Ready to Grow Your Business? Mom Biz Retreat All Access Pass Giveaway
It’s time to stop thinking about branding, business planning, time management, work/family balance strategies, social media marketing plans, how to create systems and structures to support you, what to delegate, how to manage your business, and where to find more clients…and time to get it DONE!
We’re offering a huge, mega-great, super fantastic, just-what-you-always-wanted gift just in time for the holidays. The gift of learning, planning, strategizing, building, re-inventing and a whole weekend of yum, ahhhh, and “me time” rolled into one package: The Mom Biz Retreat in Chicago! This ticket is valued at $595 and will give you access to all the sessions, parties, yoga, networking and business building that you can handle in 2.5 days.
The Mom Biz Retreat is a weekend getaway for mom entrepreneurs who want to make their business successful while enjoying some much needed “me time”. Spend the weekend working on your business and walk away with tools to help you grow your business. Work in a supportive environment with other mom entrepreneurs who understand you and receive the help of a business coach and trainer.
Head on over to the Mom Biz Retreat blog for contest entry details!
>> http://mombizretreat.com/free-pass/ >>
Determined to grow your business? Forget a giveaway – do you really want to and need to attend? Buy your ticket now to the Mom Biz Retreat Chicago – only 30 spots available.
Essay Contest Winner: What Is Success?
This is a winning essay submission for the essay contest here at Mom Biz Coach.
Submitted by: Rachel Blaufeld www.backngroovemom.com
What Is Success?
This post is about my success as a mompreneur….It is part of a project by Lara Galloway of Mom Biz Coach and HP Mag Cloud. We, mompreneurs, write a piece on what success means to us, and in turn – We can earn a spot to be featured in Mag Cloud Magazine. Easy enough – right?
Actually, defining success is not so easy. I know the immediate response is to think MONEY! Of course, money coming in (lots of money coming in) is an obvious sign of success. As mompreneurs, we need to delve deeper, though.
Success is not just about money, but Balance, Pride, and Recognition. We are moms and entrepreneurs, and to me, success as a mompreneur aligns very deeply with our mom values. I suspect that these are the exact values that led us to become mom entrepreneurs in the first place.
Before we clink to Success, I bet there is an emotion attached for mompreneurs everywhere!
We want to achieve Balance in our life as a mom vs life as a woman. We take huge amounts of pride in our children. As a mompreneur, these are key points in how I look at the success of my business.
Is my business balanced with my personal life? DO I have control of the boundaries between work and life? Does my heart beat with pride when I look at what I am doing with my business? When I can say yes to these questions, than I feel the taste of Success.
I know when my kids say “I love you” or “thanks for helping me with my homework,” it is all the recognition that I need as a mom. With my business, I only need just the slightest recognition to feel success.
Maybe a blog post touched a cord with a fellow mom in biz or another mom reaches out and refers me. Success is not defined for me in a big fancy award, but rather by knowing that I connected in some way with my audience.
YES – I would LOVE gobs of money, HUGE awards and accolades, and a few 100,000 hits on my blog, but in reality success means much more. Success is not only a physical and tangible item that comes in dollar form or a little plaque, but there is an emotional factor for me.
I need to know that what I am doing has intrinsic value and is evenly (or evenly as possible) weaved into my life. Success is equal parts family and business, real life connections, self-pride, and every now and again hearing “Check out BacknGrooveMom.”
Back to the beginning….what does running behind have to do with success? Well, I am busy AND that is GOOD! Rachel
Highlights From the MomBizRetreat
Last week, Shelagh Cummins and I hosted the first-ever MomBizRetreat. The purpose of the Retreat was to give mom entrepreneurs a space and dedicated time to work on themselves and on their businesses, without all the distractions we usually have at home. It was amazing on so many levels.
I went there as a teacher/trainer/coach, but I came away having learned so much. When you put 18 powerful, smart, and ambitious women in a room, big things happen. (One of the MomBizRetreat participants shared her story here.) I have so much to share with you about this amazing experience.
It’s been six days since I drove to the Village of Alton, outside of Toronto, and spent nearly every waking minute for an entire weekend with other mompreneurs who are just as passionate about their families and businesses as I am.
The thing is, writing it down in an organized blog post really stifles me. I’m really not a blogger. I’m a micro-blogger. I speak and think in tweets. I can readily share my ideas in conversation, pictures, podcasts, and all over social media. But it’s been six days since the Retreat, and I’m still struggling to tell you about it on my blog.
So instead of continuing to struggle with organized thoughts that flow logically from one to the next, I’m going to share snippets of what I’m taking away from the MomBizRetreat.
- Set your intentions, share them with others who understand your motivation and passion, and you’re gonna get them done!
- Mompreneurs support each other. The women in the room worked together and found ways to help each other. Collaborate rather than compete.
- Getting away from it all allows us the freedom to think, create and do at a lightning-fast pace.
- It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting out as a mom entrepreneur or whether you’ve run your company for 10 years already. Everyone has valuable knowledge, wisdom and expertise to share.
- You have to love your work. If you don’t anymore, then it’s time to reflect, refine and re-invent.
- If everyone else thinks you’re successful, but you don’t feel happy about what you’ve accomplished, it’s definitely time to rethink how you define success for yourself.
- Every mompreneur needs a Time Map. Period.
- Getting out of the “should” business is thoroughly liberating. The mom business owners at the Retreat had a ton of skills and strengths. Their businesses are going to thrive now that they are giving their strengths their focus!
- Having a buddy you can share your thoughts, fears, wins, doubts, plans, challenges and successes with is critical. I’m so grateful for my partner!
- When you have an “a-ha moment,” you have to do something about it. Updating your website or profile to reflect something you believe in, making a huge business decision when you realize something, asking for help when you see that you need it must all be done the minute you realize you need to do them!
- Sometimes random strangers can tell us things about our businesses that we can’t see for ourselves.
- Sometimes random strangers can see straight into our hearts, even when we’re trying hard to hide something.
- A women’s retreat is a great, safe space to practice being open to change.
I would love to say more here, but it’s easier for me to share it on Twitter (check out the #MomBizRetreat hashtag to follow the conversation there), on our MomBizRetreat Facebook Page, and of course, on my BlogTalkRadio Show.
If you attended the MomBizRetreat and have created a video, blogpost or podcast about your experience there, please share a link here in the comments section.
What would you be looking for in a women’s business retreat or mompreneur getaway? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
*photos courtesy Jennifer Gilbert, Naturally Beautiful Photography
What would you do with $250,000?
A few weeks ago I had the honor of speaking to about 125 mompreneurs about the big choices we have to make at the Women In Biz Conference in Toronto. Our roles as primary caretakers of our families as well as business owners often cause us to have conflicting priorities. And that makes decision-making even tougher than usual.
Erika Ehm of YummyMummyClub.ca also attended the conference, and I had the chance, along with several other mom business owners, to answer her question: What would you do with $250,000? I think it’s a great question, and it definitely made me stop and think about how I’d honor my priorities.
Watch the video below and then share your thoughts. What would you do? How would it change your approach to your business? What changes would you make to your family’s lifestyle? What else would that money make possible for you that isn’t possible now?
Oh, and to enter the contest, read the details here 
.
Why I’m Not Going to Evo
If you’re online this morning, you might have noticed I’m running a little giveaway that will send one lucky mompreneur to the sold-out Evo ’11 Conference next month. Sadly, I won’t be joining her.
Why I Wish I Were Going
Any of you who know me well are probably wondering why I’m not going to be there this year. After all, I spoke at the conference last year. And it was one of the best events I’ve ever attended in my life. And I adore the organizers from Today’s Mama and MomItForward. And I will know probably 75% of the people there, including several of my clients. And it’s in stunning Park City, Utah, a place I like to call “Paradise.” And I’ve been planning to attend it since I attended last year. And I bought the early bird ticket when it was first released for $150. And oh, would I love to attend all the fun, girly events that are planned after hours. And I really was looking forward to the Alpine Slide, the Roller Coaster and the Zipline this year… (Check out my YouTube Channel and search on “Evo” to see some of the interviews and takeaways I got from attending the conference last year. It will seriously make you want to go, too!)
Why I’m Not Going
Because it conflicts with the number one priority in my life: my family. It just so happens that on that same weekend, my husband is going to do something he’s wanted to do since he was eight years old: ride his motorcycle in his first race ever. And while loading up the kids, taking them to a racetrack for a weekend, and watching my husband go around in circles might not be my passion, it is his. And I believe that my kids and I need to be there to support him.
I’ll miss you, my mompreneur friends, but I am thrilled to see my husband follow his own dreams and do something important to him. That’s what life is all about.
If you are a mom business owner and attending Evo ’11 is your dream or passion, I’d love the opportunity to help you get there.
Here are the details:
I’m giving away my ticket to the sold out Evo ’11 conference from July 9-11 to one lucky mompreneur through a social media contest starting Thursday, June 9 and ending at noon ET on Friday, June 17.
The winner will be contacted by email and announced via Twitter (@mombizcoach) and on my Facebook Fanpage.
The prize: One ticket to the SOLD OUT Evo ‘11 Social Media Conference- happening July 9-11!!! (valued at $399.00 –This is a full-access pass that entitles you to all the breakout sessions, keynotes, workshops and social events at the conference.)
Four Ways to Enter:
Twitter Entry Tweet the following: (make sure to include #mombiz hashtag in order to be counted!)
Thinking of joining MomBizAcademy.com, but not quite sure? U could win a free ticket to sold-out #evoconf! #mombiz http://bit.ly/jg0Dz1
Wanna help some aspiring mompreneurs manage their biz and life better + a chance to win free ticket to #evoconf? http://bit.ly/jg0Dz1 #mombiz
#evoconf is sold out, but U can win a free ticket & help other mompreneurs balance biz & life by entering this contest. #mombiz http://bit.ly/jg0Dz1
Dying 2go2 #evoconf? Join in this contest & U could win a free ticket + help other mom biz owners succeed! #mombiz http://bit.ly/jg0Dz1
One tweet per day will be counted as an entry.
Blog Entry: Write a blog post explaining the importance of being part of a like-minded community, working with a coach, or having a mentor for your business. Make sure to link to MomBizAcademy.com (http://mombizacademy.com) in your post. One blog post will be counted as two entries. In order to be counted, please email the URL of your post to: manager@mombizacademy.com .
YouTube Entry: Record a 3 minute (or less) video telling the world about your greatest Mompreneur challenge. Each video will be counted as two entries. Send the URL for the Youtube video to manager@mombizacademy.com. We’ll feature them at MomBizacademy.com and add them to the MomBizCoach Fanpage!
MBA Entry: Join the MomBizAcademy.com by June 17th! Hey, you need some help, too! Check out all the benefits at Mom Biz Academy. For every mompreneur who joins the MBA between now and 6/17, you’ll earn an additional five entries in the giveaway! If you’ve been on the fence about joining, here’s your incentive to act now!
Good luck! This is a conference you don’t want to miss!
What’s Your Purpose for Being a Mompreneur?
What’s your purpose in being a mompreneur? It’s important to take a step back and remember what’s driving you to do what you do, what gives meaning to how you spend your time. With a clear sense of purpose, you’re much more likely to enjoy your work and build a business that thrives.
But do you remember what drove you to start your business?
Since you’re a mompreneur, I know it involved more than just a desire to make money. Let’s face it: running a start-up company is usually not a big money-making endeavor for the first few years. It’s easy to think that if your goal is to make money, you could more easily do that (on a consistent basis, no less) working for someone else.
Most of the mom entrepreneurs I talk with tell me it’s not about the money (although we have nothing against making lots of money). Instead, we decide to start a business based on our passion, our talents, our expertise and our purpose.
Part of my purpose as the Mom Biz Coach is to help other women solve a problem I struggled with myself: how to do work I love without compromising my commitment to my family.
Tune in to the podcast below to hear more about purpose and how it fits with and ultimately shapes successful mompreneur businesses.
So what’s your purpose? Please share your comments below.
Tech to Save Mompreneurs Time
The top challenge for a mompreneur is always time. How can we find more of it, how can we spend less of it, how can we save it up for something else we want or choose to spend it on?
Here at Mom Biz Coach, I’m always looking for time-saving strategies to help the mom entrepreneurs I coach find ways to be more effective so they can work less and make more. And I have to say, Ladies, that we are so lucky to be entrepreneurs in this techno-happy age.
I’m pleased to announce I’ve partnered with Carley Knobloch of digitwirl.com to bring us tech-savvy tips that help mom entrepreneurs save time. Each Friday, Carley will provide us a short video teaching us moms who to use the tech we love to make our lives easier.
Read (and watch!) below to learn all about an online grocery service called Alice.com. I just placed my first order with Alice.com this week! Thrilled to save the time it takes to buy all the household essentials at the regular store.
Guest post by Carley Knobloch, digitwirl.com
Bring the Grocery Store to Your Door
Tired of running out of toilet paper and finding your pantry a little paltry? Alice.com (www.alice.com) is the grocery delivery service that offers the perfect solution. With Alice you’ll never face another empty roll again. Alice buys straight from the manufacturer and automatically applies any discount coupons to your order, then delivers everything from shampoo to cereal right to your door for free! Oh, and Alice is like a personal shopper that will even send you a reminder when it’s time to re-order your groceries. How great is that? What’s better than a service that delivers to your door and saves you time and money? Watch the video to see exactly why Alice.com is going to rock your world!
Women and Power
I just finished interviewing a very smart, inspiring and POWERFUL woman for my WoMEN: What Mom Entrepreneurs Need Teleseminar Series today. Marlynn Schotland, of www.ThePowerMOB.com and www.UrbanBlissLife.com was my guest, and I really enjoyed hearing her take on the topic of powerful women.
Power is a very subjective term, full of positive and negative connotations. What’s more, being powerful means different things when applied to men vs. women.
Here are some of the takeaways from our conversation today:
- Women often have trouble accepting our strengths, our power and our success. Instead, we tend to downplay them.
- Women (and especially mompreneurs) define terms like “power” and “success” differently than their male counterparts, AND those definitions are likely to change over time (for instance: when we start a family).
- Some definitions of a “powerful woman” include: the ability and commitment to help others, being responsible for our choices, owning our happiness, and a woman who is vulnerable and inspiring.
- The first step to empowering ourselves is self-acceptance.
There were some great comments from the listeners and mompreneurs joining in the discussion on Twitter and Facebook. I’d love to hear your definition of power and how you feel about being a powerful woman.
Want to listen for yourself? No problem. You can listen here or download it to your mp3 player to take with you!
New Year, New Home
Hey there, Women!
I apologize for my fall from the face of the earth this last month, but I needed a break from all my work to manage our family’s move back to Michigan from Canada. It was a fairly big deal. Not only did we move from one country to another, but then the holidays hit. We moved out of our house in Windsor on Dec. 16th, into our new house in Michigan on Dec. 17th, I turned 40 on Dec. 18th, and we left for a 10-day visit with family in Minnesota for the holidays on Dec. 21st.
Today my three children attended their first day of school at their new schools. They were brave troopers and handled it well, despite the fact that our house is still upside down from the move, and finding backpacks, lunch bags and snow bibs was quite a challenge this morning.
After my husband and I dropped them all off this morning, I had a little mommy meltdown. I cried because I’ve been carrying a ton of weight around with all the decisions I’ve been making for our family for the last two months. I cried because I’m a sap and felt a tiny bit sorry for my kids having to be newbies, even though I know they’ll be fine. I cried because I’ve been sprinting towards January 3rd and all that had to happen by then to make the day successful for so long. I cried because I’m hormonal. I cried because as a mompreneur, a whole lot of people depend on me, and it’s hard to do it all sometimes.
When my meltdown was over (thank goodness it only lasted about 10 minutes), I pulled my sappy self together and got back to business. I turned the computer on, found a notebook among the piles of papers surrounding my new desk/office space, picked up the phone and called a prospect. I am delighted she hired me. I think that meltdown helped clear out the mental clutter that’s been in my head for a while now.
I have so many new things to share with you this year–big plans to help mompreneurs be their best in business and life. I’ll be posting a lot of those changes over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
What’s new with you this year? Please share below or tweet me: @mombizcoach.
Happy New Year!
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