New Direction for my Blog

Hey there all,

I was thinking about something a writing teacher once told us. It was "the best way to learn something is by teaching someone else". Couple that with the fact that friends, family and readers of this blog like to ask my opinion and advice on home and small business matters, I made a decision.

Now I do not pretend to be anything more than I am, I am not an expert. However like most everyone else, I have the ability to look in from the outside and give my advice or suggestion with a clarity that comes from a fresh perspective.

And so I have decided that I will go through emails and answer them directly on my blog. I hope to provide a different spin and helpful suggestions and learn a few things myself along the way.

If you have any of your own questions or dillemas that you would like my take on, feel free to email me or leave a comment.

Have a great one!

Bye Bye Ms. Canadian Pie

My time at Duffie Books is officially over. Actually though, I had taken a medical sabbatical starting just before the 2008 holidays. However, I was planning on returning this summer. But my dear friend Theresa has found it too expensive to keep the doors at Duffie Books open any longer.

I feel badly for the authors, though they are a very talented group of women and I know they will all be fine. I feel badly for myself because I was ready to get back in there and really soak up the learning experiences that I would then use in my own publishing house. But I mostly feel badly for Theresa. She has had to give up her dream, and she doesn't believe she will attempt another business again.

Does this make me scared in reference to my own business? At first it did, for sure. Now, not so much. There are businesses that open and close every day, I believe that Theresa would have been successful sooner rather than later if she could have cashed flowed it a while longer. Also if she and I could have come up with that great publicity sitch to get and her authors on the map.

I believe in my niche concept, so I don't have tales of doom dancing in my head. And I am planning on 2 years from my "live" date to start to see any real profits. With that in mind, I am still VERY excited about listing my first e-book for sale in just a few short months :)

So adios Duffie Books, thanks for the memories.

Where can I go to network with other small and home business owners?

There are a slew of forums that cater to the small and home based business person. My personal favorite is Business Owners Idea Cafe. I have had so many great responses to questions I've posted. It also feels good when I am able to help out a fellow member.

They're best attribute in my opinion is the "cyber Shmooze" section. Here they have specific forums to better guide you in your startup and growth phases. Some are:

Start Up Stew

Biz Ideas

Working From Home

E-Commerce

Marketing Mix

And quite a few more. The people on this forum are real people with home and small based businesses and are eager and willing to take you into the fold and help in any way they can.

The also offer small business grants throughout the year. They grants are usually for $1,000 and the current grant is called the "Idea Cafe's Innovation and Originality Grant". You can also read about past winners and how they have put the grant money to use in their businesses.

You must be a member to ask or answer questions as well as to enter for the grants. It's easy and painless though.

So visit them over at Idea Cafe and start asking those questions you can't seem to find an answer for anywhere else.

Happy Business!

Win a free pendant and earring set!

Hey all,

As you know, I am working with my friend Theresa at her awesome Travel Guide Publishing House, Duffie Books, and this month is the 1st official free draw. You can enter to win a great 925 silver infused glass pendant and earring set, enter now and spead the word! Just visit the site and click on the link that says "FREE DRAW".

Good Luck!

Why should I have a set schedule for my internet/home business?

Schedules are our friends. I admit that up until recently I hadn't thought about a schedule in terms of my company.

Like you, one of the main gripes I have about working a Mon - Fri for someone else is "set hours". I want to be free, free to work when I'm in the mood, so that my work will be at it's best, not when I'm groggy and the end result will suck, blah!

But what I've learned after taking a look back at the last year was that NOT having a schedule has been detrimental to my business. I believe it's one of the main reasons that I have not officially launched my site yet.

On the other hand, I am not saying that I (or you) should continue with a daily grind of 8 - 5 or 9 - 5 either.

You should take an honest look at your personality traits, daily errands, children's schedules (sports, dance etc) and come up with a plan to fit your lifestyle and not the other way around.

Personally I am NOT a morning person and do my best, most creative thinking after 5 pm. So it's natural for me to use my nocturnal hours for projects like writing, creating publicity and marketing plans and networking.

Day hours for emailing, editing and sending out press releases (releases that I create the evening before of course :)

So when I take all of the above into consideration, my schedule (and remember that I am still at my day job until I launch my site officially) looks like this:

Monday
Email Authors

Tuesday
Marketing
Answer Emails


Wednesday
Writing (articles and Blog entries – While dinner is cooking and 9 pm - 10 pm)


Thursday
Input Blog Entries and submit articles (lunch hour)
Marketing


Friday
Email authors
Family Nite

Saturday
10 am – 1 pm and 10 pm to 11 pm
Editing for the wonderful women of Duffie Books

Sunday
Writing 5 pm – 7 pm
Family Nite

I truly believe I will be a lot more productive this way, and I suggest you reign in your wild child and create a schedule as well :)

Happy Business to you all!