Queens' Dreams Coming True

The Journey of Pink Jasper - How Six Women Wrote a Book Without Even Meeting Each Other

2005-09-27T19:02:00.000-05:00

I don't remember the exact date we all hooked up, or whose idea it was first, but I do know that we all met on a now defunct website for writers about three years ago. The website was new, and as writers we were looking for places to submit and somehow we all gravitated there.

Besides submitting to the e-zine, we hung out in their forums. We seemed to be the only ones posting there, and we got to know each other through our messages. We supported each other's writing efforts and read our various works. Eventually the idea came about to put a book together. At that time, we had seven of us in the group and the concept of the book and its focus were different.

We began a flurry of writing and sharing our work back and forth, discussing what we wanted to go in the book and how we would set it up. Dana Smith-Mansell created a cover design concept and we loved it.

However, this particular book was not meant to be. Things began to fall apart fairly quickly and we parted ways with the seventh member of the book, putting the project aside.
The remaining six of us had obviously bonded. We kept in touch with each other, providing support and encouragement for our separate projects. Pam Kimmell created a mailing list on Yahoo so we could all stay in touch.

Our book project would not die so easily. We couldn't let it go. So we put on our thinking caps once again and began the project over with a new focus.

We talked a lot about wanting to share our lives and our experiences with other women. The "personal journey theme" came up over and over again. What have we learned? What can we share?

The original book concept had more of a spiritual focus to it, but we began to discover as we wrote about our spiritual journeys that our life journeys were just as wrapped up in those stories. The more we explored this path, the more determined we became to put this book together and get it published.

Meanwhile, we worked on our own individual projects. Dana Smith-Mansell's book "Stop Bullying Bobby" was published during this time. Pam Kimmell continued to work on promoting her own book, "The Mystery of David's Bridge". Our effervescent Georgia Richardson, completed "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Throne", published it and began promoting as well as expanding her own writing career with several articles published. Eveline Maedel self-published a small book of poetry and devotions, "Heart's Desire" to be sold as a fund-raiser for her church and Jackie S. Brooks also published two volumes of poetry she sold as a church fundraiser as well. Dana provided the cover art for Eveline's book. Carolyn Horton had several of her poems published in the anthology "Cosmic Brownies".

We continued to grow as writers and provide support, encouragement, advice, critiques--you name it. Whenever we could help each other out we would.

The book's journey is not without its own ups and downs. A couple of times we hit some bumps, such as trying to come up with a name for the book. The outline, the chapters, the content all fell into place but the name eluded us for some time. "Pink Jasper", when suggested, at first met some resistance but the more we explored it, the more right it became.

Eventually we had our manuscript and our title, and it was all uphill from there, right? Wrong. As we soon discovered, writing the book came easy, submitting it and getting a publisher to recognize its value was another story.

As we each combed the markets for publishers, we would send our finds along to our email list. Then Pam would send the query out and we would wait. Rejection after rejection came, but we never gave up on Pink Jasper. Finally one day there was that long awaited acceptance!

None of us has met in person. Four of us live in the United States, one of us in Canada, and one in Great Britain. We worked through this book entirely with email. Everyone's had their hand in a piece of this project, from drafting to editing to proofing to doing proposals, etc. It hasn't always been easy. It's hard to take six creative, busy people (who can't actually sit around a table together and work things out) and put together a product that everyone is pleased with and proud of, but we have managed to do that and still be friends.

As Pam so aptly wrote in the introduction to the book, "working on Pink Jasper has brought us together as friends expressing ourselves in writing about our problems, our faiths and our feeling that there is an underlying bond among people everywhere that friendship strengthens. Much like the beautiful pink jasper we are...'Solid as a Rock'."

We care for each other, we support each other, and we call ourselves "Pink Jasper Sisters" because we really feel like "sisters". We hope each person that reads our work will also connect with this "sister-theme" and find a facet of themselves in this journey.

Our dream now is to be able to all get together and actually meet each other in person. Pam and Georgia will finally meet this October at the Book 'Em book fair, but we long for a day where we could wrap our arms around each other in a long group hug and truly celebrate the joy that working on Pink Jasper has brought to us.

As Georgia so aptly put it, "we hope to see the sales of Pink Jasper soar which would in turn, allow us to meet some day, Gem to Gem."

- --Pink Jasper - Gems from the Journey has been published by Heliographica and should be available on their website soon (http://www.heliographica.com/). To learn more about the "Pink Jasper Sisters", including how they choose the name, what they are currently doing, and even enter a contest for a free book, visit their website at www.homepage.mac.com/emaedel

http://www.queenpower.com
disclaimer

Suzanna Pavelle and BizAtomic

2005-09-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

When my daughter was researching internet site developers, she happened on BizAtomic. “Of the several developers I researched,” she said, “BizAtomic works.” But the reason she had called me was to recommend BizAtomic’s Senior Sales Representative, Suzanna Pavelle, as a candidate for Queen Power’s Queens’ Dreams Coming True. I called Suzanna. While I am uninformed on internet-site development, I do know my interview with Suzanna inspired me to extend myself a little further to live my best life. Camellia

Suzanna is living with her husband, two dogs and four cats in St. Augustine, Florida, which she says is, “the best place I’ve ever lived. I’m here to stay.” Her pets are important enough to her sense of well-being, she and her husband established a dog-friendly environment at work. “That’s one of the things we stipulated when we decided to open our business. We bring our dogs, and let any of employees bring their dogs as long as they got along with people and the other dogs. Sometimes it causes a little bit of a ruckus, but usually it doesn’t. I think it makes the employees happy because they get to take a break and pet the dogs.”

In what way, in addition to being able to have a job that includes dogs, are you living your best life?

I went to school for archeology. I almost have my Master’s in underwater archeology (I’m waiting to defend my thesis - I’ve taken all the classes). I never thought I would be where I am right now, but I really like it. It’s challenging. It’s exciting. I just really enjoy what I’m doing right now.

How long have you lived in St. Augustine?

Five years. It’s beautiful. I’ve lived all over the country. This is the best place I’ve ever lived.

How did you make that transition from underwater archeology?

When I was working on my Masters Degree in Underwater Archaeology, I started working for my husband helping businesses to be found on the search engines. I really enjoyed what I was doing, and decided to forgo my formal education for a startup business with my husband. We moved to St. Augustine, Florida. Then we opened up shop in an unconventional manner. We had no formal business plan, and the venture was a little more whimsical in nature than I’d recommend.

What prompted the move to St. Augustine.

I was finished with my course work in graduate school, and I had dragged my husband from undergrad at Oregon, to living in Hawaii to North Carolina. It was his turn to pick. He had been here before, and he liked it. We drove down to St. Augustine from North Carolina one week-end to check it out, and we really liked it, and we said, “Well, why not?”

That was it? You moved and you didn’t have a job?

Yes.

I’m going to probe you on this, because that’s the kind of thing people like to hear…the leap and the net shall appear.

We really didn’t like North Carolina. We had just lived through Hurricane Floyd, and hurricanes are something we’d like to try to avoid. We knew we didn’t want to stay in North Carolina, and this portion of Florida is more protected from hurricanes.
As far as running a business, in a lot of ways Florida is better, in terms of lower taxes, and the cost of living is also decent. The weather is great, and there is a lot to do in our free time.

So you did research it?

Yes we did. We didn’t just say, “Oh, let’s go to Florida.” We investigated it first. North Carolina was more costly for running a business and in terms of general living expenses. St. Augustine was a nice area, the cost of living was decent, it was near a big city, at least it was bigger than where we were in North Carolina or Hawaii, so it fit a lot of the requirements.

You had all the financial resources to start your business up?

Yes.

Tell us about your business.

We moved to St. Augustine and saw the competition wasn’t really doing a very good job of in terms of web-site development. We figured we could do a better job, so we just delved right in. We develop websites, e-commerce systems, Full Content Management systems, and custom website applications. We’re a little bit different than your ordinary website company – we are full service. We have seventeen people who work for us. We’ve got designers, developers, a support staff - everybody in-house. Our websites are much more functional and expandable than an ordinary run of the mill website from a website design company. Ordinarily website design companies just have designers, so they use a third party in commerce, CMS, and other systems. Your general designer will make a great looking site, but it often lacks in the functionality and integration to help a website be more useful. That’s what we really specialize in, giving you a website that’s more of a tool, more of a web application that helps you run your business.

My daughter said she tried several web- sites, and she came to you because your sites work.

Yes, that is part of what sets us apart from the competition. We make sites that work. We don’t appeal to the non-educated consumer. The non-educated consumer sees our prices and says, “You are exactly the same as Joe down the street,” but educated consumers understand what we have to offer, and they see the value of the services we have to offer.

What kind of people do you have as clients?

We have a lot of clients who are new business owners just starting out, and many established business owners who are looking for a more powerful e-commerce website. We specialize in e-commerce and CMS systems (content management systems). For the educated (e-commerce and CMS) consumer – we are an easy top choice. We have a huge range of clients. We have e-commerce clients who sell little knick-knacks, electronic goods, beauty products, household items and more. We have also developed a wide array of professional e-business sites ranging from sites for HR organizations, staffing agencies, medical, schools, Christian schools, churches, so we have a huge variety of clients. Probably about 1000.

When you started out, you had no competition. Now you have 17 people on your staff. How long did it take you to get from that first initial thought until now?

It took a few years. The first initial thought was let’s just delve in and get started. We had to initially figure out what works, what doesn’t work, how to get people to learn who we are. We initially drove to meet with clients, but we quickly realized wasn’t the best way to sell our services, so we became a phone sales organization. That was probably the big thing that really started us off, realizing that you’re not going to make it going door to door. Just being in one town is great, but the business will only grow so much.

Initially we purchased lists of businesses and were a cold calling organization. That was slow and rather tedious. Now people call us, client referrals from current clients are a powerful tool, we purchase leads from organizations on line, and many clients find us online from our website.

We also have many clients from alliances with other website development companies. There’s a couple of companies that we work with, and they refer business to us if they can’t handle the project, like a PHP project, E-Commerce project, CMS, or something that is out of the scope of their area of expertise. We also return the favor. This relationship is really nice, because some one looking for a reputable firm can rest assured of getting what they think they are going to get. That’s been great.

You’re creating business by sharing?

Yes we are. We’re all in the same boat, so you might as well work together, especially if there is something that we can’t provide someone with.

And you had to find a way to market your own business?.

You’ve got to be flexible; to do something, and be able to say, “You know, that’s not working,” and to quickly change directions a number of times. I think if we had not changed directions a number of times, we would not be where we are right now.

Also, at first we were pretty naïve, which was not surprising. One of the local companies in town helped us out tremendously, because they’d call our clients and say, “you don’t want to work with them because they don’t know what they’re doing.” This was not true, and it ended up working to our advantage. This gave us the boost to get started. They were rude, and people chose not to do business with them, so it totally backfired. At first it seemed like it was a big obstacle, but it ended up being how we run our business. We never speak poorly of the competition. We don’t stoop to that level, and it has been part how we run the business.

What kind of skills and personality traits do you think it required to start this kind of adventure?

Flexibility is imperative. To be able to deal with a huge volume of stress and working seven days a week for the first few years. When we first started out we were working out of our house. The employees came to the house. That was rough. I would never, ever advocate that road. You never leave. If the phone rings, you think, “Oh, my gosh, it could be a sale.” So you’ve got to take that phone call, because it could be a new client, and at the early times every client is like a little bit more of soup being added to the pot. Every client counts. The stress of working out of your home, but not having a separate building for a business is very stressful. We have a fairly large house, but the configuration is not setup for running a business. I would never ever, ever wish that on anybody.

How long did it take you to move out of the house?

Probably about a year and a half, or so.

What prompted the decision to move out of the house? What conditions came into place that you no longer had to operate out of the house?

The working environment was too small – there simply was not enough space. More importantly, we weren’t able to portray a professional image to our clients if we worked out of our home. We were striving to be professional, but were not able to be so without an office.

Have you made any mistakes that you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs.

The big thing when you make a mistake is to realize, “ I’ve made a mistake”, and then work with it. We’ve made so many mistakes. We make mistakes all the time. I think hiring has always been problematic.

Like judging personalities that are going to work with you?

Yes. Because we don’t have your ordinary kind of work environment. We don’t want to have employees that you have to look over their shoulders all the time. And it is a dog friendly environment, too, so if people don’t like dogs, this is not the place for them. Everybody works hard. They get along really well. We are very lucky because we have a great group of people working with us. It takes a special kind of person to work here. We have learned how to tell if somebody works or doesn’t work fairly quickly.

How many hours a day does your business require now?

Now probably 10 or 11 Monday through Friday.

What do you do on the week-ends.

My husband and I usually play pretty hard. We go out on the ocean and boating frequently. We go diving or camping as frequently as we can. We play with our dogs and just have fun.

When did you stop working seven days a week?

We knocked back to six about three years ago. Within the last year and a half, we work about five days a week unless something requires additional time. We don’t frequently have emergencies.

Do you not have emergencies because you have a good staff?

Yes, I would say for the most part that is true. We’ve built a good, solid infrastructure for our website. And we’re pretty organized with developing it as well.

Are you an organized person.

Oh, gosh, no.

How does a non-organized person develop such an organized system?

We’re organized to some extent. We’re organized with our client work, but if you look at my desk…you’d be sure to disagree. We are organized about the business. We have setup the business in a fairly organized manner. The three owners – myself, my husband, and my brother each manage different portions of the business. My husband manages the technical side. My brother manages the projects themselves. I am in charge of the sales department. We have a VP of Marketing who handles that portion. The four of us meet 3 times a week to discuss what is going on and to keep everyone apprised.

Do you generally agree?

Generally.

How long has your brother been working with you?

Almost the entire time.

Did you have a close relationship to begin with?

Not really. He went to Carnegie Mellon and graduated with degree in computer science. He’s a really bright guy. And my husband is a programmer as well. We all think pretty differently from one another. Well, they think alike. I’m the one who is from a “soft science” background. My brother came to visit us and just stayed. He had just driven his motorcycle across the country after graduating from college. We had pretty much just opened the doors after we started in the summer of 2000, and he just stayed.

A woman here began a magazine demonstrating crafts, and said she wasn’t prepared to handle success. Have you run into the problem where your ability to provide doesn’t quite keep up with your demand?

We strive to avoid having that happen. We are constantly updating and upgrading each department on a fairly regular basis. If we did not meet regularly, we would have many more problems to address.

When your business grows it’s going to create demands you weren’t aware of. Are there clues for recognizing problems?

I think there are. I think that’s true department by department. We have a really great staff that keeps us apprised as we go along. Our V.P. of Marketing is really great guy and has tremendous experience and is a valuable asset in assisting and helping us through our growth.

You moved into the community, you were looking for something to get into, realized the market was open. The people you’ve brought on board have developed skills that fit into your niche, and you continue to bring people on board that have experience, and help you know where you want to go next?

We definitely look for good people to work for us because we don’t assume we know everything.

How would you rate your job frustration over the past week?

The past week has been pretty darned good.

Month?

It’s been rough this last month. We’re experiencing a lot of growth right now, so it’s been kind of hectic, but fun. Right now we’ve been revamping some of the departments, and everything seems to happen very quickly, and our business requires us to react very quickly, and that gets to be a little tough.

For the past year?

Pretty good.

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past year?

Though it’s really highly frustrating at times, I really like it, and I wouldn’t do anything else.

What has been your biggest challenge in running your business?

Learning how to work with people has been my biggest challenge. I’ve found that every person, if they are a customer or an employee, has different motivations, and we need to be aware of those and accommodate accordingly. Plus, what motivates one person may not drive someone else.
Plus modifying my vocabulary, specifically the removal of expletives, has been a particular challenge.

And your biggest satisfaction in running your business?

Watching it grow and seeing where we are, and looking at our website and all the different things that we have to offer. It’s pretty cool.

While you are juggling your business, your home, your relationships, is one part overemphasized, and the other part is neglected?

To a certain extent. I don’t get to do all the things I like to do as much anymore. I love to cook and I don’t get to cook much anymore. But it works out though. I just fit it in. When I feel like cooking, I’ll make a big batch and bring food into work. Sometimes I go crazy and all of a sudden cook a whole lot of meals for the next two weeks or a week.

What’s the hardest part of giving your business as much time as it requires?

Not being able to go and do everything I want to do whenever I want to go and do it. I can’t just go and see friends or go see my parents up in Boston as frequently as I’d like.

Having to defer other things you value?

That’s a good way to put it.

Are you an exercise or a meditation kind of person?

I exercise almost every day.

Where do you see yourself in your business five years from now?

I imagine the environment will be a little more corporate in nature, but not overly so. I expect we will still be working on the web, but continuing to expand our market and services as we are doing right now.

Ten years?

That’s when my husband would like to retire.

Does your present life reflect your childhood dreams?

Not even remotely.

What would you tell young people about creating the life they love?

Do whatever it is that interests you. Just follow it. I never thought I would be where I am right now, but a lot of my previous experience has prepared me for being here. Going to college, going to graduate school, all the different jobs I had from when I was 13 until now has been of inestimable value.

Is there one thing you can point to that is absolutely critical to your success?

I would just go back to flexibility, to be able to change tack quickly.

If you had a business secret, would you share it?

The biggest thing is to pay attention to your business. See what works and what doesn’t work. It is important to constantly look at different facets and aspects of everything. Because otherwise you’re going to get mired in something that you may not be able to work out.

What advice would you give to other women who are interested in beginning their own businesses?

Think about it, and do it in an organized fashion. Probably not to do it quite as unorganized as we were initially, but just do it.

When you’re talking to women who are starting their own businesses, is there any kind of general information you can give them that would be transferable from your experience, even though they’re not in the same kind of business?

Probably not to give up. To keep on going with it.

Suzanna Pavelle
Senior Sales Representative
BizAtomic"Your Internet Technology Department"
http://www.bizatomic.com/

http://www.queenpower.com/
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Christine Louise Hohlbaum: SAHM and So Much More

2005-07-27T10:16:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.

I am a writer, author of several books, instructor and motivational speaker.

How long have you been in your profession, or in your current business?

About two years.

What prompted you to start your own business?

I wanted to stay home with my kids and raise them myself. I had NO idea how hard it would be to be a mother. To find a sense of creative balance, I started writing as an outlet. From there, I learned to market my books and started offering a marketing class for book authors. Networking is as natural to me as breathing. Growing up, my mom had her own real estate business. I learned a lot about customer service by observing her in action.

How did you decide what business to pursue?

It was an organic process really. Someone asked me to put an online class together to help authors, since I seemed to know a bit about book promotion. The next thing I knew I had created a new identity as a PR Diva Queen. I have a product coming out which includes a hands-on workbook and audio series for authors to jumpstart their book marketing campaign, no matter where they are in the process.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.

It was a lot of trial and error. Every day offers a new learning experience. I hope to keep learning about what works and what doesn’t to fine tune the craft of writing and marketing.

What help did you receive in order to set up your business?

Other than a few friends’ moral support, I was on my own to figure out the publishing world. It has been a wild ride thus far!

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?

Ryze.com was a super resource in the early days of my marketing efforts. Networking offline has been very useful as it helps establish your credibility as a speaker, etc. People buy books from people so that is a positive.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started?

I’ve had a pay-as-you-go mentality, although as you become more well-known there are considerations as to whether to outsource some of your PR efforts. If you have a few thousand dollars to help market your book, you can do a lot.

What major roadblocks have you experienced? Explain how you dealt with them.

Living abroad while selling to the U.S. market has been tricky. Thanks to the Internet, I have “met” a lot of influential people who have been incredibly helpful. One day I interviewed an international best-selling author for a magazine article, connected a US-based TV producer with the president of a national association for her documentary with PBS, and played soccer with my son. My life is extremely diverse, and in reality, I appreciate the distance I have. It is easier to “tune out” if I want to.

Have you made mistakes you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs?

NEVER send an attachment or spam magazine editors and the like. In the beginning, I would send my press release in attachment form. A bit naïve!!

How many hours a day does your business require of you?

If you count the parallel childcare, I’d say 15 hours a day.

How do you feel your income from your business compares to the income you would receive if you were in the traditional business sector, or workforce? Are you meeting your financial expectations or needs?

Not yet, but writing, publishing and marketing require a “pyramid” structure. You build one brick on top of the other. One dayI envision an empire of creativity and nice cash flow to boot!

How do you rate your job frustration over the past week?

Pretty low

month?

moderate

Year?

moderate

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past week?

Very high – I have had quite a few nice “wins” this week.

Month?

Great! I recently went to New York and met a few editors. The writing field is a slow-paced one. Lots of hurry up and wait!

Year?

Having published two books in three months has consumed a great deal of my creative energy, but it feeds me more than drains me. I enjoy creating laser-like messages about my writing, so marketing is great fun for me.

Remember that old advertisement, if you had a beauty secret, would you share? If you had a business secret, would you share? If you would share, what is your business secret?

My method is simple: be a part of the solution. If an editor needs a story, write it. If a producer needs an interview subject, provide it. If you can’t be the one to do the actual story or interview, help the editor or producer get the source she needs. Filling people’s needs is one sure-fire way that they’ll remember you. It is about connecting people with people and reminding them of their own vision.

In short, be memorable!

What advice would you give women who would like to become self-employed?

Give yourself three years before you expect to be profitable. Look into the Small Business Administration for loans, if you require one. Have courage to follow your dream. If you do, you are guaranteed to lead a soul-drive existence.

While you are juggling your business, home, and relationships, do you feel sometimes one part of your life is overemphasized, while another part might be neglected? If so, how do you reclaim a good balance?

The other day I noticed my husband needed some attention. So instead of pounding on the keyboard for the three hours my kids are in school, I went to lunch with him. There is always one area that is slightly neglected. It is a part of leading a fulfilling, full life. Nonetheless, I try not to sacrifice my personal time too much because I will be no good to anyone if I do that. Balance requires us to say “no” to good things, too. That is a hard lesson to learn, but one well worth it if you do!

What’s the hardest part of interweaving the different parts of your life?

The hardest part is keeping all 17 balls in the air. Some days I get weak in the knees and giggle myself silly. Being ambitious can be very tiring!

Does your present employment reflect your childhood interests or dreams?

Yes! I discovered the joy of writing at age 11. As a child actor (okay, just community theater,but it informed who I am today!), I have always loved speaking in front of people, especially when I have something to say. It brings me great joy to help others succeed.

How are you preparing your children to be ready to reach for their own dreams?

In fact, I am thinking of organizing an art exhibition for my daughter who loves to paint and draw. She is six and resides in an incredibly creative space within herself. I really want to nurture that.

Any idea what you would be doing now if you weren't doing this?
I had always thought I'd be an international peacemaker. I suppose raising two kids, who fight a lot, in Germany is as close as I'll get! Seriously, I am living so many of my dreams that I am extremely happy with my life!

If you could do anything, what would it be?

I envision doing an international speaking circuit at some point.

Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now? 10 years?

In five years, I will have published two novels. In ten, I will have my own business consulting firm with an emphasis on negotiation and communication.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your success?

Perseverance, believing I can do anything, and not being intimidated easily.

If you could go back in time to change anything, what would you do differently?

I wish I had known more about book promotion before publishing my first book,
Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff. But the reality is I learned the best by making a lot of mistakes. Mistakes are not bad. They help propel us to "yes" in our lives.

Parenting humorist Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of the world-renowned books
Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff and SAHM I Am:
Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in Europe, inspires mothers everywhere through her
powerful stories. As a mother of two living near Munich, Germany, Christine publishes
an entertaining ezine based upon real-life experiences. Visit http://www.diaryofamother.com
She also applies her strong marketing background to assist authors in their book promotion strategies. http://PRDiva.bravehost.com

http: http://www.queenpower.com/
disclaimer

Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Beating Time at Its Own Game

2005-07-06T18:36:00.000-05:00

Life Begins at 60:
A Story About One Woman's Fight
Against Our Culture's Prejudices
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"Much of what I wrote about is my own story. If my novel were a tapestry, the warp would be real but the woof would be the stuff of imagination—real fiction."
-------

Sometimes the big barriers in life aren’t abject poverty, dreaded disease or death. Sometimes it’s the subtle ones set upon us by time, place and culture. The ones that can’t be seen and can’t be acknowledged because we don’t know they are there. They creep up silently on padded feet and, if we sense them at all, we choose not to turn and face them.

The decade of the 50s was a time when these kinds of barriers faced those with dark skin, those who lived in closed religious communities, and those who were female.

When I applied for a job as a writer at Hearst Corporation in New York in 1961 I was required to take a typing test. I was piqued because I wasn’t applying for the typing pool; I was applying for a post as an editorial assistant.

I was told, “No typing test, no interview.” I took the test and was offered a job in the ranks of those who could do 70 in a minute. I had to insist upon the interview I had been promised. I was only twenty and had no real skills in assertiveness. Today I am amazed I had the wherewithal to do that.

The essentials of this anecdote lie in the fact that I was upset for the wrong reasons. My irritation was a reflection of hubris. However, that pride was probably what goaded me into speaking up; pride is not always a bad thing to have.

It never occurred to me that this requirement was one that applied only to women much less that I should be angry for the sake of my entire gender. Prejudice is sometimes like traveling on well-worn treads; you have no idea you’re in danger. It also feeds on the ignorance of its victims. They benignly accept their lot because they know no better.

Something similar was at work when I married and had children. I happily took a new direction to accommodate my husband’s career and the life the winds of the times presented to me. I left my writing with hardly a backward look. Back then, in the days before women had been made aware, the possibilities were not an open book to be denied or accepted. I just did what was expected by the entire culture.

Things are so much better now; I don’t think women younger than their mid-fifties have any idea or how ignorant most women were to their own possibilities. That there was a time when women in America and the world didn’t know we had choices is not fiction. Most women were full time mothers and often didn’t drive or have their own transportation.

I had always wanted to sit in a forest or an office or a newsroom with a pencil in my hand. I dreamed writing, lived writing and loved writing. I wanted to write the next “Gone With The Wind” only about Utah instead of about the South. I had a plan that was, itself, gone with the wind.

It was the 1950s and women in that time, and especially in that place, had no notion of who they should be, could be. It was difficult to think independently; most everyone around them had difficulty seeing the difference between society’s expectations and their own.

“You can’t be a nurse,” my mother said. “Your ankles aren’t sturdy enough.” I also was told I couldn’t be a doctor because that wasn’t a woman’s vocation.

“Be a teacher because you can be home the same hours as your children, but learn to type because every woman should be able to make a living somehow if their husband dies.”

Writing was not a consideration. It didn’t fit any of the requirements. So when I gave it up, it didn’t feel like I was giving up much.

When I began to put myself through college I took the sound advice and studied education so I’d have a profession. I made 75 cents an hour (this was, after all, the 50s!) working as a staff writer at the Salt Lake Tribune. That I was making a living writing didn’t occur to me. I met a handsome young man and we were married. His career took precedence; that was simply how it was done. Then there were two children, carefully planned, also because that was how it should be done. By the 70s we both yearned for a career with autonomy, one where we could spend time with our children and be in command of our own lives.

My dream was a victim of the status quo. It never occurred to me to strike out in my own direction when my husband and children needed me. The pain was there. I just didn’t recognize it so I could hardly address it and fix it.

My husband and I built a business. We raised a lawyer and a mathematician, grew in joy with a grandson, lived through floods and moves, enjoyed travel. For forty years I didn’t write and, during that time, there were changes. Women had more choices but more than that they had become more aware. The equipment--the gears and pulleys-- were in place for a different view on life. In midlife I became aware that there was an empty hole where my children had been but also that the hole was more vast than the space vacated by them. I knew I not only would be able to write, I would need to write.

Then I read that, if those who live until they are fifty in these times may very likely see their hundredth year. That meant that I might have another entire lifetime before me--plenty of time to do whatever I wanted. In fact, it’s my belief that women in their 50s might have more time for their second life than they did for the “first” because they won’t have to spend the first twenty years preparing for adulthood.

One day I sat down and began to write the “Great Utah Novel.” I thought it would be a lot easier than it was. I had majored in English Literature. Writing a novel should be pretty much second nature.

It wasn’t long before I realized that it wasn’t as easy as writing the news stories I had written as a young woman. There were certain skills I didn’t have. It was a discouraging time. I might not have to learn speech and motor skills and the ABCs but there sure was a lot I didn’t know about writing.

Somewhere after writing about 400 pages (easily a year’s work), I knew something major was wrong.

I took classes at UCLA in writing. I attended writers’ conferences. I read up on marketing. I updated computer skills that had been honed in the days of the Apple II. And all the while I wrote and revised and listened and revised again. This Is The Place finally emerged.

It is about a young woman, Skylar Eccles, who is a half-breed. In Utah where she was born and raised, that meant that she was one-half Mormon and one-half any other religion. Skylar considers marrying a Mormon man in spite of her own internal longing for a career. By confronting her own history--several generations of women who entered into mixed marriages--and by experiencing a series of devastating events, she comes to see she must make her own way in the world, follow her own true north.

Much of what I wrote about is my own story. If my novel were a tapestry, the warp would be real but the woof would be the stuff of imagination—real fiction. Even The Frugal Book Promoter is based on my experiences--all the hard knocks required to re-learn publicity from the angle of book promotion rather than from the professions (retailing and fashion). in which I had polished that craft

I think I bring a unique vision to my work. Utah has a beauty and wonder of its own. The Mormons are a mystery to many. I tell a story about Utah in the 50s that could only be told by someone who lived in that time and place and who was a part of the two cultures—the Mormon and the Nonmormon—that make it a whole.
I am proud that I did it. I’m glad that I waited until I was sixty. Forty years brought insight to the story in terms of the obstacles that women faced in those days.
I also like being proof that a new life can start late—or that it is never too late to revive a dream.
-------------------------------------
Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s first novel, This is the Place, has won eight awards. Her second book, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, creative nonfiction, won three. Her fiction, nonfiction and poems have appeared in national magazines, anthologies and review journals. She speaks on Utah’s culture, tolerance and other subjects and has appeared on TV and hundreds of radio stations nationwide. She is an instructor for UCLA Extension’s world-renown Writers’ Program and her new book The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t was named USA Book News’ “Best Professional Book 2004," and her new chapbook of poetry, Tracings, will be released fall of 2005. She is the recipient of the California Legislature’s Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award. She loves to travel and has studied at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom; Herzen University in St. Petersburg, Russia; and Charles University, Prague. She admits to carrying a pen and journal with her wherever she goes. Her website is: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Author THE FRUGAL BOOK PROMOTER: HOW TO DO WHAT YOUR PUBLISHER WON'T,Winner USA Book News' "Best Professional Book 2004"#1 Bestselling E-book at: http://starpublish.com/starbooks.htm. Purchase the paperback at http://www.amazon.com/. Learn more at: http://carolynhowardjohnson.com/ . "This book might be nicknamed The Frugal Promo Bible."David Herrle, Editor, SubtleTea.com

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BeBe Burnett and Burnett Group Enterprises, LLC

2005-06-28T21:32:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.
Burnett Group Enterprises, LLC. We have three online stores: http://www.ladiesgolfaccessories.com/, http://www.collegefansite.com/, http://www.seniorinformationsite.com/, the last one is scheduled to open June 2005. We list products on ebay. We deliver products that are needed and wanted to customers.

How long have you been in your profession, or in your current business?
The company was formed in May 2002.

What prompted you to start your own business?
There was a need for the products we sell and we are trying to fulfill that need, through competitive pricing and specific products.

How did you decide what business to pursue?
Ladies need golf gifts because most stores sell golf gifts for men. Ladies golf gifts are difficult to find.College fans are always searching for gifts. We want to offer what is popular in collegiate gifts.Senior citizens need help with gifts and health aids. We want to alleviate some of the trouble they may be having finding products.We are keeping our pricing the same as physical stores, or below physical stores.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.
I was raised by two parents, who were very unselfish givers. I watched as they so lovingly gave to family and friends. I am proud of the way that my parents influenced my life to enjoy helping others.

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?
Yes, I have met wonderful customers, business associates and vendors that I enjoy contacting.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started?
Yes, we needed funds to set up our online stores.

If so, how did you acquire or fund the start-up costs? It was savings that we had acquired.
What major roadblocks have you experienced? Explain how you dealt with them.
There are lots of roadblocks that we have encountered. One that stands out is the news that I received in February, 2004. After tests were done, the doctor shook his head, reading the report. After what seemed like several hours, he looked up at me and said, “You have a brain tumor.” On March 18, 2004, I had brain surgery to remove 2 tumors the size of 2 peas. Recovery was slow, but I kept going. I knew that laying in the bed feeling sorry for myself was not the way I was going to go. I have a few problems today, but I do not let that stop me.

Have you made mistakes you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs?
I need to be more organized. That is a characteristic of me. Mistakes occur and they are inevitable. Just move on and keep going.

How many hours a day does your business require of you?
I need to put in 8 hours a day. I have a mother that I visit, I have 3 sons, a daughter-in- law, grandson and granddaughter that I visit. I have friends and family that I visit. I work some hours at night, sometimes in bits and pieces during the day. The importance of my family and friends sustains me and keeps me working.

How do you feel your income from your business compares to the income you would receive if you were in the traditional business sector, or workforce?
I am not showing a profit at this time, but I am sure what I am making now is higher than if I was in the traditional business sector. The reason for this is because there are few demands for a 59 year old woman.

Are you meeting your financial expectations or needs?
I have more expenses than profit and am hopeful that a profit will show soon.

How do you rate your job frustration over the past week? Very high.
Month? Very high
Year? Very high, business has been down for this 2005 year.

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past week?
I am excited about all the new products that we are going to be selling. I am enthusiastic and hope that our customers will be also.
Month? Very satisfied as I know that business will pick up soon.
Year? Very satisfied as we have another website that we are starting.

What has been your biggest challenge in running your own business?
The expenses.

What has been your biggest frustration in running your own business?
The expenses.

What has been your biggest satisfaction in running your own business?
Pleasing customers and making friends with business associates, vendors and customers.

Remember that old advertisement, if you had a beauty secret, would you share? If you had a business secret, would you share? If you would share, what is your business secret?
1) Treat people with dignity and respect.
2) Be honest in all you do.
3) Expect something good each and every day. 4) Do the best you can do each day.

What advice would you give women who would like to become self-employed?
Do something that you like to do, find a need and fill it.

While you are juggling your business, home, and relationships, do you feel sometimes one part of your life is overemphasized, while another part might be neglected?
I am a juggler. I am trying very hard to get all the important events in my life. I believe I can do this for I love all the things in my life. I love God. I love my family, my friends, my church, my company, my business associates, my customers and my vendors.

If so, how do you reclaim a good balance?
I just keep going and don’t read as many magazines as I used to read. I work at night. I work weekends.

What’s hardest about interweaving the different parts of your life?
I do not get enough hours in the day to finish all the things that I would like to finish.

Does your present employment reflect your childhood interests or dreams?
As mentioned earlier, I was raised in by two very unselfish parents. They put others first in their lives. Yes, the online stores that we have are closely related to my upbringing. I put my customers first. I respect their needs and treat them as I would my best friend. I enjoy giving people what they are seeking; whether that be information, a collegiate gift, a golf prize or a health aid for a senior citizen.

How are you preparing your children to be ready to reach for their own dreams?
My three sons are seeing first-hand that this job of independence from corporations is not easy. There are setbacks which you have to be able to jump over and “Keep ‘a going.” You cannot be negative—always be open for that something good that is getting ready to happen.

Any idea what you would be doing now if you weren't doing this?
Waiting on my husband.

If you could do anything, what would it be?
Make money to pay expenses, pay the church, give gifts to family and friends, find some new clothes. Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now?
I see, in 5 years, running several online stores to fulfill the need of customers with a profit shown. 10 years? I see, in 10 years, satisfaction with customers and profit overwhelming expenses.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your success?
Yes, there is. My family and my faith in God.

My father was wonderful. He died in October, 1994, from cancer. He gave me the intestinal fortitude to embark on an endeavor such as 3 online stores. He gave me the ability to believe in myself, when others did not. He gave me the confidence to see myself as successful. His very name keeps me going because I know if he were here with me (and he is), he would be telling me to not get down and to do my best and everything good will fall into place. He gave me the good fortune to understand that I, and only I, am responsible for my actions; whether that be good or bad. He gave me the strength that tells me I can do anything that I want to do. When you are faced with an obstacle, go for it and be happy.

My mother is wonderful. She is very loving and caring, like my Father. She has taught me so much. When I had my brain tumor roadblock, she found me a poem, ‘Keep A-Goin’,’ by Frank Stanton. It has become my motto.

My mother likes this by John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church:
“Do all the good you can;
By all the means you can;
In all the places you can;
At all the times you can;
To all the people you can;
As long as ever you can.”

Also this describes my mother: “Some people radiate an indescribable glow, as beautiful as any sunset, that changes the atmosphere whenever they enter a room. They have a loving spirit that brings joy and disperses tension. I know several people who have this gift, and I’m sure you do, too. What is their secret? Simply, it’s having an awareness of God’s presence in their own lives that lights up everything around them. They believe in God, and ask Him daily to ‘make his face to shine upon them’ (Numbers 6:25). Lifetime of Positive Thinking by Ruth Stafford Peale.

My sons are wonderful and so is my daughter- in-law, grandson and granddaughter. They are a reason that I work. They give me the support and encouragement that sustains me through hard times. They have become my friends and I rejoice. I enjoy people and giving them what they want. My sons are very thoughtful and kind to me and others. I believe, when the time comes, that they will be very successful running Burnett Group Enterprises, LLC. God has surely blessed me with good parents and sons, daughter-in- law and grandchildren, family and friends.

My husband has been sharing his money with me for 38 years, and I am very grateful to him for that.

The Lord has surely blessed me with a very interesting life full of surprises and accomplishments.

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Michelle Dunn: How a Woman Became a Successful Bill Collector in a "Man's Industry" and How You Can, Too!

2005-06-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

I have worked in the credit industry for over 17 years now. When I first started out, I only knew a very few women in the industry. That number has grown over the years, but not by much. Being a bill collector has always been categorized as a “man’s industry.”

When I was a Credit Manager for other companies I worked for, I always did a good job, and collected more money than any other collector who had my job before me. I loved the job, I loved the challenge, and I loved that I could physically “see” my results by watching the bottom line of bad debt diminish. I once made a chart to bring to my review to show my boss how much more money they had and how much less bad debt and bad credit risks they had because of my efforts. I got to the point that I could not make any more money at these companies, as I was at the top of my pay for that position. I was also always bored. Once I had the credit situation under control, I wiped out my own job! So I started writing credit policies for the companies I worked for.

I started my own collection agency in 1998, without ever having worked at a collection agency. My experience was working in credit and being a bill collector for other companies. I did work with collection agencies, by placing accounts with them, and found a local agency that was very helpful and would network with me rather than see me as competition. I was very happy for that help and guidance, since most people did not think I would be successful. They obviously don’t know me very well.

I did take courses through Dun & Bradstreet and also read every law book on credit and debt collection I could get my hands on. I joined the American Collectors Association and took advantage of everything they had to offer. I joined networking groups online and started my own networking group with a website http://www.credit-and-collections.com/ because I could not find a group or website in this field. Even though I have now sold M.A.D. Collection Agency, I maintain and moderate Credit & Collections and we have over 600 members.

I know that anyone can do anything they set their mind to. I did this because I wanted to be home for my children and have the flexibility to pick them up at school and go to school functions, but still needed to support myself and my children. That will motivate you! If you have to keep working and get clients so you can buy groceries, you will.

No matter what you choose to do, if you are determined and keep learning, have drive and are motivated, as long as you are doing what you love and doing the best job you can do, you will be successful. For me it just happened to be collecting money.

Any woman can do this job; you do need start up funds, but not much. I started with a few thousand dollars and kept my day job until I had enough clients to quit. I then kept my day job as a client and did their collections as well. I started out doing everything manually, and then bought a computer; I still kept my files manually until I could purchase some low cost collection software. I did everything myself to save money; I learned marketing and sales, and continue to educate myself on debt collection and new laws and changes in the industry every day. I know women who start this business at their dining room table. This is a hard job, and you have to be organized, have thick skin and be knowledgeable about collection laws and business in general. If you have kids at home you need to organize and make arrangements so you can make collection calls, be professional (without the dog barking in the background, or a child crying) and maintain your sanity when your kids are crying for your attention and the guy who just received your dunning notice calls you to explain to you that he wants to speak to the man in charge.

Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in Credit and Debt collection. She is the founder and president of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, publisher, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter.

Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency in January 1998 and ran it successfully until she sold it in December 2004. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com an online community for credit and business professionals. She has been featured in Ladies Home Journal, PC World, Home Business Magazine, Home Business Journal, Entrepreneur, The Internet Web Source, Professional Collector, and in Home Based Business for Dummies, Shameless Marketing for Brazen Hussies, From the Home-Front The Simple guide to starting and Running a Home based business, she was a featured guest on (NPR) National Public Radio and has been in many newspapers nationwide. She has many published articles and 3 published books to add to her list of accomplishments. She is now publishing two more titles in her Collecting Money Series as well as a boxed set. Visit http://www.michelledunn.com/ for more information on any of Michelle’s books and services or email her at michelle@michelledunn.com

Publishers, you have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free
of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication is
appreciated: mailto:michelle@michelledunn.com Michelle Dunn, PO Box 40, Plymouth NH 03264

Title: How a Woman became a successful Bill Collector in a “Man’s Industry” and how you can too!
Author: Michelle Dunn
Author website: www.michelledunn.com
Word count: 707

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Jill Divine--I Am Living My Dream

2005-06-13T09:57:00.000-05:00

I am living my dream because finally I am free. Free from physical and mental pain and also control. Two years ago my life was so different. I have chronic rheumatoid arthritis and it was very out of control. The steroids had taken control of my body and bloated it beyond recognition, but didn’t help the pain. I’d also had both knees and hips replaced to help me walk better, but that was no longer helping.

On top of all that I didn’t realize how much I was allowing myself to be controlled by my ex-husband. He himself had a debilitating illness and I thought it was that making him behave the way he did, but I now know differently. I had reached a point in my life where I was no longer living, but just surviving. My friends now tell me that my eyes were dead and that my spirit was slowing dying.

Thankfully I have always had a belief in angels and one day this was what saved me. As I struggled to remain positive, I found myself reading more and more books on angels; through this I took up meditation to try and bring some peace and calm to my life.

During meditation I kept seeing an amazing story. It fascinated me and the more I was given, the more I felt that I just had to write it down. I announced to my son that I was going to write a book. He applauded and encouraged me. My ex husband, needless to say, scoffed and ridiculed me, but for once I ignored it. I was so inspired that I wrote and wrote, and when the first book was finished I started on the second one.

This was the start to me being able to cast off negativity and regain my positive energy as that tiny spark inside me ignited into a burning flame. I had never been allowed out in the evening during my marriage, but now I rebelled and went to meditation classes. Here doors started to open for me as I learned how to take control of my life and to keep that positive energy in it.

What a big shock for my ex! Here was I, now in control and doing what I wanted. Needless to say he didn’t like it and life did indeed become very difficult for me. Worse was to come when David, my seventeen-year-old son, nearly died on Boxing Day 2003. He was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus, but thankfully they managed to save him. After that I knew that life had to change. I told my son that I felt we should leave and live alone.

He was over the moon. Unknown to me, he really disliked and was scared of his father, and had always hoped that one day I would take him away and we would live alone. Life was not easy as we lived alone, money was short, but we survived and, most importantly of all, enjoyed our freedom.

Those books, THE BEARS, were just my first step to my new life. Initially, although a wonderful story, I still had a lot to learn on how to write. I took many courses, including learning to write film scripts. Then I wrote ANJOY – GOD’S GIFTS. When it was finished, I knew it was fantastic. My friends agreed. I sent it to the publishers and it was accepted. I was now an author!

I’m sure anyone who has had a book published knows how wonderful that feels, and when the author copies arrived, I felt so proud at what I had achieved. I am now busy promoting this book by writing positive energy articles to get myself noticed and also help others become aware of how positive energy could help them. I have rewritten THE BEARS books and am in the process of sending them to the publishers.

And my son David? Well I am proud to say he has gone from strength to strength. He is now a wonderful young man who is finally living his life freely as all teenagers should do. I am so proud of him.

Freedom is priceless.

Queen Anjoy
Jill Divine
www.divinelady.co.uk
Author of ANJOY – GOD’S GIFTS
Tells the story of how good overcomes evil
by the unleashing of the positive force we all possess.

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Erica Miner and 'Tales From A Journaling Queen--A Journal of a Voyage"

2005-06-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

Journaling has been my passion since I was a teenager. In the past two years since I published my journal-based novel, Travels With My Lovers, I have been inspiring people to journal via my lectures. My Journaling mission is the driving force behind my ‘Queendom.’ Wherever I go, I am asked to motivate people to express their inner thoughts and gain personal insight through Journaling.

My recent stint as a ‘special lecturer’ on Celebrity Cruise Lines was a voyage within a voyage: the journey from violinist to writer and lecturer and ‘Journaling Queen’. How did I get from that journey to this one? How did my life path lead me to a cruise ship in the Pacific? How did I morph from professional violinist to writer and lecturer? As my husband Christian and I gaze at the retreating skyline of San Diego, I contemplate this strange but wonderful journey of mine.

As a child of Russian immigrants, growing up in Detroit, it seemed natural for me to be drawn to the Arts. My mother had directed ballet in her native Odessa, and I started ballet when I was five. My father, a talented violin student in his youth, first put a violin in my hands when I was nine.

But in fact, I started out as a writer even before I ever touched a violin. When I was seven, the wise elders at my elementary school determined that I be placed in an after school Creative Writing Program. (In those days, there was actually money in school budgets for such things.) I remember plunging into writing with more passion than I had ever done with ballet, and my love for writing was thus fostered early on.

Later on when I was about to start high school my father, ever mindful of my artistic potential, gave me a small date book he had been given at work. Mind you, he was also a talented writer; but for some reason, he thought it important that I have it.

Even at the tender age of thirteen I realized that this date book could be my faithful companion through the perilous journey of adolescence. I promised myself to write it in everyday and did so with a passion. I poured out my heart into that little book: all my self-doubt, my hormone-driven angst, my ecstasy and confusion about my first boyfriend, my delight at the camaraderie of the three wonderful young girls who would become my friends for life - this all went into my daily journal, which I wrote in everyday until I left for college.

In the years following college I got married, had my two kids and began my professional career as a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. There was little time for Journaling, though I did manage a few pages now and then. But then the first bombshell dropped when my husband left me – for another man.

I was devastated. Suddenly I found myself single, with two little kids to raise and support while holding down a high-pressure job. I was so overwhelmed it was all I could do to keep myself from leaping out the window of my ninth-floor Manhattan apartment. I was indeed a ‘desperate housewife’ who desperately needed help.

But help came, in the form of a caring friend who one day handed me a leather-bound book with blank pages. I knew then what I had to do. Each night after coming home from the opera, picking up the kids from the babysitter and tucking them in, I curled up in bed with my journal. I spilled out my guts at the injustices of what I was suffering: being abandoned and heartbroken; having to fulfill, on my own, the complex needs of two school-age children; being exhausted from running back and forth from family to workplace, while being counseled not to ‘bring my problems to work.’

My journal was my best friend, my lifesaver. I survived. I moved to New Jersey, where my children could have a more humanizing environment. During summer breaks from the opera, when the kids were with their father, I fulfilled my lifelong dream of traveling to Europe, the place of my roots. My adventures were so intriguing that I journaled them, then put them aside. (After all, I was a musician, not a writer.) And when my children were older and less dependent on me I was lucky enough to meet my husband Christian, who gave me the love and support I had been lacking for so many years. I felt blessed in my new life.

Then I got clobbered with a second bombshell: a speeding motorist who crashed into me as I was returning home from work. After months of intensive physical therapy for injuries involving my neck, shoulder, hands and wrists, I began the gradual return to a normal work life. But within weeks of the grueling Met Opera schedule, the pain in my hands and wrists became unbearable; after a year and a half of immense effort, it became evident that I would have to give up my professional life as a violinist.

Again, as with the dissolution of my first marriage, I was devastated. I had to give up the Met, but I also knew I would need to find a creative outlet. I went back to my writing.

I became passionate about screenwriting, and after writing several screenplays and winning some awards, I thought it might be wise to live near L.A., where I could work regularly with my screenplay consultant, Ken Rotcop. Christian and I had both lost all patience with the brutal New York winters, but we couldn’t fathom actually living in Los Angeles proper, so San Diego seemed the perfect choice.

After I had finished my fifth screenplay, I had a sudden urge to write a novel. I remembered the journals I had written during my travels in Europe and proposed a storyline to Ken: a young mom who suddenly finds herself single when she learns a dark secret about her husband finds adventure in far-off lands and discovers what she wants – and deserves - from life. ‘Write it,’ declared Ken; and Travels With My Lovers was born.

But having fulfilled my desire to write and publish a novel, I had absolutely no clue that I would then have to promote my book, or how I would go about it. I began to network, getting out and meeting people who would steer me in the right direction. I attended seminars, such as Jack McClendon’s Encourage Mint series in Carlsbad, and I met Cynthia Brian, who coached me in the fine art of lecturing. I sent press releases to local newspapers and was invited to give talks for book clubs and women’s clubs. I took to lecturing effortlessly: my ‘inner performer’ was ecstatic.

Then Ken was asked to give lectures on cruise ships and offered to recommend me. ‘Travels With My Lovers is a perfect topic for that,’ he affirmed. I was not about to argue with that wisdom. I interviewed with a booking agency, and within a few weeks I found myself on a Celebrity Cruise to the Caribbean as a ‘a Special Interest Lecturer.’

It was a role I would never have imagined for myself, this journey within a journey, but it felt so natural. I lectured on my re-invention from violinist to novelist. I spoke of the joys of Journaling. I shared stories of ‘Opera Stars I Have Known.’ My post-cruise ratings were off the charts. Perhaps, I thought, this is really what I was born to do. But the Journaling lectures were by far the most popular, and I decided I would focus most on those. It was then that I began to feel like the ‘Journaling Queen.’

After the first cruise, I was soon booked for another to Bermuda, a place I had always dreamed of. Then came the opportunity to sail from home base, and Christian and I were off to the Mexican Riviera, another uncharted territory for us.

As soon as my husband Christian and I boarded the Mercury, bound for Mexico, we felt as if we had never left. After cruising as a lecturer on both the Celebrity Galaxy and Zenith in ’04, Celebrity Ships were beginning to feel like home away from home. The deck and floor plans of this vessel felt so familiar we could almost walk them in our sleep.

Within minutes of boarding, I already found myself ‘meeting and greeting’ people, a role that is both pleasurable and fascinating for me. As a lecturer, this is de rigueur - you are part of the ship’s ‘diplomatic corps.’ A ship is like a floating UN - so many languages being spoken at any given time, by passengers and staff. The constellation of Greek names among the ship’s crew read like a manifesto for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

We arrived at our cabin to find our steward waiting for us. A small, affable fellow, his name is Hopit, pronounced ‘Hobbit’ in Indonesia. How strange and wonderful to be ‘stewarded’ by a denizen of Middle Earth!

By the time we were settled in, our stomachs were growling. What is it about being on a ship that makes one ravenous from morning till night? Is it the constant motion, or the fact of food’s unremitting availability and presence - or the compulsion to satisfy an emotional need? These thoughts, as do all others, led me to Journaling, which is all about emotions. Unlike the chronicling of events set down in a diary, Journaling gives you that wonderful freedom of being able to express your emotions without fear of judgment. It’s possibly the best therapy that exists.

The more research I do on Journaling, the more I realize how many ‘issues’ are emotional - food, for example. I know too well how significantly food is related to feelings. When I was a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, ‘emotional eating’ was ubiquitous among Company members during long operas. Money is another emotional theme. How many of our habitual patterns with money relate to hang-ups from family experiences with parents and/or spouses and children? I love to discuss these points in my lectures and give suggestions on how to use those emotions to discover recurring patterns and find ways to deal with them.

In any case, I had this lecture-cruising down to a science by now: meeting with the Cruise Director and Assistant Director; connecting with my fellow lecturers; ‘meeting and greeting’ passengers, from lounges to pools and hot tubs to dining rooms and inviting them to hear me speak. But it was when I got up to talk to a room full of devotees who asked me to sign copies of my book afterwards that the queenly feelings really began to surface.

‘I’d given up Journaling, but you inspired me to begin again,’ one woman enthused.

‘I’ve been trying to motivate my teenage daughter to journal,’ another woman told me. ‘You’ve given me the tools to do that now.’

Reactions like that are what make me feel like a true Queen. Reactions like that make it all worthwhile. Mission accomplished.

I now had everything I needed to keep going, for what I came here for was to inspire people. But now I can do it in a different way than I had always imagined: not with the music from Verdi’s La Traviata but with the melodies of my own life journey.

And it is a journey that I am most privileged to continue. For the next several months, I will give talk and workshops and classes on Journaling, from my home base of San Diego to the wilds of Northern Michigan. My Queendom continues to expand. I feel very royal indeed.

© 2005, Erica Miner

Author of Travels With My Lovers
Fiction Prize Winner,
Direct from the Author Book AwardsTop-rated Lecturer,
Celebrity Cruise Lines
http://www.ericaminer.com/

http://www.queenpower.com
disclaimer

Dotsie Bregel and Boomer Women Speak

2005-05-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.
I am the founder of Boomer Women Speak, the fastest growing site for baby boomer women on the Web. I am in the business of giving baby boomer women a voice. I’m passionate about allowing them opportunities to encourage, connect, and support one another with their stories.

How long have you been in your profession, or in your current business?
http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/ was launched October 31, 2002. Approximately six months of preparation took place before the site was launched.

What prompted you to start your own business?
I have been a stay at home mom and the empty nest was staring me in the face. I was searching for something to fulfill my heart’s desire of encouraging women and building community.

How did you decide what business to pursue?
I hunkered down in prayer, searched the core of my being, and chose to use my God given gifts. I was led to begin this project through prayer.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.
I am a networker by nature with leadership qualities and I enjoy working with women. For more than 20 years I have intentionally developed my Christian spirituality. I believe God has been strengthening my faith in preparation for managing Boomer Women Speak. He has graciously given me the tools I need to continue on this path.

What help did you receive in order to set up your business?
I researched sites for women and connected with an awesome web designer who gave me excellent advice.

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?
Books, Web sites, and newsletters! I’m an avid reader. I’m forever reading about baby boomer women, leadership, promotion, site development, and faith.

I believe we have to put ourselves out there. We must ask questions, email people we don’t know, and never be shy. I’ve found everyone is willing to help with my mission. When I treat people with kindness they generally treat me the same way in return.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started?
Yes. It has been a step in faith for my husband and me, but we believe in the project wholeheartedly.

If so, how did you acquire or fund the start-up costs?
This has been a personal investment.

What major roadblocks have you experienced? Explain how you dealt with them.
In the early stages of this endeavor one of the main thrust was publishing an anthology. Rejections by agents and publishers have been roadblocks, but I haven’t seen them as major. I deal with all set backs through prayer. I have faith that God has a plan for my life and Boomer Women Speak. I know everything occurs in His perfect timing, not mine. This attitude gives me great peace because I have faith that the rejections are part of His plan. It is still my hope that the anthology will be published. I have simply broadened my scope by focusing on the potential of the Web site.

Have you made mistakes you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs?
There have been times I hit the SEND button too quickly, but that’s about the extent of it. We need to think before we talk and send emails. Our words can never be taken back. That’s an important lesson to learn.

How many hours a day does your business require of you?
I have a home office so I work crazy hours. I carve out time when my husband and children are occupied. I spend approximately 40 hours a week with BWS.

How do you feel your income from your business compares to the income you would receive if you were in the traditional business sector, or workforce? Are you meeting your financial expectations or needs?
This is an area I’m working on. I had visions of landing a book deal with one of the better publishing houses, and using the advance to fund the site. This hasn’t happened to date. This is the reason I’m now selling advertising. I need the site to pay for itself. As my husband said, “Maybe it’s not about making money”. We understand this to be my ministry, my way of giving back for all the blessings we’ve so graciously been given.

How do you rate your job frustration over the past week?
I am passionate about this project. My biggest frustration lies in finding time to reply to all my emails. I guess that’s a nice problem to have.

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past week?
This has been a good week. All my advertising is sold for June and almost for July without much effort. Also, I feel deep satisfaction any time I enter my forums and see the wise and warm communication taking place. Women truly work at healing one another within the forums and that brings me tremendous satisfaction.

What has been your biggest challenge in running your own business?
When I launched Boomer Women Speak the original intent was to have a place to gather stories for the anthology. My biggest challenge has been getting my anthology published. I realize God may have different plans for me. The site has taken off, but the book hasn’t been picked up. I’m beginning to understand it’s more about the site. I’m willing to see what else God has in mind for BWS.

What has been your biggest satisfaction in running your own business?
My biggest satisfaction has been corresponding with all the women who have shared their stories. It has been a life changing event for me and one that has caused tremendous growth. I hope I have become a more loving and less judgmental person. My prayer is that these very things that have happened to me are also occurring in the hearts of the women on the site. We all need to be more accepting of one another. We need to realize we have more similarities than differences.

Remember that old advertisement, if you had a beauty secret, would you share? If you had a business secret, would you share? If you would share, what is your business secret?

Success is all about relationships.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Listen.

Always have in mind what you can do for the other person. Consider what you can do to help them succeed.

Be daring and put yourself out there. Ask questions, seek help.

Remember, it isn’t always what you say, but what others say about you.

Be sure to leave a lasting impression.

People will promote the people they like.

Always be grateful and show appreciation.

What advice would you give women who would like to become self-employed?
Research, do your homework. Go with your passion. Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, no one else will.

While you are juggling your business, home, and relationships, do you feel sometimes one part of your life is overemphasized, while another part might be neglected? If so, how do you reclaim a good balance?
I read the Bible, journal, and pray each day. This helps me feel centered.

What’s hardest about interweaving the different parts of your life?
The hardest part is making time for everything. I never want my husband or children to think my work is more important than them.

Does your present employment reflect your childhood interests or dreams?
Not really. Boomer Women Speak is something that evolved through self exploration and prayer at midlife. I have, however always been a people person who thrives on relationships.

How are you preparing your children to be ready to reach for their own dreams?
I try to encourage my children and build them up. I want them to believe in themselves and know they are called by God to use the gifts He’s given them for His glory. I speak with them about their gifts and how they should tap into them when choosing a profession. This is a tough concept while they are teens, but I believe they’ve heard it enough that they will come back to it.

If you could do anything, what would it be?
I think I’m doing it.

Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now? 10 years?
I hope to be the expert on baby boomer women. I intend to begin speaking about our generation of women. So many speak for us and about us, but I think it’s important to have a spokesperson for boomer women who is also a boomer woman. I’m praying I’m that person.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your success?
People tell me they love my spirit. I believe it is God’s spirit being lived out through me (only when I’m at my best). God knows my shortcomings and I know He doesn’t want to be associated with them. My passion for connecting, encouraging, and supporting women is obvious. People appreciate the authenticity.

If you could go back in time to change anything, what would you do differently?
I would have begun this project sooner, but I realize it needed time to be revealed to me. I had to enter a desolate time (after the death of my mom, and facing the empty nest)
to discern my call. I trust it is all in God’s timing.

© answers copyrighted by Dotsie Bregel, 2005

Dotsie Bregel is the Executive Founder of http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/, the #1site for baby boomer women on the Web. She is a writer, speaker, and expert on baby boomer women. She believes sharing our stories allows opportunities for healing.
http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com

http://www.queenpower.com
disclaimer

Dawn R. Carrington and Vintage Romance Publishing

2005-05-24T09:31:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.

I actually have three business pursuits. I’m a full-time author, the Executive Editor and Business Manager of Vintage Romance Publishing and a freelance editor. Occasionally, I take time to breathe.

How long have you been in your profession, or in your current business?

I’ve been writing for over twenty years, in publishing and freelance editing for a little over a year now.

What prompted you to start your own business?
I was injured in a car accident in June 2003 and figured it was only a matter of time before I wouldn’t be able to continue my profession as a paralegal. So in October 2003, I, along with three of my closest friends, started Vintage Romance Publishing.

How did you decide what business to pursue?

Since I’m a writer, I knew a lot about the publishing industry. That’s not to say I knew everything, but I knew I loved the old vintage films and historicals which is what led me to decide upon a publishing company totally devoted to historicals.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.

My prior experience as a writer helped me to know the ins and outs of the business and to know what type of authors and manuscripts to look for. I majored in English in college so that helped with the editing. Also, I speed read which is what helped me devour the books I needed to learn how to set up the company and keep it running.

What help did you receive in order to set up your business?

I received a lot of help from books. I now have over thirty books about publishing, marketing, running a small business, etc. I did a lot of reading, and as far as financial goes, my friends and I carried the expenses ourselves. We didn’t want to go into debt, and so far, so good.

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?

Oh, absolutely. I’ve lost count of the number of forums and groups I’m on, and until recently Vintage Romance Publishing was a member of Publishers’ Marketing Association (forgot to renew LOL). I’m always out in the community talking about our company, talking to libraries, distributors and bookstores. Word of mouth is one of the biggest marketing tools a business person has.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started?

As I mentioned above, my friends and I shared the costs, so although the business did require a financial investment, it was easier when four people were splitting the costs. Starting a publishing company isn’t a walk in the park. There are business fees, fees for forming a corporation, the purchase of ISBNs, website creation, update and maintenance, etc. So the costs weren’t minimal.

What major roadblocks have you experienced? Explain how you dealt with them.

We haven’t really experienced major roadblocks except for the fact that we’re a small press and that in itself is a roadblock with bookstores at times. So you have to have tough skin in this business.

Have you made mistakes you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs?

Oh, yeah. I’ve made plenty of mistakes without the advanced knowledge. I did some bookkeeping in my job as a paralegal, but I didn’t have anywhere near the knowledge I needed to run a business. So my advice would be take a class or hire a bookkeeper.

Another mistake I made was allowing personal friendships to interfere with business decisions. When you run a business, you have to always think of it as a business.

Additionally, I granted credit to a company I didn’t really know, and it took me quite some time to finally get the money from them. So don’t advance credit unless you know the company extremely well and have thoroughly checked them out. (Dun and Bradstreet is a good place to start.)

How many hours a day does your business require of you?

Well, before I quit working as a paralegal on April 15th of this year, I was working about 15 hours a week. Now, I work about 20-25, but that’s only because I choose to. We have a wonderful staff who does their job, but I’m constantly marketing the company, sending out press releases, etc.

How do you feel your income from your business compares to the income you would receive if you were in the traditional business sector, or workforce? Are you meeting your financial expectations or needs?

Right now, with my writing and the company, I am meeting my financial needs. Am I driving a brand new car and taking dream vacations, no, but I’m outside the stress of the workforce which I spent twenty years in. At present, my income doesn’t match what I was making as a paralegal, but that will come in time.

How do you rate your job frustration over the past week?

Minimal. Usually, I have one or two snags a week to deal with. I grumble and gripe, fix it and move on.

month? About average, a lot less than what I had when I was a paralegal.

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past week?

Extremely high. It’s always a bonus to me when I get something done that others said couldn’t get done. For instance, a well-known newspaper never reviews small press books. The author tried and tried to get them to review her book, but they kept refusing. So I contacted the book editor and managed to talk him into reviewing the book. The author was so thrilled, and that’s exciting to me.

Month? It’s been a month since I left my job and I can honestly say I don’t dread getting up in the mornings any more.

Year? Ask me this time next year. LOL

What has been your biggest challenge in running your own business?

Learning all the minuscule details you need to know to stay afloat. Liabilities, assets, expenditures, taxes, credits, dues, etc. Eeek.

What has been your biggest frustration in running your own business?

My expectations. I’m a very motivated and driven person so I’ve had to learn that successes come in small stages.

What has been your biggest satisfaction in running your own business?

I can take a nap during the day. LOL But also, it’s been doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing. I want to spend my life immersed in writing and the publishing industry, and I’m getting to do that.

Remember that old advertisement, if you had a beauty secret, would you share? If you had a business secret, would you share? If you would share, what is your business secret?

I will gladly share. Learn the art of marketing. That’s what has put Vintage Romance Publishing in front of the public. We’ve never been afraid to talk about our company, to give presentations, send out marketing materials and stand in front of a crowd of people and talk about our successes. If you don’t promote yourself and your company, who will?

What advice would you give women who would like to become self-employed?

Make sure you have at least six months worth of expenses in the bank before you take the leap. My leap was taken for me when my boss decided he needed someone full-time ( I was only working part-time because of my injuries). So it was very scary knowing I only had two months worth of expenses in the bank, but bit by bit, I see more and more going into my account, and there’s no doubt in my mind I’m going to make it.

Another thing is know your competition. You have to have an angle, something that makes you better than the competition. Why should a customer choose you as opposed to the guy next door? Find your niche and own it.

While you are juggling your business, home, and relationships, do you feel sometimes one part of your life is overemphasized, while another part might be neglected? If so, how do you reclaim a good balance?

Oh, I do feel the company takes precedence right now, but I manage to hang on to my balance by taking time for myself on the weekends. I have established working hours for Vintage Romance and established writing hours for myself. The weekends are mine to do whatever I want to do. Spend it with friends, go shopping, work on crafts, anything like that. If I want to write, I do, but I will not work on the company on weekends. That’s my own time.

Does your present employment reflect your childhood interests or dreams?

Absolutely. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with books, and I would read every chance I got. I always knew I’d have something to do with books or writing in the future. Fortunately, I get to do both.

Any idea what you would be doing now if you weren't doing this?

Probably still working as a paralegal.

If you could do anything, what would it be?

Only one thing? Geesh, that's a tough one. I guess I'd like to give all of my friends happy, fulfilled, unstressed lives.

Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now? 10 years?

I see myself on a beach in Maui sipping a drink with an umbrella in it in five years. I see my writing career expanding and Vintage Romance Publishing a major success in the publishing industry. In ten years, I'll be getting Botox injections and chasing after men half my age. I'll be a successful writer and my partners and I will either have sold the company to HarperCollins for megabucks or be so enthralled with such a successful business that we don't want to stop.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your
success?

Motivation. When life gets tough and throws so many problems your way, you have to stay motivated, believe in what you're doing and don't let anyone convince you that you can't succeed.

If you could go back in time to change anything, what would you do
differently?

I would have started the company earlier and skipped so many Twinkies™ as a child.

What do you think young people should know to prepare them to reach for their own dreams?

I’m a firm believer in you can’t give someone ambition, but you can show it to them. I believe that children learn by example, and if you’re motivated to reach for your dreams as their parent, they’re going to be motivated to reach for theirs.

Finally, I would stress that failure is not an option. If you want something badly enough, you can make it happen no matter how many obstacles life throws in the way. I’ve had health problems galore over the past eight years, and yet, here I sit living the first part of my dream

Answers © Dawn R. Carrington, 2005

Dawn Rachel Carrington is a multi-published author of fantasy and paranormal romance, the editor of Vintage Romance Publishing and a freelance editor. She resides on the East Coast near the ocean which provides the perfect backdrop for working at home.

www.vrpublishing.com
www.dawnrachel.com

http://www.queenpower.com
disclaimer

Gwen Morrison: Writer/Editor/Publisher

2005-05-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

http://www.georgialifestylesmagazine/
www.gwenmorrison.com

I am a writer. I remember the day that I actually said that out loud and believed it. A life-long dream, being a writer was all I can ever remember wanting to do when I was a child. It never dawned on me that those dreams of seeing my name in print, my words being read by thousands of people, could actually come true.

Today, I write for various online and print magazines on a freelance basis, I am the publisher of a regional magazine in the Atlanta area (www.georgialifestylesmagazine.com), as well as the editor of an online publication at www.iNetVaction.com. My first novel, “Ivy: The story of a friendship,” is soon to be released and I’m busy working on two more.

The magazine was born last fall. A full color, glossy publication, Georgia Lifestyles is delivered to more than 40,000 homes. I’m very proud of this accomplishment. Not only did I prove to myself that it could be done – that I could actually start, operate and earn a income as a publisher – but I have learned so much about myself on this very challenging journey. I learned that anything is possible if you want it badly enough. I also learned that operating your own business involves a lot more manpower hours than I had expected.

I am not the kind of person to sit on the fence; when I want something, I go for it. I wanted to be my own boss. I wanted to prove to myself that I could produce a product that would match, and maybe even surpass, the current competition. I believe I have done that and it was not without a huge commitment of time. Today, I have a product that is published bi-monthly that has people talking. People love it. They look forward to receiving it in their mailbox. It’s exciting to think that I am creating it.

Along the way I have met some wonderful people who have added key elements to the success of the magazine. I guess you could say I’ve had a few mentors along the way. Those special people who take the time to say, “Hey, this is a better way to do it,” or “You might want to consider this; it worked for me.” Those kinds of people are instrumental in the success of any business. I believe we all need someone to lean on who has “been there, done that,” when starting any new business. It can save you a lot of time, energy, and maybe most importantly, money.

In order to create, print and mail issues of Georgia Lifestyles every other month there are fixed costs. For the first issue, we struggled. We didn’t have a product to “show” to potential advertisers to encourage them to place an ad in our publication. I created a media kit that included all of our demographic information, editorial calendar and our current rate information (with a discount for our first issue). Then, I created a “mock” copy of what it would look like. We signed about half of the clients we needed. The rest of the monetary commitment for printing the magazine came from myself and from my family. My sister and my mother are my biggest cheerleaders. They believed in me and in my ability to create a product that would be a successful tool for business owners. Having people who believe in you can make a huge difference in how you feel about your business venture. It can give you just the added boost you need to keep moving forward towards success. It can be as simple as your frame of mind. If you believe in yourself (or in your business venture), others will believe in you, too. This may be the key to gaining respect in your industry, making sales or in being validated as a serious business owner. You have to believe in it.

I still work long hours, but I find myself slipping into a comfort zone with the business. Since its launch, my husband (who is instrumental in creating the layout and graphics) and I have incorporated a layout design that makes it easier for us to produce the magazine file to send to the printer. There’s a better “feel” for the business now that we’ve published a few issues.

The income that is generated by the magazine advertising sales has been good, but it’s also not the same as receiving a weekly paycheck. If you break it all down to the number of hours you may put into a business, and figure out what you’re being paid, it probably won’t be pretty in those first few years. That’s typical of any business. If you have a passion for what you are doing (and there’s someone who can put food on the table!), then it’s all worth it.

I have always worked in one form or another. I’ve worked in a doctor’s office as a lab assistant and I’ve worked as an accounting clerk. Working outside the home may be easier than working at home for moms. I have four children and when I started my writing career, about six years ago, my kids understand the idea that Mommy was really “working.” My youngest son would tell people that I “emailed people all day.” He was four when he spread that rumor to his teachers. I’m sure they thought I was surfing the Internet all day, hanging out in chat rooms and downloading music for entertainment. He didn’t understand what freelance writing was or that I was trying to build a career that allowed me the opportunity to be at home when the bus rolled into the neighborhood and be able to give them that one last kiss before seeing them off in the morning. It didn’t take long for them to clue into this “working Mommy” idea, though. The first time they saw my name on a magazine, I think that was it. They understood that I was indeed a mom who worked from home – on top of the fact that I was still the mom who made the beds, helped with homework, took them to the dentist and so on (but we won’t get into that …).

Today I have a door on my office and I’ve had to put a sign on the door from time to time that reads “DO NOT DISTURB…WORKING.” I try not to do that very often as the whole idea of working from home, for me, is being available when they need me. It’s just their definition of “NEED” that we have to work on.

Overall, my advice to anyone who is considering starting their own business is to do the research. Whatever area you are considering, do your homework before hanging the sign on your door. Know your competitors inside and out. Find a way to market yourself as a unique entity so as not to minimize the comparisons that will occur. Be organized, especially if you have a family. Don’t be discouraged by setbacks. Growing pains are inevitable in those first few years; learn from them. And most of all make time for fun. Don’t work all the time. Even if take 30 minutes and read a book, listen to music or just stare out the window, take a break from it or you will burn out very quickly.

My last piece of advice is one that I need to really remind myself often: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Life is short. It really is. Have fun with what you are doing. Running your own business can be very stressful. Be sure to take stock in “why” you started the venture in the first place. And remember that it began with a dream and in order to have the dream fulfilled, there will be ups and downs. Keep a harness on you at all time during the climb, and when you’re coasting, be sure to wave your arms high in the air and enjoy the ride!

And Additional Questions from Queen Power, with Answers from Queen Gwen:

Any idea what you would be doing now if you weren't doing this?
If I weren't running my own business as a magazine publisher and editor, I would likely be freelance writing and concentrating more of my time on fiction writing. I love creating fictional characters, giving them a life and watching it transform all on its own. It's fascinating to me how much a character can find their own voice when I'm penning their story. I have heard writers talk about this subject in interviews and I would never have believed them if I hadn't experienced it for myself.

If you could do anything, what would it be?
I've always dreamed of writing novels from the porch of a small cottage on a quiet beach.

Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now? 10 years?
I don't know where my business will be but I do know that I will be doing something that I love. I am the kind of person who enjoys change. I have been a writer for many years but that has taken me from freelance writer to assistant editor to editor to publisher. Now I'm not really sure what's next but I'm always open to exploring new pathways to build on my skills as a writer. I have worn a lot of hats and sometimes you have to do that to find out which one is just the right fit.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your success?
Believing in yourself is critical to success, no matter what business you are in. In order for any business to be successful there must be a belief that anything is possible. That can often be difficult for small business owners or freelance writers because you don't have anyone patting you on the back at every turn. You have to be your biggest cheerleader. When you believe in yourself, others will believe in you.

© Gwen Morrison, 2005, all rights reserved

http://www.queenpower.com
disclaimer

Karen McKay: Secretary by Design and Wrap It Up

2005-05-10T08:02:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.
I have two at-home businesses. One is Secretary by Design "Design me to be the secretary you need!” and the other is Wrap It Up, an all occasion gift wrapping and party service. Both are intended to make the life of others a little easier; to mark things off their to-do-list that they might not have the time to do themselves.

How long have you been in your profession, or in your current business?
I began Secretary by Design in February 2001 and Wrap It Up in July of 2004.

What prompted you to start your own business?
I’ve always had a dream of staying at home with any children my husband, Brad, and I had and also to have my own business. Once I found out I was pregnant with our now 15-month-old daughter, Laine, I quit my job and came home to work full-time with Secretary by Design and later Wrap It Up.

How did you decide what business to pursue?
I have worked in secretarial work of some kind since I was about 14. When I went to college, I obtained an Associate Degree in Office Systems Technology. It just seemed natural to begin my own secretarial business. And the job I quit was working in a gift shop so I’d learned how to wrap and how important the presentation of the package is, so I began the gift-wrapping service. I’m continuously adding new services to Wrap It Up.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.
These two businesses were things I felt really comfortable with; things I felt I was good at. I worked in the secretarial field for 10 years before I began Secretary by Design in 2001 and I’d worked in the gift shop and done gift-wrapping for about three years prior to starting Wrap It Up.

What help did you receive in order to set up your business?
My mom suggested both businesses at some point. She thought of the name of my secretarial business and I came up with the one for my gift-wrapping business. I’ve had the support of my husband, Brad, cooperation from Laine while Mommy is working and support from all my family members. I’ve even done gift-wrapping for some of them. I’ve got a new website for Wrap It Up and my brother-in-law, Bryan McKay, took the pictures for me. So, it’s a great support group that I’ve got!

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?
I do a lot of searching on the web checking out other businesses and I advertise in our local newspaper. Our local paper did an article on my two businesses, at my request, and that really helped to get the word out. That article is featured on both business websites. I’ve also got an ad coming out in one of the telephone directories in September.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started?
My secretarial business did not require as much of an investment. We already had a computer and then I just bought supplies here and there pertaining to each project.
My gift wrapping business definitely required an investment to build up some inventory.

If so, how did you acquire or fund the start-up costs?
With both being at-home businesses, we foot the bill on all my costs.

What major roadblocks have you experienced? Explain how you dealt with them.
The major one would be that sometimes people are nervous about working with at-home businesses-more so with my secretarial business. I have sent out information about it and usually get more response locally and mostly from individuals. I’m not sure if companies grasp the concept of it. My gift-wrapping business has been a lot easier, in that respect. My customers are wonderful about referring me to their friends and family. Word of mouth works wonders!! Establishing credibility as an at-home business owner is one of the main reasons I asked the local paper to do an article on them.

Have you made mistakes you would like to share with other women entrepreneurs?
No really majors ones, yet!!

How many hours a day does your business require of you?
I work at my own pace and definitely around Laine’s schedule. I do regular work for a company with my secretarial business and that requires two full 8-hour days a week and a couple of hours each day, give or take. My gift wrapping business hours depend on when I need to pick up, deliver & wrap gifts.

How do you feel your income from your business compares to the income you would receive if you were in the traditional business sector, or workforce? Are you meeting your financial expectations or needs?
My secretarial business is definitely meeting my expectations and my gift wrapping business is getting there! The financial rewards do not compare with the rewards of getting to be at home with our daughter, Laine. That reward reaps many, many more benefits!

How do you rate your job frustration over the past week?
Normally my busiest days are Monday and Thursday. Those are the most trying days every week. I do inventory for the company I mentioned on Mondays and then I do the invoicing/billing/payroll on Thursdays for the same company. My gift-wrapping business does not usually bring frustration.

How do you rate your job satisfaction over the past week?
I feel great satisfaction with Secretary by Design after Thursday each week. Knowing that I’ve completed the tasks required by the company I do work for is great. I am satisfied with Wrap It Up when I’ve made several deliveries in one week and when I obtain new customers.

What has been your biggest challenge in running your own business?
My biggest challenge with both is making sure that the word gets out about them, putting people’s worries of at-home businesses at ease and making sure that Laine does not feel left out. I try to include her in everything I do somehow.

What has been your biggest satisfaction in running your own business?
Being able to be at home with our daughter, Laine and seeing how proud my husband is of me for doing these things. I also love helping people and enjoy the look on their faces when I deliver the gifts I’ve wrapped. Or when I’ve done everything properly with my tasks with Secretary by Design and everything runs smoothly.

Remember that old advertisement, if you had a beauty secret, would you share? If you had a business secret, would you share?
Do something that you LOVE!! I greatly enjoy secretarial work and gift-wrapping. I love being a stay-at-home mom, too. If you’re wanting to come home from your outside-the-home job, YOU CAN DO IT!! It just takes determination and discipline.

What advice would you give women who would like to become self-employed?
DO IT!! There are a lot of resources on the computer that are helpful. It’s truly not hard to do at all. You can decide one day that you want to do your business and, in a lot of cases, start it the same or next day! I would suggest that if you’re relying on the income from your outside-of-the-home job, please remember that your starting income from your at-home business might not match it at first. You may want to continue working until you feel confident and financially secure with the income from your own business. That’s what I did and it was a great way to go.

Does your present employment reflect your childhood interests or dreams?
Definitely. I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and have my own business. Now it’s all rolled into one!

How are you preparing your children to be ready to reach for their own dreams?
Well, Laine is still young, but I think that by involving her in things that I do and taking her on deliveries with me, she’s getting a good taste of how things can be. She’ll know one day that she can reach for her dreams of owning her own business, too.

Additional Questions from QueenPower and answers by Queen Karen:

Any idea what you would be doing now if you weren't doing this? -

I would be looking for a way to make money from home to be able to be a money contributing stay-at-home mom.

If you could do anything, what would it be?

Exactly what I'm doing now. I love it!

Where do you see yourself and your business 5 years from now? 10 years?

I see nothing but growth and success. In order to have success you must believe that success is obtainable.

Is there any one thing you can point to that was absolutely critical to your success?

Persistance and family support. Also a lot of prayer and a lot of great customers!

If you could go back in time to change anything, what would you do differently?

Maybe I would've started my businesses earlier, but the timing for both was actually pretty great.

At-home businesses owner Karen McKay, 27, her husband, Brad, 30, and their 16-month-old daughter, Laine live in north central Mississippi. She is a stay-at-home, working mom and the owner of Secretary by Design http://www.secretarybydesign.com/ & Wrap It Up http://www.wrapitup2004.com/

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Cara Sonnier and The Dessert Box

2005-05-01T15:05:00.000-05:00

What's your line? Tell us about your business or business pursuits.
I am currently the owner of The Dessert Box – an online dessert store. You can have delectable desserts delivered to your home or as a gift!

What prompted you to start your own business?
On one of my many childhood summer vacations to my grandmother’s house, I walked into a penny candy store (and a nickel and quarter candy place, too). I also spent time with my grandfather who owned his own trucking business. I knew then that owning my own place would be a life-long goal. I still hope to own an actual brick and mortar storefront one day.

How did you decide what business to pursue?
After many avenues were explored, I decided on an online venture, featuring high quality desserts delivered. I’ve always had an interest in baking and took cake decorating classes. This seemed like the natural progression, while balancing it with my children and husband’s needs.

Describe how your prior experiences influenced or helped you.
Prior work experiences helped me by eliminating things and a lifestyle I wanted to avoid. I realized that working away from home and my new daughter was not where I wanted to be.
Seeing and being in a confined cramped office was not the way I wanted to spend my days. These experiences helped me discover my own personal limits and expectations.

What help did you receive in order to set up your business?
I have learned so much from other generous women online willing to share free resources or suggesting good reading materials. My husband has been a great moral support and often suggests great ideas. And my children, of course, are my inspiration.

Are there resources or networking you find beneficial in your current business?
I find that networking with women in my market niche is a great benefit. Resources like Internet Based Moms (http://www.internetbasedmoms.com/) have been a great assistance in being online.

Did your present business require a financial investment to get started? If so, how did you acquire or fund?
Yes, but not a significant one. I’m a frugal and simple person by nature. I barter for things I need (advertising, press releases, cooking tools).

To find out more about Cara's delicious offerings, visit www.thedessertbox.com.

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Disclaimer

2005-04-24T17:48:00.000-05:00

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