Over the years, I have received numerous guest post submissions for my blog. I have only accepted one. Others have been cheesy attempts to advertise to you, and a few have been submitted by people who threw something together and submitted it to dozens of blogs at once. I know you wouldn’t have appreciated posts like that, so I politely declined.
These days, I’m receiving increasing numbers of submissions, a few of them quite good, so I created some guidelines so people know what will and will not be considered as a guest post at the Indie Business Blog. For those of you with something of quality to share, this is your invitation to write for my blog! Continue Reading…
One of my favorite recent discoveries is David Allen, author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. (affiliate link) Allen’s book is wildly popular and his methods are used by some of the nation’s most well-respected organizations. Recently, my friend Tasra Dawson told me about the video of part of a presentation David Allen delivered to Google employees about how to master your work flow.
(If you’re reading this via email or RSS and can’t see the video, click here.)
Allen says that someone has called this “knowledge work athletics.” I found his points so compelling that I jotted them down to share with you. It’s worth 45 minutes of your time to watch the video, but if you can’t, take note of these 5 keys to gaining control of your work flow. (These are my summaries of Allen’s words, not Allen’s words.) Continue Reading…
This is Part 5 in the “How to Turn Unused Space Into a Video Set” series, and am learning a lot as the dry wall goes up in the new Indie Business TV set. In this video, the contractor says we should be ready to paint and decorate in a few days! All it takes is a plan and a little bit of elbow grease to create a special space where you can share your products and ideas with the world.
(If you’re reading this via email or RSS and cannot see the video, click here.)
Here are just three of the reasons (and there are lots more!) why video is indispensable to your business today. Your “video set” doesn’t have to be fancy (as you can see), but without one, you are selling yourself and your customers short. Using video is an extremely important requirement for small business success today, and that is one reason why I am sharing you how we are doing this — step by step Continue Reading…
After our introductory video, I shared how we plan to control the light, a very important part of planning your set. I also told you about the exciting arrival of the dry wall that will cover our set. Today, I want you to see how the dry wall application is going. Since we are a DIY family, we hired a contractor to come over this morning to get us started. He stayed for a few hours and told my husband what to do and how to do it. After he left, my spousal until got down to business.
My son even got into the act, but that part of the video did not come out right. Once the dry wall is in place, he will spackle and paint it. Then we’ll be ready to decorate — my favorite part (even though I’m not much of a decorator.
I know were bringing this to you in pieces, but we’ll tie the whole thing together in a single blog post when we’re done. Or maybe it would make a good e-book too.
Question: Are you thinking about how to put your set together? I’m looking forward to seeing your little corner of the media world and all the great information you will share there!
For those who may be new here, I am the president of the Indie Beauty Network, a trade organization representing small manufacturers of soaps, cosmetics, candles, fragrances and aromatherapy products. IBN members also make confectionery products and jewelry, and many members provide services to the companies that make products. I am an attorney (though not practicing one at the moment). I am not a lobbyist. I am an award-winning advocate for small businesses, most particularly very small businesses that are bootstrapping incredible companies in industries across the economic spectrum in this country. I follow business issues closely, especially as they pertain to the tiniest ventures in cities and towns nationwide.
This morning, I shared the following commentary at Stacy Malkan’s blog in response to her post about the defeat earlier this week of the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. My comment is now awaiting moderation. After I submitted my comment, I realized that the information I was sharing was so important that it should be at my blog, so I could share it with you directly. If you are a small business owner in any industry, pay close attention. You too must fully embrace your legislative advocacy power. Continue Reading…
Yesterday, I started using the pedometer given to me as a surprise Christmas gift by Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry. I decided against a morning run so I could prepare for the hearings on the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act, which ran from 3:30pm to 8:44pm EST. According to Kimberly Linton, my guest on yesterday’s Indie Business Radio Show, one should aim for 10,000 steps daily to achieve maximum fitness, especially if weight loss is a goal. When I went to bed last night, my pedometer read 2,789.
This morning, I made a different choice. After taking my children to school, I headed for the gym for a 2-mile run. (Well, I walked really fast for a mile and ran for a mile.) Yep, that’s my treadmill glamour shot. When I got off the treadmill, my pedometer read 6,411. And it was not yet 9:00am.
It’s not as if I haven’t finished a run before 9:00am before. I’ve done it before, although I have not been at all consistent. What’s different today is the pedometer, which objectively reflects the dramatic difference that comes from one simple decision.
I’m nowhere near where I need to be. For me, fitness is a battle I have fought and lost many times before. I’m not brazen enough to say that this time will be any different. But I do know that this day will be different. It already is, and that makes me happy.
Question: What choices can you make today to maximize your fitness level?
@sarvasoap Yes, it stinks. How would you like to see regs changed so that your soap is not a drug, but is more than a cosmetic? in reply to sarvasoap1 day ago
. (affiliate link) Allen’s book is wildly popular and his methods are used by some of the nation’s most well-respected organizations. Recently, my friend 
