New Podcast Coming Soon!

Welcome back!

For your listening pleasure I’m happy to announce that there is now a new podcast in town…it’s the New Urban Mom Podcast. The podcast will officially launch in April but this post and our brief promo show will give you an idea of what’s ahead.

What I like about podcasts is the 24-hour access and the ability to get more of what you like about a subject.  I think a lot of us are inclined to read a brief post but not a long one – depending on our schedules and daily priorities.  Yet there are those topics we like and want to know more about or need to know more about.  Bingo – the 30-minute or 60-minute podcast fits the bill for the “need to know more but have little time” group.

You can listen at your leisure, as you exercise, drive or while you’re simply relaxing in your home.

I’m so excited about this podcast because there is so much information that other colleagues and I want to share with you about new urbanism, career planning, work opportunities, entrepreneurism, family life, community activities, seasonal ideas for your home, buying a home, vacation planning and so much more.

Until we launch in April, I hope you’ll take the time to share your comments, questions and suggestions for upcoming topics as I’d love to read, learn from and act on your ideas.

Show 1

Ex-Apprentice Hauncho and Yahoo! Believe in Women Online Biz Owners

If you’ve got a business idea or if you are running your own company and could use an injection of cash you’ll like this announcement.

Carolyn Kepcher, former VP at Donald Trump’s company and his former on-air sidekick on the show “The Apprentice” recently announced on behalf of Yahoo! Small Business enterprises the launch of a new grant program to promote women’s entrepreneurship enabled by the Internet.

The program is called “Seeds for Success: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs” and it will award 3 women entrepreneurs with business grants including cash, mentorship and technical services valued at more than $25,000 each.

Interested entrepreneurs can apply online by clicking here. The deadline for applications is April 6 and winners will be announced at the end of April.

For you internet marketers out there, take note that Yahoo! and Carolyn are particularly interested in women entrepreneurs who have built their success using the Internet or are planning on launching a business that will be dependent upon the Internet for success.

If you’re not sure how to work the Internet into your business refer to my earlier post that provided links to a number of websites that offer exceptional information (some of it FREE) about how to launch an internet based business.

Good luck!

Spring Brings New Opportunities – Is Your Business Ready?

This morning my son said to me that he really can’t wait for spring and that this was the first time he ever felt that he was ready to let go of winter this early. I had to correct him on that.

Just about every year at this time he and his sister start chatting about spring and all their summer plans. I told him he just can’t remember and that it’s probably nature’s way of making us appreciate each season like it was the first time.

If you’ve got a business this is the time for you to prepare to take advantage of all the fresh opportunities, excitement and potential for growth that a new season brings.

Here are some opportunities to look out for in your community:

• Spring Fairs and Festivals – If your community is putting on a spring festival – book a booth to promote your business. There’s bound to be great traffic and the price is usually very affordable considering the reach and exposure you’re likely to get.
• School Sponsorship Opportunities – is your local elementary school or high school looking for sponsors for the spring play, graduation program or some other spring fundraiser? This is affordable advertising that reaches a pretty prime consumer audience – PARENTS.
• Local Newspaper Advertising – check to see if your local paper is offering any great deals for small business display ads. Spring is a time when folks are looking for great garage sales, home sales, renovation contractors, etc. Given the potential for increased readership at this time, this might be one of the best times to run an ad in your local paper.
• Website Promotions – Why not run some spring specials and promotions on your website? Partner with another colleague and trade services and products. Lynette Chandler of Techbased Marketing is doing a promotion along those lines. Take a moment to read about it.

Community Tourism: Good for Your Business, Your Economy

So many of us love our communities and want to do what we can to make our homes, lives and businesses thrive IN our communities. One of the concepts that has helped many communities and larger cities thrive is community tourism.

How many times have you visited friends in different cities and had them yawn as you marveled at different local sites that they found boring. There are many things in our own communities that we may find ho hum and others find interesting. Community tourism capitalizes on a community’s strengths and promotes that to visitors and tourists who might like nothing more than to visit a community with those particular attributes.

I grew up near a large metropolis. I have a fascination and affinity for small towns (under 2000 people). My husband and I even lived in a town of under 2,000 people for a few years and we loved it! As a traveler, I have at the top of the list many places that are right here in the U.S. and Canada. There really is so much to discover in our own backyard!

I’ll be sharing some more information about community tourism in upcoming posts because I think many struggling towns and larger cities across the U.S. should be looking to community tourism as a way to jump start the local economy. Who knows…one of those visitors might be the catalyst for a new employer coming to town or a helpful feature in major media outlet that might help attract more visitors and investors to the area.

While I’ll be focusing on American towns and cities, the pictures in this post feature community tourism pictures from Jamaica. I was first introduced to the whole notion of community tourism by an advocate of the concept who is Jamaican entrepreneur, Diana McIntyre-Pike. Thanks for the indulgence – it’s cold here and pictures of Jamaica are just what I need! Click on pictures to enlarge.

Connecting the Right People with the Right Careers

It never ceases to amaze me at how much I can learn from conversation with others. Think of all the times you saved yourself a trip or hours of misdirected research just by talking to someone who was able to give you the right answer for your situation or challenge.

If you happen to be looking for a career in your community or searching for the right person for your business, try talking to the right people first. Just like a real estate agent can tell you where the best homes are based on your preferences, a top notch employment recruiter can help to connect people with the positions and companies that match their professional and personal goals.

As a former recruiter for one of America’s top employment recruitment firms, I can tell you that working with a recruiter can save you a lot of the frustration associated with a career search.

Remember most career positions are not publicly posted.

Important facts for job searchers and small business owners:

• The workplace is aging
• Skilled baby boomers are retiring
• To succeed employers need experienced and knowledgeable workers and they don’t have the time for long searches
• Employment recruiters are not just for CEO positions – they are ideal for workers with experience and the skills that reflect today’s high tech environment. For example: If you have social networking experience, knowledge and ideas there are many firms interested in what you may have to say and offer…

Don’t do your employment or candidate search alone – contact a reputable recruiter. There is no cost to you if you are a candidate.

For employers, the nominal fee you are required to pay may end up being one of your best investments. Professional recruiters provide current and informed advice – just like any other trained adviser. Can you really afford the risk of hiring the wrong person? Reputable firms also offer exceptional guarantees so if the match doesn’t work you have choices from getting your money back to looking at other candidates.

Following is a brief list of some of top employment recruiters and also employment agencies in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.:

www.adecco.com – with over 7,000 offices Adecco has an extensive network placing people in all kinds of jobs from warehouse positions to marketing to high finance.

www.agencycentral.co.uk – for those of you interested in working the UK.

www.bernhart.com – senior level positions in direct marketing employment.

www.marketingtalentnetwork.com – this firm (The Cambridge Group) is based in Kansas and specializes in finding candidates for consumer product companies and small entrepreneurial firms. If you’re a small business in need of employees look here…

www.heidrick.com – Heidrick & Struggles (Worldwide) is one of the leading search firms in the world. They specialize in top management positions in advertising, communications, consumer goods and media and entertainment.

www.mrinetwork.com – Management Recruiters International is one of the largest recruitment firms in the world covering everything from contract office staffing to top management positions. I worked here as a recruiter at the beginning of my career. They are located in almost every major city and region of the United States.

Great List for Entrepreneurs and Job Seekers

It’s getting very difficult to keep track of all the great biz/career websites I refer to on a regular basis.  I don’t think I’m alone so I thought I’d do a quick and handy business/career reference list today. It is by no means inclusive but it is a great start.

A few sites of interest to those starting or managing their own business:

www.myownbusiness.org - this site provides great free services like business templates for business plans, letters, start up kit information and even a free internet business course.  The U.S. Small Business Administration uses the online course as a resource for small business owners.

www.mommasterminds.com – a great online based organization for networking with other women who have started businesses or in the process of doing so.  I’m a member of this group and I can tell you it is one of the best internet based networking/business resources anywhere.  Not only is there a very active forum used by serious and knowledgeable business owners but the learning resource center is phenomenal. NOTE: there is a fee associated with joining this group but the 7-day free trial offer helps you to get a better understanding of the value of this membership.

www.iamawahm.com – Are you a mom in Ireland or the UK? Then you likely already know about this site.  If not you’ll want to visit soon as it’s a great site for work at home moms in the UK or anywhere!

www.internetbasedmoms.com- another great online resource geared to women looking for not only networking but great educational resources too.  This resource is free!

www.assistu.com- an online educational service for individuals who want to develp the skills needed to be a virtual assistant (independent “virtual” contractor who uses the internet to provide administrative and other related services to businesses).

www.thevacoach.com - another educational service for individuals who want to learn how to become a virtual assistant in a more one-to-one type environment.  The “VA Coach” is Erin Blaskie–an up and coming young and successful entrepreneur.  I spoke to her a few months back and discussed her services with a few others – consensus is she’s done the work and she’s visionary!  That’s a good start.  According to Erin’s sales page she’s the person to contact if you “Would like to learn How to Create a Six-Figure Virtual Assistance Business.” If you succeed at earning a six-figure income give me a call!

For those women who want to network to build their business or find their next new job/career:

www.needlestackjobs.com – NeedleStack Jobs is a job board for professional, flexible jobs.  Perfect for working parents or baby boomers striving for their ideal work/life balance.

www.workitmom.com – Work It, Mom! describes their group as “an online networking community for professional women, features career advice from top leaders, skill-building tips, and access to Power Contacts and other resources.”

www.iabc.com - The International Association of Business Communicators is a professional network of more than 14,000 business communication profesionals in over 70 countries.   They have one of the best job boards anywhere.  I’ve got to toot my own horn here to say that I received an IABC Vision award for best internal communications (membership magazine).

www.diversityworking.com – This group provides a link between corporate America and professional job seekers from the African American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Women, Gay and Lesbian, Veteran, and Disabled Communities.

www.aswa.org – The American Society of Women Accountants was formed in 1938 to increase the opportunities for women in all fields of accounting and finance.

www.bpwusa.org – Business and Professional Women/USA is a multi-generational membership organization for working women that provides career advancement resources, work-life strategies and personal and professional connections.

New Urban Mom Entrepreneurs

I’d like you to meet Carrie Lauth (pictured here). Carrie is a natural living specialist and host of the popular internet radio program, Natural Moms Talk Radio. I posted about Carrie today because she’s written an exceptional business guide that I think many new urban moms will appreciate, especially if you’re thinking about becoming an entrepreneur.

As a new urbanist, I’m so thankful be living in a town that makes it easy for me and my family to access natural products and services. I’ve already posted about our farmers’ markets that help urbanites like me to feast on the best regionally grown and developed produce and products. Deciding to buy food that is grown locally is gratifying because I know its good for my family and my community.

But for many savvy new urban moms and other women the desire to live green is about more than what we eat and buy it’s about how we work.

There are many women making the transition to working in the green or “natural business” economy by creating their own businesses. Examples abound and include writers, gardeners, lactation consultants, nutritionists, event organizers, marketers, researchers, natural cosmetic consultants, home decor consultants, caterers and many other specialists and experts who are part of the growing natural business sector. If this is something you’re thinking about then I think there’s a guide that you really ought to take some time to read.

The Natural Mom Business Guide is an exceptional resource that I read in one hungry sitting. If you’re ready for a practical, step-by-step business guide for setting up your natural family living business click here.

Business Warriors of a Different Type

 Marie Ynami is an outstanding mother and business woman that I’ve come to know in the virtual sense through a very unique online business community.  She manages a business where she shares information and tips of interest to moms who work at home. 

Today I’m going to respond to Marie’s “meme” (blog game) to toot my horn about something I’ve managed to do that I’d like to share in a celebratory way     I had a goal to launch my writing business this year and I did it – SharonWrites.com.  But what I’d really like to celebrate is not so much my business but a group of women I’ve come to know as a result of this…goal.

I’ve worked for small business organizations and chambers of commerce long enough to know the kind of effort and resources needed to get a small business going.  Even with the best marketing effort, many small businesses take months to get a client base/customer response going, if at all!

My business took off far better and far quicker than I expected and it has much to do with an online network of business owners I’ve come to know over the last year.  The group, Mom Masterminds (MM), is not a code name for a CIA team or a covert PTA group.  It is a group having more impact and relevance to women wanting to have it all than any other group I’ve come across to date.   The term “having it all” gets overused, I think the term refers to those of us seeking to have ”some semblance of family life and time with children while being able to do the work we love and generate breadwinner earnings (through necessity or choice).” 

Here’s what I like most about this group.  If you need to have a business letter critiqued or a marketing strategy reviewed – consider it done…and quickly. From the outstanding experts who lead this group to the business owner who just joined last week, members  benefit from the experience and variety of the many women in MM who hail from the U.S., Canada and even a few other international locations.

Women in the Mom Masterminds group are among the sharpest entrepreneurs you’ll come across.  We’ve got copy writers, acclaimed life coaches (hi Aurelia), scrapbook/ebay experts (hi Vera), inspirational speakers for youth/young women (hi Alyssa), graphic designers (hi Wendy)….and I could go on.

All “plugging” aside these women really are tops in their field and their motivation and expertise has been influenced by one of the leading innovators in the the work at home mom market – Kelly McCausey of WAHM Talk Radio.

The next time you’re in need of professional services for your business, family or social needs…take a second look at that determined woman pushing a stroller down the sidewalk, or debating with a teenager…she just might be the business warrior you’ve been looking for!

Being Unique Is Good

As you may or may not know, this blog is all about community life and how individuals and groups can thrive both professionally and personally through the giving, receiving and sharing that we do as…social folks. One of my communities is a unique network of female entrepreneurs that really inspire me in so many aspects of my life.

Today I’ve been tapped by Aurelia Williams of Real Life Solutions and Alyssa Avant of Beauty By Design Online to dig down deep and share seven random and weird things about me.  Like I said, my community is unique…

Here goes:

1. I can not sleep past 6 a.m…no matter how hard I try.
2. I don’t like my hand to be held in a limp fashion…drove my mother nuts when I was a child.
3. I could eat eggs morning, noon and night – I’m not sure what my family thinks about this
4. I think Katharine Hepburn is the best actress I’ve ever seen.
5. (Dark secret) I STILL like Parliament Funkadelic…talk about eclectic tastes!
6. I love flamenco guitar music and an ideal afternoon for me is listening to Gipsy Kings.
7. I remember when Compuserve was king (dating myself).

I am tagging:

Tiffany – Nature Moms

Chele – Moms Love Shopping

Nell – Telecommuting Answer Lady

Shannon – Single WAHM.com

What I’m Thankful For

Like many people, I don’t spend enough time acknowledging the good people in my family and in my communities that make life meaningful for me. Good thing this Thanksgiving holiday slows us all down for a short while to focus on these very things.

This year has been a special one for me. I celebrated 20 years of marriage and my eldest child entered her senior year of High School. I can’t believe how the years have zoomed by! It is definitely time to take a breath to think about all I’m thankful for.

First my parents. Without their guidance and wanted and unwanted advice, I wouldn’t be who I am…heck I wouldn’t be here! I’m so happy they’re around to shower their love and attention on my children and that I am around to lend a hand as needed to these two very special, independent and unbelievably loving people.

Next my husband…I felt like I’d been waiting all my life for him when we met 20 years ago. Together we’ve created the dream I’ve nurtured since I was a little girl – my own loving family and home. He’s a good father to our kids and my rock solid best friend and confidant – the only person I can comfortably wake up at 3:00 a.m. to share an idea or goofy question!

Most importantly I’m thankful for the two children that I’ve been blessed with. They can push my buttons on a regular basis, but they also have brought me the most joy in my life. I’m proud of the teens they’ve become. They never cease to amaze me with their gentleness, kindness and desire to step out of their comfort zone to assist someone who needs it. Again, I have to thank my parents and my late in-laws for their lasting influence on my children.

I’m so grateful for my family and the ability I have to work and live in communities that strengthen and nourish me. That includes my physical “new urbanism” community that I talk endlessly about in this blog and in the virtual community of friends that I enjoy through a chance meeting online with Kelly McCausey of Mom Masterminds .

Through this network I’ve met some very inspiring women, mothers and entrepreneurs that include:

Nell at Casual Friday Every Day

Lynn Terry – Click Newz

Carrie Lauth – Natural Moms Talk Radio

Lynette Chandler – Tech Based Marketing

Tiffany at Nature Moms Blog

Aurelia Williams – Parenting My Teen

Alyssa Avant – Life From My Lap Top

Chele Neisler – Moms Love Shopping

Tishia Lee – Virtual Assistant

Annette Yen – Noah’s Ark Workshop

Alice Seba – Internet Marketing Sweetie

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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