Growing Your Business Without Sacrificing Your Relationships

“Your family and your love must be cultivated like a garden. Time, effort, and imagination must be summoned constantly to keep any relationship flourishing and growing.” – Jim Rohn

Every entrepreneur has various relationships in their life.  They could be a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, niece, cousin, girlfriend, wife, partner, neighbor or a friend.  So how do you manage all of those roles in addition to being a businesswoman?  That was the topic of January 25th’s #startupchat, Growing Your Business Without Sacrificing Your Relationships, hosted by @startupprincess‘ managing director, @speakmichelle and business/marriage expert panelists, @DinoandShannon.

 

Q1. What struggles do you have running a business and preserving your relationships?

@DinoandShannon I struggle sometimes with disconnecting with work at night so I can engage w/family. Constantly working on that. With my clients, and even in our own marriage it can be stressful to not have a “steady income” if both are entrepreneurs.

@speakmichelle I know that one struggle I have running a biz and keeping my marriage going is time. I feel pulled in 100 directions.

@JHNannies I have found a common daily theme is an expectancy to do more and have results daily

@MCGustafson It’s about putting tasks in compartments of time. Working by a weekly plan sheet keep it all organized. Then sharing with hubby so it makes us feel like a team managing “our” calendars not just mine.

@WhatDoWomenThi1 My husband is so loud on the phone when we both work from home, I write a note that says ‘shsssh’!

TIP: @MarriageCheckup Have you tried to share your calenders with your husband? I use Google calenders and it works great!

 

Q2: Is your spouse/loved ones supportive of your entrepreneurial ventures? How do they show it? 

@DinoandShannon Yes- until we started working together & it created some new struggles to work on. I love that we do personal development together and are teaching it to our kids. So different then how I grew up!

@CKPFineArt My husband is wonderfully supportive. He asks how things are going, and he recognizes that what I do is important to me. Re: housework, I’m lucky enough to be at home, but it’s still tough. I budget an hour a day for domestic tasks and catch-up.

@radiantcosmetic Our loved ones are super supportive. They show it by lending a hand at our events and in lots of areas.

@BenitaWizeHouse Yes, very supportive in pitching in w/ un-done household chores so that things are done as a team.

@JHNannies Something I’ve started doing with my significant other is using Do.com it’s a fantastic way to organize time.

 

Q3: What other things can WE do as entrepreneurs to make it easier for our spouses/loved ones to support us in business?

@DinoandShannon Share our bigger vision and WHY for what we are doing & enroll them. Plus, set rewards when meet goals. Balance out “partnership” with time to be just boyfriend/girlfriend. Keep the romance alive=key to making more $ in biz. Make requests of what you need. Don’t expect spouse mind reading or assume they know. Define what is a date night, and what’s a “night out” for you. Date nights are pre-planned and more special. I also am a fan of making double batches of soups or casseroles and freezing 1/2 for later.

@speakmichelle I’m really working on ENROLLMENT this year. Not just what I’m working on, but WHY that task, project, event is important! I also think it’s a good idea to give them how they can support you. Help with kids, dinner, dishes, etc.

@MCGustafson Make them feel part of our business team not another thing/task to be managed.

@littlelambweb Set boundaries so your partner feels your just as important as your business. Even if your not a biz owner, don’t forgot to have your date nights!

@redheadJami Definitely ask and be specific. “I need help with this so that I can do this later or with you.” We choose several easy meals and several more detailed meals in our meail plan so that we can work those into our schedules.

TIP: @DinoandShannon Prioritize your to do list into A-B-C categories. Make sure the A’s get done everyday!

 

Q4: Do you carve out time each week to spend with family and friends? Date nights, etc? Are they regular times each week?

@DinoandShannon We likely do do a weekly night out (movie/dinner) and then once every month or so we go on a real “date” that’s pre-planned. For us, a date night is little “extra”. Concert-play-something diff than ordinary. Keep the spark alive

@BenitaWizeHouse Friday’s are our ‘Family Fun’ night where we do movies, games, crafts, etc. It’s great & we’ve been doing this for yrs.

@startupprincess I also schedule time with my kids. They don’t know that, but when that appt pops up its a reminder to focus on them.

@littlelambweb Tues and Weds are mine to spend as I want. Sundays are also off limits. Thats when i get my crochet on, lol.

@carlymelissa_x I do activities with friends, like regular games of soccer etc. It combines my fitness time with social!

 

Q5: Anyone have”relationship evaluation time”with loved ones? I ask, “rate me on a scale from 1-10″ “What can I do to improve?”

@DinoandShannon Dino and I evaluate on lil’ things nightly during pillow talk. Big things we do at weekly marriage mastermind. We also have weekly family council and let the kids give feedback/have a say @ family life.

@BenitaWizeHouse Great idea!!; don’t have one now, but I’m inspired to implement such an evaluation.

@FronteSentre I regularly ask my kids if they have anything on their mind or if they feel like they got enough “mommy time” this week.

@CarterMarissa We agreed that we wouldn’t discuss business in bed. Might sound silly but it helps keep business & pleasure separate, haha!

 

In the month of February, #startupchat will be talking about money, finances and profits. Mark your calendars for every Wednesday at 2pm EST, 12pm MNT!

 

Startup Princess guest blogger Kim Celano is the founder of KC Bakes, an online cake pop stand business.  Dedicated to her social media outlets, she has transformed KC Bakes’ reach from a small group of local bakers into an international audience of cake pop makers, bakeries and recently supplied stands for a new restaurant in California.  Kim is an avid baker and enjoys sharing her knowledge through tutorials on her blog, aptly named KC Bakes. She lives in Maple Shade, NJ with her husband.

Interview & Giveaway: Meet Jill Blashack Strahan – Founder Tastefully Simple and Author of the Book Simply Shine

It was very exciting to get to know Jill a little bit better and have her take some time to answer some questions for a Startup Princess interview.  She has an inspiring startup story and offers some bits of wisdom for businesses at every stage of development.  And, we’re giving away a copy of her book!  Details are at the end of this post!

How did you come up with the idea for Tastefully Simple?

The idea actually came to me back in 1994. When I decided to close my gift shop called Care with Flair Gifts & Gift Baskets, I was invited to be part of a local Holiday Crafter’s Tour – what some would call a parade of homes. At the last minute, I asked the craft tour organizers if I could offer samples of the food in the gift baskets. They agreed. In one and a half days, I sold $200 in gift baskets and over $2,000 in food.

I went to that event two years in a row, and then I had my “ding-ding moment.” At 3:00 am after reading an article in Entrepreneur magazine about two women who had started a home party company with home décor, I realized, “Ding-ding!” People are not looking for gift baskets. They want quick and easy, high-quality foods … and they want to taste-test. 

When I had my gift basket business, I had actually thought about doing home parties. Then after the Holiday Crafter’s Tour, I suddenly connected back to that idea. I was apathetic about home parties in the past, but this would be a party I would dig attending. Fabulous food, fun and talking with friends? Now I’d go to THAT party!”

Did you bootstrap or seek for investors?

I often say that Tastefully Simple was founded on a dream and a shoestring. And I am NOT exaggerating.

I bootstrapped the business with $6,000 in savings, a $10,000 investment from a silent partner (Joani Nielson, who would later take on an active role as our COO) and a $20,000 SBA loan. And the rest is history!

Back in June 1995, our headquarters was a 1,200-square-foot shed with no running water, and we used a pool table as our packing station. Today Tastefully Simple has grown to become a $100 million-plus company with more than 25,000 direct sales consultants across the country. (And yes, sometimes I STILL need to pinch myself!)

What 2 or 3 things do you feel really helped your business to grow over the past 16 years?

Primarily, it was alignment in three things. First, dreaming it and having clarity about what I wanted this company and its products to be. Second, having the faith and belief that it was going to work. Third, having the willingness to work at it. If any one of those three things would have been out of alignment, it wouldn’t have worked.  Beyond these three things, I strongly encourage participation in a professional support and accountability group. I will be eternally grateful for my participation in Vistage, which I consider the best investment you can make in yourself and your company.

What have you learned along the way?

How much time do you have? One of our favorite phrases at Tastefully Simple is “we reserve the right to get smarter.” There’s a gentle humor about it that puts people at ease, but more importantly, it lets us be authentic and frees us from trying to be perfect.

Mistakes are as much a part of the process of our growth as doing things “right.”  One of the great things about being real is that we give ourselves permission to stumble. As long as we can be honest, not get bogged down, and learn how to move on, there’s always an opportunity to grow. Over the years, I relied heavily on our consultants, our clients and our own intuition to help us figure things out as we went along.

Here are a few of the other key lessons I’ve learned along the way:

Fall in love with change.  Over the last 15 years, I’ve learned that change is a rule, not the exception. From 1999-2003 alone, Tastefully Simple leaped from $4.4 million to $113 million in sales. You can’t experience change at that magnitude without being flexible.

1. Take time to renew. I always think of Stephen Covey’s line: “Ahhh…too busy driving to stop and get gas?” We all need to refuel sometimes. Back in 1995, 1996 and 1997, I was invited to Creative Memories’ conference, but I was always “too busy” to go. I finally attended in 1997, and I can’t even begin to express how it changed my attitude and therefore the success of Tastefully Simple. During our start-up years, Creative Memories was our greatest mentor. They were abundant beyond words.
2. Choose to be different. Try to find that sweet spot. Don’t re-invent the wheel, but don’t be a sheep that will follow the flock wherever it goes. Be true to who you are, even if it means being unconventional sometimes.
3. Be patient with yourself.  We build our business one by one by one. One decision at a time, one sale at a time, one relationship at a time. Jack Canfield said, “Think of the headlights on a car at night only lighting up 200 feet. But the car can make it across the entire country, just 200 feet at a time.” That’s how we achieve success. 200 feet at a time.

What advice do you have for other women in the beginning and development stages of building their business dreams?

Dream it, believe it, work it. Be very clear about what you want, have faith in that vision, and be willing to do the work that’s necessary because the harder you work, the luckier you get! Financing a new business is usually an issue, so I encourage you to check out all the local and regional resources available to help you get started. The loan I received from the Small Business Administration was critical in my ability to transform Tastefully Simple from a dream to a reality.

Tell us more about Simply Shine.  What inspired you to write it?

So often, we settle in life – we don’t dare to set the bar too high.

Back in 1994, I hired a personal coach named Mike Haynie who changed my life. He helped me realize that I did not feel WORTHY of having a life I loved. He was the catalyst that helped me change my thoughts – and most importantly, my actions.

Through an intense journey, I came to believe that I was worthy of my dreams and that I COULD have whatever I wanted. Like Peter McWilliams said, “You can have anything you want in life. You just can’t have everything.”

Today my purpose is to inspire others to go for their dreams, and that’s really what Simply Shine is all about. I believe it’s impossible to shine without self-confidence, and we build that confidence in two ways – through our skills and our will. Simply Shine is about building people’s will. It’s about creating a spark and helping them gain confidence … so they shine and achieve a life they love.

How have you built your business on the abundance mentality?

I’ve come to the firm conclusion that there’s no extracting our personal life from our business life. When we’re happy and fulfilled in our personal life, it flows into our work. When we’re miserable and unhappy in our work, it spews into our personal life. In the same vein, the culture of any company is driven by our personal life, our personal beliefs and our personal values. And for me, these philosophies developed and evolved over time.

Back in 1997, I sat down with our three employees and we brainstormed about what we did – and did NOT – want to be known for as a company. We developed our company’s seven core values. That was crucial because it created clarity in our own hearts and minds – and as our company grew, it ensured there would be no confusion about what our expectations and values are for anyone who comes on board.

We eventually boiled these values down to three principles. The first is the law of abundancy – fostering peace of mind through win-win attitudes. The second one is the law of magic, which is creating positive energy through celebration and excellence. The third principle is the law of realness, which is building trust through humbleness.

These principles are more than words on wall at Tastefully Simple – they are truly the heart and soul of our company and drive every decision we make. They reflect who we are – and who we want to be.

MY REVIEW OF SIMPLY SHINE – by Michelle McCullough

I was initially surprised by how autobiographical this book is.  Though at first I thought it would be hard to read, every page oozes with positive energy, and I couldn’t help but feel inspired as I read it.  Jill’s writing style and story telling makes it easy to get involved in her life, and also made it easy to apply to my own.

I especially love what Jill says about abundance.  I’ve been working some abundance principles into my life and work over the past two years and have really seen a difference in the way I view what I do, what my goals are and also how I view competition in the marketplace.  There truly is enough business for all of us, and the more we connect with abundance in our life and business, the more we’ll attract.  On a surface level as we believe that there is enough for everyone, we all have enough.  Jill goes one step deeper and talks about abundance and defines the Law of Abundance (as she talks about above) as “Fostering peace of mind through win-win attitudes.”  How powerful!  Can you see your life being full without the involvement, love and support of others?  Jill shows us so powerfully that we we are not alone and our lives can be enriched by involving others in our journey and being involved and helping others achieve their dreams as well.

Finally, the last takeaway I want to share with you: Jill’s story illustrates that the pathway to business success is not easy and you’ll have speed bumps and set backs along the way (we cause some ourselves, don’t we?).  However, as we pick ourselves back up, we open doors only commitment, stamina and perseverance have in store for us.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Now, we have a copy to giveaway to a lucky Startup Princess.  Just answer this question: What principle of success has helped shape your personal or professional life?  Your answers are not judged, but they are your entry into the giveaway.  Winner will be selected by random.org.  Additional giveaway details and conditions are available by contacting us.

Michelle McCullough is the business development director for Startup Princess and handles Startup Princess partnerships and events.  Before Startup Princess, Michelle has spent the last 12 years working in marketing and advertising. She’s worked in all aspects of the industry from production to creative and sales to management. On top of her full-time jobs, Michelle has cultivated her love for entrepreneurship by running a successful side business, Doodads, a promotional products company.  Michelle and her husband are the parents of two children ages 3 and 1, and live in Utah.

Stay the Course – S.M.A.R.T Goals for Navigation

All of us Startup Princesses have seen, read or at least heard of the Titanic right? The most awesomevessel of its time with a romance tucked in its core. After we have put away our tissues and, as I dowith many things, think about how it could have been different (I love happy endings), I try to relate it tobusiness. Historians and titanic enthusiast would say the ship was either going too fast and/or it steeredright into a ginormous iceberg. I would sum it up as sub-par steering and the stars aligning.
Everyone’s business is, in a way, a ship navigating through the treacherous seas of bookkeeping,management, product formulation, business planning, growth, quality, service and a thousand otherthings. Not to mention all of the balancing that most of us have to do on the tight rope of our chosen voyage.

EXCITING!!!

What tools do we need to successfully sail or fire up both engines to reach our sought horizon of up andto the right (growth)?
Too many to list in one blog or by one person but here is a baby step….

GOAL Setting!

Here is a quick hot sheet for a method that has been added to over time by so many people that it can’tbe accredited to any one captain and is taught in many institutions and 101 courses around the world. Always, my favorite reason to reference such things is that it gives a polished presentation to a real world,tried and true, results-driven tool.

It is called … S.M.A.R.T Goals (brilliant)

Specific. Setting a goal that is too broad (i.e. sell a lot of widgets) allows for too many unknowns. At what pointhave you sold ‘a lot’? What number constitutes ‘not enough’? Identifying a specific marker allows you torealistically gauge when you’re close to reaching your goal. This can applies to product development,marketing, and online presence.

Measurable. Be sure that your goal is something that can actually be measured. Quantify it. When are you going topass out the bonus checks? It will be difficult to set a specific goal if it is not measurable. Measurability aswell as specificity help you to identify progress and recognize milestones.

Attainable. Do not set yourself up for failure by setting a goal that is not attainable. Bringing in $1,000,000,000in revenue for the quarter is an exciting prospect but it may not be something that is realistic for yourcompany at this stage. By setting goals that you are unlikely to achieve, you set yourself (and youremployees) up for disappointment, ultimately destroying morale.

Relevant. Goal setting becomes an important part of business planning when the goals are relevant to theoverarching mission or vision of the company. Make sure that your goals align with the company’spolicies, overall direction and ability at your stage in the voyage.

Time bound. When you choose not to set time bound goals, action steps toward the achievement of goals do not rankhigh on the list of priorities. Setting a time frame for achieving your goals helps you to stay on track forrealizing your goals.

As you are taking the helm, reorganizing, or holding steady, setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and navigationpoints will help you evaluate and reach your desired destination.

Wishing you fair winds and calm seas!

Brooke & Megan are entrepreneurs who are passionate about the sales process, customer experiences and growth. They founded BreakOut Sales, a company that specializes in building dynamic sales teams for new technologies and bringing European products/services to the US market.

Mom Entrepreneur Success Strategies

A recent article we ran across at the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur featured suggestions from mom entrepreneurs on how they make it all work – clients, kids and everything in between. There are 107 tips in all, including:

‘Mom entrepreneurs who are busy juggling the priority of a family and the intrigue of growing a business will balance both better with clear boundaries. Read more

What Type of Entrepreneur Are You?

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing serial entrepreneur Brent Bishop, chairman of  one of my favorite companies–the hip and whimsical kid’s brand, Naartjie and also chairman of the web security software company, Content Watch. Previous to these businesses he founded Greenbacks All-a-Dollar (1991), Read more

Sharifah Hardie’s Radio Interview of Startup Princess Founder Kelly King Anderson

Sharifah Hardie interviewed Kelly King Anderson, the Founder of Startup Princess on her Blog Talk radio show Ask Sharifah on June 29th. Enjoy listening to the one hour interview about how Startup Princess was started and what’s next on the horizon. Please note that half way through the show there was a technical difficulty, so there is a pause for a few minutes, but hang on because we resume our conversation.  Sharifah Hardie is a new Fairy Godmother for Startup Princess and we’re excited to have her! Follow Sharifah on Twitter @asksharifah

Twitter for Business

(Originally presented at BYU on March 12, 2009) Listen to the AUDIO here.

What is Twitter?

Microblogging. It’s like a series of Facebook status updates in 140 characters, but better: more interactive, more open. Combines elements of StumbleUpon, Facebook, Email, IM, social/business mixers, and blogging.

Why should I be on Twitter?

It’s the fastest way to share and get information on the web. It takes time at first to build p followers and a good list of followees, but once you’re established, you can do anything on Twitter.

If you want to have any sort of online presence, you should start with Twitter (which can automatically update your Facebook account and your blog, so it’s really not adding too much extra effort).

What can I do with Twitter?

Network. Connect with people across the world (@Kirstyt in AUS) and locally (@sahans in UT). (e.g. Why I’m here instead of @StartupPrincess tonight).

Share stories/pictures/ideas. Send news articles (shorten links using tinyurl.com or tr.im), upload photos (twitpic.com), or take a poll to see if an idea is interesting.

Promote your product/website/brand. Tweet giveaways, events, sales, links to special posts. When people offer to stumble, don’t be shy.

Provide customer service. Set up an RSS feed for your brand name on search.twitter.com (e.g. Chris Brogan).

Build Relationships. Have real people (more than one, if possible) at your company tweet. Be personable and likeable (use humor). Interact, link to other companies.

Find mentors/sponsors. Follow people who are doing what you want to be doing, or who give opportunities to the people who are doing what you want to be doing. (e.g. Leapfrog, @morethanmommy).

Where should I start?

Sign up on Twitter, then explore the different platforms to access Twitter (on the web, on your iGoogle homepage, on your phone, on your desktop). Find an app that works for you. Many people like Tweetdeck and Twhirl. iPhone users like Twitterfon. I use BeTwittered – a gadget on my iGoogle homepage.

Add followers, but do it slowly, trying to keep your followers and followees pretty equal. And tweet – at least once a day, so you don’t look like a bot.

Want to know more? Try these:

How To Twitter (Wall Street Journal) (Note on settings – WSJ is mistaken. You can (now) determine whether you get all @replies or none, or only those that are between people, both of whom you follow).

50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business (Chris Brogan)

Shannon Johnson (Jane @ What About Mom?) is as committed to motherhood as she is to writerhood, which is to say that she should probably be committed. She lives in Utah with her husband Dick and their three daughters.

How Busy Women Can Make Time for Nutrition

Liz Rosenbaum, personal fitness trainer, talks with Kelly King Anderson about what women can do to make sure they are eating well and taking care of themselves nutritionally. This advice is excellent for women in business.

22 Free Things to Manage Your Business & Your Life

Boeing to chop 10,000 jobs. Starbucks closes 300 stores & cuts 6,700 jobs. Caterpillar laying off 2,000 more workers. AOL axing 700 jobs in cost cutting move. U.S. Postal Service considers cutting delivery to 5 days. Circuit City lets 34,000 people go & enters liquidation. Intel fires 6,000 workers. Economy shrinks at fastest clip since 1982. Recession appears to be picking up steam.

We all know that America is going through an economic crisis and most of us have probably been affected by it in some way. Times are indeed tough.

But as mom entrepreneurs, we’re a tenacious bunch who isn’t likely to give up that easily. We’re going to keep building our businesses, even if we have pinch pennies, go at a slower pace and do much of the work ourselves. Read more