A SKI NG : A K EY
ORGANI ZATION
TO
Y OUR B USI NESS S UCC ES S
S UB SCRIBE T ODAY !
www.wom enbi zown ers.org
PROVIDING EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS AND EDUCATION
Conquer Your Business Fears
FOR FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS
Meet our Volunteer of the Month Lisa Wald Guarino Oct 2009 $3.99U SD
WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS Magazine Magazine Team: Cindy Clark, Editor in Chief: Ginger Marks, Managing Editor: Rebekah Jones, Copy Editor: Ginger Marks, Production Coordinator Kristine Sheehan, Art Editor Executive Board: Anna Campbell, Founder & President Cindy Clark, Vice President Susanne Mariga, Treasurer Lisa Wald-Guarino, Secretary Diane Tegarden, Mem ber at Large WBO Direct ors: Michelle Suman, Educational Director Kathy Allen, Volunteer Director Cindy Clark, Marketing Director: Patricia Boes, Membership Director Tracy Collins, Technical Director WBO Staff: Andrea Okrentowich, Executive Assistant Sherry Sim oes, Mkg Asst and Panel of Experts Coordinator Wendy VanHatten, Asst. Marketing Director Donna Crav otta, Marketing Assistant Stacey Virgo, Events Assistant Open, Asst. Technical Director Jackie Finch, Sponsor Coordinator Dawn Kirk, Convention Coordinator Jylian Sy, Podcast Host Julie-Marie Christin, Gift Shop Keeper
Š Copyri ght 2009 W omenBi zOwner s.or g All rights r eserved.
2 | womenbizowners.org
Women Business Owners (WBO) is a 501c3 non profit organization, founded in February 2004, with the mission to educate, empower, and enhance the lives of women business owners and children throughout the world.
*Women Business Owners (WBO) announces their newest initiative: Jr Apprentice US Program. This educational apprentice program is for children 10-18 in age, within the United States that are interested in being business owners.
WBO Podcast, listen to amazing women from around the world covering all areas of business and personal life for women. Available on our group website. www.womenbizowners.org.
WBO National Business Convention presented by Office Max, Inc. will be held in Houston, Texas on October 22-24, 2009. 500 women entrepreneurs from around the world will experience a convention of networking, workshops, and a live business expo.
must read Asking: A Key to Your Business Success Conquer your Business Fears
19 9
Don’t Let Fear Keep You from Running a Thriving Business Move Beyond Your Fears
11 17
Reflection
23
every issue About WBO Ask Yak
31 15
Authors Corner Calendar of Events Member of the Month
12 18 13
New WBO Members Vice-Presidents Message
7 4
Quote of the Month Welcome from our WBO Magazine Staff WBO Staff & Volunteer Members
10 8 30
Oct 2009 | 3
Vice President’s Message
This has been a very busy and exciting time here at WBO as we Ci ndy Clark prepare for our annual National Business Conv ention Vice President happening at the end of this m onth! We have so many wonderful speakers lined up, workshops planned, exciting exhibitors for the business expo and a few surprises thrown in! It's going to be WILD! I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful volunteers for all their time, talents and hard work to make this convention happen. Without them it would not be a reality. Our magazine is chock full of exciting articles this m onth wrapped around fear in y our business and how to overcom e it. Listen to our experts on how they share their experiences, offer sound advice and bring y ou to the other side of conquering it! Watch for some exciting changes coming to WBO in the next few m onths. We have many things in store, but want to hear from y ou. If you have suggestions, comm ents, ideas on what you would like to see from us, please don't hesitate to let us know. We are always open to fresh and new ideas. Feel free to email me at cindy@wom enbizowners.org. Have a great m onth! See you at the WBO Convention! "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." Thoreau
Are you m oving in the right direction? Are y ou living the life y ou want? Cindy Clark WBO VP
Visit our group website for m ore information: www.womenbizowners.org 4 | womenbizowners.org
of special note 2009 Annual Charity Jr. Apprentice Feature Author
14 29
Gift Shop Hot Pick Movie of the Month Online Article Library
6 10 10
Open Staff Volunteer Positions Teleseminar Schedule
24 23
Fourth Quarter Charity Volunteer of the Month Volunteers Needed
22 25 12
WBO Podcast
26
Oct 2009 | 5
Shop from a wide variety of items created by our members to help you with your business or personal needs. Each item is donating 30% or more back to WBO. Elizabeth T ote ~ Handcrafted by Jennifer Hudson with Mimsi Bags. This t ote is perfect for the Bu siness Wom an-on -the-Go! Originally designed with the W om en Business Owner, Realtor 速, Mortgage Lender or Attorney in m ind, this t ote will carry ev erything y ou need, and make sure y ou arriv e in sty le! At 18 " wide and 12" tall, it is large enough t o carry legal-sized folder s, plus y our pens, palm , calculator, wallet, checkbook... y ou get the idea! We can also add a key fob so y ou don 't lose them in the room iness. Price: $125
Java Jammie ~ Handcrafted by Julie-Marie with Julie-Marie Bags This cute and fun Java Jamm ie has a pink background with white polka dots and white daisies. A m atching daisy button m akes it irresistable! This Jav a Jamm ie is ex tra special because all pr ofit s benefit W om en Business Owners. Price $7 .00 W om en Business Owners prov ides education and support for m ore than 3,000 wom en business owners throughout the world with online and offline resources. W BO's m ission is to help m ore wom en succeed in business.
Pawnut - Apple Biscotti ~ Handmade by The Gourmet Dog Bakery Let y our canine di g hi s teeth into our crisp on the outsi de but soft on the insi de Paw nut Butter - Apple Bi sc otti . Made with: stone ground organic w hole wheat fl our , or ganic peanut butter , milk , unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon. A s alway s, The Gour met Dog Bakery only uses the best i ngredi ents w hen b aking our goods. Our Pawnut Butter - Appl e Bisc otti is sol d i n quantities of 1 /2 dozen. Price: $5.99
http://www.wom enbizowners.org Sh ow Case Your Product in the WBO Gift Sh op: Star and Prem ier m em bers are encouraged to participate in our W BO Gift Sh op by choosing one product or serv ice they will donate 30% or m ore back t o Wom en Business Owners. Contact info@wom enbizowners.org for m ore inform ation about our Dr op Ship Policy .
6 | womenbizowners.org
New WBO Members Andrea Okrentowich Creative Non-Profit Solutions creativenonprofitsolutions.org Jackie Finch Virtual Excellence www.thevirtualexcellencepro.com
"My Monthly Business Journal" - available online at https:// www.createspace.com/3365337 mrsannacampbell@yahoo.com or call 832375-9435 to order as an eBook for $9 or as a printed journal for $15.
Judy Kendall Success On The Sea www.successonthesea.com Rhonda Russell Wanda Hughley FlexCarePA www.flexcarepa.com
Oct 2009 | 7
Welcome from our WBO Magazine Staff Area All articles must provide useful and high integrity information that is helpful to women in business. We accept topics related to business, marketing, integrating home and family with business, and much more relating to women in business. We ask that you provide unique, well-written, informative articles. We reserve the right to refuse any article for any reason. All written content that you submit to this site must be writing that you have the legal rights to post to our site. By posting your article to our site, you are granting us Non-Exclusive Copyrights which means you are giving us the legal right to use it, but you are NOT surrendering your right to use it elsewhere. WBO does not own or retain any rights to the articles written...we are merely privileged to read and grow from them. WBO Magazine reserves the right to edit submitted articles. Each author will be credited by name in publication. The number of articles to be written is decided by each article writer herself. We encourage members of the WBO News Magazine Writers Team to submit at least one (1) article a month, however we do understand the flow of creativity is different for everyone and we do not want this to become a chore. Therefore the final decision will be yours. Each article must be submitted to our WBO Magazine Yahoo! Group. finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/wbomagazine WBO Magazine reserves the right to edit submitted articles. Each author will be credited by name in publication.
Clark 8 | womenbizowners.org
Marks
Sheehan
Jones
O
wning a business can be a fear in itself. For some people, it can be the scariest thing you can do. The fear of failure is huge for b us i nes s o w n e rs . Conquering your fear is something that needs to be done or you won’t grow your business.
Conquer your Business Fears By Corrie Petersen Fears can be anything from the fear of failure to the fear of growing too big and everything in between. You can even have a fear of hiring a Virtual Assistant because you are worried she will mess things up in your business, or you can have a fear of hiring a website designer to create the website of
(Continued on page 29)
Oct 2009 | 9
WBO WBO Online Online Article Article Library Library Our Article Library has been created for the use of our mem bers. It is for wom en who would like to learn how to start a business, grow a business, maintain a business, and lead the life they are searching for. You will find a variety of categories below that are filled with articles, recorded classes, and other informational type documents just waiting to be opened and explored. We are alway s looking for additional resources t o add t o our directory . Please feel free t o contact us with any articles, business docum ents, and other business related item s that y ou would like to see added to this direct ory . You may contact us v ia em ail articles@wom enbizowners.org.
Visit Today : htt p://www.womenbizowners.org (Under Business Tools)
Quote of the Month “You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.� ~Mary Manin Morrissey
10 | womenbizowners.org
Michael Jackson's This is It Release Date: Oct 28, 2009 Starring: Michael Jackson Genre: Mu sic Official Site: thisisit -m ov ie.com / Rated: PG (For som e suggestiv e choreography and scary images.) Michael Jackson 's THIS IS IT will offer Jackson fans and music lov ers worldwide a rare, behindthe-scenes look at the perform er as he dev eloped, created and rehearsed for his soldout concerts that would hav e taken place beginning this summ er in London 's O2 Arena. Chronicling the m onths fr om April through June, 2009, the film is pr oduced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn fr om m ore than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a num ber of his songs for the show. Audiences will be giv en a priv ileged and private look at Jackson as he has nev er been seen before. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jack son 's THIS IS IT captures the singer, dancer, filmm aker, architect, creativ e genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfect s his final sh ow. Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jack son 's creativ e partner and the director of the stage sh ow is also directing the film , which is being produced by Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega and Paul Gongaware. Executiv e pr oducers are John Branca and John McClain. The film will be distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing. Ticket s for the lim ited two-week engagem ent of the film go on sale beginning Septem ber 27 .
Don’t Let Fear Keep You from Running a Thriving Business by Sherry Simoes Fears are not uncomm on to a woman entrepreneur trying to build a business. Am I going to be able to pull in a ready paycheck? Am I going to get enough clients? What if I fail? We cannot let fear get the best of us. Embrace fear and take it head on. Make a pledge to y ourself that you will do whatever it takes to succeed and do not be afraid. Being afraid is a negative em otion that affects m ore than y ou can imagine. Your self esteem suffers greatly when y ou are afraid and you feel like a failure. Your stress levels soar. Your health declines. If y ou can rise above that nagging feeling y ou will win the gam e and succeed far bey ond y our expectations.
Here are some things you can do to rise above fear. C REATE A V ISION BOARD Having y our goals in front of y ou is the key to y our success. It serves as a constant reminder that you have a plan of action. Make sure to record when these are achieved. The “Women of Today Vision Board” is a great tool to have those visions as your screen saver, background on y our com puter, printed out and posted on the wall in y our office and be able to share with your support group!
C ELEBRATE Y OUR A CCOMPLI SHMENT S! Take a day for y ourself and celebrate. Get your hair or nails done and relax! Meet a friend for lunch. Tell yourself Great Job!!
M ARKET C ONSI STENTLY Set up one day per week to
We cannot let fear get the best of us. Embrace fear and take it head on. market your business and connect with existing clients.
STEP OUT SIDE Y OUR C OMFORT ZONE Try som ething new that will build y our business. Perhaps it is time for a new logo, or com pany colours, a new slogan that will wow them ! A cool prom otional item.
(Continued on page 16)
Oct 2009 | 11
WBO Authors Corner This team of publishing companies, authors, writ ers, and market ers; net work, ment or and promot e each other. We believe that by working t ogether, we will succeed in our individual goals. Authors Corner Leader: Cindy Clark with CCDesign z Business Services, LLC Authors: Diane Tegarden with FireWalker Publications, Inc Ga zelle Simmons with Admin Services Ginger Marks with DocUmeantDesigns.com Li sa A. Fredette with Passionate About Life Coaching Sabrina Schlei cher, Ph.D., A CC with Tap The Poten tial Sherri Walker with Poems by Daughter of the King Writer's: Li sa A. Fredette with Passionate About Life Coaching
Visit the Authors Corner and learn about the amazing books these members have published and are currently working on. This group is open t o all Star & Premier Members. htt p://www.womenbizowners.org (Under Explore WBO - Business Tools- Online Resources)
Volunteers needed for the WBO Marketing Department: Do you have excellent writing skills? Do you enjoy writing? We need your help! We are looking for a few people to assist us with writing press releases and articles to promote WBO to the media. We need to promote our upcoming July Expo and National Business Convention in October.
Volunteers needed for the WBO Membership Dept.: Do you like to meet new people, and welcome them with an email, card, or phone call? We need help sending our welcome packets to new Star & Premier members. Emailing new members with information and membership e-book. Keeping track of expiring members, contacting them for renewal. Promoting WBO for membership purposes. Create membership ads, flyers, and other marketing materials.
Visit http://www.womenbizowners.org and submit a volunteer form to kathy@womenbizowners.org .
12 | womenbizowners.org
WBO Member of the Month KEISHA DAVIS
K
eisha Davis founded KD's Kloset in Spring 2009, a Houston Metropolitan area-based fashion model and shopping fanatic. Her love of fashion inspired her to start an online boutique w here her favorite things are available to all. The name "KD's Kloset" is inspired by KD's love for fashion; because as she is shopping, she is alw ays thinking of w hat w ill fit into her closet. When her girlfriends browsed her closet, they would alw ays ask her, "Where did you get that shirt, handbag, necklace, and scarf, etc?" Thus, so she decided to help them find these items that she loves so much. KD's Kloset w as immediately brought to life. KD's Kloset is a sleek boutique that outfits w ith edgy and accessible jew elry, clothing, handbags and accessories. This fabulous online boutique offers a range of styles that appeal to a broad selection of styles, ages and budgets. KD know s that mothers, daughters, grandmothers and girlfriends like to shop from her site and come to her kloset parties together, and KD's Kloset has something to flatter all! KD stocks her boutique w ith pretty much anything FABULOUS that is fashionable, stylish and accents a w oman's body w hile enhancing her image. KD's Kloset know n to be a one-stop shop for those divas in need of a trendy head-to-toe look, or for a girl w ho simply w ants to take her style up a notch w ith a fabulous piece or tw o.
KD’s Kloset Image|Fa shion |Style http://www .k dskl oset.c om Direct: 832-668-9232 Direct: 281 -499-7 296 Fax : 281 -499-7 296 www .gods.soulpurpose.net (ORDER HERE) http://k eisha . y oungev ityonline.c om/ (W ELLN ESS STORE) ~Jewelry -Handbags-Shoes -Cl othi ng-Acc essories~ Keisha Davis Stelladot si gnature Stella & Dot Stylist ID#: 1 00997
The number of items found in KD's Kloset is limited to ensure that only a few fashionistas w ill be w earing the same thing, so grab all you can w hile in KD's Kloset because as the closet empties, KD is sure to fill it up again w ith more great MUSTHAVES w eek after week!
Oct 2009 | 13
Wom en Business Owners (WBO) announces their newest initiative, a Jr. Apprentice US Program. This program will be for children ages 10-18, within the United States that are interested in becom ing business owners.
2009 Annual Charity Jr. Apprentice US
WBO President, Anna Cam pbell explains the program, "We will start the program off with a summer camp in June 2009. One week will be for 10-13 year olds and one week will be for 14-18 year olds. Each cam p will com prise of workshops/ hands on tim e, and com pany building time. We will invite area female and male entrepreneurs to volunteer for a workshop. The program is open to both male and female students. At the end of each week, 4 students from each group that have shown prom ising initiative, drive and real interest in owning their own business will be selected to be paired up with an adult male or female business entrepreneur m entor for a year. The summer cam ps will culminate in an annual Jr. Apprentice Summit once it is established."
Students The students will participate in the summer program at the camp and then will be assigned m entors starting in September 2009, ending in May 2010. The process will continue as a new group of students join the existing students by attending the summer camp program, and then be assigned m entors.
Mentors The mentors will be matched to students with similar interests in business ownership and skill set interest. Planned workshops include: choosing a business, business planning, networking, marketing, and accounting. More information can be obtained through their website at: www.jrapprenticeus.org 14 | womenbizowners.org
Q&E Ask Yak by Wendy Okkema Ask Yak is made up of questions from readers and clients. If you have a question that you would like answ ered please e-mail me at ryakattack@aim.com Near the end of my time here on earth I truly hope I don’t have thoughts like, “ I w ish I w ould have .....” or, “if I had only taken the chance and ......”. My personal feeling is that most of us are not doing w hat w e want to do in life for two reasons. One, no confidence. Tw o, the fear of failure. Once upon a time I struggled w ith both selfesteem and the fear of failure. How ever, I had a lightbulb moment a few years ago. I had a small business w ith grad ideas to expand. I’d been given gifts and talents, what needed to happen next w as to be realistic as to w hat I w ould and w ould not do, then take small steps that w ould help me reach my bigger goal. My self esteem issues and my fear of failure disappeared w hen I realized that I am a child of God. In Him I can do all things. God w ants us to have a spirit of love, pow er and to not be timid. In other words, to go for it. So I w ent for it. I made phone calls, started netw orking w ith confidence and my business grew, the ideas just kept coming. Keep in mind that a door closing is not a sign of failure on your part, but merely an opportunity to move onto something better suited for the direction you should really be going in. It is this w riter’s belief that in order to have a career that you love, you must play pretend for a moment. Pretend that you have no bills or responsibilities. Nothing is
The Chain that Binds holding you back from doing w hat you want. What w ould that one thing be. Then, it’s back to reality. Realize w hat your responsibilities are, make a list of w hat you can do in this season of life you are not in that w ill help you reach your bigger goal. Finally, get busy and enjoy. As moms, w e devote so much of our time to our families and others that you may be struggling w ith what you w ant to be when you grow up. Don’t be disheartened, this is common among many w omen. Try this, make a list of all the hobbies you love to do. Make a separate list for each hobby as to w hat it w ould take to run a successful business doing w hat you love. Then you too should get busy and enjoy! Wendy is an author, personal trainer/ lifestyle coach. Her expertise lies in fitness, nutrition, marriage and Christian coaching. To work one on one with Wendy in your home, via telephone or on-line in her live video chat room contact Wendy at Ryakattack@aim.com
Oct 2009 | 15
(Continued fro m page 11)
FIND OUT WHY Y OUR C LIENTS DEAL WIT H Y OU Ask for testim onies and then tell the world about them. Boast about your testim onies from your clients – post them on your website or put them in your newsletter…you do have a newsletter I hope! If not, t is tim e to start one!
HIRE A VA Yes, I said hire a Virtual Assistant! Having someone take care of things, that y ou just cannot get to, creates a sense of peace–especially if y ou are dealing with a pro–you know the job will get done.
SET
UP
STRAT EGIC A LLIANCES
Alternatively, trade services with som eone in an area y ou need help with. Network and create relationships that support, nurture and help you grow. Join a mentorship Group. For the mem bers of Wom en of Today we offer Collaborative Mentorship, a program that teaches the art of Collaborative Mentorship and strategically sets up groups of four or five wom en that meet, online or in person, regularly to support each other in their challenges and celebrate their accom plishm ents. A team to be accountable to for the things you desire to accomplish. (Continued on page 28)
16 | womenbizowners.org
Move Beyond Your Fears by Melissa Foster
Most people believe they are alone in their Don’t think about fears no matter what those fears might be. why you are afraid. Accept your The truth is, you are not alone. fear and try to tackle it, don’t dissect it. Fear is defined as being afraid or appre Research your fear. Yes—read as hensive. The basis of the fear can be difmuch as you can about your fear. For ferent for every person. However, I’ ve example, if you are afraid of coldcompiled a list of things that might just encalling clients, read about cold-calling, able you to move beyond your fears. practice cold-calling, become an expert in cold-calling!
Tear apart your fear. Are there
certain aspects of your fear that you are more afraid of than others? Take it apart and try to conquer one part at a time.
Set up goals. Mark your calendar
with milestones to conquer your fears. Baby steps and accountability help.
Talk about it. Verbalizing your fears to a trusted friend or therapist can help you see your fear in a new light. An ything is scary in the dark—and our minds have dark recesses.
Being scared is okay. Accept that being scared is not a weakness, but part of who you are. Once you accept your fears they are more easily managed.
Mo ving beyond your fears takes determination and commitment. Chances are with a little push and exposure, you can take that first scary step and conquer your fears which will, in turn, en(Continued on page 28)
Oct 2009 | 17
October 2009 OCTOBER 7
OCTOBER 28
WBO Podcast
WBO Podcast
OCTOBER 14 WBO Podcast
OCTOBER 15 Online Biz Chat
OCTOBER 21 WBO Podcast
www.vanhattenwritingservices.com
Annual WBO National Business Convention
October 22-24, 2009 - Houston, Texas Marriott and Humble Civic Center Accepting Registrations! http://www.womenbizowners.org/convention
Volunteer Director Kathy Allen
WBO Membership Coordinator: Sherry Lynn Simoes
kathy@wom enbizowners.org
sherry @wom enbizowners.org
18 | womenbizowners.org
Asking: A Key to Your Business Success by Alicia M. Forest, MBA Many small business owners have a difficult time asking for business. It's not that they don't want the business, but wouldn't it be so nice if people just handed over their money for our product or service rather than our actually having to ask them for it? ;-) And this is one of the most common ways that small businesses stay really, really small and sometimes peter out altogether. They don't ask for the business or they don't ask for it often enough to create a successful and sustainable business. Here are 5 easy ways that you can ask for business that if you implement on a consistent basis will guarantee that your business—and your bottom line—will grow. 1
Ask what they want The #1 way to grow a profitable business is to offer what your target market wants. And the best way to find that out is to ASK them. At least once a year, survey your target market asking them specifically what their biggest challenges are and what products and services they are most interested in. Periodically ask your current clients and customers the same question. Use their responses to develop your offerings, and you'll practically guarantee yourself a source of steady income.
2
Ask for the sale Once you've create the product or service that your target market has told you it wants, you ha ve to put it out there and ASK for the sale. Don't just stick it on your website and hope people will see it. Put together a promotion plan for each product or service you put out including e-mail promotions, using your online networks, utilizing your (Continued on page 20)
Oct 2009 | 19
(Continued from page 19)
affiliates, and even consider pay-perclick advertising. Then periodically ASK for the sale again. Plan a year's worth of regular promotions for each of your offerings and you'll increase your income. 3
Ask for the order A simple but oft-missed tip: Make sure that on your sales page for your product or service you ASK for the order. Just flat-out ASK-ing for the order can increase your sales dramatically.
Aside : Have you e ver been on a website ready to buy something but you couldn't find the order link and ended up clicking away in frustration to go find what you wanted somewhere else? Don't do that to your customer. Make your order link or buy button obvious! 4
Ask for the referral
Another way to build your business is to routinely ASK your current clients and customers to refer others to you. You can do this via a simple e-mail that you send out periodically. You could also offer an affiliate program to entice people to refer your products and services to others for a small commission. 5
Ask for the recommendation
Make a request of a colleague whose offerings complement yours to recommend you and your offerings to their list. Because the people on your colleague's list already know, like, and trust him/her, they are much more likely to follow his/her recommendation. Now you have 5 simple ways to grow your business by asking for it that you can put into practice today. Alicia M. Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Queen & CoachT, founder of ClientAbundance.com and creator of 21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success SystemT, teaches professionals how to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately live the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to create abundance in your business, visit www.ClientAbundance.com.
20 | womenbizowners.org
Oct 2009 | 21
WBO Fourth Quarter Charity
Women For A Change Connects, Supports and Empowers women by opening our hearts, we are creating the foundation for solutions to global issues.
Women for a Change is creating a global online resource and advice centre to share information, skills,
Women for a Change brings together women, to promote understanding between different backgrounds and cultures
Women for a Change runs an online w omen-only community where we support each other, discuss issues and develop projects
Women for a Change is a dynamic & fast growing organization where women work together to find solutions to problems affecting women and families. http://www.wom enforachange.org/
22 | womenbizowners.org
Reflection Near the end of my time here on Earth I truly hope I don’t have thoughts like, “ I w ish I would have .....” or, “If I had only taken the chance and ......”. My personal feeling is that most of us are not doing w hat we w ant to do in life for two reasons. One: no confidence. Tw o: the fear of failure. Once upon a time I struggled w ith both self esteem and the fear of failure. How ever, I had a light-bulb moment a few years ago. I had a small business w ith grand ideas to expand. I’d been given gifts and talents; what needed to happen next w as to be realistic as to w hat I w ould and w ould not do and then take small steps that would help me reach my bigger goal. My self esteem issues and my fear of failure disappeared when I realized that I am a child of God. In Him I can do all things. God w ants us to have a spirit of love, pow er and to not be timid. In other w ords, to go for it. So I w ent for it. I made phone calls, started netw orking w ith confidence, and my business grew. The ideas just kept coming. Keep in mind that a door closing is not a sign of failure on your part but merely an opportunity to move on to something better
by Wendy Okkema
suited for the direction you should really be going. It is this w riter’s belief that in order to have a career that you love, you must play pretend for a moment. Pretend that you have no bills or responsibilities. Nothing is holding you back from doing w hat you want. What w ould that one thing be? Then, it’s back to reality. Realize w hat your responsibilities are and make a list of what you can do in this season of life you are not in that w ill help you reach your bigger goal. Finally, get busy and enjoy. As moms, w e devote so much of our time to our families and others that you may be struggling w ith what you w ant to be w hen you grow up. Don’t be disheartened. This is common among many women. Try this: make a list of all the hobbies you love to do. Make a separate list for each hobby as to w hat it w ould take to run a successful business doing w hat you love. Then you too should get busy and enjoy!
Wendy is an author, personal trainer/ lifestyle coach. Her expertise lies in fitness, nutrition, marriage and Christian coaching. To w ork one on one w ith Wendy in your home, via telephone, or on-line in her live video chat room contact Wendy at Ryakattack@aim.com
Oct 2009 | 23
WBO Open Staff Volunteer Positions National Building Project Team Marketing Hound: Spread the word about this project to national and local media resources interested in promoting or joining the project. Needs to have marketing experience and capacity to create marketing materials to draw in the needed participants for a project of this nature. M ust have time to participate on this National Building Team. This team will be building the foundation for local models around the world. 1-4 hours weekly (We meet online monthly)
Sponsor Recruiter, Events Departme nt:
Willing to devote a few hours a
week to recruiting sponsors for our October Convention. This position involves researching potential sponsors, sending an already prepared letter to the potential sponsor and following up with them. It also involves documenting the requests sent and the responses in a spreadsheet.
Overall Group Positions Available Project Coordinator: Is responsible for overseeing projects by building a team of the necessary member for the particular project. Task and member types will necessarily change according to the particular project. Also responsible for establishing timeline and deadline for each project.
Jr. Apprentice US Coordinator: creates team of individuals to set-up program, maintain program, run program, focus on improving the program, assist with fundraising for program, and submit information to Project Director M onthly. M ay create an assistant position to help with duties.
Charity Coordinator: This person will help collect data of submitted national, global, and local charities, present to board and secure upcoming quarterly or annual Chosen Charities, and submit information to Project Director M onthly. M ay create an assistant position to help with duties.
Visit our group site to apply for these positions. www.WomenBizOwners.org Volunteer Director: Kathy Allen kathy@wom enbizowners.org 24 | womenbizowners.org
WBO Volunteer of the Month Lisa Guarino
I'm an artist and owner of Lisa's Art & Horses. I have taken my love for animals/ horses and created artistic gift items for animal/horse lovers. I offer cards, t-shirts, and paintings as well as pet portraits services. I'm also a wife and mom of two girls. We live in Rhode Island. I joined WBO to connect with other women business owners to share and learn so that we can help each other succeed. I am WBO's National Secretary. I file all WBO information and organize WBO board meeting notes for WBO.I enjoy being a part of a group that's
helping women to succeed in business and making a difference. It's a pleasure to work with this group of wonderful women. Lisa Guarino WBO National Secretary lisa@womenbizowners.org
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WBO PodCast Airing Every Wednesday at 11am EST Listen to our Podcasts on the front page of our website www.womenbizowners.org.
WBO PodCast Producer: Position Open
WBO PodCast Host: Jylian Sy
If you would like to be interviewed for our podcast, contact Educational Director, Michelle Suman michelle@womenbizowners.org
WBO Chosen Charities Each year WBO selects 501c3 groups to be their one (1) annual charity, and four (4) quarterly charities to receive physical and m onetary donations from members and the general public. ● 2009 annual charity is Jr. Apprentice US (http://www.jrapprenticeus.org) ● 2009 first quarter charity is Wom en's International League for Peace and Freedom (www.wilpf.org) ● 2009 second quarter charity is Cypress Assistance Ministries (www.cypressassistanceministries.com ) ● 2009 third quarter charity is Children of the Night (www.childrenofthenight.org) ● 2009 fourth quarter charity—Women for a Change (http://www.womenforachange.org) 26 | womenbizowners.org
Oct 2009 | 27
For all your creative & Technical Business Solutions. Web Design & Hosti ng Solutions, Live Sound Sol uti ons, and HomeBased Business Sol uti ons
(Continued fro m page 16)
You can rise above fear and be a successful entrepreneur if y ou im plem ent som e of these suggestions to rise above fear and get back to business!
Michelle Suman michelle@jamsumweb.com http://www.jam sum.com (Continued fro m page 17)
able you to be more successful in every aspect of life and business. Not every fear can be overcome, and if you are plagued with social fears or fears that you feel are stifling your daily life, speak to a qualified medical professional. There are medications that can help severe phobias. Do you have a business issue you need help tackling? Email me and I’ll try to accommodate your request in an upcoming issue: thinkhappy(@)live(dot)com. Come back next month for more Monthly Moti vations! Melissa Foster is the founder of The Women’s Nest, a free on-line community for women. Come escape the chaos of your daily life! Connect with other women like yourself - Share a laugh, gain advice, friendship, and fun. Book club, scrapbook club, forums, blogs, and free medical, financial, and relationship advice. It’s your community -Sign in for a chat! Join us at www.thewomensnest.com
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Sherry Simoes is Founder and Pres ident of Women of Today and has a special offer to all readers. We are giving half of your membership fee back in credit towards other services we offer members for a lim ited time! You can check out the membership options under “Join Us” at www.womenoftodayinc.com. If you are not near one of our Network ing Chapters you can join as an online member. Use promo code “halfback”. SHERRY SIMOES
CORRIE PETERSEN (Continued fro m page 9)
your dreams because you may worry that it won’t come out the way you want. No matter what your fear is, you need to find a way to conquer it or you will not succeed. Conquering your fear can be difficult and time consuming, but you can do it. When it comes to your business you don’t want fear because it will keep you from stepping out of your comfort zone, and you won’t be able to grow. Stepping out of your comfort zone is what you need to increase your sales and grow your team. Fear can also stop you from adding new products or services because you are afraid that people won’t buy them. You never know what people will want to buy or what services they will need. Offering new and exciting things will help you grow and if you market it correctly, you will show others why they need to purchase what you offer.
the first time may not work the second time so don’t be afraid to try something new. Whatever you do to conquer your fears, you will be happy you did. Fear is no good, and it’s not something we want or need in our lives. So find a way to get over your fears so you can grow your business and your life. Do it today! Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant b usiness. She enjoys helping others reach their goals and dreams. Check out her web site at www.virtualfreedom4you.com.
Featured Author Wendy VanHatten
There are many ways you can conquer the fear you have. You can hire a life or business coach and have them help you get over your fears. You can stand strong and work toward conquering your fears one at a time over a long period of time. Having a support system in place is another way you can conquer your fears. This group can be made up of friends or family or both. You need to be able to rely on these people, trust them, and you need to be able to let them help you. You will need to take criticism and you will need to take advice from others or you will not make it happen. If you have a business partner, you can confide in them what your fears are and ask them to help you get through this. You spouse is another person that can help you conquer your fears. You can share with them why you feel the way you do, and they can help you get through it. One thing to remember is that fear can come at anytime in your business. So remember what worked the first time and try it again if fear comes your direction again. But you also need to know that what you tried
My Life, the Sequel...A Girlfriend's Guide to Success My Life: The Sequel A Girlfriend’s Guide to Personal Success is the resource we compiled of the tips and tricks we learned along the way as we created our own life sequels. Simply put, we wanted to share it all with you because no one else should have to go it alone just to have it all! Available online at www.mylifethesequel.com/ E-Book: $12.95 Oct 2009 | 29
We are honored to introduce our esteemed Premier Members, Volunteers and Staff Members. Anna Campbell with My Business Journals www.mybusinessjournals.com
Patricia Boes with Memories in Pastel Mem oriesInPastel.com
Andrea Okrentowich with Creative Nonprofit Solutions www.creativenonprofitsolutions.org
Patricia Garrison with Gifts N’ More ryze.com/go/GiftsNMore
Cindy Clark with CCDesignz Business Services, LLC www.CCDesignz.com
Sherry Lynn Sim oes with Creative Concepts Design www.creativeconceptsonline.net/
Dawn Kirk with am brielpublishing.com
Susanne Mariga with Susanne Mariga CPA SusanneMarigaCPA.com
Diane Tegarden with Firewalker Publications FirewalkerPublications.com
Stacey Virgo with ShagoUSA www.shargo.us
Donna Crav otta with Virtual Managem ent Concepts, LLC www.virtualmanagem entconceptsllc.com
Tracy Collins with Collins Administrative Services Collins-Admin.com
Ginger Marks with DocUmeant Designs DocUmeantDesigns.com
Wendy VanHatten with Vanhatten Writing Services www.vanhattenwritingservices.com
Jylian Sy with InterPlay Communications interplay@social.rr.com Julie-Marie Christin with Julie-Marie JulieMarie.com Kathy Allen with Accents of Home Accents ofHome.com Kristine Sheehan with TheMerryBird.com Laura Wheeler with Firelight Web Studio FirelightWebStudio.com Lisa Wald-Guarino with Lisa's Art & Horses LisasArt.com Michelle Suman with Jam Sum Limited Jam Sum.com
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WE’RE ON T HE WEB WWW. WOMENBI ZOWNERS. ORG
Become a WBO Premier Member Today! This membership is for our ladies who are focus ed on their primary business and are looking for educational support, networking opportunities, promotional advantages, and real time business success. Cost is only $10 a month or $100 for a whole year! With your Premier membership: - Star Membership benefits - Featured member for 1 week on WBO Ryze Network and in WBO Magazine - Free invitation to all of our WBO produced classes and seminars - May list unlimited events/classes/seminars in group calendar per month - Included in Member 2 Member Discounts - Opportunity to be a local networking group leader - A personalized press rel ease - Opportunity to be on Panel of Experts - Discounted advertising opportunities - Included in the Premier Members Circle Contact us today for more inform ation: WomenBizOwners.org Membership Director: Patricia Boes patriciab@womenbizown ers.org
Join Us Next Month‌ Thank y ou f or allowing us to be apart of the journey you are on with y our b usiness. This i s an amazing jour ney with ups and dow ns. Rememb er that we are her e to help y ou learn ab out all areas of y our b usiness and we are c heering y ou on f or succ ess! We l ook f orwar d to w orking with each and every one of you over the next year to buil d your business. Having a gr oup that believes in y ou and supports you i s an opportunity that you c an share with friends and f amily. Shar ing inf or mation i s an amazing freedom and w e ar e thankf ul to share this fr eedom with you. We believe in y ou and we believe in y our success!
Join us online: Women Business Owners htt p://www.womenbizowners.org
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Sponsors
Office Max, Title Sponsor Jr. Apprentice US CCDesignz Business Services LLC Julie-Marie Bags Delaney Imaging Savvy Ladies Houston Marriott North Houston Greenspoint Communication Transformation Firelight Web Studio Design2Train Accents of Hom e Lisa's Art & Horses
AlphaWom en Media, Inc. Occasions To Savor, Independent Chocolatier
Support Women Business Owners by sponsoring our National Business Convention Wom enBizOwners.org/Convention