http://www.articlesnatch.com/rss2/Metromom Metromom Articles from ArticleSnatch.com Rss Follow Up Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:23:55 -0500 Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metro Mom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Connecting-Vs--Collecting---Tips-On-How-To-Use-Twitter-Authentically---Meaningfully/1088089 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:33:22 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Connecting-Vs--Collecting---Tips-On-How-To-Use-Twitter-Authentically---Meaningfully/1088089 Have you ever had a case of entrepreneur envy? That's where you keep looking at what everyone else is doing... Maybe they've got a great new teleseminar that's sold out. Or maybe they just landed a spot on TV. Or their blog has lots of comments and you can't get any! You start focusing your energy on everyone else and what they're doing. I love to "follow" entrepreneurs that I admire and see what they're up to and what's working from them. There is incredible value to be found learning from others. But the danger is losing yourself in the process. Every single one of us is so different. So yes learn from others, but ultimately you have to get it done in your own way. Let's take an example. Maybe you're a writer and you've convinced yourself that you need to go on a speaking tour all around the country to promote your new book. But the idea isn't attractive to you at all. You're more of an introvert. You hate to speak and you have young kids and don't want to leave home... But "somebody" told you that you should go speak around the country.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Be-Authentic-To-Get-It-Done-And-Grow-Your-Business/1059928 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:50:19 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Be-Authentic-To-Get-It-Done-And-Grow-Your-Business/1059928 I'm sure you can remember a time when you've had a less than ideal client. Spend a moment and get an image of that person in your head - that person who completely drains you; that person you have to "keep selling" to remain involved; that person you're literally dragging and pulling along; and that person who leaves you feeling bad after every interaction. I've been there many times and I can tell you it's awful - there's nothing fun about it. My energy's drained. I start feeling bad about my business and where it's going, and I used to wonder if I had a choice. The truth is not everyone is your ideal client and you absolutely have a choice with whom you work. Last week I interviewed Lisa Cherney, the Founder of Conscious Marketing, and she spoke on how to attract ideal clients. It was fascinating to learn that even though Lisa has a lot of corporate marketing experience, when she started her own business she was initially attracting the wrong clients and started dreading Mondays.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Successful-Marketing-Starts-By-Identifying-Your-Ideal-Client/1030792 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:51:29 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Successful-Marketing-Starts-By-Identifying-Your-Ideal-Client/1030792 Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Huge-Timesaver-For-Creative-Entrepreneurs---Avoid-Over-creating-And-Start-Repurposing/1000243 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:18:07 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Huge-Timesaver-For-Creative-Entrepreneurs---Avoid-Over-creating-And-Start-Repurposing/1000243 Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/They-Can-t-Buy-If-You-Don-t-Sell---Overcoming-Your-Fear-Of-Selling-/974139 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:59:50 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/They-Can-t-Buy-If-You-Don-t-Sell---Overcoming-Your-Fear-Of-Selling-/974139 People ask me how I'm able to accomplish what I do - raising three energetic children (who go in three different directions) and managing a growing business. I've seen that the key factor for me to get the important things that really matter to me done is to be organized. Did you know that we waste an incredible amount of time, energy, and money when we're disorganized? The National Organization of Professional Organizers says that it is around 180 hours a year in a business (that's more than a week). For a business mom, it's probably triple that. So, how can you organize your life and office to accomplish everything that matters to you personally and professionally in the most profitable way? From personal experience, I know that it's easier said than done. My friend, Debbye Cannon, the Business Mom Mentor, helped me identify some big timewasters and also how to be more organized with each one and I'd like to share some of these tips with you. Timewaster #1 - Searching for lost items.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Work-From-Home-Tips-how-To-Be-More-Organized-And-Get-More-Done-/951583 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:43:36 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Work-From-Home-Tips-how-To-Be-More-Organized-And-Get-More-Done-/951583 As entrepreneurs, most of us are doing businesses on our own. Many of us however long for the support of a partner. Women especially need and want to collaborate with others (however men really benefit as well). I believe there is so much more that can be done when we work and bring our strengths together. The question is - how do you create a partnership that works for both of you, as well as the communities you're serving? Last year I interviewed Gina Bell, a friend of mine and the founder of GinaBellInc.com, for some tips on how to collaborate effectively and profitably. I want to share with you a few gems from that call. So what is a joint venture? A joint venture is an agreement or alliance between two or more people. Most of time these partnerships make sense when you share a target market. For example, Gina and I discovered that we share a target market of entrepreneurial women. The key is that the joint venture must benefit everybody involved.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Joint-Ventures---How-To-Collaborate-Effectively-And-Profitably/927453 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:28:50 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Joint-Ventures---How-To-Collaborate-Effectively-And-Profitably/927453 Over the past year many of you have joined me on my journey as I've shared the ups and downs and lessons learned. The last six months have been special because I've been doing a lot more coaching with visionary entrepreneurs with a special emphasis on getting things done. So I'd like to share with you in some of the lessons learned from their perspective and mine. Let Go of the Outcome and Enjoy the Journey So much of what we do as entrepreneurs is we make it up as we go along. Most of us don't have a degree in entrepreneurship! It's very easy when you are in that place of starting out your business to think, "Because I've not done it, I can't do it." But if you have a passion for what you do, you keep trying until you figure out a way to make it work. A fear of failure can get in your way. If you're overly concerned about the outcome, you don't enjoy the journey. Just remind yourself that it's part of the process - that there will be things that will go awry and you will learn along the way.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Get-It-Done-Lessons-For-2010---Part-2/905231 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:04:57 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Get-It-Done-Lessons-For-2010---Part-2/905231 I love the change, fluidity and flexibility of entrepreneurship. There's nothing quite like starting your own business to help you learn who you are and what's important to you. Share your story. When you're an entrepreneur, it's not your expertise (like your business degree) that people care about as much as the story of how you got to where you are today. The truth is often our passion for wanting to help others is rooted in something very personal to us, so it's incredibly important to share that reason why. I've also realized that it's okay to share our mistakes - they are an important part of our truth so don't be afraid of sharing them. It's from our mistakes that we are much better teachers. Celebrate the small things. It's important to celebrate each victory, each sale, every follow-up you didn't want to do (but did it anyway) and most of all, every time you stepped out of your comfort zone. I have been following a mentor who had huge numbers attached to her programs and mine were much less. Initially, I felt I'd failed and I found myself looking at the situation very negatively.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Get-It-Done-Lessons-For-2010---Part-1/888277 Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:33:06 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Get-It-Done-Lessons-For-2010---Part-1/888277 As women and mom entrepreneurs there are so many things to juggle - work, kids, marriage, self, friendships, spirit and family. Keeping them all going is a challenge and one that requires consciousness and compassion. The truth is over the past few months my focus has been more on my business and my kids than on my marriage, and we've all suffered. From conversations with many, I don't think that I'm alone in this. It's a BIG problem for busy couples, especially with the financial pressures to make a business work. Raising your kids and running a business can quickly take a toll on your marriage. You may feel like you HAVE to go to an important meeting with a new client or go to your son's first baseball game but it's okay to skip that lunch date with your husband - he'll understand. But too quickly it becomes routine to put your marriage too far down on your list of priorities.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Between-Business-And-The-Kids---How-To-Find-Time-For-Your-Marriage/865334 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:30:03 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Between-Business-And-The-Kids---How-To-Find-Time-For-Your-Marriage/865334 Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Create-An-Affiliate-Program-----A-Complete-Circle-Of-Giving-And-Receiving/821138 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:57:40 -0500 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Create-An-Affiliate-Program-----A-Complete-Circle-Of-Giving-And-Receiving/821138 I'm a recovering perfectionist. By nature I really like everything to be very organized, every 't' crossed, 'i' dotted and everything to have my personal stamp on it. But I know in my past, my quest for perfection kept me from moving forward, so I've had to tame it. I also know it's not an easy beast to tame but if you're like me and can honestly acknowledge how much your desire for perfection is holding you back, it can often give you the motivation to just move forward and take action. Perfectionism can have an especially strong impact on your success when you run your own business. A really important message I want to communicate is there's really no such thing as perfect. So if you're struggling to make it "just perfect" you're directing your energy into something that's impossible to achieve. How much is your desire for perfection holding you back? I will share some of the ways trying to be perfect has slowed me down and more importantly what I did to get over it! Perfectionism Leads to Procrastination.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Is-Perfectionism-Holding-You-Back-/802070 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:15:49 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Is-Perfectionism-Holding-You-Back-/802070 My husband and I have taken many of Harv Eker's personal development classes over the years. Just this summer, we went to a camp called Enlightened Warrior Training Camp. One of the key messages they taught is the importance of keeping a commitment to yourself. When you say you're going to do something, you do it. One specific idea from this camp that really stuck with me is "either commit 100%, or commit 0%." That means if you know you can't commit fully to something, just say no, rather than do it half-heartedly. And, when you say yes, go full throttle. There's nothing worse than having a million things on your plate (from volunteer activities, to networking meetings to other sorts of "shoulds") that are taking up your energy and time but are not bringing you joy on the other side. They're not moving you towards anything. On the other hand, if there are a handful of things that you truly love and are important to you, give yourself to them 100%. But, what should I commit to...? If you're a mom with children at home, taking care of your kids is a priority - you're committed.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim Deyoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Committing-100--Benefits-Your-Business-And-Your-Kids/781507 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:50:20 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Committing-100--Benefits-Your-Business-And-Your-Kids/781507 What you do (and who you are) has huge value. To truly be prosperous in business and life, you must wholeheartedly believe this. Often, however, I see women, myself included, consistently underestimating their value. While they enthusiastically support the gifts and talents of their husbands, children and friends, when it comes to their own talents you hear them say... "It's no big deal," "Anybody can do that," or "It's just a fluke it all worked out." From a financial perspective, if you're not appreciating the value of your products and services, you're certainly not being paid what you're worth. You're absolutely leaving money on the table. Let me share an example of something that I'm naturally really good at but I'd placed little or no value on it until recently... I was at a mastermind group a few months ago and was speaking with one of my mastermind partners. As she was getting to know me, she basically said, "Kim, I've never seen anybody who gets things done as quickly as you do." As I wrote those words down, it really sunk in for me.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Recognize-Your-Value---The-Key-To-Being-Prosperous/764976 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:37:11 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Recognize-Your-Value---The-Key-To-Being-Prosperous/764976 Many of the women I speak with are feeling a lot of stress financially right now. The key questions become: How do you remove this stress when you're thinking about money, so you can do the work you're meant to do, especially in a time like we're in right now? How can we all replace a "lack" mentality with an "abundance" mentality? The fact is your attitude about money is incredibly important when you're an entrepreneur. As a woman in business for yourself, who you are - including your relationship with money - translates into your business. A few months ago I interviewed my good friend (and now mastermind buddy) Linda Hunt for a training call for my members on The Language of Money - Understanding Your Language Around Money So You Can Change Your Relationship With It. Linda shared many great suggestions and powerful exercises during that call, that she really got me re-examining my attitude towards money. I want to share just a few highlights from that call on how to improve your relationship with money. Redefine what money is.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Improve-Your-Relationship-With-Money/744490 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:10:10 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Improve-Your-Relationship-With-Money/744490 In my last Ezine I spoke about the importance of having a clear vision and letting go of perfection if you really want to move your business forward. Another key element to getting things done is delegating effectively. I am such a believer in the importance of delegating and having a team of people to support you. I come from the mindset of a mother of three children with so much to do. I know that many of the women within the Metromom community certainly relate to this - you've got a business, you've got children so you're pulled in various directions. I had a chance to speak with Erin Blaskie, The VA Coach, about how to delegate to a virtual assistant so you can work so much more effectively. A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who assists you with everything, from administrative things to technical things to even personal things. They're "virtual" because they work out of their own office and connect with you online or over the phone instead of working out of your office. But, do I really need (or can I afford) my own assistant?Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Delegate---Give-Yourself-More-Time--Energy-And-Money/726891 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:21:05 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Delegate---Give-Yourself-More-Time--Energy-And-Money/726891 When I think of getting it done, the truth is it's just a lot of small (baby) steps that are on the way to making something happen. To look at a big task all at once is so daunting. We would never get started. So many of us are stuck in the brilliance of our big ideas because we're overwhelmed... Break Through the Overwhelm I want to share part of a phone call I received from a woman who was interested in signing up for my new pilot coaching program. She wanted to know how I could help her since she had so much on her plate and was very overwhelmed. (Sound familiar?) My first question was "what are you looking to get done?" "Well I'd like to build my list, make more money and write my book." "No wonder you're overwhelmed", I said, "what you're looking to accomplish is huge and each one of those goals has hundreds of steps involved. Without breaking them down there's no way to tackle goals like that, and not go crazy." Of all of the components of list building, she was most interested in tackling social networking.Mom Entrepreneur]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Three-Powerful-Steps-To--getting-It-Done/725470 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:45:45 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Three-Powerful-Steps-To--getting-It-Done/725470 As women entrepreneurs we often start and run our businesses very organically. Those women with flourishing businesses are remaining open to new opportunities, new connections and taking small steps along the way. They take one action, move forward, and then take another action. But sometimes we run into roadblocks. We have been conditioned to think that the traditional way of running a business is the only way, so we sometimes find ourselves paralyzed in moving forward. We are told by society, and often the men in our lives-our brothers, spouses, teachers - that we need a business plan, financial backing, experience and education in a specific area. As we hear these messages they often become roadblocks to us moving forward, and our success. The interesting thing is that many truly successful women entrepreneurs rarely have any of these things in the beginning. Many of us start without a business plan, without crunching numbers, and even without much money. So if these "traditional" things aren't necessary - what is? What do we as women need to have to move our new business or new idea forward? Start with a clear vision.Mom Entrepreneurs]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-You-Need-To-Move-Your-Business-Forward/703328 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:10:48 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/What-You-Need-To-Move-Your-Business-Forward/703328 Here we are in the middle of summer and there are moments when I'm really enjoying myself and others when I'm really stressed. If you're like me I swing back and forth between the two. There are moments with my kids where I wish summer would never end and there are those times when school can't start soon enough! Every mom can appreciate the extra stress of summer vacation but for work at home moms it can be even more challenging. Most of us can't afford to put our businesses on hold for three months. So what can help us manage our business while we still enjoy the summer with our kids? Here are some summer vacation tips that I've found helpful: Banish Guilt - Don't waste your summer feeling guilty. You can't do it all (be it every work project and every activity with your children) so for your own sanity stop expecting yourself to. Focus instead on being grateful. The gratitude stems from acknowledging your opportunity to work from home and run a business that brings your joy and income while spending quality time (even if it's not tons of quantity) with your children.Mom Entrepreneurs]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Summer-Sanity-Tips-For-Work-At-Home-Moms/681058 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:59:38 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Summer-Sanity-Tips-For-Work-At-Home-Moms/681058 You have the best idea, great marketing strategies, and effective systems in place, but you still feel stuck. You can't get any momentum. If this is the case, limiting beliefs may be holding you back... My definition of a limiting belief is something that you believe to be true about yourself (that really is not true) and it prevents you from moving forward as you'd like. These limiting beliefs have been internalized, often times from childhood. You believe them to be as true as the sky is blue and the grass is green. That's how you function in the world. It's not until you challenge that belief and focus on a more conscious level that you can see it isn't in fact true at all. Let me share with you an example of a limiting belief that held me back for years. I am a big believer in collaboration...but that wasn't always the case. When I was a little girl, I was constantly told how important it was that I be independent and self-sufficient. My father loved telling me all the great things I could do as an independent woman from travel to business adventures.Mom Entrepreneurs]]> Metromom]]> Kim DeYoung]]> http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Limiting-Beliefs---Are-They-Holding-You-Back-/631796 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Limiting-Beliefs---Are-They-Holding-You-Back-/631796