When I moved to Atlanta from DC in 1995 I didn’t know the difference between email and URL!  Now as I sit here and share my thoughts with you, I can’t even imagine life without the internet.  There is simply no way to comprehend the difference cyberspace has had and will continue to have on our lives.  It’s a great time to be alive and to reap the immeasuarable benefits from today’s technology. 

One of the developments of the internet that allows us to ’stay connected’ is online social networking.  The power to communicate with anyone anywhere at any time is as close as our keyboard.  There are no boundaries, no limits and no roadblocks to ever keep us separated from one another.  We can ’see’ one another through “Skype”, talk with one another through on line tele-conferences and meet one another through networks such as LinkedIn, Plaxo and Ryze to name a few.  Then, of course, there’s the new network that brings entrpereneurs together for socializing, idea exchange, information and for sisterhood.  Drum roll, please,  as I introduce: www.the5secondcommute.com 

Designed primarily for women, the 5 second commute, gives us the opportunity to expand our reach by engaging with like minded women in a warm and encouraging ‘on line’ atmosphere.  I love that The Joy of Connecting has this new social network as it’s on line home and welcome you to join in, to take part and to share your talents, passions and businesses with the rest of us!  Participating is free and the value is priceless.  Join the fun today.  Don’t wait.  Don’t hesitate.  Experience for yourself our expanding community and allow us to include you as friends - our family of choice.  Happy Networking off and on line.  Welcome to the wonderful world of the internet.  Bonnie Ross-Parker, CEO/Founder of The Joy of Connecting.

To piggyback on Bonnie’s fantastic post about “Is This Your Year?”, I wanted to share a couple of things with you.

First and foremost, I’m offering a SWEET deal until January 5th (that’s Monday).

One of the services I offer is a Website Review. You can see more of what that means here:

http://www.carrielauth.com/hire-carrie.htm

It can be extremely valuable to have another pair of eyes looking at your site. If you’re determined to make 2009 stand out in your mind as the year you earned a full time living from your website, this would be a wise investment.

It includes an hour long coaching/strategy session with me, an audio I record with tips on how you can improve your website for more sales and traffic, and ongoing email support for an entire week!

Check it out again here:

http://www.carrielauth.com/hire-carrie.htm

Until the 5th only, I’m offering this service (normally $100) for only $75. Email me at clauth@gmail.com and we’ll set up a time and I’ll give you further instructions.

This month only you’ll also have access to a special report (normally sold for $13.97) all about building incoming links to your site - links are what make your site important in the eyes of Google so this one is not to be missed!

Secondly, after sharing a mistake I made last year that cost me dearly in the last couple of months, I explained how I’m turning the situation around. Perhaps this will help you if you have had a similar experience.

http://carrielauth.com/blog/how-to-resurrect-a-dead-site

MAKE it a Great Year!

More than ever, women are choosing to start their own online businesses. This is especially true right now during the tough economic times we’re living in. Do you have the recommended 6 months’ living expenses tucked away in savings in preparation for lay offs, rightsizing, downsizing, outsourcing and whatever else they’re calling it these days?

Statistics show many of us do not. This is all the more reason for women to look for ways to make money online before the disaster strikes. If you already are in business, make this the year you market it using the internet.

Starting an online business has a number of advantages. These include:

* Start-up costs can be kept low. Starting an online business is usually within reach with small adjustments to the budget. Setting up a website means acquiring a domain name and hosting space - and with tools like Wordpress (the tool this blog is built on) available at no cost, you can literally be up and running for around $20. You will also want to invest in some education, such as through an online networking, education and mentoring group like Mom Masterminds. Learning the basics of how to market your website online are not difficult, but be careful where you get your information.

The Natural Mom Business Guide is one solid source of information on launching a website, specifically for anyone in the “natural living” niche. It includes an ebook with detailed information about researching your target market, the various ways to make money with a website, and how to get the traffic you need to earn income. It even has video and audio tutorials as well as printable “cheat sheets” you can keep by your computer to remind you of the essential steps you need to take in your business to build traffic and make more income.

* Doing business online doesn’t require one to keep certain hours. You can work early in the morning before your kids get up or before you go to a day job, or late at night when everyone is in bed. If you’re a mom, you can work while the kids are napping, with a babysitter or at school. And with the automation that the Internet has to offer, orders can be processed and virtual products delivered while you are doing other things.

* You can get some work done with family right by your side. Older children may even be able to help you with simple tasks. Did you know that the IRS allows you to deduct wages (up to a certain amount) paid to a child who is age seven or older to work in your home business from your taxes? I have even trained my oldest son to add articles to my websites. He earns a nice wage for doing so, far more than an allowance, and is providing a valuable service to me.

There are all sorts of online businesses that are great for women. You could sell your crafts or start a recipe website, or you could start a podcast. You might offer services such as writing, transcription, web design or virtual assistance to customers around the world. Or you could create and sell information products. Even blogging offers impressive money-making potential. The possibilities are many, and there’s sure to be something out there that’s just right for any mom.

Moms make up a large portion of the people who are making money online. This allows them to take a hands-on approach to raising their children while still making money to support the household. They don’t have to count on a sitter to take care of their children’s needs, and they don’t have to make a commute part of their daily routine. It’s no wonder that the number of moms starting online businesses is growing in leaps and bounds.

If you need some assistance choosing a niche, help with the technical aspects of getting your site up and running, or any other aspect of marketing yourself on the internet, get some coaching from an experienced online marketer.

Take the leap - you’ll be glad you did!

My mother often said, “The older you get, the faster the time.” As with most things, Mom was right. As you read this, do you find it hard to believe that its 9 years have passed since Y2K? Remember the crisis mentality that hadhalf the population stockpiling food and water and hoarding cash? All this just in case a computer glitch wiped out our electronics-dependent society. As it turned out, like continued as normal.

As with every New Year, people are pompelled to review and reflect on their accomplishments, unmet goals and the blessings and challenges they experienced. Personally speaking, I can remember being determined to make every year in the new millennium more memorable, productive and better than the last. What about you?

Where are you right now in the plans, resolutions and commitments you made for 2008? Did you enroll in a class that you have postponed until now? Have you announced to yourself and to everyone who cares about you that this year your health is your top priority.  Will you join a gym? Have you jotted down your goals? What about the book you have been meaning to write? Maybe this is the year you leave an unrewarding job to venture out on your own? Make plans to update your will. Do you have one? Is one of your goals to add more balance to your life, creating more time for family, friends and yourself?

The bottom line is that every day we make choices, deciding on the direction we want for our lives. A year from now we will be revisiting the outcomes of our choices; I encourage you to choose carefully. Say “Yes” to your health, to personal and professional development and to spending more time with family and friends. Engage in meaningful work - make a difference in your community - volunteer. If you need someone to help you be accountable, I welcome hearing from you. Together, we can make 2009 the best year ever. I welcome your comments. Bonnie Ross-Parker www.BonnieRossParker.com

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Did you procrastinate?

Didn’t send Holiday Cards? Need to send Thank You cards? Actually, sending cards now can get you noticed (and in a positive way). Instead of your card getting lost in the shuffle of the busy Holiday season, sending a heartfelt personal card for the New Year is surely to make your greeting ‘stand out from the rest.’

Are you making your resolutions for the New Year? Is getting organized and simplifying your life at the top of your list? It seems to make my Resolution list every year. What I find with organizing that has helped me the most over time, is putting systems and tools in place that not only remind me but help make the task easier and saves time and money. Here are to testimonials from two professional organizers who endorse as well as use SendOutCards:

Sending Christmas cards to all my clients was a breeze, using SOC with “custom shared” greeting cards.  SOC saved me lots of time this holiday season:  my client list is already loaded so I  was able to hand-select who to send cards to, I had the cards “done” in November but had the campaign sent in December, and, of course, I didn’t have to address envelopes or slap on stamps – what a time-saving service!

Dawn McCloskey
Ultra Organized, LLC
770-844-1049
www.ultraorganized.com
Member:  National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the NAPO Georgia Chapter
“From chaos comes order”

Send Out Cards is the perfect service to help any company or individual stay organized.  I consider Send Out Cards essential when organizing a client’s home or office.  I organize both residentially and commercially and Send Out Cards is perfect for families and businesses alike.  With Send Out Cards you can easily upload all your contacts, set reminders, even make cards ahead of time and set them to send on a certain date.  With a feature like this, even the busiest of clients can find the time to sit down once a month and send cards for all birthdays, anniversaries and other needs.  Send Out Cards also allows you to create your own handwriting font so your cards even have your personal touch.  Businesses can upload logos and other marketing pieces, making it the perfect tool to promote your business in a cost effective manner.  Save time and money and become more organized in 2009 by using Send Out Cards.

Sharon L. Hess

Mommy Management, Inc.

2260 Rushmore Drive   Suite P

Marietta, Ga. 30062

770-826-3864 - Cell and Office

770-993-4449 - Home

770-454-0143 - Fax

www.MommyManagementInc.com

So whether you want to send Happy New Year greetings or send Thank you cards or both, SendOutCards offers lots of great cards with New Year’s greetings and 1000s of great cards for every other occasion. Ring in 2009 with beautiful and thoughtful Happy New Year Cards for your family, friends, clients, and prospects. You can get very creative by customizing with colors, fonts, and images/photos to create wonderfully personalized cards that are unique and different. Wish your loved ones and clients joy and happiness in the coming year with an exceptional card from SendOutCards today!

Being one who has always been a card sender, SendOutCards provided that system for me and so much more. It provides the tools within the system that helps me to save time all year long. No more driving to the store, post office, stocking cards, (not to mention still not having just the right card when I needed it) and then trying to remember to mail it at the appropriate time. SendOutCards has solved all these issues for me.

I invite you to try the system yourself. Experience a demonstration and send a couple of cards with my compliments. Log onto www.CardsByPaintedLady.com or www.SendOutCards.com/12466.

I will be glad answer your questions and/or send you additional information. Get started today saving time and money. Find out how to set up your starter account for less than $15 with no monthly fees or contracts. Oh and ask me how you can also make money with SendOutCards.

Happy New Year and Happy Organizing!

In gratitude,

Annette

Resolve to Simplify Your Card Sending this year.  Log on and find out how to create, personalize, and mail your cards with just a few mouse clicks. Send them a REAL greeting card with my compliments @ www.CardsByPaintedLady.com or http://www.SendOutCards.com/12466

Gifts, Greeting Cards, and Promotional Products

www.PaintedLadyEnterprises.com

“Helping You and Your Business Look Good”

It is time for the Entrepreneurial World to wake up.

Entrepreneurship is something that was always considered to be for someone else. In a lot of ways it often still is. Many parents will tell their children that they should find a nice steady job, with good pay and great benefits. Well, guess what, the world has changed a lot from those days that you were able to join a company at 20 and leave them at 65.

Joining a company no longer offers the security that many people still look for. Ofcourse, we do need people that want to be employees, or we would never be able to build OUR businesses, but I seriously believe that we should stop telling the next generation that this well trodden path is the only one there is.

In fact - let’s look at the facts. Many people do go straight into working for a (big) company when they finish their education. So they make some nice money, they start spending it on a nice car, and when they are a few years older, they may think of buying their first home. Along comes Love - so now there’s two incomes and so let’s buy a bigger home - because we can all afford it right? And maybe, tiny family member number three is on the way so more space is needed.
Pause right there and take a long look at this picture and think about what could be wrong here. After all, both parents have had a few promotions in the company and are well on their career path, making more money with each step they take.

Except …. there is no freedom in having a big mortgage, or an expensive lifestyle. You are always dependent on someone paying you a big enough salary to cover it, and whilst you may be living in a nice house - it is actually paid for with someone else’s money. Next - a recession hits the world - like it is doing right now and those parents may loose their jobs or have to face longer hours/less pay - and the banks still want their money. And of course, with all the growing and promoting and career planning going on, they may not have saved as much as they originally set out.

This is what happens today. In our current lives - you will very likely have a number of periods between 20 and 65 where no-one is looking to employ you and give you the security you might think you’d gain by being employed. So this is a GREAT time to start thinking about all the things that you have to offer and dedicate those skills to building something much more secure than what any other company can give you: your own company!!

Running your own company is by no means any easier then working for someone else - in fact, it’ll prove much harder and you’ll definitely have times you wish you never had (mind you, I never looked back - it’s been the best thing I’ve done in my life!). But you are able if you do it well - to build up capital instead of debts, and to invest that capital in the one investment that you should always trust in - YOU! Added benefits are that you control your own pension, and of course - you are always in control of your own time and money.  Now is definitely the right time to start - despite the fact that the financial institutions may not lend you any money. There are enough people in your direct environment that are looking for a better place to invest their money then in the stock markets… and you may just be that which they feel they can trust.

If you are still not sure whether you have what it takes, take the great new test on efactor.com: the Entrepreneur’s Mind Challenge® (efactor.com/p/emchallenge) and find out exactly how good you would be as an Entrepreneur!

by Marion Freijsen

Smart Women Finish Rich: 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams by David Bach

A common myth in our culture is, “It takes money to make money.” This is an excuse we often make to ourselves so we’ll feel better about not taking responsibility for our finances. Smart Women Finish Rich author David Bach understands that many of us THINK we don’t have money to invest.

Bach learned all he knows from his grandmother. His grandmother had great financial wisdom and he is moved to share this with women today that want to get their financial lives in order. He realized that “people rarely know what is truly driving them emotionally when it comes to money.”

There are three key Bach mentions right in the beginning of this world renowned how-to book. These keys will help women everywhere to smart money management that will enable a woman to gain control over her financial future. And yes, as David says; finish rich!

These three keys are:

• How to use both your head and heart for financial judgments.
• How the “Latte Factor” can make a modest wage owner into a noteworthy investor.
• How Bach’s “Three-Basket” approach to financial planning can assure you not only long-term security but the ability to realize your lifelong dreams.

Bach’s approach to money management is ingrained in years of investment seminars for women and his work as senior vice president of investments at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Smart Women Finish Rich is the perfect book for any woman who has their own business or just dreams to have financial freedom.

As a businesswoman, it’s very important to have a good support network.  You need fellow businesswomen to share experiences and tips with.  You need women who are in fields related to yours to ask questions.  The sense of community provided by a group of businesswomen can help see you through the tough times.

But finding a group in your area isn’t always practical.  Maybe there are networking groups that you could join (like the Joy of Connecting!), but they might meet at times that are not convenient for you.  Or if you’re not in a metropolitan area, there may not be any groups that are especially for women in your area.  That doesn’t mean that you’re left out in the cold, though.

There are plenty of online communities designed for businesswomen and female entrepreneurs.  These communities offer mentoring and learning as well as networking opportunities.  They give women a place to connect with like-minded women from their own homes and offices.

With all of the online communities for businesswomen out there, it can be tempting to join and participate in them all.  But by doing so, you limit your opportunity for meaningful connections.  Keeping up with so many different communities takes a lot of time, and there’s less possibility for reward.  By finding one or two good communities and sticking with them, you can better reap the benefits they have to offer.

Here are some tips for finding the right online business community for you.

* Keep your objectives in mind.  If you are looking for referrals, a group that consists completely of women in your field is probably not the best choice for you.  That doesn’t mean you can’t join for the opportunity to learn from others in your business, but if referrals are what you want, you may not want to limit yourself.

* Ask colleagues for recommendations.  Those who are experienced in online networking often know the best places to do so. My recommendation is Mom Masterminds, a group for serious minded female work at home professionals. I’ve been a member of this community for about 4 years now and my business has benefited tremendously as a result.

* Take the groups that interest you for a test drive.  Many communities offer a free trial, and some are always free to join.  So if you find one you like, join up and network with the members for a week or so.  This will give you a feel for how everything works and how supportive the other members are.  If you decide it’s not for you, move on and find something else.

Using this link, you can sign up for a free 7 day trial membership in Mom Masterminds to get a feel for it.

* Read the rules of the community carefully.  Most have restrictions on blatant advertising.  While it is rarely banned outright, there is often a designated time or place for it.  Disobeying these rules could get you booted, and at the very least it will turn off the other members.

Online networking is a great way to find business partners, learn more about how to market online, and generate referrals.  Communities designed specifically for women are valuable sources of business advice, and can result in lasting friendships.  Even if you have the opportunity to network locally, networking with fellow businesswomen online offers lots of rewards.