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Introducing Four Fabulous Indie Beauties!

I love my Indie Beauty Network members. I call them my Indie Beauties, and they are doing fantastic things. I'd like to introduce you to four of them.

Katie Nguyen of The Conservatorie
Funlayo Alabi of Shea Radiance
Princetta Jones of Princetta's Beauty Secrets
Ellen Lange of Ellen Lange Medi-Spa

Continue reading to find out how these inspirational women pursued their passions to launch businesses that enhance people's lives every day!

Katie Nguyen and her fiance, Thomas, have been members of IBN since June 2007. They purchased their business, The Conservatorie, from a prior owner. The Conservatorie, headquartered in Aguora Hills, California, formulates bulk mineral makeup and wholesales it to spas and other companies that sell it directly to consumers. She and Thomas said that they joined IBN in part because they love Indie Business Radio: "Even though the show is free," they said, "We joined IBN because we are, well, greedy! We thought to ourselves, if the free radio show is this informative, just imagine how great other materials and services are!" Enjoy Katie's Indie Candy feature here.

Funlayo Alabi is a wife and mother of two who hails from Nigeria. She and her husband own Shea Radiance, a supplier of finished products and bulk natural shea butter which they import directly from Africa. They have been IBN members since June 2006. Funlayo and her husband are working on their exit plan from traditional jobs to running Shea Radiance full-time. Their hard work and tenacity are paying off, as you can see from the beautifully packaged shea butter creams and other products at their website. Enjoy Funlayo's Indie Candy feature here. You can follow her Tweets at @shearadiance.

Princetta Jones owns Princetta's Beauty Secrets in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition, she is a musical performer who travels the world entertaining audiences with her spicy sounds. Check out her Myspace page and enjoy her Indie Candy feature here. Princetta joined IBN in March of this year. Her schedule keeps her so busy that she is not accepting online orders at this time, but if you' in Las Vegas, you can get her goodies at selected Whole Foods Markets there and in Philadelphia at Spa Bavu.

Ellen Lange is a wife, mother and the owner of Ellen Lange Medi-Spa in Highland Park, New Jersey. Ellen also a Retexturizing Peel Kit and a Clear Complexion Kit. Ellen's father is a renowned plastic surgeon, so it's no surprise that she has a wide ranging interest in facial and skin care that includes plastic surgery options. She blogs about her ideas at her recently launched blog. She enjoys helping women look and feel their best. Ellen has been a member of IBN since December 2006. You can follow her Tweets at @ellenlange.

What do you think?

Aren't they amazing?! I could make this a regular blog feature. Should I? Do you enjoy learning about how other women combine their Indie Beauty businesses with their passion for helping women and also managing their homes? Let me know what you think in the comments section below. I'd like to hear if this feature is something you enjoy.

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Join Me and the American Small Business League!

In a phone conversation a few minutes ago with a representative of the American Small Business League, I was given permission to post this information. While the ASBL serves companies with up to 500 employees, far more employees than Indie Business Owners have, their interests are similar to ours in some ways. ASBL's review of the new Emergency (it's not an emerency) Economic Stabiliation Act of 2008 reveals a provision that give unfettered discretion to the federal government to waive set-aside provisions that benefit small, woman-owned and minority-owed businesses.

Indies, I know that some large businesses have acted unfairly to take advantage of some of the SBA's set-aside programs. I am personally disgusted with how programs that were originally designed for real small businesses have been intentionally ignored by companies that find a way to benefit simply by having attorneys walk through loopholes and publicists to "spin" everything once they've made millions of dollars by emloying unethical and illegal practices. I fear from a policy perspective that this will only get worse if the government can use this new law to waive, at its discretion, provisions protecting traditional small businesses. Just imagine where that leaves Indies! Please review ASBL's overview below and decide for yourself whether you agree that the law should not pass with this provision. If so, act now using the easy to use templates and links below.

Letter From American Small Business League

Today, I am contacting you with an important legislative alert and a call to action. As you may know, [Monday,] the House of Representatives voted down the financial bailout bill, by a 228-205 House Vote. The bill, H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, contained a provision that could have had far-reaching negative impacts for small businesses across the country. We are concerned that as Congress moves forward with the second incarnation of the bill, this legislative language could come up again.

Specifically, Section 107 of H.R. 3997 would give overly broad authority to the Secretary of the Treasury, allowing the Secretary to waive or suspend provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The bill states, "The Secretary may waive specific provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation upon a determination that urgent and compelling circumstances make compliance with such provisions contrary to the public interest." This vaguely worded power grab could lead to vital small businesses programs being suspended on the whim of the Treasury Secretary.

While this bill was voted down in House, it is almost certain that a new bailout bill with a similar provision will be introduced and possibly voted on soon. We cannot allow a bill to pass that contains legislative language, which weakens or removes the current protections for small businesses. In addition to concerns regarding the bailout plan, we are concerned that the language of H.R. 3997 did not contain any provisions to help small businesses compete during these hard economic times. With that in mind, we are pushing for the inclusion of a provision that would stop the diversion of federal small business contracts to large corporations, as a means of giving a boost to the middle class economy.

Given the gravity and time sensitive nature of this issue, we ask that you offer an official statement from your chamber opposing language similar to that of Section 107 and supporting the removal of large firms from federal small business contracting programs. Additionally, we ask that you distribute our message to your members, asking them to contact their elected officials regarding this issue. We would appreciate a copy of any letter that you decide to send to your congressional representatives. Please email me a copy of your letter or send it via fax to (707) 789-9580.

For your convenience I have included: a description of our concerns, a link to the congressional contact portal, a copy of H.R. 3997, and a letter template that you can personally use to contact your congressional representatives.

Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Kevin Baron | Director of Government Affairs
American Small Business League
707.789.9575w | 707.789.9580f
kbaron@asbl.com | www.asbl.com

ASBL Concerns

We are concerned that Section 107 of S. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, will be included in the second incarnation of the financial bailout bill. Section 107 of the bill, will give overly broad powers to the Secretary of the Treasury, which would allow the Secretary to waive specific provisions within the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) given, "urgent and compelling circumstances," which make compliance with such provisions contrary to the public interest. The suspension of the FAR would effectively remove vital protections for small businesses in federal contracting programs.

The language in H.R. 3997 was too vague and ill defined, which will open the door for an abuse of power that will harm small businesses. New bailout legislation will be introduced and possibly voted on by the end of the week and we cannot allow a bill to pass, which contains legislative language that weakens or removes the current protections for small business contractors, while giving the Treasury Secretary, overly broad powers.

Every year billions of dollars in federal small business contracts are awarded to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and European firms. The current language of the bailout bill does not address stopping the diversion of federal small business contract dollars to large corporations. We believe that by including language to remove large firms from small business programs, we could infuse the middle class economy with billions of additional dollars.

Due to the urgency of the current financial situation and the willingness of Congress to introduce and pass a bailout bill within a quick timetable, we are asking that you take immediate action to help protect small businesses.

Links

H.R. 3997 (PDF)
Chamber Endorsement Letter Template
Senate Contact Portal
House of Representatives Contact Portal

Sample Letter

Dear Senator/Representative _______,

I would like to express my concern regarding the inclusion of Section 107 from H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 or any other legislative language that has the potential to weaken federal programs designed for small businesses. I oppose giving the Secretary of the Treasury the ability to waive specific provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) under any circumstances.

Additionally, small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. Every year billions of dollars in federal small business contracts are awarded to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and European firms. That said, I support amending the current language of the bailout to include a boost for small businesses in middle class America, by precluding the federal government from counting large corporations towards the congressionally mandated small business procurement goal.

Small businesses are a vital engine of growth in our economy and I strongly urge you take action to ensure that small businesses remain protected.

Thank you,

Name
Date

What do you think?

I just wrote my representatives. Did you write yours? Share your thoughts and actions!

Related Posts

Bail Your Own Self Out
Bad Bail Out!

For more news and current events affecting Indie Business owners, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today.

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Texas Indie Beauty Network Member Has Healthy Message For All

Lately, I am rediscovering the connection between healthy habits and a successful business. I feel fortunate that my business is successful, and I have a lot of people to thank for that. On the other hand, now that I'm increasing my fitness level, I am more curious and inspired by other Indie Business owners who incorporate fitness into their lives on a more regular basis than I have up until now. My blog is a great place to inspire myself and others to combine fitness of body with fitness of mind, spirit and business.

Lucky for me, there are tons of Fit Indies in the Indie Beauty Network. Last month, I profiled IBN member and Fit Indie Candace Sweeney in my weekly newsletter. Today, I'm excited to introduce you to Rhonda Hodge, a Fit Indie and the owner of Diva SpaWorks in Murphy, Texas. Here's what Rhonda is teaching me about the importance of fitness.

dM: How has being a Fit Indie impacted your life and your business?

Rhonda: Being fit gives me, my lifestyle and my products credibility. I look like I live a healthy and fit lifestyle. While I am not thin by any means, I maintain a healthy weight for my height and bone structure, and I have healthy skin, nails, hair and teeth. People are always asking me about the all-natural products I make and use on my hair. This provides a natural way for me to recommend my products in particular and natural products in general.

dM: What is your best selling product?

Rhonda: My best selling product is Diva Glo Spa Ginger Skin Exfoliator. Every time I make a fresh batch, I fall in love with it all over again. It sells well because it's a sensual body and mind experience in a jar. It combines ingredients such as Dead Sea Salt, premium skin loving vegetable oils and essential oils in a whipped cream base. It stays at the top of my best seller list. I have yet to demo this product on a customer who did not immediately buy at least one jar.

dM: What are your best tips to help others become fit?

Rhonda: I have several.

1. Move your body every day. Whether it's walking, swimming, yoga or whatever. Do it for at least 30 minutes a day. Dr. Oz. of Oprah fame, wrote me an email years ago with that advice. I met him last year and his advice was still the same. Move, move, move. Also, eat healthy and get appropriate periodic health exams.
2. Do not smoke. I never have, and am a rabid anti-smoking crusader. Smoking contributed to the deaths of several people that I have loved over the past four years. Two of them were my sisters, who passed away within 15 months of each other.
3. Use smaller plates. Regular plates are usually 11 - 12 inches in diameter. Replace them with 9- inch plates and you will be amazed at how it helps you control your portions. When I first made this change, (3 teens and a husband) asked me why we were eating from saucers! I told them it was a way to visualize how we were changing our lives and the way we eat. I assured them that they could always go back for more, if and only if they were truly still hungry. We all soon adjusted to the new plate size and started to concentrate on how good the food looked on the plate instead of how much food was on the plate. We occasionally use our larger plates, but we all notice how out of place the food looks on them now.
4. Use white plates. There's a reason why most restaurants and cooking shows serve food on white plates! It's because food looks more inviting and plentiful on a white plate. Remember how much bigger our feet and other body parts look when we wear white clothing. Same principle applies to food.
5. Switch to Olive Oil. Use Extra Virgin, if possible, in place of regular Vegetable Oils for most every uses, except for frying. Try combining a dash of really good balsamic vinegar, a grind or two of red chili peppers and garlic and some extra virgin olive oil. Add a sprinkle of sea salt, if you don't have blood pressure issues. Heat gently in the microwave and use as a dipping sauce for whole grain breads. My family loves it and anyone can make it.
6. Throw out white stuff -- sugar, flour, bread, rice, pasta. Go for brown in all of these areas. Concentrate on whole grain, not just whole wheat. Look for organic if possible since pesticides are heavily used in many of these products.
7. Do a whole body cleanse. This helps jump started my system with a new "clean" feeling. An unexpected benefit is that, after a cleanse, my taste buds become more sensitive to sweet and salty tastes, especially sugar. This helps ward off possible cravings that can wreck my healthy lifestyle.

dM: Have you lost weight following these steps?

Rhonda: Yes. I lost 16 lbs over the course of about a year and have kept most of it off. But remember, it's lifestyle changes, not a "diet," that works in the long term. If I venture too far off my "path," I feel it right away. The weight creeps up, the well-being suffers, and I don't feel and look as cute as I know I am!

dM: Sookie sookie now, Rhonda!

Rhonda: That's right. And get regular health exams. I'm going to step on some toes now.

A few weeks ago, I went in for my regular annual physical. I received a clean bill of health, by the way. Anyway, while there, I noticed that I was the only Black woman there for my whole visit. As I left, I wondered why -- insurance, convenience, priorities, what?

The next day, I took my daughter to the hairdresser, and what do you know? Standing room only. Every seat was taken and some women even had small children on their laps. I was startled by the contrast.

How is it that we can't make it to the doctor's office, but we'll wait for hours to get our hair and nails done? This angered me and I was determined to get after my sisters and brothers to take responsibility for their health. Today, I wage a one-woman campaign for better health and well being. In essence, I am a Fit Indie for everyone I meet, and this is a part of the legacy I am leaving my children.

You should see my daughter's refrigerator at college. I am so pleased with her food choices. When I consider the hard times that we have endured, it is validating to know that all of my hard work is not in vain and that my healthy lifestyle choices are benefiting my children, and will also benefit their children for years to come.

The Economic Message of the Century: Bail Yourself Out

Yesterday, I posted an in depth analysis of how the Emergency (which really isn't an emergency) Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 is affecting "real" small businesses. After yesterday's failed vote on the Act, and after listening to President Bush speak a few minutes ago, the post is even more relevant today. Together, the Act, the vote and the President's morning message point inevitably to one conclusion: you can and should bail yourself out.

Neither you nor I can expect the federal government alone to protect and defend our economic interests. That's true now, and it was true a century ago. Each one of us must climb his own group of stairs, pause at the top and begin to fly under the power of our own economic potential. Here's why you are your own best bail out plan, and what you can do now to start soaring.

1. Don't Panic.

Wall Street is panicking. President Bush is panicking. Maybe even some of your friends and family members are panicking. Don't follow suit. If you have to retreat from the television pundits, debates and talking heads to keep your cool, then do that. Take a deep breath, call on your faith, assess your personal situation and potential and take reasoned, determined steps to move forward in your own life.

More than ever, this reasoned assessment must include starting a business of your own.

2. Start a Business Today. In a segment on this morning's CNN program, the reporter cited a statistic that, between 1974 and 2007, the average income for American males declined 12%. No self-respecting man, whether or not he has a family, can look at that statistic and risk that a traditional job will secure his future. You have to have a business of your own.

I don't care if you start by selling old books out of your attic on ebay, and make a $2 profit. You have to start somewhere. Look around you, there are tons of options. Farrah Gray started selling painted rocks to school friends when he was six years old. Today, he's a successful business man. And look at Oprah. You can create your own brand of success, and you don't have to sell rocks. And you don't have to become mega-wealthy like Oprah.

Why? Because you have technology. If you don't have access to the Internet in your home, then your neighbor does, or your local library does. And yes, you may just have to take the bus there after you get off work. Remember, you have to be your own bail out plan. No one is going to do it for you. Use technology to use social media of all kinds to connect with others. You'll be amazed at the business opportunities that will come you way.

Want more options? Go down the street and offer to mow someone's lawn. Run errands for busy executives. Get a retail sales certificate from your state, buy some bagged potato chips from a wholesaler and sell them to executives downtown. These particular options may not be realistic options for you, but that's no reason not to create some that are.

Think. Think about what is at your disposal. Think about friends and family members who will help and encourage you. And don't tell me you have no options. Farrah started with rocks and no matter where you live, you can always find some of those.

3. Train Your Children to Be Entrepreneurs.

Part of responsible parenting today includes training your children to be entrepreneurs. Of course, we must also teach them to do well in school, graduate, go to college and get a job. But that's only the beginning. They have to know what to do if they lose that job, that is, if they are lucky enough to have one. Make it so that, when your child loses a job, she can come home, open up her laptop, check her shopping cart and make a plan to expand her own empire.

Does your tween have a cell phone of her own? A computer? A text messaging device? Make it a condition of continued use that she pay for it herself. If that doesn't encourage her to adopt an entrepreneurial spirit, nothing will. Believe me, she'll be selling homemade lip balm in no time.

Encourage your teen children to offer babysitting services more frequently and explain to them that the money goes in savings or to pay down any family household debt if that's an area of challenge for your family. The family that grinds together binds together. Train your children to use their skills, talents and areas of expertise to serve others in exchange for a fair sum of money. And then train them to be frugal with every penny so that, even if the financial world is collapsing, the adverse effects on them are minimal.

I'm not talking about becoming a loose canon here, and jumping at the first multi-level marketing opportunity you can find. I'm talking about investing your time and energy in something that you own. I'm talking about a brand of your own.

Every American simply must make it a point to have a stream of income that he or she controls. And we must wean ourselves off of using OPM to make ends meet. That is the only way to avoid being at the mercy of an economy that is rapidly changing, and frankly, not changing in favor of the common American.

Regardless of whether the new Act passes, in its current form or in another form, the handwriting is on the wall. Don't panic. Start a business today. Teach your children to start businesses. This is the ultimate bail out plan, the one that you implement on your own terms. The one you control. The one you love. The one no one can take away from you.

What do you think?

I quit my very well paying job in a Fortune 500 company over a decade ago because working with large companies taught me that business ownership is the key to economic independence for all Americans. Thanks to technology, it's more accessible than ever. But you have to stop watching all the panic on CNN and everywhere else. We all know how bad it is. Turn the television off and start bailing. I did it and let me tell you, my journey has been anything but a piece of cake. If I can do it, so can you. So, are you ready? I've got my bucket and I'm right her with you. Let's roll up our sleeves and start bailing together!

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For more news and current events affecting Indie Business owners, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today.

If you like Indie Business Blog, please share the home page with your friends using this link: http://tinyurl.com/6l5h79.

Connect with me on Linked In.