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Charlene Polanosky, Keystrokes Design & Marketing


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Name: Charlene Polanoskykeystrokes-blog-gal-2.JPG

Hometown: none really

Current Residence (City, State): Fredericksburg, VA

Education: BS in Economics

Professional Background (brief, please): Started career working for a defense contractor in Washington DC where I did front end user interface design, wrote end user manuals and guides. I followed that with a 3 year stint as a director of a computer learning center for kids where we taught computer literacy skills to students and teachers in the private schools. Once my son was born I went into business for myself – I have been running Keystrokes Design & Marketing for the past 10 years.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: Not really sure – I wasn’t a child who focused on that.

What you are: I am the wearer of many hats! I am a mom to 3, a web designer and new media consultant, and I coach gymnastics part time.

Brief Summary of your Start Up: Keystrokes Design & Marketing provides web site design, development, graphics and consulting support.

Company Website? www.keystrokes.net

All her sites:

Keystrokes Design & Marketing <http://www.keystrokes.net> – corporate site with portfolio
Essential Keystrokes <http://essentialkeystrokes.com//> (tips on web design and marketing)
Casual Keystrokes <http://casualkeystrokes.com/> (a work at home mom sharing ideas, tips and resources for keeping the balance)
Parenting Tweens & Teens <http://www.wearyparent.com/> (my b5 gig)
Printables for Kids <http://www.printables4kids.com/> (Free printable activities for kids)
Doll Diaries <http://dolldiaries.com/> (fun stuff for doll lovers of all ages)
Sports Girls Play <http://www.sportsgirlsplay.com/> (raising a happy, healthy athlete)

What inspired you? I couldn’t bear the thought of placing my son in childcare. I had to find a way to work from home and I did.

How long have you been in business? 10 years

How did you fund it? There has really never been any formal funding. My business didn’t really have any great start up costs.

Do you have a Fairy Godmother (or Mentor)? I have tried to learn from as many smart and successful business people as possible through the years.

Do you belong to any Business Organization or Networking Groups? None at this time.

Current Business Challenge? My youngest will go to school full time in the fall. My goal is to grow my business to take on some new areas of business, add an associate or two to round out my team, and streamline my business processes.

What are you doing about it? I have already brought on one additional designer and am scheduled to have a planning meeting with a business associate this week.

Favorite motivational quote: “Success is not a doorway, it’s a staircase” by Dottie Walters

Family? Married with three kids ages 10, 8 and 5

If so, how do you balance family and business? It is a constant juggle but since my kids have grown up with it, they are often my biggest supporters.

Favorite book? I am not really a book person – my attention span is too short. I love reading magazines, blogs and articles online.

What do you do to relax? Puzzles! I love word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and brainteasers in general.

What do you want to change most about your world? I really have the best of all worlds now. There are always little things to improve on, but overall, I am happy.

What are you most proud of? My children. I have been blessed with 3 very smart, healthy and well rounded kids. If they can all grow up to be happy, well intentioned members of the work force, I will know I have done my job.

What advice would you like to offer other Start Up Princesses? If you want to work from home you can! There are plenty of legitimate opportunities to work from home. You have to look at your passions, skills and personality to figure out the best option.

Favorite Magic Wand (tool/resource)? My graphics tools – Fireworks, Illustrator, and Photoshop. These are hands down the most used tools in my office.

If you could design a tiara, what precious stones would you use? Rubies – I love red and they are my birthstone.

Would you be interested in being a Fairy Godmother to another woman entrepreneur? (I am working on a secure system to do this, any ideas?) yes.

What business subjects would you feel comfortable mentoring in? working from home, web design, blogging

Would you be interested in going to lunch with other women entrepreneurs for a “networking tea party”? sure

  Startup Princess is an international network committed to empowering Women Entrepreneurs by offering resources for women in business to support, mentor, collaborate, learn from, and inspire one another. In 2006, after struggling to raise funding for an initial startup business venture, Kelly King Anderson recognized an important market niche existed for reliable resources educating women desiring to start and grow successful businesses, thus Startup Princess was developed.

Successful women entrepreneurs understand that for every business venture, they are in charge of creating, organizing, developing, managing, and assuming all the risks associated with their enterprise. That can seem quite intimidating but as other women business owners will tell you, it’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it! Success is within your grasp and Startup Princess is here to help.

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