Great Eggspectations

It was Saturday morning. All I wanted was to do was scramble an egg and eat it all by myself, along with a biscuit and some fresh cantaloupe.              Here’s what happened instead.

Details

The Sooner, The Better

My daughter started kindergarden this morning. I teared up a little, but was mostly all smiles because I want to let her know that I whole heartedly encourage this first step toward independence and self sufficiency.              That's why I am baffled as to why some parents and educators disagree with…

Details

Cousin Buck’s Ribs

Last month, I traveled to Washington, DC for a family reunion on my father’s side. These folks were brave enough to pose for a picture.              My Cousin Bridgette (also an acclaimed opera singer who has performed with Placido Domingo), didn’t waste time once she decided to get the family together.…

Details

Bad Blogger

I used to be a Bad Blogger. I’ll get to that. A lot of people ask me about blogging for business these days. Some are excited to learn a new way to use technology. Others are frustrated because blogging is just one more thing they don’t have time for. I feel both ways depending on…

Details

The Family That Grinds Together Binds Together

During a radio show interview this morning, I was asked how couples could be successful in business despite challenging life issues that are common to all families. I told them about Kibby and Jay Mitra and Sheri and Rich Schmelzer. During the show, the hosts joked about how an increase in family businesses could result…

Details

First, Know Thyself

Recently, I worked with "Sarah," an hebalist who asked me to review a "corporate identity" proposal she received from a graphics artist. The proposal was for $9,000 to create a logo, business cards, brochure, letterhead and other collateral materials. That’s a lot of money, but the bigger issue for Sarah was whether she knew herself…

Details

The Power Of One

Riding high on the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series, The Walt Disney Company last year dumped several high level executives who were responsible for labor intensive projects that did not result in lucrative licensing deals. In June 2007, the third installment in the Pirates series took in $43.2 million worldwide in…

Details

A Needle In A Haystack

To express that it’s difficult to find something, you may say, "it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack." I felt that way a few days ago when someone called and said, "Hi, I found you in the September ’07 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine …"              I didn’t hear another…

Details

From Pillar To Post (Blogging For Business: Part IV)

While at the "Moms Love Lucy" taping yesterday, I shared with several women business owners how a blog could enhance their business. Their number one question was, "How do I know what to blog about?" The answer is simple: go from pillar to post. Bur first, a review.            We started out…

Details

Moms Love Lucy!

I am joining you today from the studios of WUSA-Channel 9, the CBS affiliate in my hometown of Washington, DC. (Go ‘Skins!), fresh from taping "Moms Love Lucy," a show to help the station launch DVM moms.com. Moms Love Lucy will air on Friday, September 1 from 8 to 10:00pm EST, and will feature me…

Details

Time Is Money (Blogging For Business: Part II)

Time is money, and Indies don’t have a lot of either so it’s important that we invest our time and money on things that yield a tangible business benefit. Yesterday’s post shared some of the benefits of blogging. Today, we discuss the other side of the coin (pun intended …)             …

Details

Big Blog Benefits (Blogging For Business: Part I)

Since I launched Indie Business Blog nearly 4 months ago, I have received many questions from Indies who want to know if blogging can enhance their business, and if so, how to get started. Let’s begin with a high level look at the benefits of blogging for business. 1. Your blog keeps lines of communication…

Details

The Jibbitz Blitz

In football, a blitz occurs when a defensive player charges the quarterback with the goal of forcing the football from his hands by any means necessary.              After making decorations for their Crocs with clay and rhinestones, Sheri and Rich Schmelzer and their kids started selling them to family and friends.…

Details

Why I Love Paula Deen

It was exactly sixteen years ago that I took responsibility for my own life. The first step in doing this was creating a business that could afford my sons and me financial independence."              So wrote Paula in the introduction to a chapter from her cookbook, Paula Deen & Friends: Living…

Details

Question: How Do You Do It All?

Answer: I don’t. (And yes, my life looks like this sometimes.)            I get this question a lot. I don’t do it all. If it looks that way, it’s because I set priorities so at least I accomplish as many important tasks a week as possible. Having said that, I don’t always…

Details

In The Beginning Was The Passion

Many great spiritual texts start with the creation of the world, summarizing a mysterious process where a great and powerful being made something out of nothing. What passion that reflects! A similar fire burns inside all of us, just waiting for a chance to ignite. Last week, my mother found a copy of my very…

Details

Your Best Trade Show Now

Indie Beauty Network member Jennifer Hardaway of KLEAN Bath and Body is a woman on the move. In addition to holding down a full time job, she makes and sells fabulous products, including this luscious German Chocolate Cake Body Scrub. Decadence in a jar, do you hear me?! Can you stand it? Of course not,…

Details

Your Name In Fights

I used to hate my name. My mother named me Donna because she liked the Donna Reed Show. Great. I’m named after the perfect television stay-at-home wife and mother. Oh well. At least people can pronounce my name. My late father was not so lucky. His name was Acrafare James Coles, but since no one…

Details

A Father’s Choices

My father died in late June. He had been ill for quite some time. Still, it was a jolt like I have never felt before. As the days since his passing have melted into weeks, and now a few months, I have had numerous chances to reflect upon his impact upon my life. I know…

Details