The Busy Mom’s Guide: Running a business from your home

The Busy Mom’s Guide: Running a business from your home

Whether you’re a brand new mom or your kids are already getting big, you’re probably running from one thing to the next–without much time to stop and catch your breath.

Sometimes childcare isn’t enough. If you’re an ambitious entrepreneur and a mom, you’ll have to find time to balance both.

So is it possible? Can you handle a business while staying at home with the kids?

It might not be easy to build a successful home business while balancing household duties and growing families, but it’s definitely not impossible. Like any other business venture, you need to generate a business that’s both profitable and enjoyable–all while managing your home life.

Here are some tips for running a business with your hectic schedule as a mom–so you can have the best of both worlds.

10 TIPS FOR RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL HOME BUSINESS AS A BUSY MOM

It’s challenging to build a successful home-based business–especially when you’ve got a house to manage and kids to raise. But with the right amount of planning, determination, and time management, you can be a great businesswoman and a mother. No sacrifices required.

Let’s take a look at some tips you can use to manage the responsibility of being a mom in business.

1. MAKE YOUR HOME INTO A CORPORATE OFFICE

The first step towards building a business out of your home is taking it just as seriously as you would any other job.

When you work in a corporate office or you have an office job, you come into work every day with specific goals to accomplish before the end of the day. The same thing applies when you’re working from home.

Set aside a home office and treat it like your official workplace. This means having a desk, an office chair, a well-organized space, and no distractions.

Once you’re in this office, have a schedule and a to-do list just like you would in the workplace.

In this case, you’re not working for a boss–you are the boss. So you need to hold yourself accountable for being productive and sticking to the schedule.

2. IT’S OKAY TO SAY “NO”

As a mom, you probably say no to your kids all the time: staying up late, eating more dessert, or playing an hour more of video games.

You have to take that same attitude to your business too. There might be more pressure to say yes all the time, but if you take on everything on your plate, you’ll be busy from morning until night.

You need time for your family–and you need time for yourself. Don’t be afraid to say no or push back meetings or ideas that you don’t have time for.

3. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SET BOUNDARIES

As a busy, working mother, you already have a lot on your plate. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries on what you’re willing and able to do.

If you have a spouse or significant other, talk to them about how to divide the load for household chores or childcare duties. Women do an average of 60% more household chores than men, and mothers are often expected to carry the brunt of the housework.

Even if you’re working from home, it’s still a job, and you still deserve to be taken seriously for your work.

Be sure that childcare and chores are divided evenly among those in the household–including spouses, significant others, older children, or other able family members.

4. GET OUTSIDE WHEN YOU CAN

While it’s important to have an at home office that you can count on, don’t keep yourself trapped indoors all day.

Not only is it bad for your health, but you’ll be more likely to get distracted or become stressed while you work. Try getting out of the house and working in a local coffee shop or the library. You could even attend business networking events when you can–especially if there are ones for working women or moms in your area.

Don’t isolate yourself indoors. Whenever you have the chance to get out of the house–leaving kids with a spouse, relative, or sitter of course–it can be good for you to work in a different environment.

5. FIND AN ONLINE COMMUNITY

Working at home alone can often feel isolating. Know that you’re not alone–and you’re not the only mom out there handling the responsibility of a business.

Try to connect with other moms in business and entrepreneurs online. You can search Linkedin, online forums, or social media for “working moms” or “business moms.”

Want to get started? Don’t do it alone Join my FREE Facebook Group The Mompreneurs TRIBE https://facebook.com/groups/themompreneurs

The Busy Mom’s Guide: How to create a campaign on Mailchimp

The Busy Mom’s Guide: How to create a campaign on Mailchimp

Create an email

To create a regular email, follow these steps.

  1. Click the Create icon.
    Cursor Clicks - Create icon
  2. Click the Email drop-down.
    Cursor Clicks - Email - Create Icon
  3. Click Regular.
    Cursor Clicks - Regular - Create Email
  4. Enter a campaign name and click Begin.

This will take you to the builder, where you’ll choose your settings and design your content.

Setup and design

Our email builder is designed to let you work on the different parts of your email in the order you choose, and review everything at once before you send.

There are four main things to do before you can send.

  • Add your recipients in the To section.
  • Add your from name and from email address in the From section.
  • Add your subject line in the Subject section.
  • Design your email in the Content section.

As each task is completed, a green checkmark will appear next to the corresponding section.

green checkmark shows when section is complete

You may also want to review your tracking options and other settings.

Add recipients

To choose your recipients, follow these steps.

  1. In the To section, click Add Recipients.
  2. In the Audience drop-down menu, choose the audience you want to send to.
  3. In the Segment or Tag drop-down menu, choose All subscribers in audience, Group or new segment, or one of the available saved or pre-built options.
  4. Optional: Check the Personalize the “To” field box to display the recipient’s name instead of their email address. This is more personal and may help you avoid spam filters.
    cursor checks box next to personalize the to field
    After you check the box, you’ll choose a merge tag that corresponds with the data you want to display in the “To” field. For example, if you choose *|FNAME|*, a recipient named Bob will see “To: Bob” instead of “To: bob@example.com.” The default options are *|FNAME|*, *|LNAME|*, and *|FNAME|* *|LNAME|*, but you can click Custom to enter an alternate tag or text.
  5. Click Save.

Add from name and from email address

To set your from name and from email address, follow these steps.

  1. In the From section of the email builder, click Add From.
  2. Enter your from name and email address.

    You may be asked to verify the domain in your email address.
  3. Click Save.

Add subject

To set your subject line and optional preview text, follow these steps.

  1. In the Subject section of the email builder, click Add Subject.
  2. In the Subject field, enter a subject line for your email.
  3. In the Preview text field, you can enter up to 150 characters that will display next to your subject line in recipients’ inboxes. This field is optional.
  4. Click Save.

Design email

Whether you’re an expert or a novice in email marketing, Mailchimp gives you tools to design beautiful campaigns. You can choose to work with the new inline email builder or use our drag-and-drop classic email builder.

To design your email, navigate to the Content section and click Design Email.

Then, choose whether you want to work with the Classic Builder or New Builder.

Here’s an overview of each option.

  • Classic Builder Use our classic builder to work with our many email template designs, e-commerce features, and Creative Assistant. Drag and drop content blocks as needed, or custom code from scratch. To learn how to use this builder, check out Design an Email with the Classic Builder.
  • New Builder Use our new builder to add and edit content directly to your layout in a refined interface. To learn how to use this builder, check out Design an Email with the New Builder.

After you choose the same email builder twice in a row, it will become the default builder. You can manually set or change your default email builder in your Account Details.

Settings and tracking

When you create a regular email, we enable certain tracking options by default. This includes open and click tracking, as well as e-commerce tracking if you have a connected online store.

To edit your tracking options, follow these steps.

  1. Scroll to the Settings & Tracking section and click Edit.
    email-builder-settingsandtracking-edit
  2. Check the boxes next to the tracking options you want to enable.
  3. Click Save.

Other settings

You can also choose to manage subscriber replies with your Mailchimp Inbox, and auto-convert embedded videos. To learn more, check out these articles.

About Your Mailchimp Inbox
Add Video to a Campaign

Send campaign

After you’ve completed the To, From, Subject, and Content sections of the email builder, you should see a green checkmark next to each. That means your regular email is ready to schedule or send immediately.

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If you’re ready to send the email to your subscribers, click Send. Then, in the Review Your Campaign modal, click Send Now to confirm your send.

Your email is on its way!

Be Authentically YOU

Be Authentically YOU

There was a time where I tried to walk straight, to be like everyone else, I tried to “fit in”

You see this accent? It’s a caribbean dialect that I ALSO tried to get rid of. 
However one of my coaches, Lisa Nichols, told me “just be YOU. Your voice is cool, it’s authentic and it makes you very memorable. That is the moment when I got the final permission to be myself. 
Be authentically you. 

The minute you start incorporating that in your life, and be authentically yourself, and stop being like everyone else, that will be when you will be the most memorable person in the room. 

 
 

Get a SKILLED squad

Get a SKILLED squad

You don’t want just any squad. 

You want a team of people who have geniuses in their own areas. 
Perfect example: when you’re working with your child, you want to make sure your therapists are all certified, the teacher is skilled at what they’re teaching, and your pediatrician is top of the line and knows information about the special needs for your child. 
Now when you apply these concepts to YOUR squad  to your business you want to make sure your digital team is skilled at what they’re doing. 
Social media, marketing, email, graphics. Make sure you’re asessing their producutivty and the results they provide. 
They are what let others know that you are functioning towards maximum capacity. They are your brand. STOP doing it alone. Stop trying to figure it out. 
Choose people that you know, if you’re not there, they represent your brand equuivocally. 
Be a solution ACTIVATOR

Be a solution ACTIVATOR

Today’s Tip of the Week has to do with Solving Problems. 

Think of a problem you have been dealing with lately
Problems are going to arise.

Now we have to understand we have to reach barriers, challenges and things in our way. But what I want you to do is focus on the solutions that you have. 

FOCUS on the solutions that you HAVE. 

I do believe we were all equipped with solutions, but we let our mindset talk us out of finding those solutions. 
Sometimes we get so caught up in the problem that we have no idea that there are actually simple solutions. 
Activate and acknowledge the problem. Sit in it for a second and move towards a solution. 
The solution is not hard you may think.

Turn into a SOLUTION Activator. 
So many of us get stuck on a problem, an obstacle, a challenge and we get so caught up on the “problem” that we don’t easily see the solutions in front of us. 
You can make it happen. Move towards increasing productivity by focusing on solutions and less on problems. 
A lot of folks come to me because they say “Dr. Ali, how do figure out how to move forward when so many challenges happen almost every single day”
I’m raising a son with special needs, at times, challenges upon challenges keep showing up. 
What do I do?
I acknowledge it. I accept it and think, what’s the solution?
A lot of times it’s right before my eyes. 

Need a little MORE help solutioning for your problems? Go to ChatToCreate.com to set up a quicker solution in your next steps

Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

New Update Alert!
Instagram is making it easier for people to discover Black-owned businesses directly on Instagram. Businesses based in the US with Shops on Instagram will now be able to designate as Black-owned and display a “Black-owned” label. 

How to designate your business as Black-owned on Instagram

To begin, tap on “Edit Profile,” and select “Business Diversity Info” where you can learn more about what it means to designate your business as Black-owned. Tap “Get Started” and you will land on the “Diversity Info” page. Toggle on the “Show Black-owned business label” setting, which will enable a “Black-owned” label on your business profile and product pages.

Once you designate your business as Black-owned, it may also be highlighted in places like the Shop tab — helping more potential customers discover your business

It’s also important that businesses can safely express themselves on Instagram. Business accounts have full access to tools to protect from abuse, spam, inappropriate comments and offensive language.

Discover more Black-owned businesses

We’ve heard from our community that in addition to showing love to their favorite Black-owned businesses, they’re eager to discover more of them. If you are located in the US, you will see the “Black-owned” label on the profile and corresponding product pages of any eligible business that has self-designated. You can also explore curated collections created by @Shop in the Shop tab, highlighting a range of products from Black-owned businesses.

An example notification of Black-owned shop on Instagram.

Don’t yet have a business Account? Follow these instructions to Set Up a Business Account on Instagram

On Instagram, you can convert your personal profile to a business account to access features that can help you grow your business.

Note: you may only have 5 Instagram accounts at a time.

To switch your profile to a business account:

  1. Go to your profile and tap Menu in the upper right corner.
  2. Tap Settings.
    • For some accounts, the Switch to Professional Account option will be listed directly under Settings.
  3. Tap Account.
  4. Tap Switch to Professional Account.
  5. Tap Continue.
  6. Select a Category for your business and tap Done.
  7. Tap OK to confirm.
  8. Tap Business.
  9. Tap Next.
  10. Add Contact details and tap Next. Or tap Don’t use my contact info to skip this step.
  11. If you’d like, you can follow the steps to connect your business account to a Facebook Page associated with your business. This step is optional, and will make it easier to use all of the features available for businesses across the Facebook family of apps. At this time, only one Facebook Page can be connected to your business account.
  12. Tap X on the top right corner to return to your profile.

With a business account, you’ll be able to access insights that can help you understand who is engaging with your business on Instagram. You also have access to the Professional Dashboard, where you can track your performance, access and discover professional tools, and explore educational information curated by Instagram.

You also have the option to display or hide your business category and contact information on your profile. After setting up, go to your profile and tap Edit Profile. Go to Profile Display under Public Business Information to choose whether you want to hide or display your category label and contact info. Then, tap Done.

Update your Bio with “Black Owned” Designation

How to DE-stress and RE-focus

 

Does it seem like you can’t complete even the simplest task without being distracted? Texts, emails, social media alerts, noisy colleagues, ringing phones… Friends, you are not alone.

Distracted thinking — aka daydreaming or mind wandering — affects everyone. In fact, researchers have found that people think about something other than what they’re actually doing — or supposed to be doing — almost half of the time. Turns out that a wandering, easily distracted mind is actually the default mode for the human brain.

Succumbing to distraction over and over, though, can build stress, foster unhappiness and even lead to depression. So if you’re one of the many looking to figure out how to handle distractions and improve your ability to focus, take comfort in the fact that research has shown a way forward.

One word: mindfulness.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-to-moment awareness of where you are and what you’re doing. At work, for instance, it means you’re focused on the project in front of you; walking with a friend, it gives you the ability to really focus on your surroundings and your conversation. Scientists have shown that you can actually train your brain to become more mindful. Like anything else, it just takes practice.

Ready to get started? These three practices have all proven useful in building mindfulness.

1. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)

MBSR training has become a recognized way to help people learn to avoid distractions and increase their attention on the task in front of them. It can also help improve memory, motivation and autonomy — all things likely to make you (and your boss) happier. MBSR programs typically include breathing, stretching and awareness exercises.

2. Meditation

Meditation aims to increase your awareness of the present moment and help you develop a gentle, accepting attitude toward yourself. Regular meditation practice has been shown to actually alter the brain — in a good way. One study showed that the area of the brain dedicated to regulating your emotions was significantly larger in meditators. In other words, in a world determined to trip you up with distractions and unpleasant surprises, meditation can help you stay more positive and more focused.

3. Mindful movement

The hallmarks of mindful movement, or yoga — structured breathing, controlled movement, mental focus — make it sound like the perfect antidote to stress and distracted thinking, but does science back that up? Yes, over and over again. Many studies have found that, after beginning a yoga program, people feel less stressed, more focused, even more optimistic. In fact, yoga’s been found to be even more beneficial to people who’re highly stressed.

In today’s so-called attention economy, the world is actually being designed to distract you. Everybody wants your attention, and they want it right now. But you can take back control of your focus, shed that stress, and wake up happier to meet your day.

Flashback: Mental Health Awareness Month: Keep it Real

Flashback: Mental Health Awareness Month: Keep it Real

What would happen if we take our masks off? What would happen if they met the REAL you? The hardest part for parenting autism was walking around with a smile on the outside, while all that I was, was slowly dying on the inside. We tend to put on our mask each day before we leave the house each day. Our masks are often used as armor, protection and as a cover up of the real set of emotions. What if you decided to leave the mask at home one day and intentionally allowed your real self to be seen? Leave your comments below and subscribe at www.draligriffith.com to learn more techniques and strategies in mindset, meditation and motivation.

———————————————— Other places to listen to the Dr. Ali Griffith Show: Apple: bit.ly/draliapple Spotify: bit.ly/dralispot PodBean: bit.ly/draliPodBean Stitcher: bit.ly/dralistitch ———————————————— Follow me on Social Media! Facebook: @draligriffith Instagram: @draligriffith Twitter: @draligriffith LinkedIn: bit.ly/draliLinkedIn

How to Evolve Into Your Own Personal Brand with Duquesa Dean S5 E7

How to Evolve Into Your Own Personal Brand with Duquesa Dean S5 E7

In today’s episode, Duquesa shares her journey of evolution, self work and personal development tips while launching her own brand. She drops fire flames on the benefits of doing the self work, investing and joining communities to address the negative self talk, judgement and how she refined her brand over time. Specifically, living in Bahamas, working as a professional and mom she knew that her life had a greater purpose and expanded beyond her immediate surroundings.

This is the podcast you don’t want to miss…

 
 

Meet the host: Well, not-so-simply put, Dr. Alisha “Ali” Griffith is a powerhouse. A published  #1 best selling author, global transformational speaker and a startup business coach for moms, she has dedicated her career to helping moms to launch their own profitable personal brands online and create wealth on their own time and terms.

Whether we’re talking about this hit podcast, The Dr. Ali Griffith Show, or leading the sales teams for personal development and media titans such as Lisa Nichols, Steve Harvey or Susie Carder,

Dr. Ali is the rock star in every room she enters, including being a featured speaker at the World Summit 2020, held by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi, to almost 9,000 attendees. 

But what sets her apart from many, is that she’s not one to rise alone. With an incomparable blend of business strategy and personal development, there is a depth to Dr. Ali’s coaching that is unmatched. Her proven path to profitability— laser clarity, systems and sales—Learn more about Dr. Ali and opportunities to build an extraordinary personal brand and life at www.draligriffith.com.

 

NOW LET’S CONNECT FOR REAL FOR REAL!

Follow Dr. Ali Griffith on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/draligriffith and https://www.instagram.com/mompreneursonfiretribe

Interested in Starting, Building and Launching your OWN Personal Brand Online, don’t do it alone Join my FREE Facebook Group The Mompreneurs TRIBE https://facebook.com/groups/themompreneurs

FAN of this PODCAST? If YASSS, leave your thoughts with your RATING and REVIEW and follow on your favorite podcast platform, so you will know when the next podcast is released! Your ratings and reviews matter A LOT and helps to spread the messages for more mompreneurs to be ignited in their purpose, passion and pockets!

Better Days for Girls International with Celeste Mergens

Better Days for Girls International with Celeste Mergens

Celeste Mergens is the founder and CEO of Days for Girls International, an award-winning NGO that works to shatter stigma and limitations associated with menstruation for improved health, education and livelihood outcomes. To date, Days for Girls has reached more than 2.1 million women and girls in 144 countries on 6 continents with quality, sustainable menstrual care solutions and health education. Celeste is a sought-after speaker who has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine and Forbes, among other top-tier publications. She was recently named an AARP Purpose Prize Award winner, a Conscious Company Global Impact Entrepreneur of the year and Women Economic Forum’s Woman of the Decade. www.DaysforGirls.org

My favorite song that I was listening to prior to our call: “I Can See Clearly Now” by artist Jimmy Cliff
 

Meet the host: Well, not-so-simply put, Dr. Alisha “Ali” Griffith is a powerhouse. A published  #1 best selling author, global transformational speaker and a startup business coach for moms, she has dedicated her career to helping moms to launch their own profitable personal brands online and create wealth on their own time and terms.

Whether we’re talking about this hit podcast, The Dr. Ali Griffith Show, or leading the sales teams for personal development and media titans such as Lisa Nichols, Steve Harvey or Susie Carder,

Dr. Ali is the rock star in every room she enters, including being a featured speaker at the World Summit 2020, held by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi, to almost 9,000 attendees. 

But what sets her apart from many, is that she’s not one to rise alone. With an incomparable blend of business strategy and personal development, there is a depth to Dr. Ali’s coaching that is unmatched. Her proven path to profitability— laser clarity, systems and sales—Learn more about Dr. Ali and opportunities to build an extraordinary personal brand and life at www.draligriffith.com.

 

NOW LET’S CONNECT FOR REAL FOR REAL!

Follow Dr. Ali Griffith on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/draligriffith and https://www.instagram.com/mompreneursonfiretribe

Interested in Starting, Building and Launching your OWN Personal Brand Online, don’t do it alone Join my FREE Facebook Group The Mompreneurs TRIBE https://facebook.com/groups/themompreneurs

FAN of this PODCAST? If YASSS, leave your thoughts with your RATING and REVIEW and follow on your favorite podcast platform, so you will know when the next podcast is released! Your ratings and reviews matter A LOT and helps to spread the messages for more mompreneurs to be ignited in their purpose, passion and pockets!