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For all of you small business owners or marketing consultants in the Chicagoland area – there is still room to register for the presentation I’m giving tomorrow for the Itasca Bank & Trust Women’s Business Owner program. The topic is Social Media: Which Platform is Right for Your Business? The program is FREE! Here’s a description of the program and how to register:
Social Media Marketing: Which Platform is Right for Your Business?
Social media marketing is a powerful way to brand yourself as an expert, create leads, and drive traffic to your website or blog. Where do you invest your time to give your business the biggest boost? This seminar will be presented by Sue Kirchner who is both an entrepreneur and a marketing and brand strategy consultant who has helped companies successfully identify their unique brand, expand their business and increase sales for over 20 years. You’ll learn:
How to determine which social media platform is right for your business
Demographics of the most popular social media platforms
Pros and cons of each platform for small business owners
Examples of how small business owners are using social media to promote their business
Resources to get started
Wednesday, October 10
Networking: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.; Program: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Itasca Bank & Trust Co. Training Center
410 West Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL
There is no charge for the programs, but advance registration is required. Register by return email, or at www.itascabank.com, Women’s Initiative, Quick Registration, or by telephoning 630-773-0350, ext. 450.
If you have any questions, shoot me an email at sue@chocolatecakeclub.com. Hope to see you there!
One of my favorite small business/ woman business owner resource sites is TheWorkatHomeWoman.com. I like the site so much, I periodically write small business brand building articles for them to share my marketing experience and keep a foot in the brand consulting world.
So, I was excited when Holly Reisman Hanna’s, the founder of TheWorkatHomeWoman site offered me a chance to review her first ebook, Blogging Success: Tips for Creating Content, Getting Traffic and Monetizing Your Blog. Holly has used her blog/ resource site to build up quite a brand and business for herself so I was eager to learn from her experience. Since I love writing and have been blogging seriously for two years now on how to help busy families have more fun together, I wanted in on her secrets to make money from my ideas and hard work blogging.
For any of you small business owners or Mompreneurs out there who are interested in blogging as a business or to help grow another business, Holly offers some great practical advice in her book. If you are new to blogging, this book is a must. If you’ve been blogging for a while and just need some additional ideas, Holly’s book is full of resources I had never considered. First and foremost, I appreciated that Holly states “blogging is not a get rich quick sport.” Blogging is very hard work and it’s time consuming. You either have to have a passion for it or it has to be an essential component of your business marketing strategy for you to not get discouraged and quit. However, from a brand building perspective, if you commit to blogging, there is no better way to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field. (more…)
Ok, maybe not wild. But check out some inspiring Mom business owners (& me) who were featured in a segment on Mompreneurship for an MSN Your Money segment. If you are thinking of starting your own business, grab some tips from these Moms who juggle it all.
<a href="http://yourmoney.msn.com/saving-money-help/bdab5a80-5526-9e89-997e-fe75d6c66af4?from=msnhp&gt1=32083" target="_new" title="Mompreneurs:The Balancing Act of Business and Family">Video: Mompreneurs:The Balancing Act of Business and Family</a>
Any other tips for Mom entrepreneurs you’d like to share?
Many Moms find themselves re-launching their career these days. Whether the economy is pushing them back into the workplace sooner than expected or their kids are in school now and Mom wants to refocus on her own career, many women are polishing up their resumes. However, many of the Moms who I talk to about reentering the workforce feel a little intimidated. They feel like they need to brush up on their skill sets or they want to take this opportunity to make a complete career change, but don’t know what to do.
Technological changes, industry shifts, and consolidation have led to a different work environment than what many women may have been used to when they took a temporary step off of the career track. So, re-launching is a hot topic and there is a definite need to help great workers get back into the workforce. There is a group on LinkedIn that focuses on Stay-at-Home Moms reentering the workforce. There are quite a few niche websites dedicated to providing advice and community for Moms returning to work, like iRelaunch. A growing number of employers and universities have created programs to help people get back to work. And recently, I was impressed that Lake Forest Graduate School of Management (LFGSM) had designed a new program specifically for the needs of career re-launchers.
Full Disclosure: Now, I used to teach International Business at LFGSM so I know a lot about the school. The school is also our very first sponsor for the ChocolateCakeMoments.com website and although it seems like an odd fit with our Family Fun focus, I was really impressed with how they conducted research and designed a program for Mom’s needs. If she has to or wants to go back to work, I’m happy to promote a school that is going to give her the education and counseling she needs to get the best job possible for her and her family. I really liked the way the program was designed to fit in with Mom’s schedule so she can advance her career but also have the time and flexibility to still be the center of her family’s universe. (So, there is still time for Family Fun!)
Here are the features of the program that really stood out to me.
Convenience. Let’s face it, Moms. Once your kids are in school, everything is ruled by the school schedule – bus times, afterschool activities, and summer vacation. LFGSM took this into consideration. Class times are from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. so Mom can still get the kids on and off the school bus. Students only take 2 courses per term (one on Tuesday and one on Thursday) so you can meet with classmates or study during the day, so it doesn’t infringe on family time. Finally, Moms can have the summer off. If you want to take the time to spend with your kids or if you want to grab a summer internship to boost your experience for extra credit, this time is yours.
Timing. Visualize yourself graduating in just two years. That’s right, only two years and 16 courses to complete the program and have an MBA in your hand to secure a better job. (It took me 3.5 years to get my MBA going to school at night. At this point in my life, that seems too long.) The school understands that you want to get back in the workforce as soon as you can. But don’t think you are getting an MBA “Lite” degree. The Daytime MBA program at LFGSM offers the same curriculum as their evening or weekend programs.
Easy to enroll. The school has eliminated any excuse for not getting your MBA. No GMAT is needed! You don’t want to go back to taking standardized tests. LFGSM has streamlined the admission process and taken away any excuses for why you might have been dragging your feet to enroll in an MBA program. There is no need for GMAT scores and they WILL consider your volunteer and part-time work experience as leadership experience for admission selection. PTA time counts!
Special programs for re-launchers. I interviewed Manish Shah, the Associate Dean for the Daytime MBA program, and he walked me through how they had conducted focus groups with stay-at-home Moms to target the program specifically to their needs. He was most excited about the additional coaching, mentoring, and extra workshops the school is offering to help Moms re-launch their careers. He mentioned that LFGSM is the only school that has partnered with the founders of iRelaunch to offer a 5-week mini course to help Moms determine their vision for going back to work, what type of job they want, and what skills can be applied in their new career. Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Rabin, the founders of iRelaunch and the authors of Back on the Career Track, are experts in this field and they are bringing their unique expertise to the LFGSM program.
Help paying the bills. No MBA program is cheap. It’s an investment in the future. However, LFGSM is offering up to 20% scholarship assistance for tuition based on financial need. Take advantage, if you can.
Flexibility. LFGSM won’t stand in your way of opportunities. If you find a terrific full-time job while you are enrolled, there is no problem transferring you from the daytime to evening or Saturday program.
Learn from experience. After having taught at LFGSM, I have to say that one of the school’s best features to me was the faculty. (I know, I am biased.) The professors have real work experience and they love sharing it with their students. These are not purely academics sharing theory. They can illustrate their teachings with personal case stories and can potentially help you network to find a job.
Moms, if you want more information about the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management Daytime MBA program to re-launch your career, go to their website www.LFGSM.edu/DaytimeMBA or contact them at 847-574-5154 or DaytimeMBA@lfgsm.edu. What are you waiting for? Classes start August 23rd at the Lake Forest campus.
As I mentioned, LFGSM’s Daytime MBA Program is a sponsor for us. They bought advertising space on the site and I want to be upfront about that. I offered to write this blog post to help promote the program because I was impressed with how it was tailored to Moms and I have a soft spot for the school since I used to teach there.
We were just notified that we were a winner in StartupNation.com’s Leading Moms in Business Contest. We came in #17 out of 200 winners. (We moved up from #28 last year. Yeah!) We just wanted to give a big hug and thank you to everyone who was voting for us. We greatly appreciate it.
A big thank you to the team at LivingMyMoMent.com for featuring me and my businesses in an article on their blog site today. Click on over to read my goals for the company, how I started the business, how I manage my family and worklife, and 3 pieces of advice for MoMs or DaDs starting their own business. (Plus, take a gander at the cute photo of my kids and crazy cat.)
I’m part of a group that is working through ProBlogger’s 31 Days to a Better Blog workbook, being led by Holly Hanna at TheWorkAtHomeWoman blog. I really want to make the ChocolateCakeMoments.com blog a daily destination for busy parents (and even grandparents) who are looking for simple, fun ways to smile and laugh more with their kids.
Our first task was to write an elevator speech for the blog. I did and posted it over at our discussion group, but it got me thinking – Do you know why I write this blog? It takes a lot of time and effort to maintain a blog site and write compelling blog posts. Heck, I could be eating bon bons (I honestly don’t know of ANYONE who actually eats bon bons but its a nice phrase) or working out or reading a thrilling vampire novel. Instead I dedicate a lot of time and effort into sharing my ideas. Why?
I want to be the “Rachel Ray of Family Fun” so ChocolateCakeMoments.com is where I share simple and creative ideas with busy parents on how to add more fun to their daily life. Parenting is the hardest job in the world and we often let the day-to-day stress steal our smile. My mission is to inspire busy parents to smile more, refocus on the pleasures of parenthood and have more fun with their families. The best part is it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With a little creativity and a few minutes of planning, you can have the most fun house on the block.
What do you think? Is this a compelling statement and am I living up to my mission so far?
I met another Mom a week or so ago who is following her passion and living out loud. Allow me to introduce Lori Radun of Momnificent.com, who is our FIRST EVER guest blogger. We found over coffee that we have several similarities, most importantly that we are both passionate about the importance of family time. Here is her very convincing take on why it’s so important:
The Benefits of Family Recreation
With more and more structured activities taking up our children’s time, this leaves little time for family recreation. Linda has two girls; one is eight years old and the other is ten. Each girl can be involved in up to three different extracurricular activities during the school year. Whether it is music lessons, gymnastics or swimming, there is hardly time to do anything together as a family. Sure, mom and dad juggle the responsibilities of getting each child to their respective activities and they stay to watch the practices or meets, but they are not truly interacting with their girls. Competitive activities such as these have replaced family recreation.
Family recreation would be defined as a pleasurable or relaxing activity done together as a family. Examples would be having a picnic together at a local park, going on a hike together in the woods, or exploring a fun museum together on a Saturday afternoon. You don’t have to leave the house to enjoy family recreation. You can play board games together, kick the soccer ball around in the backyard, or blow bubbles on the front porch. These activities in a child’s life, I would venture to say, are far more important than any structured extracurricular activity, primarily because they are spent with us, but for many other reasons as well.
Family recreation teaches life skills. Children learn a number of life skills from hanging together as a family. They learn how to solve problems and cooperate with one another. Any time you have two or more people together, each with their own personalities and ideas, compromise must be practiced. We have to learn to take turns and consider the needs of other people. Children learn to cope with their frustration when they don’t get their way or they are learning something new. And family recreation allows us to teach our children about having a positive attitude. When we play a game together as a family, we don’t allow our children to be poor sports. We use the opportunity to teach them how to lose gracefully and congratulate the winners. We show them that playing a game is not always about winning and losing, but more about having fun.
Family recreation builds positive character. When we spend time together as a family, children learn a number of positive character traits. They learn to respect everyone in the family. If you’re playing a game together, they are learning to be honest. Cheating is not allowed. Children have the opportunity to develop their creativity especially during imaginative play. And they learn to be flexible because everyone is different. When Donna decided to start a family night in her family, she gave each member of the family an opportunity to pick a fun family activity. Mom, Dad and the two children took turns choosing something fun to do. When it wasn’t your turn, you were not allowed to complain about the activity because they were trying to teach fairness.
Family recreation promotes physical, emotional, mental and social development. We all need recreation in our lives. Active activities exercise our bodies. Games that require us to think or activities that encourage learning promote healthy mental development. Spending time together as a family and interacting in relationship with one another develops our children socially. Emotionally, we receive love, companionship and the release of stressful feelings when we engage in recreational activities.
Family recreation strengthens family bonds. Spending time together builds intimacy in our lives. For children to feel loved, we need to spend quality time with them. This helps them feel valued and worthy of attention. The more time we spend together, the more we get to know one another. This helps us feel closer as a family. When we play together, we laugh and enjoy life together. These emotional feelings strengthen our family bonds.
Family recreation relieves stress. We all know adults need to release stress, but so do children. Believe it or not, children are stressed by school work, peer relationships and other normal childhood stressors. Playing and engaging in relaxing activities is a great way to blow off steam. Run around and play hide and seek, plunge into cool water at your local pool, or play a silly game of charades. Laugh and have fun.
Family recreation builds family memories. What are some of the best memories you have from your childhood? When I divorced my older son’s father, my son lost some of his favorite memories with his dad. He and his dad used to play basketball on a little basketball hoop in the house. They would run around in a little small area of his bedroom, acting crazy and shooting baskets. My ex-husband instilled some great memories with his son by engaging in family recreation with him. Fun times always stick in a person’s mind so enjoy life with your children.
Lori Radun is life coach, inspirational speaker and author of The Momnificent! Life – Healthy and Balanced Living for Busy Moms. Her website, www.momnificent.com is a place where moms go for unconditional support and expert advice on making positive, healthy choices on modern motherhood challenges.
Yippee! I was so excited to find out today that I was named a Leading Mom in Business, for the second year in a row. ChocolateCakeClub.com and ChocolateCakeMoments.com ranked #28 in this year’s StartupNation.com’s Leading Moms in Business contest. That was a huge jump from last year’s ranking so I want to thank everyone who voted for us and especially those of you who voted daily. I greatly appreciate your time and support.
You can see the list of all 200 winners here.
Whoo Hoo! I’m off to tell more people and celebrate this Chocolate Cake Moment.
Hurray! I was thrilled to find out that I have been featured in Start Your Own Mom Business!, a new eBook by StartupNation. It was definitely a “Chocolate Cake Moment” for me, where I couldn’t stop smiling and felt the need to celebrate with some Sea Salt Caramels (my new favorite sweet).
I received an advance copy for participating and I think it’s a great resource for moms interested in starting and running a successful business. I would have loved to have access to information like this when I was starting up 5 years ago. I could have avoided oh so many mistakes. While we all learn from mistakes, you can only lose so much time or money before the mistakes start to destroy your business or your passion for being an entrepreneur. This book will definitely help Moms who are noodling starting their own business to make some decisions on whether to go for it.
In addition to success tips specific to mom business owners like managing work-life balance, building a support group, or the perils of working from home, the eBook includes advice and insights from me and 19 other winners of StartupNation’s annual Leading Moms in Business Competition, an annual ranking of the top 200 moms in business in America. In my profile (on page 44 in case you buy the book and want to jump right to my section), I give advice on not being afraid to ask for help and how important it is to validate your business idea before jumping into it wholeheartedly. It doesn’t cost a lot of money to do!
The eBook is available for purchase and download from the StartupNation website here. I don’t get any compensation for promoting the book, other than a nice feeling of validation for my business and ideas. I just think it is a good resource that Moms considering pursuing an entrepreneurial dream should know about.
The first section of Start Your Own Mom Business! focuses on the main keys to success for the mom entrepreneur, highlighting the critical areas of time management, delegation, outsourcing and work-life balance.
The second section of the eBook profiles 20 Leading Moms in Business winners, providing the reader with insights into business management strategies, life management skills and success secrets. There is a profile of each company so Moms can learn more and evaluate the many different kinds of business models.
I’m thrilled to be included in the book and I want to thank everyone who voted for ChocolateCakeClub.com and ChocolateCakeMoments.com last year and then again this year in StartUpNation.com’s Leading Moms in Business Contest. There are some awesome Mom Entrepreneurs in the contest that heck, I would love to learn more from.
The eBook is available for purchase and download from the StartupNation website here.
If any of you are Mom Entrepreneurs already or thinking about taking the plunge, what books or resources are invaluable to you?
Thank you to Holly Hanna at The Work From Home Woman site for interviewing me and featuring the Chocolate Cake Club on her site. Holly has some wonderful information on running a business from home.
Here’s another reason to go check out her site – we are sponsoring a Back to School Giveaway where you can win some of the Chocolate Cake Club’s great Back to School Gear. You can enter here but hurry, the contest ends tomorrow at noon. Stay tuned for our 3rd annual Motherlode Back to School Contest which we are going to launch on Thursday. Check back on Thursday for details on how to enter.
Holly over at the Work At Home Woman site wrote a great article on how small business owners can Get Free Publicity on TV. She interviewed me for the article – Thanks Holly! – and I wanted to share it with you. Good luck everyone and I hope to see you all on TV soon.
Can I ask you to help me get on TV again? I need your vote in StartupNation.com’s Leading Mom’s in Business contest. All it takes is one click and you can register to get a daily reminder. Vote for me here. I am absolutely passionate about helping busy families have more fun together and your support and winning this contest would allow us to keep bringing you great products and ideas to keep your family smiling.
If you are a contestant too, send me the link and I’ll vote for you as well. Thank you in advance for your support.
Sue Kirchner
President/ Publisher
www.ChocolateCakeClub.com / www.ChocolateCakeMoments.com
I had a great Mother’s Day! I wasn’t expecting much. Not to put down my family, but we have had a lot going on lately – my daughter’s recent Type I diabetes diagnosis, her First Communion Party which swelled from 10 to 60 people, and the home renovation project that maybe, just maybe has ended. We’re busy and overwhelmed as a family so I could understand Mother’s Day taking a back seat.
However, maybe that’s why the family came through for me with thoughtfulness. My husband and kids each gave me cards that they made and I could tell by the way I was crying that they actually spent some time thinking about me and how they love me and how I make them happy. It was awesome. But when I reread them, I started to think about how a Mother’s Day card is a mini performance review.
You know, once a year at work your boss would pull you in and tell you how well you are doing (I hope) and how you made a difference over the past year. (Now, I know some companies aren’t so good about the performance reviews and some reviews seem rigged or written by someone who has never even met you. But in THEORY, they are meant to be feedback for performance and motivation to keep working hard.)
I’ve always said that the most frustrating part of being a Mom is you don’t really get feedback. There’s no incentive trip you can qualify for when you have a banner year. There are no plaques to take home for 10 years of excellent service. Sure, your kids give you instant feedback on whether they are mad or happy with you, but there is no WISE one with more experience standing behind you saying “Yes, well done.” or “You handled that nicely.” or “Next time, don’t flick your dirty spoon to make your point.”
So, a Mother’s Day card plays that role. When my son writes how much he likes dancing with me, I know we need to dance more. When my daughter says she loves me because I’m creative, I know I need to take more time to draw with her. When my husband says he loves me because I’m so strong, I will work harder to support him and keep the family strong. Or maybe he meant my rock hard abs … no, that’s not it.
While one day a year of feedback and accolades isn’t enough to get me through a whole year, it sure helps to lift my spirits and guide me on my quest to be the “Most Interesting Mom in the World.” (OK, Dos X beer tagged the Most Interesting Man in the World, but if there is a wine or margarita company who would like me to be a spokesperson for them, I’m totally game. And, I’m interesting. You should see me teach aerobics. It’s … interesting.)
I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that I qualify for an incentive trip or plaque next year but in the meantime, I hope you had an uplifting Mother’s Day and a great Family Performance Review.
I just had a blast at a recent Girls Night Out event in Chicago that I think Moms need to walk…, no, run to sign up for. A good friend of mine organizes a Girls Night Out event every quarter for an ecclectic and fascinating group of professional women. (Everyone needs a friend who actually plans and organizes some fun. If you don’t have one, go out and get yourself one.) We have tried some very fun activities in town like the Chicago Chocolate Tours, Pops for Champagne Happy Hour, and the Sex in the City movie. But, last week’s outing was spectacular.
We went to Nacional 27 in Chicago for one of their mixology workshops. Adam Seger, the restaurant’s Chief Mixologist, conducts a workshop on how to mix some very spectacular, exotic cocktails. He uses all kinds of fresh herbs and fruits in the cocktails, so I think I learned more about organic produce that I did about alcohol, which is not a bad thing.
Last Thursday, the workshop theme was peaches. We made the most fabulous Peach Bellini with Ginger syrup and fresh lemon thyme that they grow in little pots on the bar.
He used Red Indian Peaches, which I had never heard of, and the smell was outstanding. As one guest said “They should make a candle that smells like this.” (I’m sure they do, I’m just not on THAT mailing list, yet.”)
The second drink was a Peach Caipirinha, which is a knock off from the infamous Brazilian drink. When I lived in Argentina, we visited Brazil several times and I’ve had my share of caipirinhas. This my friend, is no caipirinha. (If you have never had one, they are stronger than Everclear,but with a lovely hint of lime. Don’t have more than one!!!!! Seriously, it’s not pretty.)
This Peach Caipirinha was outstanding. Way better than the “real” thing. They didn’t even use cachaca, the Brazilian sugar cane alcohol, so the kick wasn’t all that strong either. We had fun muddling limes, two kinds of peaches and some fresh herbs in the glass. Adam then added some sweetner and rum. He toppped it off with fresh lavender which smelled heavenly.
During this educational workshop, servers bring around some wonderful appetizers to keep you from getting too smashed and to entice you to stay for dinner. It worked on us!
Afterwards, they had salsa dancing lessons so a few of us tried to shake our Anglo thangs on the dance floor. Our dance instructor was lovely and very, very patient. We had a blast.
Here’s the best part. The mixology class with 2 fabouslously exotic drinks, appetizers and salsa dancing lessons was only $20 a person! We stayed for dinner and had even more fun. Moms, get this on your calendars. Grab your girlfriends, get a sitter, and plan a fun night out in Chicago. Although there was no chocolate involved, this was definitely a Chocolate Cake Moment for me.
I was very excited to be featured along with 4 other entrepreneurial Moms in a recent Chicago Sun Times article about How To Shop for Back-to-School Bargains. It was a fun interview and I even learned about some cool new websites from the other Mompreneurs.
For example, Jill Cataldo has a blog about couponing tips. She even offers workshops in the Chicagoland area on Super-Couponing. Serena Beltz blogs at ChicSimpleMoms where as she reviews and discovers items that help make life easier for Moms. We love that! Also featured was Aletha Noonan, founder of Peeka Productions, which creates personalized DVD videos and books for babies and children.
Definitely read the article to get some great ideas on how to save money this Back-to-School season, but here are some highlights:
Always have your school supplies list with you. You never know when you’ll run into a bargain somewhere.
Wait to buy school clothes until after Labor Day. You’ll see more coupons and sales running then.
Search online for coupons to your favorite stores.
Check second-hand clothes shops or garage sales for kids clothes. Many times, these clothes were never worn and still have the tag on them.
Have a neighborhood kids clothes swap.
Check out the article and let us know what you think. If you have any additional tips on how to save money for Back-to-School, please share.
The Chocolate Cake Club is going to be featured on ABC-TV’s 190 North program is this Sunday, June 7th. In Chicago, Channel 7 – 10:35 p.m. I’ll post links to the segment after it runs. Our 90 seconds of fame is coming up!
This contest was sponsored by two great organizations that support entrepreneurs – StartupNation and Ladies Who Launch. If you are an entrepreneur or thinking about pursuing your passion, you have to tap into the knowledge and support from these great sites.
We recently met another Mom Living Out Loud who impressed us with her dedication to Women’s Health and Wellness. Jasmine Jafferali has an impressive bio in fitness and wellness programs. She holds a B.S. in Exercise Science and a Master’s in Public Health. She is a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor with the American Council on Exercise and specializes in Women’s Health and Wellness. She authored the Online Professional Certificate in Women’s Exercise Training and Wellness, an interactive Online Web-based Certificate program designed to ensure the development of safe and effective exercise programs for women by personal trainers, allied health/medical and fitness professionals, and the general public. Wow!
We asked her if we could share some of the great programs and information she has available for women with our readers and she nicely agreed. If you are in the Chicagoland area, she is conducting a workshop on Healthy Moms at Work in the CIGNA office space at 525 W. Monroe, Chicago on Friday, March 13th from 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending, send an RSVP email to Bria Day at bria@walkthetalkchicago.org.
Jasmine also wrote a great article called Eat on a Dime, which shares money-saving tactics for saving on your weekly food purchases. Read it and save.
StartUp Nation in conjunction with Ladies Who Launch is sponsoring the 2009 Leading Moms in Business Contest. The winner will receive a boatload of free publicity for their business, which is a great prize. Would you please consider voting for us, for the Chocolate Cake Club boutique and this blog. Just click below to vote. You can vote once a day and we greatly appreciate your support.
VOTE FOR Chocolate Cake Club in the StartupNation Leading Moms in Business 2009 Competition
Thank you for your support!
If you are a Mom who already has a business, go to www.startupnation.com and register your business. Leave us a comment here with a link to your entry and we’ll vote for you.
Are you a Mom who wants to Live Out Loud, pursuing your passion for a business venture? Do you have a great idea but want to make sure others agree? I love networking with and helping out other Moms who want to pursue their passion, so here’s a resource for you fellow small business owners and entrepreneurs – The Power of Leadership Radio Show. This Internet Radio Show is hosted by Debbra Sweet and it aims to Empower Tomorrow’s Leaders Today through a dynamic environment for sharing real world experience and pearls of wisdom with great leaders of today.
I am a guest on the weekly radio show today, at 4 p.m. CST. In the interview, I share ideas on how to get feedback on your business idea and make modifications before you launch. I’ll tell you what I did to validate the concept for the ChocolateCakeClub.com. Listen live today or you can check out the show’s archive at a more convenient time.
After you listen to the show, feel free to send me any questions or comments here. Feel free to tell us about your business idea, as well. We love to learn from other entrepreneurs.
For all of you small business owners or marketing consultants in the Chicagoland area – there is still room to register for the presentation I’m giving tomorrow for the Itasca Bank & Trust Women’s Business Owner program. The topic is Social Media: Which Platform is Right for Your Business? The program is FREE! Here’s a description of the program and how to register:
