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July 26, 2011
Careers for Moms - ad
The top 10 jobs for moms who need a career that can fit their lifestyle (infographic) >> http://lx.im/1dVO0?v=AcnyY75ZLQSHVesBUqAfeQHNzq1Qn24KAjHS9icFRa8
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July 25, 2011
Interview with Staci Gerardi!
Staci is an Arbonne rep and Blogger. She has quite a lot of inspirational advice - Read on and check her out!
What is your name? My name is Staci .
What is your name? My name is Staci .
What is your company name, website, FB page name, twitter name and anything else you use?
The company I started my own business with is Arbonne International. My website is www.stacigerardi.myarbonne.com.
I also consider my blog my business, as it generates an income – granted not a huge income, but it brings me some income. I write my blog because I love to write and I love to share. Opening my Arbonne business allows me the freedom to still write my blog, without having to worry about it making me money so I can stay home with my kids.
You can find my blog at www.novembersunflower.com. I’m on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NovemberSunflower. I’m also on Twitter, my handle is @novsunflower.
Are you a SAHM? Tell us about you (mini-bio!)
Are you a SAHM? Tell us about you (mini-bio!)
I’m totally a Stay At Home Mom, but also a Work At Home Mom. However, we don’t have to be HOME for me to work! That’s the beauty of my business. I’m working without “working”. When I’m out at the park, the beach or taking a walk with my kids I’m always connected through texting and web through my phone. My team is always able to get to me and we can get work done QUICKLY so I can get back to my life with my kids. But the part that I call “work” is talking about and sharing Arbonne. I use the products, I have been using them since 2006 when I found Clear Advantage while pregnant with my daughter. Now my entire family uses the products. People ask me what I use on my face, my hair and how I have such soft feet. I tell them “Arbonne”. How do you get your daughter’s hair to look like that? My answer: Arbonne.
Personally, your blog is the reason that I started blogging. My husband showed me your blog, it was the first time I ever looked at a blog, and I was hooked. (**side note** My husband and Staci went to high school together and until I saw the November Sunflower blog listed on her interview, I didn't know it was her!!) Living on Long Island and seeing another Long Island Momma finding great deals sparked something in me. How long have you been running the blog?
I started my blog in March of 2009. My son was born in 2008 and we were
living even more frugally than before without me working outside the home.
Everyone would ask me how I found such great bargains, how I was able to
make money shopping with cash rebate websites and a bunch of other
questions. I decided to just put it all in one location: A Blog!
You mentioned that you went to school for journalism but it didn't sound like you completed it. How long did it last and what did you take from it?
I have my degree in journalism. I got my Associates at Suffolk in a
year, then did my BA at Hofstra in two years. What I realized with
journalism: It's not a business I want to be in, since most of it is all
negative. There's very few stories you get to do that are uplifting and I
also didn't want the lifestyle.
What is the meaning of the title of your blog?
My blog title......it's very special to me, even though it doesn't have
any notation that I'm a frugal blog. My children are both November babies
and I love Sunflowers. That's how November Sunflower was born. To loop the
frugal into it after I purchased the domain name and decided to do a frugal
blog, I came up with Frugal Blooms on Long Island. Why? Because it tied in
the frugal aspect, sunflowers have to bloom and I do a LOT of stuff for
Long Island. Many things can work outside of Long Island, but most of my
free activities are for Long Island. Tons of free outdoor movies,
festivals, fairs, concerts and all around good Long Island FUN! My main
audience is Long Island, but I've got readers in Australia (probably most
of my family out there), India and other countries. And that makes it all
worth it!!!!
How did you find yourself getting started with your business/venture?
My friend, Jill, came over for lunch one afternoon after we reconnected on Facebook. We chatted, caught up on my life, she checked out my wedding album and I told her about my blog, etc.
When the conversation turned to her, I asked her what she was doing with herself. She pulled up in a white Mercedes Benz, so I knew she had to be doing something. However, she was free for lunch in the middle of the day. This intrigued me!
Her answer: Arbonne. When I heard that, I totally shut down. She had no idea, but I had done Tupperware, also Network Marketing. I’d done very well, but wasn’t interested in working that hard to make money!
But she didn’t let me shut down completely. Jill educated me about Network Marketing. No one ever educated me on how amazing Network Marketing could be when it’s done RIGHT!
With Tupperware, I was just out there, doing parties and selling all alone……no support, no team. Just me. I had no idea what Network Marketing TRULY until Jill informed me on what Network Marketing truly was and I thought: GENIUS. Why didn’t I find this sooner? I believe it was because I was meant to have Jill, National Vice President, be my sponsor. I opened for business in February of 2011. I haven’t looked back since!
How close are you to getting your Mercedes?
I'm a District Manager right now. Next level is Area Manager, at that
level the benefit (beyond the increase in commission) is that I can Will my
business to my kids, who can Will it to their kids. After Area is the BIG
MERCEDES BENZ level, otherwise known as Regional Vice President. So I'm
just two promotions away from getting my car, which isn't a whole lot! I'm
expecting I'll be having my Mercedes Benz Presentation sometime in February
of 2012. I gave myself a year to earn it, gave myself TWO years to get to
National Vice President, where they pay you even more to drive the Mercedes
Benz around. I CANNOT WAIT to work less, make more and drive that car
around FREE OF PAYMENTS!
Finally, I'm always looking for people to bring along on this amazing
journey. I want people who GET Network Marketing and WANT IT ALL. Dream
big, because that's the only way to dream! When people tell me my dreams
are unrealistic, I just tell them their dreams aren't big enough. All of
use deserve to have a life by design. Arbonne makes that possible! As long
as you put the work in at the start of it, you'll have the life you want to
live. It's an amazing ride and there's no signs of anything else but
SUCCESS. Everyone's definition of success is different. Sometimes people
just want to make a couple hundred bucks extra per month to sock away for
that dream vacation, some people want to earn the incentive trips to places
like Atlantis, some just want the car and some just want the friendships,
comradery. Success is only defined by you, because this is your life.
How did you go about seeking your information?
Being a skeptic, I obviously had my doubts about Network Marketing. I heard little voices in my head telling me it was a scam and a few people told me it was a Pyramid. Now, I knew, being an intelligent person, it wasn’t a Pyramid or a Scam because Mercedes Benz would never be in business with a company that was a scam. As for being a Pyramid, well, those are ILLEGAL and there’s no way this company was illegal.
But I did want to find out more about the company and see how stable it was, so I hit the Internet. I found a ton of information that was negative, but also a ton of inspirational stories.
I went to an Opportunity Meeting, a few of them, to meet and chat with others who were doing this business. I kept getting sidetracked by all those Mercedes Benz cars that drove up to each meeting. I asked all of them about getting started and how many obstacles they faced. All of them said “it was hard, because I had to get use to being told NO a lot, but just kept sharing Arbonne and just STUCK WITH IT”. That’s the key with Network Marketing, you MUST stick with it and be okay with other people saying no.
Another piece of advice I got was “this is NOT a get rich quick scheme, it’s a SIMPLE business, but it’s not going to get your rich quick. It’s WORK and there’s no way around that, but the WORK starts to become less as your team grows. Those who are trashing Arbonne, more often than not, are the ones who quit because it was too much work and they expected it to be easy”.
Do you have a mentor? Would you consider mentoring someone who wanted to start a similar business?
I absolutely have a mentor. Jill Caputo is a rockstar in Arbonne. She’s at the top of the company every month. She promoted to National Vice President in less than a year and just always had blinders on and laser beam focus. When I get a little down, it’s not for very long, because Jill is right there telling me “so what if he or she said no, move onto the next person, you have this amazing gift to give people-the chance to design their life-keep sharing”.
I always think of Walt Disney and a quote I love from the movie Meet the Robinsons, “Keep Moving Forward” and that’s always Jill’s message to me.
I mentor my team. I do exactly what Jill does for me. I learn from Jill and pass down that knowledge to my team. I’d LOVE to sponsor and mentor everyone out there who wants to start an Arbonne business of his or her own. This business is such an amazing gift. I am so thankful to Jill.
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path?
Oh my golly gee gosh, I’ve made so many mistakes. One that sticks out in my mind: I spent so much time trying to get my team to build their teams, that I forgot I had to continue building! It’s all about finding your own way and I’m finally finding my own way. I FINALLY feel confident to share my knowledge with those I sponsor!
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path?
Oh my golly gee gosh, I’ve made so many mistakes. One that sticks out in my mind: I spent so much time trying to get my team to build their teams, that I forgot I had to continue building! It’s all about finding your own way and I’m finally finding my own way. I FINALLY feel confident to share my knowledge with those I sponsor!
Moments of brilliance?
Saying yes was the most brilliant moment. Saying YES to Network Marketing with, in my mind, the best Network Marketing company out there – Arbonne.
Advice to others that are considering an online business?Well, my business isn’t totally online. It’s actually a more personal contact business. You have to be willing to chat and share. If you want to start an online business, like the blog I have, make sure you find a great hosting service and a fantastic design team! Make sure you can sell ad space on your website, it’s the best way to bring cash into your world.
You have some tried and true frugal ideas. Do you have sponsers seeking you out?I don’t have to balance mommyhood and online work. The kids have down time every day, that’s when I’m on the phone, doing emails and placing orders. If my team needs me, I can be reached all the time, but they know my kids are my LIFE, Arbonne is what allows me to live my life by design. Arbonne business is dealt with quickly and I’m back to my kids.
I do have a few sponsors that want to work with me. However, I'm super
picky about who I work with. This is my name out there, it's my word and
your word is your honor. You lose that, you lose your readers and then
you're helping no one. It's not about the money, with me. I make my money
with my Arbonne business. If someone wants to work with me, I make sure I
love the product, or the company, or the service. Anything I write about
has to make sense as being frugal - NOT CHEAP. Frugal just means the
quality is worth the price I'm comfortable paying.
Your appearance on the Dr. Oz show was fantastic. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/your-best-online-health-deals (watch this video!!)
I think that he forgot to tell you that you had the best idea for the I-Tunes pedometer so, technically, you did win a challenge. HOW did you get yourself on the Dr. Oz show?
Dr. Oz is awesome. I love watching him. He breaks everything down to the
"kindergarten" version for people like me. He did forget to tell me I had
an awesome find in that freebie for the iPod. That was all done in fun and
to prove a point: You can find amazing items for yourself that are
beneficial and DO NOT break the bank. The producers on the show weren't
super clear on all the facts. I could have found everything much less
expensive, but Dr. Oz was also looking for best buys and items that were
truly the frugal find. But the producers said it didn't matter about
quality, I just had to find it for super cheap. But I had fun. It was a
good time.
The show called me up to do a different segment a few months prior to that
show, but I didn't get chosen for it. The producer liked me and asked if
I'd be interested in doing this viewer challenge since I'm all about being
frugal. I don't remember how they got my name, though......it might have
been through a mom group. The funny part is I was also tapped to do two
Nate Berkus shows, but neither one came through......I'm hoping I can get
on that one soon! I'd like to counter balance the crazy chicks that were on
their with their extreme couponing. Do something for the mainstream people
who want to save money, but don't want thousands of items stockpiled in
their home, especially since toothpaste and deodorant do go bad after a
certain point!
Do you do your own blog layout or do you have help?
I had someone move me from Blogger to Word Press. He chose the
template. I just use widget to try and make it look nicer, but it's rather
jam packed and I am looking for someone to design a logo and re-do the
whole blog design for me. However, I want to be able to change it without
going to anyone to help me. I like to be able to do as much as possible on
my own, because I don't like to be dependent on someone else.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work?
Advice to others that are considering an online business?Well, my business isn’t totally online. It’s actually a more personal contact business. You have to be willing to chat and share. If you want to start an online business, like the blog I have, make sure you find a great hosting service and a fantastic design team! Make sure you can sell ad space on your website, it’s the best way to bring cash into your world.
You have some tried and true frugal ideas. Do you have sponsers seeking you out?I don’t have to balance mommyhood and online work. The kids have down time every day, that’s when I’m on the phone, doing emails and placing orders. If my team needs me, I can be reached all the time, but they know my kids are my LIFE, Arbonne is what allows me to live my life by design. Arbonne business is dealt with quickly and I’m back to my kids.
I do have a few sponsors that want to work with me. However, I'm super
picky about who I work with. This is my name out there, it's my word and
your word is your honor. You lose that, you lose your readers and then
you're helping no one. It's not about the money, with me. I make my money
with my Arbonne business. If someone wants to work with me, I make sure I
love the product, or the company, or the service. Anything I write about
has to make sense as being frugal - NOT CHEAP. Frugal just means the
quality is worth the price I'm comfortable paying.
Your appearance on the Dr. Oz show was fantastic. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/your-best-online-health-deals (watch this video!!)
I think that he forgot to tell you that you had the best idea for the I-Tunes pedometer so, technically, you did win a challenge. HOW did you get yourself on the Dr. Oz show?
Dr. Oz is awesome. I love watching him. He breaks everything down to the
"kindergarten" version for people like me. He did forget to tell me I had
an awesome find in that freebie for the iPod. That was all done in fun and
to prove a point: You can find amazing items for yourself that are
beneficial and DO NOT break the bank. The producers on the show weren't
super clear on all the facts. I could have found everything much less
expensive, but Dr. Oz was also looking for best buys and items that were
truly the frugal find. But the producers said it didn't matter about
quality, I just had to find it for super cheap. But I had fun. It was a
good time.
The show called me up to do a different segment a few months prior to that
show, but I didn't get chosen for it. The producer liked me and asked if
I'd be interested in doing this viewer challenge since I'm all about being
frugal. I don't remember how they got my name, though......it might have
been through a mom group. The funny part is I was also tapped to do two
Nate Berkus shows, but neither one came through......I'm hoping I can get
on that one soon! I'd like to counter balance the crazy chicks that were on
their with their extreme couponing. Do something for the mainstream people
who want to save money, but don't want thousands of items stockpiled in
their home, especially since toothpaste and deodorant do go bad after a
certain point!
Do you do your own blog layout or do you have help?
I had someone move me from Blogger to Word Press. He chose the
template. I just use widget to try and make it look nicer, but it's rather
jam packed and I am looking for someone to design a logo and re-do the
whole blog design for me. However, I want to be able to change it without
going to anyone to help me. I like to be able to do as much as possible on
my own, because I don't like to be dependent on someone else.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work?
If I meet moms and dads, like at the activities for the kids, I chat them up and talk about Arbonne, without having to even step away from being a Mom. It’s the best business EVER for me and my family!
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share?
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share?
This business is unique. It’s not for everyone. You have to have discipline, you must be willing to chat and share and you have to understand the hard work that happens the first year, pays off for YEARS to come. I make money while my kids play on the playground, swim in the pool and go to storytime. It’s residual income. By doing the hard work NOW, I’m building residual income for life – not just my life, but for my kids and their kids. I can leave this business to my kids and they can leave it to their kids. I’ve got a multi-million dollar business that can be left to my family……totally outstanding and UNIQUE!
What else can you share with us?
No matter what business you decide to do, you have to truly love something about the business BEYOND the fact that it’ll bring in an income. I love my business because it means I get to be “present” in my life. I no longer live a life where all I do is work, leave my kids at daycare, or miss sports events and class trips. What’s the point of having your family if you don’t get to enjoy being with them, exploring with them and just “living” with them?
You have to find what’s important to you in your life. Every person has a different passion – just sit down, breathe and get in touch with what you truly want out of your life. Then figure out how your business will allow you to have that life you visualize. Don’t worry about what is “expected” from society. YOU are the only one who gets to live your life. Starting a business should never take away from the life you want, it should help make that life possible!
July 20, 2011
Interview with Sheri Carpenter!
What is your name? Sheri Carpenter
What is your company name, website, FB page name, twitter name and anything else you use?
Plexus Slim, http://whydrinkpink.com/, , http://twitter.com/SheriCarpenter, http://facebook.com/whydrinkpink
Are you a SAHM? Tell us about you (mini-bio!) I am a mom of all trades with a passion for helping others. I currently work part time outside the home while
Trying to build my business to provide a better life for my family. My husband is disabled and while fighting for his SSD I am the soul support of this family of 5.
We live in TN and I have 3 children and one step-daughter. I am an avid blogger and I love to meet new people and of course, my passion is and has always been helping others.
How did you find yourself getting started with your business/venture? I have been in Direct Sales and marketing for 11 years. I am with 3 companies actually but wanted to focus
On Plexus because of the benefits of the product and the business. I started with the company after doing a product review for a friend of mine in May. After doing much research on
The product and the business and seeing how it helped me health wise in just those 9 days I used it for her review I knew I had to join this company. Not only because this could be the
Best company I have been with to make money with, but because all of our products are focused on helping people get healthy. And what really grabbed my attention is the products that are geared towards promoting breast health. I have never seen another company out there with products like these.
How did you go about seeking your information? I asked tons of questions to the girl I did the product review for and I also visited the website as there is tons of info on there as well as a very informative opportunity video.
Do you have a mentor? Would you consider mentoring someone who wanted to start a similar business? I have quite a few mentors. I have aligned myself with some of the best in the industry and I seek new info and things every single day. I have learned quite a bit over the past few years and I love helping others get started in their own businesses and to help them be successful with them as well. In today's economy more and more people are turning to the work at home industry as it secures your financial future. I really think that people have the complete wrong impression of direct sales and work at home people. They think we are all pushy and that if they start a business like ours they will need to push their friends and family into joining them or buying from them but that is completely not true. It is all about you and how you want to work your business. I could talk about this all day long lol.
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path? I was with many different companies that just didn't work. There were far to many reps and couldn't make any sales or build teams. I learned that I really needed to look for something that I could be passionate about that wasn't already "on every corner" like the dollar stores are lol.
Moments of brilliance? Well I don't consider myself brilliant at all but I would have to say some of the best things I have ever done was starting my website that is dedicated to helping people be successful at home.
Advice to others that are considering an online business? Do some research and find a rep that you would like to connect with. Find a product that fits into what people are looking for in today's market and one that you can be passionate about. Connect with a rep and align yourself with someone who will help you grow. And most of all find a business that can be worked both online and off, don't limit yourself.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work? Well since I work outside the home, work online and off with my businesses and I am a huge blogger too I make myself a schedule and I stick to it. I also have a strict policy that I am off the computer by 8 or 9 PM Every single night, plus I make time through out the day for my kids and family. Taking time out for your family is so very important and can really be hard to do sometimes, but if you run your business right and set boundries and stick to them then you can do it.
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share? My business is so wonderful because it helps people on all sides. We are helping to change peoples live's financially yes because our compensation plan offers 10 different ways to make money and we are only a year old and open world wide so theree is so much room to grow a business with us. But the main part is our products are ALL NATURAL and they are all geared to helping people get healthy. And they work, we get so many testimonies it is unreal and to hear how these products are changing peoples lives is just truly amazing.
***Please check out this link of Sheri's pics of how PLEXUS SLIM has helped her!!**AWESOME!!
http://www.onebusymoma.net/2011/07/this-has-really-changed-my-life.html
What else can you share with us? Just remember that even though it is a business you are starting you still have to work. Think about working a regular job, you wouldn't get a pay check if you didn't go to work right? If you are willing to work hard for the first few years, it will pay off for the rest of your life. There is no such thing as 'get rich quick' or "make thousands in 24 hours" Everything you do you will have to work at. Don't start a business with the idea that the person who helped you join will work your business for you. You must be willing to work at what you are doing. Treat your business just like it was a "building" that you opened. You would have to work to draw in customers and hire people to work for you. Direct sales and marketing is the same thing In a sense, the only difference is you are working for yourself. You will need to build a team or "downline" that will help you market which grows your business ( and theirs) and you will need to market on your own to bring in your personal customers. And last thing, don't ever be afraid to support another business person no matter what company they are with. This industry and the people in it have a strong bond with each other and the more support you give , the more support you get. If you are stuck in a "me tunnel" you will quickly fail in this industry. Find a business where your sponsor is willing to help you every step of the way and then duplicate what they do for you and you cant go wrong!
What is your company name, website, FB page name, twitter name and anything else you use?
Plexus Slim, http://whydrinkpink.com/, , http://twitter.com/SheriCarpenter, http://facebook.com/whydrinkpink
Are you a SAHM? Tell us about you (mini-bio!) I am a mom of all trades with a passion for helping others. I currently work part time outside the home while
Trying to build my business to provide a better life for my family. My husband is disabled and while fighting for his SSD I am the soul support of this family of 5.
We live in TN and I have 3 children and one step-daughter. I am an avid blogger and I love to meet new people and of course, my passion is and has always been helping others.
How did you find yourself getting started with your business/venture? I have been in Direct Sales and marketing for 11 years. I am with 3 companies actually but wanted to focus
On Plexus because of the benefits of the product and the business. I started with the company after doing a product review for a friend of mine in May. After doing much research on
The product and the business and seeing how it helped me health wise in just those 9 days I used it for her review I knew I had to join this company. Not only because this could be the
Best company I have been with to make money with, but because all of our products are focused on helping people get healthy. And what really grabbed my attention is the products that are geared towards promoting breast health. I have never seen another company out there with products like these.
How did you go about seeking your information? I asked tons of questions to the girl I did the product review for and I also visited the website as there is tons of info on there as well as a very informative opportunity video.
Do you have a mentor? Would you consider mentoring someone who wanted to start a similar business? I have quite a few mentors. I have aligned myself with some of the best in the industry and I seek new info and things every single day. I have learned quite a bit over the past few years and I love helping others get started in their own businesses and to help them be successful with them as well. In today's economy more and more people are turning to the work at home industry as it secures your financial future. I really think that people have the complete wrong impression of direct sales and work at home people. They think we are all pushy and that if they start a business like ours they will need to push their friends and family into joining them or buying from them but that is completely not true. It is all about you and how you want to work your business. I could talk about this all day long lol.
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path? I was with many different companies that just didn't work. There were far to many reps and couldn't make any sales or build teams. I learned that I really needed to look for something that I could be passionate about that wasn't already "on every corner" like the dollar stores are lol.
Moments of brilliance? Well I don't consider myself brilliant at all but I would have to say some of the best things I have ever done was starting my website that is dedicated to helping people be successful at home.
Advice to others that are considering an online business? Do some research and find a rep that you would like to connect with. Find a product that fits into what people are looking for in today's market and one that you can be passionate about. Connect with a rep and align yourself with someone who will help you grow. And most of all find a business that can be worked both online and off, don't limit yourself.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work? Well since I work outside the home, work online and off with my businesses and I am a huge blogger too I make myself a schedule and I stick to it. I also have a strict policy that I am off the computer by 8 or 9 PM Every single night, plus I make time through out the day for my kids and family. Taking time out for your family is so very important and can really be hard to do sometimes, but if you run your business right and set boundries and stick to them then you can do it.
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share? My business is so wonderful because it helps people on all sides. We are helping to change peoples live's financially yes because our compensation plan offers 10 different ways to make money and we are only a year old and open world wide so theree is so much room to grow a business with us. But the main part is our products are ALL NATURAL and they are all geared to helping people get healthy. And they work, we get so many testimonies it is unreal and to hear how these products are changing peoples lives is just truly amazing.
***Please check out this link of Sheri's pics of how PLEXUS SLIM has helped her!!**AWESOME!!
http://www.onebusymoma.net/2011/07/this-has-really-changed-my-life.html
What else can you share with us? Just remember that even though it is a business you are starting you still have to work. Think about working a regular job, you wouldn't get a pay check if you didn't go to work right? If you are willing to work hard for the first few years, it will pay off for the rest of your life. There is no such thing as 'get rich quick' or "make thousands in 24 hours" Everything you do you will have to work at. Don't start a business with the idea that the person who helped you join will work your business for you. You must be willing to work at what you are doing. Treat your business just like it was a "building" that you opened. You would have to work to draw in customers and hire people to work for you. Direct sales and marketing is the same thing In a sense, the only difference is you are working for yourself. You will need to build a team or "downline" that will help you market which grows your business ( and theirs) and you will need to market on your own to bring in your personal customers. And last thing, don't ever be afraid to support another business person no matter what company they are with. This industry and the people in it have a strong bond with each other and the more support you give , the more support you get. If you are stuck in a "me tunnel" you will quickly fail in this industry. Find a business where your sponsor is willing to help you every step of the way and then duplicate what they do for you and you cant go wrong!
July 19, 2011
Interview Recaps!
I can't thank all my interviewees enough!! Taking the time to fill in the answers and sharing what you know and your stories is very inspiring!
Here's a brief recap of the websites
Dee Dee's Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/CouponTLCShy
Becky McNeer:
http://www.austin-davidson.com/
http://www.homesandbabies.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/AustinDavidsonInc
www.facebook.com/NotYourOrdinaryAgent
www.twitter.com/Austin_Davisdon
Laura Lomeli
http://www.mommasonline.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LauraLomeliOnline
http://www.lauralomeli.com/
Rebecca Rabson
http://www.smartseatdiningchaircovers.com/
http://www.facebook.com/seatcover
Kirsten Cisco
http://www.kirstiesbowtique.com/
http://www.twitter.com/kirsties_life
http://www.theemtmommy.com/
Lexie Lane
http://www.voiceboks.com/
Here's a brief recap of the websites
Dee Dee's Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/CouponTLCShy
Becky McNeer:
http://www.austin-davidson.com/
http://www.homesandbabies.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/AustinDavidsonInc
www.facebook.com/NotYourOrdinaryAgent
www.twitter.com/Austin_Davisdon
Laura Lomeli
http://www.mommasonline.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LauraLomeliOnline
http://www.lauralomeli.com/
Rebecca Rabson
http://www.smartseatdiningchaircovers.com/
http://www.facebook.com/seatcover
Kirsten Cisco
http://www.kirstiesbowtique.com/
http://www.twitter.com/kirsties_life
http://www.theemtmommy.com/
Lexie Lane
http://www.voiceboks.com/
July 15, 2011
Introducing LEXIE LANE - creator of VoiceBoks!
Am I a SAHM? - Yes, I definitely am. When I was single, I used to look down at mothers who stayed home and thought, "Wow, they must have it really good. I'm never going to be that way. I'm never going to depend on a man to take care of me." Low and behold, everyone who said I would not feel that way once I had my own family, was right.
Tell us about you (mini-bio!) - Ok, the fast, shortened version: I came to the U.S. to meet my biological parents when I was 6 years old. At age 18, I fought as a teenager with my parents for the last time, and then waited until they left to go to the store so that I can pack my things into my car and drive away.
I struggled to go to school and make rent, pay for my car, and live. So I quit school. I worked at a restaurant for 3 years, before I met someone who introduced me to someone else, who trained me to be his work slave. What I mean by this is that I worked for free for about a year so that I can learn everything I possibly could about the mortgage and real estate business. Actually, I take that back. I made about $300 a month.
A year later, I was hired by a Vietnamese lady who too advantage of me even worse than the first guy did. I worked for $1200 a month, but was in the office at least 11 to 12 hours per day. However, I made the most of it and learned even more tricks.
At age 22, I married a man who cheated on me and was convicted of raping an unconscious woman.
At age 24, I was divorced for the first time. However, I had a better job that paid me 4 times the amount I was getting paid by the Vietnamese lady.
At age 25, I got an even better job. Then went back to school.
At age 26, I got an even better job, working for an investor who gave me a sweet corporate experience. I had the opportunity to work at some of the best mortgage companies all over the U.S. Every Sunday morning, I flew off to a different state, where I would audit a company's files until Friday (or whenever the due date was). Friday evenings, I usually flew back home so that I could spend time with anyone who was in my life at all.
At age 28, I met the now "love of my life" through an unbelievable (yes, it really was) love story. And now I live happily ever after.
At age 31, I decided to stop work altogether in preparation for motherhood.
Now at age 32, I sit home and ponder on all the things I could possibly do to help someone else. So I continue with voiceBoks.
How did you find yourself getting started with your business/venture? - I started a blog about pregnancy as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I wrote in it almost every day. I thought I would help the world out by talking about pregnancy. Little did I know that there are already millions of blogs out there with the same idea.
After I gave birth, I decided to do some jumping around on blogs and various other sites. After doing some major blog hopping, I started to notice patterns. There were some very interesting sites and blogs and some that were filled with junk. I also noticed the business with the "follow me and follow you" transactions.
Of course I signed up for the big community sites, which I was initially very excited about. These communities had thousands of followers with what seemed to be very friendly moms. Little did I know that they weren't that friendly at all and they just really wanted me to support their site(s).
That's when I decided, I was going to create a community where moms really connected and cared about each other's work and information. After all, isn't it a much better feeling when you know that your work isn't just being thrown out there for people to see, but really don't care about? I mean, when you write a post, do you wonder if the person who's read it actually care about it or are they just trying to gain another "follow" from you and not ever return once they do? Well, voiceBoks is my attempt to create a community where moms can connect and really engage in activities that help drive traffic to their site(s) without the mess.
Do you still keep up with your original blog? - I have not had any time to do so, but would really love some time because I quite miss it. It was very therapeutic for me to write down my thoughts. Actually, I think it helped me get through depression and post-partum. Now I just have to find time to squeeze that in with some exercise!
The name voiceBoks - where did it come from? - Well, to tell you honestly, I meant to start a different social network about 2 years ago. It was going to be something that involved messaging through voice. Didn't quite come to fruition. Since I already had the name and wanted something completely "out there," I thought, "why not?" It would stand out and people would definitely wonder what it is.
How did you go about seeking your information? - EXTREME blog hopping.
When you work on the website, is this all self taught or do you have someone that helps you with it? - I took Computer Science in college. However, I still ended up in the mortgage industry. After the crash, I decided to do something I really love, which is math, coding, computers, and websites. I do like to try to solve everything myself. However, sometimes I do run into issues that are out of my "scope of knowledge" and just can't afford to spend hours trying to figure something out that I know would take me ages to figure out. So from time to time, I would either ask for help or hire someone to do little jobs here and there.
Do you have a mentor? Would you consider mentoring someone who wanted to start a similar business? - no and yes
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path? - I was very trusting. Little did I know that even through the mommy world, there are a lot of shady and dishonest "parents" out there.
Moments of brilliance? - Progress and proven results through the site and through members' testimonies.
Advice to others that are considering an online business? - Yes, please make sure you download a copy of my online traffic manual once it comes out.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work? - It is VERY difficult. As my now 7 month old baby grows, so does his needs. I have no life, but am working as hard as I can now so that I can be there for him more when he is more aware of mommy's presence. For now, I work when he's napping, occupied with something, and throughout the night when he's asleep.
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share? - As I am in the process of letting out my secrets, I do not have anything extra to share at the moment.
You've made this amazing community for women (and a few men) to connect. Is the website heading in the direction that you envisioned or are you brainstorming more every day of ways to add on? - This website is nowhere near completion. Major changes are still in place. Yes, it's definitely heading in the direction that I envisioned. Actually, better than that. I know the importance of traffic and wish to be able to help as many moms as I could by driving them to their site(s). At the same time, I wish to be able to continue my relationship with all the wonderful women I've met through this site. I truly am amazed at how blessed I am with all the new friendships. I am from the bottom of my heart, so grateful to be a part of all of this. My goal is to make this site big enough in the next year so that we can all meet in person. Oh, I would love that so much! A voiceBoks conference would be fantastic!
A special THANK YOU to Lexie for taking the time to fill out the survey. If you like what you've read here and you're not part of this special community, go check out http://www.voiceboks.com/. You're going to like it there!
Tell us about you (mini-bio!) - Ok, the fast, shortened version: I came to the U.S. to meet my biological parents when I was 6 years old. At age 18, I fought as a teenager with my parents for the last time, and then waited until they left to go to the store so that I can pack my things into my car and drive away.
I struggled to go to school and make rent, pay for my car, and live. So I quit school. I worked at a restaurant for 3 years, before I met someone who introduced me to someone else, who trained me to be his work slave. What I mean by this is that I worked for free for about a year so that I can learn everything I possibly could about the mortgage and real estate business. Actually, I take that back. I made about $300 a month.
A year later, I was hired by a Vietnamese lady who too advantage of me even worse than the first guy did. I worked for $1200 a month, but was in the office at least 11 to 12 hours per day. However, I made the most of it and learned even more tricks.
At age 22, I married a man who cheated on me and was convicted of raping an unconscious woman.
At age 24, I was divorced for the first time. However, I had a better job that paid me 4 times the amount I was getting paid by the Vietnamese lady.
At age 25, I got an even better job. Then went back to school.
At age 26, I got an even better job, working for an investor who gave me a sweet corporate experience. I had the opportunity to work at some of the best mortgage companies all over the U.S. Every Sunday morning, I flew off to a different state, where I would audit a company's files until Friday (or whenever the due date was). Friday evenings, I usually flew back home so that I could spend time with anyone who was in my life at all.
At age 28, I met the now "love of my life" through an unbelievable (yes, it really was) love story. And now I live happily ever after.
At age 31, I decided to stop work altogether in preparation for motherhood.
Now at age 32, I sit home and ponder on all the things I could possibly do to help someone else. So I continue with voiceBoks.
How did you find yourself getting started with your business/venture? - I started a blog about pregnancy as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I wrote in it almost every day. I thought I would help the world out by talking about pregnancy. Little did I know that there are already millions of blogs out there with the same idea.
After I gave birth, I decided to do some jumping around on blogs and various other sites. After doing some major blog hopping, I started to notice patterns. There were some very interesting sites and blogs and some that were filled with junk. I also noticed the business with the "follow me and follow you" transactions.
Of course I signed up for the big community sites, which I was initially very excited about. These communities had thousands of followers with what seemed to be very friendly moms. Little did I know that they weren't that friendly at all and they just really wanted me to support their site(s).
That's when I decided, I was going to create a community where moms really connected and cared about each other's work and information. After all, isn't it a much better feeling when you know that your work isn't just being thrown out there for people to see, but really don't care about? I mean, when you write a post, do you wonder if the person who's read it actually care about it or are they just trying to gain another "follow" from you and not ever return once they do? Well, voiceBoks is my attempt to create a community where moms can connect and really engage in activities that help drive traffic to their site(s) without the mess.
Do you still keep up with your original blog? - I have not had any time to do so, but would really love some time because I quite miss it. It was very therapeutic for me to write down my thoughts. Actually, I think it helped me get through depression and post-partum. Now I just have to find time to squeeze that in with some exercise!
The name voiceBoks - where did it come from? - Well, to tell you honestly, I meant to start a different social network about 2 years ago. It was going to be something that involved messaging through voice. Didn't quite come to fruition. Since I already had the name and wanted something completely "out there," I thought, "why not?" It would stand out and people would definitely wonder what it is.
How did you go about seeking your information? - EXTREME blog hopping.
When you work on the website, is this all self taught or do you have someone that helps you with it? - I took Computer Science in college. However, I still ended up in the mortgage industry. After the crash, I decided to do something I really love, which is math, coding, computers, and websites. I do like to try to solve everything myself. However, sometimes I do run into issues that are out of my "scope of knowledge" and just can't afford to spend hours trying to figure something out that I know would take me ages to figure out. So from time to time, I would either ask for help or hire someone to do little jobs here and there.
Do you have a mentor? Would you consider mentoring someone who wanted to start a similar business? - no and yes
What mistakes did you endure to figure out the right path? - I was very trusting. Little did I know that even through the mommy world, there are a lot of shady and dishonest "parents" out there.
Moments of brilliance? - Progress and proven results through the site and through members' testimonies.
Advice to others that are considering an online business? - Yes, please make sure you download a copy of my online traffic manual once it comes out.
How do you balance mommyhood and online work? - It is VERY difficult. As my now 7 month old baby grows, so does his needs. I have no life, but am working as hard as I can now so that I can be there for him more when he is more aware of mommy's presence. For now, I work when he's napping, occupied with something, and throughout the night when he's asleep.
Are there any aspects of your business that aren’t covered here that you want to share? - As I am in the process of letting out my secrets, I do not have anything extra to share at the moment.
You've made this amazing community for women (and a few men) to connect. Is the website heading in the direction that you envisioned or are you brainstorming more every day of ways to add on? - This website is nowhere near completion. Major changes are still in place. Yes, it's definitely heading in the direction that I envisioned. Actually, better than that. I know the importance of traffic and wish to be able to help as many moms as I could by driving them to their site(s). At the same time, I wish to be able to continue my relationship with all the wonderful women I've met through this site. I truly am amazed at how blessed I am with all the new friendships. I am from the bottom of my heart, so grateful to be a part of all of this. My goal is to make this site big enough in the next year so that we can all meet in person. Oh, I would love that so much! A voiceBoks conference would be fantastic!
A special THANK YOU to Lexie for taking the time to fill out the survey. If you like what you've read here and you're not part of this special community, go check out http://www.voiceboks.com/. You're going to like it there!
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