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A Call To Twitter Action
In her book, It Takes A Village and Other Lessons Children Teach Us, Senator Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of a group approach to child rearing. She reminded us that, while a family is a distinct unit, each one forms a part of a whole, and that, when an individual unit is lifted, the entire group rises. While Clinton's message was specific to children and families, it also applies when it comes to Indie Business owners.
This was brought home to me in a real way last Saturday when a member of the Indie Beauty Network emailed me in great distress. She's married and the mother of young children. Tina (not her real name) had emailed me several months ago to share that she and her husband were going through counseling in an effort to save their marriage. Things were on a good track for a while, but as of last Saturday, they had fallen apart.
Touching Through Technology
Tina reached out through email to me, a fellow sojourner, a part of her village. A part of her tribe. I responded to her email immediately: "Call me." She did, and while I could not solve her problems or go through her pain for her, I lifted her up and prayed with her because she was open to that. I also reminded her of her intelligence (she has a master's degree), capabilities (her business is going well and she's also home schooling) and encouraged her as a fellow Indie and mother. I reminded her that she is fully equipped to rear her children as a single mom if that is what she is called upon to do.
Like most other Indies, Tina runs her business from her home. She is also a home schooling mom in a community where separation and divorce are taboo subjects. As Tina put it, "Everything is supposed to be perfect." Tina felt especially isolated because she realized that, for years, she had pretended that everything was perfect. Now that she was accepting the fact that things weren't perfect, she was at a loss, afraid for herself and afraid that her children might be unfairly treated once their friends found out that they no longer lived with their father.
Could Twitter Make a Difference?
As Tina and I talked, I pondered the enormous potential of social media in her situation. I found myself suggesting that she join me at Twitter and meet up with some other home schooling mom Indie Business owners who could encourage her and lift her up. Tina is not ready for that yet. But I have seen the power of Twitter and other social media outlets when it comes to building up the global village of women, men and families who are managing homes and businesses at the same time.
I think Tina is a bit skeptical of Twitter and social media in general. I was too. Weren't you? Did you think that anyone who you didn't already know would care one iota how you answered the question, "What are you doing?" Did you think that your life was boring and that strangers couldn't possibly be intrigued enough to read about how you feel from moment to moment throughout the day as you tend to your home and your family simultanously?
How many of you, like me, just didn't get it at first?
Reach Out And Tweet Someone
Tina doesn't yet know about the women I met a few days ago over at Twittermoms. She doesn't know that there's a huge and growing community of Indie Beauty Network members and other Indie Business owners gathering every moring to start the day, discuss breaking news, take their kids to the dentist and do all the things that must be done in order to manage home and a business, without compromising either.
Each One Tweet One
Each of us can pay our social media successes forward by reaching out to at least one or two new people every week. Will you put Tina on your list today? Will you help me tell her about the power of social media? About people like you who are poised to connect and share?
Will you leave a comment below so Tina can know that you are an Indie Business owner on Twitter. Maybe you even home school. Maybe you can tell her that, divorced or not, she's welcome in our community. Please leave your Twitter link so Tina and all of us can connect with you more easily and perhaps even follow you.
And Tina, if you're reading this, there's a wide world out there ready to embrace you and your family and encourage all of you to be your best.
For more inspiring tips for Indies, home managers and business owners, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today. I'd love to get to know you better and know that you're coming back for more!
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This short utter summarizes why I do what I do in just over a minute. If you've ever wondered what my motivation is for serving, this utter sums it up. Click the orange button with the arrow to enjoy my Utter!
Help me know you better. I'd love for you to share a bit about what motivates you in the comments section below.
To enjoy more of my Utterz and get Indie business tips, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today. I'd love to get to know you better and know that you're coming back for more!
This is a great time to start your own business, even if you have never thought of yourself as an entrepreneur. The economy is getting tighter, many companies are laying people off, and a paycheck doesn't go as far as it used to. Meanwhile, Internet sales and mail order are booming. We're also seeing record numbers of new home-based businesses starting and succeeding. Getting in on this trend now could be the smartest thing you do in the year ahead. Here are some common sense tips to help you pick the right business, get off on a good foot, and succeed over the long haul. Choosing Your Business - One of the reasons a great many businesses fail is the owner jumped off into a field they didn't know much about.Your best bet is to choose a business you have worked in as an employee. Otherwise, plan to spend time researching the topic in libraries and in conversations with people who are already in your chosen industry. Keep expenses down to a bare minimum in the beginning. More than a few new start-ups blow their cash on a big office, fine furnishings, and new computers. I started my business almost a year ago from a spare bedroom. If required, plan on running your business part-time for the first year while you keep a regular job.REDEFINING PERSONAL SUCCESS;This may seem like the slow way to get your business going, but a regular paycheck will ensure you have plenty of time to give your business its best shot at succeeding. Nothing torpedoes a new business like expecting it to profit huge amounts of cash within the first six months.The easiest and cheapest business to start is a service you can provide to other businesses. You may need little more than an email address and a telephone number to get the ball rolling. If you worked in accounts receivable for several years, help businesses outsource their bookkeeping chores. A woman in my town turned her 20 years of office experience into a thriving home-based business by offering to help small businesses with administrative tasks. She placed ads in the neighborhood newspaper and arranged to be interviewed for an article. Internet referral programs and mail order are two industries that are thriving, easy to get into, and, while they may not make you rich, are a good way to get started in your own business.Many networking and reseller firms have changed their strategy from "bug your friends" to "network on the Net." These can be great ways to get experience selling established products in an organization set up to encourage home-based business. Look for an opportunity that has been in business for at least three years. Market in Many Ways. The key to your business success will likely be your ability to market your products and services. Without marketing, nothing sells. It helps if you set up your business from the beginning with affordable marketing in mind.Your business should give you the opportunity to promote in several ways:1) Use a web component. The Internet lets you reach thousands of targeted prospects at the cheapest price in advertising history. Put up your own web site. Fill it with good information, answers to the kinds of questions your customers and prospects ask. Build your own opt-in email list to stay in touch with customers. Nothing works as well or as cheaply to build your reputation. Work to get your site listed on the major search engines. The top 2% of businesses on search engines account for about 90% of the Net's money-making sites. Advertise your business in ezines that reach your best prospects.2) Your business should also take advantage of face-to-face marketing. When you talk to people in person, it is harder for them to walk away without buying. Near the end of the conversation mention your offer. People almost always buy.3) For all that has been said about the Internet, the good old telephone is still the center of our business world. When you spend time talking with someone on the phone, you build a personal bond with them that often leads to a sale. Before you get on the phone with a prospect or customer, quickly jot down what you hope to accomplish with the call. Don't let more than two or three minutes of conversation go by without making an effort to achieve your goal. This organized approach will help you stay away from long days on the phone without much to show for it. Be Determined It doesn't matter what business you are in, there will be days when you feel like you are spinning your wheels. Realize that for every up trend there will eventually be a down trend. When sales are slow or customers are difficult, remind yourself that a turnaround for the best is always just beyond the bend.Much of business success has to do with simply showing up for work every day. When people see you or hear about you month after month, then year after year, your consistent presence builds customer confidence. Confidence turns into loyalty. Repeat customers and good word of mouth will insure you get repeat sales for as long as you own your business.Related Links;Mothers of InventionThe Female Entrepreneur and Home Based BusinessTeresa JohnsonEbonywoman
Choosing Las Vegas for a romantic vacation doesn’t have to be a gamble!There's scenic views, romantic restaurants, and a bit of unique Vegas culture to explore...For getting around the Las Vegas Strip, you don’t really need a car. There's lots of hotel trolley buses, shuttles, and much more.The Monorail! Yes, the Las Vegas Monorail is an easy way to get up and down the Strip from the MGM Grand on the South to the Sahara on the north end. It's air conditioned, travels up to 50 mph, and costs $3 for a single ride, or $25 for a 3-day pass.Romantic Activities in Las VegasWhat’s there to do in Las Vegas besides gambling? Actually, plenty! Even though I don't gamble, I found lots of romantic activities in Las Vegas when I visited last year.The Venetian Hotel & Resort: A romantic Gondola ride down the Grand Canal. Indoors and out (weather permitting), complete with a singing gondolier! And while you're there, the Zeffirino Ristorante rates as perhaps Las Vegas best romantic lunch.A romantic stroll through the Bellagio's Botanic Gardens & Fountains (nightly shows every 15 min). I think this is one of the most romantic spots in Las Vegas! Oh, and for dinner, I rate the Bellagio as having one of the best buffets in Vegas!Take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. Splendid view of the Strip, especially at night with all the lights. And you can dine on the 11th floor in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. Open till 1 AM.Las Vegas is King of the Tacky – I had a riot looking through some hilarious gift shops, attractions like the outlandish Liberace Museum, and the “can-you-believe-it” Drive-Through Wedding Chapel! Lot’s of excellent shows too.Even eating here can be outrageous - midnight steak specials, $.99 shrimp coctails, and all-you-can-eat buffets around every corner. When it's time for a quieter evening, most of the major resorts have excellent sit-down dining with a variety of different settings and atmospheres.Plus, there’s Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours, Sunset Dinner and Horse Trail Rides, Fashion Outlet Malls, Celine Dion, and Red Rock Canyon for scenic drives and hikes.All About Vegas
