Mommy Meeting is proud to announce our MAIN event is back!

The 5th annual Momporium™!

Applications are now being accepted for vendors for the event!

Momporium™ will take place on Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. at Aspen Grove Lifestyle Center in Littleton.  Below you will find the application to be a vendor.

Living in disorganization and chaos negatively affects our lives in terms of money, time, health and safety.

We all experience situational disorganization due to life transitions such as a relocation, a new baby, an adult child moving back home, marriage or divorce. However, if you are living in a state of chaos for a prolonged period of time, your environment will take a toll on your emotions.

Disorder is defined as a breach of peace. A disorderly environment isn’t a place where you can find peace; in fact, it is important to be aware of negative emotions commonly caused by disorderly environments.

What feelings do you have when your home, office, or car is in a  cluttered and disorganized state?

Overwhelm:

Have you ever said something like this?
“I don’t know where to start or how to start. It’s too overwhelming.”
“I feel like I just can’t get control of these piles.”
When you get to the point of overwhelm, you are no longer in control of your things, your things are now in control of you. When you’re spending time searching for things or paying bills late, you may feel hopeless. One solution is to create a plan, break the project into small steps, and focus on completing one step at a time.

Shame or Guilt:
How organized do you need to be? A family member or friends expectations of your level of organization may not be fulfilled successfully because of your lack of time, skill or energy, or other life events. Have an open discussion to explore the reality of these expectations and any limitations you may have. Perhaps you can come up with a compromise, or you may agree to hire help to get you back on track.

Embarassment:
“I limit company to certain rooms of my home. I’d be too embarrassed if they saw the other areas.”

“I haven’t invited anyone into my home for years.”
Homes are spaces to be enjoyed and shared. We are designed to be part of a community, and when you are too embarrassed by your home to have friends or family over, consider the importance you are putting on your stuff over your relationships.

Anger, tension:

Being told what to do or how to change the mess builds a wall of tension that may explode in anger and resentment. People have varying degrees of attachment to things and different tolerance levels to clutter. A lack of clear and caring communication, understanding, and patience in addition to real or perceived inaction and blame makes arguments about stuff turn into arguments about people and their behaviors. If this is you, think about having a trusted friend or a professional organizer help. It is important to have someone who is non-judgmental and supportive to help keep you focused and on track.

Hurt:

As clutter fills the space in your home, it often pushes out the people. As you gather stuff, those around you may be filling with resentment or pain because they feel you are insensitive to their needs and desires.

Depression:

If you surround yourself with things, there may be a chance you are hiding from someone or something. Surrounding yourself with items may also be a sign that you are trying to fill a void from something you have lost or lack in your life. Talk with a therapist who can help you uncover and deal with the real issues.

Your outer environment directly affects your joy and ability to do life. Make a decision to change your physical space and you will experience the miraculous change happen within yourself as well. Decide that 2012 is the year you will bring peace and serenity to your home and your life. All it takes is a little order and some systems.

Organization IN-Sight

SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
How long has it taken your office, your basement, or your home to become cluttered and filled with stuff? The answer may be several weeks, months, or even years! Over time we accumulate more than we can possibly need or use. Unused items become “clutter.”

It is unrealistic to think that you can organize your home in one afternoon if you haven’t dealt with your things for several weeks, months or years.

Large organizing projects are like diets (eek, not that word!). You need to do an honest assessment of what the root causes are, what you need to learn or do differently to improve, and how you can maintain. Being organized can become a lifestyle, like being healthy.

Angela Cody-Rouget is the founder of Major Mom and is a Certified Professional Organizer and Family Manager with over two decades of order management experience.  She also served 14 years in the U.S. Air Force where she embraced the importance of processes and organization.  She reminds us that getting organized is not a luxury, it is a necessity.   She can be reached at 303.991.5478 Office or Click Here to visit her website.

Perhaps it isn’t the vast display of beautiful fattening and sugary foods that has you turning toward these irresistible munchies, perhaps it is the high levels of stress, media and retail demands for “more”, obligations for parties you just don’t have time to attend, and decorating that you no more put up then have to turn around and take back down. Adding these additional duties to your already stressful life may have you under a lot of pressure and stress, leaving you feeling defenseless and tired, turning toward caffeine and sugar to help you gain energy you don’t really have or seeking shelter in a few moments of sweet retreat.

You might be struggling with one, or both, of the above scenarios, but you don’t have to. Following a few simple rules from now until the end of the season, may make each decision a little easier, the stress a little lighter and the holidays a little more enjoyable!

1. Slow Down – This is possibly the most important thing you can do. Consciously slowing down forces you to be more focused on the food you are choosing, chewing slowly enables you to enjoy each morsel; which allows your body to register that it is satiated. This awareness will help you to stop when you are full. Being present and sitting down when you are eating will help you to avoid mindless eating which quickly leads to over stuffing yourself with junk food.
2. Allow yourself to enjoy – A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule. There is so much pressure around food for many of us that this restriction can easily lead to overindulgence, secret eating, binge eating, and more. I always tell my clients to enjoy themselves, if you see foods you love on the table, treat yourself to these foods. The release will feel liberating, combined with the first rule, will allow your body and mind to fully enjoy your treat and feel satisfied. It is much easier to then choose more healthfully if you feel you haven’t “broken” any rules or totally blown your diet by this indulgence.
3. Veggies, veggies, and more veggies – creating a healthy balance around the holidays is easier if you increase your vegetable intake. Cooked or raw, vegetables provide you with much needed nutrients including vitamins A, C, E, K, folic acid, calcium, and many phytonutrients science is just beginning to understand. Adding in a wide variety of vegetables in many colors enables you to intake an array of nutrients that will naturally keep you well and your spirits lifted. Examples include: broccoli, cabbage, kale, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and onions.
4. Hydration – I find that this time of year, I am always seeking something warm to drink. This feels natural as it’s cold outside, however, this often leads to overconsumption of coffee and caffeinated tea. Both coffee and tea are extremely dehydrating. Keeping your body hydrated is a great way to ward of feeling tired and stressed as well as the best way to stay balanced and healthy. If you are like me and are seeking warm fluids, opt for warm water. If this doesn’t sound appealing, add ½ teaspoon honey or fresh lemon juice for flavor.
5. Find ways to relieve stress – the levels of stress around the holidays are extremely high, for many reasons including the ones I mentioned above. Being able to control the stress effects on your body will enable you to better engage and enjoy your holidays. Ideas for stress relief include – movement – exercise, yoga, running around your living room with your kids, and going for a walk. Bring movement into your day whenever possible. Getting outside for fresh air and sunshine is ideal, even if it is for brief 10 minute intervals.
6. Breathe – when I am really tense, I hold my breath. This is interesting as sometimes I suffer from panic attacks where I simply cannot catch my breath. Interesting catch 22 if you ask me. However, practicing breathing techniques can really help calm and center your mind, prevent anxiety and panic attacks, and help give you time to appropriately assess any given situation. This practice alone may help you get through each of the coming days with much more grace and enjoyment. A great place to find such techniques is on U-tube – try looking for John Douillard for his one minute breathing practices are greatly helpful to me.

The holidays are meant to be a time of celebration, with friends and family. With modern day societal pressures, the many lists of to-dos, shopping lists a mile long, grouchy people at every turn, financial pressures more than we should bear, social engagements every spare minute, sugary treats and butter smothered breads, this festive season quickly turns into a night mare. The stress alone is too much for a single person to tackle without tools. Add a restrictive diet, calorie counting, and guilt and you have a catastrophe on your hands. Enjoy your holiday with less stress and a happier less guilty conscious using these tools, stick with them, and you may find yourself in January with many less weight centered resolutions!

Have a very happy Healthy Holiday!

Tammi Hoerner is an AADP Certified Health Coach who supports busy professional women in reaching their greatest health and lifestyle goals, one step at a time, through personalized programs focused on the individual. For a FREE one hour consultation with Tammi, call 303-736-9023.

Mom to: Two boys ages 4 and  2

Website: www.yourcardgal.net

Give us a brief description of your business: Send Out Cards is an amazing company that allows you to make a difference in the lives of others. It is a unique online greeting card system which in less than 60 seconds, you can choose a standard or custom card, add a personal photo, write your heartfelt, inspirational, or cheerful message and click send. Send Out Cards prints, stuffs, stamps and mails your personalized greeting cards to any postal address anywhere in the world, all for less than the average price of a greeting card at the store. The gift selection is a great addition and allows you to go the extra mile to bring about another smile. You can also earn an income with Send Out Cards by becoming an Independent Distributor. You can start your own business and earn income every time people you bring into the company send greeting cards or gifts with the Send Out Cards system.

What is the best part about being a mom? The best part about being a mom is being a mom. What I mean is that I am responsible for bringing up two wonderful little boys, showing them what it means to love Jesus and to love others. What an honor and a challenge. I love watching them grow each day!

What inspired you to start your business or go into your industry? I wanted to be able to stay home with my children while supplementing my family’s income. And I absolutely fell in love with the mission of Send Out Cards….helping people act on the promptings we all experience to reach out and touch someone’s life. This company makes it so easy to send out kindness into the world and I love that!

Who is your target audience? Businesses, individuals, really anyone who wants to show the people in their lives that they are loved and appreciated!

How long have you been in business? I have been with Send Out Cards for about a year now and really feel blessed to be a part of the thousands of cards that go out daily knowing the lives they are touching.

What makes your business unique? Send Out Cards makes it so convenient and inexpensive to send cards and gifts. It is a great tool for businesses to use to send a genuine thank you, reminder, or follow-up card and to show their business clients and customers just how important they are. The system has a contact manager in which you are able to store all of your addresses in one place. You are able to create campaigns where you can send the same card to as many people as you want, perfect for announcements, invitations, and holidays. You will never forget a birthday again! With the reminder system, you can store important dates like anniversaries and birthdays and receive a reminder every time. One of my favorite parts is the Gift Catalog. No longer do you have to browse the stores searching for a gift to send. From the comfort of your own home, you can choose delicious brownies, Mrs. Fields cookies, a gift card, or any of the other wide variety of gifts.

Do you have a tagline you use with your business? Changing lives…..one card at a time! This has been proven time and time again. Some of the stories I hear are so incredible!

What did you do prior to your business now? I was an office manager for a custom home building business. Now, I love being able to set my own hours around my family, and it is much more fun to be passionate about your job!

What is the greatest source of clients for your business? Family, friends, or anyone who wants an easy, convenient and inexpensive way to send personalized cards and gifts.

Describe what your ideal workday consists of? More hours in the day!? I would love to have time each day to send out several unexpected cards, to share Send Out Cards with at least one new person each day and to show someone new how fun and easy it is to use the system. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but with two energetic little boys, this rarely happens! That’s what’s so nice about being your own boss though, 15 minutes here, 10 minutes there, you just have to fit it in when you can and know you did your best that day!

What have been some of your major successes? Last summer I won a challenge and received a free ticket to our national convention in August in Las Vegas. It was an incredible experience! Recently I advanced to Senior Distributor, which is the first level of leadership in the company.

What have been some of your major challenges? I have always been shy, so gaining confidence in talking to people has been a real struggle for me. Also finding time to devote to my business, I know all of us moms have that challenge .

On tough days, what motivates you to keep going? Knowing this is where God wants me right now. Also knowing that I am contributing to my family by earning extra income and believing the people I send cards and gifts to feel more loved and appreciated.

What is the biggest mistake you made that taught you something in your business? In the beginning, not using all of the tools the company provides to help me share the system and business opportunity more successfully. I use those tools now and am having much more success, so I definitely learned there is no need to reinvent the wheel!

What is your best piece of business advice everyone should follow? Don’t get discouraged when you fail. Learn from your mistakes and use the experience to grow.

Describe your first “woohoo!” business moment? When I signed up my first distributor…. I was excited for me, I was excited for them, I thanked God and my husband was proud of me. I thought “I can do this and I like doing this!” It was a great moment!

Where do you draw from for inspiration? I definitely have to rely on God first, he gives me the strength to keep it all going each day! Also, my up-line is an amazing person. She showed me that you do not get into Send Out Cards, Send Out Cards gets into you. And our founder and CEO challenges everyone to find “The Why that Makes you Cry”. In other words, what is the core reason you are doing this business? It took me a bit, but I finally dug down deep enough to find it. Now I read it and pray about it every morning and that gives me a fresh start each day.

Do you have a favorite motivational quote? “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you’.” Psalm 32:8

Tell us your favorite business book you have read? It is called Appreciation Marketing by Tommy Wyatt and Curtis Lewsey. We have become so reliant on technology to communicate with each other, this book tells you how to put the human touch back into your life and how to achieve greatness though gratitude.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to your children about running a successful business, what would it be? Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

What is your secret in balancing business and family? Family definitely comes first, and I fit my business in where I can. I may not be on the fast track like others in the business, but these early years with my children are priceless!

Do you have a favorite business tool and/or resource you use? The Send Out Cards website is a really great tool! It was specifically designed so that the CEO’s 8 year old daughter could easily navigate it. The website makes is so easy to stay organized and to send out the most amazing cards!

What is next for your business? Send Out Cards is the largest first-class mailing company in the U.S. and one of the fastest growing network-marketing companies in the world. So I am going to continue sharing the system and the business opportunity with everyone I meet and build a team that wants to send out kindness and positivity into the world.

We love learning new things and being able to apply it to our business. Join us for  the Mommy Business Book Club! 

This is an event you can enjoy from home! Commit to reading Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy   Then call in on our conference line from the comfort of your home and discuss the book with us!

Here is a little overview of the book:

Get More of the Important Things Done Today!  There just isn’t enough time for everything on our “to do” list and there never will be.  Successful people don’t try to do everything.  They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure they get done.  There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s probably the worst thing you’ll do all day.  Using “eat that frog” as a metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day — the one you are most likely to procrastinate on, but also probably the one that can have the greatest positive impact on your life — Eat That Frog! shows you how to zero in on the critical tasks and organize each day.  You’ll not only get more done faster but get the right things done.

We will be having our call on Wednesday nights during the month of December to discuss chapters in the book each week. We will chat for 1 hour each week. Our first discussion will be be on Wednesday, December 7th at 8:00 p.m. So put the kids to bed or find some personal time for yourself and share what you are learning with other like minded women. Call in to as many of the dates as you are able. Join our discussion at any time during the month.

December 7th- Chapter 1 – 6

December 14th – Chapter 7-13

December 21st- Chapter 14-21  Last night and wrap up. Help us choose the next selection!

Order your copy online here:  Amazon

To access our book club:

Dial into our Conference at (712) 451-6000 use those free long distance minutes on your cell phone!

Enter access Code 531327#

Business: Premier Designs High Fashion Jewelry

Mom to: 2 boys age 4 and  15 months

Website: www.premierdesigns.com

Give us a brief description of your business: Premier Designs is an amazing business venture that has changed my life; it’s a business that puts people ahead of profits and serving others above everything else. Teaching women how to accessorize to stretch their wardrobe with the addition of jewelry instead of the continuing “I have nothing to wear” closet crisis. My favorite part of this business is giving away FREE jewelry to my amazing hostesses who have a girl’s night with my jewelry box. We have so much fun, taking time away from a busy and hectic schedule to spend a few hours of ‘me’ time while learning to save money and look polished and put together.

What is the best part about being a mom? Who can really answer this question? Being a mom changes everything about you – who you are, where your priorities are and SO much more. I guess my favorite part is just the blessing of watching them grow up, moving between the phases of maturity and becoming their own individuals.

What inspired you to start your business or go into your industry? I was looking for an opportunity where I could stay home with my children and contribute to our family finances. My husband and I both knew additional income would be a requirement if there was any potential for me to stay home with my boys. Premier’s opportunity allows me to do both!

Who is your target audience? For the most part Premier targets women – although annually we do host a men’s shopping event, allowing men that opportunity to have a no brainer shopping event. But there are no limits, from the woman who is looking for a simple piece to the fashionista who loves to put on the bling, Premier’s line has something for everyone. Ultimately I strive to teach women techniques that help them incorporate new pieces into their existing jewelry box to give them a more polished look.

How long have you been in business? I have been with Premier designs for a life changing 13 months and still continue to be impressed and awed by this company and their core values!

What makes your business unique? There are other direct sales companies out there – in fact several direct sale jewelry companies but NONE with the hostess and compensation plan that Premier has! A hostess plan with 30% of retail sales in addition to 4-$25 FREE jewelry bonuses. My average hostess receives $225 in FREE jewelry and that is with an average of 5 guests – this isn’t the party girl who packs the house this is just an evening of fun and fashion with her friends. But the most unique element I have found about Premier is their marketing plan which has NEVER changed in 26 years of business. Jewelers make 50% of ALL sales (all the time no exceptions) and have a 10-10-10 commission structure with the Premier Family they develop and cultivate. Did I mention they have NO QUOTAS! This is an amazing business!

Do you have a tagline you use with your business? Want FREE Bling? Give me a Ring! I think it was my second month of doing business when I gave a hostess over $500 in FREE jewelry and I realized women NEED to know about this! Where else can you get that much FREE jewelry?

What did you do prior to your business now? Before Premier I struggled with balancing my kiddos and a full time job as a paralegal working for the government, in a demanding job where I constantly felt unsuccessful and others often were rewarded for my efforts. As my own boss now I work when I want, I spend time with my family when I want and Premier is constantly rewarding my efforts – whether that is from my upline, or the home office making that effort of personal service to thank me for my work as a jeweler!

What is the greatest source of clients for your business? The greatest source of clients is other women – like the moms in Mommy Meeting. I love giving others FREE jewelry and have a great referral credit for women who pass on my information to others they know in search of a business opportunity or women looking for accessorizing ideas that keep them out of the mall.

Describe what your ideal workday consists of? Before the kids get up and I’m “mommy” I’d set up my papers, work in the office and take care of some general administration – this pre-planning helps SO much in wisely using available time throughout the day. If you have only 30 minutes to work, you don’t want to waste that time cleaning the office (I know we’ve all done it) but cleaning your desk doesn’t get bookings on the calendar. This planning allows me to have the morning with the boys doing preschool curriculum and playtime. Then when naptime roles around I can spend my 30-45 minutes of phone time making customer care calls, hostess coaching, booking new parties and following up with the jewelers in my family. Generally after bath, bed and prayers it’s my time to catch up on emails, facebook and other internet activities (when I know other moms are doing the same but really it’s too late for calls). Something I learned while juggling mom life, Premier and a full-time job is you have to use your time wisely fitting your business into the nooks and crannies in your life – we all know there is NO free time, so if you wait for it you’ll never get your business going.

What have been some of your major successes? At National Rally I got to walk the stage, receiving Joan’s Rookie Club Award – which represents the top 4% of new jewelers in Premier. Then at my nine month anniversary I become a Builder – the first level of leadership in the company.  This was amazing recognition from the home office, but perhaps my biggest success was quitting my day job and officially becoming a stay at home mom and momprenuer.

What have been some of your major challenges? I think the majority of us in direct sales would say the major challenge is continuing momentum and keeping bookings on your calendar. Thank God for a supportive upline that provides constant training, support and motivation. The women in this business keep nothing to themselves, when they find a booking technique that is working the first thing they do is share it with the rest of us and many a time that has revamped my calendar and kept me going!

On tough days, what motivates you to keep going? My upline has engrained in me that one of the most important  elements of this business is knowing your WHY. Know why you are in Premier and that is essential on the tough days.  When I remember that I am in this business for my children and to stay home and commit to them I remember that tough days are just a season and they will pass! I also think having a dream board where I can really visual the dreams that I have for my business – keeps me focused.

What is the biggest mistake you made that taught you something in your business? Andy Horner, the founder of Premier ingrains a servant’s heart into the jewelers in this business. We are NOT a department store we are true servants for our hostesses.  Unfortunately, once I dropped the ball on a return/exchange for a customer and to this day I still feel terrible that I didn’t provide the level of service he would expect from us. That poor customer had to wait to receive her replacement jewelry and although I gave her a gift certificate and profusely apologized I knew that I hadn’t done my best to provide her timely service. Sadly I lost a good customer and really more I had hoped that she would become a friend. You better believe that recommitted my attitude about the importance of serving others through return/exchanges.

What is your best piece of business advice everyone should follow? Work your business EVERY day! Even if that is only 15 minutes while you wait in line at the carpool and make phone calls. Consistency keeps your business alive and thriving.

Describe your first “woohoo!” business moment? When I first started with Premier, I had a friend who offered to help support my business and host a jewelry night. She was an AMAZING hostess. From her party I not only took home more than I was making in my full time pay check (for two weeks of work) but I also had countless bookings and met my first jeweler who started my Premier family.

Where do you draw from for inspiration? My upline is an amazing source of inspiration – women who have thrived and succeeded in this business. But really it is higher than that – Premier reminds us to focus on God first, family second and business third. Now I will not tell you that I do not always have things in this order, but the fact that God provided this business at a time where I had such need reminds me of his provision and blessing in my life.  Aside from my Premier mom who is an amazing woman, I have to say honestly it’s my husband who inspires me in this business.  He has stood along side me at every step of the way from big to small. He walked with me at National Rally in celebration of our business accomplishment, he loads my car before I leave for a home show, and he stays up late and drives my mail to the post office (so I don’t have to go with my two young boys).  In SO many ways, he shows his support and inspires me not to just keep this business but to grow it.

The program will launch on November 2nd, Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00p.m.

New Beginnings Signature health & life transforming program will propel you toward your healthiest and happiest self!

Along the way you will earn complimentary wellness reward incentives to allow you to have relaxing and healing services from their staff– these include:

· Level 1 – complete all tasks for level 1 and earn a 30 minute Reflexology session

· Level 2 – complete all tasks for level 1 and level 2 and earn a wonderful rejuvenating 60 minute facial

· Level 3 – Top level – complete all tasks in this 12 weeks to wellness for women program and receive the benefits of earning a full 1 hour relaxation massage to celebrate your accomplishments!

Benefits of the 12 weeks of wellness for women program include:

· Learning about foods that nourish and heal your body

· Learn easy and fun ways to prepare these foods

· How to get the biggest bang for your buck with food

· How to fit movement in to your already busy schedule

· Learn to nurture and care for your amazing body

You’ll also get:

· 4 – 1 hour group coaching group sessions with Board Certified Health Coach, Tammi Hoerner

· Weekly emails guiding you for new steps each week

· Access to interactive supportive online community

· Group support and guidance for making change in your life

The entire program is only $150.00 payable in four equal installments monthly of $38.00 or receive a 5% discount if paid in full at first session. Enrollment begins now and registration is required – call 303-304-7460 and tell them you are from Mommy Meeting!

If I’ve done this correctly, no matter where you see yourself in the scenarios listed, you’ll pull a few worthwhile tips from what I’m about to share. See, I like to share. I do believe it is an art form.  I admire others who share, pay it forward, appreciate what you’ve shared. For me, it is fundamental to social networking. Networking should be natural. For many, maybe even most, it’s not.

People don’t engage with one-way sharing. Jump out of the me box.

1. Make the SOCIAL more prominent in your networking

Think about what gets you excited. What do you feel you know about well enough to feel confident sharing? People typically don’t identify with facts and charts all day – all the time. Online networking should mirror in-person networking. Type with a smile, or with a frown – depending on the message you’re trying to convey.  Choose words which allow the reader to feel your excitement, frustration, interest. Pick an emotion. Now try to express that knowing people can’t read your body language or facial expression(s). Hopefully they can at minimum, envision that you’re saying it. Which leads us to the next tip.

2. Keep it real

Choose a photo of yourself, that shows you, not a character or a caricature of you. Choose one you already have or have one taken, and update it when something has changed. Cut your hair? Don’t use a photo featuring your long, luscious locks. Or one in which you’re wearing glasses if you always wear contacts. The primary reason I think it is important, even necessary to use a photo is two-fold. Look back up at tip number one. People need to feel as if you’re speaking with them in order to encourage true engagement/conversation. Secondly, a current photo (no matter how much you may want to lose a few pounds or have that mole removed) is your identity. An exception. If you’ve created a ‘persona’ it’s okay to go in character. Just don’t expect people to recognize you in person. If that’s what you’re after, success! A natural progression to tip #3.

3. Take it offline

Once you’ve established or in many cases, reestablished relationships in your online circles, get out from behind your computer screen and meet with your network. In person. For real. In real life (IRL). Go to tweetups, Facebook events, networking gatherings sponsored by some of your groups on LinkedIn or professional development meetings and conferences. Your online community will thank you for it. If you’ve not yet done this, if you do nothing else I suggest in this post, for the love of the internet, go to at least one event in the next threemonths. If this makes you uncomfortable simply schedule a coffee meeting with an online connection or two. Once you arrive, if you’ve been using a current photo of yourself it will make it a lot easier for your network to find you, know who you are. Slowly allow yourself to open up to meeting your network in the flesh. You’ll be amazed at how much more interesting and dimensional your conversations will become the next time you sit down with your keyboard.

4. It’s not all fun and games

Successful social networking takes time. In many cases, it takes a lot of time. It requires an impressive amount of reading. And listening or observing others online. Sharing content, not just that of your own, is crucial to your credibility. You are your brand. Even if you have nothing to sell or market. Take the time to define your online and offline networking goals. Use your voice, your true voice to achieve those goals. Do you want to find a job? Get a new job? Gain new clients? Find new readers for your blog? Make new friends? Reconnect with old friends? Sell something? Buy something? Learn something? You get the idea. You must invest the time and go to where the most important network is to help advance your goals. Be cautious, though. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Don’t sign up for accounts and then let them sit idle. It’s okay to devote your time to just one social network at a time.

I have considered my Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn accounts and the feeds I generate on each my micro-blog. I’ve been active for nearly five years on the first two forums and nearly seven years on LinkedIn. I may not have realized it at the time, but my strategy of online networking has led me here, my personal blog. It’s still shiny and new. But I’ve built my networks, slowly, organically and hopefully they are all filtering in to ‘have a look around.’ This takes us back to credibility. My network knows I share. I converse. I promote, yes, but I am not constantly shoving my work in their face. If I do, I give you all permission to call me out for it.

5. Invest

I believe in the 15 minutes a day theory. At least for beginners. Scratch that. For everyone. If you can’t invest at least this much time a day, then networking, especially online,  may not be a good fit or work for you. This is for both in-person and online networking. Once it becomes more enjoyable to you, and with time, your investment  should will increase. Following the 15 minutes, break down your networking into reading (five minutes), sharing (five minutes) and replying/engaging with others (five minutes).

Read your own feeds on twitter, updates/posts on Facebook and LinkedIn. If you bore yourself, why would anyone else take an interest in what you are sharing? If you laugh, ponder what you’ve written, or you are moved to action, you’re a click away from being shared online. Sharing is good.

6. Pay it forward

I believe in twitter chats. I use them for professional development as often as I can. Swap expertise. If you’ve never checked them out, do this as soon as you finish reading this post. Type in a search for terms that interest you. For me that includes public relations, social media, building a brand, humor, writing, journalism, media – the list is vast. Follow the hashtags and see what is out there. Jump into a chat, introduce yourself. Read, share and engage (see tip #5 again).

I’ve picked up the best followers using this method of online networking. When I say best, I don’t mean number of, I mean followers who share, whom I learn from and laugh with often.

Are you a few clicks away from your next business deal, a job offer, a slew of friendships, the best meal of your life or a book deal? Hmm, that might make a good tweet. I’ll be back in a minute.

OH. I almost forgot. When you read online, take a minute to leave a thoughtful comment. Even if you disagree with what you’ve read. Comments are good sharing, plus it puts you out there.

I’m off to Google myself. You should do it too. Dang. Another tweet!

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About Rajean Blomquist:

My undergraduate degree is in communications with a focus on broadcast journalism. I honed my skills in a television newsroom back in the days when smoke from ashtrays filled the air (yes, inside). I have more than a few decades of experience in my chosen career field of public & media relations.

I feel my graduate degree has been in parenting four children and studying social media. Not in that order, I don’t think. I mean, I do think. That makes me laugh. Most days.

You can read more from Rajean by visiting her blog at:  http://www.rajeanblomquist.com/blog/ Mommy Meeting is very excited to have her join us for a featured contributor spot throughout the year!

Business: Cookie Lee Fine Fashion Jewelry

Mom to: 2 amazing boys, Edward (13) and William (10) although they both *think* they’re at least 18… LOL

Website: www.cookielee.biz/kazaylott

Give us a brief description of your business: When it comes right down to it – I help women and their friends have fun playing dress up with jewelry! I bring over my jewels, my Hostess invites all her friends and we play “jewelry model” for a while, chat, eat snacks and chocolate maybe have a glass of wine (it’s a tough job!).  Everyone gets to take their purchases home right away and the hostess gets her favorites free or at a huge discount. The other part of my business that I love is helping women start their own Cookie Lee Biz. With 3 starting options from $99 – $650 and ways to minimize or zero-out the $$ investment it’s exciting to watch women gain self esteem, self confidence and of course make money as they grow their own biz.

What is the best part about being a mom? Sometimes it’s seeing both my boys asleep in their beds… finally!  Seriously though – I have loved watching Edward and William grow up from tiny babies into young men who are able to make good choices and be responsible for themselves. I love/hate that bittersweet feeling of knowing I need to “let go and let them.” I love the bedtime reading snuggles and morning hugs which are pretty much compulsory in our house. I love being able to set my work aside and go for a walk or play a game with my family.  William is a huge board game player and Monopoly or Scrabble are his games of choice right now – who knew there were so many words with a Z or an X in them? Add Yahtzee! Into the mix and there’s your English Language and Math homework right there

What inspired you to start your business or go into your industry? Interestingly it was not something I planned – it just kind of took off by itself. I hosted a party, saw what my consultant did (she just sat on my stairs and raked in the money!) and I thought it might be fun to make a bit of extra cash that way. My friends booked a couple of shows and my business began without my meaning for it to.  Seven years later I am still enjoying doing the parties and taking the free vacations! This summer we are going on a cruise to Europe starting in Spain and visiting Italy and France. Next year we are working towards an all inclusive trip to Puerto Rico! Not a bad perk and really do-able!

Who is your target audience? Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend– but CZ’s and Austrian crystals are definitely more affordable! Cookie Lee is “Jewelry Women Want, at Affordable Prices”. I’m looking for anyone who’d love a fun, easy way to connect with their friends for an evening or brunch party and get free jewelry into the bargain or as a fundraiser for their favorite charity. I am also looking to build my team by helping others start their own successful businesses – so anyone who could use some extra money, who’d like a free vacation or just some more adult or girl-time.

How long have you been in business? It’s about 7 ½ years now.  Sometimes I still don’t really believe that this (once) quiet, shy person who really didn’t wear jewelry has been so successful and kept a business going consistently for that length of time.

What makes your business unique? One of the things that makes Cookie Lee Jewelry unique is that we have an amazingly talented designer in Cookie Lee. Cookie personally designs every piece of jewelry. Every season she manages to outdo herself with new and fresh designs that are cutting edge. It’s common to see other jewelry companies copying her designs just weeks following a new collection launch. I also think that if you are going to start a business in the Direct Marketing or “Stay at Home Mom” category – you may as well have fun with it – and what’s more fun than dressing up with gorgeous baubles and having a party with great women.

Do you have a tagline you use with your business? Cookie Lee is Jewelry Women Want, at Affordable Prices.

What did you do prior to your business now? I have had several different jobs which I now realize gave me a great grounding in business.  My first job was in a bank, then in the accounts dept. of a large corporate company. I moved to their IT dept. as Office Manager and Trainer. When the company outsourced their computer training needs, I was encouraged to set up my own independent company and continue to teach their employees as well as working with other large corporate companies. When I moved to America I was Office Manager in a small company and then moved to my full time and life-long job of Mum to my boys.

What is the greatest source of clients for your business? Most of my clients come from personal referrals. Women have fun at the jewelry parties and decide to have their own friends over for a fun time, one office lunch time show leads to another, a successful fund raiser for one group results in another group taking advantage of a different way to raise money with a product that women kind of want an excuse to buy anyway! … and so on.

Describe what your ideal workday consists of? Waking up early to have a cup of tea and read for a while or just have quiet time by the fire or out on my back deck before my family wake up. Walk our golden lab with my husband Tim. Get the boys ready and out of the door for school. Check my email and find that several online orders came in and were fully processed by the company while I slept. Money in my bank account while I dreamt and I had to do… nothing! The phone rings and it’s someone placing an order for jewelry… we chat and when she finds out that she can get all her jewelry order free by having friends over for a fun girl’s night out she books a party for the next week. I get a bit of paperwork done and leave the house wearing the latest in cute designer jewelry ready to meet a wonderful women that I had met a couple of days before. She wants to find out more about how she can easily add a Cookie Lee business to her already busy and successful life. She decides that it’s just too good an opportunity to miss and signs up online there and then. The afternoon will find me back home thinking about what I am going to pack for my free vacation trip for myself and my husband that I earned with Cookie Lee. Decisions, decisions… What do you take on a wonderful tropical vacation to a dream location? The boys come home from school and the “work” day is over while I help them with homework and find out how their day went. For a couple of hours I am soccer Mom and karate Mom, then I jump in my car to go hang out, drink wine, eat yummy snacks with some great women and play dress up with jewelry. They go home happy with their new purchases and I come home happy with $200-300 profit in my wallet! I love my job What’s yours like?

What have been some of your major successes? Having such an amazing husband and my 2 boys is definitely up there at the top.  Within Cookie Lee actually quite a lot – I have earned the Dream Getaway Trip vacation every year since I joined, so Tim and I have been to places like The Bahamas, Jamaica, Hawaii, Alaska, Cancun and we are going on a European cruise to Spain, Italy and France this year. I have earned the Presidents Awards for Sales and Recruiting for several years now – meaning that as well as the prestige of the award itself, I get a cash award too. I have been in the top 5 regionally for both sales and recruiting several times over the past few years.  This past year I was honored to be chosen to be part of Cookie Lee’s President’s Circle – an elite group of only 6 or 7 consultants personally chosen by Cookie from all the consultants across the country. We met monthly and helped the company with programs they were designing and strategies they were implementing. I believe that Cookie Lee is an exceptional company because they ask for and actually listen to feedback and ideas from the consultants in the field. It was such an unbelievable honor to be asked to be part of that.

What have been some of your major challenges? Time is always a challenge when you are a busy wife, mother and business woman.  I have found that it’s important to prioritize my time and calendar and I do this by putting in the major events and important things first, then seeing how much time I have and where to fit my business in. It’s one of the things that I love about my business – the flexibility to do what needs doing on my schedule and not someone else’s.  Sometimes on tough days I don’t! I settle down with a cup of tea (or depending on the time perhaps a glass of wine) and a good book and allow myself the freedom to just take time off – it’s great! Sometimes I’ll go for a walk and being out in the gorgeous Colorado countryside is enough to lift my spirits. I can do that because I know that what has to be done will get done. I don’t have anyone breathing down my neck asking me where the monthly report is (or whatever). I know that although all I do is sell jewelry, I am also offering and helping other women achieve their own goals and dreams. Did you know that a goal is just a dream with a deadline? How big can you dream?

What is the biggest mistake you made that taught you something in your business? I used to compare myself with the really successful top consultants in our company and wonder how come they managed to have such huge sales, grow giant teams, get so many show bookings, new recruits, fund raisers etc. etc. I really beat myself up about that and how I wasn’t able to do what they did. What I came to realize is that I already had a full time job being a Mom and that’s where my focus is right now. What I found is that having this business is not a race – I do it at my own pace and my own level and that’s now what I teach my team. The beauty of a business like Cookie Lee is that you CAN prioritize your life and set it on the back burner when you need to, and then pick it up and run with it when the timing is right for you. I learned that it’s OK to be me and it’s OK for you to be you.

What is your best piece of business advice everyone should follow? About the “No’s” that you get in response to your offers. You are going to get a lot in any kind of business. Don’t take them personally – they are not meant that way. So just say “OK” and move on to asking the next person how you can help them. Maybe they will say “Yes” and maybe they will say “No.” Both are good and allow you to know where to focus your time and energy.

Describe your first “woohoo!” business moment? My first Woohoo! Moment was right at the beginning when I had my first 2 shows within a couple of days of each other. One party was $700+ and the other $500+. I sold over $1200 of jewelry while having a great time playing dress up, and made over $600 in profit – that’s when the light bulb went off and I thought “How easy was that!”

Where do you draw from for inspiration? I love to hear from other women about what they have done in their own lives or businesses to better themselves or improve their level of success. The women on my team inspire me – they are such an incredible group of women and they all have their own dreams and goals they want to achieve. I enjoy supporting and encouraging them to do that. Sometimes I’ll flip open my Bible and see what God has to tell me today – it’s always something relevant and inspirational.

Do you have a favorite motivational quote? I love the quotes from children – I have a book of them. Here’s a couple of my current favorites: “You can sit around and wait for a ride, or you can start walking.” “Every drop of rain adds to the ocean” and “It doesn’t matter how fast you’re running with the football if you’re going in the wrong direction” I love how kids get to the heart of a situation and just lay it out there. When you look at the wisdom contained in some of the things they come up with it’s amazing.

Tell us your favorite business book you have read? I loved Angel Tuccy’s book: “Lists That Saved my Life” and I’m now reading “Lists That Saved my Business” She just has a way of making it all sound so obvious and easy…

If there was one piece of advice you could give to your children about running a successful business, what would it be? Do something that you love. Find out what makes YOU tick and go with it.  Be respectful. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

What is your secret in balancing business and family? I don’t feel that I have totally mastered that yet. I really don’t believe that *balance* is actually possible because things change so fast in life with families and with businesses. Life is not a perfect balance – it’s always going up and down. I feel that I have it pretty well under control right now and that makes me very happy. I guess that knowing that I can do what I need to do for my family, be there for and with them when I need to(or just when I want to!) gives me a good feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. My “job” allows me to adjust and make corrections as I go along. My boss (that’s ME) is really understanding when I tell her that I won’t be going in to the office today because my child is sick, or because I need to have a day playing with my friends on the ski slope or maybe I just need an extra long lunch with my husband today.  That’s balance.

Do you have a favorite business tool and/or resource you use? My computer is my biggest tool – I use it way too much! Mommy Meeting is another “tool” that I love, and it’s so much fun too. Our corporate website has all the tools that I need to run my business,educate myself and support my team. My bed and sleep is another tool that helps me a lot !

What is next for your business? My plan for this coming year is to enjoy myself even more with my family, at my parties and with the women on my team, and to continue to build my business to even greater success. The past year has been a time of searching and figuring out what I want to do when I grow up. This year I will be celebrating my 50th birthday… I know – it’s just unbelievable, and of course I don’t look it! It’s a fact though so I have to deal with it. It’s time to put more fun into my life, as well as helping other women have more fun in business for themselves.