I learn so much watching my twins explore life. I got to thinking today as I watched Maddie pouring water down her arm over and over again today while playing in the pool, and how she marveled each time as it poured down under her arm like it was the very first time.  I started to question where that feeling of discovery and wonder goes as we get older.

How do we get back to that marveling phase?
How do we get back that feeling of experiencing something for the first time?
Is it even possible?

Children are so happy-go-lucky.  They don’t have an agenda.  Children are as honest as it gets. They just do as they feel inclined when the feeling hits them; run, jump, laugh, dance, cry, play, take, give, and kiss.  Their inhibitions are their greatest asset and they don’t even know it.  Children see the world in all of its glory and splendor.

As adults we are so overwhelmed with “adult responsibilities” that we mostly forget to wonder.  Life just happens around us and we get caught up in our daily routine, our jobs, and our families.  We don’t often let go and just start dancing when we feel like it, run around laughing, throw a fit, or just cry.

Launching a business and running one are more like a child’s life than you think.

• You are constantly worrying about the business and if you are doing things correctly.
• You have a HUGE to do list.
• You gave up honesty to create a story about yourself that sounds more interesting to the press and general public.
• Often you are experiencing something for the first time, but being a jaded adult, you are probably finding it annoying and just want to get through it.
• There are many reasons to jump for joy, laugh, and dance but you are probably so fixated on the next task that you just smile for a second and move on.
• We all know there are many opportunities to cry but usually it involves your manufacturer and you can’t let him see you cry or you might appear weak.
• You do take and give, but as a grownup it’s elevated to the status of advice and since you always take it, you aren’t sure any more what you give besides dinner.
• You still want to kiss but you’re working so hard your love life is suffering.

This week is about finding and rekindling the joy in your business.  Let’s get back to the wonder in our lives and try to look with fresh eyes at the tasks at hand.

• Try to notice and celebrate the good things that happen to you this week.
• They may not even be work related, just try to be receptive to what it feels like to accept the feeling of celebration.
• They may be small like a lovely email or a call from a friend.
• Or big like a lead on a sample maker or that you received a grant.
• All are reasons to celebrate.
• Try to make friends with the disappointments as well.
• You didn’t close the sale but you are going to implement some of Cindy’s techniques from Own the Room and try again.
• Your sample didn’t come out as well as you hoped, but it sparked a new idea.

These too are cause for celebration.  Think of disappointments as an opportunity to learn and improve your skills.  I have learned all my most savvy secrets from my mistakes along the way.
Have fun celebrating,

When in doubt, take the next step,

Popularity: 43% [?]

There are so many people out there that want to help you if you are just willing to ask. I mean REALLY ask, put yourself on the line and ask the questions that you are afraid to ask. The worst thing that can happen is that you are disappointed in their answer.  Go ahead, what are you dying to ask someone?

OK, so let’s be honest - “Do you like my idea?” - is the #1 burning question for most Entreprenettes.

The first thing to ask yourself is WHY do you care if they like it or not?

People ask me all the time if I like their idea. Luckily most of the time I do, but sometimes, while I think it’s a great idea, it’s just not something I’d personally want.  And not everyone is going to want your idea right?  I mean there are tons of cool things out there that I can appreciate and just don’t need or want - and sometimes WISH I wanted just because they are so nifty or clever.

The most important thing is that YOU like your idea and are passionate about it. It’s like a new boyfriend; you think about them all the time, can hardly sleep, keep touching them, want to call them every second, can’t stand to be apart, your stomach flutters when you see him……all those “just new” feelings about your product are the same…..just don’t tell your new BF.

A good passionate relationship with your product is essential to get it to blossom and grow, if not you loose interest, just like with the guy.

Part of growing is asking the painful and hard questions that we all shy away from.  This time, instead of asking the guy where the relationship is going, ask yourself where your product is going. Take a hard look at what you want.

• Do you want to manufacture it yourself?
• Do you prefer to find a licensee?
• Do you want to go at it alone?
• Do you want a partner?
• What is your revenue model?
• Do you even know what that is?
• Do you plan to wholesale?
• Or just retail it on your website?

These are JUST questions that you need to ask.  They are not the end - but the beginning of a long journey ahead of making fun and not so fun decisions. This is the joy of being an Entreprenette - you get to revel in the up moments and burn rubber looking for new ideas in the down moments.  Life is never dull and you are thankful for that.

Just like meeting the BF’s family and hoping you will fit in and feel comfortable, you have to look at your business and see how it fits YOU. How does it feel when you wrap yourself in it? How does it feel when you wrap your arms around it?

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life, (Steve Jobs)

When in doubt, take the next step,

Popularity: 38% [?]

My friend Fern designed this bag and just gave me one as a gift.  Can I say how much I LOVE it? We are going to Colorado in a week and I am thrilled to have such a great travel bag.

Madbaggage is an eco-friendly vegan handbag line. Fashionable and green, the company is totally PVC-Free, made mostly of polyurethane with bamboo and coconut hardware. The MadBaggage mission is to make a difference with earth friendly choices. How awesome right?

Mine is the celery color with black patent trim and is super chic!

Popularity: 100% [?]

There’s No Time like Now
By Sarah Shaw

I hosted a Tele-call with Mike Michalowicz, Author of the The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, this past week and it really got me thinking about how much we put off in the hopes that we can do it better if we wait for our “circumstances” to improve.

What does this mean exactly?

• Are we waiting for the economy to improve?
• Are we waiting to learn some more “stuff” before we get going?
• Are we trying to find money to fund our project?
• Are we hoping to get someone’s “approval” to begin?
• Are we just scared?
• Are we waiting until our kids are toilet trained?
• Are we hoping it will all be perfect the first time?

How did we get to this point and what can we do about it?

First of all, as Entreprenettes trying to launch in general, we work harder than anyone else we know, usually logging in 16 hour days to get it all done.  We sweat over the smallest detail, worry about every penny and try to read as much as possible to get it done as close to right the first time.

Is this going to change if any of the above “circumstances” change?
NO WAY JOSE
None of those things on your list make a difference in when you decide to get your rear-end in gear.

As Mike reminded us all, it’s time to think outside of outside the box.

LET’S KICK THE EXCUSES TO THE CURB SHALL WE?

• The economy will improve and if you are ready to take advantage of it then you will come out on top.
• As you DO, you will learn more.
• Try to figure out how to get things for free.  An example is to go to a local college and try to get the business school to take on your business as a project.
• If you can’t find someone who likes your idea then it might not be a good one.
• Entreprenettes are scared all the time but keep going.
• No kid ever went to college in a diaper.
• You will probably want to update your idea from time to time so don’t worry about it being perfect now. It will probably never be perfect to you.

Here are some suggestions for taking just ONE step this week towards
making your “big idea” a reality.

• Make one call you have been putting off.
• Ask one question you need to know to move forward.
• Research one thing on line.
• Ask one person if they like your idea.
• Be thankful that you have an idea worth pursuing.

When in doubt, take the next step.

Popularity: 51% [?]

The Top 5 Ways to Save When Launching
By Sarah Shaw

Office staff: There is a time when office staff makes sense but at the launch phase it is a waste of money.  I know wearing all the hats can be exhausting and keep you from the part you really love but hang in there – you will get there!  The first thing we all want to hire is an accountant, bookkeeper and an assistant…..but do we really need them all right now?  Learning to do all aspects of your business is a must in my opinion.  You don’t have to continue to do them, but knowledge is key. Hard to give direction when you don’t know how to do it yourself, or at least have some understanding of the job. Having a great accountant is a MUST for me (and honestly I’d be a goner without mine) so spend the money there to keep yourself on track.  Try outsourcing to a VA or hiring a part time bookkeeper to start if those are areas you really can’t manage on your own.  It gets better I promise!

An office: Will anyone take my calls if they know I am in my Pj’s and haven’t showered yet? Let’s be straight here – unless you are talking to them on skype, they don’t know if you are naked or calling from a penthouse office. Sometimes we try to convince ourselves that WE will feel more important and that we have a REAL job if we have an office. If you really believe in yourself it doesn’t matter if your office is your dining room table.  Spending precious dollars on an office to impress our selves is silly. We know we are fabulous already right? If the amount of inventory is the main issue because of space, then investigate a 3rd party shipping warehouse as that is often more economical than an office and a shipping clerk (means workman’s comp insurance = $$$$$$$).

Fancy catalogs and stationery: I never made a sale because I had a glossy tri-fold catalog or line-sheet.  Please don’t spend money on these.  Instead, use your money to pay a graphic designer to develop a killer logo instead.  Make an effort to learn photoshop so you can set up your own line-sheets or at least edit them going forward if you pay someone to do it for you.  Photoshop is fairly simple when just making small edits like line-sheets – trust me – if I can learn it so can you.  You want to be sure your line-sheet is clear, legible and gives all the pertinent information for your collection.  That’s what is going to get you the sale – not the paper it’s printed on or the fancy stationery and preprinted envelope. Trust me on this one!

Advertising: Paid advertising (in the big sense) is for very mature companies with big bank.  The ROI (return on investment) is very small and is usually used more for brand awareness than to sell a particular item. It takes a lot of investigative market research to find your target demographic and make sure you will make the most of paid ads.  In general, a company should plan to spend at about 10% of gross receipts on marketing and PR. While you are growing, I suggest using all the FREE, or very inexpensive, marketing tools out there. A Facebook Fan Page for one can be a great marketing tool if used correctly. It’s not enough to just get it up and hope for the best. You need to work it and come up with a marketing plan that has legs and can build your fan base and hopefully your pocket too. Post contests, poll your fans, make them post photos of themselves doing something with your product……get them to interact on your page.   Once you have a small fan base of about 200, you can cull the FREE data from FB and generate a targeted ad for a few dollars a day. If you need help with this then I suggest spending a few of your marketing dollars with Socialbees to get a great FB page and learn some strategic planning from their savvy owner Hazel Grace. I did and am learning a lot and building my fan base.  I am sure a lot of you use Twitter already but it’s not enough to tweet that you got ice cream – You need to send information that your followers will find interesting enough to Retweet and help build your brand awareness.  And lastly, I know everyone is sick of hearing these, but blogging and writing articles to post on line is a great way to become an expert and gain some momentum. We are all experts at what we do.  If you design shoes then write about the latest shoe trends and why they are so great (or not)….see where I am going with this?  Any links that you can post on line that trackback to your website will help increase your on-line visibility and hopefully sales will follow.  All this is FREE…… or a tiny investment in your future.

A DYI attitude: You all know I am a BIG advocate of knowing how to do it all yourself, but that is not what I am talking about here. What I mean is that everyone needs a mentor or a coach to help them SAVE MONEY and TIME on the learning curve. I sure wish I’d had it.  I am not talking about dumping your life savings into a coach – but if you won’t invest in your future and learn the steps to make things happen faster, or save you from mistakes, or just teach you the ropes – what does that say about you?  Admitting what you don’t know is a sign of greatness.  We all want to save where we can of course - but knowing where you need help, and sometimes learning what you don’t even know you need to know is one of the keys to success. No one ever got there all by them selves.  Ask for advice, pay for advice, GET advice to save yourself a bigger loss of time and money down the road.

Popularity: 46% [?]

Guest post by Author and Cookbook Writer Sally Sampson

This year, instead of having a typical labor day BBQ, serve brunch instead. It’s easier, you‘ll get to spend more time with your guests and since it mostly consists of eggs and potatoes, you’ll save a bundle! Plus most of it can be prepared the day before!

All Recipes from
Warehouse to Your House.

Scrambled Eggs with Indian Spices and Spinach

This is the kind of recipe that either sounds out of this world in an intriguing delicious way or a weird, not so good way. It’s one of my favorite brunch items but it’s also sublime for dinner: the first time I served it for dinner, my children turned their noses up but promptly begged me to make it again, right then and there (which I did) so they could have more.

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced or chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-quarter size slice fresh ginger root, minced
1 small chili pepper, minced (optional)
1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste

12 large eggs, beaten
2- 2 ½ cups packed flat leaf spinach (about 12 ounces), stems removed, leaves well washed and chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
¼ cup lightly toasted unsweetened shredded coconut, for garnish
Fresh lime or lemon wedges, for garnish

Place a 9 - 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium low heat and when it is hot, add half the oil.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and if desired, the chili pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are fragrant, soft and slightly caramelized, about 7- 8 minutes.  Add the curry powder and cook for one minute. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the eggs, spinach and salt in a small bowl and mix well.  The mixture will look very spinach-y and not very egg-y.  Add the onion mixture to the eggs and mix well. (The eggs can be completed up to this point the night before.  Simply cover and refrigerate).

Wash and reheat the skillet and when it is hot, add the remaining oil.  Add the egg mixture and let cook for 2- 4  minutes.  Gently flip portions of the eggs, so that you do not scramble the eggs but rather gently toss them.  When fully cooked, transfer to a heated serving plate.  Serve immediately, garnished with the almonds, coconut and lime wedges.

Hash Browns

A cross between home fries and hash browns, these potatoes are a great breakfast/brunch dish particularly because they improve by sitting overnight in the refrigerator.  You won’t have to be slaving over a hot stove while your guests mingle.

Serves 4 - 6

3 cups diced Idaho, baking or Yukon potatoes (about 1½ pounds)
3 cups diced Spanish or red onions (about 1 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

Place the potatoes in a medium size saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.  Transfer to a medium size bowl.

Place a skillet over medium heat and when it is hot, add the oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring infrequently, until soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add to the bowl with the onions, add the thyme and salt, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Place a large skillet over medium heat and when it is hot, add the butter. Add the onion- potato mixture, in a single layer, and press down as flat as possible, using a spatula.  Cook for 10 minutes without stirring. Carefully turn potatoes with the spatula and press down. Cook for 20 minutes longer, turning every 5 minutes.  Add the pepper and serve immediately, garnished with the parsley, if desired.

Walnut Rum Cake

Boozy, rich and unforgettable. Not for kids.
Serves 8- 12

For the cake:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup dark rum
1 cup buttermilk or full fat yogurt
2 1/3 cups lightly toasted walnuts, finely chopped

For the sauce:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dark rum

Preheat the oven 350 degrees.  Lightly butter and flour a 9″ Bundt pan.

To make the cake: Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until well creamed, about 3- 5 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.

Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, toss to combine and add, in three additions, to the butter mixture. Alternate with the rum and buttermilk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions.  Add the nuts and mix again.

Place in the prepared pan, transfer to the oven and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 45- 60 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the soaking syrup: Place the sugar and water in a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the rum and juices and cook until hot.

Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, invert and then prick the surface of the cake with a toothpick.  Brush on the soaking syrup and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for two days, turning every half day or so.

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Popularity: 37% [?]

Started by a shrink and a stylist, Retail Therapy provides the latest in “feel good” apparel & accessories.  Their motto “take care of yourself, take care of the world” inspires us all to be organic, recycled, and earth-friendly in our products.

My twins have these tees and we just planted the hangtags in the garden.  I am so excited to see the flowers grow!

A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR COOL TEE SHIRTS…
• Tees made of organic cotton, recycled polyester & naturally occurring rayon
•  Tees made of 100% organic cotton
• Even our RT logo tag is organic cotton!
• “Feel good” shirts with positive messages
• Silk screened with non-toxic water based inks
• Prewashed so they are super soft & won’t shrink
• Individually rubbed with rocks to get that funky worn look
• Hang tags made of 100% post-consumer waste & embedded with flower seeds
• When tags are planted, wildflowers will grow… really, we’re not kidding!
• Hang tag string made from handmade recycled paper & tinted with vegetable dyes
• We donate a percentage of profits to charity
• Retail Therapy tees have already been seen on TV & are worn by celebs!

Popularity: 58% [?]