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Elisa All is my guest today and she’s done what most people could only dream of doing. She started a company based on a gap in the market, within a few years grew it into a small media empire, and sold it to The Walt Disney Company. Kaching!

Some people have visions of retiring to a beach, but not Elisa. Within a year, she stared a new media company – 30 Second Mom -changing the way we receive and consume content. Enter the smart phone, smart creator and content changer.Discuss how her background in journalism lead her to the creation of her first business – hint…she found a gap in the market
Discuss the importance of solve a problem = start a business
Talk about how she was an early adopter of the web and how she and her team created amazing content and how quickly it took off
Talk about how they were “social” before social media with forums, blogs etc.
Discuss how she ended up creating an media empire she eventually sold to The Walt Disney Company in 2007
Talk about what lead her to start her new company 30SecondMom
Discuss software, apps, busy families and the plan she has for 30SecondMom
Discuss the importance of being able to see a gap or need in the market – listen to that voice and research starting a company

Mary Juetten, is the Founder and CEO of TrakLight – an online software as service company that offers products for inventors, creators, start-up or small companies to identify, manage, and secure their intellectual property

Copyrights, trademarks and intellectual property can all be confusing topics, so we’ve tried to break them down into digestible, bits of goodness.Discuss how she went from law student and graduate to the tech software business
Discuss define intellectual property and discuss what it is and how to know if your have it
Talk about protecting your intellectual property
Talk about the difference between copywriting and trade marking and the important point of identifying it
Discuss what trade secrets are and the proper steps to protect them
Discussing trademarking your brand and what types of things your can copyright
Discuss what a common law trademark is and how to use it
Talk about the general rules about blogging, social media sites such as Pinterest etc. and copyrights around them

Doing the thing that makes you happy — makes you who you are. Doing what you were meant to do. Do you even know what that calling is?

I’ve thought long and hard about my calling. It’s teaching — helping other.

This really isn’t surprising since a majority of my professional career in some part has been linked directly to teaching and leading.

From my early years as a Respiratory Therapist, to adult education, to corporate training, to being a small business owner. It all circles back to teaching and leading — and it’s firmly rooted in small business.

I’m often asked about starting a small business — how I did it, why I did it, what steps were needed, how I got started…etc.

I love small business! Love everything about it.

It’s my passion and I love talking about it. I love sharing those experiences with others — and that’s exactly what i’ve decided to do with this blog.

Prior to starting my current company Me Giant, I co-owned a very successful wholesale furniture and decor business, Aidan Gray Home, which I eventually sold in early 2010. Helping grow that company from the ground up molded me into the person I am today. I learned a great deal, developed priceless skills, faced my strengths and weaknesses, and realized that you can do anything you want to do if you set your mind to it.

I’m living my calling and want to share it with you. Success is a journey — a journey worth taking. In this blog I will share stories, tips, tricks, processes, interviews and how to’s for small business development and success.

Nada Jones, obviously believes in the saying “Go big or Go home” because she went BIG with the launch of her multimedia business ltd365. She launched with a major live event for women.

Check out my interview with Nada to learn how she scored major sponsors for the event and how she’s using her experience and the experience of other female entrepreneurs to empowering womenDiscuss what living your dream means – even if it takes you 12 years to get there
Discuss her book “16 Weeks To Your Dream Business” – talk about the process of publishing and promoting the book
Talk about her discovery of her passion to curate the best of best education and resources for women
Talk about the process of setting up a conference, getting sponsors and making it a rememberable event
Discuss how laser focus comes later and the importance of the path in getting there
Discuss the importance of understanding your market when planning a live event
Talk about the importance of viewing your competitors as friends and learn to help each other with cross promotion etc.
Discuss the launch of her online magazine – ltdmag
Talk about how to launch an event

Carol Trickett is my guest today and she entered the world of entrepreneurship because her corporate job was downsized. Luckily, she was ready for the change and turned her hobby into a business.

Do you have an amazing talent or hobby? You can turn it into a business just like Carol did. Check out our interview to see how and find out how to get a free copy of her E-Book…Discuss how Carol took her hobby of making stained glass and turned it into a business
Talk about the triggers in Carols life that helped her realize she could start a business – how she got over the fear
Discuss the importance of jumping in feet first and not waiting on perfection to start your business
Discuss how Carol surveyed her competitors to learn more about the industry — the results were interesting
Discuss Carol’s plan for scaling her business and how she’s using the internet to do it -including coaching and courses
Talk about how she’s using video to grow her online business and marketability
Talk about market research and the importance of being open minded with your business plan and growth
Talk about the importance of building a network and community – Carol discusses tips for doing this

“The size of your audience doesn’t matter. What’s important is that your audience is listening” Erika Napoletano

If you love a non-BS approach to business and life like I do, you’ll love this book. Ericka tells it like it is and provides great case studies to tie it all together.

This book makes you think a little differently about life and business and helps you realize that UNPOPULAR is the new black.

I did a previous post about Randy Pausch and guess where I learned about him — yep from Erika’s book. If you haven’t checked it out, you need to.

Lara Galloway is my guest today and we’re talking about being a mom and wanting more — which is somewhat of a taboo subject in some circles.

Lara is a mompreneur who shares her honest story of how she struggled with not having her creative needs met as a stay at home mom and how this catapulted her into entrepreneurship.Talk about how she was a “reluctant entrepreneur”, what that meant to her and how she shifted
Discuss what Lara says her first business was lacking and how changing that thing help her prosper
We discuss what most mothers and mompreneurs are not willing to admit and the power you get once you do
Discuss the facts around having too broad a market and why you need to narrow it down for success
Discuss what’s counterintuitive to business and why you won’t be successful if you don’t get it and change your business to reflect it
Discuss the importance of business coaching and the impact it can have on a business
Talk about what Lara means by being a painkiller instead of the vitamin
Lara says Twitter saved her life – we discuss this and how social media has impacted her business [Learn The Power of Pinterest]
Discuss blogtalkradio and how Lara started her show and the impact it’s had on her business

Robin Hallett is my guest today and this might be the first interview I’ve walked away from feeling truly enlightened — a true sense of who I am and where I’m going. And best of all…the fact that it’s ok to be vulnerable, uncertain and scared.

Robin and I have a great conversation about why it’s important to let go, just be yourself and deal with the bolder in your back pocket.

Before we jump into the interview I want to talk about success and the importance of loving yourself.

Just Be Yourself
“Always be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else.”
Judy Garland

I love this quote! Especially since we live in a me too society where we use the success (or alleged success) of others as our measuring stick.

We all do it, we’re guilty.

We look up to the Marie Forleo’s, Amy Porterfield’s, Carol Burnett’s (odd I know, but I love her!).

We’ve been guilty of looking at the success of others and thinking…why not me, why am I not at the same level? Why can’t I be like her?

I must not be good enough!

I must not be good enough because of _____________ or because I don’t know everything about ________________ or I don’t have the __________ resources that she has.

Here’s the truth….

You Are Good Enough
Say it out loud with me….You Are Good Enough!

Yes, we’re all on different paths, at different levels and with different resources, but that’s ok.

If you want true life success, you must change your script, learn to love you for you, and just be yourself.

In my interview with Robin, we discuss this in more detail and why it’s SO important to deal with the issues that are keeping you from being the best you.

Dixie Gillaspie is my guest today and we’re talking about how to live an unlimited life and removing the word “can’t” from your vocabulary.

Before we jump into the interview I want to share a story with you about overcoming “can’t” and how I changed my attitude about “can”.

The Truth About Attitude
I love this Zig Ziglar quote – Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude.

This one hits home for me on several levels and here’s why.

It’s a miracle that I can read. Ok, my story isn’t that dramatic, but truth is…I was a terrible student. I excelled socially, but barely skated by academically.

I had a wonderful childhood and my parents were great, but they didn’t push me academically. The expectation was to pass and that’s exactly what I did…and a “C” is passing you know.

A Product of Your Environment
I don’t blame my parents for not pushing me academically, because ultimately it was my responsibility and not theirs.

They did the best they could.

They were the product of their environment…my dad didn’t make it past the 7th grade because he quit school to help support his family in a time of need.

My mom quit school her sophomore year because she feel in love and decided to start a family instead.

Me…I changed my attitude and realize my success was my choice.

Although they didn’t teach me much about algebra, my parents did teach me the value of family, community, hard work, faith and love.

Luckily I’m the product of my environment.

Don’t Let Can’t Stop You
How did you like how I flipped the switch about being the product of my environment?

It would have been easy for me to say I can’t go to college because I barely made it through High School, or I can’t start a business because I didn’t have a role model, or I can’t start a consulting business because I’ve never done it.

It’s so easy to get caught up in “I can’t” because ________

Believe me, I’ve been there.

I’m still a terrible speller, but that hasn’t stopped me.

I never read a book cover to cover until I was 20, but that hasn’t stopped me.

I wasn’t raised around entrepreneurs, but that didn’t stop me.

I ignored “can’t” and figure out “can”.

Don’t Let The Small Things Trip You Up
You can be anything you want to be…you can do anything you want to do! It’s a mind thing.

Dixie is a living example of not letting the little things trip her up. In my interview with her we discuss how the sudden death of a family member caused her to rethink her life and led to her writing her new book Just Blow It Up: Firepower For Living An Unlimited Life.

A stress free life…Is there even such a thing?

What if you could have your current life as it is today, but without stress. Would you choose it?

Stress is a funny thing and it’s actually much different than what most people think.

Here’s the funny thing about stress….it’s not the overwhelm in your job, the lack of time in your day or the work-life blend you’re trying to acheive. It’s none of these things, but here’s what it is.

Stress is not an external thing…it’s an internal thing.

That’s right…your job, kids, partner, bank account…none of these things are what’s stressful.success-under-stress-successful-women-talk

You’re ability or lack of ability to control these situations is what’s actually causing you stress. It’s an internal thing…mind over matter if you will.

I have faith in the fact that I can reduce my stress if I change my mindset and so does my guest, Sharon Melnick.

In her new book Sussess Under Stress: Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident, and Productive When the Pressure is On, Dr. Sharon Melnick dives deep into what stress is, why it happens and how to take control over the stress in your life.

Here’s an example of me trying to reduce my stress…that’s me on the right working hard on show research.

One of the things Sharon points out in her book is that the average business professional has between 30 and 100 projects on his or her plate at any given time. They are also interupted on average seven times per hour, and faced incoming communications from multiple technologies 24 hours a day.

No wonder we feel stressed and out of control.

In my interview with Sharon, we discuss several stress management tips for controlling what you can control: The 50% rule. We also talk turning obstacles in to opportunities and much

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