Summer 2016 Fabulous Fempreneurship Magazine
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Transcript of Summer 2016 Fabulous Fempreneurship Magazine
2016
IN THIS ISSUE:
Business Ideas
Work/Life Balance
Nutrition Tips/Recipes
Fashion Tips
Success Stories
Productivity Hacks
Summer Issue
EMPOWER - SUPPORT - MENTOR
Make a difference.
“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people's lives.”
Oprah Winfrey
Business Ideas
Is Your Business Scalable?
Perhaps you have been in business a couple
of years and you have enough traction to
expand. What are the important things to
consider before expansion?
Managing Cash Flow
By: Betty Robertson - CPA
We have all heard the term cash poor. It is a real
issue for businesses in their beginning years and
during periods of growth. Although businesses
exist to make profits, their actual purpose is to
create wealth or cash.
Many businesses fail not because they are not
making profits but because they do not have the
adequate funds to keep the business operating. It
is vitally important to manage and forecast your
cash to ensure that no surprises arise.
As everyone knows, a business plan which
includes a financial budget is an important
component of beginning a business. The budget
helps you assess if the business is doing what you
expected it to do. The comparison of actuals to
budget informs you of problem areas or
opportunities that you did not anticipate. By
doing adequate reviews, you can anticipate
problems before they become enormous. The
same is true with cash.
Preparing a cash flow budget as part of your
financial business plan is very important. You
would forecast where and how much cash would
be used to fund your business. A carefully
thought out plan, will tell you if you have
adequate financing. Another added benefit-if you
ever plan on approaching the bank or other
lending facility they will require a cash flow
forecast.
As with the financial budget, comparing your
actual results to your model or forecast is all
important. You can pinpoint areas that are
consuming too much cash and make appropriate
changes before you are unable to pay your bills.
Each type of business has its own elements that
need to be managed to ensure that cash
requirements can be met. Some are simply to
predict and others very complex.
For example, this business model is very simple
and the cash forecast is easy to prepare. Let
examine:
Anticipated revenue- $30,000 all paid in cash or
credit card
Anticipated expenses-$25,500 all paid by cash or
cheque
Cash flow model - Cash in $30,000 less cash out
$25,500 =$4,500 positive cash flow
In this case, it is simple to see the flow of cash and
realize that as long as the revenue exceeds the
expenses, you will have a positive cash flow.
However, it the company has debt to repay of
$5,000 per month. After the repayment of the
loan, there would be a negative cash flow.
If your company needs to carry inventory to
provide to customers, additional cash is required.
The amount of inventory required should be
forecasted to match sales noting that the amount
will increase as your sales increase. This
investment in the company is a permanent use of
cash meaning that you will spend the cash but
when the inventory is sold the cash will be used to
buy new inventory so you never really have the
cash again.
The terms of sales have a big impact on cash. If
you have to offer 30 day or 60 days terms, you will
have provided the goods to the customer but have
not received any cash to pay your suppliers or
expenses. There is also the extra concern terms
are given but the customers do not pay within the
terms. This is hard to predict but can have a huge
effect on the cash required to keep the business
going.
A more obvious use of cash is the purchase of
fixed assets like equipment, leaseholds or
automobiles. When starting a business, it is
usually easy to predict the cash required to invest
but few spend time planning expenditures for
growth or replacement equipment.
Each element of the business needs to be
examined to determine the impact on the cash
flow. Use your best knowledge to build the model
and then as your business progresses test against
your assumptions to ensure there were sound. If
not, adjust the model and determine the impact
to ensure your cash flow is still adequate.
Cash planning is an ongoing process and requires
the same dedication as reviewing your financials.
The more time spent planning, the better the
results. Remember that when your business is
growing, it could be consuming more cash than
you have available.
Business Processes
Timely Tax Remittances
Did you know that the Government in Canada has
the ability to shut down your bank account if you
don’t remit your HST tax?
Yup, that’s right. Why? Because when you
collect HST you are doing so on behalf of the
Government. It’s not YOUR money, you are just
holding in trust for the Government until it’s time
to send it to them on a quarterly or annual basis.
To avoid not having the money in your bank
account when the remittance is due, open up a
separate bank account and put the HST collected
in this account. It will be there for you to remit
when due!
Bookkeeping – It’s just good housekeeping
Is your house in chaos or is it neat and tidy? Your
business is like that too. Streamlining your
bookkeeping is #1 on the list before you expand
your business. Here’s why:
The story of your business is right in your
Income Statement. If your bookkeeping is
up to date then you will know if you can
afford to take your business to the next
level or not
You can compare your income statement
for seasonality, trends, issues if your
books are current. This will help you
assess risk for expansion
Before you hire additional staff, you can
assess current employee costs and
calculate the increased revenue you will
need to cover new employee additions.
Your income statement, if set up
properly, can show you which products
are profitable and which ones are not,
helping you develop new products or
product extension.
Model your growth
Download your income statement into an
excel spreadsheet and model your
expanded business in a yearly
spreadsheet to give you a projected
income statement when you scale up
Do the same for your predicted cash flow.
Will scaling your business up mean you
need to borrow money or can you finance
the expansion organically from current
cash flow?
If you need to finance your growth, what
do you need to borrow for?
o Inventory?
o Larger premises?
o Marketing?
o New product development
Success Story
Starting a Small Business:
ALPHA Health Services - Toronto
Charlotte Anderson, Physiotherapist
& Owner
I grew up in a family of business minded people. I
was surrounded by MBA’s, business owners,
presidents of companies… it was all I knew. My
parents worked in business, my grandparents
worked in business, and I always thought I would
work in business…
I graduated with my Masters in Physiotherapy in
2012 and my first job was in a public clinic in
Toronto. At first, it was exactly what a new
graduate would want- the experiences treating
many different patients, good mentorship, flexible
work hours, and a fully equipped environment to
treat patients. I enjoyed the physical therapy
aspect, but struggled with the company I worked
for, their values, their expectations, and adhering
to their objectives and missions. I felt I wasn’t
given the opportunity to work as I saw was best
for my patients while working for this clinic.
So, a year after graduating as a Physiotherapist, I
decided I would go out on my own. This decision
did not come lightly, I had thought about it a lot,
saved my money, weighed the pros and cons, and
had discussed the implications of starting a small
business with many different people. But I don’t
think anything can completely prepare you for
taking such a big step and opening a private clinic.
Once I signed the lease, for an 800 square foot
space in Toronto, I knew there was no turning
back! I bought the minimum equipment I required
to treat my patients effectively. I brainstormed
company names, I wanted something that didn’t
pigeon hole the business to just physiotherapy, in
the hopes of growing. I incorporated the business,
opened a business bank account, had a website
developed, and for the first few weeks wondered
why in the world I had thought this was a good
idea!
However, I quickly started booking clients. Word
of mouth referrals were my biggest source of new
patients, and I will forever be grateful to those
patients who spread the word. My case load grew,
and within the year I had hired a part time
massage therapist and another physiotherapist. At
the two year mark we had outgrown our space,
and moved down the street to a much larger
space, with more treatment rooms, a small gym,
and room to expand again. There are now 4
physiotherapists, a massage therapist and a
dietitian who work at the clinic. We have
contracts with two high school sports teams in
Toronto, and have opened two satellite clinics.
I never realized the possibility of being a business
owner and a treating physiotherapist, I didn’t
think about being able to wear both hats. I am
grateful for this chance to challenge myself as a
physiotherapist, making sure I provide a
comprehensive service to help people get better,
and as a small business owner. There are
challenges owning a business- managing the
people who work for you, creating a strong,
supportive and dynamic staff, making sure you
budget properly, continuing to grow as technology
and the world around us progresses at an
unbelievable speed. But the satisfaction and sense
of accomplishment that comes when you know
that this business is yours, the good, the bad, the
positives, it is you. You are responsible, you eat,
sleep, breathe, this business. The business
becomes part of who you are. You love it and you
can hate it. It brings you the most joy, and can
cause emotional upheaval. There are days when
you have the best job in the world, and days
where you wonder why you decided to start a
company. Times when you feel lucky to be in the
field, and days where you wish you worked a 9-5
job. Because owning a small business will never be
a 9-5 job, so you have to believe in the company,
love what you do, hire like minded people and
take risks to allow for growth.
For me, this journey is far from over. It is just
starting. I feel lucky to be able to be doing
something I love by practicing physiotherapy. I
feel grateful I have some “business” in my blood
and I took a risk to start a company that stays true
to my values and challenges me in a field I love.
Alpha Health Services
Life Balance
Getting out of your office and
becoming physically active ….. make it
a personal goal.
The weather is better, it’s warm outside,
time to get physical.
Swimming
Biking
Walking
Running
Golf
Tennis
Baseball
Rock climbing
Yoga
Zumba
Dancing
Can you incorporate exercise in your weekly
routine at least 3x per week?
After a winter indoors make sure you take
time to work gradually into your exercise
routine.
If you haven’t been doing any weight bearing
exercise for a while, you may find you have
weak ankles. Physiotherapist Charlotte
Anderson, of ALPHA Health Services has
these tips for strengthening weak ankles
1. Alphabet: Try writing the alphabet with your injured ankle. This increases the range of motion of the ankle. Do this multiple times a day. 2. Calf Stretch: Your calf muscle runs along the backside of your lower leg. This
muscle goes down and becomes the Achilles Tendon at the back of the ankle. Depending on the ankle injury and the length of time the joint was immobilized, this muscle can get quite tight. To stretch the calf, stand on a stair with your
heel off the edge. Let gravity and your body weight allow your heel to dip below the stairs edge. You should feel a stretch behind your leg. Alternatively, lean against a wall with the ball of your injured leg propped up on the wall. Lean forward and feel the pull in your calf
muscle. Hold this for at least 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. 3. Dorsiflexion: Seated, pull your toes upwards, than lower your foot back to the ground. This exercises strengthens the muscles running down the front of your lower leg, and can help increase range of motion. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, use your other foot to resist your injured foot from lifting off the ground. Do this exercises 20 times.
4. Forward lunge on chair: This exercise aims to increase flexibility in the ankle. Place your injured ankle on a chair. Your knee should be bent, and shift your bodyweight forward so your knee extends over your toes. You should
feel the available range of motion in your ankle, then try to push a little bit further as long as there is no pain. Hold the end range for about 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
5. One Leg Stance: Balancing on your injured leg will help strengthen the stabilizers of the ankle and will help increase your proprioception. This is an easy exercise, simply stand on your injured leg and balance there for 2 minutes,
twice a day. To progress this exercise try closing your eyes, or tossing a ball up in the air, or standing on a pillow/uneven surface.
6. Calf Raise: This exercise is to strengthen the muscles at the back of your leg below your knee. Stand holding onto the back of a chair. Slowly rise up onto your tiptoes, and then lower back to standing. Repeat this 20 times. To
progress this exercise you can hold light weights, do it on one leg, or perform the exercise on a stair
with your heels hanging off the edge. 7. Resisted Eversion: Use a sold surface as resistance. Against the resistance, try and turn your foot outwards. Hold this for 15 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times. This e xercise works on the evertors of the ankle.
8. Plantarflexion with resistance: Put a piece of tubing/theraband under the ball of your injured foot. Keeping the resistance on, attempt to point your toe. Then return to neutral. Do this exercise 12 times for 3 sets. 9. Squats on a wobble board: To increase proprioception and
balance, stand on a wobble board and squat down in a slow and controlled manner. Then return to standing. Repeat this 10 times and do 3 sets. If you do not have access to a wobble board, perform the same movement on a pillow, or try on one leg.
10. Bend and Reach: Stand on one leg and slowly reach down to the floor while extending your other leg behind you. You should hinge forward at the hips and bend the supporting knee slightly. Then return to upright. Try this 10 times on each leg. To progress this exercise, place objects on the floor around you that you need to touch, or hold the position for a few seconds.
Charlene (Charla), food
blogger from That Girl
Eats Healthy…. Healthy
food with a Caribbean
flavour
Greetings Everyone!
My name is Charlene but I prefer to be called Charla and I am a young woman of African Caribbean heritage, who resides in the UK. I have a degree in public health and certified in holistic health and a true passion for cooking deliciously tasting foods and baking healthy treats. What inspired me to try my hand at blogging was gleaming through some of my favourite health fanatic bloggers and having the desire to join them on the same platform.
Since I was a young girl I’ve always been intrigued by cooking but didn’t channel my energy until my early womanhood. I grew up in a Caribbean household, where it was customary for girls to acquire the art of
cooking; perhaps this explains why I’m composing this website. Unfortunately, the art of cooking seems like a dying trend and with the high levels of obesity and vascular disease, it’s important to take control of what does inside the body and what causes harm.
Despite my cultural upbringing I appreciate food in its broader context, meaning I’m more than happy to sample most foods from different cultures. In my spare time, you’ll find me in the kitchen exploring my creative food juices.
and so ultimately….
This website is dedicated to showcasing dairy free and gluten free recipes. One day I’d like to transition to a vegan lifestyle. Although with that being said, I eat a high plant based diet with a small amount of chicken/fish, so I’m slowly getting there. Right now I would describe myself as a “conscientious vegan in the making”, as I do enjoy vegan and in fact raw food, but can bring myself to break away from the carnivore chains just yet.
I want to be as candid as possible about who I am and my culinary principles, so I don’t disappoint.
Aside from gluten and dairy free recipes, I like to tap into Caribbean cuisines. I want the world to become familiar with what these beautiful islands have to offer. Therefore, you’ll find a range of authentic Caribbean dishes and also some with a modern healthy element.
Summer recipes from That Girl Eats Healthy
Boiled Plantains with Kale (Paleo & Gluten Free)
There’s something
amazing about plantains, I just cannot seem to get enough of them. I don’t think there’s a week that goes by without me incorporating this starchy vegetable (fruit but classified
as a veg). What’s more, there’s a store right around the corner from me that certainly knows how to entice me.
You’ll be pleased to know this recipe is super duper healthy, the plantain is boiled and not fried (YIPEE).
What I did was boil the plantain with the skin on for roughly 20 minutes until tender. The key here is to yield tenderness and not achieve some type of mushy texture. When I first started boiling plantains to make this dish I winded up disheartened because the results would range from tender to mushy. Overcoming that obstacle presented itself as a challenge but I finally managed to perfect a fine balance between mushy and tenderness – boiling the plantain for 15 minutes.
I wanted to pair the recipe with some callaloo which is an exotic leafy vegetable derived from the same family as spinach. However my vendor didn’t have any to hand and so I used curly kale leaves to substitute. You can follow suit and use kale or better yet spinach if you don’t have access to callaloo, the results using spinach are incredibly fool proof I’m just a
bit more partial to my beloved kale right now.
To keep the calories on the lower spectrum or should I say balance things out with the starchy enriched plantains, you’ll find a selection of veggies – red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, scallions along with the kale. I would render this light yet filling and definitely not fattening, so ladies do not run from this on, there;s nothing but love and healthiness here.
INGREDIENTS
1-2 large plantains (yellow with dark spots)
1 cup worth of bell pepper (red and yellow mixed)
2 large scallions, sliced (or 3 small ones)
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp of turmeric
¼ tsp of allspice
1 tsp of thyme
¼ tsp of himalayan pink salt
large bunch of kale (chopped)
1tbsp worth of ginger, minced
1 small red onion, chopped
coconut oil for sauteeing
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Boil the plantain for roughly 15 minutes until tender. Once cooked drain off the excess water and allow to cool then cut the tips of the plantain and use a paring knife to make a incision length ways to
remove the peel, it should come off with ease, then slice the plantain into little discs.
2. Meanwhile on medium heat sautee the scallions/red onions to begin with, add about 2tbsp of coconut oil for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, bell
peppers and add the rest of the spices. 3. Flip the pan to ensure everything is
thoroughly coated before incorporating the sliced plantains and allow to infuse with the spices. The kale should be added lastly to cook for another minute
and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Serve accordingly.
Let’s treat ourselves to a
healthy vegan dessert!
In a bid not to miss out on all of those wonderful summer time recipes, I have decided to be ahead of myself and start submitting a few from May. Furthermore, apparently the weather is set to soar over the weekend so you might be thanking me for this pre-summer time recipe.
If you do not own an ice cream maker then you are missing out on some of the best dessert recipes on the planet. I use my ice cream all year round, though I increase its usage during the spring/summer. I like to experiment with different flavours – forget the ice cream that’s full of all of those additional additives and preservatives. This recipe is the real deal you will taste all of those bold, rich, FRESH (very important word) complimentary flavours
Nowadays I rarely purchase ice cream I would much rather enjoy making my own instead. It’s easy and incredibly effortless but it feels like a milestone has been achieved if it’s your first time doing so. In terms of what flavours one can make, absolutely ANY…though the general rule of thumb is to use milk as the base. I always whip up my ice cream with full fat coconut milk and then include whatever add-ins I see fit.
In this case I made a diabetic friendly chocolate ice cream for my grandmother, she likes ice cream but being afflicted with
type 2 diabetes doesn’t permit consuming processed store brought ice cream. Home made ice cream allows one to enjoy their creature comforts without compromising health. Avocados are full high density lipoprotein (HDL) a type of good cholesterol that lowers the bad cholesterol which can clog our major arteries and create fatty deposits in the liver. Many people shy away from ALL type of fat in fear of developing cardiovascular disease but the true is we need fats to regulate our hormones AND to fight inflammation.
Another thing, if you’re looking to gain weight in a healthy manner I would highly recommend consuming some good fats like avocados, so in a sense while this ice cream isn’t specifically made to gain weight, you can incorporate into a lifestyle where eating something more calorific needed.
The additional hint of cinnamon is there to add a spicy flare and to also aid blood sugar levels (no huge spike).
Recommended sweetener as always low glycemic index – coconut nectar, agave or maple syrup.
Chocolate Avocado Ice
Cream
INGREDIENTS
1 can of full fat coconut milk
1 large avocado, ripe, pitted and skin
removed.
3 tbsp of raw cacao powder
¼ cup of coconut nectar (can use agave or
maple)
½ tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla powder or extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. If using an ice cream maker, place the bowl in a freezer overnight for at least 4 hours before use.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a high
speed blender or food processor and blitz into a smooth consistency.
3. Once a smooth consistency has been achieved, prepare the ice cream maker and use accordingly to the manufacturer instructions.
4. To make without a ice cream maker,
once the ingredients have been blended, simply pour into a freezer friendly container and freeze for an hour. After the given time whisk the mixture every 30 minutes for up to 4 hours to omit freezer burn. Over a course of time the
ice cream will thicken and then serve
accordingly.
Yummy, Yummy in my tummy and
kids will love this recipe. You can
use the same base and then change
the flavours according to the
favourite ice creams your family
loves.
This is a great excuse to buy an
ice cream maker, but if you are
home, just whisk up the mixture
over four hours …but an ice
cream maker would make it so
much easier! More recipes
From That Girl Eats Healthy
You and Your Pets
Thinking of getting a puppy this summer? Here
are some tips from Sandra King, owner of
RedRover Dog Training.
Puppies are undeniably adorable and dog lovers' eyes light up whenever they see one, but there is much more to owning to a puppy than enjoying its heart-warming cuteness and silly antics. With puppy ownership comes a lot of responsibility. Be honest with yourself and consider the amount of time that you can devote to a puppy (or any dog for that matter) before you make a decision to get one that is solely based on emotion, Do you have the time, the desire, the patience, and the lifestyle to raise a puppy that will one day
become a well-balanced adult dog? If you are not sure, please consider the following before you rush out and bring home that cute bundle of furry joy. - Puppies need a lot of attention, especially while they are being house broken. Until your pup is able to sleep through the night, you will be getting up OFTEN to take outside for toilet training. Indoor pee pads are not a solution and will only prolong, or even be counter productive to house breaking your pet. - Training – yes, training, but I don't mean the kind where you are taking your puppy to obedience school – that comes a bit later. However, you can do a lot to get your very young pup off on the right paw, so to speak. Knowing which games to play and NOT to play with your puppy will help shape your young dog into a well-adjusted pet. - Chewing can be an issue, but you can save your home, your furnishings, and even your hands, by knowing which types of toys to avoid. Did you know that a dog's mouth is like our hands? The mouth-feel of something is almost always the deciding factor on
the question of To Chew, or Not to Chew. For example, if you give your dog a soft toy to play with and chew, not only will you run the risk of having your pet harm itself by ingesting the material, stuffing, etc., but you are also inadvertently teaching your pet to chew similar objects in your home. It simply cannot differentiate between the soft toy you gave it and your towels, soft slippers, pillows, etc. - Obedience Training – this will be needed once your pup is old enough to go to school. Group classes are always recommended to help them get socialized to being in a group environment as well learning IMPULSE CONTROL! We recommend starting formal school with puppies when they are 14 weeks of age, but we also offer a Puppy 101 Consult to help you avoid common
mistakes and many other training strategies for your pup that you can start implementing immediately.
How to Find a Great Dog Walker
By Aline Duriaud
Chacharocks Kitsch Canine
I have a fabulous dog walker and sitter whom I
trust implicitly with Ronnie. He loves her too and
nearly knocks me over in excitement when she
arrives to pick him up. Invariably he returns from
his walk happy, well exercised and ready to crash
on his bed, or mine. What makes her so good?
And how can you find the perfect walker
for your dogs? In this post I'll share my top five
traits to look for when selecting a pet care
professional; make sure your walker has them and
you won't go wrong.
1. She gets on with your dog. This
sounds obvious but no matter how
glowing the recommendations or
impressive the website testimonials, if
your walker or sitter doesn’t click with
your dog, look for someone else.
Organise a preliminary meeting or,
better still, a walk, so you can see how
they get on together. Unless your dog
has significant behavioural issues that
complicate his ability to interact with
humans (in which case you need a
trainer) it should be apparent very
quickly whether or not the relationship
is going to work. Most reputable
walkers will be happy to meet your
dog before an initial outing and let you
come along for a test walk. If they’re
not, find someone else.
2. He is insured. Although insurance
doesn’t guarantee a great dog walker,
most legitimate pet professionals are
insured. As no training or certification
is required to become a professional
dog walker or sitter anyone can
advertise themselves as one
irrespective of experience and
expertise, therefore up to date
insurance is generally a good indicator
of a walker's reliability. If possible find
a dog walker who is fully bonded and
insured, with up to date CRB or DBS
clearance too. Ask for proof especially
if he will be picking up and dropping
your dog off when you're not at home.
3. She doesn't do large, on-leash group
dog walks. When Ronnie started going
out with his walker he particularly
enjoyed off leash outings in a small
group of two to three dogs. Sometimes
his walker also leash walks him with
one other dog he knows and is
comfortable with. What she never does
is leash walk big groups of dogs that
haven’t been properly introduced. To
ensure your dog is getting the
stimulation and attention she needs,
look for a dog walker who follows her
lead (no pun intended) by introducing
dogs before taking them out together
and maintaining a four dog maximum
per walk.
4. She knows her their limitations. Like
any professional a good dog walker
and sitter will be honest with you if
your dog’s needs exceed her expertise.
She will alert you to any behavioural
or health issues she observes in your
dog and will not try to train your dog
behaviour without permission, or the
appropriate skills and experience.
5. He communicates with you. A great
dog walker understands that his clients'
furry kids are precious family members
and he will be happy to answer
questions about how he works, where
he walks your dog, how long the walk
lasts and which other dogs will be on
the walk. Don't be afraid to ask
questions about a walker's experience
and methods and to ask for verifiable
testimonials from other clients.
I hope this post helps you find a fantastic
walker for your pooch. Do you have any
must know advice on choosing a pet
professional?
Make a difference.
“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people's lives.”
Oprah Winfrey Fabulous Fempreneurship Initiatives…making a difference In this internet world, we can connect with anyone, anywhere. That’s what we have been doing over the last couple of months, to see where we can make a difference. Belize Initiative with Yvette Mazariegas – M & M Distributors Yvette and I have never personally met. We have only met via Skype and corresponded over email, but I feel that she is a kindred spirit in Belize. Both of us have been mentors for Assistant Prof. Michael Goldberg of Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. We mentor for his Coursera MOOC, entrepreneurs in Belize. Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies. Prior to 1981, Belize used to be called “British Honduras”. The country known primarily for its
tourism and export of sugar and bananas. To the north is the southern tip of Mexico, to the west is Guatemala and to the south Honduras. Yvette lives inland in a city called Belmopan.
Women and Entrepreneurship And Yvette and I have the same interest, how to grow entrepreneurship for women and for disadvantaged youth. Yvette, herself is a serial entrepreneur, featured in our book. She also was invited to and attended the International Conference on Entrepreneurism held in Africa in 2015, the GES Summit. Yvette at the 2015 Entrepreneur Conference Yvette has the idea of introducing our book “Fabulous Fempreneurship” into the education system to help women think of entrepreneurism as a way to grow both themselves and the economy of Belize. What we are working on:
Special price for digital downloads of Fabulous Fempreneurship by university students
Additional contribution by Fabulous Fempreneurship to a scholarship fund
Finding Corporate sponsorship (Belize Bank, Belize Sugar Company, Kimberly Clark, US Embassy in Belize etc.)
Pitching to sponsors Youth Program Yvette mentioned her new initiative of how to keep teens out of trouble. We mentioned a great program in Canada that would fit perfectly in Belize. In Halifax, there is an initiative called “Hope Blooms”, which was the Dragon’s Den 2013 season’s best pitch. Hope Blooms is to help inner city kids take their own initiative, help themselves and their community to eat healthy foods. They grow their own vegetables, feed the local community and sell their products at the market. They also make salad dressings from the ingredients. The salad dressings are sold both at the market and to local restaurants. To learn more about the Hope Bloom initiative, see the video on YouTube. Hope Blooms could be replicated anywhere in the world! Yvette is been appointed as President of the first Alumni Association Board of Belize (US Embassy-Alumni Association) and will be pitching the Halifax Hope Blooms initiative to the Board. At Fabulous Fempreneurship we are also working on other community initiatives that we will write about in future issues of our digital magazine. If you have a community initiative that you would like to tell us, please feel free to send us your story to [email protected]
A simple guide to self-compassion
5 steps to self- compassion / 5 ways to bring more self’lovin’ into your life.
By: Natz Costa (Fabulous Fempreneur mentor) http://www.nataliecosta.co.uk/
Now I’ll be honest - Self-compassion was not
initially something that I was very familiar with. In
actual fact, I used to be very good at NOT being
compassionate with myself - and speaking with my
friends, it was clear that I was not on my own.
Having self-compassion sometimes used to feel
like self- indulgence, almost as if I was allowing
my excuses and permitting myself to be ‘soft’.
Living in a fast paced society, I would easily get
consumed with my daily to-do lists, tasks that had
to be done, commitments that had to be made. I
would find myself fulfilling various roles –
caregiver, teacher, colleague, advisor, coach and
listener etc, so it was easy to leave myself at the
bottom of the list.
To add to the process, I would constantly feel as
though I had to achieve more, be more and have
more - I needed to look a certain way, act a certain
way and achieve certain things if I was to really
“succeed.”
This would ultimately result in an influx of internal
‘natter’ - that little voice in my head, reminding me
why I wasn’t good enough, thin enough, pretty
enough, smart enough, whatever enough… to be
who I wanted to be.
I use to be an expert at giving myself a hard time
and beating myself up, especially if things didn’t
work out the way I would've liked them to. I’d
push and push myself that little bit further (ideally
thinking that I am Wonder Woman, that I can do it
all) yet I would often find myself feeling
exhausted, irritable and annoyed, wondering why
things are so difficult.
Luckily the penny finally dropped. Feeling
stressed, worn out and exhausted, after yet another
busy and over-filled day, I realised that it was ME
who was making things difficult. I was the one that
was allowing myself to be stretched thin; I was the
one that was being too hard on myself and I chose
to put myself at the bottom of the list.
I was tired of the struggle and tired of the fight.
And it finally dawned on me - when we teach and
encourage a child to learn, we know that standing
over them and booming degrading phrases is
hardly going to have the desired effect, yet this is
what we do to ourselves.
However, if we show that child patience, love,
support and compassion - they are 100 times more
likely to grow, develop and flourish into the best
version of themselves.
So, what if I were to take on that same attitude
with myself - the attitude of patience, kindness,
acceptance, support and love?
What effect would that have on me, my reactions
and perception of myself and my overall well-
being?
I slowly started to implement some kinder and
gentler strategies. I started treating myself with
kindness and compassion. I started talking to
myself like I would to a friend. This took a while
to get used and to it wasn’t always easy, but slowly
things started to shift. Tasks became a little lighter,
setbacks didn't hurt that much and I actually felt
calmer and more at ease.
Taking the time to place myself first on my to-do
list also resulted in me getting more things done
and I became that much more enjoyable to be
around! The journey to self-compassion is an
ongoing process and it’s something that I actively
have to pursue, but it’s certainly one that has led
me to be more gentle, kinder and compassionate
with myself.
So, below I’ll share with you some of my top tips
that I have used to move me into that space where I
am now being kinder to myself.
Become your own best friend:
I think this is the most important aspect to consider
- the words we use have so much power. It’s easy
to criticize and give ourselves a hard time. But this
rarely has the desired effect and results in us
feeling even worse than before.
A great strategy that I always use is to ask myself
the following question:
“Would I be saying this to a friend?”
If my answer is no, then I know I need to watch
my words and change my language to be more
supportive with myself.
Awareness is the key to making a change. So start
paying attention to your thoughts, acknowledge
them and then gently shift them to a more
compassionate approach.
Reverse Bucket list
It’s easy to get caught up with our to-do lists, to
focus on completing the next step and setting the
next goal. We tick something off and we just move
on. Very rarely do we stop and take stock of all
that we already have achieved.
This is a great activity to help you tap into your
strengths and remind you of the amazing things
that you already have accomplished. Consider the
setbacks you overcame and the challenges that you
conquered. No matter how small - write them
down, acknowledge them and celebrate all the
awesomeness that you are!
Treat Yourself
Now this may initially feel like an indulgence, but
I honestly do believe that treating ourselves and
taking time for YOU is crucial to developing self-
compassion. A treat could include a soak in the
bath, a walk through the park, indulging in a nice
cup of coffee. Something small to symbolize that
you are also important, that your needs also
matter.
I realized that when I scheduled in some “me-
time”, I was better able to fulfill my other roles
too, as I knew I valued myself and therefore was
able to give that much more. I now regularly
schedule a ‘date’ with myself and do something
nice – to ensure that I am recharged and energized
for the other commitments on my list.
Accept what is and let it go.
Setbacks are a part of life and nobody likes to feel
like they’ve failed. But getting things wrong and
making mistakes are part of the process - and it’s
only through setbacks and ‘failures’ that we learn
and move forwards. But instead of beating yourself
up and over-analyzing your every move, take the
time to congratulate yourself for having the
courage to take action in the first place.
Acknowledge the feeling, but then let it go. Shift
focus to what you have learned as a result and be
patient with yourself, knowing that you are a work
in progress.
Gratitude
Practice being thankful for what is going well in
your life.
We can easily be swamped into thinking that we
need to be more, have more, get more in order to
be happy. This can cause our thinking to shift into
a ‘lack’ mentality which results in that feeling of
not having/ being ‘enough’.
Instead, make a point of actively recording 5 things
that you are grateful for. What as good about your
day? What were positive points?
By doing this on a regular basis you are slowly
starting to prime your mind to focus on the
abundance of what you already have in your life.
Gratitude is a powerful exercise that easily shifts
our focus from lack to abundance.
So, there you have it - five simple ways to guide
you towards self-compassion. Give them a go and
be patient with yourself. Take it one step at a time
and start noticing the positive effects that this will
have on you and your life.
Impact Business
Competition
Helsinki, Finland
Winner: Leila Gharavi
(Leadpool)
Criteria for Competition: Think big and bring an
idea that solves a societal problem – social or
environmental, be it a challenge in employment,
wellbeing, health or natural environment.
Leila’s entry:
A gamified online platform that tackles gender
inequality by shifting the conversation on
Structures. Congratulations to the team.
Leila has written a great piece on what gender equality really means. Check it out here.
Fashion Forward, Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone By Beth Kennedy, Fashion Stylist
I love how my clients let me take them out of their comfort zone of clothing, away from the basic colours they always choose. I get to add patterns and texture or even graphics and then accessorize. The accessories can range from shoes to scarves to necklaces and earrings. Recently I took my clients to a nearby mall in town and had a blast with a mother and daughter duo. Two contrasts in style. The Mom likes things that are outside of the box, her daughter is more reserved about her style choices. Picking out clothes for the Mom is easy, because she is open to lots of different styles and colors.
Encouraging her daughter to experiment took a little coaxing, but once she started to try on some different clothes, she got excited about all the possibilities and the fun began. She picked a straight skirt that had pale turquoise (limpet shell), white and yellow. I added a graphic tee in a buttercup color. She looked and me and said “I would not have thought of this pattern and the graphic tee together.” I said “the colours in the skirt and the tee look great in combo.” For the accessories we kept it simple, a multi-colour crossbody bag that picked up the colors, with simple green flash flats and stud earrings. All the colours came from the Spring/Summer Pantone colour selections. These colours have exotic names: Snorkel Blue Buttercup Limpet Shell Shell Lilac Grey Iced Coffee Peach Echo Rose Fiesta Green Flash
To see how I used all the colours together, check out the whole range of Pantene 2016 fashion colours here. One of the au courant designers, Katherine Kung, is using Limpet Shell in her Spring Collection. The straight shift dress, from Katherine Kung, combines the
pale turquoise with a contrasting black and white band at the bottom. Stunning and unique. Notice, the plain black shoes, link with the black and white pattern at the bottom of the dress for a complete fashion statement. The eye is drawn from top to bottom, a great look if you are looking for a sleek head to toe, lengthening image.
Mom already knew she wanted a pair of pixie pants in one of the Pantene top 10 fashion colours for this year. She was looking for something that would also go with the neutrals she already had in her wardrobe. Her final selection was in the Buttercup colour, similar to the pixie pants in the Old Navy collection. I paired this with a black blouse and white blazer. We rounded this out with a handbag in the beautiful green flash colour and accessorized with a black ring.
Part of being a fashion stylist is bringing out the personality of my clients. On this shopping trip, Mom and daughter loved the way their new purchases gave them confidence. No more boring neutrals, they have added colour
and zest to their clothing collection. They can’t wait to go on another shopping trip with me soon, and I can’t wait to go too!
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES
LinkedIn Isn’t Just for People Looking for a Job!
Linkedin is so much more. So exactly what is it? I like to call Linkedin, facebook for business! Having said that, when talking about the purpose of LinkedIn we have to remember it is a platform for networking for business and posting interesting and informative information for business people. So here are some important tips to think about when designing your profile and posting on this social media platform.
Profile Tips Your Photograph How you present yourself in a photo is so important. It’s your first impression. Think as your picture as your interview picture. Make sure you are dressed appropriately in a neat way. I have seen guys and women with pictures that are totally inappropriate for this platform. Pictures with their family, pets, selfies, frowning, casual gear, with friend, sexy etc. Noooooooo. Don’t do it! Stick to professional, you never know who is going to check out your profile! Summary This section is at the top of your profile. Use this area to summarize who and what you are, short and concise. Linkedin Title Try to make this as descriptive as possible as it shows up in the search bar. Job titles don’t necessarily translate well if you are an entrepreneur. Descriptions of your work experience This isn’t quite the same as a resume. The goal in the description of your work experience is to demonstrate the problems you have solved for your client or company. This shows your leadership skills and initiative. It’s showing you off without being a “show off”. Difference between ‘endorsements’ and
‘recommendations’.
Anyone one who is a first level connection to you on Linkedin can “endorse” you, whether they have worked with or hired you. Although that’s a nice compliment if a work associate “endorses” you, endorsements don’t carry as much weight as recommendations. In addition, endorsements show up much lower on your profile than recommendations and are grouped under skill sets rather than under specific achievements.
Recommendations are posted in the appropriate sections of your work experience, so are directly applicable to the work that is profiled.
Don’t feel shy about asking people for references about your work. It’s a great idea to approach people just after you have ‘wowed’ them with your work. If your client isn’t familiar with how to write a recommendation and therefore hesitant to help, ask if you can help write one and guide them through the posting process. Contact information Yes, there are places at the top and bottom of the profiles to add your contact information. Add both your email and phone no. to this section so it is easy for people to contact you outside of the LinkedIn platform. Additional Advanced Profile Tips
1. Use slideshare to highlight powerpoint
presentations
2. Post videos showing your expertise
3. Link to your blogs
4. Link to your publications, articles, books
you have authored etc.
5. Add your volunteer activities
6. Add the causes that are near and dear to
your heart.
Posting Tips
As we suggested, this is a business platform and your postings should be related to business
DO NOT advertise your product/service in an obvious way. Linkedin could kick you right out for doing this. You can post a link to your blog that highlights a service you have provided or how your product has worked for your client. If you don’t have a blog, you can write on Linkedin Pulse. Remember our rule….make it a general business article that would appeal to anyone in business. You would be writing this article from your own unique perspective. If people like your posting they will like, comment and share it on their social platforms and therefore think about the content you are writing and who would enjoy reading it. Don’t write anything that you would regret. Once it is on Linkedin it can go viral. If you are commenting on someone else’s post and it is an opposite viewpoint, make sure you write from positive stance in your rebuttal. Use pictures and videos to illustrate your article. Keep your postings concise. If you are not sure, run your posting by a supportive colleague before publishing. Introduction Tips
Messaging: When you are ‘linking’ people
together through messaging (ie introducing two
people to each other), give a brief reason why you
are introducing the two people together,
something like this introduction of Mary and
Sarah.
Mary Smith Sarah Brown
“Mary, I would like to you introduce you to Sarah Brown. Sarah Brown is a social media specialist. Sarah, Mary is the owner of a restaurant and would love to learn more about social media. I hope the two of you can link up. Regards, Jane.” Introducing yourself to someone you have met at a network event: When you suggest at a network event that you link up on Linkedin, if the person
agrees, then do it the very next day, before you forget!
It’s also a good idea to mention in your introduction of yourself where you met the person and brief reason why you want to link with them. Ie. “I would like to meet you for a coffee to discuss mutual interests”, “I would like to introduce you to xxxx”.
Accepting Linkedin Invitations from your e-mail Unfortunately, there are phoney Linkedin profiles in Linkedin, much like there are dubious facebook profiles. Accept LinkedIn invites ONLY from the Linkedin platform. 1) If you accept from Linkedin you can take a look at the person’s profile before accepting the invite. 2) It prevents a virus getting into your computer. If accepting from email, you can unknowingly have a virus downloaded with it the acceptance which could wipe your computer right out!
Need a person to help you with your Linkedin
profile? Why not sign up for a course by Stacy
Maynard . Stacy is also a Fabulous
Fempreneurship mentor and can guide you
through social media strategy.
NETWORKING
Who You Network With
is NOT Always Your
Target Market!
By Linda Sztanko (Fabulous
Fempreneur Mentor)
Award Winning Entrepreneur | Networking Coach & Follow-up Expert | Speaker | Trainer for Business
It's Networking Day! You are headed to a promising networking event! You walk into a room armed and ready! You are in "networking mode". You have your elevator pitch down pat! You have done your mantras, your visualization for success and you have enough business cards to hand out to everyone in the room. You arrive, you smile and have some great
introductions, you hand out "ALL" those business
cards, you head home after a fabulous event
and.......... nothing! WHAT THE HECK!?!
WELCOME... to the reality of
networking.
One of the biggest misconceptions entrepreneurs have is this; who they network with, will be who does business with them. WRONG! Oh, you will get the small percentage of people you meet at a networking event that may purchase your product, or sign up for your service, but those people who were already looking for your product or service and you just happened to be at the right networking event at the right time. Ask yourself this question. WHY do I go to networking events? I would suspect that most of you will answer: "To get business." Well... THAT IS EXACTLY WHY other people are there too! They are not there to buy or do business WITH you,
they are there to sell their product or business TO you. That is exactly why people get frustrated with attending networking events. They believe they are there to "get" business and when they don't get business, they get discouraged, they get frustrated and they stop going to THAT networking event. That is a costly mistake.
When you understand that the people you network with are most likely not your target market, you will have much more success in growing your business. WHY? Because when you go networking - the people you meet there are the people you build your business friendships with. These are the people you build your "likeability" factor with. Building strong business likeability with others is the key to referrals and word of mouth marketing. Networking is a tool for your word of mouth marketing. Make your networking activities about building trust and respect with your business piers. When you network, focus on getting to know the people you are networking with. Get to know THEM! Make a habit of directing the conversation about them. Ask about their family, their hobbies, and yes their business. Get to know why they went into that business, why the like what they do and who they help with what they do. When you take the time to get to know each other, you will become each other’s biggest supporters. When you hear of someone who is looking for a product or service, who do you always recommend? Someone you know,
someone you trust and someone you already have a relationship with - not a total stranger you know nothing about. When you make a referral you are not only referring them, you are staking YOUR reputation on THEM! So, are you taking the time to connect with the people you network with. Do you reach out to them on Social Media? Do you make introductions for them to other people you know will be a good connection for them? Are you inviting them for coffee or lunch - away from the networking arena? How are you building up that likeability factor and with them? Are you giving THEM Value so they want to network with and refer YOU and make connections for YOU?
Stacy Maynard (www.stacymaynard.com) and Fabulous Fempreneur mentor is a social media strategist and online visibility coach. She calls this your R.O.E. Return On Engagement. She says "Your Network IS Your Net Worth. If you focus on your R.O.I., Return On Investment, then you are only focused on what YOU have to say. If you focus on your R.O.E., then you are truly building relationships first and business second." What's YOUR Return On Engagement? How are YOU focusing on your business relationships? Start investing time to get to know the people you networking with so your R.O.E. gets bigger and better and your network grows!
PRODUCTIVITY HACKS
PASSWORD PROTECTION
Jane Whitgift founder of Whitgifts Security has some tips for us about computer passwords. According to Jane, 10,000 passwords are used by 98.8% of all users. Hackers have all these passwords programmed as well as dictionary words that are used in passwords. Here are the things to avoid when choosing passwords: 1) Personal information that can be found on your social media pages such as facebook. 2) Capitalization of the first letter. 3) Adding a number at the end or using numbers 1 or 2. 4) Changing letters for vowels ie A=1, E=2, I=3, O =4 and U=5 5) Adding common symbols at the end #@%* etc. 6) Moving keys to left or right ie a=s, s=d etc. So Jane says mix it up more to safeguard your password and to prevent hackers getting into your computer and stealing your passwords.
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