Tag Archives: fempreneur

Word of the Year

Every year – for years – I’ve had a motto for my business, many times two mottos. I believe that an overarching theme for the year is a great way to focus when it comes to shiny objects. It’s easy to ask yourself, does it fit with my goals? Can I wholeheartedly state that this will make my business stronger in my preferred direction? Is it just a distraction?

And, to keep myself in check, I would add the mottos to my calendar every single day, so when I turned on my computer or checked my calendar, they were there, in front of me, reminding me of the big picture for the year.

But, I’ve decided to take a different approach to 2018. The year of this or that just doesn’t seem to resonate with me, much as it did in the past. I’ve noticed a lot of people are now choosing a word of the year, often in retrospect, but still, one word that defines the year. And, I’m on board!

However, I wish I had waited a bit before I selected my word. I still love it – but I’ll explain as I go along.

These last few years have been difficult in many ways, as I lost my brother just over a year ago plus I was a full time caregiver to my Mom for several years. She passed away in December, and I’m just finally coming up for some air. I loved taking care of my Mom, and it was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life. However, it took its toll. Lots of stress, decisions, anxiety, lack of sleep – you get the picture. (Book in development – stay tuned!)

So, when it came time to choose my word, I decided on Celebrate. I want this year to be the year when I find many things in my life and business to celebrate, injecting joy along the way. I even created a small binder to track my progress throughout the year, and I’m excited to fill the pages.

However, the Chinese New Year is approaching, and it’s the Year of the Dog, the earth dog. As it happens, I’m an earth dog. I didn’t realize the year comes with its own word – Action! That sounds like a pretty good word, too!

I was a bit flummoxed as to which word to use after reading that, but then I decided that by taking action I would have much to celebrate. So, not a bad combination!

I think I’m off to a good start, working through the grief yet checking things off my ever-growing list. I have books to write, blogs to post, courses to create, clients to coach – and I hope you’re along with me for the ride.

We all face challenges in our lives, but being part of a supportive and inspired community helps us to keep moving forward.

I’m excited to share so much with you this year! Let me know what your plans are and how I can help! I’d also like to know what your word or motto is for the year.

Please be sure to like our Facebook page!

Sparkle on!

Aunti Cindi

Gift Guide for Entrepreneurs

Greetings Sparklers!

The holidays are not the only time of year when we worry about buying the right gift. There are birthdays, anniversaries and thank you gifts, just to name a few. We want to purchase something that is both useful and memorable – more than a gift card but less than the food and alcohol options which might not be anxiously received. Then there’s that whole budget issue…

Here are a few gifts sure to please!

VuPoint Magic Wand Portable Scanner

I first bought this scanner to scan all the family photos I have, but it does so much more than that! It will scan contracts, receipts, and anything else that can slide through the scanner. There are two main reasons I really like this product. First, it scans at 1200 dpi in the dock. That’s awesome! Second, the wand can be removed from the dock and scanned over anything from images to articles to fabrics to pretty much anything your heart desires! It’s super easy to use, a great price, and if you do a lot of scanning, it won’t wear out your printer/scanner combo that most people have nowadays.

Bell and Howell Tac-Bat

I’m really into emergency preparedness, and preparation for small business must be on the list! This Tac-Bat is a five-way light source (low, medium, high, strobe, SOS), a weapon and an escape hammer. So, in addition to helping you see when the power goes out, you can use it to knock out a window – or an assailant – if need be. It’s super heavy duty and operates on just three AA batteries. It comes in a variety of colors and a great deal at less than $20 (as of this writing). Buy a few for yourself while you’re at it!

Nate Berkus Gold Scissors

Nate Berkus Gold Swingline Stapler

I came across these at Target when I was redoing my office, with gold and rose gold accents. I absolutely L-O-V-E both! The scissors are the best I’ve ever had and so chic in gold. The stapler is made by Swingline and we know those staplers last forever! I had a trusty old black Swingline but fell in love with this gold one. Again, great gifts are great prices and so contemporary. Target seems to have the best prices on these.

Himalayan Salt Lamp

Pink Himalayan salt is all the rage these days, and for good reason. It’s supposed to clean the air and provide positive health benefits. Plus, these lamps are really cool to look at. Salt rooms are popping up all around the country. Be a hero and buy one for your favorite entrepreneur! Again, these are quite affordable – generally under $30 – and will be both useful and memorable to the gift recipient.

AA Batteries

Now, you might think this is the strangest gift, but I guarantee you every time the recipient needs a battery, they will think of you as they go to their stockpile. Wrap it pretty. Put a giant bow on it. It is both useful and memorable and works within your budget. You can purchase any quantity you like, but this lot of 100 will be used up just in time for you to purchase another package in a year!

What are your favorite gifts for entrepreneurs? I’d love to hear!

Please remember to Like our Facebook page!

Sparkle On!

Aunti Cindi

May is Education Month

May is Education Month!

Greetings Sparklers!

We’re up to May as we follow along with the book, Tame Those Pesky Details: 12 months of business tips and tasks (Aunti Cindi Presents). May is the month for education.

I put education into this month because we’re finally past the craziness of the New Year, past tax season and before the summer heat makes us not want to work at all! However, we have to take the opportunities when they arise.

I had a number of items on my list to learn this year (yes, even Aunti Cindi needs to grow some new synapses), and when February arrived, my inbox received emails from several different webinar providers that really looked interesting. All of the webinars were free, and in all cases, once I registered, I would have access to the replay to listen on my own time. This was really important to me as I was not available for the live webinars.

Now, February isn’t Education month, but I took advantage of the webinars and I am now extremely grateful that I did. Each one got my mind functioning in an enhanced direction. Now that May is here, I’m working hard to implement many of the concepts and tools that I learned in February.

Some things to consider when it comes to education:

Education doesn’t always come in the form of a formal classroom setting. You can learn a lot on the web on your own time and often for free or low cost.
The same topics may be offered several times a year, so if you’re unable to attend a particular session and a replay isn’t offered, check with the provider to see when they’ll offer it again.
Free webinars do come with a sales pitch at the end, but generally there is enough information provided during the free webinar that you may not need to sign up for more. It also gives you a chance to see the presenter’s style and see if it works for you.
The sales discounts can be well worth the listening effort and generally bonuses are included. I took five free webinars, and purchased from three of them. The discounts were exceptional for the material received. I purchased one set of follow-on materials for only $17! Yes, that’s correct, $17! Many pitches will require hundreds or thousands of dollars for their material so be sure to do your research and know that that’s the best way to spend your money.
Most purchases allow you unlimited access to the materials for as long as that person or company is in business. Many times it will include add-ons or upgrades in the future. I would access the contents as soon as you can in the event things change.
Don’t feel that you have to follow everything to the letter when you sign up for a program or take a webinar. You have to apply the information to your business and how you work. Start with the program then adapt.
There will likely be more educational opportunities as the year progresses. Don’t ignore them simply because they didn’t occur during May. The focus this month is really to determine what you need to learn and to find ways to do just that. And, sometimes you discover that there’s something you needed to learn that wasn’t even on your radar!

Learning helps us to respond to market changes but also to create new opportunities for our businesses. The more we know, the stronger we can grow.

Sparkle On!

Aunti Cindi

This post contains affiliate links. However, all opinions are our own.