Susan Howson, MA, CPCC, CHBC, creates magnificent days for clients of all ages. Through her company, Magnificent Creations Limitee, she helps children and adults increase their self-esteem, self-awareness and magnificence.
“It’s all about increasing the self-esteem of the world, focusing on what we want versus what we don’t want,” Howson explained.
Toronto-based Howson, an award-winning life coach, provides training, products and services that promote magnificence.
In addition to offering coaching services and training to clients around the world, Howson offers a line of products that reinforce magnificence, helping people tap into magnificent part of who they are.
Howson, who currently offers affirmation cards and audio CDs, is expanding her product line to include “everything that can remind kids of their magnificence,” including a clothing line, knapsacks, books, pencils, shoelaces and more.
“I want to surround kids with messages of their magnificence. They might not hear these messages in their daily lives, so now they’ll be able to see it even if they’re not hearing it, which makes a deep impact,” she explained.
According to Howson, many kids focus on what they are doing, rather than who they are being. Parents can support their kids by asking their children what makes their heart sing, what’s important to them and what they value, rather than expecting them to know what they want to do when they grow up, or expect them to become what a parent wants.
Howson said the key to raising a confident child is to believe in everything that they are, and engage them in deep, heartfelt conversations about what’s important to them. Encourage them to take risks and know that not everything is going to work, and explain – without judgment – that they can learn from every experience. Her award-winning Kids Coaching Connection program emphasizes these points from a coaching perspective.
Howson also works with adults, including those going through a “mid-life wake up call”. As part of her efforts, her clients develop deeper, more meaningful relationships with themselves and their families.
Some of her clients struggle with major life changes, including illness or divorce.
She explains that things happen to us all that change the course of our life, and she reminds her clients about the importance of perspective.
As a magnificence coach, Howson helps people foster a positive sense of self esteem, believe in their own success, communicate well, organize themselves to achieve their dreams, and become more self-aware.
Professional artist Ellen McCaleb’s company, GrowthChartArt, is poised for big growth.
When McCaleb’s two children were very young, she started tracking their growth on the doorjamb by her living room, unaware at the time that the woodwork in her old New England home was covered in lead paint. Before renovating, she copied her kids’ measurements from over the years and searched online for an attractive growth chart that could go in the same area.
Unable to find something that complimented her décor – the only options available were too juvenile for her taste – she had an inspired, unique business idea.
“I’m sure many women don’t want to display a Winnie the Pooh-themed growth chart in their livingrooms, and they’d prefer more sophisticated options, like an antique ski – something that doubles as decor,” McCaleb explained. “I also wanted to create something portable that could be moved to a new house.”
McCaleb was already working a “day job,” running her custom trophy fish carving business, but she saw a need for lovely, artistic growth charts and started GrowthChartArt earlier this year.
She decided to start a business focusing on children’s products because, despite the economic downturn, people still buy special things for their children. Her products are meant to be precious – yet affordable – heirlooms for families to buy for themselves or to give as unique gifts.
“I knew it was a great idea and if I didn’t start this business, someone else would,” she added.
Her best sellers include the antique ski, antique baseball bat, and a tree with mama and baby bears.
She also produces an American flag growth chart, and is donating 40% of these proceeds to Freedom is Not Free, a non-profit organization that supports military families.
“Kids grow so much while their loved ones are deployed overseas,” McCaleb explained, adding that her customer can track the children’s growth and share the chart once their family is reunited.
GrowthChartArt has taken great care in designing a product that’s good for your home and the environment. Their wooden growth charts are handcrafted in New Hampshire of soy-based inks and US sourced no-formaldehyde plywood. These growth charts are built to last more than one lifetime – the inks will not fade and the surface can withstand scrubbing.
The Barrington, NH entrepreneur is offering free personalization or free shipping for Co-op Shop visitors through December 31st. Promo codes: FreeShipTME or PersonalizeIT. Offers cannot be combined.
Lanae Paaverud, owner of OldWorldLimited.com, has built a successful, online retail store that only carries products she’s passionate about.
“People might wonder why we sell certain things. We select our categories and products based on things our family likes, and we only carry the highest-quality items,” Paaverud explained.
A key differentiator from other online retailers is that OldWorldLimited offers “Old Fashioned Service…New Fashioned Speed!” Paaverud personally responds to every inquiry, ships out orders within 24-48 hours and even includes handwritten notes with each shipment.
“Customer service is really important to me. If there’s an issue with a product or shipment, I always make it right. We strive to provide the best prices and the best service,” she continued. “And customer response has been great.”
Some of Paaverud’s favorite things include Jerry Garcia neckwear because she has “always liked sharp-looking guys in fashionable ties.” This is one of the hottest sellers on her site.
Also popular – the line of Life is Crap t-shirts, which she carries because her family thought they were funny and that it would be “a good way to spread some humor around.”
OldWorldLimited offers fun, eclectic gifts for men, women and pets, including apparel, sunglasses, soaps and a top-quality line of dog gear. In preparation for the holidays, Paaverud is running special incentives through the end of November. She provides gift cards and gift boxing options for select items.
Paaverud launched OldWorldLimited in April, 2007 and has promoted it through online efforts. She also enjoys significant traffic from word-of-mouth referrals, and has many repeat customers.
Paaverud also owns and operates the Social Networking Nanny, which helps people harness the tremendous power of online networking. Through this company, she teaches people how to leverage online tools, like Facebook and Twitter, to increase awareness and sales for their businesses. And, of course, she uses social marketing to drive traffic to her online store, as well.
In addition to running two successful businesses, Paaverud is dedicated to community service, and regularly supports Relay for Life to honor her parents, who have both battled cancer. Her family is also actively involved with Toys for Tots, and has spearheaded toy collection efforts, both online and in her Minnesota community.
“I hope to be a great role model for my kids,” she explained. As a strong, successful businesswoman – and a devoted, passionate volunteer – she certainly is.
Today’s guest post is from Mom Entrepreneur Support Group Member Cathy Presland. She is a Business Strategist who will help you work on the right priorities for your business right now. Cathy loves to work with entrepreneurs like you who are ready to take action and move your business forward. She will work with you to get clear on your big picture strategy as well as the ‘how-to’ steps of getting your Internet marketing on track for profits. Visit www.CathyPresland.com for more information.
Mom entrepreneurs tend to start a business in an area that they enjoy. We have an idea, a talent, or something we know we are good at.
But does this matter to our business bottom line?
If you build your business from a place of knowing yourself and understanding your strengths then you’ll have the motivation to push through the tough times, and you’ll have the individuality to differentiate yourself from the competition (oh yes and this means you can charge more!).
So if we’re not sure what we really love to do, how do we find it?
Marcus Buckingham has a great book called Now, Discover Your Strengths. He describes a strength as something that makes you feel stronger when you do it. It’s not the same as just being good at something.
Have you ever met someone who is so passionate about what they do that it just exudes from them? You know that feeling of being energised, in the ‘flow’. That real enjoyment and feeling expanded? Yep, that’s probably it.
Without having to buy the book, or take any kind of test, here’s my quick how-to way to work out your strengths:
Get out a piece of paper and pen.
Make a list of all the things that you are good at (this might be quite a long list, maybe 20+ items – and the more you write the more ideas will come to you). If you are struggling for ideas, try to think of three things, put the list away and add three more ideas tomorrow and every day for the next five days.
Now make a list of all the things you love to do. Things that make you feel expanded when you do them, that you could talk about late into the night, where you get carried away and lose track of time, that you would do anyway even if you weren’t paid for them.
See where the intersection of these two lists is. Circle from the first list the things that you love. This is where you will find your strengths.
As you become familiar with this process and develop greater self-awareness, try this exercise again – you might get some deeper insights.
Make a pledge with yourself to spend more of your time in your business working from your strengths. I guarantee you will build a stronger business!
This is a guest post by Maria Ross who runs Red Slice, a branding and marketing consultancy in Seattle. She is the author of Branding Basics for Small Business (2010, Norlights Press). Please help with her important survey. More info at end of post.
As a branding consultant, I work with clients on how to tell their brand story clearly and consistently to attract the right customers. When working with many small businesses and solopreneurs, this discussion often starts with their passion for why they started the business and what value they offer to customers. What do they want to “be known for?”
Brand is more than just a logo: it’s your core reputation. It’s the mindshare you occupy in someone’s brain. That “story” is then conveyed visually, verbally and experientially to the world. Brand is impacted by not just your colors and fonts but the words and labels you use in your marketing efforts.
While working with women business owners, I see varying viewpoints on “women labels.” The words “women entrepreneur”, “fempreneur” and “mompreneur” seem to be everywhere these days, which is great to see in terms of our changing business culture. Some women buyers feel an attraction to such brands. They feel it communicates a personal touch, a more flexible workplace and sometimes just “someone who understands me.” But I also talk to women that adamantly avoid or are offended by these labels. They feel they create unnecessary distinctions, that you never see “male entrepreneur” or “dadpreneur” anywhere, or that it implies such businesses are a hobby or a whim.
My professional opinion is that it all depends on what you authentically believe in and your target audience. If your ideal customer is someone who shows loyalty to such brands, then it helps to build these terms into your messaging. If not – or if you sell to more than just women or mothers – it might make more sense to focus your brand messages on something other than gender or parenthood. Bottom line: what I think about my brand story matters but what my customers need and want matters more – if I want to sell anything that is!
So, to help all of us women business owners out there make smarter brand and marketing decisions, I’m crafting a free report to show how we feel about these terms. I’d love to hear from you, no matter where you stand on the subject.
Please participate in this short anonymous survey by November 3rd. The more responses, the more useful the data for all of us!
This post is part three in a series of three posts about Balancing the Supermom Act. If you missed part one, click here…>, and for part 2, click here…>
Lucinda Cross is the author of Corporate Mom Dropouts. Recently, she gave a teleseminar on Balancing the Supermom Act for The Mom Entrepreneur Online Support Group. This event had a record sign up. Seems this is a very hot topic amongst mom entrepreneurs!
If you were not able to attend the live event, you can download the podcast at this link…>
This week, Lucinda shares her last two tips with us for Balancing the Supermom Act:
Stay focused, and don’t get sidetracked: There are only 24 hours in a day. There is also a price to pay for spending too much time on one activity, which can limit your ability to do other things. It is important to focus on the fact that success is equal to results, not effort. Avoid spending time on an activity that is personally satisfying, but not driving the results you want.
Just say NO: You will cure some of your frustration and burn out by just giving simple answers without elaborating why YES or why NO. Try it for one week without using the words “Maybe”, “I might”, or “I will see what I can do”. This helps avoid the pressure of feeling obligated or frustrated to commit to someone. Learn to make quick decisions and say “Yes” or “No” instead. Don’t elaborate or give extensive reasons for your decision. A simple “No, I can’t do that at this time” is enough. In the end, you will feel emotionally free without having to fit in yet another activity, conversation or event you were not that interested in anyhow.
I am very grateful to Lucinda for taking the time to offer us valuable tips over the three blog posts we have written, and for the live teleseminar she gave.
For more information about Lucinda or Corporate Mom Dropouts, visit www.corporatemomdropouts.com/. You can also learn more by watching her recent ABC News video.
This post is part two in a series of three posts about Balancing the Supermom Act. If you missed part one, click here…>
Last week, we learned about Lucinda Cross and her new book Corporate Mom Dropouts. This week, Lucinda talks more about the book and the mom entrepreneurs who are featured.
TME: Can you explain how Corporate Mom Dropouts was written to represent the birthing process? Lucinda: The book took nine months to write and the stories in the book bring you from conception of an idea to the full term birth of a business. Each story starts with an idea and then takes the reader through the growing process. It ends with their success of attaining a business model they love, the time with their family and a profitable lifestyle.
TME: There are several interviews with mom entrepreneurs featured in the book. Can you tell us about these women? Lucinda: I interviewed over 200 mom entrepreneurs for the book, and the women featured in Corporate Mom Dropouts were hand picked based on their stories about the raw truth. These women provided me with the inspiration and comfort I wanted reflected in the book. Each of these women is living purpose driven lives and they love what they do and who they serve.
This is a FREE event for moms who do everything themselves, won’t seek needed assistance, refuse to delegate assignments, are overwhelmed juggling family and business, and who are experiencing “Burn Out” or “Melt Down”.
This week, Lucinda offers us more tips for balancing the Supermom Act.
1. Get–and stay–organized: There are so many tools and gadgets that are useful for us as moms to make business at home run a lot smoother. Here are some tools that I use that I know you can enjoy and add to your Get-and stay-organized list.
Vitalist.com – Helps you to get things done and stay organized. It’s easy to use and most of all free. The free version does everything you need.
A habit list – Your habit list keeps your action list from becoming overwhelmed by the every-day things and helps you to separate your to do list as well.
Remember the Milk – Handles lists and tasks very well, including repetitive tasks. It has a plug-in for Google Calendar for one-stop organizing.
Google Calendar – Along with Gmail and Google Reader, this application allows you to keep your life easily organized, intuitively, with no hassle and share your calendar with your network or team.
Backpack – Great list-maker, perfect for to-do lists and other types of lists. Backpack can be accessed from anywhere: home, work, Mac, PC, mobile.
The trash bag - Clean this bad boy out on a regular basis – not the actual trash but many of us use our desk space as a trash can. Please reduce this bad habit by tossing anything that’s not absolutely needed and you won’t have a need to organize. Free yourself!
Don’t forget me when you leave rack - It’s for unloading your stuff as you come in, so it stays organized, and so you don’t forget it as you leave the house. You can personalize the rack and include the kids section or partner section that will hold things that you don’t want to forget such as mail, keys, sunglasses, cell phones, library books and more.
2. Delegate: You do not need to do everything yourself. Identify activities that only you can do effectively, and those that could be done by someone else. What are you spending most of your time doing. Are you putting out fires all day or coming up with creative ideas that can generate cash flow? You also want to examine whether you are using technology effectively to reduce the time you spend on low value tasks.
3. Schedule a mommy day: This is also known as a “Take Your Mom to Play Day” this is not considered me time, this is just time that your child or kids schedule a day that they want to hang with you by themselves. Therefore, since I have two kids, my daughter chose Friday nights to do something together and my son chose Wednesday for me to watch wrestling with him. This not only helps me unwind but I get to know each of my kids likes and dislikes without them battling each other for attention. It works and it keeps them busy.
Stay tuned for more tips on Balancing the Supermom Act next week and for details on a great giveaway from Lucinda at Corporate Mom Dropouts.
Susan Howson, MA, CPCC, CHBC, creates magnificent days for clients of all ages. Through her company, Magnificent Creations Limitee, she helps children and adults increase their self-esteem, self-awareness and magnificence.
“everything that can remind kids of their magnificence,” including a clothing line, knapsacks, books, pencils, shoelaces and more.
Howson also works with adults, including those going through a “mid-life wake up call”. As part of her efforts, her clients develop deeper, more meaningful relationships with themselves and their families.
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