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| http://wedding-blog.gigmasters.com/new-wedding-dance-the-flash-mob/ |
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wordless Wednesday: Flash Mob
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Guest Post: Barbara Goldberg and #BCAW2013
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!
www.sleeveshirtconsulting.com
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Spotlight Entrepreneur: Nicole Andrews Moore
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| Nicole Andrews Moore |
Tell us about your business and target market.
I am a novelist, blogger, and lately…shameless self-promoter. I write stories of hope, happiness, and love. From what I gather, my audience is predominantly female, 18-80. Don’t believe me, the fan page says it all. ☺
When did you decide it was the right time to take the leap into self-employment?
I have worked a number of jobs and potential careers through the years. Helping others build their dreams was a means to an end for me. It was always my intention to be self-employed. I always wanted to be a writer. And when I met Sam, I encouraged him to build his own company. After a while, Carolina Home Enhancements was too busy for him to handle it on his own. We returned from a sailing excursion Memorial Day weekend and Sam called me at work and asked me to turn in my two week notice. On June 15, 2011, I retired from that life and we’ve been working on building our dreams ever since.
What is the most challenging aspect about being an entrepreneur?
Leaping and hoping the net will appear. There is no fall back for income, no guaranteed salary, no benefits, no retirement package.
What is your #1 tip for balancing work and family?
There are agreed upon times that are dedicated family time. We accept that our weekends aren’t always Saturday and Sunday. We have to be willing to chip in and help in areas that we might not always want to. I have had to mow the lawn in the spring or fall when Sam is busiest. He has had to help out around the house more than he expected, more than he would sometimes like.
What small business resource(s) can you NOT live without?
My mentor, JB McGee. I have no idea what I would do without her. She has introduced me to so many people, taught me how to market, helped me to build my brand. It’s a process. I’m growing and learning.
What advice would you give to a friend who was thinking about starting a business?
Do it, but do it smart. Make sure that you have done the research, have a plan, have a net, make sure you have the support of your family/spouse/partner. All of that is essential.
Favorite social media site?
Facebook. It is so easy, so versatile, so user friendly, so interactive…
What book has been an inspiration to you as an entrepreneur?
I read everything I can get my hands on that has to do with Kindle marketing. I think the first and most important book I read was by John Locke’s How I Sold a Million ebooks in Five Months! It taught me so much about how to be a successful writer. To begin with…he didn’t sell a million books by only having one book out there. He had many books published on Kindle. He knew how to market using Twitter, his blog, list build, and create successful sales emails. I had no idea there was so much involved in it.
When you’re not working, what is your favorite activity?
When we’re not working? I don’t remember not working. I think the difference is that we’re doing what we love so that it doesn’t feel like work. Sam has down time, and I can write anywhere, so we love to travel. Of course, we’ve been on lockdown the past year because of Kenna. So…we developed new hobbies. We planted a vegetable and herb garden. I learned to make homemade marinara using our fresh basil and our varieties of tomatoes. Once in a while I get to read for pleasure. Oh, and Pinterest became my drug…and another marketing tool.
Where do you see your business in 5 years?
In five years, I hope to be a best seller, have a few series to my credit. I’d love to have books in production to be movies or even made for TV movies. Yes, I not so secretly want to be Nicholas Sparks.
Enter to Win the GoodReads Book Giveaway featuring Hiding Out, or follow Nicole @thenicknick, Facebook, Pinterest. And don't forget to stalk her on Amazon!
About the author…
Nicki has lived in Charlotte,
North Carolina with her children for the past eleven years and her husband for
the past three years. Her journey has barely begun and she loves every
minute of it. Every day of her life seems to bring new adventures, some
bigger, better, shinier and prettier than others. She's still
getting used to that new life smell she's experiencing, a combination of hope,
love, and happiness. (The perfect scents to build a new life on...)
For fun, she spends time with
those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to
travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Two
down! (Eleven to go?)
In addition to writing on Suddenly Single Journey, Nicki is
a contributor for Project Underblog.
Her writing can also be found on Shine, where she is a Shine Parenting Guru and
an award winning Yahoo! Contributor on YourWisdom as the relationship and
dating expert. And she has been published by McClatchy News in their
syndicated papers.
www.sleeveshirtconsulting.com
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Spotlight Entrepreneur: Melanie Berger of Mariwear
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| Melanie Berger of Mariwear |
Melanie has done her research to achieve both form and function with style. What's more, products are manufactured in the USA with luxe fabrics that are CO2 neutral. And for February she's extending a special, risk-free promotion. Enter code: LUV2SHIP at checkout and take advantage of both FREE SHIPPING and FREE RETURNS. (See www.mariwear.com for details) I can't wait to place my order and become carpool chic!
After you've had a chance to read Melanie's Q&A, hop on over to her recently launched Kickstarter campaign to view a fun behind-the-scenes video of Melanie in action. She has a new product line in the works and you have the opportunity to be a part of it!
Tell
us about your business and target market.
I
founded the business with a vision and a dream to introduce a new, innovative
product to women that didn’t currently exist in the marketplace. Two years in product development working
with industry experts resulted in this exciting alternative for women to change
out of their bra at the end of the day and into apparel that still allowed them
to feel good about the way they looked. Mariwear
was designed for women by women and has built-in shape and support. No wires, no fasteners so it is comfortable
enough to sleep in – hence, women only have to change once. The concept is to: Lounge in Confidence, Sleep in
Comfort and Rise in Style.
Originally conceived as “loungewear you can sleep in and
sleepwear you can lounge in”,Mariwear has rapidly evolved into lifestyle
apparel. It is resonating with women for
a multitude of reasons and Mariwear’s uses expands many age groups ranging from
young moms to women in their 60s. Women
seek comfort and want to “still feel dressed” when staying at home with their
children, rushing kids to the bus stop, working from home, entertaining house guests, yoga, travel,
spa treatments… the list goes on and on.
When
did you decide it was the right time to take the leap into self-employment?
When
I awoke one day and realized that this product was waiting for ME – not someone else to bring it to
market. I had waiting more than 10 years
for that someone else and all that time my desire for it never waned. More importantly, I found myself surrounded
by friends who all expressed the same desire.
At this point I had already had already had a successful career, spent
15+ years doing the parenting, school commitments, charity work etc and was out
of the intense demands of parenting. While
it is difficult to fully predict the demands of this type of venture, the
timing seemed right.
What
is the most challenging aspect about being an entrepreneur?
Recognizing
that you can’t do it all. Your life as
you once knew it would never be the same.
Things that you once did and likely took for granted are the things your
friends are still doing but you have to remind yourself that your are on a
journey and it is taking you places that you’ve never been before and that is
part of the adventure. Letting go of the
desire to live both lives.
What
is your #1 tip for balancing work and family?
Force
yourself to step away in the evenings and some on the weekends – especially if
you work from home. PLAN and SCHEDULE
time into your calendar to do things fun that you and your spouse/family enjoy.
What
small business resource(s) can you NOT live without?
Networking
is my number one resource. I thrive on
meeting new people, making new connections and finding ways to extend the
business. I get a thrill each time I
meet someone and then make a “six degrees of separation” connection. I believe everyone you meet will take you
somewhere new on some level and that people drive business.
What
advice would you give to a friend who was thinking about starting a business?
First
and foremost, challenge yourself to see if you genuinely are wired to not only
take on the challenge, but be passionate about it even in the tough times. There are many resources (books, online etc.)
that give you opportunities to do some self-evaluation and reflection about who
you are and what it takes to pull it off.
BE HONEST when going through this process. Even if it shows it’s not the right thing for
you, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t a great person: just that this isn’t the
right path.
Favorite
social media site?
Facebook
– so easy to connect with people on a personal level
What
book has been an inspiration to you as an entrepreneur?
When
you’re not working, what is your favorite activity?
Being anywhere in the warm sunshine. Walking, biking and hiking.
Where
do you see your business in 5 years?
I would like Mariwear to transform the way women dress at
the end of their day and to become a staple in every woman’s wardrobe so that
she can get comfortable but still feel good about the way she is dressed. To make this happen, I envision Mariwear
making it onto the shelves at higher end stores such as Nordstrom and
Bloomingdales while licensing it through other retailers in mid-level
locations.
Would you like to connect with Melanie?
And don't forget to:
- Take advantage of her no-risk February promotion at www.mariwear.com!
- Visit the LUV2Lounge Kickstarter Campaign to learn more about Mariwear and watch the fun behind-the-scenes video of Melanie in action!
www.sleeveshirtconsulting.com
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