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…
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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…
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I always get such a thrill when I see Indie Beauty Network member products in shops that I just happen to stumble upon. Today, it was The Olive Branch near my new hometown in North Carolina. I love decorating my home (even though I’m not terribly good at it) and I have noticed the shop…
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The new embroidered branded t-shirts I ordered for the whole family are here! Since my husband’s is in the laundry, my son refused to cooperate during my impromptu photo shoot and I don’t look nearly as good in mine as my daughter does in hers, here’s my sweet Vanessa wearing our brand on her sleeve,…
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The Vault is an archive of my first podcasts so there is a record for you to enjoy. Welcome to the Vault Episode 74 featuring my interview with Aliza Sherman, the author of “Everything Blogging Book”. This episode is dedicated entirely to blogging, and Aliza is a true Web pioneer, online marketing expert, and a published…
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At the Mocha Moms conference this weekend, Holly Robinson Peete was the keynote speaker. You may know that she recently shared with the world that one of her kids has autism. At the conference, she spoke on the topic of how parents must fight for their children in all cases, especially in the face of…
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Indie Beauty Network member Jamila White is a busy woman these days. In addition to working on a lucrative e-commerce consulting project for the Smithsonian Institution, she serves several clients one-on-one and also runs j.blossom, a bath and body products company aimed at young girls. I caught up with Jamila yesterday at the Mocha Moms…
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Today, I spoke at the Mocha Moms National Conference outside Atlanta, Georgia. Without Mocha Moms, my life as a young mother would have been a train wreck. After marrying in May 2000, quitting my job in November 2000 to start my business and delivering my daughter Vanessa (here enjoying her first birthday cake) in October…
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The Vault is an archive of my first podcasts so there is a record for you to enjoy. Welcome to the Vault Episode 73 featuring my interview with Jena Thompson, the founder and president of Daisy Blue Naturals. For any business Network member, expanding our businesses and reaching a wider audience is always a top priority.…
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This time last year, my family and I sold our home and were packing our life up to move nearly 600 miles away from everything we knew and held dear to the great state of North Carolina. My husband and I were born and raised in Washington, DC, and grew up in the same neighborhood.…
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I was in the grocery store the other day and saw this Buy One, Get One Free (BOGO) sign from a mile away. The salad dressing I really wanted was full price, so what did I do? I bought my second choice because it was BOGO. It’s easy for a conglomerate with 20 stores in…
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If you could be guaranteed Indie Business success just by remembering 3 things, and working according to them, would you be up to the challenge? If so, here is today’s tip: The Indie Business Trifecta.Read it. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Act on it. 1. Make Technology Your Slave.Big topic, I know. But let’s start…
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Congratulations to Indie Beauty Network member Rachel Lane of Barcelona Bath & Body, the best little soaphouse in Texas. (Well, candles, sachets and room spray too, but they messed up my catchy title). Rachel won a copy of Marie Gale’s book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling: How to Follow the Rules and Regs Explained in Plain…
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My 5-year old daughter recently said to her 3-year old brother, “When you are 10, you get a cell phone, and when you are 16, you get a boyfriend. Right mommy?” My son responded, “I’ll never have a boyfriend.” (Is that a good thing? Can’t handle it right now …) Meanwhile, there was my darling…
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