Ladies Who Launch

Practical Girl Lives Magical Life

By Coach Joelle Prochera, professional life coach, fellow launcher and creator of the MAKE YOUR LIFE PROGRAM where you get to experience the magic of your life lived on purpose!  To hear more from Coach Joelle subscribe to the Livloud! Newsletter or read the coach joelle blog.   

I never went looking for magic.

I never went looking for magic.

Sure, I liked the idea of the power of positive thinking.

I liked the idea that there was a mysterious force working behind the scenes for my greater good.

I liked the idea that there was something beyond the walls and the floor and the chairs, something unseen that had my friends calling me on just the morning that they had crossed my mind. 

But you see, I am a practical girl and I was not going to sit around trying to magically positive-think my way to make more money, to finding a husband or to getting my staff to stop bickering.  It was just too much for me to throw my life into the hand of an illusory and unreliable unknown. 

And so,

I set out to find something solid, something tangible, something practical that I could count on when it came to creating a life that worked.

In my quest to understand and my own search for happiness, I came across something called coaching (more specifically Ontological coaching), within it I found tools, models and exercises that began to reveal the mystery. 

Suddenly, positive thinking made sense, but not because of something “magical” but because of a clearly discernable processes that even the most logical person could grasp.  I had found my answer and I started putting it to work in my life.

By using these practical tools, I began to master my own ability to be happy and own my personal power.  I honed my skill and became someone who was consciously making my life. 

• Through this knowledge I was able to create abundant, deeply rewarding relationships.

• I excelled at my work and ultimately went on to create a professional life that completely fulfills me and gives me freedom of time, location and limitless possibility. 

• I used these same skills to rise above years of serial dating and chronic dissatisfaction to ultimately find and marry the man of my dreams. 

• Perhaps most importantly I became that joyful, peaceful person I had been longing to be.

I became comfortable in my own skin.

The stronger I got, and the clearer I became, and the less baggage I carried, the more something became quite clear.   To my great surprise, the magic which I had worked so hard to live without became an undeniable fact.

The very same coaching tools that I had been using to make my life work, were also freeing me up and lifting me up to be in the flow, to be in tune with my higher self and to experience the magic inherent in our world.

No, I didn’t go looking for magic… but fortunately magic found me anyway.

Today, the magic of the world and my place within it is an integral part of my life experience and my capacity to a create life in alignment with my greatest dreams. 

Not so long ago I would never have dared to write all of this in an article but today it is my truth and as I said, simply undeniable.  At this point in my life I cannot go a day without someone talking about “the universe”, God, someone telling me they got chills at some part in our conversation or someone saying “I just know we came into each other’s lives for a reason.” HOW COOL IS THAT!

Magical living is so much more fun than living solely in the practical because it opens exciting new avenues for your dreams to be fulfilled. No longer are your dreams solely dependant on your hard work, instead, it becomes part hard work, part being open and part providence.

I invite you to really look at your life and ask yourself what is it that you want, and perhaps more importantly, what is it that life wants from you?  These two go hand in hand - your dreams and desires call you into your highest service and you living your passion is not only for your greatest good but for the good of all.  When you put it that way it is almost selfish not to go for the joy, follow your dreams and do what you love.

So, I ask you….

What are those things that you wonder about….day-dream about?

Those ideas that give you that tinge of excitement and have you pondering…

”could I really?” 

I am here to say YES, yes you can! Those wonderings, those ideas of how life could be, those daydreams, are there for a reason. They are there to draw you to the life you were put here to live.  One where you are joyfully, passionately and fully living a life you love.

Do you dare to be the master of your own destiny?

My personal wish for you is that you come to know the wonder of this world, that you dare to follow your dreams, and that you experience the magic of a life lived on purpose.

With Love,

Coach Joelle

P.S.  Seeking more time, peace, beauty and magic in your life?  You just may want to check out the Make Your Life Program.   Go for the joy ladies, go for the joy!

SHARE YOUR SELF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW:  Have you experienced the magic, flow and serendipity of life?  Do you find yourself in awe of the fortuitous circumstances by which you came to launch your project or build your business?  Share your insight and inspiration in the comments below.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH JOELLE?:  I am looking for the opportunity to fully serve each of you on your personal adventure.  If you have a life or business challenge that you would like a coaching perspective on, or perhaps you just want to talk about the magic of life (YUM) please share your comments below or email me at Joelle@coachjoelle.com.

"Make your life a work of art a joyful dance a grand adventure!" -Coach Joelle

The First 30 to 50 Years Were Just a Dress Rehearsal...Top Ten Tips to Help Move You Forward

Below is my Top Ten List to help us LWL women become fabulous and fearless. I have tried them all and not a single tip was recalled. Try one, or a couple or all of them. Just embrace taking a chance on yourself and leave the fear behind!

1) CELEBRATE. First of all, celebrate all you have accomplished in your life. Plan a party for 100 of your closest friends or just for yourself. Set a nice table, light some scented candles, put on some rock n’ roll music…

2) DARE. Try something you have never done before. Here are a few examples: go kayaking with some friends; become fluent in Italian; visit a spa for a day and leave with red hair; help build homes or buy some Jimmy Choos shoes. Just don’t do them all at once. Your family and friends just might freak out a bit. If they do, invite them to come along!

3) INTUIT. Have you met your friend who goes by the name of Intuition? Intuition, inner voices, gut feelings can reveal clues about what you should do next. Try this: A) Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. B) Close your eyes (oh yes, sit down first) and take in a couple of breaths and feel yourself start to slow down. C) Ask your intuition a question – it can be about where to move, what direction to take in your new life or do I really want this new relationship? D) Sit quietly and wait for your intuition to speak to you. E) Did you get a calm, happy feeling? Did dread or feelings of foreboding fill every cell in your body? Did you hear a word over and over? Did you just get that “knowing “ feeling that you have found your answer? Did it act like no one’s at home? Developing one’s intuition is the answer to that corny but telling question: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice and practice! But what a great friend to have around and it will always tell you the truth!

 4) EXPLORE. So you have decided that the time has come to take your life by the lapels and do….? You always thought you would like to give tours thru the ancient ruins in Egypt, or take to the stage in Edwardian finery or maybe own a cozy book store with the aroma of just brewed coffee filling the soul along with the words of Toni Morrison? Before you pack your bags, do take a trip to Vocation Vacations’ website. This organization will let you test drive your dreams and you may find yourself doing a little tire kicking as you discover a new and exciting way to live your life outrageously! www.vocationvacations.com.

 5) MOVE. We got to love “Dancing with the Stars” don’t we? I personally don’t care for the outfits (I’m more the crisp white tee shirt, blue jeans, black jacket with scarf draped around the neck for days kinda of woman) but they make me want to dance and shake everything that won’t snap in two! Another way to tend to your body and its needs is to move everyday. It won’t work to just exercise your brain because you need to drag your body along on your great adventures. So make it your best body. How would it feel to exercise first thing in the morning? Guaranteed to get your metabolism up and running and whether you’re running, walking or watching the Today Show while conquering some hills and miles on your treadmill, you are taking excellent care of your body and soul. But it doesn’t really matter what time you exercise. Just remember that all of you counts, so dust off those weights and your toned muscles will thank me later. I guarantee the journey will be less taxing and you just might end up taking Zumba lessons. Just leave the sequins at home!

 6) READ. So, on the days when it’s raining or the humidity is so high that your hair is picking up CNN….go and pick up something and read. I don’t know if I have an all time favorite female author but these authors have inspired me throughout the years: Jane Austen, Alice Munro, Anna Quindlen, Maya Angelou,  Anne Lamott (I want to come back as her sense of humor), Fannie Flagg, Dorothy Parker, Julia Cameron and Lynn Robinson. (I just knew I was going to like her writing - she’s one of the nation’s leading experts on Intuition). Go and get lost in a book. You may have noticed that I left out some popular romance writers. I want you to be inspired and not out of breath when you have finished your books. Skip “Eat, Pray, Love” on an empty stomach. I gained 8 pounds during the “Eat” section. And it doesn’t have to be a book. When I read “More Magazine,” I feel far from even approaching being over some hill, more sexy and secure in my choices and joyful to be in the middle of my middlesence madness.  It makes me want to vacuum in high heels. Well, maybe not, why not a magazine that salutes us fabulous women in our forties and fifties?

 7) BE BOLD. Fall in love with you and your new life and don’t let anyone tell you that you and your dreams are frivolous. When someone asks why at this time of your life you are reinventing your life, just smile and say, “If I don’t become the person I am meant to be, then the world misses out on my greatness and my potential to make the world a better place will be lost forever. Thanks for asking and have a nice day.”

 8) VOLUNTEER. Nothing makes you feel empowered like helping someone else feel that way, too.

9) RELAX. Escapism is marvelous, but escapism that motivates us is unbeatable. One of the best escape routes to take can be driving to your local video store or walking over to the TV remote. We don’t always see positive role models of women in the news. They may be infamous (like the call girl and the NY governor, for example) but they are not inspiring and it is a tad insulting. When going through transitions, we need some downtime and a bag of kettle corn popcorn. And some funny, fearless and fabulous women to make us smile and say to ourselves, “I am ready.” Here are just a few that might make you feel that anything is possible in your life: “All About Eve,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” (try to ignore the fake-Asian Mickey Rooney parts) “Chocolat (zero calories),” “Dirty Dancing,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “Moonstruck,” “The Way We Were” (because of Robert Redford, but Barbra was pretty terrific in that movie), and “Field of Dreams.” And not a car chase in any of them!

 10) MEDITATE. You have stayed focused and you are transitioning to your new life. Now is the perfect time to focus on your breath. How about adding meditation to your daily routine? Here are just a few of the benefits that come from a few minutes of meditation a day: Clarity in problem solving; reduction of stress and anxiety; a renewed sense of well being; more restful sleep; slowing down of aging(YES!) and can even help with the resolution of mental and emotional blocks in our lives. Not too bad, eh? I travel to http://www.learningmeditation.com/room.htm when I need some breathing space to collect my thoughts and slow myself and my pace down. You can take a guided meditation with soothing music in the background or you can print the words out and meditate on them at your leisure. This is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and you just start by taking a deep breath.

 So, I see you have read them all. Good for you. Now get out there and put your midlife passions to the test. No more dress rehearsals. You have earned the right to take center stage!

 
Elizabeth Cassidy,CTACC started Branching Out Life Coaching with the belief that midlife is just the beginning of some of the best years in our lives. She offers complimentary coaching consultations for motivated women who are on the verge of discovering their own greatness. Shift your perspective and change your life. Call 516.629.6838 or email her at BranchOutLife@optonline.net. Embracing your new life just got a little easier. Please visit: www.BranchingOutLifeCoaching.com

 

Launching With A Conscience

From Elaine Gordon Evans, founder of Elaine's American Maid.

My life began, at a very early age, in the low-income housing projects of New York City where I lived with my single mother and brother.  I lived on Welfare my entire young life yet somehow never felt poor.  One of the reasons I never thought of myself as impoverished is because I knew there was a bigger world out there, much beyond a Park Avenue-bound bus ride into the city.  I also had a mother who loved me greatly and always emphasized that I could do anything I put my mind to.  With her belief in me, I felt like I could accomplish anything. All it takes is one person to believe in you to gain the courage and inspiration needed to become a success.  Sometimes that one person is only you, and it is usually accompanied with some Divine Help that truly makes your pursuit victorious.

Accomplishing the Great American Dream took a lot of hard work, determination, and passion. With the vision of being an entrepreneur, I started ironing shirts for a nickel a piece at age nine.  I never stopped pursuing my dream and eventually opened up my first housecleaning service at the tender age of 19 in South Florida.  My housecleaning service was cleaning 150 homes per week and I was launching about 90 cleaners in their own housecleaning businesses.  I was able to successfully get off Welfare, and not only take care of myself, but also my baby daughter, Shavawn.

Twelve years later in Redmond, Washington, I found myself in circumstances that left me homeless, with 4 children, and a fifth on the way.  I was able to houseclean my way to financial success a second time by opening my current housecleaning service called, Elaine's American Maid.

Since launching Elaine's American Maid 23 years ago over 4,000 housecleaners have launched themselves as entrepreneurs. My company cleans for about 120 clients per week with roughly 80 individuals working through the housecleaning referral service. I have also been responsible, not personally thank goodness, for cleaning over 1 million toilets in the Seattle area.

My passion and life s work is mentoring and empowering low-income women so they can become entrepreneurs. I help them work their way out of government assistance by guiding them in owning their own housecleaning businesses. As new, sole proprietors, they are encouraged to get out there and acquire as many clients as they can. While they are building their clientele, I fill up their open days with jobs from existing clients. The reason I don t hire employees is because I want to help and inspire as many people as possible to ultimately be entrepreneurs. The housecleaning business is a stepping-stone for many of these people to get back on their feet and eventually start a business pursuing their true passion.  For example, some of our housecleaners have opened their own business, gone back to school, become real estate agents, caterers and even lawyers. (Read more inspiring stories and articles at Elaine Gordon Evans and Elaine's American Maid.)

Not only does the entrepreneur housecleaning model help women work their way out of government assistance, but also through the many stressors related to the transition out of an abusive domestic relationship. Believe it or not, the nature of the housecleaning service affords women the time to reflect and visualize where their lives are headed. Another perk of business ownership is the ability to regulate your work schedule to be home for your children when they are out of school.  In addition, the daily cash flow enables women the ability to feed their families and pay bills, while putting them in the position of being in control. 

Elaine's American Maid cares not only for the needy but also for the sick.  I started giving away free housecleaning service to women who have cancer about four years ago when my mother-in-law, Bernice McCulley, developed breast cancer and was too sick to clean her house. I have been giving free housecleaning away to women with breast cancer ever since.  I ve established two foundations to help women: Maid for Work, which is for the less fortunate, and Maid for Life, which is for the sick and dying.

Everyone s life can be used to serve an amazing purpose.  Typically we can identify an unmet need just by looking around ourselves and deciding if and how we will help to fill that void.

My hope and prayer is that this story will be an inspiration for many to help a fellow neighbor in need. Maybe you too will incorporate your business with a humanitarian contribution to help others without hope that are seeking some guidance.

Balanced Biz - How to Keep Your Sanity as a Busy Entrepreneur

When I left the “9 to 5”, I was thrilled to be starting my own venture. While I was dedicated to giving it my all, what I didn’t realize was that my life was about to drastically change.  I soon found out that if I didn’t plan my own weekends and days off, there wouldn’t be any. Gone were the lazy weekends and evenings on the couch.  A busy business owner could work everyday of the week, month, and year…and many do.  When you love what you’re doing, you don’t really mind. In fact, you might not even notice you haven’t showered and it’s 5pm already or that lunchtime came and went while you were busy sending emails.  While you’ve given up some bad habits like mindlessly surfing the internet or gossiping at your co-workers desk, you may have developed some new routines that are causing you to be a bit frazzled.  The key to remaining unfrazzled and keeping your sanity is a Balanced Biz.  Whether you’re just starting out on the road of entrepreneurism or if you’ve been on the journey a few years, keep in mind the following tips for a Balanced Biz. 

1. Fuel Your Biz – As a Food Coach, I help busy women figure out how to maintain balance in their lives and eat food that will fuel them with energy.  The irony of my work as a food coach is that as a budding entrepreneur with many goals, I have to keep steady tabs on myself so that I don’t slip out of balance.  And of course, when I overwork, my body always reminds me.  Just last month I caught the flu and not because it was going around or because I was eating junk.  It was simply because I went overboard with work.  I was spending late hours on the computer, forgetting to take breaks, and not taking care of me. Remember to fuel yourself first, so that you can fuel your business.  The more energy you allow yourself, through proper food, exercise and relaxation, the more energy you’ll have for thinking creatively and tackling new challenges.
2. Positive Pals – Early on in my business, I found out that surrounding myself with positive people     was essential.  As soon as you announce your plans for starting your own business, the look you may get from some of your closest friends and family members can be downright astounding.  Not everyone has it in them to be as creative and daring as you, and your ability to take action on      your dreams may be foreign to them.  Don’t spend too much time in the early stages of formulating your idea with these nay-sayers.  Stay focused and committed.  Find new friends or networks that support your ideas and dreams.  There are many local small business networks or internet networking groups such as Meetup.com and LinkedIn. I found my support  network through Ladies Who Launch, an amazing network of entrepreneurial women who helped shape the course of my business.
3. Super Skills - Many business owners start out by taking on every task in the beginning.  From      bookkeeping, to marketing, to sales, to web writing, and much more. Clearly, you don’t want to blow the bank, so you put on the “I’ll do it myself” hat.  This is one of the biggest mistakes an entrepreneur can make.  Yes, it’s important to make sound financial decisions for your business, but focusing on the things you do best is what will make your business grow the fastest.  It is      essential to consider team members that will support you.  My first team member was a bookkeeper – what a relief!  I realized that the hours I spent trying to put everything into QuickBooks, making mistakes along the way, were hours I could be marketing my business and connecting with clients.  While you can’t hire team members for every task right away, start by choosing one team member.  As your business builds, have a plan for the next team members you will hire.  You may even find someone you can barter services with.  I offered free food coaching to a virtual  assistant who helped me input and track my database.  Go for it - it feels so good to have an assistant!  To get started, visit sites like elance.com, getcertainty.com, and getfriday.com.

Fueling your business, surrounding yourself with positive people, and finding team members so you can focus on your talents are all keys to creating a business with a headache-free foundation.  Your  business will go to greater places, and won’t leave you behind with your head spinning. 

Suzanne Monroe is a Food Coach and owner of Real Life Food.  Real Life Food coaches help busy women everywhere figure out what to eat and how to have more energy. For more information on Real Life Food programs, workshops, and recipes, or for a free food coaching session, visit www.reallifefood.com.  Suzanne also supports new business owners with effective marketing and business strategies.

Will The Real You Please Stand Up!

By Coach Joelle Prochera, professional life coach, fellow launcher and creator of the MAKE YOUR LIFE PROGRAM where you get to experience the magic of your life lived on purpose!  To hear more from Coach Joelle subscribe to the Livloud! Newsletter or read the coach joelle blog.   

Do you ever…
1. Spend hours strategizing and rehearsing before you talk to people about your business?
2. Have that feeling like you are a fake, afraid that everyone is going to find you out?
3. Try to be that person you “think” you should be to get respect, to be good enough, or to make the sale?

If any of this sounds familiar then I have good news for you.  With the new LWL profiles, we all have an opportunity to dig deep down inside and share who we really are.  For some this seems fun and easy, for others it may be an arduous quest for the perfect words, the right “spin” and putting out a professional image so people take you seriously.  If you are willing to take a look inside and find the “real you”, your version of authentic entrepreneurship, then writing that profile and living your life is about to get a heck of a lot easier and 10 times more fun.

What is Authentic Entrepreneurship?
Authentic entrepreneurship is running your business as a true expression of who you are, in total alignment with your beliefs, values and natural talents.  It means first identifying the real you and then living and acting from that you. 

When you are acting as an authentic entrepreneur, when you know who you are and own it, a whole new world becomes available:

• You are able to show up at any situation with confidence and ease.
• You become intimately acquainted with who you are and what you stand for and you boldly allow that real you to shine through in every action taken and word spoken.
• You become free from the fear of being “found out” and the burden of having to “look good” and “do it right”.
• It means no more fake, stuffy profiles. No more talking heads. No more “status quo” and a lot more joy and ease!

Sound good?  Well then let’s get down to it! Let’s find the authentic entrepreneur inside of you.

To create your profile, start by asking these authentic entrepreneur questions:

A) What do you value and how are these values expressed in your business?
B) What are your favorite things about you? What makes you – you?
C) Why do you love your business/service?  What do you love about your business/service?
D) How does your business make a difference for people? What does it serve in the world?

Now sit down with your answers in front of you and clear your mind.  Forget everything that you think you “should be”, throw out your concern of looking silly or being “too much” and write your profile allowing these truths to shine through.  Dare to say what you really feel.  Push the limits of “normal” and “appropriate” and let the world of Ladies Who Launch know who you are, who needs to know you and why.

Why be normal when you can be extraordinary? Why be like everyone else when you can be YOU.  To dare to be your very own authentic entrepreneur is a step down the path to greatness. Have fun – I’ll see you at the top!

With love, joy and authenticity,

Coach Joelle

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR COACH JOELLE?:  I am looking for the opportunity to fully serve each of you on your personal adventure.  If you have a life or business challenge that you would like a coaching perspective on, please share your comments below or email me at Joelle@coachjoelle.com.

Make your life a work of art a joyful dance a grand adventure!

Creating a Page on Facebook

by Fashionmista aka That IT Girl, Spammy Scammers, and Katie James Pixelated

If you use Facebook for personal reasons, you can certainly use it to help your business, whether you have a service or product based business. Facebook developed a way for your business to have a presence in its social network: the Page. A Page is an interactive, well, page, that showcases whatever you can think of regarding your business. A Page can't have friends, but people can "fan" it, or become a fan (ps: a Page cannot become a fan of another Page). And fans are good. Here's what happens when your Facebook page has fans:

• Updates: you can send updates about your products or services to your fans
• Logo: your logo shows up on their profile page in a little square shape
• Pictures: you can post pictures of your products, or of any other type of graphic
• Applications: Pages are able to work with Applications. Applications are the tools that make your page interactive with people viewing your Page. Here are some examples of applications being used on the Ladies Who Launch page (ahem...have you fanned it yet??)

How to Create a Facebook Page

When you are logged into your account in Facebook, look to the left of your screen, and under Applications, there should be "Ads and Pages". Click it. If it's not there, do a search for it, and you may get it that way.

Look around for a button that says "+ Create Page". Click it.

Fill in the questions they ask you. If your business does not depend on Local results, then you probably want the second option, which is "Brand or Product", and then you'll get another pulldown.

Naming your page: I'm pretty sure that once you insert the name of your page, you can't change it. So no typos! But you could always create another one.

Examples of Applications for the Page
The nice thing about Pages, vs Groups, is that you can add more things to them, like an RSS feed box, or a "Big Photo" or other applications. Here is what they look like on the Ladies Who Launch Facebook Page:

"Big Photo"

The RSS Feed

Good luck and have fun!!

Fair Trade: Gifts That Change Lives

From Rebecca Berggren, founder of Karma Market, of San Diego, CA and a member of the San Diego Incubator. info@thekarmamarket.com.
 

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Before you've finished your breakfast this morning, you'll have relied on half the world.” An interesting thought. And a depressing one, when we realize that those very people we've relied on to help get us out of the door in the morning - the folks who grew our coffee beans, harvested our tea, made our t-shirt, shoes and jewelry - are most likely not the recipient of a fair wage or decent working conditions.   1.3 billion people in our world live in absolute poverty with many living on less than $1 a day.   

This sad fact weighing heavily on my heart coupled with my own personal need for socially responsible gifts ignited my desire to create Karma Market – a fair trade online boutique.  It was a sunny San Diego during the spring of 2006 when the idea for Karma Market was born. 

I had spent half the morning on the internet looking for just the right meaningful and unique gift for a girlfriend of mine and was dumbfounded by the limited choices we have for handmade and unique gifts with positive social value.  I knew that I couldn’t be the only one looking for fair trade gifts. My friends and people like us with similar values and tastes must also be longing for gifts that have more meaning - right?

And if they aren’t consciously looking for gifts to help other people at that very moment, I bet they would if it was easier and there was more awareness around the benefits of fair trade.  I believe most people really do want to help those in poverty, but just don’t know were to start and how they can incorporate “giving” into their everyday lives affordably. The fair trade model impresses upon people that we are able to help those in need not only through charity, but also by incorporating ethically sourced goods into our daily living. 

This caffeine induced pondering of the state of fair trade turned into the realization that if I wasn’t going to do anything about it, who was? Sure there are wonderful people out there very passionate about providing opportunities for deserving artisans, but just not enough.  I decided that I could start by making a small difference in the world by combining my interest in Fair Trade with my love for shopping, marketing, sales and creating. Voila - the beginnings of Karma Market.

The beauty of fair trade model is that it is a sustainable business model.  It works so well on many levels:

1.       Profitable:  The price points are not too high and yet I still make a decent profit.  Many people have the false assumption that fair trade = expense, but this is just not so.  The prices remain reasonable because a significant number of middlemen who would normally take much of the artisan’s well deserved profits are cut out.  It also helps that I do not find it necessary to use greedy profit margins. 

2.       Marketable:  The desire to help others seems inherent in so many people and to be able to do so via a purchase that you were going to make anyway is ideal.  We are offering the gift that gives twice!  We are also empowering the consumer by letting their purchases reflect their values.

3.       Fullfilling: Running a fair trade business is also emotionally and spiritually sustaining because knowing that I am making a difference brings so much passion and dedication to my work.  When driven by the desire to do good, things just seem to manifest much easier for me than if I were purely profit driven.

Karma Market is making a difference everyday by offering fair trade gifts, ensuring that artisans are paid a living wage and that their products aren't made using forced or exploitative child labor.  Our main focus is to improve the lives of artisans worldwide by generating awareness around fair trade and making the hip and beautiful handcrafted work of the artisans more accessible to the average consumer. 

Our beautifully handcrafted jewelry, bags and home décor are sourced from local cooperatives and companies who support artisans by providing them with a fair wage and helping them to become economically stable. Producers work in healthy and safe working conditions in the local context and there is often an emphasis on reinvesting in their communities and working to preserve the environment.

By choosing fair trade items we not only help provide income, dignity, hope and respect to people in developing regions. We also help to sustain the communities and the environment of future generations.  I am sure that my 8 month old little girl who grins up at me still toothless in her cute little fair trade and organic onesie thanks me.   

Blog Post Titles are Super Important for SEO

by Fashionmista aka That IT Girl, Spammy Scammers, and Katie James

Ladies!

I just love tweaking copy on websites in those special SEO hot spots, tracking the results, and then blasting to everyone what I find. This tip is an easy one, and we've covered it before: Page Titles are Super Important. I just changed a few little words in one of my blog posts titles, and it moved from page 1 #6 in google to page 1 #2 in google in one week.

This is a GREAT way to try and increase your traffic by little numbers at a time. If you pay attention to your stats, to your comments, to what your readers are saying, you will see how you can change particular blog post titles and double your traffic to that page. If you are getting 10 hits to a post page per month, you could get 20. If you did this to 10 posts, that's 100 extra very relevant hits per month. I measure this for big and little websites - from one that has tens of thousands of users a month, to my own little blog (FashionMista), which is what I'm about to share. On a larger website, you can change your targeted keyword on one page to a better one that you found by doing your keyword research (try Keyword Discovery) and pick up 4,000 per month, up from 1,000. BUT, you could also have the reverse effect, and change what isn't broke, and start to slide down. So always do your research.

Here's what happened for my little blog: I am getting laser hair removal done on my legs, and am blogging about it. The intent (and thus my target keyword) was to blog about "laser hair removal". Therefore, I had that term in all blog post titles, in links where possible, and in any pictures (alt attribute). What I did not intend was to become a voice for/against American Laser Center (ALC), which is where I'm getting it done. But, that is what has happened. My blog posts naturally optimized for "american laser center review". Why? Because some other review type websites linked to my main page, people commented with those words, and I said "american laser center" a lot.

The other day, I got a comment on my main laser landing page from a girl who said something like: "I know this post was done in 2005, but it still comes up number 1 for a search on american laser center reviews, so I'll post a comment to warn..." Unhappy ALC people seem to find my blog, and comment about it. Which is fine. But anyway, I hadn't been following my ratings for this term, and sure enough, I was #1 for "american laser center reviews". I was #6 for the singular version (review). But I wanted to be higher. :) What's an SEO  girl to do? Change the post title.

My blog post title was: "Laser Hair Removal: I Got Lasered" I liked it because it seemed compelling to me, and suggests journal entries. But, after learning that I was #1 for "reviews", and #6 for "review", and wanting to rule in both terms, I changed it to: Laser Hair Removal: My Experiences and Reviews at American Laser Center."

That's it. I just changed the blog title. I actually edited the article to make it more current, explain that it was a work in progress, and did drop in "review" in more places.

The result? Doubled traffic in one week.

Pay attention. You are your own gold mine.  :)

ps: Here is an article on a blog post title with pictures

pps: Rankings mentioned here are subject to change at any time...so I better stay sharp!

A Few Clicks For You: Online Resourses

Where's the party? If you are an event planner or provide services to events, then check out Event Living, which is a great resource.

Shop Around.  Looking to create your own e-commerce site? Check out Shopify which is an easy and
inexpensive solution.

Kid Stuff. Groom your kid to be the next Martha Stewart by getting them involved with entrepreneurship early. With FranChild, sons and daughters between the ages of five and fifteen can start their own little franchises.

Post Princess: Girl Mogul Founder Andrea Stein

From New Jersey Incubator Member, Andrea Stein founder of Girl Mogul.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be many things.  An astronaut, a diplomat, an interior designer, or an inventor, but never a princess.  Even then I knew being a princess was a dicey proposition.  Princesses got to where they were through the lucky accident of birth or marriage.  Princesses waited to get rescued. Princesses were always the victims of attempted assassination. Princesses got left behind when the fun started.  I, on the other hand, dreamed of being a SOMEONE (not just an anyone), but it was always a someone who had gotten there through talent and hard work.

 

It seems that we’re in the midst of a princess craze, where everything for young girls is pink and revolves dressing like a princess, and growing up to become a princess. And I wonder why? Why are princesses, with their vacant looks and adventure unfriendly clothes, so enticing? Why, with so many truly exciting things out there to do in the world, does being a princess still seem like fun? It seems to me, that in today’s competitive economy we should be teaching our daughters to discover their talents and how to use them to create wonderful, fulfilling, economically sustainable lives, without the castle, or the prince.  My daughter may the only girl at daycare without a Future Princess t-shirt, but I’m going beat this Princess craze. 

 

And that’s why I launched GirlMogul.  At GirlMogul we develop and sell products that encourage girls to think about becoming something other than a princess. You’ll find t-shirts and products with slogans like “Future Rocket Scientist” and inspiring quotes by encouraging women, reminding girls that not all role models come with a tiara. So, if you’re as discouraged as I am by the Princess craze, please join my movement, check out my progress, share ideas, or just chat, by reaching out to me at andrea@girlmogul.com - together we can inspire a little girl to see the world differently.