Posted in Success Tips for Jane 09.01.10 at 9:52 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Other female entrepreneurs are a vast resource we can tap into, as we learn from our mistakes, grow from our challenges, and then share with one another. Recently, Jane Out of the Box spent some time getting to know some of the successful Janes in our network, tapping into their wisdom, and learning from their experiences. Compiled here are a few gems we collected from our research. We know you’ll find at least one keeper that will help you run your business like a fine-tuned engine – running all the way to profitability.
Charlotte Burhoe of CSJ Events has found that challenging yourself is the best advice – it works well for her. Charlotte tells us that her challenge is to set a specific goal of how many people to meet when attending events. One event example: “The last event I attended was 4 days and I had set a goal to meet 3 new people at each event – it turned out to be CRAZY! There were impromptu events scheduled around meetings that weren’t included on the on the initial itinerary. There were 4 different events each day so that totals 4 events/day x 3 people/event x 4 days = 48 new people met!”
Charlotte tells us, “I was exhausted after this, but it was so worth it.”
Becky Zinn, independent business owner partnered with Market America has another community-driven way to network. Whenever she can,.Becky volunteers her time helping at events and business meetings. Becky explains the benefit for this networking technique: “Not only does this give me opportunities to connect with the individuals coordinating the event, but it also gives me a purpose to connect with the attendees at the event. This form of networking provides great visibility, an expansive reach and the satisfaction of helping others.”
How does an owner of a pet supply business network? Rebecca Krail of Petlane Twitters of course! Rebecca says, “I run a pet business, and thanks to Twitter, I have been able to connect with groups, companies and rescue organizations (as well as customers) who are in need of my services.” Her advice to all Janes: “Never underestimate the power of social media networking. Twitter and Facebook have been the best activities ever to happen to my company!”
Would you like to share your favorite business tips for a future newsletter? We’d love to hear from you! This time we’re looking for event attending (learning) and business planning tips. Send them to liz@janeoutofthebox.com to share your wisdom with the Jane Out of the Box community.
Make it a prosperous and joyful day! And here’s our Jane tip for today. Smile!
Charlotte’s link: http://www.charlottesabrinajayne.com/
Becky’s link: http://www.marketamerica.com/beckyzinn/
Rebecca’s link: http://www.petlane.com/krail
Permalink
Posted in Jane Dough 08.31.10 at 10:15 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Christine Kenneally is an Independent Consultant and Executive Area Manager for Arbonne International (www.christinekenneally.myarbonne.com). Christine enjoys the benefits of Arbonne’s products, helping others look and feel great, and building, training, and teaching a team of consultants. She also owns another part-time window treatment creation business, “It’s The Curtain Lady.”
Entrepreneurship is in Christine’s blood. “As long as I can remember, I have always wanted to run my own business and be my own boss,” said Christine. “I’ve always been a hard worker and put 110% into anything I’ve done. I went to college for fashion (FIT) and got a job in the garment industry when I was twenty-years-old. I worked for the same company for eleven years. I went back to work just six weeks after my son was born and I was miserable. Between working and the long commute, I was away for a minimum of twelve hours a day and essentially my best friend was raising my baby. I felt trapped as I was making the big bucks and my family needed the money. My employer recognized that I was unhappy and they offered me a year’s severance pay. I accepted the offer but the family struggled financially so I started working at night teaching adult education sewing classes. I stayed home with my children during the day and my husband watched them at night. My students asked me if I could make window treatments for them and that is how my first business, ‘It’s The Curtain Lady,’ was born.
I taught sewing lessons a couple of nights a week and on weekends, did some private lessons and crafted window treatments around my kids’ schedules. The business was lucrative, but I was only one person and could not keep up with the demand. Without the ability to finance a bricks and mortar presence, and no desire to hire people to work in my home, I experienced burn out. Five years after I started, ‘It’s The Curtain Lady,’ I was introduced to Arbonne International. I fell in love with the products and the business model, mainly the simplicity of it and the fact that I could leverage my time and make a substantial income working part-time hours. I also loved that I could fit it into the nooks and crannies of my already busy schedule. I stopped teaching, and sewing has become a hobby again. I am actively growing my Arbonne business and with that will come financial freedom.”
What is Christine’s greatest reward as a business owner? “It has allowed me the flexibility to schedule my work around my life instead of my life around my work. I have also been able to be present to focus on my most important job, raising my three children.”
After taking the free Which Jane Are You? assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com , Christine discovered that she is a Jane Dough. “Over time, I’ve been both the Accidental Jane and Tenacity Jane types over the years, but now, Jane Dough’s characteristics fit right in line with what I can achieve with the business model I have chosen,” asserts Christine. “My dream is to have time and financial freedom and to pass that legacy on to my children. I am moving at a slower pace than I desire financially; however, I do have balance and stability in my business. My focus is to find other leaders to join my business who share my vision so we can grow together to the next level. Ultimately, I know I will achieve my goals and will be the CEO of my own million dollar business.”
Jane Doughs, listen up! Here are Christine’s five hints for success:
- Build your belief in yourself and your mission!
- Step outside your comfort zone so you can grow.
- Stay consistent and persistent in your goals.
- Don’t let others discourage you.
- Develop a “succeed no-matter-what” attitude!
Permalink
Posted in Success Tips for Jane 08.25.10 at 6:08 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
In any type of business, networking is crucial. For any type of entrepreneur, networking is essential. Networking not only provides female entrepreneurs with an opportunity to grow their companies; it also gives them the chance to forge relationships that benefit them in many ways, from support to affiliate partnerships.
Networking efforts should be customized and personalized, based on a female entrepreneur’s unique needs, characteristics and habits. However, every woman business owner should take these questions into account:
- How much time is available to invest in networking? Some business owners have many responsibilities in addition to running their businesses, and others have the means to delegate the tasks they need to, so they are free to network as much as they want. In any case, an entrepreneur can modify her networking efforts to fit into the amount of time she has available. Social media online can take as little as 30 minutes per day. Networking events can occur as infrequently as once a year and as frequently as once per week. Businesswomen can use just one form of networking, or they can use both forms in any combination. What’s important is that networking become a priority, no matter how much time is invested.
- What is the desired result of the networking? While one business owner may want to create a support system through networking, another may want to develop affiliate relationships. Before launching a networking effort, it is important to understand the desired results – and then choose methods and events accordingly. For example, if the owner of a massage spa wants to partner with the owner of a beauty salon to open a new full-service spa and salon, it would behoove her to attend events specifically for successful beauty industry professionals – not necessarily an event designed for women looking only for a support in the form of casual chatting.
- How important is networking at this point in the business? Every business owner should consider networking, no matter which phase her business is in. However, the level to which she takes her networking efforts should depend on her priorities for her business. For example, if a business owner has only a certain amount of time to devote to a new project, and she wants to begin networking and launch a new web site, her time might be better spent getting the web site up and running before she begins networking. That way, any networking or marketing she does can drive people to her new web site. In this situation, a business owner could work primarily on her web site and attend a networking event or two each month.
- With whom will networking prove most beneficial? Typically, business owners should network either with like-minded business owners, or with business owners who possess qualities they’d like to develop. High-achieving business owners striving for growth will do well to network with people who have similar goals for growth; it is easier to support each other and see potential partnering or referral opportunities. Also, emerging business owners would do well to network with experienced business owners who have a desire to mentor someone. From this partnership, the emerging business owner would gain valuable advice and insight while the expert business owner would enjoy helping someone reach her goals.
Networking is essential to every type of business owner; therefore, each business owner must carefully consider how much time and effort to expend for the anticipated results of such efforts.
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com
Permalink
Posted in Jane Dough 08.24.10 at 10:10 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Since 2005, Jessica Maes has been the owner of Maes Consulting, Inc. (www.JessicaMaes.com), a Virtual Assistance practice. She is the author of the popular book, “Exploring a Career As a Virtual Assistant,” and teaches aspiring VAs about the Virtual Assistance business model. She consults with business owners and colleges all over the world to help them learn about the VA business model and how it can affect their organizations.
Jessica started her business in 2005 when her son was born. “I didn’t want to return to my corporate job,” said Jessica, “and decided to build a business that would allow me to work from home. I was convinced that I could create a business that was conducive to my passions and also generate a sustainable income. My flexible schedule allows me to volunteer at my son’s school. That is one of the most rewarding parts of being a business owner. Running my own business has allowed me to craft a work/life balance that ‘works’ for myself and my family.”
After taking the free Which Jane Are You? assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com , Jessica discovered that she is a Jane Dough. “I love creating and growing businesses,” said Jessica. “I am very driven by results so I am intentional with every business move that I make. I have found that the mixture of a big vision and intentional actions sometimes causes contradictions and have caused some challenges for me to work through. I am constantly reminding myself that quality trumps quantity and I need to take a plan step-by-step in order to achieve the long term success of my vision. Both Tenacity Jane and Go Jane Go feel very familiar to me! I have been both in the past before arriving at Jane Dough.”
What is Jessica’s advice for other Jane Doughs? “Think of business growth as running a marathon rather than a 100-yard dash,” reflects Jessica. “Take your big ideas and roll them out in a steady, methodic manner. Surround yourself with a team that can help you execute your big vision but keep you focused on each step necessary to get you there.”
Jessica is the newest addition to the Jane Out of the Box team. “I work to build Affiliate and Joint Venture relationships between Jane Out of the Box and business owners with complimentary audiences,” said Jessica. “I love to help businesses move forward and reach their goals. Building relationships and expanding our reach are great ways to do that, as those activities will ultimately help us bring more quality content and programs to our readers.
Do you want to share your story? Remember, we love meeting new business owners, hearing your stories, and helping you get the word out. Our Meet a Jane series is a key part of that, so send an email to Laura@janeoutofthebox.com to get featured.
Permalink
Posted in Success Tips for Jane 08.18.10 at 11:03 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Most businesswomen realize, academically, that networking is an important tool for business growth. However, networking also can provide crucial opportunities for creating a much-needed support system for women at any level of business ownership. For women of every entrepreneurial type, networking is as important to the business as strategizing, paying bills, and marketing.
A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 3,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines two of the five types and provides important tips about why networking is important to each one, and about how each one can do it effectively.
Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, and one who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she’s working longer hours, and making less money than she’d like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes are the largest group of female entrepreneurs.
This group of business owners is populated with intelligent, articulate women, who, for one reason or another, run businesses that are not financially producing. The good news is that most financially successful business owners have experienced a Tenacity Jane phase at some point. The not-so-good news: they’re not talking about it. So Tenacity Jane often feels alone, like she’s the only woman going through this tough phase.
Why Tenacity Jane should network: First, networking provides excellent learning experiences for Tenacity Jane. She can talk with other business owners – ask questions, get advice, hear stories. Maybe by listening to one of their strategies, Tenacity Jane can come up with one of her own. Second, networking will allow Tenacity Jane to start building a support system of people who can help her reach her goals. Through her networking efforts, she may find professionals who run businesses complementary to hers; she may find assistants or helpers to whom she can dole out some of the less-inspiring business-related tasks such as accounting. Finally, networking allows Tenacity Jane a productive way to get a few hours’ respite from the daily grind, which often overwhelms her.
How Tenacity Jane should network: By attending live networking events or participating in online networking groups with other professionals in her field, Tenacity Jane can begin to create opportunities for forging relationships with other business owners, whether she looks to them as mentors, as friends, or as associates with whom she can work. Although online networking is effective in some cases, it is also essential for Tenacity Jane to meet people live and in person as a refreshing change of pace and a better path to creating real relationships.
Go Jane Go is passionate about her work and provides excellent service, so she has plenty of clients – so much so, she’s struggling to keep up with demand. She may be a classic overachiever, taking on volunteer opportunities as well, because she’s eager to make an impact on the world and she often struggles to say no. Because she wants to say yes to so many people, she may even be in denial about how many hours she actually works during the course of a week. As a result, she may be running herself ragged and feeling guilty about neglecting herself and others who are important to her.
Go Jane Go is typically among the best at what she does. Although she excels at her craft, what truly sets her apart is her commitment to helping others get what they want. She’s so driven to do so that she will sacrifice her own needs in the process. She is well-loved by her clients because of her “can-do” attitude, but she also reports high levels of stress because she often takes on more work than is reasonable. To lighten her load, Go Jane Go could refer potential clients to other high-performance professionals, or hire people to help her – and she can achieve both of these things through networking.
Why Go Jane Go should network: Although Go Jane Go is rewarded for her hard work by the knowledge that she is doing excellent work and making a difference in the lives of many people, she also has the tendency to stretch herself so thin, she can’t get everything done. She is always on the go and allows little time for true rest or relaxation. If Go Jane Go increased her networking efforts, she could pair up with other trustworthy, high-achieving professionals to whom she could pass on work – whether it’s a client’s entire job, or just part of the job to which that partner is better suited. She then could rest assured that the client would receive the high quality of work she would demand of herself, and she would save a little time for herself. Also, by networking with other professionals in her field, Go Jane Go could learn about potential helpers that would meet her high standards. Hiring helpers on others’ referrals would give Go Jane Go peace of mind that she could let go of some tasks and that they’d be completed.
How Go Jane Go should network: Because Go Jane Go often feels pressed for time (or maybe even absolutely squeezed), she probably feels like she doesn’t have time for networking. However, this small time investment will pay off big. The most efficient form of networking is through social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, where Go Jane Go can post tips and updates that would provide her clients and other like-minded professionals (her “friends” and “followers”) with helpful information while keeping her in touch with people to whom she could refer work. However, if Go Jane Go can schedule it in, live networking is exponentially more effective for Go Jane Go because it allows her to meet people in person and build relationships from which she can garner support.
For both Tenacity Jane and Go Jane Go, networking is a crucial form of much-needed support. Although both types of businesswomen have a tendency to feel overwhelmed, this small time investment will undoubtedly pay off in big results.
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com
Permalink
Posted in Jane Dough, Meet a Jane 08.17.10 at 9:04 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Cathy Alessandra has been a mompreneur for over 15 years. She is the Founder/President of the family magazine, “What’s Up For Kids,” and is also the Founder/President of the National Association of Entrepreneur Moms (www.NAOEM.com). In 1995, she began “What’s Up For Kids”, LLC, a magazine and event company serving Southern California. What began as a four page copied newsletter with a circulation of 1,000 is now a 32 page glossy full color magazine with a circulation of 20,000. “What’s Up For Kids”, LLC also produces up to six family expos in Southern California and boasts two websites, www.WhatsUpForKids.com and www.GotSummerCamp.com .
While she developed “What’s Up For Kids”, LLC, Cathy experienced the struggle of juggling babies and a business from a home office. Cathy’s goal is to help mompreneurs like her launch and grow a business to the next level while enjoying all the benefits of motherhood – without suffering “SuperMom or SuperWoman Fatigue.” Cathy thrives on being an entrepreneur. She began the National Association of Entrepreneur Moms at the beginning of 2009 to support mompreneurs with tool, resources and support to help them grow their business. “I began both of my businesses out of a need,” says Cathy, “a need in my community to connect parents with resources and things to do, and to connect mompreneurs with resources to grow their business. I love connecting with other business owners and readers. Hearing someone say, ‘I read your article, tried it and loved it,’ or ‘I learned so much from your event that my business has grown by leaps and bounds,’ makes me feel great. I know that I am doing what I am meant to do! I get the greatest reward from hearing about their successes!”
After taking the free Which Jane Are You? assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, Cathy discovered that she is a Jane Dough. “I think this Jane does describe me,” reflects Cathy. “I love what I do. I know what I have to offer is needed. I have no problem selling and marketing my companies. I work long hours but I love the creative part of it. When I am excited about what I am working on, I lose track of the time. You can often find me at my computer at 1am! .I am very clear on my priorities and my growth plans for both businesses and I am moving forward by implementing key components for continued success. I have been a Go-Jane-Go in the past and it took me many years to be comfortable saying no. As my kids got older and my business and growth plans became more established, saying no became much easier. By pushing through the fear and working creatively, my determination made it possible for me to transform from a Tenacity Jane to a Jane Dough.”
Permalink
Posted in Success Tips for Jane 08.11.10 at 10:19 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
To busy female entrepreneurs, networking can seem like a complex web of cocktail parties, dinner meetings and social media pages. Even if these savvy businesswomen realize the importance of networking as a means for growing their companies, they may shy away from it because it seems like an overwhelming time investment. Networking doesn’t have to be a burden; in fact, it can be a fun and easy way for female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses while creating strong business and personal relationships with likeminded professionals.
A recent study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on female entrepreneurs, reveals there are five distinct types of women in business. Based on professional market research of more than 3,500 women in business, this study shows that each type of business owner has a unique approach to running a business and therefore each one has a unique combination of needs. This article outlines three of the five types and provides reasons each one should network, as well as tips for networking effectively.
Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business; generally, she makes a nice living. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she’s five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women entrepreneurs fall in the category of Jane Dough.
Jane Dough is successful – and she plans to be even more so. Therefore, even while most Jane Dough business owners report feeling satisfied with their current situation, they also report looking forward to creating even greater success in the future. She sees this as a challenge or a game – and an opportunity to continue building on the foundation she has constructed. Of all the five types of entrepreneurs, Jane Dough is the most likely to report feeling determined, hopeful and excited on a typical workday. One key way for Jane Dough to grow her business is to create multiple streams of income – and networking provides an avenue for doing so.
Why Jane Dough should network: To create alternative strategies for growth, Jane Dough must build her business so that it generates multiple streams of income. This mitigates risk associated with a downturn in one part of the business. Diversified products and services build credibility. Networking is an excellent way to diversify because it allows Jane Dough to partner with other businesswomen (or men) to offer products and services that fit naturally together, allowing both companies to grow.
How Jane Dough should network: Jane Dough’s best networking will happen with other business owners who have a similar Jane Dough mindset. She will benefit the most from relationships with like-minded people who have aggressive growth goals for their companies and similar drive and work styles to hers. When a business owner shares similar goals with networking partners, it is easier to support one another and see potential in partnering/networking and referrals. Jane Dough’s time is precious; it’s important to spend it wisely by developing enriching networking relationships only with those who have similar business goals.
Merry Jane business owners typically are building a part-time or “flexible time” business that gives her a creative outlet (whether she’s an ad agency consultant or she makes beautiful artwork) that she can manage within specific constraints around her schedule. She may have a day-job, or need to be fully present for family or other pursuits. She realizes she could make more money by working longer hours, but she’s happy with the tradeoff she has made because her business gives her tremendous freedom to work how and when she wants, around her other commitments. About 19 percent of women business owners fit into this category.
While Merry Jane relishes her freedom and flexibility, she also would like to obtain new customers and better market her business. Whether a Merry Jane business owner is experienced in marketing or not, research shows that most Merry Jane businesses grow through referral and word-of-mouth. To capitalize on these two avenues to business growth, Merry Jane must make the most of her limited time by creating low-maintenance, low-risk marketing strategies. Networking, through social media specifically, is one such strategy; Merry Jane can use it effectively to boost her growth without investing much of her limited time.
Why Merry Jane should network: Because Merry Jane business owners report having myriad responsibilities in addition to running their businesses – whether they stay home with their children, have a full-time job in addition to their company, or take care of aging parents – they often don’t have much time to spend on marketing. Therefore, growth occurs as a result of word-of-mouth. What better way to increase word-of-mouth referrals than to market the business through networking?
How Merry Jane should network: The simplest, lowest-maintenance form of marketing (and the least expensive), is social media. Using web sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, Merry Jane can quickly and effectively network online without leaving her home or spending much money (if any). These sites build networks almost effortlessly, and allow users to regularly post updates or messages their “friends” and “followers” can see. When Merry Jane participates in social media then, she is constantly at the top of her friends’ and followers’ minds, and she is able to seek partnership opportunities easily with people who are interested in her products and services.
Accidental Jane is a successful, confident business owner who never actually set out to start a business. Instead, she may have decided to start a business due to frustration with her job or a layoff and then she decided to use her business and personal contacts to strike out on her own. Or, she may have started making something that served her own unmet needs and found other customers with the same need, giving birth to a business. Although Accidental Jane may sometimes struggle with prioritizing what she needs to do next in her business, she enjoys what she does and is making good money. About 18% of all women business owners fit the Accidental Jane profile.
Like Merry Jane, Accidental Jane enjoys her time freedom. In her work, she strives to find ways to structure her business so she can do more of what she enjoys, and less of what she doesn’t. Also, she strives to find ways to work with people with whom she enjoys working. Accidental Jane has the expectation that her business is an ideal way to gain greater control over the critical aspects of her working life. Doing work she enjoys, for customers she cares about, delights her because she takes tremendous pride in a job well done and enormously values her relationships. One crucial element of Accidental Jane’s definition of success: “enough, but not too much, work.” For Accidental Jane, then, networking provides opportunities for creating referral partnerships that help her maintain her treasured balance.
Why Accidental Jane should network: Accidental Jane must build strong working relationships with other professionals so she can provide her customers with exceptional service without sacrificing the time freedom she holds so dear. For example, if a customer asks a graphic designer Accidental Jane for a huge design project that also includes copywriting services, Accidental Jane could refer the copywriting services to a professional with whom she has networked, saving herself the time but still providing her customer with great writing services. The customer is likely to return to Accidental Jane when future projects arise, and the copywriter is likely to refer design customers to Accidental Jane.
How Accidental Jane should network: Because Accidental Jane is often reluctant to hire employees (because she enjoys her freedom), she must become adept at partnering with other solo-preneurs to bring a broader range of services to her customers. Her desire to build trusting relationships, and to help others succeed, drives the formation of such networks. This can become a point of pride and a unique positioning for her business as she sells it as a customer advantage.
Networking is a crucial component of business strength and growth for any business owner; the best course of networking action depends on a business owner’s unique needs, characteristics and constraints.
Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane out of the Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by taking the FREE Jane Types Assessment at Jane out of the Box. Offering networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, Jane Out of the Box is online at www.janeoutofthebox.com
Permalink
Posted in Jane Dough 08.10.10 at 9:14 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Antoinette Sykes, MBA, is a business consultant, radio show host, and entrepreneur. As the founder and owner of The Coaching Boutik (www.GoAntoinette.com), Antoinette is committed to leading business owners and personal personas to higher heights of success and growth for more exposure. Her zeal is transforming a business’s life and marketing message into one of more results driven success and personal fulfillment. She believes that “change is not what happens to you, but rather what happens through you.” Before taking the leap to entrepreneur, Antoinette was in the IT field for eleven years; last serving as Director of IT for a local Washington, D.C. non-profit.
The Post 9-11 business slump encouraged Antoinette to look at other options. “I started my business while working FT in corporate America,” says Antoinette. “The true entrepreneurial desire came after being asked to take a pay cut following a turbulent environment, post 9-11. The company I worked for relied heavily on conference revenue and no conferences and related travel was occurring. I was asked to take a pay cut and I felt so helpless. I decided to return to school and ‘arm’ myself for my future. Once I completed my MBA, I started the business while still working. While becoming an entrepreneur was always a dream, that dream became a full-time reality after a company-wide reorganization. It was my chance to ‘go for it’ and I leveraged my education, IT knowledge, business and marketing experience, insightful inspiration and overall business acumen to make my dreams a reality.”
Antoinette finds her daily life as an entrepreneur highly satisfying. “The greatest reward of being a business owner is setting my own rules and truly feeling the value I add to other peoples’ lives. By setting my own rules, I am free to truly let my light shine and create the flexibility in my business and lifestyle that affords me more balance.”
After taking the free Which Jane Are You? assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, Antoinette discovered that she is a Jane Dough. “I truly enjoy running and growing my business by relentless marketing components. Along the same line, I place a strong focus on growth and operations. In fact, as it relates to the latter, it is important for my team to be in place and to include processes so that I can be creative and run my business at a maximum level. I think I was Go Jane Go and Tenacity Jane in the past. I have had to learn how to work smarter and not harder, so that I can be of greater benefit to family, friends, and me.”
Listen up Jane Doughs! Antoinette offers the following advice:
- Understand and leverage a team structure. No woman is an island. We need support. By hiring the right team to support our mission, we WIN!
- Document, document, document processes. Should anything happen to you or even if you are away on a relaxing vacation, your business should have a roadmap as to how to operate smoothly in your absence!
Do you want to share your story? Remember, we love meeting new business owners, hearing your stories, and helping you get the word out. Our Meet a Jane series is a key part of that, so send an email to Laura@janeoutofthebox.com to get featured.
Permalink
Posted in Success Tips for Jane 08.04.10 at 2:12 pm by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Other female entrepreneurs are a vast resource we can tap into, as we learn from our mistakes, grow from our challenges, and then share with one another. Recently, Jane Out of the Box spent some time getting to know some of the successful Janes in our network, tapping into their wisdom, and learning from their experiences. Compiled here are a few gems we collected from our research. We know you’ll find at least one keeper that will help you run your business like a fine-tuned engine – running all the way to profitability.
Kathy Lanham, Creative Memories Unit Leader has found great success with a practice she calls, “calendar blocking.” She explains: “I mark the month with family events first – appointments, volunteering, sporting events, church, etc. Then, I block off work time or office hours.” She explains how organizing her phone calls keeps her in the flow: “As I close out each week, I plan the next week with phone calls and numbers (on an ideal week) so that I don’t waste time procrastinating by “looking for numbers and getting distracted” because I will do almost anything to avoid getting on the phone.”
Kathy also suggests: “it’s very important to continually be involved with like-minded individuals. I ‘meet’ with my High 5 group (Business mastermind) on a weekly conference call. We submit our goals via e-mail and hold each other accountable. I need a monthly plan to keep up with paperwork! I hate that aspect of being an Accidental Jane, but to move to being a Jane Dough it is a must. Also, I have found ‘hiring’ it out with a financial assistant is money well invested. My assistant works for an hourly wage but takes it in product so it is a win-win situation for me.”
Cynthia Fields from The Well-Dressed Window, designates a certain percentage of her day to each area of her business. She explains: “If I’m working an 8-hour day, I might designate 25% of that day (or 2 hours) to appointment-building activities, like e-mail marketing, phone calls to past customers, or flyering.” Breaking down my day into time increments keeps me from getting pulled into something new, to the exclusion of everything else.”
Laura Sanders Ahern of Accent on Events blocks out time each day to just return emails and voicemails. She finds that this allows her to concentrate more on the projects that need completion, without a lot of interruptions. And speaking of interruptions:
Here’s a creative, out of the box idea that only a woman could dream up. Teresa Holden, of Dark Chocolate Dreams, schedules her calendar by color so that her kids can look at it and know when she is working and when they can get some added time. Busy entrepreneurial women can often look at interruptions, from kids or clients, as an unwelcome distraction to a planned day. Teresa’s color-coding system helps her children to know when it’s a safe time to connect with their mom without irritating her because she needs to focus on her work. (Of course, safety and crisis aside, we know that all mom entrepreneurs put their kids above and beyond all else. But sometimes, it can wait, and Teresa has figured out a novel way to show her children the ideal times to engage her attention.)
Pamela Thomas, Director of Visit Solution Court and Community Services, reminds all of us to take a deep breath when the phone rings and we’d prefer to focus on a current project, but a new voice is on the phone: “Remember that people are not interruptions. Rather, they are the very key to successful marketing and business growth.”
Would you like to share your favorite business tips for a future newsletter? We’d love to hear from you! This time we’re looking for networking tips. Send them to liz@janeoutofthebox.com to share your wisdom with the Jane Out of the Box community.
Make it a prosperous and joyful day! And here’s our Jane tip for today. Smile!
Permalink
Posted in Accidental Jane at 8:47 am by Michele DeKinder-Smith
Jen Fitzgerald is a working mom and entrepreneur. Through her twelve years in the corporate world and her involvement in the Direct Selling Industry, she discovered the key to keeping clients coming back for more. Jen’s goal is to help her clients achieve those same results through her company, The Client Angel (www.clientangel.com).
Starting her own business was never Jen’s intention. “I just wanted something to organize myself and help me to remember things about my customers,” said Jen, “so that when I called them or contacted them, I could start off the conversation with something personal. That way I wasn’t feeling so salesy all the time and more like their friend. The more I did this, the more my clients started contacting me! I realized they were craving a friendship, not just the products So when I built The Client Angel, I showed it to some of my friends who were in Direct Sales and they LOVED it. I decided that I would turn it into a business and here I am!” As a busy working mom and entrepreneur, Jen needed to carve out time for her business, but she was overwhelmed without systems in place. She created The Client Angel to keep track of her clients’ lives and eliminate the cluttered paper system she was using. “It created a more personal approach to my business and my customers loved it!”
Jen’s greatest reward is also her inspiration. “I think the ability I have to help women get organized and create the relationships that we as women crave and are so good at is what inspires me,” said Jen. “I love to hear testimonials from clients that say how The Client Angel has helped them in their business as well as to create more friendships.”
After taking the free Which Jane Are You? assessment at www.JaneOutoftheBox.com, Jen discovered that she is an Accidental Jane. “I never intended to start a business,” reflects Jen, “but now that I have, I can’t imagine my life without it!! I am very much a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl. I do things on a whim and if they don’t work, I alter my methods or do something else entirely. My dream was to help women. I did not know how to do that but I ‘accidentally’ fell into this business and now I love it. I feel challenged on a daily basis. All the technology can be overwhelming. I may not know how to do something today and that makes me inpatient, because I feel like I need to know how to do it all – right now! I definitely feel like I am a Go Jane Go and a Tenacity Jane at times. I try to find balance but it is hard as I am just getting going on a huge path and it is scary and overwhelming but gratifying at the same time.”
Jen’s experience as an Accidental Jane has taught her some valuable lessons. “My advice is that you are not out there alone,” said Jen. “Once I started posting questions on forums, asking for help, the outpouring of help from other women has been wonderful. I love working with other women and finding out how I can help them in their business based on what I have been through.”
Permalink
« Previous entries
Next Page »
Next Page »
©2010 Jane Out of the Box, All Rights Reserved.
