Startup Princess Kingdom News * February 1, 2008

REMINDER: Startup Princess Networking Tea Party Feb. 13th, 6:30-8:30pm, $10 Provo Academy Library, Utah featuring Small Group Discusssions & former Mrs. Utah (2004) Cherie Burton. Cherie’s presentation will focus on presenting your most powerful IMAGE (how to look and prepare physically, emotionally and mentally for a media interview, speaking event or business meeting)…as well as “being” your best self! RSVP here.

Miss out on the fabulous 2007 Startup Princess Conference? DVD set available! 2 disc, 6 hour set featuring 14 women entrepreneurs! Click here to purchase.

Business Plan COMPETITIONS info here

Startup Princesses all over the Kingdom have Great News to Share:

Fairy Godmother Heather Allard writes: I’m proud to unveil The Mogul Mom’s new website, new prices and new eBooks coming soon! Come visit me at www.TheMogulMom.com and see how I can help YOU with your mom-owned business.

Startup Princess Emily McCormick of chic clothing company, Shabby Apple writes: We’re launching Shabby Baby, a NEW line of dresses for little girls sizes 0-6 months up to 5T. They’re super fun, funky and most importantly, different from what you can buy anywhere else. The dresses stick to our motto of being easy-to-wear (essential for kids), stylish and affordable (they’re all around $30). We’re also dedicated to giving a portion of the proceeds to help other children throughout the world by extending micro-credit loans to mothers in less-wealthy countries. People will be able to purchase dresses online (of course) or host Shabby Baby trunk shows. (Check out this adorable “Vineyard” dress! Love it!)

Fairy Godmother Heather Ledeboer of Mom 4 Life writes: We were fortunate to be chosen by BabyLegs to feature two exclusive styles. I invite everyone to stop on by and grab their limited edition BabyLegs (Pink/Orange/Red Stripe and Light Blue/Lime Aqua Stripe) while they still can!

Startup Princess Jen Davidson of SnoDaisy did an awesome interview and has been getting airtime on Park City TV! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQUKVS3SNGE[/youtube] Web traffic has spiked and we’ve been getting lots of inquires. Word is getting out! Shred on!

Fairy Godmother Mary Wilson-Burkett writes: I am working with the Orange County Entrepreneur Center to help them build a women’s networking group. The goal is to take business networking to a new level by having a group that actively coaches and mentors one another. Take a look. http://www.ocentrepreneurs.com/women/

Do you have great news to share? Comment below! We LOVE to celebrate how you’ve Made a Wish and Made it Happen!

Featured Interview: Cherie Burton, Mrs. Utah 2004 and Founder of Blue Rose Communications

 

The following article was written by Startup Princess writer, Jessica Cryer.

We’re featuring Cherie so we can all get to know her better and also get excited about her upcoming speaking event at the Startup Princess Networking Tea Party February 13th in Provo, Utah. Cherie’s presentation will focus on presenting your most powerful IMAGE (how to look and prepare physically, emotionally, and mentally for a media interview, speaking event or business meeting)…as well as “being your best self!” Cherie’s media experience includes being on Oprah, besides all she did as Mrs. Utah! The event is $10. To RSVP, click here.

Aside from being a wife, mom of three and former Mrs. Utah, Cherie Burton is the founder and president of Blue Rose Communications, a company devoted to helping women and girls discover their personal life missions and ‘divine feminity.’

After graduating with Honors from the University of Utah, Cherie began speaking publicly in schools and juvenile detention centers on adolescent relationships. She has held group therapist positions at a psychiatric hospital, a residential facility for teen boys, and a teen wilderness survival program. In 1997, Cherie began directing a support group for women who placed their children for adoption (birthmothers). For 2 years she directed and produced the Junior Miss Scholarship Program in her area and presented a series of workshops for 16 and 17 year-old girls on Self-Esteem and Confidence.

A self-professed ‘late-bloomer,’ Cherie decided to follow her childhood dream of competing in pageants. In 2004 Cherie was crowned Mrs. Utah with the social platform ‘Inspiring Greatness in Girls.’ She continued to speak about the importance of self-esteem in girls and women. Devastatingly, just three weeks before passing on her title of Mrs. Utah, Cherie’s sister Shawna committed suicide. “It changed everything,” says Cherie. But through this sorrow and grief a self-defining moment was born. Cherie realized she needed to be the ‘voice’ for Shawna and become an advocate for suicide prevention. Cherie has spoken publicly about suicide prevention on several occasions and was recently asked to sit on a State Suicide Prevention Council with the Utah Department of Human Services.

Blue Rose Communications is also a result of her passion to help women recognize their “greatness”. Her company offers a book authored by Cherie about how to cope with depression and even a 12 week personalized reformation program. Cherie has been a regular co-host on television and radio talk shows and has plans to author more inspirational books for women. She continues to teach the ‘lost feminine arts: Etiquette, Self-Presentation, Poise, Character Development, Leadership, Natural Beauty and Personal Mission Discovery.’

Cherie states, “We can create anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that we desire. I believe God implanted within us many glorious passions and gifts that we don’t often recognize as righteous desires. He largely wants for us what we want for ourselves.”

Enjoy meeting Startup Princess, Cherie Burton!

Name: CHERIE BURTON

Hometown: Hmm…I moved 14 times from birth through high school graduation. I’ll claim Douglas, Wyoming, as it’s the placed we stayed put longest!

Current Residence (City, State): Sandy, UT

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Minor Degree in Sociology

Professional Background: Mrs. Utah 2004, Author of the book “Where Depression Ends,“ Motivational Speaker, Mental Health Advocate with several Utah government and private Agencies, President of Blue Rose Communications, Founder of Emergence Training Seminars for Women

What you wanted to be when you grew up: A Mom and a Teacher

What you are: The sum total of my choices the last 38 years of walking this planet! Read more

Plan Your “Free Days” for 2008

 

 

Today’s Post was written by Fairy Godmothers Carrie & Danielle. Their anticipated book, Style Statement will be available in April.

 

Harnessing time can be especially tricky when you’re creative and ambitious, and when you want to rock your career and have uninterrupted weekends. Quadrants of importance. Priority grids. Sticky notes. Ginko Biloba.

 

Between the two of us we’ve tried every time management and memory improvement system out there. What works beautifully for us is the Entrepreneurial Time Management System. As its creator, Dan Sullivan puts it, “…it allows one’s personal and professional lives to receive an equal amount of attention—indeed, to be in balance—and thus generate energy for each other.” Whether you’re running your own department or running a household, Sullivan’s principles are truly helpful for designing a balanced life.

 

There are 3 ‘Types’ of Days:

 

Free Days: A 24-hour period in which you do not engage in business-related action. You don’t even think about it. The best Free Days are planned in advance.

 

Focus Days: Spend 80% of your day on your most important business-related activities, relationships, and opportunities. This is your day to make things happen, without interruptions and with support systems in place.

 

Buffer Days: “If Focus Days are for performance,” says Sullivan, “Buffer Days are for rehearsals.” Handle all of the details that would otherwise distract your attention on a Focus Day. Catch up, clean up, delegate, brush up on your skills.

Personally, we’ve set Mondays and Fridays for Buffer Days. We return calls, explore, read our newsletters and artsy rags, and prioritize. We indulge in meandering conversation and doodling ideas (guess when our best ideas come to us?). For the mid week we zoom-zoom focus and resist the urge to be distracted by things that don’t fulfill our very immediate objectives. Velocity is our driving intention. As for free evenings and weekends and holidays—we have them! Plenty of sacred, unplugged free-flow time.

 

 

Today’s Magic Wand: Plan your Free Days for the year. What are your desires? More time with your family, a month in Hawaii, a naughty trip to Vegas, or a meditation retreat. Free Days can be also be for the very simple pleasures that you never get around to, like lunch with an old friend or an afternoon at the art gallery. Pencil it in to your calendar, months in advance if necessary. Even if you can’t immediately see a way to get the time off or where the resources will come from, create the space for it so that you and life can start conspiring for your freedom.

 

Funny thing about time…it’s what you make of it.

 

 

 

Getting Things Done: Where Does YOUR Motivation Come From?

This is my third post on Getting Things Done…the others are here and here.

Right now I’m delaying today’s major task and necessary evil: stacks of papers. Why? Because blogging is more fun and papers aren’t. Besides-it’s slightly chilly in my basement and I’m enjoying being cozy under a blanket while I type. Ha! Plus, papers don’t talk back, blog posts sometimes do. Likely no one but me will read my papers (fortunately), but at least 1500 readers will read this post today. So, how do I go from here to there? How do I get my Royal fanny off this chair and into the thick of “Getting Things Done” so I can help all my papers find a home? I know the answers already, but doing them is a different story!

Here is a strategy for getting my Royal fanny up and moving:

1. Stand up

2. Turn on some fun, fast-paced music like “Dancing Queen” by Abba

3. Get a trash bag ready, locate my file folders, and labeler

4. Set a timer for 45 minutes (less overwhelming than 60)

5. Go and get as much done as I possibly can, “everything has a home” mantra

6. Take a break and do something I LOVE for 15 min (like a healthy grilled veggie sandwich for lunch)

7. Repeat process, if necessary, and yes, I dare say it will be absolutely necessary.

Writing this is perfect because now I’m mustering up the courage to get busy…so yes, kind friends, you must be my motivation today. Thanks! It also helps that I have a guest coming to stay…and I really can’t have my papers all over the bed anymore (office/guestroom). Papers don’t make a very nice comforter. I’m starting to hear dancing queen in my head…better go turn it on.

Today’s Magic Wand: Where does your motivation come from?

Share with us!!!!

Startup Princess Kingdom News * January 25, 2008

We get emails all the time of people who wish they could attend a Startup Princess event. We granted this wish by filming our 2007 Startup Princess Make a Wish, Make it Happen Conference and the 2 disc, 6 hour DVD set is now available for only $35! The photo here is Fairy Godmother Becca Levie during her inspiring keynote.

Here’s what Jamie of Circle of Sentiments emailed us after receiving her copy this week:

I just finished the 1st DVD and I must say, I’m so impressed. Listening to the different speakers has been very inspiring and has given me a lot to think about. I can’t wait to get to the 2nd disc! I especially liked the last two speakers who demonstrated that it’s possible to start a business without a lot of money.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to learn from 14 successful women entrepreneurs! Click here to purchase your DVD set.Â

Save the date! Startup Princess Networking Tea Party February 13th event in Provo, Utah featuring Mrs. Utah 2004 Cherie Burton! Cherie’s topic is “How to be your Best Self” and prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for a Media Interview. Cherie’s media experience includes being on Oprah! The event is $10. To RSVP, click here.

For a list of all 2008 Utah events in Utah

Competitions (that we know of!) Any others?? Please comment below.

Celebrate! Get inspired with new eBooks from Startup Princesses!

Fairy Godmother Holly Buchanan The 7 Biggest Mistakes in Marketing to Women Online is now available. Â

Carolynn Duncan “The Entrepreneur Story” featuring several Startup Princess members (including me), a total of 70 entrepreneurs tell their startup experiences.

***Make a Wish, Make it Happen this week? month? Tell us about it!! ****

Featured Interview: Celeste Gleave Founder of Fyvestar, Inc.

The following article was written by Startup Princess writer, Jessica Cryer.

Celeste Gleave is the President and founder of FYVE STAR, Inc., a company started in her spare bedroom in 1991. The company started out as a small chemical supplier to local businesses. The first sale was a gallon of hand cleaner to a window installer. Celeste made the sale, picked up and delivered the product. She was excited, but with the motto “no job too difficult, no task too great,” this was only the beginning.With her attention to detail and multi-tasking spirit the company began to grow and is now the sole source supplier to the United States military for runway and aircraft deicers. The company sells to military bases all over the world and now has a long term contract with Homeland Security. But with being known as a “serial entrepreneur” deicing products are only one part of what FYVE STAR, Inc. offers. The company has expanded and now handles general contracting projects and even publishes the Utah Preservation Magazine, the premiere magazine of the division of state and history. FYVE STAR, Inc. continues to outsell their previous quarter earnings proving a record year in 2007 and a promising year in 2008. There is a reason Utah Business Magazine named Celeste in their April 2007 issue as one of the “30 Women to Watch.” Celeste was also a Utah 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year nominee.

Enjoy these Magic Wand tips from Celeste Gleave, Founder and CEO of FYVE STAR, Inc!

The best way for me to de-stress is to take some me time for myself, meaning- exercise, YOGA, gardening, art projects.

Staying organized is something that I am very well known for. I go by the book, I am never late for an appointment, I don’t like for people to sit at my desk and rearrange things, I have one way and that’s my way. Those around me know that is the only acceptable answer.

Communication is KEY. When you run 3 companies, things tend to overlap. There must be a very clear line of communication. Control is a major issue. You must always be in control of what is around you, or at least have the access to control.

One tip that I would give is never let anyone see you appear to lack control of your environment. People see you as a strong, positive, outgoing, IN CONTROL individual, and they believe in you and will follow you. When you let your guard down, people around you notice that and you could become very vulnerable at that moment. Timing and environment is essential. Don’t get me wrong, its nice to relax and have fun, but when you are in a work or professional environment ALWAYS put your best foot forward. DO NOT let people see a weak side of you. They will remember that.

You can’t get to the top if you have people holding you down. Help people move up with you and when the time comes they will be there to push you over the top.

When Life Has Other Plans-Is Your Business in Order in Case of an Emergency?

Fairy Godmother Laura West of Center for Joyful Business writes today’s post:

Well, I started off 2008 very excited and pumped about the new year, new plans…new possibilities. I kicked off the New Year with a Business Planning Retreat with my friend and colleague, Wendy Watkins of PassionFruit People Growers. We went to the beautiful mountains in North Carolina and holed up in a luxury timber home – spoiled ourselves while we marinated, planned, brainstormed, calendared, blew up, and blew out plans for 2008. Talk about coming back and being revved to go!

Well, my intention was that I would be writing you a blog entry about our retreat, what we did, how we did it, etc…and give you some ideas and inspiration for your own.

Life had other plans.

Within two days of returning I had a high fever and severe abdominal pains, my Dr. sent me directly to a surgeon who put me in the hospital. Long story short…two and 1/2 days in the hospital, fortunately no surgery, just dehydration and eventually they discovered a lung infection. Sent home with antibiotics and an order for lots of rest.

Hmm, this wasn’t how I planned to spend the kick off month! Right now I would be in Las Vegas with David Neagle, at his workshop, “Experiencing the Reality of Success”. Cancel plans.

I like to look at these life turns and see what arises for a message. What is my body trying to tell me? My biggest question that keeps arising is “Am I fully en-joying life while I grown my business?”. I absolutely love my work and the amazing people I work with. It fills me up creatively and provides lots of stimulating, creative conversation. But what about personally? It’s had me tweak my calendar and add in some time for massage and spa time and also I’m looking at taking some personal fun & creative classes. I think life gives us these little wake-up calls to see if we are paying attention!

It also had me thinking about my business emergency plans. I needed to call and let clients know, rearrange teleclass plans, change cafe conversations, etc…at one point I even was talking my 10 year son through writing an email to a client so she would know I wouldn’t be on the call.

It’s inspired me to create – or start creating since I’m still recuperating – some back up plans.

Here’s a few of my ideas (please feel free to comment and add your suggestions):

1. Keep my Virtual Assistant up to speed with all current clients and contacts (or even better share my calendar) so she can contact them in one fell swoop.

2. Give my husband my Virtual Assistant’s contact information so if anything really traumatic should happen he can talk with her and keep folks up to date.

3. Get that new SmartPhone so I can have up to date contact information instead of having to call people to call other people. (obviously wouldn’t worry about this in a life or death situation, but in minor emergencies it streamlines a lot of effort)

4. I also spoke with my VA about updating our Policies and Procedures Manual. What if the emergency isn’t with me? She lives in Colorado and we sometimes joke about if a “bear gets her” what do I do. (Not that we are sending any intention or energy there, but she did have a close call last summer) My Policy and Procedures Manualoutlines all my online programs – the how’s of how to log-in, where we keep things, passwords, access codes, explains the different client lists, products, etc… Ours is out of date since we have grown so much over the last year so we are planning time to update.

All of these are just in case. Then I can rest comfortably knowing that my clients and readers would be taken care of and that I could take care of things if my support gets in a crisis.

How about you? What are your Emergency Back-up Plans?

En-joy!

Laura

Getting Things Done: Everything Has a Home

Celebrate with me! My email in-box is empty (a miracle) thanks to my new mantra (when I see a quick task) “Do it now… it’s just 2 minutes.” Paper in-boxes and my bedroom closet are the opportunities to conquer this week. As I mentioned in the previous post about Getting Things Done by David Allen (GTD), I’m trying not to get overwhelmed by my quest to be an “Organized Startup Princess” so I’ve decided to just add one new productivity skill/thought process each week.

Leslie Kent, my friend, hair stylist and Feng Shui specialist told me to add “Everything has a Home” to my organizational mantras (or if you like, Everything has a Castle!) Perhaps this is basic you to you, but I never thought of organizing that way. Previously I would think “I have deal with that” or, “I have to put that away” Now I say, “Everything has a Home.” It brings more love to my thoughts and energy and there’s no “I have to” in the sentence.

This mantra fits well with the GTD system and how to manage your in-box in Allen’s workflow chart (what is it? does it belong to me? if not, who? delegate? do it now (under 2 min.) or schedule a time for it…file it for a future resource, “give it a home”) Leslie suggested when you’re cleaning up your “stuff” you go through similar same steps…look at the item in front of you and think, “does it belong here? if not, where? trash? does it belong to someone else? can I give it a home?” is it time to give it a new home (donate)? Getting Things Done is about developing and creating new habits…in this case I’m starting with my mindset and how I THINK…repeating questions when I encounter “stuff” is liberating because I have a system now to know what to do next.

Another tip from Leslie, “Only keep what you LOVE, get rid of what you LIKE.” What a powerful concept. Last night I took off a framed print that had been above my HEAD for 2 years that I only so-so liked because it “matched” my decor and immediately the energy shifted, even now with a blank wall I LOVE it. I also took out everything “work-related” (sorry Matt but no Dell Monitor for a client in our bedroom!) and took away extra decorations that just didn’t bring the word “LOVE” to mind. AAAH, relief and peace to my mind and spirit! I LOVED waking up today.

Want More Tips??

Here’s a few posts on Getting Things Done (all written from the productivity guru Leo at Zen Habits, one of my favorite places to get inspired lately):

Getting Things Done

FAQ Massive GTD Resource List

How to Actually Execute Your To Do List

Today’s Magic Wand: Make a few post it notes for your office, entry way, kitchen counter, etc. “Everything Has a Home” and enroll all family members to practicing “everything has a home” this week. Particularly in the high traffic areas where people tend to “dump” their stuff and forget that “Everything Has a Home.”

Enjoy creating a space of LOVE and Order!

Startup Princess Kingdom News * January 18, 2008

Next Startup Princess Networking Tea Party: February 12, Utah: Provo Academy Library 6:30-8:30pm, $10 Featuring Startup Princess Cherie Burton, former Mrs. Utah 2004 and Founder of Blue Rose Communications. Cherie’s presentation will focus on presenting your most powerful IMAGE (how to look and prepare physically, emotionally and mentally for a media interview, speaking event or business meeting)…as well as “being” your best self!

Competitions:

Cartier Women’s Initiative Business Plan Competition: Deadline February 15
5 winners, 1 per continent will win $20k cash and 1 year of consulting!

Women 2.0 Pitch Competition (submit plan on a napkin-seriously!), Santa Clara, California: Deadline April 1
Team must be 50% female, win chance to pitch your business to Esther Dyson and other investors

Startup Princess Celebrations:

Startup Princess Amber Schaub of RuffleButts was honored to receive an exclusive invitation from fashion insider Jayneoni Moore to participate in the 2008 Boom Boom Room, celebrating the Golden Globes. RuffleButts presented celebrity moms and dads such as Denise Ricahrds, Angela Bassett, Ali Landry, Jason Priestly, & Carnie Wilson (just to name a few!) with our traditional woven RuffleButt Bloomer in a rainbow of fun & fashionable colors. (Photo featuring Carnie Wilson.)

Startup Princess Celest Benn of Free Birthday Stuff.com will have it’s first birthday in February and she’s planning a big party with fun contests. They are trying to increase their membership to over one million (now at 800,000!!) and we are asking for your help. They are asking all of their members to email their friends and associates and well just anyone they can think of. We have also asked our vendors for prizes from Dean Miller Bedding, LaTienda. Com, Pomona R.V. Park, Mommy’s Cozy Corner, MusicwithMar and the list goes on and on… Go and visit to find out all the details. They are also looking to hire salespeople nationwide to help with vendors and we need contributing editors to write some pieces on birthdays nationwide. Email Celest for more info.

Featured Interview: Jenna Raby, Founder of Laborfair

The following article was written by Startup Princess writer, Jessica Cryer.

Good help is no longer hard to find. So says Jenna Raby, Founder of Labor Fair. Laborfair is an online resource for busy people (like yourself) looking for reliable, affordable help. The mission is simple. Laborfair connects those who need a service with those that can fulfill the service. From landscapers to house cleaners, information is available from the providers themselves. Use the search engine to search for the service needed. Providers can start profiles for themselves as well. And the best part about it is it’s FREE! All you have to do is rate a provider you’ve used using the Laborfair system.

Jenna Raby isn’t the middle man collecting a fee from each transaction. Rather, this down to earth do gooder promises 100% of the fee goes to the provider. This allows a fair wage for providers and a decent price for services for the consumer. The service is currently in the Bay area and northern California and just recently launched in Los Angeles.

Enjoy meeting Startup Princess, Jenna Raby!

Name: Jenna Raby

Hometown: Oldwick, New Jersey

Current Residence: San Francisco, California

Education: University of Virginia (1991 undergraduate English Literature and French Philosophy), Columbia University (2003 masters degree in International Affairs)

Title: Founder, President and Chief Mouthpiece for Laborfair.com. I lead Laborfair.com’s efforts to scale our partnerships and member base and build the structure for our social mission. I have an eclectic background in international business and the non-profit sector having worked as a foreign film buyer, a transportation broker for petroleum carriers in South America, and a program officer at a private family foundation.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Queen of the Underdogs. An iconoclast. A do-gooder.

What you are: Queen of the Underdogs. An iconoclast. A do-gooder.

Brief Summary of your Startup: Need anything done? Want to find a local service provider with peer-reviews, ratings, and references? Need to know what the fair hourly rate is? That’s Labor Fair.com. Laborfair is the smart, easy and right way to find quality help ranging from a handyman to a personal chef. We connect service providers and people in search of personal help in a way that’s fair, easy and financially rewarding for everyone involved. We’re all over the Bay Area and Northern California, launching into Los Angeles next week.

Company Website? http://www.laborfair.com

What inspired you? I’ve always believed that business can be a phenomenal instrument of positive social change. Look at Seventh Generation, Whole Foods, B Corp, wind and solar power, Toyota’s success with Prius. These are all the businesses taking problems and turning them into profitable solutions for social ills. If you approach and create your business differently, the results will be different.

How long have you been in business? A year and ½.

How did you fund it? I pitched and pitched. A few early angel investors and my best friends. I’m raising more with our growth and success. Know anyone?

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? No, I wish I did. I’m working it out as I go. Women I don’t even know personally have been the greatest supporters of Laborfair and my vision.

Read more

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