It’s Friday and the weekend has begun!  I know with Labor Day fast approaching, we are down to the last days of summer.  However if you are in portions of the U.S. expecting rain this weekend, you may be stuck inside as opposed to enjoying a little fun in the sun.  If rain is in your forecast, then it may be time to dust off the movie rental card.  You can never go wrong with a few movies and snacks!

If you are like me, you can find inspiration in some of the simple things in life even when you least expect it.  I can sometimes find inspiration and motivation in songs, books, and movies.  If you’re looking for something to do this weekend that won’t break the bank and also give you a little entrepreneurial motivation, check out one of my “Girl Power” movie recommendations for a little lift of the spirits.  Not only will you enjoy a few laughs but, you may even be inspired to make your next career move!

Working Girl – Climbing the corporate ladder at its best!

The Devil Wears Prada – A young lady with career ambitions and all of those clothes, shoes, and bags! How could you not be inspired?

Baby Boom – Inherit a baby.  Start a gourmet baby food company!

Chocolat – Do I really have to say anything?  She owns a chocolate shop! Oh and did I mention Johnny Depp?

9 to 5 – This is just pure fun; especially for those of you ready to escape Corporate America!  Show them who’s really the Boss!

Erin Brockovich – She’s tough, she ended up creating a very profitable career for herself,  AND  it’s all for a good cause!

Tags: Business Ideas, chick flicks, girl power, Inspiration, Motivation, Starting a business, weekend fun, Women entrepreneurs

“If you think you can, you can.  And if you think you can’t, you’re right.”

- Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

Doubt can be a major roadblock when it comes to starting a business.  Doubt usually leads to negative thoughts about your abilities as an entrepreneur, which leads to inaction.  Inaction means another day passes without taking steps toward business ownership.  Doubt will cause you to stay in a career situation that isn’t satisfying.  All of these things lead to missed opportunities.

Be positive, look for inspiration, find a mentor, take action, and don’t let doubt delay your entrepreneurial dreams.  If you don’t think you can have the business you’ve always wanted, then who will?

Tags: doubt, entrepreneurial dreams, fear, inspirational quote, mary kay ash, Starting a business, take action, Women entrepreneurs

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love.  Don’t make money your goal.  Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”  – Maya Angelou

Tags: Business Ideas, do what you love, inspirational quote, Passion, Starting a business, Women entrepreneurs

It’s Friday and I’m on my way to my family reunion in Ohio.  Every year my dad’s side of the family has a reunion and it always makes for a fun and  interesting event!  Both of my parents have passed so, it’s not quite the same attending these kinds of functions without them.  Nevertheless, I always enjoy seeing my relatives and this year my brother and I are traveling to the reunion together.   I’m sure the weekend will be better than anything you can find on Reality TV!!!

As I thought about my upcoming reunion, I naturally thought about the importance of having support systems in our business lives, as well as our personal lives.  We usually do a good job surrounding ourselves with supportive family and friends when it comes to our family lives. However, we tend to try and go it alone when it comes to our careers and business affairs.  Our careers are, in some cases, one of the few places we get to shine and have a little control.  We typically know what we are doing in that environment and we beam with pride when we do it well.  It’s especially gratifying when we can take all of the credit for our accomplishments.

No matter how competent you are and how many things you can juggle at once, starting a business is no time to try and go it alone.  I mentioned in my last post that you should seek out a mentor as you begin to get your business off the ground.  You should also be sure that you include your family, friends, and people in your community that wish you well.  Share your plans with them.  Get their input and feedback.  Allow them to just listen when you’re having tough times and make sure you celebrate with them when you reach milestones.

Everyone needs a cheerleader in this tough world of business ownership.  There will be long days and nights and a lot of lonely times as you pour your heart and soul into the business of your dreams.  Everyone else may not be as committed to your dream as you are but, those who love you will support you and cheer you on.  Don’t try to be the superwoman that you are and do this alone.  Be sure you include your parents, siblings, children, and best friends in your entrepreneurial endeavors.

You’ll be glad that you brought someone along for the ride, whether it’s a shoulder to lean on during the rough days or someone to share a toast with during the celebrations.  Having a support system in place will make the journey a little easier and reaching your goals a little sweeter.  Have a great weekend!

Tags: family, family reunion, friends, Starting a business, Startup Tips, support system, Women entrepreneurs

Tomorrow we celebrate the 4th of July, our country’s Independence Day.  This commemorative holiday recognizes the adoption of the Declaration of Independence which declared the country’s independence from Great Britain.  Most of our holidays have become such big commercial events that it’s sometimes easy to forget the real meaning or purpose behind them.  Nevertheless, many people across the country take advantage of this federal holiday by celebrating with parades, picnics, and tons of fireworks.  I personally like celebrating at the nearest beach with friends, music, a good book, and cute cocktails with umbrellas in them.  Maybe that’s just me!  No matter where you are, there’s usually something for people of all ages to enjoy!

As I contemplated declaring independence, I begin to think about the many ways we declare our own independence at various stages in our lives.  We declare our independence when we become teenagers and learn how to drive.  We declare our independence when we go off to college.  We, once again, declare our independence when we get married and start a family.  Unfortunately, for some of us, that’s where the declarations stop.

In many cases, we think that reaching a certain age or point in our lives exempts us from making any new declarations of independence.  I think that is one of the reasons it becomes a lot harder for some people to start new careers, new hobbies, or new businesses.  They begin to think the doors of opportunity have closed and the time has passed for new game plans and new declarations.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.  It’s never too late to have a new dream, a new goal, or a new lease on life.  It’s never too late for an opportunity to present itself that just might change the rest of your life.  As you celebrate the 4th of July with your family and friends by attending more barbeques and cookouts than you can handle (or maybe that’s just me), think about the last time you made a declaration.  Is it time to make a new one?  If so, go ahead and do it!  Our country’s Independence Day is a perfect time to make your own personal declaration of independce.  What’s your declaration?  Be sure to share it.  Have a great holiday!

Tags: celebrations, declaration of independence, fireworks, Fourth of July, Fun, holiday, new careers, new goals

When talking to a lot of women about starting a business, one of the first things they say is that they have absolutely no idea where to start.  Sound familiar?  I’ve been there and just thinking about all of the things that could be involved with a new business venture can be extremely overwhelming.  I’m talking about sweaty palms, migraines, and a few upset stomachs.  Once I assure them that they won’t actually die trying to start a business (you may feel like you’ve come close at some point), I simply tell them that the perfect place to start is with their idea or ideas.

Grab a notebook or your laptop, pour your favorite latte, get comfortable, and get in the zone.  Start getting those thoughts out of your head and onto some paper.  Now, don’t trip over your stilettos thinking that this is the time when you start writing a 100-page business plan.  That’s not what I’m talking about here.  You’ll have plenty of time to get to a business plan and you’ll never, ever hear me suggest that you write one that is 100 pages long.  I’m simply talking about putting your ideas on paper.

Once you start writing these things down and really giving it some thought, it becomes real.  They start to look like legitimate business ideas.  Write down all the things you love to do.  Write down all the things you want to do.  Write down all the things you have a passion for.  Don’t just write down your hobbies.  In some cases, a hobby is just a hobby.  Write down the ideas that you can turn into viable business solutions.

These ideas should not only interest you but, they should also interest other people enough to spend money for it.  It may be something others need or it could simply be something nice that they want to have.  In any case, it has to be perceived as valuable to a customer so that they will spend money to have it.  You could have a vision for a product or service or both.  Put your ideas on paper and start organizing your thoughts.  Make it real so that it becomes more than an internal wish list.  This is just the beginning.  You will make many, many changes before it’s final.  This is simply a way to move forward and get started.  So, what are you working on this week?

Tags: Business Ideas, Starting a business, startups, tips for starting a business, Women entrepreneurs

“I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens.  Life is only about the I-tried-to-do.  I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try.”           -Nikki Giovanni, Poet & Author

Many would-be women entrepreneurs give up on the idea of starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur before they even try to take steps toward their dream of business ownership.  There are many reasons why this happens on a daily basis.  Most of the time we allow things like fear, doubt, busy schedules, and lack of self confidence to stand in the way of becoming an entrepreneur.

We are always willing to give other new things a try; however, we sometimes fail to take a chance on ourselves.  We will try the latest diet, fashion trend, hairstyle, or restaurant without a second thought.  Now, I know some of you are saying that the risk involved with trying those things is not that great; well, neither is the reward.  In either case, how will you know unless you try?

I know that starting a business is a huge endeavor that requires time, hard work, and in most cases, money.  It isn’t something to be taken lightly.  The point I’m making is that you have to identify the things that may be holding  you back and work through them in order to take steps toward your goal of entrepreneurship.  I want you to get over the fear, move beyond the excuses, and just get started.  Be sure to return to the Boutique for tips on the things you can do to begin this fascinating journey of becoming a business owner.

Do you want to look back years from now and say “I shoulda, coulda, woulda” or would you rather say “I tried”?

Tags: inspirational quote, Starting a business, Startup Tips, thought for the day, Women entrepreneurs

Many women who think of starting a business never do because they get stuck trying to come up with a good business idea.  I’ve talked to and worked with women who want to turn a hobby into a business.  Others want to do something that will simply make them money despite the fact they are not particularly interested in the subject.  Still, others just want to start a business that’s in their current field because it will be the easiest thing to do.  I have one word for all of you women entrepreneurs out there trying to decide what kind of business to start…PASSION!

How many of you have bought a blouse that was on sale but, it wasn’t really your style?  How many times did you end up wearing that blouse or is it still in your closet with the tag on it? You’ve only worn it once or not at all because you didn’t really like it.  The color is not really you and that neckline is not the most flattering.  It seemed like a good idea at the time because it was on sale; however, you’re not getting any use or satisfaction out of owning it.

Imagine starting a business that you don’t really about or one that doesn’t get you excited.  That would probably make for some very long days.  You have to do something that excites you and makes you want to get out of the bed in the morning.  You should look forward to opening the doors or logging on to your site everyday.

Having your own business is supposed to be fun, satisfying, and gratifying.  If you start a business that you care nothing about and it’s just work to you, then all you’ve created for yourself is another job. There are many other things you can do to get another job that won’t require the time and effort it takes to run a business.  Running a business is hard work so, you should at least enjoy what you are doing.

What are you passionate about?  What makes you feel good?  What were you born to do?  Doing something that you’re passionate about doesn’t exempt you from having a viable product or service and a market that will be interested in buying it.  However, if you are not passionate about what you’re doing and you don’t believe in your product, you will probably struggle with making sales anyway.

Starting your own business is about you and your desires for your future, not somebody else’s dreams.  You’ve got to be excited about it, look forward to doing it, have fun doing it, and feel a sense of purpose when it’s done.  Otherwise, you can just keep your day job.  Figure out what gets your heart pumping and start there.  Once you get your business up & running, you’ll be glad that you’re spending those 16 hours a day doing something that you love.

Tags: Inspiration, Passion, Starting a business, Startup Tips, Women entrepreneurs