When women support women.

January 8, 2020January 8, 2020by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

There are two types of women in this world.

The ones who fix another woman’s crown when it is crooked. She will smile and say “I’ve got you sister.” No expectations in return, just a genuine want to help another sister out.

Then there’s the type to tell the whole audience her crown is falling off, she’s tracing some toilet paper on her stiletto, and smile to her face saying she’s beautiful.

Which woman are you intentionally being today? Which woman are you striving to be?

I am so passionate and on fire for supporting other women this year in every venture they take. Being visual bare with me here…

We have our BIG goal (that’s the bell at the top of the giant R.E.I. rock wall that seems next to impossible to reach.) Slowly we put one foot on each baby goal and flex our persistence muscle and each rock step we become closer & closer to ringing that bell at the top. Do we fall off sometimes and hang by a harness terrified of what may be below or above? Well of course. Do we let fear stop us? Hell no! We persevere because we are Boss Babes and STRONG.

Fun Facts:

Women receive less than 3% of venture capital.

Fewer Women run Fortune 500 brands than men named John.

If everyone in the US spent $20 a month at a woman owned business we would drive nearly five billion dollars towards female led companies…MONTHLY….

Any one else just in awe of these stats? I couldn’t even believe it!!!! So how can we make a difference? How can we straighten a crown or two in 2020?

The company Join Dough has done exactly this. With every wallet you purchase you are supporting a woman owned small business to grow and thrive. Can it get any better or more simple?

Head on over, show some love, and let’s make it a goal this year in our tribe to not let one bad word come out about another woman. Just smile and get to crown fixing. You never know someones story unless you have walked in their shoes. Let’s have less judgement and more love and compassion. Less gossip and more paying it forward.

Cheers to 2020.

Entrepreneur Tips

Get Out Of Your Own Way

April 29, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

How many times have you come up with excuses in the last month? How about in the last 24 hours?

“I’m too busy” “I have kids” “I’m a wife” “I can’t balance” “I don’t deserve it” “That could never be me” the list goes to infinity and beyond. The fights we have in our own heads can be exhausting.

You see my friend, so often we lie to ourselves or talk ourselves out of things because our subconscious is always saying these little comments in the back of our minds. I talk to hundreds of mompreneurs every month and the biggest hurdle I see women trying to jump is themselves standing in front of the jump with a big STOP Sign. Do we mean to? Of course not, but some where deep down we feel we don’t deserve to be successful, were scared to take the leap, were scared of feeling. It comes down to fear on so many different levels! The ugly beast!

So how do we beat it? How do we know we are good enough. How the heck do we get out of the way and let ourselves fly like the woman God made us to be?

It’s simple. YOU LET GO OF ALL EXCUSES. I put together a list of the biggest hurdles I see myself and hundreds of other women fight daily and how to get to the other side. How to believe in yourself, because in the end you will always be responsible for your success or failure. No one else but you has the power to change it and LIVE LIMITLESS.

Make a list the night before and stick to it. So often I find myself completely lost or talking myself out of things before two cups of coffee have me back at sanity. Have a plan and make a written contract with yourself the evening before.
Set goals that exceed anything you ever imagined, were talking fairy tale, happily ever after goals. If you had a PERFECT DREAM LIFE what would that look like? Then break down baby steps of daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals to get there.
Watch your role models! Who inspires you? Who do you look up to in the niche you are in? Do exactly what they do with your own spin on things to get exactly where they are at.
Believe in yourself. Even if you have to look your self in the mirror and continually repeat I am amazing, I am beautiful, I am destined to live my dreams. Do it until you believe it. Fake it until you make it. What ever works for your personality and spirit do just that. It is so easy when first starting out on the journey to feel like a fraud or like you are still learning so you can’t possibly succeed yet, and I am here to tell you this will knock you down faster than anything else. Where you won’t do something someone else will and they are feeling just as you are. The difference? They fought through it and didn’t give up.
Live in the moment. Did you fail? What did you learn from it? What an amazing way to learn from experience and add one more tool for success in that beautiful belt of yours. Stay in the moment of what you can do right now for your dreams. Beating yourself up for past mistakes or panicking about never achieving your goals does no one any good.
Be a woman of your word. If you say you’re going to do something, than follow through. If someone emails you are text you respond back as quick as possible. Be engaging.
“I’m a mom I can’t possibly balance” is the number one excuse I see made. Throw this out the window. If the author of Harry Potter was a homeless woman living out of her car to now multi millionaire you can do it too. You never give up and persevere through any challenge life throws your way. Be a strong woman your children can look up too. Be a role model they can say wow she was a rock star when they look back on your deposition, passion, and desire to chase your dreams.
Use Mel Robbins 5,4,3,2,1 method. This changed my life. To cut an entire book down to a paragraph, quit simply put. It’s not letting you get in the way of yourself. It’s breaking the cycle before allowing the opportunity to arise. As soon as you set your mind to do something, it can even be as simple as the alarm going off and not hitting snooze. You say 5,4,3,2,1, and launch yourself to do what ever it is you don’t want to do at that moment. It’s re programming your brain for success not fear.
Batch Schedule. Once you get to a point of batch scheduling your life will forever change. It’s focusing on only one thing per day. For example…Sunday I write all my blogs, Monday I take my pictures for the entire week of content, Tuesday I respond to emails and monetize on my affiliate links, etc. etc. Its breaking down every task in your journey, realizing your only one person, and giving 100% of yourself to every small detail of your business.

Now go break that glass that’s been holding you in. Your worth it girlfriend. You deserve everything you’ve ever dreamt and more. Get out of the way and watch yourself sore

Entrepreneur Tips

How to start a blog.

April 26, 2019by Weddingsbycourtney1 Comment

STARTING YOUR BLOG

Deciding your niche. This will be a fundamental step because we cannot pick an appropriate name for your website without first deciding what you will be writing about. The biggest hold back I see for writers is that they feel a niche can trap them in a box and by doing this step they will not reach everyone. YOUR NOT TRAPPED! I am going to let you in on a little secret. You absolutely do not want to reach “everyone”.

You want to narrow it down to a select group of people you are targeting. For me, its women 27-45 who are moms and aspiring entrepreneurs. There are so many people out there and so many ads circulating on social media that there is just not a true chance of being found if you do not get specific with this step.

Let’s do some stats shall we? There are 2 billion users on Facebook, 1 billion on Instagram, 400 million on Twitter, 300 million on snapchat and 150 million on Pinterest. HOLY MOLY LADIES! That’s a lot of people. What if you had 200-500 people who purchased your products, read your articles, commented and interacted with you? Or you can try and reach 1 million that you will never get past a nice to meet you DM if you’re lucky. This lifestyle and career is all about connection. At any time, you can branch out on different topics, but you must first write about certain things to maintain a target audience and grow your following.

Will you write about parenting, makeup, your dog, traveling, business, or recipes?

Figure out where your passion is in creating content. You most likely will not make millions overnight and so passion will be what drives your writing.

What are you knowledgeable about? Where is your life experience? Start here. It only takes a starting point.

(Remember what we talked about earlier, you can always branch out later.)

Picking your website and business name. Spend no more than an hour on this step. You can get lost in perfection and then we are right back on that hamster wheel. Here are some example ways to start your brain storming.

Combining two words:

Curlers and Cupcakes

Beauty and Baking

Band-Aids and Books

Write down what your niche is and look at the key words from that niche to get ideas for a name. Will you be writing about Parenting? What is the tone? Are you funny, serious, a world changer, crafty, or cute? Try to combine your personality in with the name because this is what your audience will view first.

You can also list description words to get a head start on the perfect “Blog Title” for me they looked a little something like this:

Lifestyle
Mommy hood
DIY
Handcrafted Business
Mompreneur
Sweet and Inspirational
Motivating for Moms
Real and Transparent
Life hacks

From this list I started to pull words and see if I loved anything. “The Sweetest Little Life” covered exactly what my target audience was and my niche which I would primarily be writing about.

Now here’s the trickiest part of this step. We must make sure the name you fall in love with is not taken already. Google can be a great way to see if 1. Its copyrighted and 2. It’s a famous baker out in London and you will never be found because they are all over the first 10 pages of google. After checking Google look up your name on all social media platforms and make sure that its available to use as your name. We don’t want to start out your blog swimming against the current. There are plenty of ways to get creative, make a few adjustments, and own your name like nobody else!

Purchasing Your Domain. You do not have to be tech savvy for this step. Trust me ladies, I am the most technology challenged woman you will ever meet for my age group. The minute I see coding is required or too many options I panic. For purchasing your Domain, I always advise to just keep it simple.

Pick your platform you will be blogging on:

Squarespace, Blogger, WordPress, Wix, Go Daddy, or Blue Host. There are plenty of platforms to choose from, but these are my favorites. WordPress.org is my jam. It gives me freedom to use ads if I choose, its user friendly, and I can do everything all on one website. This is huge. Bouncing back and forth between three websites during your set up process can feel a little daunting. I purchased the Thesweetestlittlelife right on WordPress and then just renew yearly as I build my blog.

What are we waiting for? Let’s do this – Get your computer out, pick a site that tickles your fancy and get that domain.

To recap, the sites most popular and user friendly are:

WordPress.com – Free

WordPress.org – more for long term and business (Will cost a little) but worth investing in.

Blogger.com – Free and great for beginners

Squarespace.com – Excellent for starting out

Wix.com – Very user friendly and Free

Setting up your Site. This should take no more than two hours. It’s an ongoing project that you will pour little bits of your heart and soul into as we go along over time. For now, let’s get it up, looking clean and legible, and live.

Once you have your domain you can pick through hundreds of templates and find what your style is. Take about 30 minutes to customize and create your pages. (About me, blog, contact)

If you are feeling extra motivated, you can start playing around with widgets and linking your social media pages to your site. You want to own this. Make everything you have created online link together in one spot.

(This creates more chances for you to be found.)

If you get jammed up at any time most of the sites I recommended have an online chat for help where an expert can walk you through any step of setting up and adding different items to your website.

Writing your first blog. EEEEEEEKKKKKK! Are you excited? Get excited? I am jumping for joy with you! Were less than five hours in and ready to start writing! Say what???? Picking a topic can be tricky the first go around, we want to make sure that we pick a topic that is trending and searchable by your audience. (Buzzsumo.com is a great resource for finding a topic already proven to be popular with your target audience) We are talking fail proof planning here!

The next step is a headline that crushes it! Did you know that research shows, readers will scan articles and in two seconds decide if they want to read your material or someone else’s. TWO SECONDS – This means we must make it count. Your audience needs to read the headline and say YES, I NEED TO READ THIS. What is the first thing they see on your blog post? The Headline.

We must nail this step ladies. A few tips when deciding how to create this is answering questions in five words or less. You want to deliver exactly what your blog is about in that headline. You do not want to leave people wondering if it’s about diaper rash or discounts. Think adjectives, feelings, and purpose. All these words can be included in the headline. Major magazines such as Vogue, Seventeen, and People all use a similar technique to create an amazing headline that has you begging for more. If you’re like me you scan the entire magazine while waiting in the grocery store line.

Here are some simple techniques to truly have an impeccable header.

How to + Benefit

How to save $200 on making your own ship lap bed.

How to + Benefit + Timeframe

How spending $40 on pinewood made me $1200 in a 3-month period.

How to + Benefit + Positive Motivation

How to crush blogging without being a writer.

Asking or Answering a question

Why most Mompreneurs quit before they even get started.

Taking lifestyle photos like a professional on an I phone – Are you in the know?

Listing what you’re all about

10 staycations for summer with kids.

If you want what someone has. Do exactly what they do.

Creating Quality over Quantity. No one wants their inbox flooded with blogs your first week. The minute your site is set up, it’s easy to get over excited and want to write a new blog post every day and every night. This is where strategic planning is perfect. If you are in the mood to write and feeling inspired, write until your hearts content. However, save these awesome sauce posts in your drafts or as a scheduled post so your content is consistent and not overwhelming with a spam feel.

Timing is everything. There are ideal times and days you’re more likely to get more likes, comments, and readers on your website. You want to utilize these time slots. For example: I post my blogs on Thursdays and Sundays between 6 – 8 p.m. because over time my stats on WordPress have shown me that’s this is when I have the most engagement on my site. Starting out it’s crucial to have the right set up so you are ready for success. CoSchedule Editorial Calendar is an absolute necessity on WordPress. This allows you to schedule every blog post and social message. It also enables you to collaborate with your content market and make project management simple.

What day is best for traffic? Monday around 9 – 11 a.m.

What day is best for comments? Saturday around 9 a.m.

Best Publishing Day for your blog? Mondays and Thursdays at 7 a.m.

You will get more engagement if you post in the mornings vs. at night when people are winding down and just scrolling to mind numb before bedtime.

These times and days will vary with who your target audience is, what social platforms you are utilizing and overall strategy of what your individual goals are.

As a guideline watch Google Analytics to see where your standing in the online world with your audience.

Be Consistent. Once you find your groove make it consistent. If you choose to post Monday and Thursday, make it exciting for your audience to want to read those two days a week. Talk about what you will be writing about on social media, ask your fans what they want to hear about, start relating to your target audience on a creative and personal level. You have the world right at your fingertips. Most importantly know that establishing your blog and your personal brand takes time. Therefore, patience and passion are so important. You need to create this labor of love before you see profit. If you’re doing this just for the money, you will probably get frustrated and fail.

Let’s Rewind a Minute back to the basics. A niche you love will make you succeed.

Collaborating. An efficient way to start building your brand is to collaborate with other established brands that you admire and have a similar interest as your own. Be careful not to get to eager on this step though. You don’t want to waste your time promoting socks when your target audience is moms. Find something that works for your brand. Remember this is about reaching out, building, marketing, and branding. We want to network to get our name out there. For example: If you are a travel blogger, reach out to high end luggage companies, hotels, travel agencies and offer to promote their brand in exchange for product. You will not only gain some of their followers, but you will be able to enhance their company with free advertising in a “trade” style. Influence Marketing has never been at a higher point, it is amazing the amount of work out there if you just know where to start, and how to approach companies and brands which you admire.

The Power of Video. Video is everything. This can create instant connection with your audience. You do not need fancy cameras and a professional editor to make this happen effectively. When I first started blogging I tried to get an editor and a film crew just for these small snippets. It was time consuming and a waste of money. My audience wanted to connect with me and see my real day to day struggles and life accomplishments. Not some synopsis that was all scripted out. We can just go watch Bravo for that. Build a compelling story about your life that will attract your target audience and keep them coming back for more. Let people in to get to know the real you, get vulnerable, put yourself out there.

Be brave mama.

Top Post

The Last Time

April 24, 2019April 24, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

Recently I read an article that just struck me. Not one of those aha moments but a life changing moment when I realized you never know when the “last time” may be.

Let me break this down a little. The last time you held you oldest did you really realize it was the last time? The last time they asked you to come console them for a night mare, did you realize it was the last time? The last time you took showers with them or had to bath them….did you think I am really enjoying this because its the last time?

Well of course not, were thinking I have to do the dishes, fold laundry, make dinner, run to this place, work….As mothers we are always on to what is next vs staying right in the moment and truly enjoying it for how special it is. It’s so easy in todays world to get sidetracked, overwhelmed, sucked into social media, instead of keeping your eyes on these tiny humans that are growing and changing every day right before our very eyes.

I started thinking back and for the life of me I can’t remember the last time I bathed him, napped by his side, or snuggled him to sleep. The last time I nursed my daughter, the last time she yelled with her cute little arms “I’m sooooo big.” All of these things that were just day to day activities were zoomed by and taken for granted. With my third child being my last it made me appreciate these small things. When I catch myself trying to rush bath, or beg him to go to sleep, or think that the 3 am bottle makes are horrible, I remind myself…This could be the last time. We will miss it. Dearly.

Think of it this way. Anxiety is worrying about something that has not happened yet. Constantly being so rushed to get on to the “next thing.” Depression is living in something which has happened in the past. Neither one of these two things can you control so staying present right where you are is where you have the control to make changes. You will be happier, healthier, your children will notice and though they may not recognize what has changed they will know in their hearts that you are right there in the moment with them.

How huge is this?

So today take the extra minute of snuggles, make that bottle with a pep in your step, let them splash and make a mess, because you don’t want to look back and not remember the last time.

xoxo

Top Post

How to pitch for collab’s?

April 22, 2019April 20, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

The modern walking billboard is what? DING DING DING….

Social media, influencers, makers, were talking real people saying real things. Hands down the best kind of advertisement to date. It’s amazing to me we didn’t do this sooner.

Gone are the days of magazines, billboards, and yellow pages. (All though, yes they are still used for advertisement. The majority of companies are hopping on the collaborating train in some way and on some level.) They may still be around but let me share some fun stats with you. (I love researching numbers it’s truly fascinating to me and brings a tad more value.)

70% of millennial consumers are influenced by the recommendations of their peers in purchasing decisions.
30% of people are more likely to buy a product from a non-celebrity blogger.
Facebook is the most influenced social channel. 19% of consumer purchases come directly from facebook.
You tube is the second most influential platform bringing in 18% of purchases.
While shopping at a store over 60% of consumers were influenced by a social media post or blog review.
40% of millennials said their social media muses understood them better than most of their friends.
According to NY times telecommuting has risen 79% in the past 5 years.

So what does this all mean? It means it’s your time to shine sister. If you are reading this or the title caught your eye, my guess is you are already in the position to start doing collaborations. Sometimes when first starting out it can be a scary big world though. Also the countless amount of information out there can be straight up overwhelming. With out further a due lets dive in this and get to pitching!!!!!!

What is a collaboration? The action of working with someone to produce or create something.

So as the pitcher you are the creator. The job is in your hands to find a way to deliver what ever assignment you are given and do it authentically to your brand while still complimenting the company. Sounds simple enough right? (Insert giant no buzzer here.)

It can be intimidating.

Being totally transparent here….When I first started out I had no idea what I was doing. I look back at my first few jobs or first few emails and think “What in Gods name was I thinking? Why did companies come back?” You guys I even did a collaboration with a vagina cream company because I didn’t want to turn any thing down in fear of not getting the jobs I wanted.

First and for most…If it doesn’t fit with your brand you are building. Do not do it. It is okay to say no. So I thought I would put together a list of what I wish someone would have told me when I was getting started. (Remember I like to be open with my fall on the face moments so maybe one person reads and possibly not repeat.)

Make sure the collaboration is in alignment with your brand. Are you a mom? Are you a nutritionist? Are you a style blogger? What ever that is you are chasing make sure you are chasing companies that also fall under that umbrella.
When first starting out keep it short and simple. I would shoot a message to the IG of the company and say something complimenting. For example “Hi there, I am currently working on a blog for _____ and I think your company would be a fabulous fit for the ideas I have in mind. Is there an email I could send my media kit and ideas over too?” Keep in mind most major companies (Especially those with that little blue check) get thousands of DMs a day and do not have time physically to sit and read a three page DM keep it sweet and save the details for your email once you receive an address. If they never write back? Don’t sweat it girl. Thank you next.
Once you receive an email address send an email promptly from your business email address. Make sure everything is on point before you send an email…Meaning your website, signature, contact information, etc. A general email example would go something like this…Hello Dave, I am writing about a possible collaboration I have in mind. Currently I am working on _________ I just love how your company_______and I think its the perfect fit and we could really compliment each other. My media kit is attached so you can see my stats, the blog I would publish this article on is http://www.youcandoit.com I can deliver this within 2 weeks and plan on highlighting a, b, c, d with a story highlight and IG post as well. Can’t wait to hear back from you soon.
Know your worth. Be confident. You carry value. You’r a rock star. Believe in Yourself.
Be authentic and organic in your pitch. Research the company first, make sure its a good fit. Be sure you can deliver on your end with what you are promising.
It’s okay to be rejected. Do not let it stop you or hold you back. I pitch to probably 5 companies a week and am constantly staying on top of different ideas and brain storming days to allow myself that creativity to offer to others.
Once you work with a brand, maintain that relationship. It is so important to check in from time to time even if its just to say hey there! I have made some fabulous friends this way as well.

I know this is such a load of information but I hope it helps in gaining the confidence in knowing you are capable of anything you put your mind too. Never be afraid to chase your dreams.

Top Post

Self-Care is Critical for Health & Happiness

April 2, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

No matter how busy you are in your day-to-day life, it is important that you take time for yourself. Spending the day focusing exclusively on potential stressors, like your commitments at work and chaotic schedule at home, without providing time to allow your mind to rest and recharge can cause you to develop dangerous conditions, like high blood pressure. Neglecting your care routine can make it more likely that you will catch a cold. It can also lead to severe anxiety, depression, and low self-worth. Self-care is the term generally applied to the process of taking time for the simple things from day to day — even things as simple as getting enough sleep and reducing your stress can have positive consequences for your physical and mental health alike. Here are some of the easiest ways you can start to incorporate self-care into your daily routine.

How to reduce stress

A huge part of self-care is reducing stress in general. Since each piece of self-care works closely with the others, reducing your stress will make it easier for you to sleep, which in turn will reduce even more stress. There are two major ways you can cut stress out from your life. First, if you feel yourself being overloaded with things to do, whether they are in your professional or private lives, practice saying “no.” Your friends will understand if you miss an engagement or two, and the quality of your work will increase if you aren’t constantly worried about the amount of work that’s still on your plate.

Another way you can reduce stress is by making your environment as relaxing as possible. At home, this means cutting out clutter. Clutter significantly adds to stress and reduces your home’s relaxing qualities — but a clean home helps foster calm moods.

How to fix your diet

Kicking bad eating habits isn’t as easy as some people might initially believe. When it’s easier to swing by a fast-food restaurant on the way home from work than it is to spend an hour in the kitchen, convenience often trumps health. However, there are several ways you can defeat those bad habits and embrace a healthier lifestyle. One way is to subscribe to a meal-delivery service, which will provide you with the ingredients you need to put together delicious dishes with little fuss. And when you add an electric pressure cooker to the mix, which can make cooking food much easier, eating a homemade bowl of chili at instead of heading to the closest restaurant suddenly became much simpler — not to mention a lot healthier!

How to get enough sleep

Another critical step in your new self-care routine is getting enough sleep. While it may seem trivial, getting a good amount of sleep each night is crucial because your nightly rest sets up the pattern of your entire next day. If you wake up refreshed and energized, you will be able to jump into the tasks of the next day with more fervor, performing more efficiently, with heightened mental abilities and a greater ability to reason your way through and past potential problems. However, if you did not get enough sleep the night before, it is likely that you will wake up feeling groggy or achy. This inhibits your ability to get a move on in the mornings, which – in the short term — may make you late for work, but will also greatly affect your ability to process situations and be aware of your projects in general. Even if you end up working at a decent pace throughout the day, it is likely that the quality of the work you produce will not be as high (or as quickly created) as if you had gotten a good night’s sleep.

This is why sleep is so important, but an increasing number of adults say they have difficulty sleeping through the night. There are several things that you can do that will help yourself fall asleep at the end of the day. First, make sure that your bedroom is cool and dark. Cover up your windows with blackout curtains if you need to (just remember to be diligent about setting your alarm in the morning!), and turn your thermostat down if the outdoor temperature is 70 or higher. If your bedroom is too dry, considering getting a humidifier because dry air can cause cold-like symptoms which can disrupt your sleep. You should also try to foster as quiet an environment as possible — turn off the television and don’t listen to music or a podcast, even if it helps you sleep. If external noise typically interrupts your sleep, you may want to use a sound machine or a similar type of app on your phone to create a cushion of white noise.

No matter how chaotic your schedule, it is important that you find time for self-care. By getting more sleep and making your home more relaxing, you will help your physical and mental health.

Guest Article from Stephanie Haywood

Entrepreneur Tips

How to succeed at Etsy.

January 18, 2019January 17, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

The funny thing with change is people either completely embrace the chaos, changing too much to enjoy the fruits of their labors, because they become bored and need something new, or you have the person who lives in fear of change and never takes that first step. The woman who wants to crawl in the corner and cry, they become so terrified of failing that they never even make that first big launch which could turn into something beautiful and life changing.

I know both women well, because at one point or another in this lifetime I have fit the shoe for each one.

As Mompreneurs we need to learn to embrace the word No, You Can’t Do That, how will you support your children with that? You shake your head, you smile, you let it go in one ear and out the other knowing that you are in the making of following something that feels right for you. With every stumble, look with a new perspective. This is a learning lesson to grow your business and bloom as a person.

This chapter were not going to think about it, were just going to do it. Dive right in. Accept this just might be the scariest moment you have ever encountered of the unknown. Put on your Unicorn Costume and let’s do this!

First things first. You have your vision. Mine looked a little something like this when I wrote them down.

Make six figures by year 5 on Etsy.
Write a book and self-read it on Audible.
Help other mamas feel inspired through blogging.
Plan Events to bring together women in my community.

It was simple, clear, and concise. You need an action plan – a to do list if you will. Your clear on the mountain you want to climb, but how in the world will you achieve this?

Taking each goal, you have and breaking it down in to a to do list is step one – every day do at least one thing on that to do list.

Starting your Etsy Shop –

Create your Business Name. – Make sure you are checking google to make sure no one else has a name like yours. – The last thing we want is someone to accidently type in weaves and woodwork and a cleaning shop come up on Facebook ads. This is where being unique comes into play. What is important to you, cupcakes? Mommy hood? Woodwork? Painting? Take a few words and write them down. Play with how they flow together. What are you selling? Is it one specific item or a plethora of items you create. You want your target audience to be drawn to your shop by the appearance and title it holds. Before moving on come up with a catchy headline which will appear under your title. For example, mine views “Handcrafted and Made with Love.” Get creative and in 3-5 words tell your customers what your shop is all about.
Find a logo and branding – Personally I love supporting other people like myself so all my logos and branding I have had created through a fellow maker on Etsy. It’s a more personal experience and their people just like you who WANT to make sure their supporting your vision and dream.
Decide what Niche you will sell. – When you first start out stick to one thing for at least 6 months and become an expert at that one thing. After your pro status then expand.
Set up your policies and information. This step is tedious but oh so vital. Your customers need to know where you stand with shipping, delivery times, how your shop ticks and tocks.
Write your about page. Don’t even blink twice on over thinking this. Your customers just want to know who you are, what they are supporting, and how your shop came to life! When I first started out it was a paragraph that slowly just grew as customers asked me questions and I realized the need of what everyone wanted to know about my shop and myself!
Connect your social media accounts. In my experience Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, WordPress and Facebook are an absolute necessity in driving traffic to your Etsy. You can launch fun giveaways and peak interest to gain followers and get the word out about your new shop. (We will go into detail on the importance of social media in a future chapter.) For now, just link whatever you have available, so we can launch! If your feeling extra peppy go ahead and start transferring everything social media to a business page, its usually two clicks and voila your ready for action!
Now this is the exciting part – Girl get ready. This is the biggest action step yet. The first item listing. Use your I phone, get some natural lighting and a sleek background that fits your brand (for my first year I used a slab of reclaimed wood to place my items on and photograph.) We will go into a full chapter on photos, lighting, tips and tricks, and how to capture the perfect angles but for now just GET IT UP. Let go of perfect and step into work in progress.
How do I name my item? Here are some simple tips to help you get everything launched and ready for action with a beautiful title that is sure to catch the buyers eye.

Research trending key words for your items. Google AdWords has a keyword tool you can enter in as well to find out what people are searching. For example – Let’s say you have a Unicorn coffee mug, you want to make sure that Unicorn Coffee Mug is in the Title, but you can also hyphenate to a trending key word to be looked up more often than a competing shop. Unicorn Coffee Mug – Magical Horse Cup with Glitter.
The Etsy Search Bar is a powerful tool as well! See what people are looking up, what are they searching for, get in on being in. (Normally I am so against comparing your shop or self to any one else because you want to make sure you are staying on top of the trends, so you can deliver an excellent product that clients are searching for.)

If you are struggling with key words and titles you can also download a program for free such as Marmalead or Etsygadget to help you get flowing with key words and make SEO (search engine optimization) not so scary!

Pricing – How to come up with the perfect pricing on your items? This can be tricky! I completely failed at this starting out my Etsy Adventures. I wanted to sell my items at a dollar store price, create Nordstrom style products, and gain amazing customer five-star reviews. This doesn’t work. If you are putting an hour into making something, 30 minutes into crafting and creating the perfect packaging, and then $20 on supplies for that one item, you need to charge accordingly! For example: When beginning the adventure of mompreneurship I started selling coffee mugs. I figured $7.50 was a fair price to sell them for. What I wasn’t accounting for was my time, my supplies, my shipping, and the biggest factor…ready for it…COMPETITORS. Similar shops like mine were selling the exact same item for $19.50. It took me a year to realize I was losing out on thousands upon thousands of dollars in sales. When I raised my prices, I was terrified no one would buy any thing because it was too expensive. Guess what happened? My sales quadrupled. I went from making $100-200 a week to making $500-700 a week, this happened overnight! Customers understood I was a hand made business, they wanted to support me, just as they would want to support you and the thousand of other makers online! Do a little research, find what similar items are selling for, and mark accordingly. Remember the best part of this all is we are a work in progress and Etsy takes 5 minutes to edit a listing and completely change it all over again! Beautiful right?
Writing a seamless description. This can be broken into simple sections. What is it? Can it break? How does it wash? What is the size?

At this point were besties, right?

I am going to give you a huge leap point here because my goal is to get your shop launched and selling as soon as possible. Here is the description I use on all my items (the only difference is changing the verbiage per item, but this is a generalized answer to years of customers questions and what they are looking for.) Feel free to write this on your description til you have a better knowledge of what questions or guidance your customers will have about your items.

This listing is for one hand painted coffee mug.

Capacity Options: 14 oz 16 oz 18 oz

Mugs are hand painted and made to order. The picture listed above is an example of what yours will look like. Please allow for slight variations as each one is hand painted. A photo will be sent to you before shipment to make sure you absolutely love your item.

I can personalize in any way for no additional charge, just make sure to include a note in the note to seller at the time of check out

How to take care of me? I am microwaveable. Hand wash me with warm soapy water and a soft sponge to make sure I last forever! I am baked and sealed if I do need a good scrubbing. DO NOT MACHINE WASH ME I COULD MELT AWAY OVER TIME.

Personalizing is what I love to do. See something you love but wish it was just a little different? Let me know and I will be happy to change it for you as a custom order.

Gift Wrapping? YES PLEASE. All mugs are wrapped with tissue paper. Is this a gift? I can personalize an additional card for special occasions and send straight to the recipient at no additional charge to you.

After Purchasing: A lot of times I have a few questions for you on personalization after purchase! Please check your Etsy messages after your purchase.

Shipping – Can you see me turning bright red and giggling writing this section. Oh, how I wish we were face to face girlfriend.

Let me tell you a little story, when I first started out and I was creating my Nordstrom’s Dollar Tree, I decided $5.50 sounded fair for shipping. I was so gung ho to launch I priced all my items at $5.50 priority shipping. Priority Shipping is 2 -3-day shipping that cost around $14.50 for a 1 -2-pound item which is standard for what I was selling. At the time technology was terrifying to me. Set up a scale? Ship directly from Etsy? What if my printer fails? What if it never arrives at the destination. I went on for two years driving a ridiculous number of packages to the post office on a daily basis and paying full price for shipping items. There were more then 10 occasions I paid $60 – $120 JUST IN SHIPPING on something that brought in maybe $20 in profit. If there was a palm in face emoji I could insert here, I’d do it. On my second year of Holiday Season I decided with a new baby, a 4-year-old and a wagon full of packages I needed to brave that damn scale and printer. I signed up for Etsy Shipping, if I can shake you on any one thing through this process of setting up your shop its this. SET UP ETSYS SHIPPING. You save about 20% through commercial business pricing, you can generalize and see how much an item cost to ship BEFORE you ship it. Granit there were some perks, I got to know everyone at my local post office on a first name basis, my kids learned how to squeeze their bodies over the years in random mail boxes and pop out at the retirement folks walking by to pick up their mail. These are the moments we will giggle about in 20 years, right?

For a general shipping rule, order a scale on amazon, I got mine for $20 and it holds up to 50 lb. Make sure you have a dependable printer that hooks up to your computer and some black ink. Grab some shipping tape and BOOM Your in business and ready to become your own post office. Now are you ready for the best part? When you are all done packaging, you schedule a pickup from USPS.com the post man or woman comes to your front porch picks up your packages and you are now officially seamlessly working from home. (Remember how in the previous chapters we discussed the importance of time management. – here are hours of wasted time saved!)

Tags – On any social media tags are free SEO gold. Sprinkle that glitter everywhere! When tagging an item, you want to think of one thing and one thing only. If I was searching this item. What would I type in the search bar? If your searching for a baby shower gift what would you search?

Let’s do some examples, because again I am as visual as they come over here!

Item: Bridesmaid Wine Glasses

Tags: Bridesmaid Gifts, Be My Bridesmaid, Wine Gifts, Wedding, getting hitched, Bridesmaid, Be my maid, Personalized Bridal Gifts, Custom Bridesmaid Wine glasses, Handmade Bridesmaid Gifts.

Use every tag they allow you to use. Can’t find any? Google is your friend for inspiration.

Post it girlfriend. Do not even think twice just start by pressing that post item button. Remember you can always edit and shiny them up to be polished and new as your work gets better and you grow as an artist and product photographer!
Post 10 new items a week for your first 6 months! I know this sounds like quit the project but trust me, if you take away one piece of advice from this section, this is the chunk to take. What launched my shop was dedication. It also made me grow more then I ever imagined possible as an artist. The more you put your self out there online the more chances of clicks, visits, and traffic to your shop.
Customer Service – In our generation it pains me to say that quality customer service is something rare to come by. I have even done a few experiment buys on Etsy to see what other shops say after a purchase, how quick they respond to a question on a custom order, your catching my drift? Guess what? 90% did not respond to me at all, it was all automated through the Etsy apps you can create to send messages right after a sale or after you ship out an item. It was disheartening to say the least. I personally want to buy a handcrafted item for the connection as well, to know I am supporting someone and not a corporation. I try to think of my target audience as someone like myself who is shopping and expecting a certain experience from a personal makers business. Common courtesy and customer service seem to be a mannerism of the past. My number one concern in my shop is making sure my customers feel the following points in their shopping experience. Let’s jump in.

Quick Response Time – I can not even tell you the amount of sales I have gained when people are on the fence about a purchase between my shop and competitors because I am the first to personally email them back and answer any questions they may have about my items. I try to have a response time of less than an hour with any customer – you can turn on Etsy notifications to get a certain ding on your phone and know a customer is trying to reach you.
A Simple Thankyou – After every sale I make I personally reach out and let the buyer know how much I appreciate their order, how I will send pictures to make sure its perfect before shipment, and that I will reach out if I have any questions during the making process.
Follow Up – Before shipping out any item I always send pictures and give a 24-hour response time in case the customer wants a change made or something added to their order. (This will also condense your shipping cost down and save your time in having to remake something later down the road.) You just officially got it in writing that they love the item you made and gave you the go ahead to ship. Your covering all your bases at this point.

In the coming up blogs we will cover in detail some more tips, websites to assist, and secret sale advice for Etsy but we will dive in to the next common goal for now! Remember one step at a time. If we get to overwhelmed it is just hopping right back on the hamster wheel and accomplishing a whole lot of nothing.

Entrepreneur Tips

Branding Like a Boss

January 9, 2019January 6, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

Why is it as women we are the first ones to totally bash ourselves and get the blues or stuck in the comparison hamster wheel, that let’s get real, is not healthy and has ZERO wins for anyone.

So you know your passion, you have your goals, and your are ready to totally CRUSH IT IN 2019 – but wait….Branding? Putting myself out there?

Maybbbbeeee I’ll just wait til next year? LIKE HELL YOU WILL GIRL! FIGURE IT OUT! Fall, scrape your knees, get up and learn how to do it again but now flawlessly with a little character built up behind you in experience.

Any one else out there have this internal argument on the daily? I know I did once upon a time.

So today we are spilling it all on how to create your personal brand to fit exactly you! The tips, tricks, and struggles I learned from I am sharing with you today in hopes that you can take at least one thing to help you launch into what ever it is you want to become in this whole “adulting” entrepreneurship were creating!

So grab a coffee or a BIG glass of wine (because whats the point of a small pour when were getting creative with our bad selves and lets dive right in.)

What is branding? Branding is creating your general look of what people see when they first come across your page or business. Its your little mark in this big world. What do you represent? Is it mommyhood? cooperate Business? Are you sweet, funny, a smart ass? What do you want people to walk away feeling when they leave your page? Do you want them to feel support? Like they learned something? Like they want to cry? Like they are moved? Like they are ready to shop? Branding is about creating your ultimate esthetics for what you are all about. Do your pictures all make the same sense or are you Posting “Make America Great Again” followed by a cute Puppy followed by a picture of a mountain? That is BAD BRANDING my friends. You want it to flow like a river Pocahontas would sing a magical song next too.

How do I make my photos all “flow” without having to match colors and spend hours planning? I am all about saving time and working efficiently. Planning all greens for 9 squares, then all reds, then all yellows…..Thats a lot of work and for my business just not practical. I’ve got mamas to support, businesses to run, and three crazy kids to chase. So how I personally make my brand flow is by using different presets in light room and making sure each piece of content I post is edited with that same preset. For example I will go on Etsy (because I love supporting another maker) purchase a preset and use that preset for Summer then when Fall comes I’ll find one with maybe warmer hues and use this for all of fall…Your catching my drift right? You want someone to not want to look away from your page so you get a chance to share your brand and what you are about. However if your page is not pretty to look at you will get over looked no matter how great your words and content are. Make everything flow together into what your overall big picture is.

Focus on what you represent and do not fall stray to this purpose. – Sure you can evolve and change over time, but always stay true to your core reason and truth. With this you will always have a strong foundation that can branch off where ever you want at a later time. Until your foundation is as strong as nails though do not squirrell from your core.

Video Video and More Video Nothing says personal like connection. The closest thing we have to human connection when branding is video! It is the most awkward thing in the whole wide world of course when first talking to yourself on your camera. This is the new age though and people do not just want to see pictures they want to hear your voice, see you, learn what your personality is like. SHOW THEM and be real. (This is where that large glass of wine comes in.)

The three C’s of Branding – Clarity, Consistency, and Constancy.

Establish a following and get to know your target audience. Do not be afraid to ask questions. What do they like? What do they want to see more of? Who are they? GET TO KNOW THEM.

Creating your personal brand is so special and so exciting. Dive in, go with your gut and learn as you go. What worked? Do more of just that. What flopped? Cross that out of your game plan. Move onward and upward and let no-one stand in your way. (Most of all the noone is ourselves.)
YOU ARE WORTH IT!

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Finding Your Passion

January 3, 2019by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

It’s 2019

It’s your year.

What are you waiting for?

With the new year upon us I really wanted to provide you all with some amazing content to get this year started right and make it your best yet! I am doing a sneak peek at my book “The Sweetest Little Life” with revealing chapter one in how we break down and set goals for actual success!

Don’t wait any more, get out of the rut and start living your passion today. If you are unhappy only you can change it! START WITH 2019!!!!!!! Start while you are excited, while you are motivated, and most of all while there is TODAY!

Without further a do let’s get to work!

First things first, finding our path and direction.

How do we set goals, take-action, leap into our journey if we don’t even know our destination? This needs to be crystal clear!

We need to know roughly where we are going so we can create the steps to get there.

When starting my makers journey, I knew I wanted to create an income crafting, and that was about all I knew. The goal was to create a job doing something I loved which would help supplement my family and allow me to stay home with my children.

Now let’s review that concept: I knew what I wanted to do, (setting a goal) and why I wanted to do it (motivation). These are the building blocks of your foundation.

If you don’t know exactly what you want to do, that’s okay! We do however need a general direction to get your running shoes on. I said in the beginning this was going to be very direct and to the point as I want you to get the absolute most out of this book.

First, you need to first create a list – I highly encourage a pen to paper. There is just something about connecting and writing it down, like a commitment to yourself. Your subconscious picks up more on hand to paper vs. typing or texting. On your list you are going to write down your passions, your hobbies, what makes you feel like you could go for hours and not be tired?

Fill your paper with every idea that comes to mind.

Is it running, walking your dog, painting, talking to people, helping people, filing documents, creating, inventing, writing, acting, filming? Remember, it can be anything.

Try and write down as many things as you can think of in 20 minutes. – Set your phone timer and do it!

When you’re finished writing your list, close your eyes and imagine what you see yourself doing. What do you think these passions lead to? If you don’t get the answer right away that’s alright. Maybe a light bulb just went off, maybe you already know what your goals are and you’re ready to dive straight in. Whichever category you fall in, writing down hobbies and passions is never a bad thing! It helps to make a promise to yourself, to have it on paper as a reminder that YES YOU CAN DO THIS. It’s time to throw excuses out the window, get clear and concise, and make some commitments.

The following pages are for you to journal and brainstorm about what sets your soul on fire. Be honest with yourself and let no barrier stand in the way.

Goals + Passions + Hobbies

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Way to go goal seeker! Now you have your goal list and a general idea of where your heart is at.

Work time.

If writing is your passion, what speaks to you about taking writing to the next level? Is it a blog or a book you want to write?

If its dog walking, do you want to be a walker, a trainer, own your very own high-end dog hotel?

If it’s running and exercise, do you want to be a professional racer, host a marathon, open your own gym?

If it’s being creative, do you want to open an Etsy shop, launch an online market, host a craft fair, or participate in craft fairs?

If it’s photography, do you want to be behind the camera or in front of it, do you want to motivate, do you want to connect? Whatever your passion or idea, do you want to do it for financial stability, personal fulfillment, or material reasons?

Once you find the general idea of what you want to do we can get specific in creating our goal and ultimate finish line. Once you reach your finish line you will of course have bigger mountains to climb, and more goals to set. Life is this amazingly beautiful, endless climb that is growing and changing right before our very eyes. The wonderful thing about goals is they sometimes evolve into what we need right where we are in our lives. Our personal seasons of life.

It’s going to be hard but hard is not impossible. If your goals are important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find excuse after excuse of reason not to accomplish it.

Now we’re getting down and dirty! We’re doing the goal list again but with a little twist. These questions should help you to see on paper if you are an owner, merchant, independent worker, or homemaker. I am sure you are catching my drift at this point. This page will help you get an idea of where you should run with your passion.

Do you prefer working alone or in a group? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you rather drive to work every day or work from home?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you able to stay on task with no one to answer to?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you thrive on team work?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

If you have an assignment, are you more likely to be motivated on your own timeline or do you need direction and deadlines? __________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your work style? Fast Paced? Pressured? Relaxed? What makes you thrive? __________________________________________________________________________________________

Now let’s get real. We all want to start a business, make millions, and live happily ever after! Right? If this was the case everyone on the planet would be making millions and highly driven. However, the reality is that it takes blood, sweat and tears that make a business successful. You will have overhead (in most cases), you will have things you have to budget for, scenarios to plan for, a target market to think of and the list goes on. A good rule of thumb is to expect it to be an expensive hobby for the first year and THEN plan on strategizing for the money to start flowing in. I didn’t promise this would be easy, but I did promise it would be straight forward, honest, and nitty gritty in creating your happy place that is right for just that, YOU!

To check out more of my work book designed in finding your direction and all my tips for being successful in blogging, IG, I phone photography, & Etsy head on over and get yours today for $10.50 – Purchase Yours Here

Happy New Years

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How to stay sane while working from home.

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018by WeddingsbycourtneyLeave a Comment

We dream of working from home..

Then we work from home and dream of leaving for work.

Any way you slice it as a stay at home mom, work at home mom, work away mom, or part-time mom the juggle and struggle is real.

Sometimes when first starting your entrepreneur journey it can feel lonely and like the odds are against you. I want you to know that you’re not alone and these emotions are completely normal. This is why I wanted to completely devote this September Motivation to you mammas who are having a hard time feeling sane and “balancing” it all. I thought what better way than to share a chapter out of my book, The Sweetest Little Life. Chapter Seven is all about finding your zen. Let’s get right to it and hopefully our mama tribe can walk away feeling refreshed, inspired, and motivated!

Staying Sane while working from home — Creating and Finding Balance

Chapter Seven – Finding Your Zen

It was Thanksgiving 2017 and the busiest time of year for my shop. Every year around the beginning of November I become elated with the amazing customers I get to meet, the jolly spirits, and the goodies I get to consistently create. Not to mention the amazing home décor finds, crafting with my littles and family memories that get made every Holiday Season. Being sentimental is a character trait that was imbedded in me from birth.

For some reason 2017 was different. It was as though I was becoming resentful of everyone asking something from me. In the beginning of this book I told you that I had become the yes girl. Mamas, I said yes to everything.

Can you pick this up? Yes.

Can you watch my child? Yes.

Can you walk my dog? Yes.

Can you volunteer on this day? Yes.

Can you make me 40 mugs by tomorrow for an event? Yes.

Can you run this errand for me? Yes.

Can you plan this event for us? Yes.

Having your hands in too many things at one time is dangerous, and here is why. You lose your zest. Your passion and drive are something that keeps you going, even on the months you make a whopping twenty dollars. It’s the passion that keeps you trudging through the mud and putting one foot in front of the other.

Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession.

Being an entrepreneur is the toughest job out there for the simple reason you have no one to answer to but yourself. You are the last person to get a paycheck, you work the longest hours, you have no days off in the beginning, and you consistently struggle with this thing called “balance.”

The most successful entrepreneurs in this world chase their passions not a paycheck. Passion will always lead you directly to your purpose when you feel lost with no direction.

This loss of “zest” didn’t happen all at one time or overnight, but from Thanksgiving to January I became miserable. My work began to show that the passion was drifting away. I was snappy and grumpy at everyone around me. Looking back at pictures I even cringe knowing how sad I felt inside. Over the months I developed major anxiety. At one point I thought I was experiencing a heart attack!

What was wrong with me? Was I broken?

I knew I needed to snap out of this anxiety, but how? Was I losing it? Should I just quit and not pursue my dreams anymore?

Hell no. I am not a quitter.

Inside I knew I was on the brink of breaking. What I learned was this is the make it or break it stuff that truly makes you grow, not only as a human, but in your business. I needed this three-month funk to make me realize how blessed I was. How much I craved to wake up every morning and be excited for what the day might hold, what opportunities might arise, who I might meet. This is the stuff that keeps me going. After talking to several other makers, I began to see a pattern. Everyone goes through this at some point in their business. It is going to be ok. When you are uncomfortable, when you feel like giving up, it is completely acceptable to turn everything off and unplug for a little while. Prioritize and dig deep into what is really going on. For my personal story, I realized I was saying yes to things that were draining me. They were not my passion, I did not want to do them, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

(Major people pleaser over here yo!)

I have grown more in the past 6 months not only as a mother, wife, maker, and friend but into who I was meant to be, into my purpose of why I was put onto this earth. I stopped giving a “you know what” about what people thought of me. It was the most freeing feeling I have ever experienced. If it wasn’t for this rough patch where I truly believed my world was going to crumble, I could never have pushed through to fly or made the soul searching worthwhile.

There is a difference between being a push over and being compassionate and empathetic. You can be kind and genuine but still hold boundaries. You need to do this if you are going to be running a business. The more successful you become, the more people will ask of you. “With great success comes great responsibility”. The old saying that holds so true to the heart. Your goals and purpose are going to change and shift with time, that’s just life.

It’s a good rule of thumb every six months to review your goal list and polish it up. (This is where the professional goal digging comes into play.) The knowledge you gain, the advice you receive, the experience you get from working your passion every day will make you need to adjust and tweak little things here and there to make your business perfect for you and your family.

Now let’s get real.

Family and your business.

This can get messy! Some days you are overwhelmed, stressed out and who does it get taken out on? Well, the people closest to you of course. Naturally we want this journey to be all sunshine and glitter sprinkles, but the truth is that it is tough to balance everything. It will be especially hard when you are starting out and finding what your groove is. When I was in the red for my first year and spending quadruple the amount that I was bringing in, I can’t tell you the amount of arguments and sleepless nights I experienced wondering if I was going to fail again. Fear can stop you right in your tracks, our minds can talk us out or into anything. Pretty powerful stuff right here.

Am I meant for this?

What if I let my family down?

I am not spending enough one on one time with each child.

I am not making my husband proud.

These arguments aren’t worth chasing my dreams, I’ll just try again in a few years.

This negative self-talk will kill you inside and completely shatter your confidence as a Mompreneur. Some days are tough. Plain and Simple. Its being compassionate to everyone around you, knowing when to take days off and disconnect from it all, knowing when to plan and push through on the days you just want to veg out on Netflix. Its trial and error in finding exactly the schedule that works for you.

Being a wife of a Firefighter who is gone four days out of the week I had to get creative with scheduling my endeavors. I finally found what works for me. I wake up an hour before the kids go to school, plan every aspect of what my day will look like, work late on the nights my husband is gone and shut it down the evenings my husband is home. I now say “no” to mom coffee dates after drop off because those four hours that my daughter is in preschool are my only solo hours to tackle my Etsy orders interruption free. It took me months to figure out how to outsource, plan, and make my life as balanced as possible. Once I did this though, once I stopped caring if people may not like me because I couldn’t go to coffee three days a week with them, once I started realizing my priorities were living my dream, being the best mom and wife I possibly could be and keeping my circle small I began to feel alive. Waking up early? No problem. Staying up late? No problem. Excitement for life does amazing things to the mind and body.

The trick is finding your zest and knowing sometimes you may not have the “energizer bunny” motivation you desire. If you’re clear on where you are going and what you’re fighting so hard for, the stamina will always return to you.

Don’t give up, remember your reasons.

Get the Book Today!

Do you know the path you’re on? Is it a clear, freshly paved cement road? Is it more of a dusty desert storm with tumble weeds blowing everywhere and smacking you in the face as you try to walk? Either way, this book is for you. Finding your direction is crucial in creating your personal brand or small business. How do we know which way to run if we can’t even walk properly first? Do you know how you work best? How you thrive? By the end of this journey my goal is to have you feeling inspired, motivated, and excited to wake up each day and live the life you’ve always dreamed of creating for yourself.

$14.50