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How To Be A Pregnant Entrepreneur – #Smallbizchat QA with Darla DeMorrow

How To Be A Pregnant Entrepreneur – #Smallbizchat QA with Darla DeMorrow

by on January 19, 2012 in Mompreneurs, Q & A Interviews, SmallBizChat, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with professional organizer Darla DeMorrow @DarlaDeMorrow  Darla helps people find their desktops, keys, time, money, and sanity as a certified professional organizer, but her kids still leave toys on the floor. She was a pregnant entrepreneur twice and wrote the book The Pregnant Entrepreneur. Website: www.PregnantEntrepreneur.com

Smallbizlady: Once I realize that I’m pregnant , who should I tell and when?

 

Darla DeMorrow:  Disclosure of your news requires a plan.  Start with your spouse, then family when the time is right.  Tell employees, then clients.  Then figure that everyone else will already have heard the news, but still be prepared to tell people.  Don’t let people wonder too long, especially employees and key clients.  You want to assure them that there is a plan for business continuation.  Unfortunately, there is still a stereotype that most women decide to stay home after having children, even if that isn’t reality. It’s unbelievable, but you may be discriminated against for being pregnant, and you may not even know it.  But it’s almost never worth pursuing, other than to perform your best, just as you always have.

Smallbizlady: What kinds of things should I spend my time on while pregnant, getting ready for change?

Darla DeMorrow:  In your first trimester, start any new projects that can better sustain the business, especially passive income streams that you might want to develop. In your second trimester, wrap up any major projects and secure any agreements with colleagues or suppliers.  In your third trimester, spend time on building relationships, scheduling business for your return from maternity leave, and putting finishing touches on any new passive revenue streams.

Smallbizlady: How long will I be able to work while pregnant?

Darla DeMorrow:  Every pregnancy is different, but with good health, most women will work right up until delivery.  Physical changes do start almost immediately, though, so the golden rule is to listen to your body and don’t do something if it stresses your body.  Although I was able to do much of my normal workload right up until my ninth month, I did find that I was accomplishing work much more slowly.  So if you work alone much of the time, consider bringing in an assistant to help speed things up, even if you are otherwise healthy.

Smallbizlady: How long of a maternity leave can I take?

Darla DeMorrow:  The good news: you decide how long you can take.  Your bank account determines how long you can afford to take.  Do a review of your bank account to see how long your business savings will allow you to run the business and still pay the bills. Decide how to increase revenues or cut expenses if you want to take a longer leave.  If you aren’t good with numbers, use the Maternity Planning Guide I developed to help figure it out. The guide is in The Pregnant Entrepreneur and downloadable free at www.PregnantEntrepreneur.com . If you have the opportunity to establish any passive income streams now, like books, virtual consulting, tele-training and paid subscription programs, they may be able to add income even while you are not working.

Smallbizlady: Will I be able to run my business, even with a pregnancy and with a child?

Darla DeMorrow:  Yes, if you want to.  The keys will be organization, focus, and support. Talk to other business owners.  Read what you can.  Write down your plans for the business. Do it now.  Most women will tell you that flexibility is the most important factor as their family grows, and you probably already have high flexibility as a business owner, so you are ahead of the game.

Smallbizlady: Will anyone else help pay for maternity leave?

Darla DeMorrow:  Sadly, no.  Unemployment and health insurance don’t cover maternity leave for the self-employed.  If you aren’t yet pregnant, you might be able to buy a disability policy to cover time off, but do the math to see if it will pay enough to cover your loss of income.  Start with your insurance carrier or a local benefits and insurance broker to research this, but do it before you
get pregnant.

Who else can help me run the business, even if I am a sole proprietor? Get a team together.  Think like a big company and list out who your key suppliers and subcontractors are.  Figure out if any of them might be able to service clients while you are out.  Forge relationships with competitors to enable new clients to get serviced and old clients to get help.  Consider earning referral fees if you are willing to refer clients out to  Consider hiring help.

Smallbizlady: What if I don’t want to continue to run the business? When should I not continue?

Darla DeMorrow:  Being an entrepreneur is great, but only if you are profitable.  If your review of the business shows a deficit, and you can’t or don’t want to make changes to the business for profitability, then close the business without regret.  According to the SBA, 50% of small businesses close after just five years in business.  That doesn’t signal failure, but keeping an unprofitable business running while you could spend time on a new business or with your precious newborn is not a smart choice. This time will never come again. Having the option to devote time to your family is a luxury, and can be cherished.

Smallbizlady: I had a very difficult pregnancy and was on bed rest for nearly 6 months.  What advice do you have for entrepreneurs who run into complications?

Darla DeMorrow:  Complications that put you out of work are relatively rare, although they do happen.  Plan for the worst, from how you will handle clients or employees to the reserves that you’ll need to close operations for a while, should you run into trouble.  If you do get a bed rest prescription, talk with your doctor about how much work you should be doing, even with the help of today’s technology. Really, as a business owner, you should have a plan B anyway.  Anyone can run into events that would disrupt a business, from a death in the family to a car accident.  We don’t want to think about it, but successful business owners do.

Smallbizlady: Should I still try run my business with a small child?

Darla DeMorrow:  Yes!  If you are passionate about what you do, then your business will continue to be fun and rewarding, and possibly even a welcome break from all the pregnancy and baby craziness.  If you are profitable, even a little bit, the flexibility that you gain from owning your own business will be worth so much more when you have to work around another small person.  If you are passionate, you have a better chance of being successful than established businesses in your field.

Smallbizlady: What do I need to know about those first few weeks with my newborn?

Darla DeMorrow:  Turn off the technology. Everything changes, so plan but be flexible.  Give yourself a chance to unplug.  Six weeks is absolutely not enough time to get used to the new normal and handle a full work load.  Have a backup plan in place if you need to take a little longer getting your bearings.  You may want to keep in touch with key contacts, but don’t immediately jump back into the fray if you don’t have to.

Smallbizlady: What is the one thing you must do as a pregnant entrepreneur?

Darla DeMorrow:  If you don’t already do this, pay yourself.  Mark your paydays on the calendar.  Pay yourself when you sit down to pay your bills, once or twice a month.  Write yourself a check or get to the bank and withdraw cash.  If you haven’t started taking a salary from your business, start now, even if it is only $25 per week.  You’ve probably been pouring all of your profits back into the business, but you deserve a paycheck, too.  This becomes super important since you will probably need more income now, whether for necessities or just cute little baby outfits.  But if you are going to stay in business for the years to come, it has to be worth it, and working for free isn’t fun for long.  Make it pay for you and your family.

 

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

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How to Simplify Your Life in 2012- Q/A with Allyson Lewis

by on January 5, 2012 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Women in Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Allyson Lewis @Allyson7Minutes Allyson has spent the last 29 years developing and teaching concrete, actionable business ideas all over the country. As a successful wife, mom, business owner and time management expert, this wasn’t pie in the sky talk, it was survival as she learned to juggle priorities. In her latest book, The 7 Minute Solution: Creating a Life with Meaning 7 Minutes at a Time, Allyson Lewis shares strategies to help you Prioritize, Organize and Simplify® your life for greater meaning and productivity. Enjoy the worksheets, webinars, and more – subscribe to the downloads for Member Tools area of her website www.The7MinuteLife.com 

Smallbizlady:  Why is understanding the power of 7 Minutes important for Small businesses? 

To experience a more meaningful life, you must consciously choose what you will pay attention to each moment. In business, what you focus on determines your level of fulfillment, productivity, and success. Most of the actions that consistently empower businesses are micro actions, actions that take less than 7 minutes to accomplish, yet in their simplicity, they are often overlooked. When we as business owners, become very focused on microactions, they get us moving. They are the starting point, and the difference between being stuck (doing nothing) and taking action and moving forward.  Making small changes, microactions, in your thoughts, expectations, and actions can compound to make monumental changes in your business life. If you focus on microactions, deliberate small steps, tiny steps, because they are doable, achievable, they do not overwhelm you and your business moves forward. Prioritize, Organize, Simplify ™ is the first concept The 7 Minute Solution focuses. Setting in motion microactions each day such as:

  • Outline a daily plan of action for specific business tasks to engage forward progress
  • Thank a co-worker or customer for their service or efforts
  • Build time each day to catch up or finish a task that may have been waiting for attention
  • Eating your meals, and drinking water, with time for short breaks for snacks…choosing health

Microactions add up, they compound in business and in your personal life. They train your brain to succeed by repetitive awareness of paths to success.

Smallbizlady:  How can getting control of your time & your MORE meaningful life improve business success?
Neuroplasticity is the capability of your brain to create new neural connections, to rewire itself for success or failure. When we strategize, organize, and simplify what we expect of ourselves each day in time management, we teach ourselves literally how to succeed in business. When we set small actionable microactions in our daily routines, we focus on five values based microactions before eleven o’clock. Those five focused actions literally in ninety days give us the opportunity to have 450 small changes towards goals we specifically identify. How many of us would find tremendous value in 450 consistent steps towards success every 90 days. Business success can be learned, business success is dependent upon hundreds of microactions that allow for customer service, sales, follow ups, accounting, etc. The majority of problems that hinder small business success are solvable, inactivity or lack of consistent action on the tasks you do know how to do, often are more destructive than the challenges business owners face that they are unsure how to accomplish.

Smallbizlady:  What would you advise entrepreneurs and small business owners to do to simplify 2012?

The requirements of small business can be overwhelming if a lack of focused attention on the priorities of your business are not engaged.  There are literally hundreds of things you can list that are a part of your success in business, but if most of us are focused, it boils down to five things:

  1. I think the first priority for every small business person should be to take the 50,000 foot view and it begins with thinking.
  2. Taking time to think without distraction or taking time to think with FULL attention will allow you to clarify your strategic plan.
  3. With your strategic plan, you can set boundaries for a clear path that leads to a meaningful destination.
  4. Next, prioritize your plan into high value activities to achieve your objective, take seven minutes each day to create a written daily plan of action so you will be much more likely on what is most important to your success.
  5. Finally, you cannot do 100 activities a day. Commit to accomplishing 5 high value activities before 11 am each day. We call these completing these your 5 before 11.

There are hundreds of microactions to support those five steps, but until the first sale is paid for, business is about finding out what you do, connecting clients who need what you do, and how to deliver that product, service, or consultation for a profitable payment.  It is very easy to spend an inordinate amount of time wishing you had clients, but when you shift into a specific, measureable, actionable expectation goals each day such as  “I will greet each person with smile and “How can I assist you?” or “I will call 10 of our clients to see if they need assistance and to make them aware of our current offer” we move from overwhelmed to on target for success. Imagine how doing 5 of these actions before 11 a.m. each day. How many of you have actually called, or checked up on 900 of your clients or potentials in the last 90 days? Could you see the value of consistent achievable microactions for your business?

Smallbizlady:  What is the biggest mistake you see small business owners making about their time usage?

The mistake I believe most of us make until we are aware of the issue is to over-schedule and over estimate what we can accomplish in a day. Just as we cannot play 24/7, we also cannot plan to work effectively without time for life as well as work. We need time for meaningful relationships, health, fun, play, etc.  So many business owners are beginning from the position of a side job or second job as they build their new business. My own career as an author, speaker, and facilitator is on the side of another full time role. I had to learn to truly become aware of the high value activities I could engage with my authoring.  There were many overwhelming things that could simply keep me making circles with no result until I learned that by focusing on what the high value activities are for the outcomes I desired, I could truly simplify how much time effective actions take.  It may take you all month long to worry about how a website should look, but it may only take visiting 6 websites of business websites you enjoy using, or ones that are like your business to know what you do and don’t won’t as you design your own. In my own experience, after 7 minutes of looking, browsing, and thinking about it, I was prepared to find out how to engage those qualities into my own. Did I complete a new website in 7 minutes? No. The website took longer, but I didn’t spend weeks and weeks thinking about needing it, I began where I was and we went forward in small, incremental steps until it was where it functioned in a way that was supportive.


Smallbizlady:  The favorite thing I learned from your book, is your 5 before 11 rule? Can you explain that?

The five before eleven process engages five meaningful high value activities into your day before eleven a.m. Those microactions are focused on  supporting the life you seek to live. By making them a priority, you are actively seeking to support the MORE life you identify as your goals to living and supporting a MORE life.

Smallbizlady:  How did The 7 Minute Solution come to be?

The 7 Minute Solution became the roadmap of my journey to create more meaning in my life. The Seven Minute Difference, the first book in this trilogy of tools, focused on how to make time for life.  After six years of focusing on how to get more into my day and helping businesses function effectively, I realized I wanted more than just more things done, I wanted MORE purpose, MORE joy, MORE family time, MORE meaning, MORE focused life goals, not just more done.  I wanted to learn how to bring more sustained attention to the values and life engagements I have identified as important to me. Completing a project, task, or goal using sustained attention carries an emotional reward. When you complete those tasks your body rewards you with chemicals called endorphins that give you a sense of well-being. I wanted that sense of well-being to exist in my daily life in many areas of my life.

Smallbizlady:  Why isn’t simple time management enough?

Each of us have passion driven purposes and we are empowered and happier when we engage them daily . Meaning and purpose are different for each person. Knowing what is most important to you is the beginning of the MORE life. You probably already know what you truly think is important, but you may not have approached your to-do list with activities that support those values in mind. As we learn to focus on those values, and provide supportive systems to engage those values in our daily life activities, we begin to live our values. When we live our values in our daily existence, our lives reflect more joy, more fulfillment, more success, more of the things and activities that we appreciate…a MORE meaningful life.

Smallbizlady: Why is it important to use a daily planner in business?

When you work in microactions that identify measurable, doable goals, you can improve your income, business, and enjoyment of life. We become what we repetitively do, think, act on. If we focus on the lack of clients without making microactions to create a new customer list or base, we continue to be in lack. If we use a system planner to help us focus, stay on priorities, and review success actions daily, we move our business forward and our life begins to support our desire for success.  When we choose high value activities and write them down, we hold ourselves more accountable to measuring the microactions that lead to progress on our goals.

Smallbizlady: How can the 7 minute solution help with goal setting?

What would it be like to step back for a time and THINK? How different would your business and personal life be if you could consciously plan what to pay attention to consistently? Goal setting  is about focusing your attention to success in business and in life. Knowing why you do what you choose to do will give you a harness to unlock the power of intention.  If your intention is to increase customer repeat business, setting micro action goals such as verbal appreciation to each transaction, a followup call, email, or thank you postcard, and/or customer reward based surveys to check how you are doing may be appropriate goals to support the desire to have more repeat interactions. By knowing the macro goals, the micro actions become very easy to focus and move forward with as you engage the 7 minute solutions.

Smallbizlady: How does your first book The 7 minute Difference compare to this new book the 7 Minute Solution?

The first book was about the “what” actions for time management, new book shares how and why to do those actions. The 7 Minute Difference was about what time efficiency would look like in business. After several years of training and the changes in real time media 24/7, I realized that a new path would have to include choosing value based activities with the understanding that a MORE life for me was more than simply performing in business. I wanted MORE meaning, MORE fun, MORE time with family, MORE giving and other activities that have a high emotional payoff for a meaningful life. This book gives you the “HOW” and “WHY” of how to implement that learning.
Smallbizlady: Do you have tools, free materials or a planner to review for small businesses?

It is my goal to provide as many tools in as many modalities of learning for people who want to find their MORE life as a service to our readers. Our online version and applications for ipad and for smart phones are underway.  We are constantly developing, updating, improving and providing new resources for those who seek them at absolutely a “no strings attached” model.  You can download the first chapter of the book, use tools to support your desired changes and even download the planner with no expectation of purchase. Of course, we believe once you learn The 7 Minute Solution concepts and tools, you’ll never want to be without them! Our team members are as diverse as this audience in age, background, and culture, we know the value of developing the tools so that each person finds one designed for their learning style and experiences.

What would your final advice be for small business owners such as yourself?

Take the time to truly think through what it is that is the MORE life for you. Set goals, talk about what matters with those who matter to you.  Work through the steps to finding your purpose with the tools we provide for free in Member tools.  Take time to Prioritize, Organize, and Simplify your life goals and activities.  Your life is truly worth taking the time to consider.

FREE OFFER: Would you like to receive a download of Chapter 1 and the free member tools such as our Daily Progress Report Planner? The 7 Minute Life materials are at http://www.the7minutelife.com . We would love to you’re your MORE life goals personally and professionally for 2012 on our Facebook wall.  www.facebook.com/the7minutelife (and know that one of MY goals is to give MORE away this year, so keep checking back with us for MORE gifts we’re giving away!)

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

 

 

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5 Tips to Create a Successful 2012 Marketing Budget

by on December 6, 2011 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

It isn’t 2012 just yet.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be planning for it.  For any business to be successful, it’s necessary to have a marketing budget.  And while next year seems like a far off notion today, there is no better time to start establishing how you’ll invest your marketing dollars.  Below are five tips to create an effective marketing budget (whether budgeting is your thing or not).

  1. Start planning now.  Waiting until the start of next year to do a 2012 marketing budget is a great way to have a disorganized budget that leads to mishaps.  You need time to walk away from your initial budgeting ideas so you can come back to them with a clear head.  And when the numbers don’t add up (and often they don’t) you need time to develop a solution.
  2. Assess this year’s budget.  One way to get started with next year’s budget is to have a grasp of what was hot and what was not during 2011.  Were there areas you went well over budget?  Were there categories in which you never spent a dime?  Although this year’s activity isn’t an exact prediction of next year’s results, looking at your current expenses let’s you know where to make adjustments.
  3. Include an income column.  Not all marketing is an expense.  When you host a webinar or luncheon and charge people to attend, you are not only marketing your business but also deriving income from that activity.  Knowing what efforts bring in money is a great way to assess their impact on your business.  It also shows what is worth continuing and what needs to be scrapped.  If none of your marketing activities include income, it’s time to strategize a few income-producing endeavors.
  4. Expect the unexpected.  Keep in mind your marketing budget has many of the same characteristics as your personal budget.  No matter how well you plan for every eventuality, something will come up without notice.  Leaving a little wiggle room in your marketing budget for unexpected expenses lets you make sound decisions.  Label a special column for emergencies so the wiggle money doesn’t get needlessly spent on something frivolous for the office.
  5. Know the difference between a sound marketing strategy and a fad.  You may have your heart set on a marketing tactic, but if it doesn’t support your overall business or the numbers just aren’t showing, it’s time to let go.  If it seems that this tactic is being used by everyone else, keep in mind your business is different.  What works for one business might not work so well for another.  Know what your business needs so you can develop a unique, hard-to-copy marketing approach.

Creating a marketing budget (or any kind of budget, for that matter) is often NOT at the top of someone’s “favorites” to-do list.  But with persistence and a willingness to get started early, the process can help you build a solid foundation for the upcoming year.

By day Morgan Leu Parkhurst helps individuals put the pieces of their marketing puzzles together.  By night she teaches marketing to entrepreneurs.  Morgan is also   producer of the Magnetic Biz-Building Online Summit.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Are You on the Path to Reinventing Your Small Business?

by on November 15, 2011 in Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Grow Your Business, Women in Business

Small biz owners are reinventing their businesses all the time, especially in this economy. Old ways of doing business just aren’t working anymore. I’d love to be able to tell you that there are set of linear phases that every small business owner goes through while you’re reinventing your business and marketing models…

…but if I told you that, it would be a lie.

But there are some well-known phases that you might go through, sometimes circling back to one you thought you already finished, and skipping others completely. All these phases require you to put on your CEO hat and take a step back from daily busyness to look at the big picture.

Here is a short list of some of the signposts you’ll encounter on the road to reinvention:

  • I know/feel/sense/think something needs to change – You find yourself pausing in the middle of the day and asking, “What’s next for me and my business?” People report feeling restless or frustrated, knowing deep in their heart and mind that the business needs a fresh new approach.
  • Finding clarity on goals – If you spend time tapping into your goals for your business (and for yourself personally), you’ll find that it’s easier in the next phases to explore and choose the right business model for you. Is there a particular problem you need to solve? A particular dream you’d like to achieve? Values you’d like to express into the world?
  • Exploring the possibilities – In this idea-generation phase you explore every aspect of your existing business model, looking for places to add, modify and discard. Since there are 9 areas to explore, you’ll have plenty of space to be creative. Even the craziest of ideas can be a springboard to a new business and marketing model.
  • Making a road map – This is where you design your new business and marketing model, keeping what still fits from your old model and mixing in the new ideas you’ve generated. This is also where you create your transition plan and map out where and when changes will take place, and what resources you’ll need to make it happen. Now you’re thinking like a business owner and not just a worker-bee!
  • Taking the journey – Implementing your business model changes can happen in a week or it can be a two-year process, depending on how complex the changes are and how many resources you have at your disposal. This is often a journey through the weeds and can be rough going. Why? Because you have to continue to run your existing business (unless you’re independently wealthy!) while creating your new business at the same time. Managing change can feel like a juggling act.

You’ll know when it’s time to start thinking about transforming your business. And now you know you’re not alone in thinking that way: people before you have been down this path and emerged victorious!

Where are you on the path to reinventing your business?

Karyn Greenstreet is a self-employment expert and business reinvention strategist. She shares techniques, skills and strategies about the 9 areas in your business where you can reinvent and transform. Visit her business reinvention website at www.RoadmapToReinvention.com

 

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Shark Tales That Will Make You Swim

Shark Tales That Will Make You Swim

by on June 15, 2011 in Women in Business

“Shark Tales” by Barbara Corcoran is a hilarious and honest tale of how a business empire was built, and I loved every minute of reading it!

Her inspiring story of how she beat poverty, dyslexia, made D’s in high school, didn’t finish college, and survived a no-good boyfriend to start The Corcoran Group, which she sold nearly 28 years later for $66 million, is a remarkable story that could encourage anyone.

I believe that no one becomes who they are by accident, and this book confirms my theory.

Barbara is truly a product of her Catholic working class New Jersey family. One of 10 kids, she often reflects on situations from her childhood to handle business and personal issues. The book skillfully weaves her childhood stories of lessons from her mother with business lessons we can all learn from.

Barbara was influenced heavily by how her mother skillfully managed her huge clan, and made each of her children feel like they could do anything. Armed with her mother’s sage advice, Barbara used empathy, creativity and playing nice as her secret weapons in business.

In the end, she built a nationally recognized $5 billion dollar real estate business.

Chapter 9 (It’s Your Game, Make Up Your Own Rules) is my favorite chapter. It’s about when Barbara discovered the power of public relations. Two of the best stories in the book are when she took on Donald Trump and won, and later when she wouldn’t take no for an answer from Shark Tank creator Mark Burnett. Her tales are bold and motivating. It made me love her more than I already did from her regular contributor gig on the Today Show.

After her initial business success which made her an industry giant and multi-millionaire, Barbara wasn’t ready to retire and struggled initially to reinvented herself. I was amazed by how transparent she was about her insecurities throughout this book, but especially after she hit it big.

Her humanity is what makes this book such a great read.

For all the Shark Tank fans, she also gives tips on what attracted her to the deals she cut on Season one of the ABC primetime series. She shares the inside scoop on what it takes to catch her eye for investment.

Her principles include: Trust Your Gut, You Can’t Fake Passion, Dress The Part, Do Your Homework, Fancy Talk Don’t Work, Pushy People Deliver, You Gotta Have a Gimmick, Everybody Wants What Everybody Wants, Step Apart From the Crowd, Expand Before You’re Ready, Be Willing to Flop, Shoot the Dog Early, Fun is Good Business, and Pick Good People.

I would add another principle: Barbara Corcoran always made her weaknesses her strengths by facing them head-on and working hard to learn. I believe she wants to help as many people as possible hit it big in business.


Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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oprah winfrey purple finale dress

6 Things Oprah Winfrey Taught Us About Business

by on June 5, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Before You Start, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Oprah Winfrey is my hero. I never thought about being an entrepreneur until she got on my radar when I was in college in the early 90’s. It was around that time that she opened Harpo Studios in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio. She immediately went from being just a daytime talk show host to becoming a media mogul. And it was awesome to watch. The biggest thing she did for me was show me that I could do it too. I have studied her every move in business. I had an Oprah file for a year before starting my production company in 1999. Any article I could get my hands on about her business I would devour, print and keep. What I love about her most is that she has never been about goals. Oprah Winfrey has always been about growth. She has constantly evolved.  That and her business acumen will leave a lasting legacy to all business owners to come.  Here are 6 Things Oprah Winfrey taught us about business. 1. Find your calling. Oprah said in her final show that every day she walked on stage she felt that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.  If you have no life plan, you are most likely following someone else’s agenda for your life. Live on purpose! Don’t be one of these entrepreneurs with an endless to do list, exhausted at the end of day– getting nowhere fast and not making any money. Oprah urged us to follow our own truth. God speaks to us though visions and dreams. Pay attention to what he is showing you about your destiny and build a business around that. 2. People show you who they are the first time. If a prospective customer approaches you, acting like an impossible nightmare, that is exactly who they are and how they will behave if you move forward in business. Do not allow your need for money or a contract force you to tolerate someone who does not value your professional expertise. You will never be paid enough money to make it worth it. 3. Oprah owned a broad niche. Oprah targeted a demographic that was women of all ages and income levels. She developed shows that would appeal to career women, working moms, stay-at-home mothers, grandmothers, retirees, high school and college students. And her audience was loyal because she helped them be better, live better, and find a correct fitting bra. 4. OWN your mistakes. In the wake of disappointing ratings at OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Oprah’s latest venture in partnership with Discovery Networks, Oprah made a change at the top.  Network head Christina Norman, abruptly left the 4-month-old cable channel at the beginning of May. How many of us wait until it’s too late to make changes in our businesses? Evaluate what is going on in your business and do not be afraid to change course if you need to. 5. Know that you are worthy of success. Often times we know what we deserve, but the thing that keeps us from truly capturing it is internalizing that we are worthy of all God has for us in our lives and businesses. 6. Be willing to do what it takes. Oprah never missed a day of taping on her show in 25 years.  She knew that showing up was the most important element in her success equation. Are you willing to do all that it takes to make your business a success? I have begun to reach major success in my business, but I started being your SmallBizLady in 2007. There is no such thing as overnight success. What lessons have you learned from Oprah in your small business? For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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SmallBizLady

Blogging, & Handling Corporate Inquires & Monetizing your Online Brand.

by on June 3, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Business Inspiration, BYOB2011, Customer Service, featured, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology, Women in Business, Your Small Business

SmallBizLadyCheck out  this quick video from the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference. Fellow blogger Jewel Figueras of http://www.JewelsFabLife.com was interviewed by LaShanda Henry creator of SistaSense blogs for entrepreneurs and the Black Business Women Online Social Network.

http://www.sistasense.tv/smallbizlady-and-jewelsfablife-talk-blogging-and-working-with-brands-part1/

We discussed blogging, handling corporate inquires and monetizing your online brand.  Enjoy!

I’m always here as a resource.
If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, SmallBizLady, leave a comment on this blog using thecontact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/smallbizlady  or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson

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LINKED IN Logo

4 Things All Entrepreneurs Should Do On LinkedIn

by on May 31, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Before You Start, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, featured, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

 

LINKED IN Logo

Linked in Logo

LinkedIn is important! 75% of all professionals in the US have a LinkedIn profile, which means if you want to do business you must have one too. LinkedIn is powerful tool that you can use to promote yourself if you are an individual consultant or a company with 2 or more employees. Here are my four tips that all entrepreneurs should do on LinkedIn.

Make sure your profile is 100%: If you do not have a headshot, please add a profession one. Typically, business owners who are not 100% lack recommendations. Look at your connections and ask at least three people to write why they love doing business with you. To make it easy, write the recommendation for them. This might be rough, but go ahead and do it.     Actually, you should get in habit of asking anyone you interact with to give to a recommendation. I have over 47 recommendations and counting, you can never have too many.

Know Your Keywords: Your keywords should be spread across your profile.  First your description of who you are should include keywords that your target customer would use to find you on the internet. Your summary and skills should also be peppered with keywords. This will also help you appear higher in Linkedin searches for experts.

Join LinkedIn Groups: You can join up to 50 groups on LinkedIn. You should join at least 10 groups that have your target customer in the group. You should have a strategy for how you will engage and attract members of the group to connect with you. Many groups allow fellow members to connect even though you do not know each other.
Answer Questions:  One of best ways to standout in LinkedIn is to answer questions.  It should become a part of your social media routine. Try to answer two to three questions a week and see how many new connections you will make for your business.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool and a great way to connect with decision makers.  Make sure you are in the best position to promote yourself and your business online. Do you have any other LinkedIn secrets to promote a small business? For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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SharkTales and Small Biz Tips: My Interview with Barbara Corcoran

by on May 12, 2011 in SmallBizRadio, Women in Business

As a small business owner, author, speaker and social media enthusiast, I hardly ever have time to watch TV. That doesn’t stop me from making sure I catch Shark Tank – a weekly show where emerging small business owners and entrepreneurs pitch their business to the “sharks.”  The sharks are an amazingly successful group of profitable business experts looking for their next investment or partnership. Last month I had the opportunity to interview Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul, bestselling author and the only woman “shark” to swim in ABC’s Shark Tank.

In our interview, Barbara talks about what inspired her entrepreneurship and her new book, SHARK TALES: How I turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business. SHARK TALES is Corcorans’ inspiring true story of growing up one of nine siblings, suffering from dyslexia, making D’s in High School not finishing college, working 20 jobs before the age of 23 – and finally borrowing $1,000 to start a tiny real estate business out of her apartment. Relying on common sense, hard work, and guided by her mother’s unconventional wisdom (“If you don’t have big breasts put ribbons on your pigtails.”) she turned $1,000 into a nationally recognized $5 billion dollar business.

Click play to listen to the show! Enjoy

Listen to internet radio with Small Biz Lady on Blog Talk Radio

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Gettings Started as a Work-at-Home Mom

Getting Started as a Work At Home Mom Business Owner

by on April 11, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Before You Start, How to Start, Mompreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Gettings Started as a Work-at-Home MomIf you’re a stay at home mom who’s ready to get back into the workforce as a work-at-home mom small business owner you are in for quite an adjustment.  I believe you should plan your business at least 12 months prior to starting your business as you already have two full-time jobs as a wife and mother.  As a small business owner you are now about to take on a third full-time gig.  Talk about a juggle!

Here are 5 steps that will help you get started so that your juggling act won’t make you feel like running away to join the circus:

1) START RECONNECTING WITH FORMER CO-WORKERS

Your network IS your net worth went starting a business.  Start reaching out through social media.  Everyone should have a LinkedIn Account.  If you haven’t had a picture done in a while invest in a professional headshot.  Facebook is another great way to connect with former work colleagues and potential customers.  Once a week try to schedule a lunch meeting with a former co-worker or mentor.  They will be able to give you valuable insight about getting back out there and pounding the pavement for business and quite possibly give you a lead or two.

2) GET YOUR BABYSITTING SUPPORT LINED UP

If you are going to work from home, you need be in the position to really get work done at home.  I can’t imagine being able to work with children at home all day, without them developing some addictive TV watching habits.  Prepare a budget that includes taking your kids to day care at least three days a week.   Line your night time babysitting support too. You’ll need to make sure that you can attend evening networking events, and you don’t want to get stuck if your hubby is traveling or has to work late.

3) EVALUATE YOUR SKILLS

When you start a business you immediately take on 10-13 jobs at once.  Be sure that you really know your strengths. Have an honest conversation with yourself and list your core strengths and what you like to do. Then list what skills you’ll need to have to run your business.  This will help you understand what kind of support team you’ll need to have to run your business. Continue Reading →

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How to Be a Successful Woman Business Owner

How to Be a Successful Woman Business Owner

by on March 3, 2011 in SmallBizChat, Women in Business

small biz chat with melinda emersonEach week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with Tory Johnson @ToryJohnson Tory is an award-winning business leader, national network television contributor, popular speaker and bestselling author devoted to career success.  She also the founder of the Spark and Hustle National Conference for Current & Aspiring Small Business Owners www.sparkandhustle.com.

Smallbizlady:   What are some advantages of being a woman in business?

Tory Johnson We can make something from nothing — we do it all the time for dinners, we make up activities for our kids, we’re super resourceful and we’re focused on getting things done.

Smallbizlady:    What are some common obstacles women business owners face in start-up phase?

Tory Johnson Lack of funding and a discomfort with sales.  Two huge challenges.

Smallbizlady:   Do you think some women sabotage themselves as business owners?

Tory Johnson Yes, definitely, mainly with self-doubt — assuming they’re not good enough or that they don’t deserve the success.

Smallbizlady:   What kinds of team do you have within your business and how important is it to have a team?

Tory Johnson I started on my own and as you grow, it’s essential to have the right people around you.  It’s difficult to grow when you stay the same size.  My staff is focused on sales and marketing — it’s what we do every day.

Smallbizlady:   Have you used business coaches and/or a board of advisors to help you grow your business ventures?

Tory Johnson: Informally, yes, all the time.  I don’t have one go-to guru. I go to lots of different people depending on the need at any one time.

Smallbizlady:   How did you become GMA’s career expert? What advice would you give other thought leaders with national media aspirations?

Tory Johnson I pitched really great segment ideas — fresh, new, trend-worthy topics. I wasn’t peddling the same old. I had tons of previous local TV experience.  I was—and still am—willing to hustle to produce the best segments. Make sure you’re media ready.  Make sure your ideas serve the audience, not your business.  Make sure you watch/follow the outlets you’re pitching.

Smallbizlady:   Is it a good business model to develop a business targeting women customers?

Tory Johnson Sure, but more importantly, you want to narrow your niche. ALL WOMEN is too big.  Focus more specifically on who exactly you serve.

Smallbizlady:   Many women juggle family responsibilities and running their businesses, do you have any advice on have to manage?

Tory Johnson Say no to what’s not important, get your family involved in your business, it’s ok if the dishes sit in the sink an extra hour.

Smallbizlady:    How often do you think women business owners should reinvent their businesses?

Tory Johnson As often as the market demands.  Don’t fix what aint broke, but listen to your audience.  My business grows only when I pay attention to what my followers want.

Smallbizlady:    How should a woman business owners pursue a mentor?

Tory Johnson Don’t ask: WILL YOU BE MY MENTOR? Develop a natural relationship. You can’t push this. Join organizations that are aligned with your industry and interests and get involved.

Smallbizlady:    You recent added business coach to your national brand, launching the Spark and hustle national tour for current & aspiring small business owners. What are you trying to accomplish with this new effort?

Tory Johnson Quite simply, help women launch and grow their small business dreams.  I’m successful at serving employees, now we’re doing it for entrepreneurs.

Smallbizlady: What is the best advice you ever received in business?

Tory Johnson Don’t rely on anyone else—it will always come down to you and what you’re willing to do.  Nobody will do it for you.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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Smallbizlady Help! I Need A Business Mentor

by on February 28, 2011 in Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Women in Business

Dear Smallbizlady, I know how important it is to have a business mentor, but I don’t know many successful entrepreneurs.  What’s the best way to go about getting one?

You’re right about the value of having a mentor, especially today. Choosing a mentor should be a real process of identifying the best person to help you get where you want to go in your business. You should cultivate a strong enough relationship so that asking to become your mentor becomes a natural request with clear mutual benefits.

If you want a mentor, you want to identify several people in order to hedge your bets.  Your selections should be based on who would be best positioned to help you, their time availability and their influence. Then you want to establish a relationship, perhaps by volunteering to work on a nonprofit they support. It’s also worth developing relationships with people around this person, so that you become even more of a known quantity.

Your goal is to present yourself in a very professional way. Make sure that they know you are worth their time.  Bear in mind that mentors don’t take on mentees out of altruism–they’re looking to take on valued contributors who they can grow as well as help them down the line.

Establish a rapport by trying to secure a lunch or coffee appointment at first. If that goes well, ask him or her to become your mentor. It should be a natural discussion to have.  Be prepared with your paperwork—often times mentors ask for business plans and the latest financial statements.

Be sure to express–a clear idea of what you want your potential mentor to help you with in your business. This gives your potential mentor a way to assess whether or not they can truly help you.

Many people who want mentors fail to communicate a strong sense of what it is they want out of the relationship, and that can be an obstacle to both getting a mentor and having a successful relationship with them down the line.

Another great resource for finding a business mentor is SCORE, the organization provides free online and face-to-face business counseling, mentoring, training and advice for small businesses just starting out or hoping to take their business to the next level. http://www.SCORE.org

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda Emersonbusiness experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise Magazine. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010) 

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Are You Right for SmallBizLady’s Reality Show?

by on February 9, 2011 in Business Inspiration, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is looking for struggling small businesses in the PA/NJ/DE tri-state area who are interested in being featured on her reality show pilot.

  • Must be in business at least 3 years
  • At least $250K in revenue and no more than $3MM in revenue
  • Having employees is a real plus
  • Business owner must be willing to tell their hard luck story
  • Selected companies will be eligible for 25K in resources to help their businesses thrive

For consideration, please record a 60 – :90 second video explaining your business and your biggest challenge. PLEASE NOTE: Your submission video must end with you and your team shouting “Smallbizlady S.O.S. – Save Our Small Business!”

Post your video to Youtube.com and submit your pitch with video link to publicity@melindaemerson.com by Feb 15, 2011 at 5 PM ET

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How to Have Balance in Your Life as a Small Business Owner

How to Have Balance in Your Life as a Small Business Owner

by on January 6, 2011 in Business Inspiration, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Tune in to Smallbizchat with Smallbizlady on TwitterEach week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with Debi Silber @themojocoach.  Debi is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s in Nutrition, a Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, author, speaker and founder of www.TheMojoCoach.com . Debi’s branded The Mojo Coach® because she’s personally led hundreds of clients to achieve their ultimate body, mind, image and lifestyle; inspiring them to “get their mojo back.” She’s also the author of A Pocket Full of Mojo: 365 Proven Strategies To Create Your Ultimate Body, Mind, Image and Lifestyle. http://www.themojocoach.com/book_pocketfull.php

SmallBizLady: What are some of the common health issues you often see with small business owners?

Debi Silber: The most common health issues I see are stress related illnesses, chronic disease (which is largely caused by stress and bad habits/conditioning), unmanaged stress, frustration and overwhelm.

SmallBizLady: Why are stress related issues so common?

Debi Silber: It’s a combination of many things but with the small business owner, it’s usually due to where we place our priorities. Many of us put our work at the top of the list. This usually means that our health and wellness gets pushed to the bottom of the list and we take care of ourselves if we have any time, energy and motivation left after all of our other priorities are taken care of. Unfortunately, by the time we’re finished with everything else, we’re usually too tired to do anything different, especially if it involves change. For many people, we’ll live this way until a health crisis or illness forces us to make changes.

SmallBizLady: What can a small business owner do to find more balance?

Debi Silber: There’s really no such thing as balance because your attention is given to whatever you deem important at the time. The key is to make the decision to view health and wellness as important too because really, the better you feel and live, the better your business will be. You’ll have more energy, confidence, be more productive and positive. You’ll exude a sense of confidence and personal power that makes people want to work with you. Can you wake up earlier and get your exercise in? Make lunch plans with a friend each week? Cook healthier meals on the weekend when you have more time? Journal, meditate, or find another way to de-stress? Take away from any unproductive time during your day and allot it to time spent on making yourself healthier and happier.

SmallBizLady: What are a few tips to eat healthier during a busy day?

Debi Silber: Always start with a healthy breakfast. It kick-starts your metabolism and is a great place to fuel up on fresh fruit, whole grains, lean protein and high fiber. Also, pre-plan your day. If you’ll be out, make sure you have some healthy snacks/meals and plenty of water to keep you nourished and hydrated. It’s also best to eat well-balanced meals (healthy carbs/protein/fruit or veg/little bit of fat) every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar and mood stable. This will prevent an energy surge and crash as well as prevent a binge because you got overly hungry or ate too much sugar.

SmallBizLady: What are some unhealthy habits you often see with your small business clients?

Debi Silber: We think we can only have a dysfunctional relationship with people but we often have it with food too. Binge, mindless, social and emotional eating behaviors can have us struggling with food, weight and health for years, and often decades. Some are just bad habits and something like emotional eating for example, is a way to soothe, calm, numb and relax us. It’s a way of self-medicating. We stuff ourselves to “check out” or “stuff” the pain from an uncomfortable emotion we don’t want to deal with. It’s an easy way of meeting an unmet need like anger, frustration, loneliness, boredom, feeling unfulfilled and even fatigue.

SmallBizLady: Exercise is important but we’re either too busy or we just don’t want to do it. What are a few tips to make sure we exercise?

Debi Silber: The first step is to understand our “fitness personality” so we can create a program we like based on our needs, health, preferences and lifestyle. Next, it’s usually best to get it in before the day starts because as the day progresses, things come up and exercise is one of the first things to go if you have a lot to do. If that’s not an option, keep your gym bag packed and ready to go, exercise on a lunch break, hit the gym before you come home, find a fitness buddy for accountability, TiVo your favorite shows and treat yourself to them while you exercise, create a reward system for getting your workout in, etc. The key is to find a way to get exercise in and stay motivated while bringing results.

SmallBizLady: When running your own business, especially from home, it’s difficult for many of us to “leave the office.” Any suggestions?

Debi Silber: Having my business from home, I find it helpful to physically leave the office and shut the door behind me once my kids come home. Shutting the door subconsciously reminds me that that part of the day is over and it’s time to move back into my role as wife and mom. I try not to go into the office much once the kids are home but when you love what you do, it’s especially hard to leave because it doesn’t feel like work! It’s also important to realize that there will ALWAYS be more to do so learn how to pace yourself for the sake of your health, your wellness, your sanity while keeping your priorities and values in check.

SmallBizLady: How does stress affect our health?

Debi Silber: When we’re stressed, we’re not interested in making healthy choices, reading labels, etc. We want comfort foods (which are loaded in fat, sugar and calories) because we’re looking for that feeling we felt when they were served to us long ago. Under stress, we’re also secreting more stress hormones, which encourage us to eat more. Stress also suppresses the immune system. A weakened or compromised immune system puts us at risk for many illnesses and diseases. Stress also affects our ability to heal, affects our nervous system, digestive system, reproductive system, hair, skin, organs, cells…just about everything.

SmallBizLady: What are some of the dangers of stress?

Debi Silber: Stress creates physical, mental, emotional wear and tear. It’s hard to imagine though because we think a physical cause causes a physical pain (ex: stub your toe, it hurts) but think about it. You hear something and your face reddens with anger, you’re embarrassed and you flush, you’re nervous and you feel butterflies, you’re upset and your stomach hurts. These are physical reactions to emotions/feelings. These emotions release stress hormones and chemicals and over time, these chemicals cause huge wear and tear.

SmallBizLady: Sometimes our lifestyles (spouse, family, running a business, etc.) can affect our sleep. What’s the link between a lack of sleep and our health?

Debi Silber: When stressed, we’re not sleeping well and will look for more energy through sugar and caffeine. The empty calories coming from sugar is one of the easiest ways to gain weight. A lack of sleep also leaves us groggy which makes us less productive during our day. It also makes us irritable, less patient, etc.

SmallBizLady: What’s the best way to start living a healthier lifestyle and making changes that last?

Debi Silber: Start small, making changes that work for you. Make 1 change in each of these areas-nutrition, fitness, relationships, emotional health, stress, and spirituality.

Here’s some examples: Nutrition-can you leave over a few bites of food at dinner, drink more water, make a healthy substitution? Fitness-can you commit to walking 1 day this week, bumping up the intensity of your jog, joining a class, working out with a fitness DVD or taking the dog for a run every day? Relationships-can you go out on a “date” with your partner, make plans with a friend, play more with your kids, call an old friend or make a new friend? Emotional-can you talk back to your “inner bully” (that voice that tells you that you can’t, you’re too old, not smart enough, not ready, etc.), change your perspective, lighten up? Stress-can you take 10 minutes to read a magazine, get more sleep, journal, meditate, relax in nature, listen to soothing music, laugh more, exercise to de-stress, knit, do yoga, etc.? Spirituality-can you find a way to feel more connected to something bigger-be more appreciative, donate your time or money to a cause you find meaningful, pray daily.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the Tavis Smiley Radio Show, in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and Black Enterprise Magazine. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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