Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!
It’s time for Small Business Saturday!!… I’ve been telling you guys about this for awhile now – why I love supporting other locally owned businesses, and how our plans for shopping small changed last week. But now that the day has arrived {well, tomorrow morning!} – I’m super excited to spend an afternoon checking out some of the amazing local shops I’ve been missing for awhile. {Hey, I love a reason to shop!}
What does shopping local mean to you? To me, it means supporting other families right here in my community. It means valuing relationships and quality over low prices and bad service. And especially at this time of year, it means giving other moms in business a boost to help their own holiday spending. That’s why I am such a supporter of Small Business Saturday, coming up on November 24th.
My plan for Small Business Saturday had been to shop a little bit further than local – we wanted to head over the mountains, and do some shopping with the amazing small vendors at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. They have a Magic in the Market holiday event on the 24th, with tree lighting and a visit from Santa – and I thought it would be a great way to kick off some more unique and personal holiday gift shopping. But, the weather seems to taking a turn for the worse, and the passes have been being closed often, so we’re switching gears to shop locally here in town. We’ll start by getting coffee and muffins at this amazing little restaurant that’s just up the road, and owned by one of my neighbors. Then we’ll hit a few of the great holiday craft bazaars in Yakima, before heading to Glenmore Square, a great little shopping mall filled with small boutiques with local ownership. I truly believe that the difference in service you get when shopping stores owned by your friends and neighbors – versus your local Walmart – are worth the small increase I might pay in price. And if I ever have a problem with a purchase – they’ll always do what it takes to make it right. How often can you say that about the big box guys?
Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses nationwide. Last year, over one hundred million people came together to Shop Small in their communities on Small Business Saturday – will you be one of them this year too? Or – are you a small business owner yourself? You know that I’m a big supporter of women in business! If that describes you, use the online tools and resources available from American Express to promote your small business and rally your community!
{Disclosure: Photo one from cliff1066™, on Flickr. I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for American Express. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.
“If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready…” – Will Smith…. Are you a mom with a mission? Are you a writer, a crafter, a blogger, an inventor, or a direct sales woman? If you’re a mom running a small business, you know that while your job might be one of those most challenging occupations there is – it’s also the most rewarding, right? I know that while I work harder now running my own business than I ever did in any of my management jobs before this – I absolutely love what I do.
I know these have been inconsistent again for awhile, and I apologize to those of you who were emailing me saying, “what the heck is up, Meagan?? Where’s the Bloggertunity post today??” The past couple of weeks. It seems like it’s just one crisis after another around here. The latest is that Abby has had more seizures. {You might remember me talking about it a few months ago? She had a seizure that they hoped was maybe a febrile seizure, but it turns out it’s not.} I’ve been so busy traveling to Seattle Children’s Hospital, trying to coordinate appointments between the doctors here, there, and the darn insurance company – Blogging kind of got pushed to the back burner for a bit.
But, hopefully now that all of our appointments are set, and we’re hoping for some kind of answers, I can work a little more consistently. On that note – here’s the newest list of opps and leads. Hope you enjoy – remember to sign up for email updates so you never miss a new post! And here’s my opp that I’m MOST excited about for this week…. [Read more...]
When it comes to the wild, wild, web – there are a million rules. And most of them have reasons to be broken. It’s smart to study, read, and research – but just like when it comes to parenting advice, remember that your blog is unique, and what works/doesn’t work for someone else, may NOT be what’s right for you. And being as fully YOU as possible each week is the best way to be successful – for both your blog, and your own happiness! Enjoy the list this week of opps, leads, tips, and reads. Pick the ones that are best for you and your goals. And then be sure to leave your own helpers in the comments – event sign ups, linkys, hops, tips posts, fave affiliate links – whatever you think might help another blogger reading this post! Thanks for all you do – and have a great week!
Hey ladies – Want to win a full VIP Inner Circle Membership to the new Blogs to Riches Club? Enter to WIN today!
You can sign up to get my daily email updates – up there in the sidebar – if you want to make sure you never miss a weekly Bloggertunities post. You can also browse through all of the good stuff in the past Bloggertunities posts, and check out my big Blogging & Social Media board on Pinterest too. Have a great week!
Rock Ya Blog: Learn about the best new opps, tips, leads, and events for awesome women #blogging rockstars – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/blogge…
— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 13, 2012
{Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. But all opps and leads listed are things that I trust, and have used myself. I only share what I love with ya’all! Photo Credit.}
The Proper Interview Etiquette… If you are looking for a job and have an interview, there are some key things to remember before going in for the interview. In terms of interview etiquette, you need to give yourself the best chance possible to get the job you are interviewing for. Having a good first impression is important and you want to make sure you set yourself apart from other potential employees.
Attire: No matter what job you are interviewing for, whether it is through a staffing employment agency or a company, you should dress professionally. This means wearing business attire no matter what job you are interviewing for. You should carry yourself with confidence and reflect that in your clothing. Since your clothes are the first impression that you make, you should make it a good one. While you want the interviewer to focus on your skills and personality, what you wear will be consciously or unconsciously judged.
Preparation: As you prepare yourself for your interview, it is important to come with the right knowledge and documents. This means first researching the company you are interviewing for. You should be familiar with the actual job and what it entails. You should also know the history of the company, the mission statement and any other information you can gain from its website or other media outlet. You should come to the interview prepared to ask some questions at the end. You will more than likely be asked if you have any and it is a good idea to have something in mind before you arrive at the interview. You might also come up with more during the interview, which is fine as well. Even if the company already has your resume, it is good interview etiquette to bring several copies of your resume as well as a list of references. You do not want to be asked for any documents and come up short-handed. You are in competition with other applicants and you want to set yourself apart as much as possible by coming as prepared as you can.
Essentials: As you make your way to the interview, you should make sure you have plenty of time to get there. It is recommended to arrive a few minutes early and to be friendly to the first person you meet. Usually it will be someone at the front desk and they will often talk to the interviewer afterwards about what they thought. This is a great opportunity to be professional no matter who you meet. Once you meet the interviewer, you should have a strong and confident handshake. You should always make good eye contact throughout the interview. Your nonverbal cues can be just as important as what you say. You should talk yourself up and focus on your strengths and why you are a good fit for the job. It is sometimes difficult to talk so positively about yourself, but it is crucial to do so.
Going in for an interview can be a stressful experience. To lower your stress level, you should come prepared by bringing the right documents and doing the research needed to feel confident during the interview. By following these tips, you are sure to land the job you want.
{This post was compensated as a guest post from Link Vehicle. Photo credit to bpsusf.
“Just because it’s practical doesn’t mean it can’t be cute!” - Laurie Noel Meek of Office Candy… As a professional organizer, Laurie Noel Meek had a super tough time finding a the type of fun, modern, and totally functional office and home products that she needed for her clients. So finally, she did what so many other women do when faced with a challenge that has no good solutions available – she started her own company! Office Candy has seriously cool gear that will liven up your office space, or any kids back-to-school supplies.
How much do you LOVE this stuff, right? Black and white is always a winning color combo – every year, every season. And these fun zebra print accessories just give it a little more pizazz! I’m totally going to have to pick up one of these great file folders – such a sleek way to carry my files to meetings with clients, or even just to Starbucks to work {you know, without a bunch of kids running around the house wild while I’m trying to think….Lol}. And since I’m a bit of a clipboard junkie – I use ‘em for so many things to organize our home! – the pretty selection on Office Candy makes my heart smile a bit.
One of my fave products from Office Candy is this stinkin’ adorable iPhone cover from Lilly Pulitzer. I am SUCH a big fan of Lilly Pulitzer prints – so pretty and feminine, yet still modern and right on trend. I adore this preppy color combo for summer – the pink and green are just so bright and fun. And it wears well – My cell phone goes through a ton of abuse, being thrown in purses and diaper bags, traveling, and being chewed on periodically by a toddler. {And yes, I have been known to spill a drink or two on my iPhone before. I claim that my phone is lush, and does it on it’s own. But that’s another story…} A few of the “pretty” covers I’ve used ended up looking worn out really quickly, so I had to stick with my industrial looking black rubbery cover to protect it. But – I’m very excited about this one from Lilly Pulitzer. Two months in, still perfect. {The pic above is what it looks like TODAY, after two months of use.} Rockin’.
If you’re a big fan of Lilly Pulitzer too – check out some of the other fun supplies you can stock up on to make your office space a little prettier too! {And, wouldn’t a big basket of these goodies make an awesome gift for a new grad heading off to college this fall?} There are a couple of other prints to choose from too – all totally deliciously pretty like this.
For great tips on getting (and staying) organized, check out Laurie’s Blog, or sign up for her “Organizing Tip of the Day” weekly recap email on her Organizing site: www.LNMOrganizing.com. And you can stay updated on new products and promotions by following her on Facebook and Twitter too!
{Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary product from Celebrity Baby Trend Expert, Rachel Florio-Urso to evaluate for consideration on this site – Only the best products make it onto Sunshine and Sippy Cups! All opinions here are 100% my own.}
"The phrase "working mother" is redundant." I'm Meagan - a Momma, a Blogger, a Freelance Writer, and a total Social Media Junkie. I love sparkles and … [Read More...]
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