Hey there, Boss Lady.

First off, look, I know you’re busy and life feels crazy, but you. are. killin’ it out there! …even if it doesn’t feel that way all the time. (I get it.) As an online business manager (OBM) and entrepreneur mentor, I’ve found that many CEOs haven’t yet realized these truths.

So let’s get down to business. Whether you’re building your business or business is booming—there’s always more to learn about being a CEO!

Turns out, there are quite a few universal truths about being a successful CEO, no matter how your revenue looks or where you are in the business growth process.

As an online business manager (OBM), I’ve worked with CEOs (including celebs) who run the gamut from big businesses to small, working across a whole bunch of industries—and I’ve found that many CEOs haven’t yet realized these truths, even though they’re out there running the show every day! (But hey, sometimes it’s hard to see the whole sky until you’re really flying the plane.)

So I’d like to share these secrets of successful CEOs with YOU. The sooner you learn how the role of CEO really works, the sooner you can level up and become the CEO you need to be.

You got this!

1. You must set the tone and the vision.

You wouldn’t go on a road trip without a map or GPS, right? Well, you can’t run a business without a strong vision—and when you’re CEO, it’s all eyes on YOU.

I’ve seen plenty of companies wander along—not really failing, but not thriving either. They’re just…wandering. Why? Because the CEO didn’t set a strong tone and vision for the organization.

It’s hard to arrive a destination when you have no idea where you’re going. So many entrepreneurs start out with an idea for their product, but they lack a clear vision for their business. You set the tone. You make the timeline. This is your vision and your baby. No one else will do it for you and it won’t happen without deliberate effort.

2. You need to live and breathe by the data.

Wouldn’t it be great to gaze into a crystal ball and see a totally clear picture of exactly how everything in your business is working? (Like who doesn’t want that, right?) Great news! You already have access to an even better fortune teller: it’s your data.

Data is the pulse of your business. Your data tells you what’s working and what’s not. It tells you if your customers are satisfied and if your product is performing. Data guides you. Data makes the decisions. Just like your vision, you need data to help you map out your products, diversify your offerings, expand your brand, and grow. Maybe you aren’t a “math person.” Maybe you hate spreadsheets. (Maybe just the thought of spreadsheets sends you into a panic, for that matter.)

Well, you don’t have to love data, but you can’t afford to ignore it.

So look at your numbers. Check out your analytics. A/B test your communications. Don’t fear the truth behind feedback and testing. Welcome it, and use it as a platform to direct your next moves toward business growth.

3. You cannot lose your cool.  

We’ve all done it at some point: we’ve completely lost it at our spouse, our kids, an employee…someone. As CEO, you must resist the urge. Fight it. If you lose your cool, you’ll just frighten your spouse, your team, your investors, and your customers. Seriously not cool.  

Sounds lonely, right? Well that’s why most CEOs nowadays have a coach of their own or a mastermind group—so they can privately express and work through their fears and doubts, without causing trouble on the outside. Now, I’m not saying you can’t ever vent, but you have to understand it’s a careful slippery slope. Use your coach. That’s what they’re there for.

Get someone you can work with—someone who will help you deal with work baggage before you start slinging it at your employees or customers. Hey, we ALL have fears, doubts and frustrations. It’s OK to express them! Just find someone who can help you process your struggles behind the scenes and keep moving forward as the face of the company.

4. This is no longer your passion project.  

Okay, okay, of course it’s great to like (or even LOVE) your work. Go for it. But you’re in business now, so your focus is revenue and growth. So now’s your time to think BIG. So instead, use your business wins to finance your passions.

If you’re currently standing in that middle ground, moving from hobby to full-fledged business, yes, this can be particularly challenging. But it’s time to STEP UP your game. Your team relies on you, so you need to shift to business-mode: always thinking about what’s best for the business as a whole. You’re going to make some super tough choices and you’re going to have to think beyond yourself (which I’m sure you’re already used to, but there you have it).

This is a new normal—and a powerful, new era you’re entering.

What fits with your brand? What works best for your business, your employees, your customers? What shifts do you need to make to ensure continuity, stability and growth? Do that. Do that today!

5. You won’t love it every day.

Most business owners eventually realize they no longer love coming to work every day. *Gasp!* What?? Well, it’s true. Even if you loooove being in charge of your own business, executing your own vision and running the show every single day…you will NOT always love coming to work.

I’m not going to lie. It’s not always easy. But you chose to be an entrepreneur, so YOU chose to go down this fun (but crazy and sometimes miserable) path.

Work is still work. It’s not going to be 100% fun 100% of the time. Days off still feel like a relief and you’re still going to crave a vacation that allows you to just enjoy your kids and/or hang out with your spouse, and stop thinking about your business.

And hey, that’s OK. You deserve time to take off work and take care of yourself. Working yourself into exhaustion is pretty much the worst, and it’s really not helping your business in the long run.

Even if you’re passionate about your craft and you truly love it—you’ll still have days when you’re crabby and tired. So it’s OK to ask for help and give yourself a well-deserved break.

6. You’ll feel like a fraud sometimes (but you’re not).

COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg once attended a speech at Harvard University called “Feeling Like a Fraud.” She said she felt like they were speaking directly to her the entire time. Seriously. Sheryl Sandberg, with a net worth of $1.3 billion.

Alllll of us have suffered a moment of imposter syndrome—maybe even a lot of moments. As CEO, there will be times when you’ll feel like, “OMGoodness, they’re onto me. They know I have no clue what I’m doing!!”

The reality is…they don’t know. You DO have a clue. You’re doing the things and you’re awesome at running your own business. But yes, being a CEO is a learning experience. There’s a new moment of growth every single day. It’s hard and sometimes fraught with stress and scary moments, and yet you are doing it and rocking it! GO YOU.

7. You say NO 1000 times more than you say YES.  

Every mom knows this feeling and so does every CEO. You say no over and over and over. No, we can’t do that right now. No, I don’t think this is the right plan yet. No, I don’t think this is ready to launch. No, this color won’t work.

Saying YES is far harder than saying no:

Yes is commitment.

Yes to moving forward.

Yes to progression.

The yeses are far harder to come by because the yeses take more of your time, more of your energy, and/or more of your money. So you have to be very careful. If you come across a potential YES situation, but it’s not 100% aligned with your business goals, then that’s a NO.

Plan to say NO more often—but don’t be afraid of a great YES! As CEO, you make the decisions and you need to make them with confidence. Answer both without fear!

8. You get to take the credit (and occasionally the blame).

This is your business, your creation! When it thrives, you get to hear the praise. You get to reap the benefits and the rewards from your success. You get to have the corner office (or if you work from home, the prime space above the garage, ha).

This also means that when things get messed up…well, you just have to put on your big girl pants and deal with it. The buck stops and starts with you—which it totally wonderful and totally scary. People love their scapegoats, from “my dog ate my homework” to “my employee messed up your order.” But when you’re the CEO, you have to take the kudos and the critique in stride.

And how fun is THAT?!? This is YOUR baby. This is your responsibility and nobody can take it away from you.

So, the trick is to accept the feedback and be constructive with it. Rather than looking for somewhere to place the blame, look at how YOU can fix the problem and move forward. How can you make this a growth experience?

9. You have to diversify.

No matter what your business, whether you’re an entertainer, a widget saleswoman, a blogger or an inventor, your product isn’t your brand. Your company is your brand—and your brand is more than just one product.

Let me repeat: Your company is your brand and your brand is more than one product!!

If you aren’t looking for different ways to promote your brand, and change up and diversify your offerings, you’re missing opportunities. No idea how to do that? Keep asking yourself questions. If you run a blog, what other products can you offer? Can you promote affiliates? Can you create an eBook? Can you offer an online course? Can you present as a guest speaker at a conference?

You don’t have to put all your eggs in one basket. If you do, you’ll miss out on opportunities to expand and grow. With today’s online world, products and ideas can become obsolete very quickly. You have to be ever-changing, always offering new products and ideas to the world.

10. You don’t need to do everything, but you do need to inspire.

As CEO, you don’t have to do it all. And you don’t have to be everything to everyone in your company…or to your clients. Do what you do well and lead others into doing the rest. You are the source of inspiration and YOU are the one that sounds the call to action!

So often we feel we have to do it ALL, including the parts we might not do well—even the parts we aren’t even interested in. Maybe you’re great at writing, but terrible at tech. Learn the very basics (because it’s important to understand all of your business on a floor level) and then outsource it! Delegate it and move on to the things you’re really good at.

Promote your company, grow your business, oversee your employees—but don’t get bogged down in minutia. Keep yourself focused and moving forward.

As CEO, it’s most important that you lead. Remember, you are the head of your brand and your company. YOU are the boss.

You’re already out there kickin’ butt and takin’ names because you hit the ground running and you’re amazing at what you do! Add these CEO secrets to your arsenal and you’ll be ready to take on the WORLD. Go get it!!

The #1 thing you need to know about online business is not about how good you are, nor how hard you work, it's something entirely different. You're an expert and feel confident in your field. No doubt about it. 

Everyone tells you how much they love your work. How you're a gem and you're one of a kind.  Add in some extra expletives and an awesome giphy for flavor and fun!  

The truth is - you know you're good.  

It's not being conceited.  You're actually really really good at what you do.  

I know lots of people like you.  I am super blessed that way.   People who are AWESOME at what they are doing, AWESOME at the work they are doing and yet their business is still reminiscent of being a college kid when you are digging in the seat cushion for change for the pizza boy.  

Running a business can be very expensive.  And if you are not careful you have to run the business simply to pay the bills.  

What's crazy is you see other people, who you know, doing similar things and they aren't half as good as you!  

Yet, they are working on so many cool projects that are leading to more projects.  To more income.

You die every time you see them posting about some other cool project or thing they are doing that you could easily do.  Okay, you may not d.i.e.  But you definitely choke back that bit of vomit in your mouth and roll your eyes thinking - "don't get me started." 

You could run circles around them.  No question.   

Here's the #1 Thing You Need To Know About Online Business. 

It's not how good you are.  It's not enough to feel confident. The difference is made in how strategic you are. 

Being strategic, my friend, is the single differentiating practice that separates you from them.  That's it.  Do you think all this success fell in their lap. 

No. They worked hard for it. (Choke.)  Or someone else did.  

The reality is that your friend, you know the one that you could crush in a one-on-one competition, is being specific and strategic.  OR they have someone on their team, someone on their side, being strategic for them.   Are they smarter than you? No!  Are they better at selling widgets than you are? No!

Heck no!

They are being strategic with their time.  Period. 

It's as simple as that.  

So, my friend, this is what you need to do.  You need to think bigger.  You need to think more.  You need to think of all the things that you, your brand, your voice would or could connect with.  Could sell.  

Tweet: Are You Doing #1 Thing You Need To For Your Biz http://ctt.ec/BJqi5+ #entrepreneur #femaleentrepreneur via @ashleighblatt

Here's an example:

Ok, so my friend teaches people how to sell the s**t out of themselves.  It's a hard, hard thing for a lot of people.  And her advice is spot on.  SPOT ON.  She's an expert.  She's a Master.  There's no doubt about that. No one who works with her denies that.  Everyone loves her.  When people love someone like that so much, you / they just want more.  

You get the point. 

So why isn't she out there all over the place?  Why isn't she partnering with other programs and products?  That's what the other guy is doing.  

Her revenue now is from individual client work and a program she holds a few times a year.  In my mind, immediately she needs to become an affiliate of her favorite brands so that every time she makes a genuine recommendation, she can ask her peeps to use her name as a referral.   Easy.   Multiple streams of income just because you love a product.  

She has an awesome persona, witty and crass without being vulgar.  It takes a special person.  Why is she not on speaking tours?  Why is she not speaking at every conference high and low?  What industry doesn't need to learn how to sell themselves better in real, actionable way??  I literally can't think of one.  

Just think, if we add in partnerships, products and retreats!  Oh my! 

Now she's gone from an expert that everyone loves to a Magnifier out there.  OUT THERE growing her brand and generating revenue from multiple streams of income!!

And she becomes that person and brand, that revenue-generating machine, she has been thinking and dreaming about!

Instead of gritting your teeth when you see your friend's post about how awesome they are or what other thing they are hawking. You are genuinely growing your gig to be a top tier brand that everyone knows and wants to do work with.  

How seriously awesome is that??

She can do it.  She's on her way.  You can too. 

Conclusion - it's not as hard as it seems.  Grab the 8 Steps Checklist on how to Make Room for Revenue.  

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Balancing work and family is no easy task. As women, we are expected to give 100% to everything and everyone, all the time. If you're not taking care of yourself, you're going to burn out pretty quickly.

“The struggle between work and family is not new. It is one of the most common causes of stress in working adults. More often than not, they are unable to find the golden balance between both. Given different circumstances, there is always a time when either family or work takes priority.”

These are the words of Rosette Obedoza, a blogger, entrepreneur, mother, and the loving wife of a military man. When asked about how difficult balancing work and family can be, she says     “…really stress is an understatement when women are the subjects, or much better let’s just say victims. The tussle is often associated with dysfunctional outcomes including poor physical and mental health, ineptitude at work, and strained family relationships among many other upshots.”

Laura Probert of Huffington Post says "If your expectation is that you must work harder and do more to get what you want, you will have to work harder and do more, which will lead to burn out."  And she's absolutely right!

Now Rosette and Laura are women we can both give the tag “badass mompreneurs”, of course in their own different and little ways. And here’s a list of the things that help define their success stories.

1.     Talk With Your Family

The first thing Rosette speaks of is open communication between yourself, boss at the office and of course the people you love back at home, your family. Listen: “Often I thought I did not need my husband and child to solve my work versus family concerns but I was wrong. So I decided to try and the more I did, the more I realized there is no way to get things done right if you only rely on what you know. For me, this is magical. I think that if you can make your entire family know about your obligations both at home and at work then they can be more understanding. The other bit is your boss. If s/he can understand a little more about you, certainly you hit the first step to a healthy lifestyle.

2.     Respect Your Priorities

If possible, get very clear as to how much time you need off and the impact it bears on your fee. Priority is the other thing. And it is one we know too well. We have stickers all over or don’t we? And in them we have our day’s schedule. So what really is the problem? Well, it happens not all of us respect our schedules and priority lists and yet we need this to be successful mompreneurs!

Sarah Krieger, a mother of three and dietitian in St. Petersburg, Florida says her priority list is a combination of things to be done over the week including; children stuff, business and personal needs. At the end of the day she ensures all is done in good time. Alice Garbarini, a freelancer in New Jersey on the other hand says her to do list is only complete with both work and fun slotted.

The one significance of making a to do list is that we are able to think well and make appropriate decisions before we act; with it you will be able to act on issues much proactively than reactively         

3.     Create Time For Sleep

According to a recent post by Daily Mail, lack of sleep is damaging mothers’ lives. It affects the productivity of close to 82 percent of working moms, makes some 55 percent of them vexed with their babies, and about 70 percent off sex. Perhaps you’re part of the statistics but you want out. It’s simple, create time for yourself either during the day or at night and get a nap. It’s important.

The fact of the matter is that in the short term, good sleep will help improve your ability to learn and retain information, your mood during the day, and your judgment both at home and at work while also helping you avoid little misfortunes, could be errors in the office or knife cut at home.  

This in essence will not only make you more efficient but also more productive, not to forget that in the long term a good 6-8 hour sleep guarantees a healthy lifestyle.

4.     Set and maintain time for Routine Exercise

There’s a physical, mental, spiritual and energetic toll taken from you whenever you work, birth, work and raise children. The toll is huge for any one of these things. Combine them and you’ve got a sure-fire recipe for burn out. The only way other than sleep to recharge your batteries is to formulate a simple exercise routine you can maintain. For more fun, get your partner to try it too.       

5.     Make Easier Mornings

Still at home, try not to get yourself worked out in the morning by making relevant preparations for the day the night before. Pack the kid’s lunches, lay out their clothes, and have them shower. You can also decide what to make for breakfast, repack the diaper bag, purses, backpacks and or the work bags to be placed by the door, alongside the keys so you can grab them on the way out. The importance of a light morning is that you leave to work with enough energy and good mood.  

6.     Seek Help Where Necessary  

Now if you are working 60 or more hours a week, there’s the alert. Even though you still manage to keep together a family despite all the work, you need help. And this again is what Laura speaks of, the expectations we have as women. The society expects us to be 100 percent mothers, wives, and still get a similar score at work.  Yet, how are we supposed to do that?! According to Rosette, one day you’ll be 100 percent mother less other expectations while other days you’ll be 100 percent other responsibilities less a mother. In the end, for a healthy lifestyle, it is only mature to admit there are times you need to be assisted. It's all about balancing work and family. So don’t waste a lot time listening to those saying you are lazy.  Some of my favorite resources are Amazon's Prime and Prime Now.  And of course I love Freelancer.com to help out with all sorts of odds and ends!

7.     Let Go of Negative Energy

It’s hard to please everyone, in fact, it’s impossible. Sometimes you’ll hear things; good and bad, if not how you’re not doing this right then it’s how you’re doing that wrong, sometimes from the extended family, sometimes from colleagues at work. This is part of life. Quite a normal thing in the life of both gender, but more especially for working moms so expect it and don’t allow it in.

According to Chris Talambas of Lifehack.com, negativity affects ourselves and everyone around us. It limits our potential to become great and to live a fulfilling life. Also it has a tangible effect on our health. Now, when we let it go, positivity comes in and then we begin to encounter other situations and people with more similar attitude and thus we begin to live happy and healthy lifestyles.

I am not shy about telling you how much I love this guided meditation.   It focuses my thoughts and efforts and shows me how to forgive myself for my failings (and there can be many!

8.     Listen to Your Body

Unfortunately what needs to be done can be so overbearing that we lose ourselves in it and fail to listen to our bodies. Laura tried to do it all and when she pushed herself harder, the body jammed then she realized you don’t have to sacrifice yourself in the process, you can do it all yes but save yourself; tomorrow needs you. She says, If you feel that you are really tired, run down or a little achy and that you need a vacation — take it because this isn’t a should, it’s a must for self

9.     Let Loose At Times

In Texas, a group of working women (bankers, nurses, and doctors) often let loose by organizing a roller derby. This is a game in which the members of Texas Derby Divas often laced in skates’ takes down local opponents of similarly organized groups and that’s it for them. Kerri Gathright, a member of the divas team says skating is her outlet, that if she’s often in a bad mood whenever she doesn’t go out. Like her Carrie Dopoma, who’s a flower mound mother of two often goes out and for her it’s another role with an added tag, ‘Baroness Von Booty’. She says, “I’m one person at home and a different one on the track. Well, like these diva moms, at times you can go out and let go. Like sleep, letting loose will help you become more productive by improving your mood thus keeping you on the pathway to a healthy lifestyle.       

10.  Celebrate Little Successes

Finally, there are so many ways celebrating little successes in our lives matter. Whether this is a promotion at work, beating a deadline, completing a task/project or just getting a good feedback from your manager, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate success, however little. See, the whole point of putting in all that effort - working longer hours than normal and really stretching yourself to getting both done right is so you can enjoy the satisfaction of attainment. Otherwise, you’ll be robbing yourself the feeling and sending the message that really your efforts don’t need to be recognized. When we celebrate, we get ourselves ready for the next big job, project or goal.

Briefly, other ways to work and live a healthy lifestyle includes finding quality childcare,  having some “you-time”, staying connected with your partner and other family members during the day, creating special family bonding sessions whenever time allows and finding the balance as well as setting boundaries between work and family, not to leave out creating more time for your partner.

Which of these working mom tips are you committed to implementing? Let me know in the comments below!

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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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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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When you only have a few minutes to relax, use them! It’s not very often that I have time to take a long, luxurious bubble bath– or even want to use my time to indulge in such a way– and I’m guessing that many of you feel the same. When you need to de-stress from mom life but can’t slow down, try any of these 15 working mom tips & tricks to relax in just 5 minutes– or less!

1.     Cup of Tea

““You know, there really isn’t much that can’t be solved by a decent cup of tea.”

— Louisa Clarke, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Tea is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of releasing tension, and there’s good reason for that. It’s inexpensive, simple to make, and you can feel a difference in the first few sips. Herbal blends with chamomile or lavender get the most press for promoting relaxation, but you’re not limited to those two flavors.

 My go-to is Yerba Mate, a hot tea that is known for providing an energy boost. Unlike coffee, which can give me a jittery, intense burst of energy, this tea calms me down to the point where I can focus better on whatever I’m working on.

2. Walk it Off

In a stressful situation at home or at work, remove yourself for a few minutes and get outside for a walk. Breathe in that fresh air and feel your jumble of thoughts untangle with each step.

When you’re pressed for time, walking is your best bet. Unlike running or an intense workout class, you can go straight back to your routine without needing to change clothes before and after or shower.

3. Phone a Friend

 This works for more reasons than one.

•   It’s a mental break from what you’re working on. All of those things that were stressing you out a minute ago can be forgotten while you focus on catching up with your gal pal and hearing about her life.

•   Supporting someone else makes you feel good. Reaching out to someone and showing interest in their daily goings-on is a great way to show you care, and that kindness and support will not go unnoticed– or unreturned.

•   Complaining is a nice release. If you won’t say it, I will. It just feels good sometimes to vent and let it all out. Most of the time I don’t expect my friends to have a mind-blowing solution to whatever is stressing me out, but the simple act of talking to someone about it seems to lessen the weight of my stress. If nothing else, we can both complain and help each other see the humor in it all.

•   It’s inspiring! Call someone up and say, “Tell me some good news!” Sometimes it’s the mompreneurs on my podcasts, and sometimes it’s friends and family, but hearing about others’ successes is inspiring!

4. Journal

Writing can be so incredibly therapeutic. Even if you’ve never found joy in writing, put your past conceptions aside because journaling may be your new favorite pastime.

 Don’t think “Dear Diary…”

Instead, try writing down the things you’d like to accomplish today, this week, in the next six months. Make a list of the things you have already accomplished this week, last month, in the last six years. Doodle!

5. Queue Up the Ultimate Playlist

I challenge you to not feel more relaxed in five minutes or less when you have your favorite music playing. Shake off the dust from those high school classics and sing at the top of your lungs when no one is around. It’s not just athletes that need to be pumped up. Figure out your fight song (if one didn’t come to mind immediately) and use it to rally against fatigue, stress, and days when you would just rather be at the beach.

6. Focused Breathing

A quick tip I learned from a licensed therapist is that you physically can’t feel panicked if your breathing is in control. If you feel like you’re spiraling in the middle of the day, are having a hard time falling asleep, or just need to get centered, try this quick breathing exercise wherever you are:

Breathe in while you slowly count to 3, then breathe out for 4 slow counts. Inhale 1…2…3… Exhale 1…2…3…4…. and repeat until you feel completely calm. It will happen!

While you count slowly in your head, you’re distracting yourself from the negative thoughts, and the slow, deep breaths will instantly relax you. I love this one because it flies completely under the radar and is virtually unnoticeable by those around me. It is also a great way to begin a meditation session.

7. Pull Out the Foam Roller

If you’ve used a foam roller before, I’m sure you understand exactly why this little activity made the list. It’s a favored tool by those who exercise regularly because it helps break up lactic acid buildup from previous workouts while also getting you loosened up for the next training session. You don’t need to hit the gym every day to experience the benefits of foam rolling, however.

Rolling out your muscles for a few minutes every day can have the same effect as a massage. You might not realize how tight your muscles have gotten from stress or sitting down for long periods of time. Using a foam roller can give you a deeper stretch than doing without, and help posture, blood flow, and the aches and pains of daily life.

8. Look Over Photo Albums

What else can instantly put you in a good mood like seeing all of those happy memories you stored in photo albums? With all of the technology that has come along, actual printed pictures aren’t as popular anymore, but it’s a habit I won’t let go of. I love looking back on forgotten moments from vacations and first days of school, and my kids really get a kick out of it, too. It still works if your pictures are saved on your computer or phone. After all, if you’re going to use most of your phone storage for pictures you might as well take the time to go back and enjoy them!

9. Look Over Favorite Quotes

I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for quotes; a sort of amazement at how someone could take so much wisdom, inspiration, or profundity and squeeze it into a cleverly worded little sentence. I jot down the quotes that have stuck out to me for one reason or another in my journal, on post-its that dot my desk, or clip them from magazines and newspapers to look back on when I need to remember:

•   why I work so hard at the things I love

•   other people have failed and struggled before reaching their goals

•   some of my problems are not as big as they seem, and they can be overcome

•   love is real and it is out there for me

If you haven’t started collecting quotes yet, check out Pinterest and Instagram for some of their many quote accounts.

10. Furry Friends

Petting your dog or cat may seem like it’s for their benefit, but doctors say it is one of the most efficient stress relievers around. If you’re an animal lover, then it already brings you joy to be around your furry friend, but did you know that taking time out to give Fido a belly rub can not only lift your spirits, but lower blood pressure and release a relaxation hormone? And admit it, it feels good to have someone who is always excited to see you no matter what.

11. Aromatherapy

Whether you want to relax or not, there are certain smells that just do the trick. Light a candle, turn on an essential oil diffuser, or lather your hands with an aromatherapeutic moisturizer.

For a more on-the-go solution, I love Aveda’s stress-fix roller ball that I can keep in my purse and discreetly apply to my wrists, behind my ears, and under my nose whenever I feel stress levels rising.

12. Mint Gum

The peppermint herb can have great health benefits when used in teas and tinctures, but don’t overlook mint gum. It might seem like a simple, everyday item, but mint gum can be your secret weapon in stressful situations. Chewing can release some of that tense energy, and the scent of mint is calming. For those prone to stress eating, try chomping on sugar-free gum to avoid consuming mindless calories– a habit that would stress you out more in the long run.

13. Self Massage

I never realize how sore my hands are until I get a massage, and wow what a difference it makes! Massage has long been the poster child of relaxation, but it doesn’t have to be the book-in-advance, expensive, time-consuming outing that you might be thinking of. Try devoting five minutes to just your hands. Take some coconut oil, vitamin E oil, or a glob of moisturizer and really work into that meaty area of your palm between thumb and pointer finger. For the most part, you will just know what feels good, but it doesn’t hurt to Google the location of pressure points so you can hit on those.

For your feet, find a small, dense ball. Golf balls or lacrosse balls work well, but a tennis ball has too much give. Position it under your arch while standing and slowly roll your foot back and forth to get deep into those foot muscles.

14. Surround yourself with green

No, not money–although that would be nice! Getting out into nature does wonders for the mind. There are endless ways to go about it, depending on what activity level you enjoy: walking, hiking, lake activities, golf, or just lounging in a park. The serenity and beauty of a lush, green landscape is the change of scenery that will spark instant relaxation.

15. Creative Visualization

Yes, I love meditation, so you might be wondering why it didn’t make the list. Creative visualization is so similar! I don’t always use meditation to attune my energy and focus to the future. Sometimes it is a way for me to just clear my head. Creative visualization is another way to relax. Sometimes you have so much going on that you don’t want to clear your head. You want to keep that to-do list at the forefront of your attention. Being hyper-focused doesn’t mean you can’t find calm, though! Set a timer for 15 minutes and close your eyes, relax, and visualize how you want things to go in a specific situation– the best possible outcome! Forget the skepticism and worries about things going wrong. Picture your future as you want it to be. When your timer goes off, ask yourself what’s stopping you from the dream you just envisioned? That ‘dream’ might just be your new plan of action.

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

— Kurt Vonnegut

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I’ve heard moms around me say it and I know I’ve said it plenty of times: there aren’t enough hours in the day. Typical mom life. Of course, it doesn’t matter how many hours make up a day if you aren’t using them to accomplish your goals.

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““Life is too complicated not to be orderly.””

— Martha Stewart

We can all get sidetracked, distracted, and delayed. Some days, it seems like the world is purposely throwing hurdles in my way to test my focus and slow me down. I combat days like those with this list of tried and true methods for getting more done every day. Stop drowning in mom life and get stuff done!

1. Establish Real and Specific Goals

You have to know what you’re trying to accomplish! Take a moment to think about what your immediate goals are– for the day, the week– and then consider your larger, long-term goals. Looking too far ahead can be daunting, and you don’t want to end up mentally putting things off, so think about a 6-month goal instead of a 6-year goal.

2. Prioritize

One you identify what you want to get done, it’s time to figure out what needs to get done– and in what order. Divide your goals into two categories:

1.     Goals that are important to you

2.    Goals that are important to your business

List #1 would be your personal, lifestyle priorities, such as spending time with your kids. These are the things you want to accomplish to keep you sane, happy, and healthy. They are what matter to you most emotionally.

List #2 might be sitting down to go over finances, meeting with a distributor, or any of the other tasks that you need to make time for this week or this month in order to keep your business on track.

Both lists are important!

3. Set Deadlines

You need deadlines to make sure these priorities don’t fall by the wayside.

Determine a limit for how much time you can spend on each task, or a day that they absolutely must be completed by. You can base this off a client’s actual deadlines, or use your priorities list to remind you of what you would like to come first. But remember, this also means you will need to hold yourself accountable!

4. Create a Checklist of Things That Need to Get Done

I’m a very visual person, so I find that nothing helps me more than to actually see what I need to finish each day. Before I dive into anything else, I write a numbered checklist of tasks on notebook paper and tape it to the wall above my computer in my workspace. Instead of getting overwhelmed by how much needs to get done, I focus on one number at a time, going down the list.

Crossing items off gives a sense of accomplishment that motivates me to get to the end of my list. Be realistic with how much you can get done, and confine the list to only the most pertinent tasks for today and today only. Then add one more to challenge yourself!

5... And Go!

Set a timer as you begin an item on your checklist.  Did you know that not only is there a timer on your phone but if you Google "Timer" one will pop up that you can set.  Just like that.  Set it for 20 minutes and tackle one thing on your list.  You’ll want to work faster knowing that you are “on the clock,” and seeing your results will help you plan more efficiently for the days to come. It’s easy for me to say that I can draw up a proposal in an hour, but my estimations don’t include getting interrupted by my children for snack time and look-how-dusty-my-keyboard-is time. Most cell phones have an easy-to-use stopwatch timer built in. Turn that on and get going. See how long things actually take you so you’re aware of how much you can actually accomplish in a day.

““The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.””

— Stephen Covey

6. Turn Off the TV

My life changed when I stopped watching cr*p tv.  Long gone are the days hours watching people fight with each other endlessly.  (Instead, I just read about them from my favorite funny comedian Katy Casey @ Love & Knuckles!)

Anyway, speaking of distractions, watching television is a good way to zap your time and focus. When you’ve got a full list of tasks to complete and goals to meet, watching TV will likely only get in the way. Save TV time for when you need a break from beating so many deadlines. DVR was made for busy people like us who need TV shows to run on our time, not primetime, and Netflix will wait.

7. Involve Your Family

Recruit the little ones to help in more ways than one:

1. Let them hold you accountable for deadlines. Are you following through with the rules you set for yourself? We can negotiate with ourselves to get out of things, but it’s not so easy to cheat deadlines when you’ve asked your 8-year-old to oversee your completion of checklist #1-5 by dinnertime.
2. Complete tasks. You’re not the only one who can empty the dishwasher or fold the laundry! Delegating can be family time too, right?
3. Keep you on track. Let your family know that you are in grind mode and should not be disturbed for the little things if they can help it! Essentially: “Please don’t ask me to watch a movie with you tonight! Help me keep my deadlines!”

8. Wake Up Early - YES I MEAN THAT

I get some of my best, most efficient work done when I push myself to wake up early. It’s quieter in my house (and the world in general) which is half the battle of staying focused. It also gives me more hours in the day. Yes! Conundrum solved.

9. Meditate

Meditation is like the WB-40 of getting more done every day. Try meditating to figure out your goals and priorities. Download some guided meditations.  It's no secret this meditation is my favorite.  A meditation session at the beginning of your day can help you enter into the focused mindset you need by helping you set your intentions and concentrate your energy.

You will feel unbelievable after you finish meditating and that there is nothing that can stop you!!

You can try it by sitting in silence in a cool, dark room, or letting a Youtube video lead you through the process. There are different types of meditation, depending on what you need help with that day: concentration and focus, relaxation, anxiety relief, falling asleep, or even learning to trust your intuition.

10. Celebrate Successes– Even the Small Ones!

It feels good to get things done, and sometimes you just need to take a minute and really feel the accomplishment. Just as you give yourself deadlines, plan out ways to treat yourself when you reach certain checkpoints. These little celebrations are something to look forward to– besides being successful– and reminders that you can, and should, be having fun along the way!

BONUS! 

Some of my personal favorite resources for staying productive!

• Dropbox - Could not live without it!
• Evernote
• Freelancer - because I could always seem to need some extra help!
• A Good Planner.  And a notebook to keep handy. 
• PInterest of course.  Not everyone understands just how powerful and handy this little search engine is!

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As moms, we experience days when we're severely lacking in sleep, the house is a disaster, and some disgusting smell is lingering from the kitchen. It's especially difficult when you work from home and find that your office has fallen into a black hole. So how can you re-focus on what's important and maximize your time?

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By Ty Schmidt

It’s one thing for us to embrace the concept of cherishing the little things and living in the moment.

It’s something else entirely when you have one of those days. You know the ones – the days that are etched vividly on your memory despite you wishing with all your heart they weren’t.

Especially as moms there are the days when you haven’t slept (or showered) since sometime last week and you watch in horror as your house (which, for me, is also my workplace as a work-from-home-mom) just morphed into something that would evoke nightmares in the minds of nannies and maids everywhere.

The days when canned goods from the pantry are scattered in every room of the house, and when you smell like a mixture of sweat, some sort of baby food goop and a diaper you changed only a few minutes (or maybe it was an hour) prior.

The days when glass was just shattered all over the floor and the garbage was tipped on its side and you think your beloved dog just ate what was left of a chocolate chip granola bar (doesn’t chocolate kill dogs?).

Those are the moments when living in the moment seems about as plausible as finally figuring out how to convince Starbucks to deliver a skinny vanilla latte to your doorstep.

Meditation Means Focusing

There are those moments we could all afford to just pause. To take a breath. To live in the moment.  We need a moment to focus.

Meditation is a great tool to help you learn to embrace these moments and live a more balanced life. I know what you’re thinking? What working mom or mompreneur has time for this?  I know it sounds impossible and that you’re too busy and all that glass you need to pick up before the barefooted children cut up their feet is desperately calling your name.

Who has time to sit down and empty their mind?  But that's not what meditation means.  It is not emptying your mind, it's focusing your mind.

But experts say that is where meditation practices are at their strongest. That is when taking five to 20 minutes to try guided meditation can really make a difference for you, by helping you learn to gain control over those chaotic moments. By helping you remember to breathe.

An overlooked tool to a healthier, happier you

One example I have personally found helpful is from Dr. Joe Dispenza’s “Change from the Inside Out” series.

The “Morning & Evening Meditations” download offers listeners the chance to get to know themselves better, and ultimately notice positive changes to their mental and physical health.

Available for download or on CD, the series begins by getting you in the right mindset to tackle the day and ends with a relaxing opportunity to ease your mind and body into restful sleep.

“It all sounds so simple but it can be really hard,” said Diane Sutrick, a mompreneur of three adult children who owns Peace Yoga Studio in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wis. and has been practicing yoga and meditation for more than 10 years. “In a world where our culture does so many things that are bad for the body and embraces multi-tasking like it’s the best thing in the world, we are losing ourselves and the ability to find balance.”

Meditation means teaching your body to heal

Research shows that meditation, which is a practice that helps calm yourself by quieting your mind, has many physical and mental health benefits that can aid in dealing with stress and anxiety, but also help keep you more focused and present in your daily life.

“I know the struggle for a lot of people is time – there is never enough time,” said Sutrick, who opened her yoga studio about five years ago. “Yet it is in learning to get into the moment and teaching your body how to flip the switch from using the sympathetic nervous system to using the parasympathetic nervous system that we train our body to get the rest and relaxation it craves.”

The ability to fully relax doesn’t come easy to everyone, despite the health benefits research points to in favor of taking some time to regularly reboot.

While cynics and skeptics alike may question the impact meditation can have on one’s daily life, finding a way to maintain balance by whatever means necessary sounds pretty good to a work-from-home-mom like me who all too often puts literally everything and everyone else ahead of simple things (like that yoga I’ve been meaning to pick back up for the last seven years).

Meditation means thinking about yourself and others

It sounded pretty good to Sutrick as well, which is among the reasons she wanted to find a way to help others find peace.

“I’m not an expert meditator by any means, but I am an advocate for moms who I support as they carve out the time to do something for themselves that ultimately benefits the whole family,” she said. “It’s easier for some people than it is for others, for a whole host of reasons, but meditation pairs with yoga to help you find a place to be quiet with yourself and reflect…and find your center.”

Despite the cliché that all moms live in yoga pants, not all who wear yoga actually practice yoga.

“Ultimately all that matters is that you are finding time to think, breathe and simply be in the moment,” Sutrick said. “You can meditate any time – it doesn’t have to be in a class or at yoga or what have you – in fact, it’s almost a sign you’ve learned the practice well when you can apply it to your everyday life.”

Meanwhile, doubters of the practice will try to make the case that busy people (i.e. mompreneurs on fire) don’t have time to get into lotus pose and clear their minds. Believers like Sutrick have these words of advice for them.

1. The benefits of meditation are endless. Meditation is considered a highly effective relaxation technique, and relaxation is linked to a number of proven health benefits. Less stress means a healthier immune system more capable of fighting off all those germs kids are prone to bringing home, helps keep you focused and aids in retaining memory and decision making.

2. Meditation can happen anywhere. Whether you’re wearing yoga pants or not, you can meditate almost anywhere at almost any time to help refocus, clear your mind and be present in the moment.

3. Time is of the essence. Meditation is a practice that helps you let go of the past, live in the present and be ready for tomorrow all at the same time. By clearing your mind and learning to simply be, you are more capable of finding peace amid the chaos.

Because let’s face it. The life can be tough. And not just ‘oh my goodness, I miss happy hour and mani-pedis with the girlfriends tough.

It can mean admitting that yes, you’re having one of those days when you haven’t slept more than an hour or two in the last 72 hours and you can’t keep up with the mess and you really kind of just want to drink an entire bottle of wine when no one’s looking (because that won’t give you a headache or make waking up and doing it all again tomorrow that much more trying).

Maybe we should all just try meditating instead.

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Still Thinking About It?  Here are some other great resources! 

• Changing Beliefs and Perceptions Meditation
• A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength Wisdom & Courage in Any Moment
• The UnTethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself - (Note: At last look this was on sale for $5!)
• Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program

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I know an Amazon business owner that brings in $10s of thousands of dollars a month.  Who would have thought you can make money from home by partnering with Amazon?! This is an amazing business idea for women who are just getting started or ready to start something new.  I have personally done some research on what products the winning companies are selling, who and how.  I have talked with several people and then read about others, about how they generate revenue on Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links.

I sometimes wish it were my “thing” but it’s not.  I am convinced that if you are interested, this is a real possibility to generate a ton of money every month!

Why waste the research and learning though??

here you go:

Amazon is one of the greatest Internet services where you can develop your online business and sell goods (products and items) for great prices. There are more than 20 categories available with many more subcategories. The good news is that Amazon also provides a sales plan for every member and you can choose if you are working as individual or as professional. If you are successful in the first few months, you can expect that you will build your own brand on Amazon in the next few years.

Getting Set Up

First, you need to create Amazon store and choose between individual or professional plan. Register with your e-mail address. Individuals can sell books, toys, electronics, and tools. Professionals have many additional options, including art, beauty products, and clothes. After you register your account on Amazon, you can start listing your products and items and categorize all of them. Amazon will automatically check if there are similar products in the base and if there is no product like yours, you may wait longer to register a new product for the service. You should write all the qualities and features of the item, so it can be added to the catalog and available for purchase.

Finding Products

There are a couple different strategies that people take when finding products.  INSIDER TIP: You want to purchase products for re-sale with an Amazon sales ranking of #8000 or less. 

·       You can research wholesale stores, look up their clearance items and see if there is a good match with Amazon.

·       You can visit stores like Tuesday Morning or TJ Maxx Home Goods to find deals.  Before you purchase the item pull up the item on Amazon and see if it has a good sales ranking.  If it does, can you purchase, resell it cheaper than the lowest price it’s currently offered at AND still make a profit?

·       Research high-end products that do not offer 2-day shipping and determine if there is a high enough sales ranking on Amazon.  A lot of people are starting to pay a premium for items so they can get the 2-day shipping.  So buy it on sale or at regular cost and up the price so you can make a profit and the buyer can win out too by getting the product in 2 days.  I have heard Disney shopping is a good place to look at, but have not personally checked out myself.

Sending Your Goods to Amazon

After you find products and items that you can sell on Amazon, make your purchase and then send them directly to Amazon for Fulfillment by Amazon service.  Fill your Amazon store with the products categorized and subcategorized in the categories and set your price. Be careful to set the price well, because sometimes just a few cents mean that your product can be less popular than others.

In the most cases, customers buy the first product they see, especially if it is Prime eligible. 

When you set your product try to give the buyer options in the “Customers Also Bought These” section.   This is an easy way to direct your customer to buy more from you. 

It may sound cumbersome in the beginning but my understanding is you can quickly get in a rhythm and quickly understand what will sell or not with minimal risk on your end. 

Then after you ship your products, Amazon takes care for the rest.   And start thinking about the next holidays like Black Friday and plan your sales!

Additional Tips:

-        If you can, register as a professional seller, so you can save on fees.

-        If you are a professional seller, you have more categories allowed and that means that your products can easily be found on the service.

-        If you want to register your own brand on Amazon, you should be professional subscriber.

-        Sell with FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon). That means that Amazon will ship the product and also will handle the customer care, refunds, and returns.

-        Set the lowest price with shipping included, so your product comes up first. The buyers will more likely to click on the cheapest product and that may increase your sales and income. Check the prices of the same product from other sellers, so you can make the best combination of price + shipping.

-        Combine more products as a special offer pack, to create a unique product. For example, if you sell books with bookmarks as a set. Buyers love a combined offering.

-        Don’t forget about customer service!  Good ratings are important. Customers want to feel confident in what you are offering them.

-        Describe your product with many details. Customers always want to know what they are buying.

-        Try your best to use high-quality images of the product, photographed on every side and angle possible. The photos should be at least 1000 pixels on a side, so the customers can zoom the picture. Also, try to take the photos on a white background. You can find many instructions on the Internet on how to make the best photos possible.

-        Label your items correctly before you send them to FBA.

-        Learn how to use the Amazon’s keyword tool so you can optimize your store to be in the first results after the customer searches for something.

 

Additional Resources to Help Out 

• The Selling Family is packed with information about selling on Amazon. Jessica Larrew replaced her income within a few months of being laid off and then retired her husband from his job in less than two years.  They have an Amazon Boot Camp that walks you through all of the steps it takes to get from the first steps of starting your new Amazon business to getting your first sales. Plus there are bonus materials on some more advanced strategies, and lots of information that you will need to know along the journey.

• How to Make $1,000 Per Day Clear Profit on Amazon with One Single $35 Product You Choose: - and - How to Become an After-Tax Cash Millionaire in 3 Simple Steps

• Amazon FBA: Complete Guide: Make Money Online With Amazon FBA: The Fulfillment by Amazon Bible: Best Amazon Selling Secrets Revealed: The Amazon FBA Selling Guide

• AMAZON FBA - 2016 Update: Step By Step - A Beginners Guide To Selling On Amazon, Making Money And Finding Products That Turns Into Cash

• Amazon Selling Secrets: How to Make an Extra $1K - $10K a Month Selling Your Own Products on Amazon

If you *do* decide to give it a try - please let me know!  OR If you do have some insider tips - please let me know!!

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Michelle started with multiple gigs to earn pay off her student debt fast and not live paycheck to paycheck. Now, she has 1 gig. She incorporates multiple streams of income into her blog to get things done. Crazy Fast Growth!

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First, I literally just had an interview with Michelle Schroeder from Making Sense of Cents about her work, how she does what she does, her why, etc.  If you don't know Michelle, she is living this amazing life that she has chosen.  I mean, she sold her home and travels the country with her husband in an RV and blogs about Finances.  I think that in itself is something to be celebrated!

But here's the thing.  When I interviewed her, like, yesterday, she was making $70,000 a month pretty regularly.  That's what we talked about in the interview!  How in the world did she do that?? 

But did you see it? 

The reason for the update is because not only was she making $70,000 a month, but Michelle just earned over $40,000 additional for the month, pushing her monthly income over $112,000!

Aack!  Who does that?? 

And HOW?? 

First, you should understand a little about her.  Here are some excerpts from my original interview with her, and then there are some thoughts, which I have confirmed with Michelle on the big change. 

Can you tell me about your initial side businesses?

At one point, I had many side businesses. I used to blog on the side, mystery shop, babysit, take surveys, sold items on eBay, rented rooms in my home, entered giveaways, and more. Side businesses and jobs pretty much consumed my life, and I still worked full-time as a financial analyst as well.

I did all of this so that I could pay off my student loans more quickly and not be bound by a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.

I'm so glad I found blogging, because it allows me to make a great full-time living, while also loving what I do.

What are your current revenue streams?

My only form of income now is through my blog. You can find the exact ways I earn a living in my monthly income reports. This includes: affiliate marketing, sponsorships and advertisements, and more. I do a little bit of staff writing every now and then, but not as much as I did last year.

One new form of income that I just recently started earning is through online courses. I just launched my very first course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

My monthly income totals around $70,000 a month. I expect to be earning $100,000 and above on a monthly basis by the end of the year.

What are your biggest lessons now that you are able to look back?

I thought that creating more websites would help me to increase my income. That was a huge mistake! I have since learned that when I am more focused, I am able to have much more fun with my business, while earning a better living. 

What advice would you offer out to someone else trying to have. it. all?

You can do it! Yes, it may take time and a LOT of hard work, but you can reach your goals. You just need to start.

But now Michelle has made $40,000 more?? HOW??

She created her own product. 

It's that simple and that hard. 

It always comes back to the product, and for Michelle, the additional $40,000 revenue was from her Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. 

Which I actually bought in a heartbeat once I heard about it, because Rosemarie said I needed to! (And you know I just do what Rosemarie tells me to!)

Truth be told, within a few days of me taking her Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course, I made real cold-hard-cash-money for my own pockets!

What I love most is that the product works for her AND me. 

See, she has built this blog, this business, and has learned a few things or two.  Now she has finally decided to teach others how to do what she does. 

And I have to admit, as an entrepreneur mentor, I read enough business books and follow enough people to know that creating your own product is always the game changer. 

I look forward to the day that I am there, too.  When I have my own product. 

But I am not there yet.  I am okay with that.  I am too busy pulling the rest of ... life together. 

But in the meantime, I am more than happy to learn how I can just make some extra cash doing what I am already doing -- with a tweak here and there -- thanks to Michelle and her $112,000 lessons!

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Being a mom is a great experience that brings along lots of love and loads of work.  No one doubts that nor do they argue with it.  It can become an overwhelming task on some days,  heck, some moments, and then there will be days when you’ll wonder what to do with the free time at your hand. Here are some legit ways you can work from home.

This post contains affiliate links.

Don’t we know you sometimes also want to earn a few extra bucks while also being able to spend quality time with your kids? It is more than true now, we do both.  No more stressing about balancing work and family, we can have our families, raise our families and have a side job too.

Here are a few things we look for:

• Plenty of quality time to spend with kids
• Have a feeling of self-reliance while doing so
• Feel independent
• Manage our household with the freedom to earn a few dollars too
• A job that doesn’t force them to shift things too much from your current life.  

One of the fastest growing options for the caring and loving moms these days, who also want to contribute towards the finances of the family are side jobs that don’t need their full-time involvement or being away from family and kids too!

Let’s take a look at some of the most promising part-time side jobs that can make us $2000-$3000 a month during when the kiddos are napping or at school.  It’s a way to use our time in yet another productive way and make us more independent while they are able to stand on their own two feet.

Virtual Assistant ($200 / week = $800 a month per client)

Chances are you haven’t given this amazing opportunity much of a thought. However, Virtual Assistants is one of those careers which come with amazing benefits at the comfort of working from home. It’s true that this was not much of a possibility until recently.  Thanks to the exponential rise in social media now virtual assistants are now among the most sought after professionals on the internet.  Their rates can bring in real money for your household and your pockets for a few hours of work.  

As a virtual assistant some of things you would be responsible for include:

• Schedule Meetings
• Research
• Send Emails Using Canned Responses
• Answering emails
• Data collection and analysis

The possibilities on how you can help are endless.  Find a solopreneur, a realtor, a blogger, a stylist, a jewelry maker, an Etsy or Amazon store owner and ask them if you can be of service to them!! Email them (yes! email them!) and ask if you can help!

If you can manage to 3 clients that are paying you $200 / week, that may not sound like a lot of money but at the end of the month you would collect for yourself, you can easily make around $2400 per month. That’s real money!  Made while you are working from home!
Now that sounds like a good opportunity, doesn’t it?

Monthly Payout - $2400 for 3 Clients

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Proof Reading/Editing ($10-15 per post)

If you have an eye for errors or an ear for english, proofreading and editing posts may be a piece of cake for you. You need to proofread a pre-written blog and/or edit it if there are any mistakes. Most bloggers also have eBooks and Guides and Books coming out.  There is a lot one can do!  Try finding proofreading and editing jobs through Facebook groups or Freelance sites like Freelancer.com or Upwork.com.  You can earn around $10-$15 per post without much of a time commitment from you.  If a blogger writes about 8 posts per month and pays you $10 for each post that’s $80 of cash you didn’t have before for a few minutes of your time.  What if you had 3 clients??

Monthly Payout - $240 for 3 Clients

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Set Up Blogging Tools

What if we tell you that you can earn hundreds of dollars with a laptop, an internet connection and no technical know-how?

I know if any of my friends came to me and said, how can I help?  I would direct them to the tools I am about to tell you and ask them to help me there.

This is especially good if you want to work on a project-by-project basis.  If you can spare just a few hours from your day and start setting up some of the tools, you would be in awesome, marketable shape.  Not only can you help one, you can help many.  

Start by watching some YouTube videos to learn the product.  Most platforms do not require you need to know anything about coding and are mostly quite straight forward.  Plus I promise you, if there is a question, it probably been addressed and a work around has been made.  Do one setup at a lower rate so you can physically go through the process. Once you learn a Tool, I cannot tell you how marketable and invaluable knowing these tools are.  Did I mention you don’t have to learn how to code or anything??  

• ConvertKit: It’s THE tool that most people who email you use.  It’s THE tool.  It’s an easy to use email marketing software that you can use to grow the audiences. You can start by charging them for the initial setup and offer an hourly fee and monthly maintenance fee.
• SumoMe: This is similar which can be used to grow a blogger’s email list.
• LeadPages:  Similar to ConvertKit and SumoMe, LeadPages comes with an exception that you can use landing pages, social media posts, text messaging and emails to collect leads and build customer contacts for bloggers.

These tools may sound tricky right now, but once you go through them, you’ll realize how many you can help.  Charge a set-up fee and then a monthly maintenance fee.

Set-up: $200; Monthly Maintenance; $65
Monthly Payout for 3 Clients - $795

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Consider Blogging Yourself

Have you thought of having a blog before??  Do you know what it would be about?  It’s one of those really great creative outlets that most people are still confused by.  How does one make money from a blog??  Okay, there’s advertising and sponsored posts.  But now there’s great opportunity in affiliate marketing and creating your own products.  

I find most people fall in one other these categories when it comes creating a blog: you’ve always wanted to start one, you’ve started one, or you have never even considered the idea.  Whatever your situation, I firmly believe it’s a great investment, much less fun thing to do!

• Start by setting up your hosting for something like $4 / month on Bluehost.  
• I use SquareSpace as my tool to build my website which is something like $8 / month.  (And it’s an easy tool to learn - yet another marketable skill!)
• Get writing! Share and share and share!
• If you’re worried about traffic, there are plenty of thoughts out there on how to improve your traffic but you know me, you know me, I love Rosemarie Groner and her Pinterest Strategy Guide not a bad investment at all at $35.
• When you’re ready to your blog to a real income generating level, like Michelle Shroeder who makes over $100k a month, you can start by taking her Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course.  Affiliate marketing was her primary income source for the longest time.  

So there are many ways to generate multiple streams of income from having a blog.  Even if you decide not to monetize your blog directly, it’s a great placeholder for companies to see what you are up to, what your values are and act as an online resume.  It’s a great way to establish your authority as a freelancer and with time.

Monthly Payout - Infinite possibilities.  

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Coaching/Consulting – Subject Matter Expert

There is a good chance that people often talk to you and seek guidance on a particular thing.  They may appreciate your style, the way you parent, how you manage your household or decorate.  

What I want to say is, if you have a skill that can make others’ lives better, then you should think about offering it as a service. Start by asking your friends and family if they would pay you.  Go to your local church or community center.  Put it out there in one of your Facebook groups.  
If you start at charging $100 a session, if you have 3 clients you are now bringing in $300 more than you were before!

Monthly Payout - $300+

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I know we are busy with our lives.  I know our little ones take up all of our time.  I also know so many of us want a little bit more.  Start now.  Trust me, you can do these things you dream of without blowing up your life at home.

I'd love to hear from your experience and which idea you liked the most.  Let me know!

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A stressed mind isn’t receptive to the flow of creative thoughts– thoughts which may stem into new business ideas or solutions for your current company. Even if you feel that you work best under pressure, that’s a talent that has its limits as well. Constant pressure without release is the makings of a burn out or blow out, and a boss lady CEO has time for neither. 

Entrepreneurs have a special drive and motivation. It’s the reason you couldn’t settle for an uninspiring career path, and why you’re working toward those big ideas that keep you up at night. It’s a blessing, but it can also eat up your free time– if you even have any of that left.

Most entrepreneurs put in much more than the 40 hours of a standard work week, so we know you don’t have a problem committing to the grunt work, but how often do you make time to simply do nothing?

Seem counterintuitive to growing a business? Think again.

Instead of waiting for that one straw to break your back and delay your progress, build some “me time” into your week to offset the stress of mompreneur life and take care of yourself. In this industry, an investment in yourself is an investment in your business. I know you’re busy, but here are 5 easy ways to take care of yourself that every mompreneur can make time for.

1.      Exercise

Not all of us are the type to set a 5am alarm to head over to the gym for a few hours, and we don’t have to be. To reap the benefits of exercise, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America says a little goes a long way. According to their research, “even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.” That means even a quick game of backyard tag with your kids could bring on the calm you need to breeze through your 9am conference call with investors.

 What’s more? Do this regularly and the benefits extend even further, from reduced tension levels to better sleep, self esteem, and overall mood. In other words, you should probably be able to add a gym membership or a new pair of Nike’s to your expense write-off’s, considering how powerfully beneficial exercise is to your business.

If heading to the gym isn’t your style, consider taking your dog or kids for a brisk walk each night after dinner, swimming laps in your pool (if you have one), or following a 30-minute Youtube workout tutorial in the comfort of your living room.

2. Establish your own #TreatYourselfTuesday

Okay so maybe you need to bump it back to Wednesday– you’re a busy gal, after all. Whichever day of the week works best for you, decide to treat yourself to that one item, service, or guilty pleasure that would really brighten your week. You don’t have to wait until your empire is built to celebrate all of your accomplishments thus far.

For me, it’s the 45 minutes I set aside for the blow dry bar on Sunday mornings. Before the chaos of Monday morning sets in, I indulge in a complimentary mimosa and set myself up with good hair for the rest of the week (thank you dry shampoo). Sometimes I flip through magazines, sometimes I watch whichever rom-com is being screened in the salon that day, and on busier weeks I will answer emails or jot down notes and ideas in my planner.

 For you, treating yourself might mean splurging on steak instead of chicken, getting the gel manicure instead of a regular one, or finally giving in to that super-soft leather purse you always walk by that never goes on sale. Whatever it is, let this be something for you and you alone. Running a business and a household is a lot of doing for others. It’s not selfish to set aside some time for personal enjoyment on a consistent basis. You need to feel confident in all aspects of life.

3. Sleep

Being exhausted is a special kind of torture. One of the most important ways to take care of yourself is avoiding that sluggish feeling altogether and getting better sleep more often. For many of us, sleeping in late is just not in the cards, so I approach it from the other side: by going to sleep earlier when possible. To snatch up some extra snooze time, try to go to sleep an hour earlier than usual or more if you can manage it.

Even if a full 8 hours isn’t possible, you can still improve the quality of the sleep that you do get. Sleep with your phone on silent mode, or remove it from your bedroom completely and let it charge in a separate room. You might be waking up more often throughout the night knowing that your phone is right there beside you, just waiting for you to check what texts and emails have come through.

If you really want to pamper yourself, try these quick fixes for your sleep space:

•   Take a shower or bath right before bed. Use lavender or chamomile scented shower gels or moisturizer post-shower to help bring you into a restful state.

•   Put fresh sheets and pillow cases on your bed.

•   Shut your shades and block out all sources of light, which inhibit the body from entering into those coveted deep sleep cycles.

•   Turn on your air conditioning or fan to ensure your room stays cool all night long.

•   Try an essential oil diffuser to keep you calm and relaxed. They run about $30 online and in home goods stores.

4. Girls’ Night Out

Because sometimes you need to step away from your role as commander in chief and just be one of the girls.

It will do you wonders to change out of your work mode/mommy attire and put on those heels you worked so hard to afford. You love your family dearly, but we all know there are some topics that you can’t talk to your partner or children about. Vent to your friends like the unpaid therapists they are, and get out of your own bubble by hearing about their own dilemmas and triumphs. The best part is you don’t even have to go anywhere if getting all dolled up doesn’t appeal to you this week. If one of you has a quiet house for the night, sit around in cozy clothes, sip wine, and reconnect over adult coloring books. Now wait. Before you become skeptical, know that this is a real thing. Adult coloring books have become a major hit in the world of trendy relaxation. They’re inexpensive, you can borrow your kids’ crayons, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you mellow out. I’m starting to think that those kindergarten teachers know more than they let on…

5. Kids’ Night In

Kids can sometimes get a bad reputation for causing chaos, but I find that when my world is off-kilter and too hectic, spending time with my kids can really center me. You’ll feel better by giving back to them and alleviating some of that working mommy guilt that can invade your subconscious. Kids really do say the darndest things– things that make you genuinely laugh and forget about your stress. Let your hair down and bounce on the trampoline with them, or get competitive in that new Wii game your son insisted upon at Target. Let me tell you, those little guys really know how to have a good time and they’ll be thrilled to have you join in.

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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.

“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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Now that I am learning that so many of us are working on multiple projects, and building multiple streams of income, I wanted to know how one can earn a living freelance writing!  Ty Schmidt, a reporter turned freelance writer seemed the best person to ask! Below is what her vast experience has to say!

This post contains affiliate links.

By Ty Schmidt

When I was a little girl, I wrote in my diary every single day about heaven knows what. When I was 15, I started writing for a national, bi-monthly magazine written for teens, by teens. After having major knee surgery in 2012, I took to a personal blog and creatively chronicled my recovery. And in May of this year I took about as humongous a leap of faith as they come. I quit my job as a reporter for one of the largest newspaper corporations in the country to try my luck as a freelance writer.

Even more important than that, I wanted to be a mom to my two boys as opposed to the full-time zombie version of myself I had somehow morphed into.

So I made it happen. Kind of.

Because after juggling a full-time job and two side projects leading up to my departure from all of it, I was exhausted. I needed to just take a second and breathe a huge, restorative breath. The timing worked well; it was the start of summer and only a few weeks passed before I was suddenly an expert in the best splash pads and wading pools in the area. But it wasn’t long before I missed writing again, not to mention that checking account was desperately calling my name.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far about making a living from being a freelance writer:

1)     Believe in yourself.

I know it sounds cliché, but this was the first step for me as I started building what has become a relatively successful freelance business. I needed to flip off the switch in my brain telling me I wanted to “be a writer” and realize that I already was.

2)     It’s okay to take a breather.

Mine lasted a couple of weeks, and it was probably the best decision I’ve made (aside from quitting my job, of course). Money was tight, but I joked I was like Alanis in her iconic “Ironic” lyrics. “I’m broke, but I’m happy,” I told people. And for a while it was true. Then I knew it was time to get to work.

3)     Do your research.

Take some time to understand the different freelance writing options that are available out there. From Freelancer to Textbroker, there are tons out there to choose from. Each operates differently with unique ways of handling things like fees and work flow. Get to know which kind of platform works best for you and stick to it.

4)     Start branding.

Networking and marketing yourself has never been easier than it is today, with all things social media to thank. Develop a brand for yourself just like you would if you were starting up a company – because you are! The basics like Facebook and Instagram are a good place to start, but I found other resources like contently.com to be incredibly helpful as well. Contently offers you a place to organize your online portfolio in a succinct and easily shared profile, which is an incredibly valuable tool as you move forward with your business.

5)     Choose what works.

I was just so excited to get started that I registered everywhere, including Textbroker, Freelancer and Upwork. In theory, they’re all the same: you register, you browse for work and apply for jobs. In practice, it didn’t take me long to realize that was an unreasonable, unfocused and unmanageable technique. Instead, I settled on using Upwork as my work flow management system. Using Google Drive for file sharing purposes and Slack for communication purposes, everything else I do is managed through Upwork.

Benefits to using Upwork. Clients use the system to assign work, keep track of deadlines and issue payment. While the fees charged against the work are a downside, Upwork functions as a third party protector that facilitates payment. If a client refuses to pay for work, Upwork will defend you – a benefit I decided early on was worth paying for.

Tips on growing your Upwork business. Gaining momentum on Upwork is as easy or challenging as you make it, but the first and most important step you can take is to edit your profile to say you’re an English speaking native. At first, my profile simply stated I spoke English – not that I was a native English speaker. Within minutes of making that tiny tweak, I received almost a half dozen invitations to interview.

Choose your Upwork clients wisely. At first it can be tempting to take every job you’re offered. Yet that is what I would easily deem as my most painful mistake. The point was to make some extra money while keeping the real focus on raising my sons. The point wasn’t to get myself into a situation where I was working long hours on nights and weekends to keep up with the demands. You can afford to be choosey with the jobs you take, and you will be better (not to mention more sane) for it.

Communicate with Upwork clients your way. Upwork does have its own messaging system, but it’s clunky and a little more of a hassle to use than other apps, like Slack, which facilitates communication with multiple team members.

6)     Stay organized.

Deadlines are stressful despite being flexible in most cases. If you’re like me, your schedule will rely greatly on when (and if) your children are napping or go to bed. I’ve found it most helpful to build myself a work “schedule” that I try my best to stick to throughout the week. Sure, things come up. The boys both got sick and had to go to the doctor this week, for example, which threw a wrench into my entire work flow. That’s where staying organized pays dividends.

7)     Know your worth.

Understanding pricing can get complicated, especially on Upwork when you’re dealing with a sliding fee scale. However, do not let that stop you from figuring out what your time is worth and sticking to it. Because your business is worth it. You are worth it!

8)     Remember your “why.”

This is the last and probably most pertinent element to making a living as a writer while simultaneously being a mom. For me, being a mom always comes first. For me, my kids are my “why,” and nothing will get in the way of that. They inspire me on a daily basis with their silly antics and I wouldn’t trade my time from home with them for the world.

There are days. You know the ones. The days where you honestly feel like you might just pass out from chasing around two randomly hyper toddlers all day while trying to squeeze in a quick blog post (or three) and still remember to feed yourself something more than discarded Goldfish crackers or apple slices. The days when you literally count down the seconds until bedtime, but know it’s not quite the same because you need to work after the kids fall asleep.

I never thought about those kinds of days all those years ago when I was writing in my diary. And they happen all the time. But so do the good days. Like summer afternoons watching my boys splash around together at our favorite wading pool. Or when my older son tells me he loves me randomly after we finished reading “Little Blue Truck” for the millionth time. Or when my little guy said mama for the first times. I was there for all of those special moments because of the choices I’ve made. Those are the days that inspire me. Those are the days that remind me I’ve done the write 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 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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I'm not kidding -- this girl, this woman, is amazing.  Michelle Schroeder from the personal finance blog Making Sense of Cents is "killing it." Whether you want to create multiple streams of income, or solely profit from your blog, you can do it.

This post contains affiliate links.

Michelle Schroeder travels the country in her RV with her husband and dogs, and blogs from road.  Last month, she brought in $68,000+ dollars.  The month before that, she made $69,000, and the month before that, nearly $72,000.  I point out several months because this is a pattern, not a one-time stint.  Oh and the best part is, her expenses are not nearly that of traditional businesses where expenses can easily get to 50%.  Her expenses are close to 5%.  Yes, you read that right.  Her expenses are typically below $3,000 a month, which is approximately 5%. 

Unbelievable.

How does she do it?  She blogs. 

Catch your attention?  Caught mine.  So when she released her first online course, I jumped right on in.  How does she bring in this income?  The majority of it is through Affiliate Marketing.  So, me, not having a real clear picture on what that was, signed up for Michelle's Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course and I cannot wait to see what her new numbers will be. 

I learned about Michelle from another favorite blogger of mine, Rosemarie Groner, from the Busy Budgeter.  Actually, you will remember Rosemarie, as she was one of my first podcast guests.  At the time, she was hoping to make $8,000 a month from her year-old blog, and now just a few months after the interview, Rosemarie herself is making over $20,000 a month.  

I have personally studied, hired Rosemarie, and taken the steps that Rosemarie suggests for getting traffic and earning a living.  She recommended Ruth Soukup's Elite Blogging Academy, and that learning was unbelievable.  I was lucky enough to get in right at the time it opened for the year.  Then I was lucky enough to have some coaching sessions with Rosemarie before she closed that out and focused on her own products.  Her Pinterest Strategy Guide for something like $35 is well worth the investment.  The YouTube video links she provides in them are worth 10x that in learning!  So you get my point, I love Rosemarie.

And when Rosemarie recommends Michelle, you listen.  

Michelle earns her living from her awesome blog, and the income reports (can't believe people actually post those) show Affiliate Marketing is her highest revenue source.  

I am curious, I am more than curious.  I don't really even know what affiliate marketing is, yet she's making $70,000+ a month (a MONTH) on it!

Between that and Rosemarie's recommendation, I totally signed up for her Affiliate Marketing course to learn more!

And now I am a student in awe.  

The great thing about the structure of my blog and podcast is that there are a lot of interviews, and I just had to ask her, personally and in depth, WHAT! WHY?! and HOW!  

Below is our unedited interview. 

Can you tell me about your initial side businesses?

At one point, I had many side businesses. I used to blog on the side, mystery shop, babysit, take surveys, sold items on eBay, rented rooms in my home, entered giveaways, and more. Side businesses and jobs pretty much consumed my life, and I still worked full-time as a financial analyst as well.

I did all of this so that I could pay off my student loans more quickly and not be bound by a paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.

I'm so glad I found blogging, because it allows me to make a great full-time living, while also loving what I do.

What are your current revenue streams?

My only form of income now is through my blog. You can find the exact ways I earn a living in my monthly income reports. This includes: affiliate marketing, sponsorships and advertisements, and more. I do a little bit of staff writing every now and then, but not as much as I did last year.

One new form of income that I just recently started earning is through online courses. I just launched my very first course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

My monthly income totals around $70,000 a month. I expect to be earning $100,000 and above on a monthly basis by the end of the year.

How / when you decided to focus on one (if this is the case) primary project?

Last year, I sold all of my side websites and decided to focus mainly on Making Sense of Cents. Over the years, I had created several websites on the side, as well as freelanced for many different people. I decided that my heart wasn't really in that, and that I wanted to be in charge of my business and do things that I really wanted to do. Plus, I was super scatterbrained by having so many projects and clients, and I realized I need to really focus on just one thing or a couple of things.

How this one project "clicked" and became super successful?

Yes! Ever since I made that change, I have been happier than ever, and my income is higher than ever as well!

What are your biggest lessons now that you are able to look back?

I thought that creating more websites would help me to increase my income. That was a huge mistake! I have since learned that when I am more focused, I am able to have much more fun with my business, while earning a better living. 

What are you actively learning?

I'm always learning new things about blogging and managing an online business. If there's a webinar, I almost always sign up for it. My favorite online influencers that I enjoy learning from right now include Kimra Luna, Amy Porterfield, Mariah Coz, Melyssa Griffin, and many, many others.

You live in a RV and travel with your husband. (Woops, not really a question!)

Yes, I do! We sold our house in 2015, bought an RV, and have been living in it since. 

How do you keep connected with your family and loved ones while "always being away"?

There are many things we do.  When we do go back to visit, we try to stay awhile.  We just spent two months visiting just family, and they're probably sick and tired of us until we see them again in around 6 months, ha ha. Plus, we try to plan trips and meet up with friends and family while we are traveling.  Lastly, there's always Facebook, Instagram, phone calls and text messages. :)

How do you maintain a healthy relationship with yourself?

This is easier said than done, but I do try to take breaks from my laptop when I can. That is difficult because it's extremely easy to stay connected as a blogger, so I feel like I should always be working. Plus, I love what I do, so it can be hard to stop!

Due to this, I try to maintain a healthy work-life balance.  I will take full days off when I can, and I just took the majority of the past 6 days off.  And, I'm getting ready to take it easy for the next month as well.  While, yes, I will still be working, I don't plan on adding anything additional to my plate so that I can enjoy the rest of the summer!

What does your typical day look like?

My typical day varies greatly. I usually wake up, answer some emails, walk my dogs, then come back and finish answering emails. The rest of the day varies. I may work the rest of the day until I go to sleep pretty much, or I may break the day up with some hiking, paddle boarding, trying out a new restaurant, and so on. I love being my own boss and being able to create my own schedule. It makes full-time traveling much more enjoyable!

My readers and listeners want it all.  They want to have successful businesses and a meaningful, inspirational life.  They will not settle.  They want their businesses and families too.  

Given that you seem to demand similar things in your life (run a successful, profitable business while also choosing to live a non-traditional lifestyle via the RV) 

How do you keep motivated? 

I find it very easy to keep motivated. I think it's because I love what I do. Due to that, I recommend that people follow their passions in life, or to at least do something that allows them to follow their passions in their free time. By doing so, you'll stay motivated much more easily because you'll be happy!

What advice would you offer out to someone else trying to have. it. all?

Feel confident that you can do it! Yes, it may take time and a LOT of hard work, but you can reach your goals. You just need to start.

Finally, where are you now? And what's for dinner?

We are currently in Fruita, Colorado! We just cleaned out our storage unit and put everything in a Uhaul. My husband's family is taking everything and storing it at their home. We are extremely thankful for them and the fact that they are doing us this huge favor! Next, we will be going to Buena Vista, Colorado to hike as many mountains as we can!

For dinner? Ummm, I guess I should probably think about that!

PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

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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’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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When you work from home, your office can go from clean and tidy, to disaster in about 8 seconds. You know what I mean. The kids come in and dump crayons, legos and anything else they can find... and well, now your head is a mess too. Every Sunday I get prepared for the week and this is how I do it.

OMGoodness - Are you so overwhelmed sometimes that you just want to throw up your hands? You don't know where to begin? 

I know the feeling. 

I have to fight living in and becoming a complete and total mess every. single. day. Since I work from home, my office (fancy word for room above the garage) is my haven.  I have casually and quietly decorated it.  It's a work in progress but it's mine. 

And then my girls come in and the room explodes with markers and coloring pages and food everywhere!  Then in a heartbeat they take off and run to the next thing!  Sometimes, most of the time, with me running after them!  What happened to my office?? 

It was so nice before...

Honestly, this was a metaphor for my life. 

It's clean, it's messy, it's clean, it's messy.

Total mom life! Total woman life.  Total entrepreneur.

There are a few things that help me get motivated.  You may agree or not but once in a while a girl's just gotta do what a girl's just got do.  

Sundays I prepare for the week ahead and this is how it goes. 

1. Get Caffeinated. 

Yep, I said it. 

Drink a cup of coffee or have some iced tea.  Black tea.  

I am a zombie many afternoons but I don't have time to lay low.  

I don't have the desire or ability to crash on the sofa as if I were a 22 year old with all the time world.  I don't have that luxury.  So Starbucks here I come.  

Tejava - sets me straight.  

Revolution Teas too. 

Maybe for you it's better to get those endorphins going and you need to take a brisk walk.   Skip the caffeine.  Skip the sugar (and I really mean that) and go for a walk.  Do some jumping jacks!  Get yourself energized for a productive afternoon.  

2. Let the Kids Watch Cartoons

Yep, I said that too.  

I know who I am talking to.  

I am talking to that mom who wants to do the right things for their kids, the mom that wants to have a neat house and dinners on the tables.  

She wants to have her side gig, her successful side gig.  

She wants it all or at least a little bit more.  

And here I am saying it is okay to put the tv on and put your kids front of it.  

(Now, I can't guarantee how long they will stay there but a few minutes with their attention elsewhere is the point.)  Get your kids in a position where they are focused on something besides you and where they are not making more of a mess.  

I know that's easier said than done.  But our goal here is to prepare you (energy) and your family for a productive evening.  

3.  Straighten Your House.  Don't Clean It.  Straighten It.

I'm a modern woman and a modern mom.  A modern business woman.

I can't believe I am actually telling you not to clean up!  My mother would fall flat on the floor with that advice coming out of my mouth.  

(You'll understand more with my most popular post about my relationship with my mom.)  

Here's the things about cleaning up.  It clears out your mind too.  It clears out the clutter of your house and your mind. 

Truth be told.  I hate cleaning.  I LOVE TO straighten!

Frankly, you feel better with a straight room or house.  

Here's what I do to power through and straighten up as quickly as I can without just moving piles from one place to another.  

1. Start with the kitchen.  Clean out the sinks, load the dishwasher and clear the counters.   Phew! Once you have done that you have made it through the hardest part!
2. Clear out the toys and the random items in your family and dining rooms.  Move anything that doesn't belong in these rooms out.  Move them to the stairs to go up if that's where they belong.  Don't move them upstairs at this point, just put the stuff on the stairs for now!  Clear out the family room of anything that doesn't belong there and put that stuff in piles to go where it does belong.  Make sense?  If it goes upstairs, put the stuff on the stairs.  If it goes in the garage, there's a pile by the door to take to the garage.  Focus on cleaning out one room at a time. 
3. Fluff pillows. Wipe tables clean.  
4. Once the family room and dining rooms are straight, you are ready to move to another room that is downstairs.  Move that pile for the garage into the garage and put away what you need to.   So on and so on and so on until that floor is straight. 
5. Now it's time to move upstairs.  Here's where I recruit my kids to help me.  All they need to do is help me move the stuff I have piled up on the stairs up.   
6. Now that we are upstairs, the clothes go in the hamper.
7. The beds get made if they aren't already.  (I love to make my bed in the morning.  It makes me immediately feel as if I am in nice surroundings and I am productive within minutes of waking!)
8. The piles get distributed to the place they belong.  

Phew!  You did it!  You should be proud and happy to have a straight home again! That part, admittedly, is the hardest part sometimes.  Honestly, I throw my headphones in and listen to a book on Audible or a great Podcast!  (Ummm hellooo of course!)

4. Feel Good About What You Are Doing. 

Listen, you're making progress already.  

When you clean up and clean out you are doing good things for your family and your soul.  

It's time, now is the time, to feel good that you are actively taking steps to get organized.  

Setting the intention and following through is something you are doing right now.  

This is it.  This work is what makes the difference.  

Feel good about it and carry on. 

5. Next Make Your Lists.

I love lists.  Don't you love lists?  I also need them too.  If my list is too much of an 

• Meals - what and where are you and your family going to eat.  It doesn't have to be elaborate, you can eat out every night.  The answer doesn't matter but oh-my how helpful it will be to know what you are having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 
• To Do - Do your brain dump here.  Now.  Let it go, let it all out.  Don't worry about doing any of that now, just get your list pulled together.  
• Follow Up - Who is waiting on you to respond?  Who needs what from you? 
• Phone Calls - What phones calls do you need to make and follow up on?  Who have you been meaning to call and haven't done quite yet?
• Preparation for Tomorrow - This list is often my life saver.  I write out what I need to remember for tomorrow.  What the needs to be packed for the girls, what needs to be pulled aside or does anything need to be completed.  I am constantly forgetting different things for the girls whether it is homework or flip flops or money for ice cream.  It's always something but when I plan it out ahead, I have a better shot of getting it right. 
• What you need to do this week - Pull together a list of things that need to get done this week. Period.  Star or highlight the important ones from your original to-do list or create a new list.  

Now you are probably feeling a mix of accomplishment and overwhelm.  Don't let the overwhelm stop you from taking the next steps.  

Often times we create our lists to get the things out of our heads.  

If you take one (or two) final steps, you will be further than you have been before. 

6. Calendar Blocking

Calendar blocking is a funny beast.  There's not an exact science to it but there are some real benefits of taking a look at your scheduled calendar and then filling in your To-Do List items during your open time.  

1. First thing you want to enter into your calendar is your appointments and activities that are non-negotiable.  Do the kids have basketball practice?? Do you have work meetings?  Or a Moms Night Out?  All of that goes into your calendar, first and foremost. 
2. Once you have all of your appointments in your calendar you can now see where you "free" time is.  There's not a lot of it I am sure!  In your open spots, enter in when you are going to do what.  Use the lists you created earlier to fill in the things you need to do this week, the phone calls and preparation you need to complete.  Fill in your calendar to the best you can. 

Now you are set for the rest of the week.  You have a solid idea what is going to happen and what needs to happen the rest of the week.  

Your life is organized to point where you are starting off on the right foot.  Clean, ready to go, knowledgeable. 

Be kind to yourself, allow that things are going to change and work your schedule. 

Good luck!! Let me know how it goes! 

When you're ready you can add on too!  

PS: You May Also Enjoy These...

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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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In just a few months time, I have interviewed over 45 women and mom business owners.  The power behind these women are incredible.  These are everyday women working on side jobs, full-time jobs and all are focused on building while also living their very full lives.

With all of the women I have interviewed in The Power Squad Project. 

At first I will admit I was initially shocked to learn that most of the women, if not all, work on multiple projects at one time.  Actually, more often than not, this is the case. We are not locked into one boring position. 

In fact, many of us are are protected by multiple streams of income.

I have the best job ever and love love love that I get to talk with these amazing women on my podcast about the work they do.  Not only am I curious as to how they do they what they do but what they do.  I want to know everything from the most basic level!  

How did you get started? Why did you get started?  What exactly are you doing it??

In just a few months time, I have interviewed over 45 women and mom business owners and was initially shocked to learn that most of the women, if not all, work on multiple projects at one time.  Actually, more often than not, this is the case. 

I find that information sits really well with me.  

It's the new way we diversify.  

It's the new way we can try different things and see what we like.  

We are not locked into one boring position.  We are protected by multiple streams of income.  

We are challenged by different projects.  

We are able to build our community.  

Build our income.

Build out our lives.

Build. Build. Build.

Below is a list of the different jobs these wonderful women work on now or has in the recent past as just one of their gigs.   (Note: Where there's a link, they have been interviewed. The others without a link, the interviews have been completed just not published yet.)   Can you guess who each woman is??

1. How to Be A Freelance Writer Course Creator
2. Amazing New Curling Iron Maker
3. Chemical Free Stainless Food Container Maker
4. Graphic Designer
5. Building Manager
6. Co-Packager
7. Chocolate Maker
8. Article Writer
9. Jewelry Maker
10. Candle Maker
11. Stock Photography Photographer
12. Wedding and Family Photographer
13. Nature Journalist
14. Charity Event Planner
15. Baker & Dessert Maker
16. Blogger
17. Podcaster
18. Affiliate Marketer
19. Marketing Company
20. Purse Holder Maker
21. Waxing Company
22. Handbag Maker
23. Day care owner
24. Online Business Management
25. Project Management
26. Pilates Instructor
27. Health & Nutrition Consultant
28. Healthy Meal Delivery
29. Healthy Living Monthly Membership
30. Viral Video Maker
31. Video Production
32. Actor
33. TV Host
34. Event Planner
35. Media Production
36. Children's Label Maker
37. Life Coach 
38. Speaker
39. Poet
40. Workshop Facilitator
41. Stylist
42. Home Stylist
43. Subscription Box Maker

Each of these women take opportunity with their arms wide open.  As our businesses evolve so do our income streams.

This is how we, this is how they, make. it. happen. 

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