Business Plus Baby

November 7, 2010November 10, 2010

Business Mums Blog Carnival for November

Are you a mumpreneur with a blog? Join in November’s Business Mums Blog Carnival and get yourself more readers and comments!

You don’t even need to write a post for the carnival, just pick your favourite from the posts already up on your blog and send the link to the carnival host. This month your host is Accidental Business Mum Andrea Daly of www.andreadaly.com

To enter, email the link to your post to dalyandie (at) gmail.com by Friday 12th November.

The carnival will be posted on www.andreadaly.com on Monday 15th November.

If you’re not sure how it all works or what kind of post to enter, you’ll find everything you need to know on the Business Mum’s Blog Carnival page. And you can get your own blog carnival badge there too!

November 6, 2010April 15, 2012

Win a Year’s Salary

What would you do with a year’s salary? Paypal have launched a prize draw that gives everyone who enters the chance to win £40000. To enter, you just need to buy something with PayPal. Every time you buy you are automatically entered into the weekly prize draw. And the more you buy the more chances you get, because you get entered every single time you buy with PayPal. (You can find out more about the draw at the Paypal website.)

That’s great news for me because I buy with Paypal every week!

So what would I do with 40 grand? Well, I’d have a well-earned holiday for starters! But after that I’d use it as a year’s salary, which would mean I could invest everything I earn back into my mumpreneur business. That would mean I could grow it faster and I could relax and enjoy growing my business. In fact I could easily stretch 40 grand out longer than a year!

But there would definitely be some spare cash for a few treats, too. Like new bikes for the all the family from Woolworths (after all, it wouldn’t hurt me to get a little fitter…) and an IPod each for Mr L and I, also from Woolworths. Plus some more practical things for the children including some much-needed new storage for toys from Toys R Us and new car seats from Halfords.

I’d also treat myself to a shiny new laptop from Dell!

Enter now for your chance to win

(Here are the terms and conditions of the prize draw.)

Sponsored Post

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November 5, 2010November 4, 2010

Global Entrepreneurship Week: Lots of Free Business Events

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I’d not heard of Global Entrepreneurship Week until Adriana Lokman of ESUDA suggested I got to her Women’s Networking Event on 17th November in Luton (full details below).

I wish I’d heard of it sooner! The very top of the Global Entrepreneurship Week website says

It’s time kids could say “When I grow up I want to be an Entrepreneur”

And that really does sum it up. It’s about removing barriers so that people have the skills and confidence to be enterprising. Fabulous!

Global Entrepreneurship week runs from 15th to 21st November, but there are loads of free business events running from right now.

It’s best to check out the Global Entrepreneurship Week website for what’s going on in your area, but I wanted to mention a couple of events in particular..

I’ll be going to the Free Networking Event for Women from 9.30 to 12.30 on 17th November at the Jubilee Centre in Luton, with a free creche. Speakers will be talking about becoming wealthy, networking, the benefits of joining a Chamber of Commerce, getting finance for your business and how business and social enterprises can work together. Places are still available but creche places are going fast so book soon.

If you’re going, make sure you pop over and say hello!

Plus Create are running a free Build Your Own Business Workshop at City College Brighton and Hove from 2pm to 6pm on 17th November. (Create enables you to get your business website up and running quickly and easily from £2.99 a month.)

Enjoy!

November 3, 2010July 4, 2011

Why selling your time by the hour is a bad idea (and what to do about it)

If you’re selling your time by the hour, you may find you’re working really hard but not earning as much as you want. Why? Well, if you’re working part time around children you may only have twenty hours a week to work. Once you’ve lost up to half of that time doing your admin and marketing you may only have ten hours left. You need to be charging a lot per hour to make much money from ten hours a week.

And even if you do charge a high hourly rate there will always be a limit to how much you can earn because there are only 24 hours in a day.

A big advantages of this type of business are that you can get paid faster than other businesses – you don’t need to manufacture anything – and you don’t need to buy or store stock, so it’s a great way to get a business off the ground. But to grow your business (and your bank balance) you’ll need to think of other ways of increasing your income.

How about setting up another income stream that doesn’t involve selling time? If you’re a complementary therapist, you could sign up with a direct selling company and sell health, beauty or environmental products, for example. It won’t cost you much to get started, you don’t need to buy much stock and the direct selling company will provide you with things like brochures, order forms and posters.

Can’t find what you want in direct selling? There are lots of creative mums out there, look around for one who makes a product that your clients would love.

Or how about selling an e-book or on your website? You don’t even need to write it yourself, you could become an affiliate for someone else’s product. Being affiliate means that you tell clients, or even friends and family, about a product and you get commission for every sale you make. Look at products you already use and like, then take a look at the seller or manufacturer’s website for how to ‘become an affilliate’ (it’s sometimes called a ‘reseller’ or ‘rep’ instead).

If you’d like to know about more ways you could boost your income as a mumpreneur, take a look at my e-course Earn What You Deserve as a Mumpreneur.

Photo credit: Katerha

November 2, 2010November 1, 2010

Starting Your Mumpreneur Business: What You Need To Know

Do you have a great business idea, but are unsure how to turn it into reality? Or is your business up and running, but not doing as well as you might like?

Well, Antonia Chitty, Erica Douglas and I have put together…

The Essential ‘Start Your Mumpreneur Business’ Pack

This pack is packed with friendly advice and guidance on starting a successful business at a low cost. It will give you the information you need to take your from business beginner to successful entrepreneur.

It’ll show you how to:

Earn money in your spare time.
Assess business ideas and find the one that is right for you.
Turn your hobby into a profitable business.
Create a website that makes you money
Set up a successful direct sales or party plan business.
Take a business from idea to reality.
See your current business grow and succeed.

Get exclusive access to this pack full of articles and guidance written by Antonia Chitty, Erica Douglas and I with contributions from business experts including Emma Wimhurst, Mel McGee, Roberta Jerram and Alison Rothwell. Read tips and ideas for helping YOU to – get a great business idea – test your idea – start your business – make the most of innovative strategies to help you create a successful family friendly enterprise.

Sounds just like what you need? Buy your pack NOW or read on to find out more

You can be sure that this pack will help whether you are wondering about starting a business or have a definite business idea. Get your copy NOW. It includes:

Start a Family Friendly Business by Antonia Chitty and Helen Lindop
The Mumpreneur Guide’s Start Your Own Business Book by Antonia Chitty
The Mum Blogger eBook by Erica Douglas

Work through your pack to discover:

4 types of business that work well when you are a parent
129 great flexible business ideas and how to make them succeed when you have a family.
11 tips to help you succeed as a mumpreneur
7 indispensible resources to get your business off to a great start.
19 ways to make money online

Plus you’ll learn:

7 simple ways to find customers.
The 19 ‘must haves’ for any website.
9 great ways to raise your business profile online.
7 essentials to help you get to grips with business finance basics.
5 key elements of getting a great work life balance.
10 ways to grow your business and take it to the next level.

And you’ll receive:

12 practical exercises to help you take action in YOUR business
A 25 day plan to help you create a successful blog AND make money
42 inspiring case studies of mums and dads with great businesses

The Essential ‘Start Your Mumpreneur Business’ Pack would normally cost £52 but TODAY you can buy it for just £33.

Take the first step to start your business: Buy your pack NOW or read on to find out what other leading businesswomen think

These women have found the contents of ‘The Essential ‘Start Your Mumpreneur Business’ Pack invaluable:

A great resource for any mum looking for flexible working inspiration and ideas.

Jane Hopkins of MumsClub

“I’m a huge advocate of mums who set up in business and who combine work and motherhood on their terms…and this book is a great starting point for anybody who’s excited by this prospect. It’s packed to the gunnels with good ideas and inspiration for harnessing the hidden mumpreneur inside!” Wendy Shand of Tots to Travel

“An invaluable guide for Mums who have the seed of an idea. Practical advice in easy to read snippets with loads of real examples. This will help Mums take their idea forward but with realistic expectations, a business mentor on your bedside table!”

Sam Willoughby of Whats on 4 Little Ones

“Erica’s ebook is an excellent resource for anyone interested in starting a blog or for those wishing to understand the mechanics of blogging a little better. It is well written, comprehensive and full of valuable advice. I’d highly recommend it.”

Rosie

“The “must-have” read for anyone considering setting up a business whilst combining the responsibility of raising a family. Don’t do anything until you have read this book……it could change your life….”

Emma Wimhurst, Business Mentor and author of BOOM!

Get your copy here for just £33 at NO RISK. Full money-back guarantee if you find this package is not for you.