What are your go-to books and apps?
  • I don't have a lot of "go to" books. I'm kind of all over the place with my books that I read. Apps I love are Facebook, Instagram, Instacollage and my Nike running...lol
• What are your favorite gifts to give??
  • Of course a Curiosity Box ;) and then I love giving unique gifts based on that person's interest. I have a lot friends that have small businesses so I like to support local and see what can be custom made or bought for each person. I have given soaps, lotions, caramels, chocolates , and some direct sales gifts.

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