#MomBizMondays: Success and Reinvention – How to maximize your potential in 2012

Posted by Shelagh on December 11, 2011 · 4 Comments

TOPIC: Success and Reinvention – Maximize your potential for 2012!

The holidays are approaching at a rapid rate… before you know it, the clock will strike midnight, you’ll be wearing a funny hat and kissing someone while listening to Auld Lang Syne. It will be the New Year. Welcome 2012! We want to arm you with some great tips and tools to help prepare you for a new year of business.

Perhaps you need a fresh start? Perhaps you need some redirection? Maybe you just need a little kick in the pants to do something you have been avoiding? Join us as we share tips and tricks to help set yourself up for business success and to maximize your business potential in 2012.

We want you to be armed with as many systems and supports that we can share to bring you some sanity and success for your Mom Business in 2012. We get the struggles, we get the frustrations, we get the “pull your hair out” days. We have been there and done that – and still do some days! But there are steps you can take to set yourself up for a successful new year. We want to share some ideas and talk about your ideas for your business in 2012. Moms: Stop being martyrs and get help, ask for help, and share your advice!

The MomBizRetreat is a proud sponsor of December 12th’s #MomBizMondays Live Twitter Chat

WHEN:
Monday, December 12th, 2011

TIME:
EST 10:00pm to 11:00pm
CST 09:00pm to 10:00pm
MST 08:00pm to 09:00pm
PST 07:00pm to 08:00pm

SPONSORED BY:
Mom Biz Retreat Weekend Getaways for Mompreneurs
This party is sponsored by Lara Galloway, @MomBizCoach and Shelagh Cummins @BizTrainHer, co-hosts of the Mom Biz Retreat. The Mom Biz Retreats are mompreneur getaways that offer women the chance to unplug from their daily routines and responsibilities. They get business coaching and expert consulting to plan, develop, market and grow their business during 2.5 days of intensive workshops. And as a reward for all their hard work, the mom entrepreneur participants treat themselves to private Wake Up Yoga Classes, spa treatments, exquisite meals, delicious wines, and the chance to connect with other women who think talking business and family makes a really good time.

HOSTS:
Lara @MomBizCoach Website: Mom Biz Coach FaceBook: Mom Biz Coach
Shelagh @BizTrainHer Website: Practical Mum FaceBook: Practical Mum Fans
Melissa @TimeOutMom Website: TimeOutMom FaceBook: TimeOutMom

PANELISTS:
Michelle Mangen @mmangen
Lisa Moeller @Genevieve_Lucy
Melissa Stewart @melissaonline
Heather Travitz @Heather31Mom

TWEETS:
We look forward to you joining us Monday night. We would love your help in promoting this chat your communities. Feel free to copy and paste the following tweets to help promote the Twitter Party.

RT @MomBizRetreat – Success and Reinvention – How to Maximize Your Potential 2012 Join #MomBizMondays 12/12 10pm ET http://bit.ly/u3QpNr

RT @MomBizRetreat – Are you ready to take your business to the next level in 2012? Join #MomBizMondays 12/12 10pm ET http://bit.ly/u3QpNr

RT @MomBizRetreat – @MomBizCoach @BizTrainHer @TimeOutMom will be sharing great tips/advice for mom entrepreneurs Mon 12/12 10pm ET #mombizmondays http://bit.ly/u3QpNr

TWITTER PARTY TWEETGRID LINK:
[to be provided shortly before the start of the party]

TWITTER PARTY HASHTAG:
#MomBizMondays

LINKS:
MomBizRetreat – http://bit.ly/uzBN17
MomBizGiveaway – http://bit.ly/sBcgyv

AGENDA: THEME = MOM BIZ SUCCESS IN 2012

RT @MomBizRetreat – QUESTION #1: WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2011? #MomBizMondays

RT @MomBizRetreat – QUESTION #2: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT BUSINESS IN 2012? #MomBizMondays

RT @MomBizRetreat – QUESTION #3: WHAT GOALS WILL YOU SET FOR NEXT YEAR? #MomBizMondays

RT @MomBizRetreat – QUESTION #4: WHAT IS ONE THING YOU BELIEVE IS CRITICAL TO YOUR SUCCESS IN 2012? #MomBizMondays

RT @MomBizRetreat – QUESTION #5: WHAT WILL YOU DO TO MAKE SURE YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? #MomBizMondays

PANELISTS + ATTENDEES:
Please be sure to you Twitter Party hashtag #MomBizMondays at the end of every tweet so everyone may follow along in the conversation even if you are not following that person specifically. Please retweet all questions. It would be great if you were able to share your answers to each question. Connect with others at the party and say hello, chat with others, & remember to HAVE FUN! Also be sure to share links to your websites, blogs, and FaceBook pages too! We love sharing! *If you meet some great like-minded people at tonight’s twitter party, be sure to follow them so you can connect afterwards!

MomBizRetreat Tweets

No laundry? No kids? No cooking? No cleaning? Weekend away with like-minded women? #MomBizMondays #MomBizRetreat http://bit.ly/uzBN17

Kids driving you crazy? Family not understanding you? Struggling in Business? We help. #MomBizRetreat #MomBizMondays http://bit.ly/uzBN17

The best gift this holiday season? A weekend away to work on and build your business. #MomBizMondays #MomBizRetreat http://bit.ly/uzBN17

#Mompreneurs – don’t hide behind your computer feeling lost and lonely. We can help. #MomBizMondays #MomBizRetreat http://bit.ly/uzBN17

I bet your moneymaker doesn’t involve carpooling and dusting. Come and learn how to manage it all. #MomBizMondays #MomBizRetreat http://bit.ly/uzBN17

Stop struggling with your business. We help you create a clear and definitive path for your business. #MomBizMondays #MomBizRetreat http://bit.ly/uzBN17

RELEVANT ARTICLES

Teleseminar: Success and Reinvention – How to maximize your business potential in 2012 #MomBizMondays http://bit.ly/rwgjqF

The Power and Possibility Of Questions To Build Your Business #MomBizMondays http://bit.ly/tX6qIB

Do connections really matter in your business? Are they important? #MomBizMondays http://bit.ly/w14cQO

SOURCES:
www.MomBizRetreat.com
www.MomBizCoach.com
www.BizTrainHer.com
www.TimeOutMom.com

Filed under business coach, business how-tos · Tagged with biztrainher, mom entrepreneurs, mombizcoach, MomBizRetreat, mompreneurs, struggling, TimeOutMom, twitter party, work/family balance, working moms

#MomBizMondays Twitter Chat: Dec 5th Mom Biz Struggles and How to Overcome Them

Posted by Shelagh on December 4, 2011 · 1 Comment

Mom Biz Struggles and How to Overcome Them

We all bring a certain level of knowledge and a specific skill set to our businesses. We grow our businesses by relying on our strengths and trying to sidestep our challenges. Inevitably, you reach that tipping point where you begin to struggle. Things no longer are working smoothly, your business is no longer growing, and your frustration level increases. Thing is, this is a universal phenomenon… But why is it that we struggle with our Mom Businesses?

#MomBizMondays Twitter Party

Monday, December 5th, 2011

TOPIC: MOM BIZ STRUGGLES AND HOW TO OVERCOME THEM
Join us tonight to chat about what struggles you are experiencing and how we can overcome them. Lean on your #mombizmondays network to help you overcome a hurdle or a challenge that is currently holding you in a standstill. Come and learn about ideas, systems and resources that can support you and your business, and know that you are not alone! Moms: Stop being martyrs and get help, ask for help, and share your advice!

WHEN:
Monday, December 5th, 2011

TIME:
EST 10:00pm to 11:00pm
CST 09:00pm to 10:00pm
MST 08:00pm to 09:00pm
PST 07:00pm to 08:00pm

PANELISTS:

RT @MomBizRetreat – Every mom biz owner struggles, but there’s no reason to do it alone. Join #MomBizMondays 12/5 10pm ET twitter party and get/give support! http://bit.ly/sp7Qta

RT @MomBizRetreat – Need somewhere to turn for answers to your mompreneur questions? Join #MomBizMondays 12/5 10pm ET http://bit.ly/sp7Qta

RT @MomBizRetreat – @mombizcoach @ biztrainher @timeoutmom will be sharing great tips/advice for mom entrepreneurs Mon 12/5 10pm ET #mombizmondays http://bit.ly/sp7Qta

TWITTER PARTY TWEETGRID LINK:
[to be provided shortly before the start of the party]

TWITTER PARTY HASHTAG:
#MomBizMondays

AGENDA: THEME = MOM BIZ STRUGGLES

SKILLS AND STRENGTHS

QUESTION #1: WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR BUSINESS?

QUESTION #2: WHAT SKILL DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE WHICH WOULD HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

QUESTION #3: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE IN YOUR BUSINESS??

TIME

QUESTION #4: HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR WORK TIME? IS IT WORKING?

PLANNING

QUESTION #5: HOW OFTEN DO YOU REVIEW YOUR BUSINESS PLAN?

QUESTION #6: WHERE CAN YOU TURN TO FOR HELP WHEN YOU ARE STRUGGLING?

COMMITMENT

QUESTION #7: HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE ALL YOUR COMMITMENTS (FAMILY< BUSINESS< PARTNER)?

SOURCES:

www.MomBizRetreat.com
www.MomBizCoach.com
www.BizTrainHer.com
www.TimeOutMom.com

Women and Power

Posted by Lara Galloway on January 19, 2011 · 1 Comment

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!

Listen to internet radio with Lara Galloway on Blog Talk Radio

Filed under motherhood, work/family balance · Tagged with mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, powerful women, successful women

New Year, New Home

Posted by Lara Galloway on January 3, 2011 · 25 Comments

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!

Filed under motherhood, work/family balance · Tagged with mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, motherhood, new routines, new year

Mompreneur Mobility HP ProBook Giveaway!

Posted by Lara Galloway on November 8, 2010 · 50 Comments

Are you a mobile mompreneur?

I don’t know about you, but I tend to have a “work anywhere” policy as a mompreneur. With my three computers, cell phone, land line phone, Flip camcorder and webcam, I can be coaching clients in Calgary while sitting at my kitchen table. Or I can load up my next email campaign that blasts to England, Jamaica and all across the US when I’m using the free WiFi at the local coffee shop. And sometimes I shoot a quick video for a vlog while I’m on vacation, wherever that may be.

One of the biggest reasons I decided to quit working for IBM (and then later decided to start my own business) was because I wanted the freedom and flexibility that being a mom entrepreneur affords me. I love being able to work from home, wearing my yoga pants one day and dressing to the nines for a speaking gig the next.

I rely heavily on technology to make my business possible. Most days, I’m singing the praises of my laptop, my Skype account, and Twitter, since they truly make my “working on the fly” lifestyle a reality. And then there are those dreaded days (I’m told it’s when Mercury is in retrograde, which I don’t understand but I have learned that I suffer just the same) when my technology all fails me, leaving me nearly unable to work at all.

I recently blogged about my desire to help as many fellow mompreneurs as possible be more successful in their businesses. I think I found a slam dunk for one of you .

I’m thrilled to partner with HP to give away a new HP ProBook 4425s, powered by AMD!

If you could use a sleek, new notebook computer to help you handle email, surf the web and keep up with your Social Media contacts wherever you are, make sure you register to win (below)!

Click here to enter the Mompreneur Mobility HP ProBook Giveaway!

Read all about the HP ProBook here.

What about you? What technology do you rely on to make your business possible? What are you using for “mobile computing”–such as an iPhone, Blackberry, iTouch, netbook, laptop, cell phone, etc.? How do you use it? What value does this mobility bring to your business? What compromises do you make in order to be mobile? Where’s your favorite place to work?

To register to win the HP ProBook 4425s, powered by AMD, here’s all you need to do:

Leave a comment on the blog below answering some of the questions I asked above.
Fill in the sign up form below (which will also allow you to receive some tips and advice from me about how to get it all done as a mom entrepreneur).
Winners will be announced here on the blog on Friday, November 12th. We’ll enter all the qualified entries into Random.org to help us pick a winner.
That’s it!

Click here to enter the Mompreneur Mobility HP ProBook Giveaway!

I am grateful to HP for being willing to share some powerful resources with mom entrepreneurs. A big hearty thanks to HP for making this giveaway possible!

* photo courtesy jeneyepher of flickr creative commons

Filed under business coach, business how-tos, mom entrepreneur coach, small business, work/family balance · Tagged with HP giveaway, HP ProBook 4425s, mobile computers, mom entrepreneurs

The Road to Success for Mompreneurs

Posted by Lara Galloway on September 19, 2010 · 1 Comment

I am honored to be featured on the blog of one of my dearest supporters online. Genevieve Lachance, of VASimpleServices.com, has put together a fantastic interview series called “The Everyday Entrepreneur.” Genevieve has her fingers on the pulse of mompreneurhood and asks all the right questions about what it takes to be successful as a mompreneur.

She created a video of my interview, and I’ve included it below. Just click the link to listen. It’s 15 minutes long.

Road to Success With Mom Biz Coach Lara Galloway

To read more of the lovely interviews Genevieve has collected, please visit her website.

Filed under business coach, business how-tos, mom entrepreneur coach, work/family balance · Tagged with genevieve lachance, how to be a successful mompreneur, interview with lara galloway, mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, vasimpleservices, work/family balance

How to Handle Your Taxes

Posted by Lara Galloway on August 19, 2010 · 3 Comments

Hey mompreneurs: Does tax time terrify you?

Does the thought of getting everything in order for your taxes make your heart stop?

Well, you’re not alone. And it’s a good idea to solve this problem before the holidays and tax time roll around. I’m always on the lookout for good resources to support mom entrepreneurs, and I’ve found a webinar I know will benefit many work at home moms.

My colleague, Rebecca Tervo, CPA, is offering a free teleseminar to help you get your financial books in order so you know exactly where you stand when it’s time to do your taxes.

How would it feel for you to go into the end of 2010 confident and secure? You can learn how in Rebecca’s FREE webinar, “No More QuickBooks Fear”, where she outlines exactly what you need to know in QuickBooks, including what to track for taxes. This will be a jargon-free zone! No accountant talk, no weird terms you don’t understand. Just clear, simple explanations of the different sections in QuickBooks and what they mean for your business and taxes.

Rebecca has helped me get setup with my own QuickBooks account, and I really appreciate her professionalism coupled with an easy-going nature.

Click here to register.

Why not tell a mom entrepreneur friend about this webinar?

Does tax time terrify you?

Does the thought of getting everything in order for your taxes make your heart stop? There IS a better way! My clients feel great when tax time rolls around because they know that their books are in order and they have a clear picture on EXACTLY what they owe and how much money they’ve made.

How would it feel for you to go into the end of 2010 confident and secure? You can learn how in my FREE webinar, “No More QuickBooks Fear”, where I’m outlining exactly what you need to know in QuickBooks, including what to track for taxes. This will be a jargon-free zone! No accountant talk, no weird terms you don’t understand. Just clear, simple explanations of the different sections in QuickBooks and what they mean for your business and taxes.

Here’s the link to get signed up: http://members.tervofinancialfitness.com/nomoreqbfear/

See you next Wednesday!

Rebecca Tervo, CPA

Tervo Financial Fitness, LLC

email address: rebecca@tervofinancial.com

website: www.tervofinancial.com
twitter: www.twitter.com/rebeccatervocpa

linked in: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccatervocpa
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tervofinancial

Filed under business how-tos, small business · Tagged with bookkeeping, helpful resources, mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, preparing for tax season, rebecca tervo, small business financial support

How to Monetize Your Passion

Posted by Lara Galloway on August 9, 2010 · 1 Comment

I just love talking to mom entrepreneurs about passion, work and money all in the same sentence .

So tomorrow, I’ll be doing just that. As part of the WoMEN: What Mom Entrepreneurs Need Teleseminar Series, I’m going to interview Rich German, author of “Monetize Your Passion: Follow Your Heart and Create Life’s Ultimate Win-Win-Win.” And Rich knows how to do just that.

We want to share with you how to do the same. Join us for the call tomorrow to learn:

Rich’s own story about how he turned his passion into a lucrative business
The top three hurdles that stop most people
The #1 key to turning your passion into a successful business
One baby step you can take to get started turning your own passion into a business

Make sure you hurry and click here to register for the call so I can get you the details before the teleseminar starts tomorrow at 12p ET. (Can’t make it live? Still register and I’ll email you the replay.)

Wondering if it’s really possible to make money with YOUR passion? Leave a question or comment below, and Rich and I will do our best to address it during tomorrow’s call.

Filed under business coach, business how-tos, reasons to work, work/family balance · Tagged with free teleseminars, make money doing work you love, mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, monetize your passion, rich german, WoMEN teleseminar series

Spend Your Precious Time Wisely

Posted by Lara Galloway on July 12, 2010 · 3 Comments

OK, mompreneurs:

I know you’re busier than ever now that summer’s here. You’re the party-planner, play date coordinator, your children’s favorite toy, the vacation organizer, and a zillion other roles on top of your usual routine of wife, mother and business owner.

Some of the mom entrepreneurs I coach have been feeling a little overwhelmed trying to get it all done. I’ve had some panicky moments myself, due to the fact that my family’s travel season is in high gear and I’ve already taken three weeks off of work. I have even more planned .

The only way I can enjoy my time off with my family is to remember that I am not the only one who can do some parts of my job. If we mom entrepreneurs are going to successfully run a business while also thoroughly enjoying the freedom and flexibility that mompreneurship provides, we have to delegate.

Here are a few of the things I have successfully delegated for the summer (and beyond):

Setting up my QuickBooks and making sure my bookkeeping is in order so tax time is easy this year
Getting a marketing strategy and marketing plan in place
Creating a press kit to help me be “media-ready” for some fantastic speaking opportunities and TV appearances
Vetting and gathering information for each of my guest experts in the WoMEN: What Mom Entrepreneurs Need Teleseminar Series
Loading new info products into my shopping cart

Can you hear me breathing a sigh of relief over here? I am grateful to the team of mompreneurs who support me in my business. They do what they do much better than I do, and I get to focus on the parts of my business that only I can do. AND I get to get away from my work and spend my precious time with my family, making memories that I know will last a lifetime.

Take a look at your calendar or your to-do list right now. What is ONE THING on your list that must be done, but that someone else could do for you?

Do you need a recommendation for a VA (virtual assistant) who could help you get some things off your plate? I work with several and can highly recommend them. Leave a comment below if you’d like details.

Filed under business coach, business how-tos, mom entrepreneur coach, motherhood · Tagged with delegating, entrepreneurship, flexibility, freedom, how to save time, mom entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, spending time with family, taking vacation

Mom Biz Coach Business Coach for Mom Entrepreneurs

#MomBizMondays: Success and Reinvention – How to maximize your potential in 2012

TOPIC: Success and Reinvention – Maximize your potential for 2012!