Past Midnight Thoughts

It's past midnight here, and I should be sleeping. The truth is I'm way too excited to sleep. I know I'll pay for it in the morning, but such is a life in transition. I'm counting down the days till I'm done with my day job.

It's kind of bittersweet though, saying goodbye to clients in that capacity-not fully knowing if they'll follow me into my own marketing practice, but I'm sure hoping they will. In order to do that, though, there's work I need to be doing now. There's much preparation involved in this whole entrepreneurial thing. I want to be ready to go full steam ahead when I hit full time business status on June 2nd. So many strategies to implement and get into place between now and then.

I'm starting with seminars because they are a great icebreaker...and there's plenty of marketing, networking and publicity mileage that you can get out of a seminar. Some people are terrified of public speaking, but I find it exhilarating. It's a powerful feeling to share knowledge you know will make a difference if it's applied. While I can never guarantee that it will be applied, I do love the rush of hearing that a marketing or publicity idea that I suggested brought results.

As for the seminars...

I'm starting with a very familiar topic and an easy on the pocket book priced seminar for moms in the area thinking about working from home. It's a dessert seminar and I just know it's going to be great fun (as well as educational...but really...what's the point of wasting an evening on anything if it's not at least a little bit fun? Right?)

Then I'm moving up into online techniques for local business. I believe strongly that the next wave of internet changes is going to involve building networks within existing communities...online and offline. I'm looking forward to serving Northern Alberta in getting online with effective techniques.


From there, I'm doing my first offline joint venture with Arrow Business Training of La Crete Alberta. I've dubbed it the Northern Alberta Super Sales Seminar and I'm really looking forward to it.

All of the above, plus the full time job and three children to care for are why I haven't kept up with this blog over the past little while. (Okay, long while! Don't tell me there was anyone out there waiting for me to post--my stats tell a different story!)

In any case, I was up and excited...so might as well blog some thoughts - even if it is past midnight.

Oh! That reminds me - since it's past midnight...

It's time to celebrate the launch of The Passion Project Blog - it's a great group project that I'll be contributing to in the months ahead.

Well, I just yawned...so maybe I can try to get some sleep tonight.

Saving Money Doing Business Virtually

I was just sending my new rates off to a company that I ghostwrite for. I'm not sure it's proper to post their location at this point in time, but I'll check on that and get a link to you, if it is considered appropriate.

In any case, I have one rate for online clients and another for offline clients.

The reason is simply that I can charge less if I don't have to put on make-up, do my hair (and deal with all the appropriate appliances and hair goop to accomplish a somewhat professional look), get dressed and then get into my increasingly expensive car to make an in-person presentation.

Which brings me to my point of how you, as a small business owner, can save money by hiring virtually. Of course, buying local is important for most (if not all) of our physical products, but there are times when buying virtual makes sense.

Of course, some specialists, even those that work from home, will always command higher prices. Such cases are rare, for the most part the cost of services is much lower through a home based business than a comparable business with a storefront.

It's less expensive to provide services from home than they are from a traditional office setting. With less overhead, the savings can be passed on to the client.

Countdown to Freedom - 49 Days

It's still morning as I write this, so there are 49 days until I reach the end of my out of the home experience. For those who don't know, I put in my resignation at the radio station earlier this week. I've become tired of being an employee and it's time to spread my wings as an entrepreneur again. At the end of my final day, I will have been working out of the home for 1 year and 10 months.

I'm already starting to seed for potential clients and contracts. Six weeks is not much time to get the groundwork in place, but I'm confident I can do it.

I got quite the boost last night when I found two potential clients in my neighbours back yard. How cool is that?

I must try to remember to take my business cards with me even when I go to casual bonfires in people's backyards. Last night, I just wandered over in jeans and a t-shirt and didn't have a card on me.

I didn't feel like running home and grabbing them. I think that would have revealed a level of desperation that I don't want to portray. I mean, really, it's one thing to spot a potential opportunity in an unusual or unplanned situation, but deliberately going home to get my cards would have left a nastier impression than not having my cards on me did.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for today. I have much writing and preparing to do...

There's only 49 days left after all!

Brainstorms and Business Ideas

I'm sick today. That seems to be happening way too much recently, but what can I do? Of course, it's not the same illness that plagued me in the past few weeks but some new bug that's decided to visit. Stupid immune system just isn't working right!

On the plus side it gave me the opportunity to call in to the Moms Morning Show. It's on Blog Talk Radio and I simply can't resist the urge to call in whenever I tune in. I'm sure one of these days Kelly McCausey is going to say "You know what, just don't call in because you are boring". She hasn't yet, of course. It's just my own insecurities shining through.

The topic today (and all week long)
Evaluating Business Ideas: Good, Bad or Just Plain Ugly?

You can tune in to the show and listen in yourself.




So Kelly threw out this idea of creating three months worth of idea starters for blogs, articles and so on as a business model. Now keep in mind this is a pulled out of the air idea, not something that she (or anyone we know of) is planning on moving forward with.

Initially, I thought the idea was a bit of a stinker. So many questions ran through my mind. How would the seller be able to promise 80 unique topics to a wide range of clients in multiple niches? Who is going to be willing to pay for just topic ideas? Won't there be an issue with complaints if those ideas are poorly implemented? How would one establish their expertise enough to really sell the idea?

As the show progressed and I heard other opinions I began to change my mind. This could be a valuable resource if put out by the right person. How much time do I waste trying to decide what to write myself? How many days do I not write because nothing has inspired me enough to write?

(The answers are a lot of time is wasted and I don't post often enough, despite the fact that I keep trying to re-focus and put in a regular effort to post often)

So maybe the idea has much more merit than I originally thought. Maybe this is even a service that I could use. Maybe someone should run with it...

It may not be the point Kelly was trying to make, but as I began to digest the information shared after the call I realized that initial impressions of an idea or concept have to be questioned. Whether you think an idea is brilliant or a bomb, it's only by digging deeper that you can really evaluate it.

Questions have to be asked (and answered) about marketing, customer service, delivery, scheduling, skills & expertise before you can be sure that a business idea will fly or flounder. An idea on it's own is just that...an idea. It's how you choose to take the idea and germinate it that really defines whether it's good or bad or ugly. In one person's hands the idea will be bloom and in someone else's it could whither and die.

On another note, I had stated early in the show that I haven't found any shows on Blog Talk Radio that I listen to other than Moms Morning Show. I'll have to blame early morning fog for not mentioning Puddle People Hour, The Passion Project, and Dr. Sally Witt. Those are all Blog Talk Radio shows that I have listened to and enjoyed. In fact, I was on The Passion Project and will be appearing on Dr. Sally Witt's show - though the date has not been confirmed yet.

Heartbreak and Holding Grudges

Yeah, it's been a while since I posted. I was sick.



I did get the next episode of Relationship Talk Radio up last night. It was the continuation of the last episode where we talked with Jo Jo Tabares of Art of Eloquence. I thought it was interesting to hear Roy and Jo Jo's takes on how society's influence is affecting trends in marriage. I posted about one of those trends on the blog over there.

Anyway, I was sad today to learn that Internet Based Moms will be discontinuing the Audio Interviews after this next batch is completed this month. Not just because I liked the money (though of course I'll have to replace the income so I can continue to work towards my thousand dollar goal that will bring me home) --but also because I really thought it was a great idea to have these interviews with successful entrepreneurs sharing their insights and advice. Alas, it never quite caught on and therein lies the heartache.

As for holding grudges, well it seems I tell myself I should be over my co-worker and her birthday insult by now (when she chose a cake that said Older than Dirt for me when every other female member of the staff has received a boy toy on a bearskin rug on their cake for their birthdays) but every so often something comes up that reminds me of it and brings back the anger. Today was one of those days.

I'm 35 and for the most part I'm comfortable with that. I have a beautiful family and a beautiful home - things I consider benefits of being my age, rewards for getting through the lean years. Most days, that's enough for me and I can accept it. But having my nose rubbed in the fact that I'm no longer quite youthful makes me cranky and snarly. I'm sure she'll understand when she's older and not quite so perky, but in the meantime it just ticks me off that she feels in any way entitled...

It makes me want to make sure I go in to the office with massive amounts of food on her "can't have" list and eat them all. (She's on a diet...) Not my fault I've got three kids and can maintain at 125 lbs without dieting. But that would be mean. And considering I felt bad the other day when I was at my desk and hungry and discovered a leftover Easter Reese...it would probably hurt my own conscience more than it hurts her feelings.

I just have to get over it and let it go.

I'm sure one day I will...

But not today...