Word Up
December 29, 2006
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Fairy Godmothers Carrie and Danielle say…
Pick a word, but not just any word…
CLARITY. HARVEST. COURAGE. GENIUS. PASSION. BALANCE. JACKPOT.
We adore words. We love the layers, the history, the power of them. In the right combination, with certain intent, words are a magic formula. (like say, a Style Statement…)
Every New Year we choose words as the theme or experience we want for that year. Last year, Danielle’s word was Communion. Carrie’s was Consistency. We threw in some extra words like, Ease and Simplicity just to juice up the potential.
THIS NEW WEEK’S Magic Wands: choose your words for the year – one or two audio gems to plug into your heart as an added bass beat. Take your time. Meditate or doodle. Sometimes you need to claim your word like a brass ring of promise, other times it will float into your mind and feel just right when it gets there.
Every word is a song unto itself. Let it move your groove forward.
{If you’d like to share your thoughts, we’d love to hear them. You can do so here on StartupPrincess and also our blog: www.carrieanddanielle.wordpress.com}
From Good To Great Author’s Website is GREAT
December 29, 2006
Today’s Magic Wand: Fairy Godmother Danielle LaPorte recommended that I visit the author, Jim Collin’s site for some work on creating my core vision for Start Up Princess. It’s been immensely helpful. He asks 3 main questions: What can you be the best in the world at? What are you deeply passionate about? and What is your economic engine? I can’t wait until I can devour it completely after my kids are asleep! Note that Jim Collins will have a PBS show starting January 2007, too. That’s GREAT.
Start Up Princess Glass Slipper Award 2006
December 28, 2006
Our very first Start Up Princess Glass Slipper Award was given recently to two amazing women entrepreneurs, Marielen Christensen and her daughter, Liz Rosenbaum. Marielen Christensen was instrumental for creating the scrapbooking movement 25 years ago and Liz created one of their first idea books at just 16 years old. Now Liz and her husband, Matt run this family business, Keeping Memories Alive/www.scrapbooks.com 
I got to know Liz this summer at our sons’ swim lessons. I musterd up the courage to introduce myself to Liz and ask her about how she’s managed to balance being a mom and a business owner of a very large and thriving business. We started chatting about everything–late night emailing, trading babysitting, being healthy (I introduced Liz to spinach smoothies), and we became fast friends. I enjoyed brainstorming with her about marketing and told her she needed to start a blog…and then ironically I took my own advice and started this site. Liz is one of the reasons Start Up Princess came to be, we both wanted to network with other mom/women entrepreneurs and the web seemed the ideal place to do it. I will never forget that Liz was so supportive of me and was the very first to ever comment!
Here Liz talks about Keeping Memories Alive’s 25th Anniverary:
“It is hard to believe that I was only 3 years old when my parents started this company 25 years ago. Keeping Memories Alive has been a blessing to the lives of those in my family, as well as many more lives throughout the world.
In our personal lives, KMA has taught us how to work hard, how to endure difficult situations, how to relate to people all over the world, and that although we are all different, we are very much the same. It has also taught us that there is more to life than money and careers…that our family comes first…because without our loved ones there would be no purpose in our business. Read more
Get to Know Fairy Godmothers Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte
December 27, 2006
A few months ago Carrie & Danielle were featured on the Ladies Who Launch site and I was so impressed I contacted them and invited them to be Fairy Godmothers of Style, Business, Wisdom…for us at Start Up Princesss. They’ve been submitting awesome posts since October.
I can’t wait until their book is published next year, this dynamic duo are making waves internationally and are sure to have quite the press tour. I would call them Style Shrinks…but they are so much more than that because they have such inspiration behind everything they do. They have a beautiful new line of style statement jewelry too.
Write up from: Crave Vancouver – The Urban Girl’s Manifesto:
The Ultimate Guide to the places that women crave in Vancouver
Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte
CARRIE & DANIELLE INC.
“We’ve designed a Q&A process to help people discover their own ‘Style Statement’ – their life trademark. Your Style Statement is what you cherish and what you choose. It works for your haircut, you business card, the home you create…the way you celebrate, stay healthy, and manage your time. It’s a tool for designing your life.â€
INSPIRATION/MOTIVATION FOR STARTING OUR BUSINESS:
We knew we were onto something. Discovering our own Style Statements was really adding to our lives, and we saw it taking off for our friends and family. We took the leap and committed all of our energy to this and it’s been amazing. Read more
Let’s Chat a Bit about Your Brand…
December 27, 2006
We’re working on developing the Start Up Princess brand and identity right now. Today I received a great email from Start Up Princess Rachael Herrscher that helped me to think through the brand more clearly. Her email reminded me of the “homework” one must do in brand development in communicating what the overall brand represents.
I will share her questions/comments and my answers here:
Rachael: Let’s chat a bit about your brand . . .
What words would you use to describe what you are looking for in a
tone or feel for your site?
Kelly: Smart. Feminine. Creative. Bold. Empowering. Sophisticated Princess. Entrepreneur.
How We Survived Our Start Up Christmas
December 26, 2006
Here’s the good, bad, and the ugly of how our family survived the sweet & charming launch (Nov. 30) and Christmas in the same month:
What I’m happy about:
- We focused on the reason of the season at home; we didn’t have our tree up until Dec 22, but our Nativity was out most of the month and we talked about it everyday, reading Christmas books, enjoying all of the holiday cards, and singing a lot of Christmas songs together
- Sam’s Club and Costco helped us get through the food issues and holiday guests (my parents and My mother-in-law came for Christmas); I didn’t bake, I didn’t really cook, and we ate well.
- My baby started eating more solids this month, yippee! This freed me up a lot, but it was also a bit sad to me…mixed emotions here.
- We had help, lots of it; my Mom was here for the month helping with daily carpool driving, laundry, keeping my girls entertained, and helping with anything and everything for my business (sewing sweet & charming original products, sorting, pricing, organizing, even called some vendors for me). We had our house professionally cleaned on the 23rd and I even hired someone to make my husband’s holiday favorite–banana cream pie. Read more
Traded My Tiara for an Elf Hat
December 25, 2006
Today’s Magic Wand: Talk about creative marketing, OfficeMax has a fun website for “spreading holiday cheer”. Elf Yourself for a fun holiday laugh. Here is me. 
Happy Holidays! We spent the afternoon doing all of our kids as elves and sent them to family and friends…very clever. Not sure if it translates into sales or what the connection is necessarily for OfficeMax, but it was fun for our family and I will remember the company for “spreading holiday cheer” in this way in the future. Now I spread that cheer on…enjoy a laugh and smile, it’s Christmas! Now the real magic begins.Sincere Sparkle
December 22, 2006
Fairy Godmothers Carrie and Danielle share this beautiful insight:By now you’ve probably geared up for the holidays with sense of sweet anticipation… or angst.
Work parties, dinner with strangers we’re related to, and “what were you thinking?!†presents — it can be tricky to be sincere when you’re out of your comfort zone.
But the holidays are, after all, an opportunity to give and to shine. And sincerity is a gift that positively glows.
HOLIDAY Magic Wands: Intend to give some sincere sparkle. When you arrive for a get together, before you’re swept away in the chaos, hug the host, look them in the eye, and say something like, “we’re excited for the day.†When you mean it, it goes straight to the heart. If you get another lame present from Aunt Clara, find a way to adore her later in the day. While you’re clearing the dinner table, ask her what her favorite holiday memory is – she’ll be radiant in the telling of it. And when the guests are leaving, a simple, “we really love spending time with you,†will warm them all the way home.Long after the gift certificates are spent, it’s the genuine, sparkle-in-the-eye moments that become more luminous over time. Shine.
Christmas Jars Author, Jason Wright Tells His Story
December 21, 2006
Earlier this month I featured the book Christmas Jars written by Jason Wright as an inspirational read for the holidays as a Magic Wand. I was delighted that Jason found the post and commented. I began emailing Jason and asked him more details about his book–how did he get the idea? How long did it take to get it published? What are the best stories he’s heard of that have come from people applying the concept? He was very generous to share with us. I feel that every entrepreneur needs to give in order to receive…this book helps communicate this message.
Here are Jason’s words (used with his permission):
“In a nutshell, the inspiration for Christmas Jars came in the shower (true story). I was thinking about the upcoming holidays (2004) and wondering what tradition my wife and I could start that would involve the children. We had one already that my parents passed down, but it’s a “mom and dad thing”. We wanted something the entire family could feel a part of. Knowing we all generate so much spare change everyday that ends up in ash trays, couch cushions, etc., I wondered what would happen if we put every single spare penny, dime, nickel and quarter in a jar at the end of the day. The twist was that instead of buying a new TV, we’d find someone to give it to, anonymously. It was an experiment that worked so well for us, I decided to fictionalize the entire experience. Where might the very first jar have come from? What good could come from thousands and thousands of jars? We’re just now starting to see, and it’s miraculous! Read more
“LAUNCH” Magazine Launched This Week
December 21, 2006
Funding Universe’s magazine for Utah entrepreneurs, “LAUNCH” launched this week. (Surely they will be doing versions of the magazine for the entire USA eventually).
LAUNCH is a free, bi-monthly, online publication focusing solely on Utah’s entrepreneurial experience- written by entrepreneurs, and those that mentor, support and invest in them.
Congrats to all of our friends at Funding Universe who haven’t been sleeping for months redesigning their website, making “Angel Ready” software programs, coming up with new marketing strategies, and now this magazine!
Today’s Magic Wand: Enjoy a free online issue! Read Launch while you “lunch”.
