A poem for helping kids stay in their beds at night

In June, I started The Mom Entrepreneur Online Support Group. We now have over 350 members and discuss everything from potty training to how to use Twitter.

Recently, a member posted an email about a problem she was having trying to get her three year old son to sleep in his own bed through the night. She described a familiar situation we can all relate to.

Group members were quick to help and offered ideas and suggestions, which included:

1. use of night light;
2. rewards for making it through the night in his own bed;
3. telling your child that the "help you sleep fairies" will leave gifts under their pillow when they go to bed and stay in bed by themselves;
4. creating "monster spray" from lemon juice and water and every night walk around the child's room and spray the "monster spray" wherever evil monsters lurk.

The group thought these were all great ideas and extremely creative. My favorite however, was a poem that Mindi, who recently created the Teach Any Time blog, offered.

She told us her story...

"One night as I was tucking the kids in, I told my son that if he was brave and stayed in bed all night like he use to, I would write a poem about his accomplishment in the morning. I was really just grasping at straws here. Amazingly it worked! He stayed in bed and first thing when he awoke in the morning he asked for his poem.

I made up something silly and he loved it. I just spouted off something like: Wow, you did it, you stayed in your bed. If I could manage, I would stand on my head. I would shout from the rooftops and spin on the floor until you started laughing and begging for more.

Well, it was just silly ramblings but he loved it. I did this for about a week and then I told him I was going to write him an official poem and print it out for him because now he has shown how brave he is and stays in bed every night."

This is what she wrote:

Jacob the Brave
I'll call you by name
Since you found courage
Things haven't been the same

No longer the boy
Who is scared in your head
Jacob the brave
Always stays in his bed

I am so proud of you
My Jacob the Brave
My courageous boy
Who has learned to behave

Love, Mommy xoxo

I need a new vacuum cleaner

After 13 years of marriage, our vacuum cleaner, which was given as a wedding gift, is on its last wheel. It does not suck things up well and it makes a funny squeaking noise. It is time to put it out of its misery.

I was on Twitter earlier asking followers for advice on what are the best new models/brands for vacuum cleaners. Suggestions included Electrolux Upright, Bissell Lift Off Revolution, Panasonic and Dyson. Any additional suggestions?

Attention vacuum manufacturers, I would like to do a product review for one or more models. If you would be interested in having The Mom Entrepreneur test your vacuum and blog about it please contact us at 603-664-3841 or sponsorship@themomentrepreneur.com.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...Mom Style© By Catherine Cornell

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the abode, Only one creature was stirring, she was cleaning the commode.

The children were sleeping, all snug in their beds,
While visions of X-box 360 and IPODS flipped through their heads.

Dad was snoring in front of the family TV
With a half-constructed bike propped up on his knee.

So only Mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
Which made her sigh, "Now what's the matter?"

''Ho! Ho! Ho!" cried Santa, "I'm glad you're awake---
My gift to you was especially difficult to make."

''Thanks Santa, but all I want is time alone."
''Exactly!" he chuckled, "so I've made you a clone."

''A clone?" she muttered. "What good is that?"
"Now run along Santa, I've no time to chat."

Then out walked the clone, the dear mother's twin,
Same hair and same eyes, the same double chin.

"Fantastic!" mom cheered, "My dream has come true!
'I'll shop and I'll read and I'll sleep the night through!"

From the room up above, the youngest did fret.
"Mommy come quickly----I'm scared and I'm wet!"

The clone replied, "I'm coming sweetheart."
''WOW!" the mom smiled. "She sure knows her part."

The clone changed the small one and sung him a tune
As she bundled him up in a blanket cocoon.

"You're the best mommy ever---I really love you!"
The clone smiled and said, "I love you too!"

The real mom frowned and said "Santa , no deal!
That's my baby's love that she's trying to steal."

Smiling wisely Santa said, "To me it's so clear,
Only one loving mother is needed right here."

The mom kissed her child and tucked him in bed,
"Thank you so much, dear Santa, for clearing my head."

Knowing time goes too fast, and it won't be too long,
That her children will no longer need her cradle nor song.

The clock on the mantle then began to chime;
Santa whispered to the clone, "It works every time."

And with the clone at his side, Santa said, "Goodnight
Merry Christmas, dear mom, you will be all right!"

Would you like a glass of lemonade?

Tomorrow, November 15th, marks the start of our 30 day "lemons to lemonade" marathon. After sending out a query, I was so inspired by the stories I received from women capitalizing on the down-turned economy that I decided to highlight 30 of the best stories.

These mom entrepreneurs explain how the economy has affected them and their family and what they are doing about it! Each mom also offers advice to others struggling to keep their businesses afloat, and trying to balance motherhood with running a company.

I have always found that a struggling economy offers hidden opportunities for starting and growing an idea, which may evolve into a business or something else. I re-started my first company, Bisson Barcelona, 11 days before 911 happened. I was just doing freelance work at this stage, but this tragic event solidified my desire to be an entrepreneur. Primarily because of the flexibility it allowed for spending time with my children.

Earlier this year, my company was hit hard by the current economy. Four clients decided not to pay their invoices all at the same time. This resulted in a short fall of over $12,000. Determined not to layoff any employees, I took my son out of daycare and moved back to my home office. This cut my personal expenses significantly and I was able to reduce my salary. I also cancelled a trip to an industry trade show in California and put off meetings with consultants for a few months. These cuts resulted in no layoffs. The Associated Press even wrote about what we did to stay afloat during this time.

Because I could not travel to meet prospects and conduct new business, I migrated to online social networks. I spent hours researching and connecting online through websites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and others.

I also started a blog. I needed an outlet for venting my frustration with trying to balance motherhood with keeping my company afloat. The creation of The Mom Entrepreneur (TME) blog led to a second blog, Enjoying Life with Kids in NH, and a third, Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Because of the number of mom entrepreneurs I was connecting with, I created The Mom Entrepreneur Online Support Group. We currently have 250 members and continue to grow, share and network. Because of the success of this group, we are now starting a local group in NH beginning in December.

There is also something very big on the horizon for TME that I cannot yet share. But I will as soon as the details are confirmed.

All of this happened because of a crappy economy! I have always seen the glass as half full and so do the 30 women who you will meet and admire between now and December 15th. I hope you will show your support and please offer comments and feedback when you meet these amazing mom entrepreneurs.

It all starts tomorrow...

The Economy Sucks. Finally!!! It’s Time to Start a Business!

I recently sent out a query looking for stories from mom entrepreneurs who are making "lemonade from lemons" in this current economy. I received some great stories many of which I will be highlighting in the next several months.

As a prelude to these upcoming posts, I wanted to offer a great article I found on The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur's Blog written by Mike Michalowicz who is an author, entrepreneur and professional speaker.

The sky is falling. Oh – My - God. It’s all over. Stick a fork in us, we are done. NOT!

So, the economy sucks! So what? Here’s some news for you, bucko. It sucks every ten or fifteen years. Welcome to the great cycle of the economy. We go through this all the time, and here is a predication, it will continue to stink for quite awhile. Perhaps another year or so, then it will begin to heal and thrive again. It always has and always will, cycle.

But what if this one is truly the end; the great collapse? What if this is the death of the proverbial Roman Empire? It could be. It is very, very unlikely, but it could be. And if it is, don’t worry about it since there will be little you can do.

So here we sit, as entrepreneurs, on an economy that sucks. It will either revive over the next year or two or even perhaps die. But one thing for sure, it will get worse before it gets better. Big business will tighten their budgets, followed by the medium size guys and finally the small businesses will have the wind knocked out of them as everyone slows down.

And it is now, right in this moment, that it is the best time to start a business. Yes, it’s true. So true that it is worth repeating. Now is the best time to start a business. Here’s why:

1. Less Competing Startups – Most people don’t want to start something when things are bad, so they don’t. This is the old “buy low, sell high” rule. If most people are going one way, your advantage is in going the other way. Start when they aren’t.


2. Get Rich Quick Guys Run Away – The folks that were in business to get rich quick go running for the hills when times get tough. And with them exiting, there is even less competition for you to worry about.


3. Plant The Seed – If you get started now, your business will likely grow slowly. I mean, a slow economy means slow business for you. But that is true of a startup in a strong economy too. So grow lean and mean during these quiet times, and be positioned to grow explosively as the economy recovers.


4. A-Players Become Free Agents – When the big companies start laying people off, and they already have, some great talent will be freed up. Instead of using a high cost recruiting service, a smartly placed (free) Craig’s List ad may land you a top shelf A-player.


5. Go International – A weak US economy is typically coupled with a weak US dollar. That means our other countries can buy from you, here in the US, on the cheap. Make it easy to do business with you, and global economy is at your beckoning.


6. Time for Luxury – What? Am I crazy? Nope, I’m not. Luxury items actually sell stronger in a weak economy. Certain luxuries that is. They are called micro-luxuries. These are items and services under $100 that emotionally replace the loss of big, expensive luxuries. When people give up the new car they wanted or the renovation to their house, they instead start buying more of those inexpensive emotional replacements like a dinner out, or a day at the spa, or that triple latte grande.
   

The economy sucks and it is time to celebrate. Don’t do what the others are doing. Don’t sit there, curled up in a ball sucking your thumb. If you have ever wanted to start a business, there is no better time then now. Be cautious and be smart, just like you would at any other time starting a business. But don’t be dumb and wait. There has never been a better time to start a business… except for the last economic downturn ten or fifteen years ago.

My kids love their (oopdoo) hug

Back in June, I wrote that my (oopdoo)tm hug had arrived. My kids had not had a chance to use it until recently because they had not been sick and surprisingly had not gotten any boo boos. But when my 4-year old came down with a cold, I pulled out the soft, cuddly (oopdoo)tm hug, which is shaped like a large adhesive bandage, and let him sleep with it. It includes a pocket (normally for a hot or cold pack) but he decided to put his little bear in it. He slept peacefully through the night and ended up having to share with his 8-year old brother after he gave him his cold.

The (oopdoo)tm hug is what you get when you combine the comfort of a security blanket with the healing magic of a bandage. Made of Polartec fleece, this three foot "hug" is a comforting alternative to a bandage.

Katherine Klinger, founder and mother of one, created this concept to soothe her son who would ask for medicine for his "stomach aches". After this occurred several times, Katherine realized that he wasn't really asking for medicine, he just wanted that same magical effect that he got from an adhesive bandage.

Since she had worked for Malden Mills, Katherine had plenty of soft fleece available. She made her son an over-sized wrap in the shape of a bandage. The next time he complained of a stomach ache, she presented him with the soft bandage. Doubtful it would work, Katherine was surprised to see the magical healing powers of her creation. Her son fell asleep without asking again for medicine, and in the morning he felt better. It has worked ever since.

I can certainly understand why an idea like the (oopdoo)tm hug would be popular. My kids love it and they feel comforted by it. My advice however, is to make sure you take it away once they are feeling better. Otherwise, they treat it like a blankie and want to take it everywhere. Keep it for those occasions that warrant a little extra healing power. I highly recommend as a safe and better alternative to medicine whenever possible.

Know someone who needs a pick me up? Send them a virtual (oopdoo)tm hug.

Mom starts business despite challenges

It’s tough starting and running a successful business. It's even tougher however, when you have started two companies, balanced work and family and battled Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Betsy Rich, mother of two, is typical of women who dream of working for themselves, owning and running a business, but scared to take the chance. Betsy had MS before starting her first company, so she had already experienced balancing work and family with a debilitating disease.

"About six years ago, I started to go downhill and was using a cane full time," said Betsy. "My doctor started me on Novancrone, a chemotherapy drug used to stabilize people with MS. It worked for about two and one-half years; I got better!"

Having MS gave Betsy a unique perspective on life. "I know what’s important and have definite priorities when it comes to dividing my work and family time. I take nothing for granted because any day the illness can change my life in an instant."

Betsy began her career in the London Bureau of ABC News working with Peter Jennings on the production of World News Tonight. She then transferred to ABC’s New York office where she continued to write, produce and direct features for both World News Tonight and 20/20.

After a while, Betsy decided that the long grinding hours and travel of the news business was not conducive to having the type of life she wanted. She needed to work, but wanted to spend more time with her family.

In 2003, Betsy and former ABC News colleague John Upshall, left their 9-5, steady paycheck job and started their first company, Strategic Video, LLC, a video production company from Betsy's home in suburban, New York. They were betting on their story-producing backgrounds to carry them through.

"With no financial cushion and no guarantee of work, we jumped off the cliff with only the confidence that we could make it work," said Betsy. "It was terrifying because we were homeowners with large mortgages."

While tapping into home equity loans to pay the bills, the pair worked out of Betsy's basement, submitting countless proposals for new business. Slowly, the company began to grow. Brand name companies like Altria worked with them and they began to gain a reputation for shooting first-rate corporate videos. Eventually the business was able to move out of the home.

Soon thereafter, Betsy and John saw an untapped business opportunity. "As we signed clients, we realized they had no easy way to organize, categorize or locate the thousands of corporate videos they owned." Blue Horse Digital, which organizes, preserves, digitizes, and makes videos accessible for large corporations, organizations and government agencies was born.

Today, they are pioneers of a new industry they helped create. The businesses continue to grow, Betsy manages her disease the best she can and tries to spend quality time with her family. She enjoys horseback riding and snowboarding with her adult children, Alex and Lindsey.

Considering starting a business? Betsy offers the following advice:

Find a great partner. "John and I had worked together for 27 years, and we worked with our chief of technology for 10+ years before we started our business. We knew what to expect from each other. Even though we trust each other completely and have good communication, we put everything down on paper."

Be careful about expenditures. "We spent the first couple of years working out of my house and using a virtual office - a mail drop and phone number with an address to make us look bigger than we were. When we decided to lease office space, we chose a small place in a suburb of NYC for one year."

Choose your vendors wisely. "We found a terrific accountant and lawyer who had left larger firms to start companies. They cost less than big firms and had the experience we needed."

Be hospitable. Everything we did focused on a concept of “hospice” – (the hospitality, not terminal illness sense of the word). We decided from the start we would provide extraordinary service to our clients and an extraordinary working environment for our employees."

A date with my four year old

Tonight I enjoyed a special evening with my four year old son. Very rarely is it it just me and him spending quality time together. We shared a chicken parmigiana dinner at our favorite restaurant, Millo's Pizza, then we hung out at the playground and went to the library to get a book.

I had forgotten how talkative a preschooler can be when given the chance. We talked about his day at daycare and what he ate for lunch (he said he forgot to eat his fruit). We named his stuffed dog that also joined us for dinner and decided which paintings we liked best hanging on the restaurant wall. He even exclaimed that he had done his poopies at school today and asked if I was proud of him. I was!

It was a BlackBerry free night. No interruptions from anyone or anything...just me and my big boy. These moments are so precious. I am fortunate to be a mom entrepreneur and can afford a schedule that allows me more quality time with my kids.

Tell me about a special date you had recently with one of your children.

The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group is growing

It has been almost two months since I started The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group. At the one month mark, we had 100 members and 200 discussions. It is a great group of women who share stories, offer advice and support one another in their pursuit to continually learn how to balance motherhood and run a business.

Our members range from moms just starting a new company to moms who have been in business for many years and run very large companies.

Today, I found two of our members in the news: Shannon Davis of BeyondMotherhood.com was featured in The Plain Dealer and Lauri Harrison of MomToBeDepot.com was featured in the Denver Women's Examiner. It may be strange to admit, but I felt like a proud mother when I found two of our members in the news.

Great going ladies!

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 6)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 6 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

The MomBA

Although there are plenty of mompreneurs who do indeed have business degrees and the necessary management experience to successfully launch a new business, many do not. And the thought of tackling an MBA on top of motherhood and operating a business is not a wise choice. (Meltdown anyone?) Acknowledging this challenging situation, the Small Business Division at Capital One and Victoria Pericon, founder of online resource www.savvymommy.com, have jointly created a list of tips on entrepreneurship to help guide mompreneurs who might not have a business background. To earn what they dubbed a MomBA, they suggest educating yourself in the following five areas: innovation, finance, marketing, the Internet (particularly the Web 2.0), and the art of multi-tasking. Thankfully women are experts at multi-tasking, so that leaves you with only four other principles to master.

Aside from researching a wide variety of financing options and drafting a business plan, one of the underlying themes of the MomBA is doing your homework. Do the necessary research to properly position yourself for success. For example, they suggested doing research to understand a) your competitors, b) the power of social networking, c) how to efficiently and effectively promote your product/service, and d) whether or not that idea of yours has legs to stand upon.

Future Outlook

Even though being a mompreneur is challenging on so many levels, more and more women are joining the ranks. So is it true? Can women have it all? When posed with this very question, every participant in our study responded with a resounding YES! But there are caveats. Christine Lavin of Fit2BMom commented that “having it all doesn’t necessarily mean having it all at the same time.” Admittedly, balance, sacrifice, and flexibility are all things that enable mompreneurs to have it all in the larger scheme of things. Another mompreneur, Dena Smith-Givens of Primal Parenting Magazine (www.primalparentingmagazine.com) brought up a good point in that “having it all” likely means different things to different people. So ask yourself what it is you want out of your life. What does “having it all” mean to you? Whatever it is, realize that – with a little planning and support – you can simultaneously be a fabulous wife, mother, business owner, and friend.

There is a definite parallel between launching a business and raising children. They both need to be created and regularly nurtured. They both must take baby steps before they can run. Leverage your strengths as a woman, be it great organizational skills or relentless passion and enthusiasm. Be patient with yourself and those around you. Don’t lose site of who you are and what you want from your life. Boldly tell the universe what you have to offer. Spend less time worrying about all the things you have yet to do, and congratulate yourself for all that you are and all that you have accomplished already.

Yes, you can have it all.

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 5)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 5 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

Build a Solid Support System

Let’s face it – in addition to the usual stress inducers of being a business owner, mompreneurs also need to know how to manage their 2-year-old’s meltdown while running out the door to an important meeting or how to protect business documents from sticky fingers or crayons. Mompreneurs need a reliable support system and special resources. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and encourage you every step of the way. Interviewees stated that their husbands and girlfriends were their biggest cheerleaders, which is no surprise. Several also suggested getting your entire family on board. If your children are old enough, give them household or business-related tasks to do. Sometimes the younger kids really get a kick out of licking envelopes or organizing things. Not only will this help lighten your load, your kids will feel like they are making a contribution, plus you will be teaching them about responsibility. Also, take full advantage of networking groups such as Ladies Who Launch or subject-specific Meetup groups (http://www.meetup.com/) where you can join hundreds of networking groups relevant to your business. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can create your own group. Voila!

In addition to your moral support group, one of the wisest things you can do to get your business off the ground is to build your own team of subject-matter experts. This could be a financial whiz to help manage your books or a web designer who can whip up a website in a fraction of the time it would take you to do on your own. Outsourcing business tasks that you can’t do yourself will enable you to focus on what you do best and what you enjoy the most. Understand that you don’t have to do everything yourself. It is a worthwhile investment in your business to reach out to experts and it will help you maintain your sanity.

Manage the Troops

Obviously, if you can afford a full- or part-time nanny, this is a huge help. If that is not an option, work out a schedule with your spouse and look for inexpensive or freebie childcare in your neighborhood. For example, if your gym offers inexpensive childcare, this is a great opportunity for you to escape for some “me time.” (Besides, there’s nothing better for your mind, body, and soul than some good sweat therapy.)

The key is to develop some sort of system that clearly delineates when you are in “mom mode” versus “work mode.” To avoid endless interruptions from children when working from home, try this… I recently read about a woman who gives her children a “visitor’s ticket” each morning, good for one visit to mom’s office that day. This encourages kids to save all their questions, stories, and woes for one visit, versus interrupting you every five minutes. Once they use their “visitor’s ticket,” they know they won’t be able to bother you until the end of the day when you return to “mom mode.” This is a great trick that will help you stay focused, but will also teach kids some good values – time management, encouraging resolutions of their own problems, understanding and respecting mom when she’s in “work mode.”

Valuable Resources for Mompreneurs

In addition to the suggestions above, here is a list of resources that just might make your life as a mompreneur a little more manageable.

• Big City Moms (http://www.bigcitymoms.com/): A good resource for moms and moms-to-be living in urban areas. The site includes a nanny exchange as well as a list of events such as luncheons, classes, and parenting seminars.
• Mommy Mastermind (http://www.mommymastermind.com/): Aimed at savvy stay-at-home and work-at-home moms with young children, founder Angela Kane launched this site to help moms and mompreneurs alike manage their hectic lives. In addition to a list of inexpensive or free family-friendly events, Mommy Mastermind offers valuable pod casts and other downloadable resources such as articles and worksheets to maximize your limited time.
• Mompreneurs Online (http://www.mompreneursonline.com/): This site was created by Ellen Parlapiano and Pat Cobe, the inventors of the term “mompreneur.” It is a mom’s one-stop, work-at-home resource, providing just about everything mompreneurs need to know and have, including a networking community, relevant articles and suggested books, and even an online mall featuring products made exclusively by mompreneurs.
• The Organized Parent (http://www.theorganizedparent.com/): This is where busy moms go to get organized. Founded by Stephanie Vozza in 2003, this site provides tips and products to help keep multi-tasking moms organized. You can find a variety of products from creative filing systems and storage solutions to event-specific survival kits.
• Center for Women’s Business Research (http://www.womensbusinessresearch.org/): Want to sink your teeth into stats, trends, and characteristics about women entrepreneurs? Here’s a top-notch resource that lists most every women’s networking group under the sun, has loads of research reports on topics such as accessing capital, and offers suggestions for managing a home-based business. Some reports are free; some must be ordered for a small fee. While I found a few of the documents to be a bit outdated, this site is still a great place to begin your research.
• The National Association of Women Business Owners (http://www.nawbo.org/): A few hundred dollars for an annual membership is definitely a worthwhile investment to access hundreds of thousands of like-minded women entrepreneurs around the country. Endless amounts of luncheons, roundtables, and events provide new avenues to build your network and your business.
• StartupNation (http://www.startupnation.com/): A robust resource created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs. In addition to offering lots of good ideas and strategies for entrepreneurs working from home, this site provides endless amounts of articles, pod casts, blogs, audio/video segments, and networking opportunities to help launch and build a new business.

[the final part (part 6) will be distributed tomorrow]

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 4)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 4 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

Challenges

The greatest challenges of mompreneurship were tightly linked to a lack or mismanagement of time, not necessarily money. While traditional entrepreneurs who don’t have children might place an equal emphasis on time and money, it is clear that mothers need to be masters at time management and possess extraordinary organizational skills to meet never-ending demands. Mothers and entrepreneurs alike can relate to the overwhelming feeling of trying to “do it all” and trying to be the best at everything. Imagine trying to be the best wearing both of those hats. (yikes!) Something tells me these women would be in favor of cloning.

Other obstacles mompreneurs face are finding a reliable and trustworthy person to help with childcare, managing their finances, and dealing with the “G” word. Guilt. It seems to be a no-win situation… when they spend time with their kids, they feel guilty for not tending to business, and when they are putting in hours in the office, they feel guilty for not being with their kids. Some women also mentioned the fear of change and success. This is not uncommon for entrepreneurs in general as they are often uncertain how they will actually handle being successful and profitable.

Suggestions and Coping Mechanisms

In order to cope with the stress of mompreneurship, these wonder women so kindly offered their words of wisdom as well as a few tricks of the trade. Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan

Women are naturally great planners and that is precisely what helps them keep all those balls in the air. Make technology your BFF (i.e. Blackberries, Outlook) or squeeze the value out of a good old fashioned calendar. Set up weekly and daily schedules and stick to them. One interviewee said it so succinctly: “divide and conquer.” Get your husband and older children to help more with household chores, making dinner, and cleaning. Treating your calendar like “The Holy Grail” will help keep your entire life on track, all in one place. The next step is to prioritize your priorities. Since both children and business vie for the title, it is crucial that your schedule specifies when you are in “work mode” and when you are in “mom mode.” When in a particular zone, be fully dedicated and focused. And don’t feel inadequate or unproductive if you are unable to tick off your entire To Do list each day. There is always tomorrow.

As organized as you might be, there will constantly be surprises and zingers that can throw your day into disarray, so try to be as flexible as possible. Expect the unexpected and do your best to roll with the punches. Having a good sense of humor will also help manage the day-to-day challenges and keep your own meltdown at bay.

Do Your Homework

Nearly 50% of the respondents highly suggested doing a substantial amount of research prior to starting a business. Nichole Albanese, owner of Lucky For Baby (http://www.luckyforbaby.com/) and mother of two young boys, said in hindsight she wished she had done more research and planning before launching. Empower yourself by intimately understanding your industry and market. Know who your competitors are and how they position themselves in the market, then make sure you have a competitive advantage and clearly differentiate your product or service. It is a risky endeavor to launch a new business on a hunch, an idea, or a prayer. Since you have limited resources on hand, determine where you should be focusing your energy, time, and money. Building partnerships is also a great way to work collaboratively with a similar or complimentary business. So while your kids are doing their homework, make sure you do yours.

Face Your Fears

First of all, don’t be afraid to ask for help, but be selective on the advice you take to heart. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that most people will want to help you (women are especially good at this). Just be specific about what you need. Secondly, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. These moments of truth make for the best learning experiences. Many an entrepreneur has flat-out failed more than once before hitting the big time. Remember… entrepreneurs are inherently risk-takers. This is one of the characteristics that sets you apart from mainstream society. Be prepared to work your plan, but also be prepared to adjust your plan when things don’t turn out as anticipated. This leads me to my third point… Don’t be afraid of change. Embrace it. I bet 99.99% of people on this planet are afraid of change. But change is good. It challenges you and it encourages you to grow. When in need of professional guidance, seek the assistance of a life coach or change consultant like Rebecca Rodskog of Rodskog Change Consulting (http://www.rodskog.com/).

Play Mind Games

Having a positive attitude works wonders. Make a conscious effort to see the good and opportunities in things, people, and events that at first may seem difficult. Throw your energy and enthusiasm out to the universe and notice what you get back in return. Keep negative thoughts at bay. Stay focused and keep the faith. Remind yourself that most people spend their lives in jobs/careers that they absolutely despise. Be grateful that you are wise enough to follow your heart and your passion. Be clear on your intentions, purpose, and goals. Most importantly, never stop believing in yourself, because when the doubting sets in, the wheels start falling off your wagon.

[part 5 will be distributed tomorrow]

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 3)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 3 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

A Day in the Life of a Mompreneur

Earlier this year, March (2008), we at denken Research & Consulting conducted a brief qualitative study to uncover some of the greatest challenges that mompreneurs face. Our objective was to uncover challenges, gather advice and resources, and then share our findings with other mompreneurs so they too can successfully manage multiple roles. Participants were recruited from Ladies Who Launch (www.ladieswholaunch.com), a nation-wide organization that supports women entrepreneurs. In-depth telephone interviews lasting approximately 60 minutes were conducted with select participants who qualified as mompreneurs.

The participants represented a variety of industries from around the country and were at various stages of mompreneurship. Some of them were new to motherhood with a newborn at home; others were a little more seasoned with up to five children. Some were more experienced entrepreneurs with businesses existing for up to five years; others had just started their businesses within the last six months, and one woman was still in the midst of launching. Despite the fact that there was great diversity within the group, plenty of common scenarios and challenges surfaced. Here’s what we found.

Oftentimes, it was the transformation to motherhood that sparked ideas for new products/services and ultimately inspired these women to launch a new business. These days, if women can’t find what they want on the market, they take it upon themselves to create it with the hope that other mothers will benefit. These are true entrepreneurs as they are developing products that fulfill a need and/or solve a real problem. This was a common thread with the women we interviewed. Many of their businesses were created to improve or simplify their lives – or their children’s lives – since they became wives and mothers. Ideas ranged from managing lifestyle changes to designing and selling organic baby clothing and products to developing fashionable and functional maternity wear. As Susan Mussaffi, mom extraordinaire of four and owner of Organic Cottontail (www.organiccottontail.com) discovered, “when you’re aware of the desire, opportunities start presenting themselves.”

When asked to explain a day in the life of a mompreneur, we found these women to be extremely organized and they crammed an incredible amount of tasks into each day, constantly swapping hats. Most do this methodically; seamlessly switching from “mom mode” to “work mode.” While each woman had her own unique schedule, their priorities were the same: kids come first, then business, then other obligations. When describing themselves and how they manage their day, they made a clear differentiation of when they were in “mom mode” versus “work mode.”

Although some of the interviewees admitted to occasionally questioning what the heck they were doing and how they were going to stay afloat, they continue to be encouraged by an inner voice and of course the thrill of small accomplishments. Signing on a new client or finally grasping the ins and outs of SEO were positive reinforcements that they were moving in the right direction. In addition to having the support of people who believe in them, having an optimistic attitude and the burning desire to succeed definitely helps keep that spark alive.

[part 4 will be distributed tomorrow]

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 2)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 2 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

Trends

It is difficult to pinpoint how many mompreneurs there are in the United States, but according to some of the latest statistics from the Center for Women’s Business Research (www.womensbusinessresearch.org), the number of women-owned businesses has grown in excess of 40% over the past 10 years, and the number of women who are choosing to stay home to raise their children has increased nearly 15%.

Many new moms in particular have discovered that there are many lifestyle options available to them and those “high-achieving” career women are deliberately choosing not to return to the daily grind of Corporate America. Women who are used to earning a regular salary, spending as they wish, and being intellectually stimulated on a day-to-day basis are often left feeling a bit empty once they become stay-at-home mothers. They find themselves stuck in a chasm between making money and challenging themselves professionally versus trying to be the perfect mother who devotes all of her time and attention to her children.

Sadly, societal and economic pressures have driven us to rely on dual incomes to maintain a certain lifestyle, so once the stork delivers the goods and a woman chooses to stay at home to raise her children, couples are forced to look for creative ways to marry their old and new lifestyles with minimal sacrifices. Today, a large percentage of new moms are highly educated, ambitious career women and want to be professionally challenged, so they are finding ways to stay connected with the business world. The desire to set and achieve personal goals often results in women launching their own businesses from the comfort of home. While not an easy position to be in, it works for many women and can be the best of both worlds.

The trend of women who leave their jobs to have children and then opt to start their own business continues to grow. And don’t mistake this for a short-lived fad like big shoulder pads. There is a strong, definitive change in the world of entrepreneurship from both a social and an economic standpoint. Check this out: In 2007, the Intuit Future of Small Business Report was published to illustrate the changing face of entrepreneurs over the next ten years. The study was sponsored by Intuit (www.intuit.com), one of the leading providers of financial management tools for small business, and authored by The Institute for the Future (www.iftf.org), an independent research organization specializing in emerging trends and their impact on global society. The report stated that “the face of small business will dramatically change as seasoned baby boomers, those fresh out of high school, mid-career women, mompreneurs and new immigrants will come together to create the most diverse pool of entrepreneurs ever.” Moreover, the study emphasized that the United States will continue to realize increasing numbers of female entrepreneurs, thus transferring a large portion of the talent pool from Corporate America to the small business sector.

[part 3 will be distributed tomorrow]

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Mompreneurs: Real Life Wonder Women (part 1)

Guest blogger: Christine Janssen (written with Erin Higgins), denken Research & Consulting - This is part 1 of a 6 part article on "mompreneurs". If you prefer to download this article in its entirety, click here...>

In their own right, being a new business owner and a new mother are some of the greatest challenges any woman can face. Doing both at the same time requires a certain set of skills and characteristics including lots of determination, patience, and multi-tasking. (And perhaps that occasional glass of red wine at the end of a hectic day.) Introducing the mompreneur…

What exactly is a mompreneur? Intuitively speaking, she is a woman who simultaneously balances the roles of motherhood and entrepreneurship. The term is typically used to describe a woman who leaves the workplace to raise children and then launches a small, home-based business rather than returning to the traditional workplace. But this isn’t the only path to mompreneurship. Oftentimes women are first and foremost entrepreneurs and then become mothers. Clearly, there are a wide variety of circumstances that can lead women to this stage in their lives.

The term “mompreneur” was coined back in the late 1990s by Ellen Parlapiano and Pat Cobe, two leading authorities on women-owned businesses. They are co-authors of Mompreneurs: A Mother’s Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Work-at-Home Success and Mompreneurs Online: Using the Internet to Build Work@Home Success as well as the creators of http://www.mompreneursonline.com/. (Unbeknownst to most people, the word “mompreneur” is trademarked, and Parlapiano and Cobe are actually the only ones who are legally allowed to use the word in commerce.) While the term essentially describes any woman who is trying to balance both family and work responsibilities all under one roof, Cobe agrees that there isn’t just one type of mompreneur. The distinction is that this title represents a woman who has at least one child and who has launched her own business. I liken mompreneurs to wonder women with super powers. Both roles are extremely demanding and both carry responsibilities that rarely end when the 5 o’clock whistle blows.

[part 2 will be distributed tomorrow]

Christine Janssen is the Founder and President of denken Research & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in New York, NY that provides end-to-end market research and writing services to small businesses, including start-ups. She is also a Doctoral Candidate at New York University, where she is completing her dissertation on women entrepreneurs.

Moms Can Have It All – They Just Can't Do It All

I think the title of this article sums things up nicely. The article is by Lisa Druxman and it was originally written for Entrepreneur.com.

I'll tell you right now that you'll never get it all done. Your inbox will always have e-mails, you'll always have dirty clothes to wash and your nightstand will always contain unread books.

I'm not trying to depress you: I say this only to make you realize an inevitable truth--a truth that's in direct conflict with my belief that having finished tasks in your life gives you peace and happiness.

How many times do you tackle your e-mails from newest to oldest? Do you go through your to-do list from top to bottom? Do you answer the phone because it rings and do the laundry because the hamper's full? This is true for almost everyone. The mom entrepreneur is juggling raising a family and a business, and she's usually overwhelmed.

To read article, click here...>

HP Mom Entrepreneur Grant Giveaway

HP in partnership with BSM Media and co-sponsored by KCMetroMoms.com are giving mompreneurs a chance to win some money to help grow their business. They will be choosing 2 winners to get a $500 grant as well as a $100 Walgreens gift card.

If you create unique promotional items using digital photography to promote your business then this grant giveaway may be of interest to you.

For more information, click here...>

P&G Relies on Power of Mommy Bloggers

I read an interesting article today that talks about the increase in and influence of mommy bloggers. Manufaturers of baby products are reaching out to these "influencers" as part of their online marketing strategies. Very interesting!

Read the article here...>

Mom entrepreneurs are stressed out...duh!

MSNBC.com recently reported that mom entrepreneurs are stressed out. Duh?!

The article reports that a survey of more than 1,000 female business owners who are part of the Make Mine a Million $ Business program -- created by Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence and American Express OPEN -- found that 27 percent of moms have “a high level of stress related to balancing work and family demands, compared to just 18 percent of non-mothers.”

In addition, mothers with pre-school age kids, nearly 40 percent, said they had high levels of work-family anxiety.

To read the article, click here...>

This Friday, I have a phone interview with Nell Merlino, Co-Founder, President & CEO of Count Me In. The mission of Count Me In is to promote economic independence and the growth of women owned businesses. I will post a full report after my interview, which I think will be very informative.

Join The Mom Entrepreneur Support Group

So many of our readers have offered comments, questions and advice that I feel would be very valuable if shared with the mom entrepreneur network we have attracted.

Therefore, I created a Google Group where we can all interact and share our tips, advice and other resources for balancing motherhood and running a business.

To learn more, click this link or look for the Google Group icon on this blog. I look forward to networking with our loyal readers through this group.

Thanks!