How One Small Business Trumped Hurricane Katrina With Help from the Local High School
August 2005 had been a great month for me, as I marked 10 years in business. All month long, the mood was festive and upbeat, and I was pleased at how well the business was going and excited about the future.
But suddenly, my entire world was turned upside down and inside out when the massive storm struck and did its horrible damage.
On the day Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, I was supposed to be filming my 2nd exercise DVD in New Orleans - but the only filming done that day was by the news media, recording the Katrina disaster as it grew ever more ominous and life-threatening.
My family and I were safe, having evacuated to my daughter’s apartment in Florida. But we were filled with fear and anxiety about what was going to happen to our home, and to the homes of our friends … we wondered if we were even going to have a home to go back to.
From Florida, we headed for Houston, where my husband’s job called him. We stayed in Houston for one month, during which time I couldn’t even find out about - much less do anything about — my business, which I feared might “go under” with so many other hopes, dreams and physical properties back home.
When we were able to return, finally, we were relieved and grateful to learn that we only needed to have our roof replaced and clean up some minor inside damage. The home front was going to be all right — but my business wasn’t faring as well.
Everyone’s top priority was to take care of our properties and to help others who were struggling. With all the trees down and dangerous, filthy debris everywhere, there was no way to even take a brisk walk to help shake off the blues. All any of us could do, day after endless day, was to work at cleaning up the unbelievable mess.
My son’s school reopened, so he was gone all day … my husband was still in Houston … and I was trapped in a nightmare where each effort I made to move forward was met with a resounding “No way!” I did show up at my studio, but it was wasted effort, since I was usually the only one there. My clients didn’t have the time, the energy or the motivation to keep up with their workouts during this troubled time.
I was frustrated beyond words, and depression began to settle in and drag me down into its numbing clutches … but I also am very stubborn when I believe in what I’m doing … and my belief in my business was strong. There simply was no way I was going to let it go under without a fight.
With my family’s blessing, I began to take money out of our house funds to pay rent and bills for the business. (Thankfully, they shared my belief that sometime in the near future things could be salvaged, turned around and would get better.) Scary stuff … but there was no other choice, other than the unacceptable one of seeing my business fall apart, fail and disappear … and I am one stubborn businesswoman when the cause is just and failure unacceptable.
One day I just set aside the mop, the broom, the buckets for debris, the work gloves and the stained, tattered coveralls, and decided that’s all the “cleaning up” I was going to do. If the carpets stayed muddy for a while longer, well, that wasn’t going to be the end of the world. But thinking about losing my business felt like exactly that - and I simply wasn’t going to have it.
First, I decided to go over the script that I had planned to use for the 2nd DVD, editing it and revising it to be a tighter presentation. That exercise refreshed my focus and sense of purpose for the business and I was inspired to take it to the next level of intensity, writing another script called focused on a different kind of exercise. That writing went very quickly, as well, as ideas - long shelved in favor of the more immediate demands of hurricane clean up - burst through to my consciousness. After that, I wrote a script for the next level … and after that, I began to pull together thoughts and exercises for an aerobic DVD.
Suddenly, from someone down in the dumps, battling depression and a growing sense of futility, I was a house afire once again, with renewed purpose and direction. BUT … with no clients coming to the studio, with everyone’s spirits at least badly bruised, if not crushed, how was that going to happen? And where would the funds come from to pay for the filming?
Never mind. One step at a time. The disruption of daily life would end, some day … people would return to more normal routines … and when the time was right I would already have scripts written for whole new set of exercise DVDs.
One day my son came home from school with the news that his media instructor had given the okay to film at his school, saying it would be a great project for the kids to work on. I certainly wasn’t expecting a professional result from the kids, but was nevertheless grateful for the offer and thought that at the very least, it would allow me to do a practice run through. Two weeks later we started to film, and the level of professionalism these students could deliver was stunning.
The result was so good, in fact, that I become a mentor for the Fontainebleau High School Media Program and they agreed to film all the DVDs I had written. This was great experience for them and a huge break for me. Between the months of January and May 2006 we were able to film five DVDs plus a redo of our original DVD. To thank the school, I now give them a percentage of each video sold to help support the media center.
I wanted to tell this story to show that while Katrina was a devastating event, with a profound and horrible impact on many lives, it also ignited the spark of all that’s best in humankind … spirits that won’t be smothered, hopes that won’t be destroyed, determination that will guarantee triumph, and the beautiful symbiosis of people working together for the best interests of all.
My business thrives again, today … and the Media Program at Fontainebleau High School thrives, as well. And the healing and growth continue….
Owner of IsoBreathing Inc. and creator of IsoBreathing(R) Ellen has been teaching life style and fitness over 20 years and is a certified fitness practitioner and personal trainer. Find out about Isometric Exercise, Weight Loss Exercise or buy her Exercise DVD - visit http://www.isobreathing.com.
Oprah School In South Africa To Grow Women Leaders, But Does Beauty Equal Success?
When I was growing up in metropolitan Washington, DC, I never once thought that my appearance would dictate my future as a doctor, lawyer or an Indian chief. In fact, I never thought that being a woman would affect my chances of entering any profession. I was a tomboy busy being a kid and thought the world I lived in would offer me all the options I would want. Not once did I consider I would one day be limited by the fact that I was a girl.
As I grew up I often heard platitudes “Pretty is as pretty does” and “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But I was a rebel and felt that I did not have to fit into any particular mold to make it in this world. My grandmother, Mamma Nancy (I was little Nancy) knew early on that I would have trouble. My 4′11″ grandmother had a reputation for being an outspoken and feisty woman and she commanded respect whenever she entered a room. She went right for the best table, best view and of course the best entree on the menu. I guess the apple does not fall too far from the ol’ apple tree.
I decided that she would be my role model and my mentor and since I was named after her, I really had no choice but to emulate her. This drove my mother crazy and I think my grandmother somehow enjoyed the lively exchanges she and mother had regarding my over-the-top rebellious behaviors. I personally enjoyed watching the whole scenario. One day, however, I must have really pushed the envelope.
I left high school thinking I was cool and sophisticated. Going through rush at the University my parents had shipped me to I thought it would be nice to have some new girlfriends so I went to the sorority rush parties. I was a legacy, which means I should have been a shoe-in for a bid to join this really cool group of women. I had a ball and came away thinking I would truly be an immense resource to these young women and they could learn so much from me and I would be a really fun, cool girlfriend. Next day I ran to see my invitation to join this cool group of women. As I scanned the list, my blood ran cold…they didn’t want me!
I called my mother and my grandmother and cried while I told them all about it. Mamma Nancy said to me: “I think you have shown your petticoat on this one.” That was her way of saying I had stepped over a social boundary and revealed some unacceptable part of myself. My pretty looks apparently were not enough. Little girls learn it different ways. How did you first learn about all the do’s and don’ts of being a pretty girl?
Now we read that Oprah Winfrey is opening a school for young girls in South Africa. She reports that the intention and purpose of the school is to groom these young girls to one day be future leaders. Oprah’s vision is to offer the education and social training they will need. One particularly controversial piece to this story is that an important part of the girls’ training is to increase their self-esteem by teaching them to look attractive and pleasing to the eye. The school includes a large beauty salon in which the girls will learn how to look pretty.
I think this is the part that impacts a feminist such as me. Why must young South African girls learn that beauty and physical attractiveness are important to their hopes of becoming leaders? Granted, studies show that attractive people tend to have greater success than homely ones, so it probably will help ensure their personal success. But what message can we learn from this training that Oprah’s school is instilling in young, vulnerable, naive girls? In fact, what are the messages young girls of all cultures are receiving about being accepted and valued in our society? Are we still telling young girls that they must stay young and beautiful to be loved, to be leaders, and to stand out in the crowd?
Is it just me? Personally, I worry about what this implies. I am concerned we are not giving women a positive message about being important and valued in our society. It bothers me that women and their young daughters are still hearing that if they want to be loved or achieve their goals, they must stay young and beautiful.
All my years of research with thousands of women about growing older in a youth-driven society has made me aware that many are worried about what will happen to them when their beauty fades. Should they feel this way? That’s not for me to say. My point is, many of them DO feel this way. In my opinion, women still do not have an equal chance at the top of the pile. We still fight for equal pay and still find that many career choices are not as reachable as we once thought. There is a glass ceiling and there is sexual discrimination and there is prejudice against women. There are still countries that euthanize female babies; cultures in which a son is the only true heir. Will learning to fix their hair and makeup help them improve the status of women? Maybe not, but in society today, that’s what is expected.
Take a look at the television ads about beating the clock and losing ten years in one week by using the latest magic potion. Men are pounded with the message to use Viagra; women hear a similar message about using Botox. Sure, I think it is great Oprah is opening a school in South Africa for young girls and I think it is great that one day young women will walk out of her school ready to lead their country, and that they will look beautiful, act beautiful and BE beautiful.
In our society, it’s crucial for women who hope to be leaders to fit the vision of the beholder. But I also hope that Oprah will also teach them, as Mama Nancy taught me, that “Pretty is as pretty does.”
Nancy D. O’Reilly, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, has worked with women for more than 25 years. She founded the WomenSpeak Project to be a supportive environment for growing older in a society that does not support aging. Free resources about women’s true aging concerns at http://www.WomenSpeak.com.
A Dream Come True For Moms
It is something that many women dream of: the chance to be able to stay at home with their children and to not need to take their children to the babysitters so they can go to work.
It is hard to find a place in this world that will allow you to work and contribute to the family income, but that will also allow you to stay at home with your children. Luckily, if you are working online there are many opportunities for a stay at home mom that will help your family make ends meet.
The important thing about working from home and being a stay at home mother is that you can set your own hours. This is very important if you have small children that are going to need your time.
Instead of making your children wait until your work is finished, you can figure out a way to make your work wait until your children have free time you can spend at work. Being a stay at home mom and working is something that requires a little bit of structure, but once you have figured it out is something that is easy to do.
You are going to be able to stay at home and get your work done, and you are also going to be able to show your family that you care about them by being there for your kids all of the time.
There are many things that a stay at home mom can do to work from home.
The most important thing that you can do is to figure out what kinds of things you are interested in.
This is critical. It is very hard to motivate yourself to work if you aren’t interested in it.
After all, working is something that is going to be with your for a while and you want to be sure that not only are you doing good work but you are making ends meet for your family in a way that makes you happy.
You can find something that you love to do, and you can find a way to do it at home, so your children never have to be at home without you, and your family time can be spent as a family. Working form home is something that has become quite popular with families and with other moms.
Try to find a way that it can fit in your lifestyle as well.
The online community has opened up infinite possibilities to you. Your job is to find the one that fits you best and go for it. You’ll be happy you did.
Jennifer Lavoie is a home-based business coach. Using Robert Kiyosaki’s teaching, she helping others to build passive income businesses and retire early and free. http://www.retirefree.ws
How Work At Home Moms Work Through Distractions
Other than any children that may be present, work at home moms are more susceptible to distractions than anyone else in the work force is. Family and friends will stop in just to see the kids, or to say hello and that day’s work is going to get further behind. That does not count the natural distractions of the children you are probably staying home to care for.
Fortunately, there are many opportunities for work at home moms so that they can remain at home and care for their family while still being a productive member of the work force. Most work at home opportunities allow for liberal working hours, providing deadlines are met, as well as have a relaxed dress code. Most work at home moms believe that if it was not for the lack of dress code, they would have trouble getting their work done.
The pre-internet envelope stuffing scam still proliferates through cyberspace, with the difference being how fast the scammer can get your money. Probably the hardest thing for a work at home mom will be deciding which opportunity is worth of their time and effort. Home assembly of products, which if connected to a legitimate company, can offer lucrative earnings, but unless you can zip through product assembly like a hot knife through butter, is probably not the right at home job for you.
Typically, work at home moms have a large network of other work at home moms where they discuss ideas of keeping busy and making money while staying home and taking care of the kids. This type of brainstorming can create numerous new businesses based on the needs of this group. For example, a few stay at home moms started a website designed to help moms work at home. They have researched many different work at home opportunities and only talk about the ones they determined were not scams.
Additionally, with moms in constant communication, if one is getting behind on a deadline another may be able to jump in and help them catch up. The favor will be repaid later, but all jobs can get done by deadline when they help each other. They can also help in trading babysitting services if one is really behind in their work. Watching a neighbor’s child today can help you out tomorrow if you get really busy.
Another advantage of networking with other work at home moms is they can share information about which opportunities offer the best income potential and which ones a fraudulent. They can protect everyone in their circle from making the transition from work at home mom to victim. You can also share success stories with others to help them achieve the same income level you may be enjoying.
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Moms’ Rules of Thumb for Starting a WAHM e-Business
How can Work At Home Moms (WAHM) make an honest living from a small home business on the web?
My spouse and I would both love to stay at home and work, so I decided to set out to find some real answers to that question. While I didn’t find any “eureka!” solutions, I was able to lay down 5 basic rules of thumb that beginning entrepreneurs who covet the work at home mom’s lifestyle should keep in mind as they plan their online home business.
Work At Home Moms Rule #1: The Tooth Fairy Doesn’t Exist in Reality. Neither Does GRQ!
If a webpage, ad, article, email, letter, infomercial or live salesperson says you can get rich quick (GRQ) through a stay-at-home internet business, they’re hoping you’re a sucker. There’s no such thing as GRQ except through the lottery or the occasional inheritance from your wealthy great aunt Edna who lives in Topeka.
Reality Check! You aren’t going to win the lottery, and you never visited Great Aunt Edna because she smelled like mothballs and tried to feed you 10-year-old fruit cake. So you can safely rule those two out. Do yourself a mother-in-law-sized favor and rule out GRQ now, too. It’s no more likely to happen than the first two, and GRQ schemes can wipe out your startup capital in a hurry.
Some of the most common GRQ scams include, but certainly are not limited to: selling TV access to the internet; selling public internet access; giving seminars on making money on the internet; some multi-level marketing companies (those that focus more on team-building than sales); “no money down” real estate plans; and “guaranteed” returns on the stock market.
Work At Home Moms Rule #2: You’ve got to Learn to Earn
If you want to succeed in small business on the internet, plan on a big learning curve as you’re getting started. The absolute minimum you’ll need to get knowledgeable enough to be dangerous includes:
* Know some basic programming - especially html - and learn how to use graphic software.
This is an essential cost-saver even if you’re going to pay someone else to start your site; it allows you to use beginning pages as a template for the rest of your pages rather than paying someone to build every last page.
* Learn how to write for the web. “Content is King,” or in this case, “Queen!” If your writing reminds people more of the pauper than the prince, they won’t stick around for the royal punchline.
* Learn e-commerce from the experts. The least expensive way to do this is by regularly reading a good e-commerce magazine.
I don’t recommend subscribing to multiple mags; they all cover the same things. But the things they do cover are important to know and keep up with. You’ll get ideas, learn new ways to save money, and hear about cutting edge internet products and services before the vast majority of other folks do.
If you can’t afford a subscription right now, go to your local library to read it.
Work At Home Moms Rule #3: Know Thyself
I know: you’ve heard that before. It’s so true, though! I’ll use a ‘mom’ analogy to explain.
Your new business comes into the world totally dependent on you. It’s like you have a new baby! If you can know yourself well enough to determine what the one hobby, talent or passion is that you genuinely enjoy and know more about than most other people; and if you can have the discipline to focus your new business on that one thing, you might just succeed.
If you can’t love and nurture your new e-business into an ‘adolescent with an attitude’ without growing tired of it, your e-business baby will almost surely fail.
While we’re on the topic of failure, face this fact: the odds are great you’ll fail the first time you start a business. Be prepared to learn from your mistakes if you do, and “try, try again.”
Work At Home Moms Rule #4: Be a Persistent Professional
* Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, for ever and ever Amen?
You better, if you want to succeed. People can smell a phony from a mile away, and it only takes one lapse into dishonesty or one too-obvious case of cutting corners to lose a potential customer forever.
* Have a solid graphic identity for your website, letterhead, envelopes and business cards. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to achieve this: you can use your own graphics program and printer, or pay a starving digital artist to produce something that looks professional for an affordable flat fee.
* Successful professionals are experts in their field. If you’ve followed rule #3, you can achieve this through offering to speak about your favorite subject to churches, schools and civic groups. You can also sell yourself as a consultant and President of your own company, which of course, is focused on this wondrous thing for which you have strong knowledge and passion.
* Join a good professional organization to help you network. Be sure to get to know the groups before you choose one; if there’s not strong leadership and vitality when you visit, keep on looking until you find an organization filled with people who inspire you.
Establishing your credentials and credibility through these four bullet points will help you to secure a business loan, will raise you in the esteem of other professionals with whom you might want to partner, and will make you as attractive to your target customers as honey is to the bees.
Work At Home Moms Rule #5: Know Your Limitations
There’s a whole lot of legal and financial paperwork, rules, laws and regulations that you have to be on top of when you start a business. If you aren’t a lawyer and an accountant, you need to have both working for you. Yes, this is an expense. But the money and mind-warping time it will save you will be more than worth the price.
While some pundits say you don’t have to employ services from these professionals until your business is well under way, you should at the very least have one of each picked out in case you do need them. Make sure they know who you are and what you’re doing, and keep their card on hand for when you do need them.
Mac Bartine is the owner and principle writer for http://www.KnoxvilleBusiness.com, where you’ll find more resources related to this article, plus stories about Mom & Pop and Appalachian culture in the Knoxville, TN and Great Smoky Mountains area.
How To Dance With Life
Fortunate, indeed, is the man who takes exactly the right measure of himself,and holds a just balance between what he can acquire and what he can use.~Peter Latham (1789-1875)
In the Chinese philosophy of Taoism, right action and right living create a life of harmony and delight.
When a balance occurs between opposing forces, then your life flourishes.
When action is followed by rest, when initiative is followed by reflection, and when willful intent is followed by utter surrender, then you are following a path of optimum power.
I think the most fascinating example of what balance in the cosmos can do is in the story of how the ancient wisdom of the East has merged with modern scientific reckoning.
Six thousand years ago, sages plotted the web and woof of the universe, using esoteric meditative techniques, and today, modern scientists, using unbelievable technologcal probes, have come to the same conclusions about the nature of the cosmos.
A rishi from ancient India and a modern quantum physicist from Harvard university would have a fascinating discussion about how the universe is glued together.
The new balance between East and West, Metaphysics and Science, right-brain thinking and left-brain thinking has revealed a marvelous design to the structure of reality.
Similarly, we as individuals, living in a time when the most amazing possibilities are available, would be wise to take stock of who we are and what we can become and then balance out our dreams with the opportunity for their realization.
Imagine, for a moment, how your life might improve if you were to attain a balance in all your affairs, enjoying optimum relationships, financial success, vibrant health, and an ongoing education about the world.
I believe that when your life is in balance, everything will take on a magical quality. Things will fall into place almost effortlessly. Your experience of being alive will be deeper, richer, and more fulfilling.
Balance is a personal, dynamic force that conserves energy, rejuvenates vision, and harmonizes the disparate aspects of a life.
A person in balance finds a way to maximize resources and minimize pockets of scarcity.
When we can identify what our lives stand for, then we will attain the harmony we need to organize our experiences to be deeply meaningful, uplifting, and gratifying.
Saleem Rana got his masters in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life. Free information.
http://theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html
Copyright 2005 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this
article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or
newsletter. It’s a shareware article.
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