Spotlight Entrepreneur: Julie Austin, Inventor of swiggies

Julie Austin is a California based entrepreneur who is running multiple businesses including an international business based on her invention, swiggies. Having just completed a half-marathon I see the benefits of these mobile wrist water bottles for runners as well as families on the go.  BPA-Free and approved by Child Safe International as a safe, green product swiggies has also received numerous distinctions including Best Product from Creative Child Magazine for creativity and innovation. 

Introducing Julie, CEO of HydroSport, and the woman behind this innovative brand.

Julie Austin of swiggies

Tell us about your business and target market
swiggies, wrist water bottles are patented and trademarked hands-free water bottles for adults and kids. They were a NASDAQ product of the year semi finalist and are sold in over 20 countries. They won the Toyman award for innovation and quality, voted on by the consumer. They are sold in retail and the promotional products industry.

When did you decide it was the right time to take the leap into self-employment?
I was planning to license the product in the beginning, but after months of contracts going back and forth and the deal falling through (company I was working with went bankrupt) I ended up having to do it all myself.



What is the most challenging aspect about being an entrepreneur?
Having enough hours in a day to get everything done. Since I run 3 businesses there is never enough time.



What is your #1 tip for balancing work and family?
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of balance right now and no family (except 2 rescue dogs). The good thing is that I love what I do, so that helps. I try to incorporate an extra day into my schedule when I travel to other places to do a speaking engagement. I'll rent a car and go exploring for the day.

What small business resource(s) can you NOT live without?
I would say social media. It keeps me connected to other business owners and constant information.



What advice would you give to a friend who was thinking about starting a business?
Start with no money. It's the best way to challenge yourself to be creative and learn mistakes without spending a lot of money.

Favorite social media site?
Linked In.

What book has been an inspiration to you as an entrepreneur?
Rich Dad/Poor Dad - The section on cash flow quadrant really opened my eyes.

When you’re not working, what is your favorite activity?
Wow, I really had to think about that one. I guess the last time I did anything that didn't involve work was when I went bowling. Now that you got me thinking, I would say hiking, shooting pool, and going to movies. Okay, I really need to take a day off.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?
One of the reasons I'm working so hard now is because I want to get all of my businesses to the point that they can run themselves without me. I have over 20 swiggies distributors around the world and they do basically run on their own. I also have a couple of licensing deals. Some day I'd either like to sell the business or license more divisions.

Tweet Julie 
Get LinkedIn with Julie
Fan swiggies on Facebook

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What Home-Office Deductions Can Your Small Business Claim and How?

The tax filing deadline is fast-approaching. If you're a small business working out of your home make sure you are you taking advantage of all the appropriate deductions!




Visit the US Small Business Association for tips, tricks and great interviews with IRS tax experts, like this one with Phyllis Grimes.

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Spotlight Entrepreneur: Darcy Simmons Wills of Simmons Social Media

Darcy Simmons Wills is the founder of Simmons Social Media- a social media firm that helps small businesses to navigate the social media waters. Their mission is to take the burden of social media strategy and administration off of the small business owner by managing it on their behalf. Small businesses across the US (virtually) and locally in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier area of New York lean on Darcy to establish strong social media strategies, grow fan bases and ultimately drive sales.

When did you decide it was the right time to take the leap into self-employment? 
I have been a stay at home mom for almost nine years and while I needed to return to work – I did not look forward to the daily grind of going to an office everyday. I had been doing some consulting work for some small businesses – saw a need and decided to take the plunge and made it official.

What is the most challenging aspect about being an entrepreneur? 

Self discipline is the most challenging aspect of being an entrepreneur for me. There are so many distractions when working from home and having flexibility. You really need the self discipline to stay focused on the task at hand.

What is your #1 tip for balancing work and family? 

Organization. Being organized ultimately allows you to balance work and family. Being a work at home mom has many perks – flexibility one of the big ones. However, to utilize this perk- you must be organized – keeping track of your time, schedule and appointments – personal and professional. You might have the flexibility to attend your children’s school book fair but if it is not on your calendar and you forget it – missed opportunity. We have opportunities in all facets of our life and to take advantage of them you really need to be organized.

Favorite social media site?

Right now Pinterest is my favorite social media site. I love that I can find information on almost any subject- pin it  and save it for future use or for my clients. And as a mother – love it on so many different levels !

When you’re not working, what is your favorite activity?

Spending time with my family and being able to treasure all the special moments with my two young boys.

Where do you see your business in 5 years?

My business will still be assisting small businesses with social media – I just have no idea what the social media arena will look like and what new players will have entered the arena. But I will continue to navigate these sometimes rocky social waters while helping small businesses and have a fabulous time doing it. 

Have social media questions or just want to connect with this fabulous lady?

www.simmonssocialmedia.com

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Wordless Wednesday: Run Like a DIVA!

http://www.runlikeadiva.com

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Wordless Wednesday: Flash Mob

http://wedding-blog.gigmasters.com/new-wedding-dance-the-flash-mob/

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Wordless Wednesday: Happy Spring!

http://crazy-frankenstein.com/

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Guest Post: Barbara Goldberg and #BCAW2013

It's March 18, 2013 and the beginning of #BCAW2013, or Business Continuity Awareness Week.  We reached out to productivity expert Barbara Goldberg of Back on Track Solutions to get her insights why this global event is so important for small businesses.

Why Your Small Business Should Make Business Continuity Planning a Priority

Small businesses are constantly being bombarded with a multitude of disruptions that can affect their bottom line. While some of these disruptions can be controlled, others are neither expected nor planned for. Having a business continuity plan in place ahead of time will help minimize the impact any disruption may have on a business.

A business continuity plan provides an outline of steps that a business needs to recover and restore business operations after a disruption, as well as what business functions are critical to ensure those operations can be done. It should also include precautionary steps a business can take to minimize the effects of a disruption prior to any occurring.

Unfortunately many businesses don’t have a business continuity plan in place. They are so busy dealing with what’s occurring right now that they don’t think about the what-ifs. It is easy to overlook making a plan while everything is running smoothly but it is too late to do any planning during and after a disruption. In the end, the decision whether or not to have a business continuity plan will have a major impact on whether or not the business will survive.

The size of the business needs to be taken out of the equation when it comes to deciding to create a business continuity plan. The smaller the business is the more important it is to have a plan in place. The smallest of disruptions can impact the smallest of businesses. These impacts can inevitably result in the closure of the business.

Deciding not to have a business continuity plan can be the most costly decision a business makes. Business downtime can result not only in lost revenue but in lost customers. Once a customer is lost it is very difficult to get them back. They will prefer to deal with a business that is able to weather adversity well. The small price that a business will invest in the creation of a plan outweighs the cost of not having one.

Do you know if your business is fully prepared to recover after even the most minimal of disruptions? Take the short operational preparedness assessment to see how prepared your business is. Looking for help in getting a business continuity or disaster recovery plan in place for your business? Contact Back On Track Solutions to see how we can help you get a plan in place designed specifically for your business.

A big thank you to Barbara Goldberg for this guest post!

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