Posts Tagged ‘mompreneur’

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E Note-Don’t Give Up, Adapt

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

I'm always looking for ways to stay a step ahead!

I'm always looking for ways to stay a step ahead!

My first nine months in business, I could barely keep up with the work. I had an extensive network in the journalism industry, and in 2005, there was still more than enough magazine freelance work to go around. But in 2006, everything changed. I went from saying, “No” to work that wouldn’t fit into my packed schedule to hearing, “No” when I asked editors if they had any assignments for me.

Ouch. If I wanted to stay afloat, I needed to adapt.

I took a careful examination of my magazine journalism skills and decided that writing offered the most potential. As a writer, I could offer my services to marketing firms, lead a location-independent lifestyle, and charge a substantial hourly rate. So in 2006 and 2007, I started to build my marketing professionals network, and by the summer of 2007, I was so busy that I barely had time to chew and swallow my food.

Although I had financial success, I felt bankrupt emotionally and really wanted to do work that let me leave my computer and interact with people. I explored new business possibilities with a coach and decided to pursue public speaking to share a message of hope and encouragement. (And leave my keyboard!) In December 2007, Real Life E was born and has developed into a time coaching and training company to empower women in business to achieve work/life brilliance™ through Schedule Makeovers™

Here are lessons I’ve learned from rebranding my business to meet my personal and professional goals:

· Dip or Dead End: Before you rebrand, ask yourself if you’re in a dip or a dead end. If you’re in a dip, pushing through the hard times will lead to exponential success (See Seth Godin’s The Dip). If you’re in a dead end (like I was with magazine journalism), exerting extra effort will lead to little benefit.

· Fix Problems: Instead of looking for “opportunities,” look for problems. I saw that many of my friends felt overwhelmed with work or struggled to build a business without burning out. Schedule Makeovers™ are a solution to their struggles.

· Set Your Hours: When you first start this process, it will be really difficult to spend time doing sales and marketing for your new brand. I recommend setting aside specific blocks of time for this task. (I started with five hours a week.) Then as your new company becomes larger, it will naturally take more of your time and you can phase out your older products and services.

To thrive in these uncertain times, you must consistently adapt your products and services and brand to meet market demand and achieve more and more of your ideal lifestyle.

If you’re struggling to rebrand your business, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a system for moving forward on your goals in a focused manner so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders does key note speaking and phone and e-mail coaching to empower women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.

This post was inspired by a suggestion from Natalia Oberti Noguera, Director of the NY Chapter of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs.

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Posted in E Notes, Encouragement, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Mompreneurs, Schedule Makeover | 2 Comments »

E Note-My Own Schedule Makeover Part I

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

My schedule helps me to spend time with my family.

My schedule helps me to spend time with my family.

When I started my first business in 2005, I had a completely haphazard schedule and would answer e-mails after going out with friends and stay up until 2 a.m. finishing projects.  This lead to almost constant feelings of stress when working and guilt when not working.

Something had to change.

So less than a year into entrepreneurship, I started setting a schedule and making a goal of working a certain amount of hours per week. These constraints helped me to carve out time to invest in the relationships that make my life truly rich–without feeling guilty for taking time to relax!

Here’s My Routine:

Each weekday, I get up at 6 a.m. and go through my morning routine—breakfast, prayer, shower, stare out the window, etc. By 8:15 a.m., I’m at my computer and answer a few personal e-mails before starting to work at 8:30 a.m. One of my first activities of the day is going into an Excel spreadsheet where I record when I plan to start and stop work and take my lunch break. Then I spend the first 1 ½ to 2 hours of my day doing my routine processing.

Going through this checklist each morning has a number of benefits:
•    I don’t waste time deciding how to start.
•    I can operate on autopilot if my brain still needs to wake up.
•    I feel confident that I’m up-to-date on all recent communication.
•    I feel no compulsion to answer e-mail or answer the phone throughout the day.
•    I’m able to set a clear list of objectives and time block based on the most recent data.

Once I’m done with processing, I do sales calls and e-mails for about an hour. I set this as my next time block because it’s one of the most important ways I can grow my business but one of the activities I most avoided. By putting it first, I actually complete this task and it doesn’t even stress me out anymore! (To keep myself motivated, I sometimes treat myself by moving to a new location–like the sunny backyard–before contacting women in business conference organizers and potential time coaching clients.)

The rest of my hours contain an ever-changing mix of business development projects, client assignments, and meetings. At the beginning of each week, I roughly time block these into my schedule to make sure I’m fitting in the most important projects. Then each morning, I review my daily plan, number the tasks in order of importance, and then set more precise time sprints.

This system:
•    Forces me to be very realistic about how much I can get done and still be able to wrap up by 5:30 p.m.
•    Directs my focus to the most urgent and important tasks first. If I don’t complete the items at the bottom of my list, it usually doesn’t matter if take care of them the next day.
•    Puts me on autopilot. I start on the first task and then move to the next and the next without questioning what’s most important. To allow my mind to make the mental shift between projects, I’ll usually get up from my computer and get a cup of tea or let myself take 5-to-10 minutes to check e-mail. Then it’s on to the next project.

I hope you find this sneak peek into my world insightful. In next week’s blog post, I’ll share more details about how I stay focused and build in motivation and accountability.

But the big thing I want you to remember is that setting the right schedule can play a huge role in your ability to stay positive and make progress toward your goals–whether those include looking for a job, building a business, making more sales, or simply having more time to sleep. I have some Schedule Makeover clients that get up at 4:30 a.m. and others that rise at 9 a.m. Both schedules work well because they suit my clients’ personal preferences and body rhythms.

The key to success is find the system that works for you!

Have a brilliant day!

Elizabeth

If you’re struggling to set a schedule, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a system for moving forward on your goals.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.

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Posted in E Notes, Encouragement, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Schedule Makeover | No Comments »

E Tip-Save Time on Incorporation

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Time Management for Business Development

Time Management for Business Development

One of the questions that women frequently ask me about starting their own businesses is:

How do I set up the legal side of my business?

This is an important question because the business structure you choose can have a big impact on:

  • Whether  your personal assets are at risk if your business is sued
  • Your tax rate for your personal and business income

When I went through this process over three years ago, I did some online research, called the IRS and Secretary of State, and ended up working with a lawyer. I got everything figured out for my S-Corporation, but it took a great deal of time. There were so many questions to ask to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Fortunately for all of you starting a business right now, there’s a much simpler and comprehensive resource: BizFilings.com

I really like this Web site because it contains:

  • A Learning Center about the different types of legal structures
  • Step-by-Step Information on the process for forming these entities
  • Multiple Programs that include compliance reminders

I recommend that you check out BizFilings.com to get a sense of what legal structure might work best for you and if you want further reading, I’ve listed some other helpful Web sites below.

Have a brilliant day!

Elizabeth

If you’re struggling to get your business off the ground, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com or contact me at esaunders@RealLifeE.com. I can help you develop a schedule for moving forward on your dreams of business ownership.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach and trainer who empowers women in business to build businesses and achieve work/life brilliance™ through her exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to offer you tips on savvy scheduling and time management for work/life balance and business development.

More Resources on Business Legal Structures:

Small Business Administration: Loads of information on starting a business

LegalZoom.com: A comparison of business structures

List of articles on business structures

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Posted in E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Resources, Social Media & Technology | No Comments »

E Tip-Banish Guilt By Sticking to Your Hours

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Me-Enjoying Spring-Guilt Free!

Me-Enjoying Spring-Guilt Free!

I feel so guilty that I’m not spending more time with my family.
I feel so guilty for taking a vacation.
I feel so guilty for not getting that project done…

Sound familiar?

Many women in business and particularly women business owners and mompreneurs struggle with feeling guilty that they’re not doing enough, being enough, and putting enough time into each part of their life.

I can definitely relate. Before I discovered the keys to work/life brilliance™ (revealed through schedulemakeover.com), I would feel guilty for not working any time I had a spare moment. But after I decided to set my hours and the number of hours I worked per week, I strengthened my ability to focus during work hours and then gave myself the freedom to not work the rest of the time–Guilt Free!

I know some of you might think, “What?! I don’t want to be someone who just wants to clock in and out.”

Don’t worry. I’m not suggesting that you become apathetic. But I know from my own experience and those of others that if you are motivated and passionate about your work and don’t set hours, you will end up neglecting your life and often won’t focus on what’s most important when you are working. (See this WomenEntrepreneur.com blogger’s post on how the Schedule Makeover™ process helped her succeed both personally and professionally.)

To start thinking about what your ideal hours might look like, ask yourself these questions:

* What number of hours would I need to work in order to have time for the other activities I enjoy and for self care?
* When do I have the most energy?
*Am I most productive in the morning or at night?
* Are there particular days when I’m able to work more or less? (i.e. you may be more motivated on Mondays or have a class on Thursdays)
* Do I perform better working straight through lunch or do I function better when I take a break?

For Lauren Berger of WomenEntrepeneur.com and InternQueen fame, her ideal hours were: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.

I completed a Schedule Makeover™ on Lauren that worked within her preferred hours and gave her time for exercise, sleep, friends, and building her business–all without guilt!

Now that’s what I call work/life brilliance™!

Elizabeth

If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and guilt and step into the future with confidence and enthusiasm, contact Elizabeth today. Why suffer from burn-out, overwhelm, and guilt, when you could be free today!!!?

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach who empowers women business owners to achieve work/life brilliance.TM Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Tips, Encouragement, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Mompreneurs, Psychology, Schedule Makeover | 1 Comment »

E Note-Intern Queen Gets a Schedule Makeover

Monday, May 11th, 2009

bergerLauren Berger is one of the most passionate and motivated young female entrepreneurs I know. Each Monday morning, I have the privilege of talking with Lauren and Morgan First about business plans and goals. Not only does Lauren run the internship program on QuarterLife.com but also she has partnered with University of Dreams and many other internship organizations.

The only problem is that with all of these amazing opportunities, it was hard for Lauren to stay focused and not feel overwhelmed.

I suggested that Lauren take advantage of a Schedule Makeover™, and Lauren responded, “Yes! Please help! I want the perfect balance of being proactive and reactive.”

Lauren completed the Schedule Makeover™ assessment and consultation and received her ideal weekly schedule, a weekly checklist, and tips on how to make it happen. This is an excerpt from Lauren’s WomenEntrepreneur.com blog post on the process:

“Friday afternoon I received my new life from Elizabeth. She had outdone herself. I got a complete, mapped out schedule with an hour-by-hour breakdown of how I should spend my days. She included time blocks for me to work on certain business deals that I have going, time for my afternoon workouts, even time for me to run errands and lie by the pool. The schedule was amazing.

Along with my new schedule came a checklist so that I could visualize everything I’d accomplished at the end of each week. She also included a “Tips Sheet” with pointers for keeping my schedule tight and how to overcome some of the daily struggles we discussed. I highly recommend this service to anyone with a busy schedule who wants to do everything but can’t always find time in the day.”

To find out more about how you can start receiving the confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you need to do and when you have time to do it, check out www.ScheduleMakeover.com TODAY!

Why suffer from burn-out, overwhelm, and guilt, when you could be free today!!!?

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time coach who empowers women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM If you want to end your feelings of overwhelm and guilt and step into the future with confidence and enthusiasm, contact Elizabeth today.

Elizabeth is a career coach with YourOnRamp.com and a member of the Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour. Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Notes, Entrepreneurship, Internships & Jobs, Schedule Makeover | No Comments »

E Tip-Work at Home Mom’s Time Management Tips

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Holly Reisem Hanna-The Work at Home Woman

Holly Reisem Hanna-The Work at Home Woman

Another recent Twitter mompreneur friend is Holly Reisem Hanna. Holly is the founder of The Work at Home Woman, an online business resource and blog for women and mothers who wish to work from home or become self employed. (Basically, she’s living the dream and wants to help you do the same!)

As a mother of a busy two year old, the founder of The Work at Home Woman, and as a Social Network Liaison for a small publishing company, Holly knows how important it is to balance her professional responsibilities while creating quality time for her family and friends.

Here are Holly’s Top 3 Time Management Tips for Creating Work/Life Balance:

Create a Schedule for Yourself: I work at home part-time so it’s easy to get distracted by the laundry, household chores and family members. My two year old requires the majority of my attention so I schedule my work time in before she wakes up in the morning, and then again while she’s napping in the afternoon. This allows me time to write and work without interruptions. By creating a schedule you designate a time slot for all the activities in your day keeping you on track.
If you are working full-time from home and have small children or an elderly parent that requires the majority of your attention, try hiring a college student or care assistant to help you out. This will help to alleviate distractions and allow you to stay focused on the task at hand.

Stop Multi-Tasking and Start Single-Tasking: For most of our lives we have been taught to multi-task, and in some situations it is called for, but the majority of the time it is a huge time waster. By single-tasking, you can fully focus on the task at hand and complete it without interruptions. Give yourself a block of time to complete each task, and stop watching the news, catching up on email and answering phone calls, you’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you’ll become.

Cut Out The Television: T.V. can be a wonderful escape from reality, but nobody needs more than a few hours per week. Make time to watch your favorite programs, but then turn it off and make time for those activities that you say you never have time for. Try reading a new book, sign up for a Pilate’s class or spend quality time with family and friends. By cutting out the mindless television watching, you can free up many hours of extra time to do other more rewarding activities.

These are great tips for any work-at-home entrepreneur! I follow all of them and find it really helps me to put boundaries on my work week.

Do check out Holly’s Web site at The Work at Home Woman for Work at Home Jobs and Resources!

Have a brilliant weekend!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your time so you work at home effectively, contact me to set up a consultation.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Profiles, E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Resources | 3 Comments »

E Tip-How a Mom Juggles a Job and a Startup Business

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Mompreneur LeNesha Carey

Mompreneur LeNesha Carey

Hello friends!

This year, I’ve really become a fan of Twitter (I am RealLifeE). One of my favorite parts of this social networking tool is that I can easily connect with people of similar interests. One of my recent connections was with LeNesha Carey (On Twitter: MBAMompreneur) who is in the process of starting her first business along with working as a project manager for defense contracts.

Here’s what she has to say on work/life brillianceTM:

Everyday, I’m gaining tips on how to balance business and mommy duties as I am in the
process of working full time, while starting a business, maintaining a blog, and being mom/wife/friend. (Wow!)

Here are Her Top Three Tips:

Empower Children to Help in the Home: I’ve empowered my 11-year-old daughter (since she was 8 years old) to do chores, cook, wash her own clothes, etc.  We have scheduled days in which she will even prepare dinner for the family.  Not having to focus on the everyday things that our children are more than capable of completing has saved me tons and
taught her real life skills.

Delegation is Key!: With my business startup activities, I focus on those things that I’m passionate about and am successful at.  I delegate as much as possible of everything else.

Make Use of Travel Time: To catch up with friends, family, or a good book.  When home, I can focus on business activities or mommy duties.

Sounds like spot-on advice to me. If you’d like to read more about LaNesha’s “Real-Time Journey Starting a New Business,” check out her blog at: http://www.MyBusinessAdventures.com

It contains tons of useful links and information on mompreneur events and resources.

Still one more post to go in our mompreneur series!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your business so you have more time to build your business, contact me to set up a consultation.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Profiles, E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Resources | No Comments »

E Tip-Franchise Owner’s Tips on Work/Mom Balance

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

Tammy Huinker, Molly Maid Franchise Owner

Hello friends!

In my last post, I featured Tammy Huinker who has successfully built a Molly Maid franchise while working just three days a week so she could spend plenty of time  with her three boys.

I’m very close with my family (including my mom, dad, two sisters, and brother) and enjoying spending time with many friends. But I haven’t experienced the blessing of children yet so I thought I would turn the floor over to Tammy and two other mompreneurs for their tips on balancing their mom and business duties.

Tammy’s Work/Life Balance Tips after 14 Years as a Franchise Owner:

Set Your Hours: Tammy decided up front that she wanted to work strictly 8-5, and once she had twins, she decided to work three days a week. By making and keeping her goal of reducing her hours from corporate life, Tammy focused on “working smarter, not harder” and experienced her dream lifestyle.

Find and Keep Great Employees: At the beginning, Tammy brought in an employee that could cover for her when she was out of the office. By training and trusting her staff, Tammy gave herself the flexibility to work less.

Keep Expenses Low: To purchase the franchise, Tammy took an SBA loan but made it a personal goal to pay off the seven-year loan in just five. The first “fleet” car she bought was brand new, but she “never did that again.” Now Tammy purchases used cars and rented for 12 1/2 years before building her own facility.

Her advice for building a business without burning out: “Start Small and Work Up.”

Sounds brilliant to me! Stay tuned for Work/Life BrillianceTM tips from two more mompreneurs!

Elizabeth

P.S.–If you’re interested in taking control of your business so you have more time with your family, contact me to set up a consultation.

To find out more about Molly Maid, go to: www.MollyMaid.com. If you’re in the Ankeny, Iowa, area and are interested in house cleaning services, you can contact Tammy at Molly Maid Ankeny at 515-964-4111.

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time empowerment coach who frees business owners to achieve their dream lifestyles. She specializes in empowering women business owners to achieve work/life brillianceTM

Inc magazine, NBC, and The Chicago Tribune are just a few of the places where Elizabeth has appeared, and she’s happy to be interviewed for your publication or broadcast.

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Posted in E Profiles, E Tips, Entrepreneurship, Mompreneurs, Relationships | 1 Comment »

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