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Highlights of #StartupChat with Daily CandyPR “Being Ready for Media at Any Moment”

Have you heard the good news? We’re doing live weekly chats on Twitter! It’s called #startupchat and it’s every Wednesday at 12pm MDT/2pm EST. Follow the conversation on Twitter by searching #startupchat.

This week we featured a conversation with the talented Daily Candy team. The topic was, “Being Ready for Media at Any Moment” and we had a great time discussing tips and strategies for startups. Plus! We shared the amazing contest Daily Candy is sponsoring right now called Start Small Go Big. Their contest is taking entries until August 5th so go check it out and see how you could be ‘discovered’ by Daily Candy and win all sorts of opportunities, including a trip to NYC and a day mentoring with top industry experts!

Here’s highlights of the conversation. There were over 400 tweets so this is just a quick snapshot of the Q&A that we had with Daily Candy and others who chimed in to offer their insights.

How important is branding to deciding who to feature or not?

DailyCandyPR: Good branding is so important, because that’s the first impression you give.

When choosing a company to feature, what are you looking for with their website?

DailyCandyPR: It needs to be uncluttered and easy to navigate and have a fresh, new design. Also, no spelling errors. (You’d be surprised!)

MichelleDoodads: In my experience, websites provide legitimacy and to see if their branding matches their message.

Lambybiscuits: To understand a great logo read about Paul Rand – father of logos/branding. Simplicity & Readability

TaraHolling: Good content is equally important – validates expertise and credibility

Daily Candy: Yes! spending time on CONSISTENT branding, is just as important as as a clear brand.

Photo Tips?

StartupPrincess: Regarding photos, I’d always hire a pro for your product images ideally who has published their work

DailyCandyPR: For a great example of great packaging and photography, look @boccesbakery. So clean!

DailyCandyPR: Make sure photos are centered on the page and without a lot of clutter and text

What kind of media training do you recommend for a business owner?

DailyCandyPR: Volunteer speaking engagements are a great way to practice- embody your brand. Try it out w/ friends & fam.

StartupPrincess: I recommend stylist, speaking coach, great headshots

StartupPrincess: Learning to speak (and tweet!) in sound bytes is very helpful for being quoted by press

MichelleDoodads: Soundbites are the language of the media. Be able to tell your story in one or two exciting sentences.

LibbyDowd: don’t ever say you dont know…thats 101….I will check into that etc…..

DailyCandyPR:  Make sure you research who you’re interviewing with. If you want them to do their homework, you should do yours too.

DailyCandyPR: Also, when we write about people we’ve often crashed websites! Another tip: make sure your bandwidth is up to snuff.

How do you choose which companies to feature?

DailyCandyPR: what we feature has to be new. It has to be original,& our editors have to want to own & use it themselves.

DailyCandyPR: we have always been a launching pad for new small businesses. Start Small Go Big Contest takes that step further

DailyCandyPR: Some of the insiders we have on-board are @jonathanadler @SPANXinc @alice_olivia @freshfounder & @KateSomerville

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Thank you Daily Candy for joining us for #StartupChat and for empowering small biz owners to make their dreams a reality. If you have more questions on how to be on Daily Candy, you will love this clever video:

How NOT to get into @dailycandy video (clever!) http://www.dailycandy.com/startsmallgobig/videos.html

Be sure to enter Start Small Go Big! Deadline August 5th.

The Most Liberating Thing I’ve Ever Done – Selling Most of Our Belongings & Renting a Furnished House

Friends, I’m in the middle of a major move only it doesn’t feel so major because many of my belongings aren’t coming with us- they are being sold because we’re moving into a beautiful furnished home. Stuff I’m keeping include antique dishes, journals, books, photos, a box of Christmas decorations, clothes, camping gear, a box of toys for each child and some other essentials. I have a few favorite pieces of furniture that my friend is going to babysit for me if I ever want them back. I feel so freed up by our decision- completely liberated! Even though I completely adored our home and all of the beauty we created, it feels great to share and let go…and do something completely new and different. Here’s my current living room.

Why are we doing this? We decided earlier this year to move 45 minutes north and put our kids in a special private school. To make this happen we had to sell our house which fortunately closes this week. We thought initially we’d buy another house in the area but then as life began to unfold more options and possibilities revealed themselves and now we’re feeling like being super flexible and unattached to a home mortgage.

We are putting trust and faith in God and asking a lot of questions right now such as, “Where do you want us to be?” “What’s possible for our family?” “What type of home do we want to live in?” “What lifestyle do we want?” We will not be tied to a city, a home, a school, etc. We’re playing life day by day and asking what’s next.

I love that Startup Princess and the work I do with doTERRA as a distributor can be done worldwide and there are real possibilities to enjoy and create outside of Utah- our home for the last 14 years. I would love to give my children experiences abroad or in another state. So this year is the year of dreaming and planning…and taking action on what we feel will be best for our family. In the meantime, I love that we are adventurous enough to let go of the control and embrace the beauty of the unknowns and letting God fill in the details.

Because we made this decision to move forward on a rental, an amazing home became available that is beyond my dreams in an upscale neighborhood close to the private school where my kids will attend – furnished by my favorite store even called GateHouse in Utah. The talented owner is an interior designer and has impeccable taste. She too wanted to create something different this year for her family and they are going somewhere special for the school year.  It’s amazing how like-minded people with similar style and needs found each other through a classified ad and we both couldn’t be happier. Not to mention their home backs up to open space, home to deer. It’s super nurturing and lovely. Here’s a photo of their beautiful house.

Since letting go of what I thought was expected or next for us (buying a house) then this blessing came forward and we get to experience something so much more than we would have created otherwise. I feel God’s lining up all the details and can’t wait to see how this will influence all of our experiences as a family and business owners. Already just seeing the tender mercies I’m feeling more confident that living abroad could happen and life will continue to be a gift of wonder and miracles.

Question for you.. Have you ever done something courageous? What impact did it have on your life and business? Please leave a comment on this post. Thanks!

Kelly King Anderson, Startup Princess Founder/Managing Director

Startup Princess Giveaway- Attraction Branding Package for Entrepreneurs

Great news! Rebecca Servoss of Persnickety Graphics (who happens to do all our Startup Princess graphics and design work) and Quinn Curtis (long time Startup Princess friend), serial entrepreneur and amazing branding expert (see here and here and here for a couple of her recent gigs) have recently joined forces to launch a new company, Attraction Branding, an innovative consulting firm to support entrepreneurs with their branding efforts. These ladies pack a lot of talent and experience into their new venture and we’re excited to feature them this week with a giveaway and as guests on our #startupchat (Wednesdays at 1

2pm MDT on Twitter).

Attraction Branding focuses on consulting however they offer something for every budget- ideal for a true startup! I love that they have a home study course too. We’re delighted to share they are giving away an amazing package to a lucky small business owner!

Enter to Win the Attraction Branding Giveaway:

Branding Identity Course & Consultation

5-week home-study course complete with 70-page branding workbook

Clarity Consultation featuring in-depth review of branding workbook results and expert advise for implementing those results

Value: $249

Entry Requirements: (Deadline is Saturday July 23, midnight MDT)

Leave a comment on this post and tell us what branding questions you have

Tweet one of the following:

RT @startupprincess Enter to Win #branding package for your business http://bit.ly/nU3JYm

RT @startupprincess Giveaway! Get Free Branding Consulting http://bit.ly/nU3JYm

Optional Entries:

Here’s some additional ways to enter that are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for each item. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed optional entry.

Like Startup Princess on Facebook

Like Attraction Branding on Facebook

Sign up for their Branding Your Business, Irrestistably

Deadline to enter is Saturday July 23, midnight MDT.

Startup Princess Giveaway – Touchpoint Conference Ticket!

We’re excited to kick off early bird registration for Touchpoint- our 5th Annual Conference for Women Entrepreneurs!

The conference will be Sept 15-16 in Salt Lake City, Utah and will feature top industry experts in media, fashion, sales, marketing, finance, and more! You won’t want to miss out on the incredible networking and fun, including the Sparkle & Shine Spa Party!  Check out the speakers, and see the  full agenda and details here.

To share our enthusiasm for the event we’re going to giveaway a ticket this week. The deadline will be July 16th, midnight.

Prize:

2 day conference pass to Touchpoint valued at $199 (Early Bird Price).

Entry Requirements:

Answer the following question on this post. Which session are you most looking forward to at Touchpoint?

Tweet the following:

RT @startupprincess #Touchpoint Early Bird Registration is now available http://bit.ly/b4AnE3

RT @startupprincess GIVEAWAY! Win a Ticket to #Touchpoint Conf for Women Entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/nZ76Lq

I’m excited about @startupprincess #Touchpoint Conf for Women Entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/b4AnE3

Optional Entries:

Here’s some additional ways to enter that are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for each item. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed optional entry.

Like Startup Princess on Facebook

Follow Startup Princess on Twitter

Vote for Now I Can Organization to Win $10,000 to help children with neuromuscular challenges.

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET Saturday, July 16. This giveaway is available to U.S. residents only.

A Belated Invitation to Spring Clean – Your Life

Summer is here, but it’s never too late to spring clean…your life. Just as our spaces accumulate clutter over time so do the nooks and crannies of lives.  I dare say that if it’s important to occasionally de-junk your garage and clear out your closets and drawers that it would be well worth doing the same for your life. Here are a few suggestions to get your started.

1. Clear the cobwebs from you head. Throw out the negative, self-defeating, fear-driven dialogue and open the windows of your mind to fresh ideas and a bright perspective. Are you struggling with self-esteem, challenged in your marriage or in your role as a mother or entrepreneur?  Change your thoughts. We create our reality from the inside out so as you seek to fill your mind with the positive and uplifting, you will begin to attract all that is good into your life.

2. Toss out habits, behaviors, and activities that are dirtying and cluttering your days. Life is too short to spend our precious time on the trivial and unfulfilling.  So what needs to go? Do you need to reduce screen time (e.g. phone, computer, and TV) so you can spend more time on self-care or with your family? Do you need to make clearer boundaries and say “no” to some of the lesser important activities that aren’t consistent with what your truly value? As you align your schedule with your highest priorities, you will find yourself accomplishing more, stressing less and finding fulfillment in your days.

3. Polish tarnished relationships. The essence of a happy life is found in healthy, loving relationships. When we are struggling with a friend or loved one, clearing the air with honest, open communication is the first step to rebuilding trust.  Apologizing and forgiving past hurts can be like healing balm to a gaping wound. Better yet, look for opportunities to sincerely praise and serve those who are difficult to get along with. Praise and service will change behavior faster than anything negative or punitive.

4. Sort out your finances. Money trouble is without question one of the leading causes of stress and anxiety in our lives.  Rather than taking a reactive approach to your finances, be proactive and create a working budget. Make sure it is realistic and allows enough flexibility so you can stick to it. As a part of your budget, create a plan of action around paying off debt and be sure to invest. Building wealth doesn’t require a big income so much as requires discipline and consistency.

Make spring cleaning your life a part of your regular routine. As you do, balance and success will come to you with ease. You only have one life to live. Live it well!

This post was written by Tara McCausland, Success Coach. Tara has been in the business of teaching, training, and coaching for nearly 6 years.  Tara is a natural teacher and motivator. She helps her clients find the balance, prosperity and fulfillment they are seeking by being their accountability expert, trusted sounding board, and their biggest fan throughout the coaching process. Check out her free download ’4 Tips to make T.I.M.E. Work for You’.