Yesterday, my husband and I taped the Lifestyle CEO cable television show, and we did it with our kids at our sides. We waited until the last minute to secure our usual sitter, but she was not available so we were stuck. At the eleventh hour, a next-door neighbor agreed to help us, but since she was too young to stay in our home alone with the children, we piled into the car and went to the studio to tape the show.

Seeing my children sitting just feet away from me as my husband and I taped our television show reminded me that we really are creating the life we love. We are not bowing to traditional notions of what parenting should be like. We are making up our lives as we go along, doing things we love to do on our own terms and including our children every step of the way. The whole experience reminded me that you can either make things in your life the way you want them to be, or you can allow the world to dictate how your life should be.

In other words, you can make it so the way things are is however you want them to be.

Create Your Own Reality

I’m not suggesting that you live as if nothing matters but your own reality. But I am suggesting that you can choose to create for yourself the kind of reality you want to live in on a daily basis.

How I Was Raised

When I was growing up, the way things were was that mom and dad worked all day outside the home. After dinner, my brother and I did our homework and went to bed. In some of my friends’ households, dad worked all day outside the home, mom did lots of different things depending on the family’s income level and other variables, and then after dinner my friends did their homework and went to bed. All of us were told to finish high school, go to college — and then maybe graduate school — prepare a resume and get a job so we could support ourselves.

How My Parents Were Raised

But my parents were not raised that way. My father’s father was one of the first African Americans to be licensed as a master plumber in Washington, DC. He endured discrimination of all kinds as he tried to provide for his family. But if someone’s pipes broke, he was the most important person in the universe, so he made a good living going on plumbing calls as they arose and spending the rest of his time at home with his family and doing other things he liked to do. My father learned simple plumbing tasks and one of his jobs as a youngster was to help his father in the family business.

My mother’s parents were farmers in rural North Carolina. They owned thousands of acres and they made a good living selling cotton, tobacco, corn, tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers. They also generated income by renting farmland to other farmers. My mother and her siblings rose early in the morning to work the farm, eat breakfast and go to school. (Guess what I did during my summer vacations!) When they came home, there was more farm work followed by dinner and then off to bed. After getting up before the sun rose to pick cotton, everyone was exhausted after dinner. My grandfather designed and built the family home himself, along with the 3 barns that surrounded it, a chicken coop, a tobacco barn and an outhouse.

What Happened?

Somewhere between my parents and me, there was a thing called the Industrial Revolution and it tore a path of destruction right through the family unit. Suddenly, people could leave home and go to a “job” and work for someone else. You left home early to punch someone else’s clock (in) instead of your own. Several hours later, you punched the same clock (out), ate dinner, watched the news, kicked it around with the kids for a few minutes and went to bed. Then you got up and did it all over again the next day.

You saw your kids when you were exhausted, and then your spouse after that. No one in your family ever saw you work. No one in your family worked with you. There was a total separation between life and work. (Can you spell “d-i-v-o-r-c-e?”)

Fast Forward to Today

As I started my career, I didn’t think much about that. After all, it was the way things were. But as my life progressed and I started contemplating marriage and family, having such a huge schism between who I was personally and who I was professionally began to seem increasingly unnatural. I have spent the last decade of my life fusing my separate people back together again, and not a moment too soon. This is living!

While my husband and I were nervous about having our toddlers on the set, we soon saw that we were fretting over nothing. While our stress level spiked a bit, our kids were so excited to be involved in mommy and daddy’s TV show. My daughter proudly wore her Lifestyle CEO t-shirt underneath her dress and put on a crown and way too much of my makeup. My son operated a television camera on his father’s shoulder. We were doing what we loved, working together as a unit to take care of ourselves. Everyone was learning something. We were a team, supporting ourselves and having fun. Can you beat that?

Back to the Future

My life resembles my grandparents’ lives more than my parents’ lives, and my children are being raised more like my parents were raised than like I was raised.

I am so glad to live in an age where we as parents have the option to set up things the way we want them to be and not how society dictates that they should be.

We can have children and still do what we love to do. We can nurse our infants while we email a client. We can fix grilled cheese sandwiches while we chat with a vendor on the phone.

We’ve gone Back To The Future, and we take our kids to work with us every day without leaving the house. And I love every minute of it!

Question: Have you gone back to the future in terms of how you manage your life? Your household? Your career?

Failure is uncomfortable and embarrassing. But it is also empowering, if you allow it to be. For one thing, failure helps you empathize with others. This is good not only in personal relationships, but also in business ones. When you empathize with the failures and challenges of others, you are better equipped to enhance their lives with what you have to offer.

Failure also teaches you to ask for help. Whenever I try something and get nowhere, I reach out to friends or business colleagues who are already doing what I want to do. Sometimes I have to pay for their insights, sometimes it’s free. Either way, when faced with continually failing or improving my circumstances, asking for help becomes a no-brainer.

Fear of Failure Leads to Irrelevance

Many would-be small business owners have collected mountains of information necessary to successfully own and manage a business. They can tell me everything they need to do to make a go of it. And then they do nothing. Why? Because they are afraid they’ll miss something. They are terrified of making a mistake or doing something incorrectly.

Meanwhile, other people are pushing them out of the way.

They are being made irrelevant and they don’t even know it.

My Failures. And There Are Lots.

A few years back, I launched a magazine. I drastically underestimated the amount of resources it would take to create, edit, publish and circulate the publication. My goal was to publish quarterly. After three issues published over a two-year period, I admitted defeat. I’d had enough. I had failed. I refunded thousands of dollars to subscribers and sponsors. It was not pretty.

Today, I empathize with people who manage the magazine publication process. What’s more, I can help them by sharing how they can avoid some of the mistakes I made. My failure is made even more valuable because I am now equipped to try again if I want to, and do a better job the next time around.

The first time I quit my super-cool paying real corporate job, it was to open an aromatherapy shop. I had a blast tearing through thousands of dollars. I made soap, candles and aromatherapy products all day long, in between long herbal tea sessions with my customers on a cushy couch the landlord let me use for free. I had so much fun that I went broke.

When I went back to my old boss begging to have my old job back (or any job!), the first thing she said to me was, “Oh, I heard your business failed, so that’s why you’re back?” Fighting back tears, I explained that I did not consider it a failure, but a learning experience. But if she wanted to call it a failure, that was fine with me. She hired me back on the spot. Turns out the company was in a jam for people at that very moment. My failure worked for me and the company. Talk about timing.

I am sharing this with you because I am the real deal. If I can fail and keep on going, you can too. In fact, you’d better. Because when you’ve done all you can to make it happen, but it’s still not happening, possible failure in the face of a try is your only option.

When all else fails, fail. You’ll be glad you did.

Question: How have you turned failure into victory?

There was once a restaurant on the Atlanta, Ga, campus of Morehouse College called “Delights of The Garden.” Originally owned and operated by Imar Hutchins and some of his college friends, the restaurant was a huge success. The founders eventually opened two locations in my hometown of Washington, DC, one on the Howard University campus and one in Georgetown.

One fine day, Imar Hutchins walked into my aromatherapy shop and just started talking. We became instant friends, and supported each other in our early entrepreneurial endeavors. We lost touch when he went to New York to attend law school. His restaurant eventually closed, but not before he published a cookbook called, “The Joy Of Not Cooking: Vegetarian Cuisine Cooked Only By the Sun.” I think I am one of the lucky few to have one of the only copies.

The “not cookbook” was published in 1994 and my copy is in pieces, but I dragged it out of the garage recently to revive some of the recipes I loved all those years ago. I have discovered that since stepping up my fitness routine, hosting WorkOut Wednesdays on FaceBook and becoming more conscious and deliberate about what I eat, I seem to be craving more wholesome foods. Go figure. Anyway, yesterday, I enjoyed Avocado Grand. It’s a smooth, delicious and healthy way to enjoy the benefits of avocados, which are rich in natural oils. This recipe is super fast and easy, and makes one serving.

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 small tomato (I used an orange heirloom variety, which is why it’s so lightly colored in the photo)
1/4 red onion
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tablespoon tamari (I used reduced sodium)
Spike to taste (I used gluten-free)

Instructions

1. Halve the avocado and remove the stone. Scoop out the avocado and cut into square chunks. Squeeze the juice of a quarter lemon on the avocado chunks and stir to make sure juice gets all over them. Don’t worry if some of the chunks get a little mashed up.
2. Chop the tomato and add it. Then chop the onion finely and add it. Chop the garlic finely and add it. You can omit the garlic if you’re not a big fan like me. Stir everything.
3. Season with tamari and Spike.

Enjoy this immediately while everything is just freshly chopped. It’s delicious and oh so healthy!

Where Is Imar?

Sometime after the original Delights of the Garden book was published, it was picked up by a publishing house which published a version that is no longer available as far as I can tell. I have yet another version of the book, which includes a 30-day meal plan, but I can’t seem to find it right now. I think it’s in my garage somewhere.

I also found this link, which shows that Imar co-authored another cookbook called Vegetarian Soul Food Cookbook, and enjoyed a bit of media attention too boot!

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any current phone or email information for Imar, but I have never forgotten him and will always consider him a treasured friend.

I did find Imar’s 2006 New York Times wedding announcement. It says he got married on Belize and that he’s now a real estate attorney. I love knowing that dear friends I’ve lost touch with are doing well.

Congratulations, Imar! Next time you Google yourself, I hope you find this post and stop by to say hello and let me know how you are!

Question: Have you enjoyed any unique raw foods? I’d love it if you’d share a favorite recipe.

Let’s face it — we don’t like working out. No matter what new fangled Wii Fit device or belly bustin’ technique hits the market, we still hate interrupting our daily work routine to break a sweat. But what if we could get paid to work out? Well, you can, and I’m going to show you how through a new concept I call “exer-preneurship.” It’s a new way of looking at exercise that keeps you fit and paid at the same time.

Yep, that’s me. Suited up, Blackberry in hand and ready to build my business and my body on my elliptical trainer. Let’s start with blogging. It’s one of my favorite exercise routines. That’s right, I blog while I exercise, and it’s one of the best things I do for my business.

I come up with new post ideas, brainstorm business attraction strategies and even draft blog posts while working out on my elliptical trainer. In effect, I am expanding the benefits of exercise from keeping my body in tip top shape to keeping my business fit. I call this technique “exer-preneurship.” Here’s how I do it.

The Tools

First you need a device to capture your ideas. My preferred gadget is my Blackberry Tour smartphone. I just can’t type fast on those sexy little iPhones, but if that works for you, go for it. You can also use the Droid, the Glisten, the Tilt or whatever works for you.

Next, you need creativity. And don’t tell me you don’t have any. I’ve heard it said that, ” Everything you learned in business school or in corporate America can be outsourced, except creativity,” and I believe that.

An open, exploring mind is your only real competitive advantage. Use it.

Finally, you need your towel, water bottle and whatever else helps you function as you workout.

The Process

Follow these steps or use them to hack out your own.

1. Get comfortably settled on your chosen piece of exercise equipment.
2. Open the “Notes” application on your phone.
3. As your mind and body move through the repetitive exercise motions, the creative energy will flow more freely. Use it to come up with a gripping headline for a great blog post that will share something you are really passionate about. Record the headline in your notes. If you come up with more than one, include them all. You can go back later and choose the best one.
4. Bang out a general outline for the post’s content. Start with an introductory paragraph, then fill in the outline with body copy. To keep things moving, avoid editing or checking spelling and grammar at this point. Keep the creative energy flowing and focus on just getting the material out. You can edit the post later.
5. Once your draft is complete, email it to yourself for further editing on your computer. I use an email address created specifically to capture draft blog posts. That way, I finalize them without distractions. I use notes@mydomain.com.

Blogging Is Just the Beginning

In addition to blogging, there are plenty of other “exer-preneurship” tasks you can perform while working out. If you’re working out next to someone, ask what words he or she would type into a search engine to find a business or a blog post like yours. Consider using those words in your next post or site update.

Listen to an inspiring business seminar or book while you work out. Create a list of potential guest blog post opportunities or add new things to your marketing tactics list. (You do have one of those, right?)

Draft your next press release. Call your virtual assistant and hand off a specific task to him or her.

Send a quick reminder to a prospective client or potential collaborator.

Set up a referral introduction between two colleagues.

The possibilities are endless.

Done!

Of course I composed the first draft of this post while I worked out. I also got a ton of other stuff done. Like I always say, “It’s better to wear out than to rust out.”

Now you should have some motivation to keep moving, not only your business but also your body.

Question: Are you an “exer-preneur?” How do you do “exer-preneurship?”

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!

TOPICS

As you can see from the upper left column, my blog covers Advocacy, Fitness, Leadership, Small Business Success and Social Media, and there are sub-topics underneath each one. I will accept submissions in any of those topic areas.

POST GUIDELINES

1. I only accept original articles never before published, and ask that you not publish them elsewhere afterwards.
2. I encourage you to Tweet the post, and to write short teasers at your blog and elsewhere, with a link back to the post here, but do not re-print the entire post.
3. While you do not have to blog nearly daily as I do, you do have to have an active and well maintained blog in order to be a guest writer here.
4. Please submit your work with your byline and one link to you, along with a link to your active and vibrant Twitter page. I will link back to both if I publish your article. I do not require that you have a specific number of Twitter followers, but it must be clear from your Twitter page that you are proactively engaging with people and not just Tweeting out your blog posts and promotional items. The more engagement I see, the more likely I am to choose your post for publication.
5. Your submission should be approximately 500 words. I will select a graphic. While I don’t expect anyone to “write like me,” I do hope you will read enough posts and comments to get a feel for the type of articles my readers respond to.
6. I will edit your post for grammar, aesthetics, etc. If I have to make substantive changes in order to ready it for publishing, I will probably not use it. If I add anything by way of introduction, summary or editorial commentary, I will be sure to set it apart from your writing.
7. I will let you know if I choose your article for publication, and provide you with an approximate publication date so we can work together to plan the best timing. I will let you know if I do not choose your article for publication, but I will not necessarily explain why. It’s usually because it’s too sales-y, or just not the right fit for Indie Business Blog.
8. By submitting a post to me, you are certifying that it is your own original work of authorship, that it is not copied from anyplace else and that your submission does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of anyone else.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

If you would like to submit a guest post in accordance with the above guidelines, please send it to me at IndieBusiness [at] Gmail [dot] com. At the bottom of your submission, write this: “I agree to comply with the Submission Guidelines posted at Indie Business Blog. I certify that this submission is my original work of authorship and does not infringe on the intellectual property right of anyone else.”

Please do not send any attachments. Put your submission in the body of an email message.

Question: Have you ever been a guest blogger, or accepted guest posts submissions for your blog? How did things go?

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.)

1. Deal with what’s in front of you. This is about gaining control by collecting everything in your physical environment that has potential meaning to you. For example, look around your work area and put everything you don’t use all the time (like the phone, laptop, printer, pen holder) in boxes and label them. Starting with the detailed chaos and working your way up allows you to clear your brain from the ground up so it can focus on what it was designed to focus on: intelligent thinking.As you gain control of the small, unimportant details, your perspective improves and you are better able to to focus and act on the big ones.
2. Clarify what those things mean. Now that you’ve cleared your space, you can focus on clarifying what needs to be done. This helps you avoid the fatigue associated with a bunch of undone, unaddressed, psychologically repulsive stuff.
3. Organize. This is about context. If your work area is clear and everything else is in labeled boxes, you can toss out what you don’t need and fit the rest physical space. Once everything has a physical space, you can focus on giving it only the mental space it needs.
4. Review, and review repeatedly. Put what’s not discarded into a system (well, you have to create one that works for you) that you use and review repeatedly so your brain can let it go. Once everything is properly stored and accounted for in your physical system, it can be dealt with at the right time (and this is critical) in your mental one. This process releases your brain from the worry and anxiety produced by all the “stuff.” It relaxes your brain so it can be productive. Everything not discarded is safely stored in a specific physical context, making it available to your intelligence at the exact time it’s needed.For example, if you’re completely overwhelmed this week because you have to write and Tweet a blog post, update your FaceBook Fan Page, accept your LinkedIn connection requests and check in at your women’s business networking group, you use use these work flow keys to create a social networking system of your own.

   Knowing that you’ll check LinkedIn on a particular day at a particular time, that you’ll blog on a particular day at a particular time, etc., lets your brain know that you don’t have to worry about those things until the time to do so comes up in your system. This frees your brain to focus on other priorities. It doesn’t have to worry about FaceBook until your system says it has to worry about FaceBook.

5. Engage and do. Now that your mind is free from the annoying details that clutter and sabotage your productivity, you can engage your brain in intelligent activities that produce results.

It’s not rocket science, but if you are a small business owner, your ability to increase both productivity and profitability depend on your ability to prioritize and control tasks you must perform. If you’re like me and you own and manage a family business from home, you can take your life one compartment at a time — kitchen, home office, bedroom, etc. — and just go through the steps here.

Question: How do you control your work flow for maximum productivity?

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

1. Video Breathes Life Into Your Business. Video allows you to share “in real life” from your heart. Characters on a screen cannot make eye contact with your customers. Static images are good, but not good enough. Now that video technology is easily available and inexpensive, your customers deserve to have the option of seeing you look them in the eyes and share how your products and services can enhance their lives.

   Only you can bring your products to life. Without video, you’re making it harder on yourself and on them.

   With video, you can deliver your customers the real you, in a real-life environment. It’s authentic, un-staged, open and people respond to it.

2. Video Encourages Dialog. Your customers can’t ask questions about your products if the only means you provide for interaction is a static website. Use FaceBook, your blog, Twitter and other free digital tools to make it easy for them to ask you questions, share their ideas and give you reliable, first-hand feedback about how you are doing.

   When you open up to people, people will open up to you. It’s that simple.

3. Video Shows Commitment. Anyone can write a blog post or add static images to a static website. But don’t your customers deserve more? When you add video to your outreach repertoire, you are showing an increased level of commitment to serve your customers. Making a video is not hard, but it does require an added level of commitment.

   I’m not saying that lack of video shows lack of commitment. But the reality of business today is that the status quo is completely un-extraordinary. And if you have extraordinary products, you should not hesitate to show them off in extraordinary ways. Video is one of those ways, and the price is right.

   If you want your customers to go the extra mile for you (and ponying up their credit card number, email address, etc., is going the extra mile), then you must also go the extra mile for them. Video shows your commitment to go the extra mile, to make the extra effort to win their business.

Today, no matter what you sell or to whom you sell it, you must also embrace your role as chief publisher of information people need to make an informed decision about whether to buy what you have to offer. There’s no magic. No secret sauce. Just pick up your video camera (or borrow a friend’s) and start where you are. I’ll be posting more frequently on this topic as our set nears completion.

Question: Where is your Youtube channel? If you don’t have one, what are you waiting for? If you have one and nothing’s there, why not?

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.

1. In response to a comment at the blog from someone who said “small businesses (crafters, Etsy.com folk, etc) were totally freaked out” by the Consumer Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), I said this:

   Small and independent business owners were not a part of the Congressional debate where CPSIA was concerned. We found out about it after it became law, and so all of the activity on their part took place after the fact, at the agency level. You describe CPSIA as imposing safety standards, and you are correct. However, it imposed one-size-fits-all safety standards that are not appropriate or desirable for an entire industry.

   CPSIA was triggered in large part by the actions of multi-billion dollar companies importing toys manufactured in other countries with little to no meaningful lead-based standards. Small and independent companies were not causing the problem that CPSIA sought to alleviate, yet they were treated in the same way as the huge companies.

   The law may be the same, but the impact is not. CPSIA was not and is not carefully tailored to deal with the problem it is supposed to be dealing with. It is a broad brush that did lots of things, some of them good. But it is not without its flaws, and one of them is that tiny companies that were not contributing to the problem were pushed out of the entrepreneurial and small business landscape for no good reason.

2. In response to a comment that said that the small business owners who testified at the Colorado hearings earlier this week were “pathetic-seeming,” I said this:

   The small and independent business owners I see every day are not “pathetic-seeming.” Instead, they are men and women, mothers and fathers and people just like the rest of us. They are seeking to responsibly provide for themselves and their families, as all of us must do, and they are doing their part to make the world and their communities better places by creating and making available for sale products that enhance millions of people’s live every day.

   Follow members of IBN on Twitter, and instead of pathetic, you’ll see courage, tenacity, purpose, style and the American dream in action. There is nothing pathetic about that. (I added that last part later.)

3. In response to the comment that the statement that, “small businesses will suffer” is a “line,” I said this:

   Small businesses will suffer is not a line. It is the truth. That fact alone does not mean that new laws are unnecessary or that a new law should not go into effect simply because small businesses on the whole will be adversely impacted financially. That’s only part of the reality.

   It is not unreasonable for the impact of a proposed law on all interested parties to be considered before that law goes into effect. No bill should become law behind a smokescreen. The process should be transparent, and it should give all parties, even the ones you and I disagree with, a chance to be heard. That is what a democracy is all about and those are the principles upon which this nation was founded.

   Small and independent business owners want to produce the best possible products. That means, among other things, that they want to create products that are safe for their customers to use, reasonably priced, aesthetically pleasing and profitable. They want, and rightly so, to be able to do so on a level playing field where everyone has a chance to compete based on his or her own personal and product-based merit and resources.

   Based on the voices that spoke on Monday, it is clear that Colorado made the right choice. Perhaps you come to a different assessment after listening to six hours of hearings, but that is my conclusion. I listened to the entire hearing from start to finish to make sure my comments were fully informed. I applaud the State of Colorado and any other legislature that makes accommodation for all sides of an issue to have a voice.

   I also commented on statements in the blog post itself, as follows:

   1. On loose use of the phrase, “cancer causing,” I said this:

      You say “cancer causing” sort of like it is a suitable catch-all phrase for the efforts behind this bill. While the testimony was clear that some substances may cause harm somewhere and somehow, it was far from clear that the amounts used specifically in cosmetics used by humans rise to that level. Susan Roll of the Colorado Women’s Lobby said this:

      “I wish I could say that there was an abundance of science linking this. … There is a little bit of science. We don’t have an abundance of science. I wish we had it.”

      What that means is there are reasons to be concerned. What it doesn’t mean is that I should be able to pull a cosmetic off the shelf and without even buying it or opening the jar, have a cause of action against the company that made it. That’s one of the things the bill would have allowed me (if I lived in Colorado) to do.

   2. With regard to scientific testimony presented at Monday’s hearing, I said this:

      Dr. Richard Adamson, one of the scientists who testified, said that a woman would have to eat, “3 or 4 tubes of lipstick a day for 70 years before it could become potentially harmful.” Dr. Adamson also said of 1,4-dioxane (which can be used as a foaming agent in cosmetics), one of the substances that would have triggered the law, that a person would have to take 700 baths a day for 70 years in order for the substance to become potentially harmful. One obvious flaw in the science, he said, is that much of the science is based on tests conducted on animals — tests that expose the animals to large amounts of the substances and often through oral ingestion, which of course does not happen with cosmetics.

      More testimony posited that many “natural” (which can also be defined in many ways as we all know) ingredients do in fact contain trace elements of some of the substances targeted by the bill. While a last minute amendment limited the bill to only a handful of substances, instead of a potentially unlimited number as the original bill did, the scientists who testified still said that the science is not there to say that all of them pose a particular hazard in a particular quantity, when used like cosmetics are used.

      I am not a scientist so I will leave the details to the record of the proceedings, but it is very clear that the lawmakers were very uncomfortable with the notion that a person could sue a company and get thousands of dollars in damages based on science that was not there, and also without showing that they were injured by the product at issue.

      These are a few examples of the facts that were brought forth during the over 6-hour hearing. A law must be based on something besides emotion, fear and panic. All of those things are fleeting — they pass from one day to the next. A law must instead be based on the best available facts everyone can collectively find at a given point in time. Those facts are what this entire process is seeking to uncover — so a law based on tangible facts can be passed, not a law based on broad brush strokes that sweep everything under the umbrella of “safe.”

   3. On the roll of the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics, I said this:

      During her testimony, Susan Roll, vice chair of Women’s Lobby of Colorado, testified that she is a founding member of the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics. Her relationship was not further defined in her testimony and no one asked for clarification. However, the fact that she is a founding member of the Campaign does indicate the presence of a relationship and possibly a very close one.

      Professional relationships do not have to be defined by traditional pay checks or consulting fees in order for them to be relevant. I think it is disingenuous to say that it was the Colorado Women’s Lobby who sponsored the bill, and behave sort of like the Campaign is a disinterested party just standing by letting the chips fall where they may.

   4. On the FDA, I said this:

      You and everyone else in the universe is correct that FDA is under-funded. They admit it and we know it. However, it is Congress that gives them the authority (or not) to do what they do, and it is Congress that appropriates funds so they can carry out their mission.

      As you know, pending now in the House Energy & Commerce Committee is the FDA Globalization Act of 2009, which if passed, will change how cosmetics are regulated in this country. We all know that that bill is going to change dramatically in its next revision, and more revisions can be suggested going forward to cover issues not covered in that bill. It seems odd to me that the Colorado lawmakers didn’t seem to know that the federal bill exists. It also seems odd that any advocacy group would seek to change 50 separate state laws rather than change a federal one that would apply equally to all parties.

      Cosmetics are sold all over this country. If I make lip balm in South Carolina, does it make sense that I should have to comply with 50 laws and a federal one too, in order to sell that product to customers nationwide? By that logic, I’d have to keep a changing list of substances for 50 states, probably change my labeling on each tube 50 times and maybe be subject to 50 different types of lawsuits by millions of people in all of the United States every time I sold a $6.00 one-quarter ounce tube of lip balm made with olive oil and beeswax.

      No industry can operate in such a stifling environment, and consumers would not be able to buy the products they enjoy if that became the state of the law. I say all this to say, why not continue to work diligently and in a public way (as is being done with states) with Congress, and encourage states to work with Congress, to pass new laws that would apply nationwide?

   5. In closing, I said this:

      In closing, I would like to say that I am encouraged to read your comments at a former Compact signer’s blog that you see some common ground for small companies and the Campaign to pursue. It is my hope that that common ground exists, and that we can uncover and capitalize on it for the benefit of consumers and cosmetics companies nationwide. I look forward to working with you to do that.

   The dialog continues.

   Question: What do you think of the ideas and commentary here? Do you agree? Disagree? What would you change or add? How are you embracing your legislative advocacy power in your industry? Are you a change agent? Are you leading the charge? Burying your head in the sand? Letting others do the heavy lifting for you?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/04/small-business-owners-embrace-your-legislative-advocacy-power/feed/ 17 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/02/pursuing-fitness-one-small-victory-at-a-time/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/02/pursuing-fitness-one-small-victory-at-a-time/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:49:32 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7833

   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?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/02/pursuing-fitness-one-small-victory-at-a-time/feed/ 7 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/01/bad-science-and-bad-public-policy-combine-to-defeat-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/01/bad-science-and-bad-public-policy-combine-to-defeat-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:32:28 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7779

   Today, I listened to the live testimony given in support of and in opposition to the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act (HB 10-1248). I am told that an audio recording of the testimony will be made publicly available by the Colorado legislature and if so, I will post it when it becomes available. Although each side was given a total of only 40 minutes to testify, because the time for question and answer by the legislators was not counted, the hearing lasted from 3:30pm to 8:44PM EST, including a short summary by a sponsor of the bill, Rep. Dianne Primavera and a final vote, after which the bill failed by a 7 to 4 vote.

   

   This post shares the major issues that were addressed by people on both sides of the matter in today’s hearing. Please note that some of the testimony surrounded scientific issues on which I have little to no expertise. I listened carefully and took good notes, but I reserve the right to update this post to make any necessary corrections. Here are some of the people who testified for and against the bill.

   Testifying against the bill were IBN member Cindy Jones of Sagescript Institute, the Personal Care Products Council (one of whose representatives was once the head of the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics & Colors), Candidate Jerell Klaver, Elissa Klaver of Salus, a representative of Vitamin Cottage retail store chain, the Estee Lauder Companies, Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson.

   Testifying for the bill were Susan Roll, Vice Chair of the Women’s Lobby of Colorado, Dr. David Norris (alongside Ms. Roll), Sarah Johnson of Serjj Organics, Rita Bellino of Queen B Spa, the Autism Society of Colorado and a registered neonatal care nurse. I know I am leaving out a few people, but those were the major players. These were the main points of discussion.

   1. Private Right of Action. One of the reasons the bill failed is because it creates a private right of action for Colorado consumers to bring suits against cosmetics manufacturers without presenting a basic cause of action for personal injury. Without getting too much into the legalities, in order to recover damages in general, a person must show there the defendant owed a duty to the plaintiff, that the defendant breached that duty, that an injury resulted and that the injury was caused by the breach of the duty owed by the defendant.

      The bill as drafted would have opened the floodgate for opportunistic lawsuits which would have resulted in the imposition of penalties on any cosmetics company simply because a certain substance was found in a particular cosmetic, and no damages would have been required. There was some discussion about whether a statute allowing such an action is constitutional under Colorado law. While that question does not seem to have been answered to the satisfaction of everyone, it was clear that many of the lawmakers were troubled by the notion that substantial civil penalties could be imposed without any showing of injury.

      One legislator (who is also an attorney, apparently in private practice) made the point that the law created a way for him to start pulling cosmetics off the shelf, doing his own testing and then suing the companies whose products tested for any of the substances prohibited by the law, and he wouldn’t need a client or injury to do so.

   2. Trace Elements of Prohibited Substances. Many of the lawmakers were troubled by the fact that the most minute trace element of a prohibited substance triggered liability under the law. All of the scientists on both sides of the issue testified that the state of analytical chemistry today is such that a trace element of anything can be found in anything if sophisticated testing equipment is used to look for it.

      This is supremely important because the bill did not contain a requirement that a minimum level of any substance was necessary in order to trigger liability under the law. Moreover, it was repeatedly admitted by the scientists on both sides that, even if you find a trace element of a specific substance, you cannot pinpoint that it came from any particular place.

      As Dr. David Norris (testifying for the Women’s Lobby of Colorado) put it, “The molecule is the molecule, and you can’t differentiate its source just by looking at it.”

   3. The Precautionary Principle. The precautionary principle is apparently (and this is new to me so understand it is not scientifically or eloquently put) a principle that stands for the proposition that it is good public policy to put forth consumer protection laws as a precaution, even when the need for those laws has not been substantiated by reliable science.

      This troubled lawmakers greatly, and for good reason. Everyone who testified, both for and against the bill, repeatedly stated that the science is simply not there to say that any substance used in cosmetics causes cancer or reproductive problems, even if that substance has been determined to be toxic somewhere in the world under some testing condition.

      This point was driven home when Dr. Richard Adamson (testifying on behalf of the Personal Care Products Council), said that in order for lip sticks that contain trace elements of lead to be injurious to human health, one would have to eat (yes, literally eat) 3-4 tubes of it a day for 70 years before it could become potentially harmful.

      Dr. Adamson also said of 1,4-dioxane (which can be used as a foaming agent in cosmetics), one of the substances that would have triggered the law, that one would have to take 700 baths a day for 70 years in order for the substance to become potentially harmful to a human being.

      One obvious flaw in the science is that much of it is based on tests conducted on animals — tests that expose the animals to large amounts of the substances and often through oral ingestion, which of course does not happen with cosmetics.

   4. Looking to the European Union. Many lawmakers were troubled by the fact that the legislation would have allowed the European Union to determine that a substance was unsafe for use in cosmetics in the United States, and particularly in the state of Colorado. They asked many questions of Rep. Dianne Primavera, and finally got to the bottom at least of the intent of the bill which, according to Ms. Primavera, was to require that both the European Union and one of the agencies or “authorities” listed in the bill determine that a substance is toxic before it would be triggered in the law if passed. Without getting too granular on that point, one of the many obvious problems with that is that it would have put everyone in the position of having to spend monumental amounts of time checking to see which ingredients were listed where, and when.

      It’s not possible to run a state, much less a cosmetics business, that way and the lawmakers realized that.

      Legislators were also bothered by the fact that the bill did not contain any oversight responsibility for any Colorado regulatory agency, such as the Department of Health. Many of them were also troubled, on principle alone, that Colorado would look to the European Union (where Colorado has no representatives) to give the thumbs up or not to an ingredient in a cosmetic used by consumers in their state.

   5. Why Cosmetics? Not a few of the lawmakers continually questioned why aim was being taken at cosmetics instead of at the food they had for lunch that day. Some of these comments were made tongue in cheek, but the scientists all agreed that there is simply no scientific way to show that, if someone contracts a disease, that they contracted it from bad food, bad air, bad water or anything else “bad.” Time and time again, the point was made that you simply cannot always explain devastating illnesses.

   This Is Just The Beginning

   This short summary only scratches the surface. Not only that, it is clear that enough of the problems that caused this bill to fail are fixable, so we know that a new version of the bill is likely to be introduced again.

   There are also media reports, which I have not been able to confirm, that legislation similar to this is pending in several other states across the nation. This means that we must be vigilant and mobilized to remain on the forefront of this issue. It took a few dozen people working feverishly for a full week to mobilize around this issue once we discovered that a hearing would take place today.

   If I’m not mistaken, we have IBN member Kelly Bloom of Southern Soapers to thank for sounding that alarm first, followed by IBN member Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale, followed by several other people who exchanged emails, blog posts and comments in the many hundreds to pull together this effort. Special thanks of course go to Jerell and Elissa Klaver of Salus who worked tirelessly to advocate in person before the hearing so the voice of small business would not come as a surprise.

   Will You Volunteer In Your State?

   To continue to tackle these issues at the federal level and in all fifty states, we will need people and yes, we will need money. I’m not sure how we will get the money yet, but if you are a member of IBN, you know we already have the people.

   IBN has members in all fifty states and if you are a member, I highly encourage you to join our team of State Legislative Advocacy Leaders — you can meet them here at our social network. As you can see, we have Advocacy Leaders in California, Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Washington and Vermont. Nine states down, 41 more to go, plus the District of Columbia. Please consider joining us so that we have at least one representative (preferably two) in each state to sound the alarm if and when new legislation like this arises and if it is now pending.

   We cannot do this alone, but together, we can duplicate what happened in Colorado fifty times so that we can continue to deliver safe personal care products to our customers without being driven out of business by unnecessarily burdensome laws that are based on faulty science and do nothing more than drive us out of business for no reason.

   Please join us at our FaceBook Page!

   Question: If you are a member of IBN, will you join the other volunteers? Please leave any comments or questions you have, and any volunteering, below.

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/03/01/bad-science-and-bad-public-policy-combine-to-defeat-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/feed/ 13 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/welcome-to-book-bits-the-indie-business-book-club/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/welcome-to-book-bits-the-indie-business-book-club/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:12:50 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7759

   As you know, I believe that great readers make great business leaders. Due in part to my love for books, there are few things I enjoy more than hosting my weekly radio show. Since 2005, I have featured interviews with people who share valuable expertise and insights to help small business owners succeed. While not all of my guests are authors, most are, and they include people like Paula Deen, Jack Canfield, and Warren Brown.

   

   These days, there are lots of fun ways to enjoy books, including audio versions, e-books and of course traditional bound books. There are so many great books that I do not have time to read them all, no matter what technology I use. Many of you are telling me the same thing — you love books, but you just don’t have time to read as much as you’d like.

   Introducing “Book Bits”

   I have decided to launch “Book Bits,” a book club that helps us get the most out of a book without having to read the whole thing at once.I’m not yet sure exactly how it will work, but here’s what I am thinking.

   At the end of a month, I will share one or two books that have either helped me grow my business, or that I think would help me do so. I will try to do this during the first part of the last week of the month so you have enough time to download, borrow, purchase or check the book out of the library.

   I will blog some of the chapters in those books that I feel are most helpful for busy small business owners throughout the following month. I will include my own insights and ask you to share yours.

   If you have a blog and would like to choose chapters of the books I select to share with your readers, let me know and I’ll create a way for us to support and comment at each other’s blogs..

   I think this will encourage everyone to make reading a consistent priority. It will also be helpful for everyone because if you don’t find the time to read the books featured in Book Bits, you can check here to learn from those who did get a chance to read the book, or part of it.

   Let’s Get Started!

   A few weeks ago, I purchased Seth Godin’s new book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? (affiliate link). I really wanted to read it at the time, but never got around to it. Now, with you as an incentive, I have additional motivation to prioritize reading at least some of what I have heard is a fantastic book with great ideas for moving your business forward!

   My hope is that this collaborative approach will encourage all of us to take the time to digest more of the information we need to be successful.

   More importantly, I hope we hold each other accountable for putting what we learn to work in our businesses!

   Question: What do you think of my first Book Bits choice? Feel free to suggest a chapter for us to get started!

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/welcome-to-book-bits-the-indie-business-book-club/feed/ 8 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/the-other-side-of-mompreneurship/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/the-other-side-of-mompreneurship/#comments Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:38:01 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7717

   A few weeks ago, I posted about enjoying lunch with my daughter at her school. For such a short post, it generated a lot of discussion, perhaps in part because it struck a nerve with other women who simultaneously perform professionally and as mothers, without compromising either “career”. I’ve posted in depth about these issues before, here and here.

   

   The post shared how glad I am that I quit my traditional job because doing so put me in the position of being able to have lunch with my daughter in the middle of a workday without having to answer to anyone. What I didn’t say is that I have to turn her down sometimes too. In fact, I did it last week. Twice.

   As the week progressed and activity regarding the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act increased, I knew I would not be able to have lunch with my daughter. As I declined her invitation two days in a row, I thought about my post, and decided to share the other side of the coin too. Even though I enjoy a great deal of flexibility, I still can’t have lunch with my daughter each time she asks.

   I always like to tell it like it is, and I do not want to leave anyone with the impression that my choice is the best choice, or that it is not without its special set of challenges. I also don’t want anyone who wants to leave a traditional job, but is not yet in a position to do so, to leave this blog feeling discouraged or under-appreciated.

   As women, we need to support one another’s individual career and mothering choices. I am glad to live in a nation and a time when we can exercise more choices and have more flexibility. But no situation is perfect, and while I am grateful that I can choose to drop everything when my daughter calls, I am frequently required to choose not to.

   Question: How do you encourage the women in your life to make career and mothering choices, based on what works best for them?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/28/the-other-side-of-mompreneurship/feed/ 8 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/27/should-you-join-a-competitors-fan-page/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/27/should-you-join-a-competitors-fan-page/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:22:19 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7680

   Yesterday was another fun FaceBook Friday! If you missed the previous FaceBook Friday about ways to attract people to your Fan Page, you can read it here.) This week’s question was aimed at getting a sense of what small and independent business owners consider when decided whether or not to join a competitor’s FaceBook Page. Turns out, they think about a lot!

   

   Below are a few of the many well articulated thoughts of the people who responded to the question. You can read all of the comments here. As always, IBN members are marked with the Indie leaf, and the links are to their Fan Pages, if I could find them! (If you’re here without a Fan Page link, it’s because I don’t think I’m a fan — you must let me know how to fan you in the comments!)

   Emily Caswell: “I suppose in some fields this would be a thorny issue, but in this particular group people (even competitors) are so generous and helpful, I don’t think twice about supporting their businesses.”

   Lisa Rodgers: “Some of my favorite people are ones I have met through social networks and they also happen to be my competition. I’m happy to support them and become a fan.”

   Jen Anderson: I’m a fan of a couple of my direct competitor’s, but we try to help each other and lift each other up, not steal customers and/or idea’s. There’s plenty to go around! On the other hand, there are certainly a couple other businesses that I would never become a “fan” of because they practice the opposite view.”

   Karrie Welch: “I too, am a fan of several of my competitors, but they are also my friends and inspiration. we build each other up, and support one another. There is plenty of business to go around. They are MY fans too!”

   Jeanne Kissman: “I think we can all learn from each other, I don’t have any problems with my competitors, they are also my friends.”

   JoAnne Bassett: “I fan most of my competitors. It is interesting to interact with other perfumers. All artists – natural product formulator/creators have different styles and techniques. No two perfumes are the same. No two scents or soaps are exactly the same. The packaging is different…the personality is different. Therefore, we can come together and share information regarding flowers or oils and all can learn something.

   Question: Is someone continually posting a response to your competition’s posts …is that being an opportunist or being part of a FB community?”

   Lisa Kasper: “I agree…it turns out as luck would have it, some of my best new online friends are competing businesses. We share similar interests and passions, we can spur each other on. It works out great. ‘Help thy brother’s boat across, and Lo! Thine own has reached the shore.’”

   Cindy Jones: “I don’t consider them competition but rather colleagues and happily fan them to give support.”

   Marcia Elston (group link): Chiming in withe the ‘Me Too’ for fanning/joining/networking/learning from/sharing with/advising. We are all a community and I love celebrating our differences as well as our similarities. There are times we definitely need each other, too.”

   Regina Mowrer: “If you think you’d order something from another formulator, add them! If you HAVE ordered from another formulator, add them! If they bug you with invites every whip stitch, add them? why not!”

   Dannette Evans: “Since I am so new on the block, I love being inspired by ‘My Indie Sisters.’ I aspire to do good work and put out a great product. Right now I am competing with myself and trying to carve out my niche. I have also found that in my short time I have been able to help others (new) like myself with the information I have learned over the past two years; I don’t have a problem answering any question asked of me if it will help someone.”

   Tedra Chaney: “When I fan my competitors, I usually base it on the personality behind the page. If your just always advertising your product, rather than having quality interactions, chances are I won’t fan you. After all, the ‘indie movement’ is about stepping away from the corporations who could care less about their customers, and being a more personable ‘the girl next door’ type business.”

   Sonsa Rae: “What goes around comes around. We’re all here to inspire one another. There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition; it helps us to be the best we can be!”

   La Shonda Tyree: “I am great friends with a local competitor. We have recently collaborated together and what great synergy we have together without compromising our individual brands. It’s all about the intent behind it. We have good intentions to see each other succeed.”

   Sarah Powell: “Would artists in the visual arts community not fan each other? Of course not. If we are all artisans and proud of our craft, we should embrace the larger community around us. Their work challenges ours and vice versa. not only does this improve our business, but all indie business. Great topic, though!”

   Mary Humphrey: “I love supporting others, especially those in the handcrafted industry, or small business. I love interaction and conversation. I will not join a fan page that is strictly a running advertisement. A community boils down to conversation, sharing, and I look for that interaction and discussion. Thought provoking, dM!

   Sharon Elvin (profile page): “If they are honest, have good ethics towards fellow business, make good product do the right thing, have originality and a voice of their own then I support them. If they don’t then there are better things to do with time.”

   Marge Clark: “Those who refuse to fan “on general principles’ are coming from a place of scarcity… where there isn’t ‘enough’ to go around… so if I win, you must lose. So much better if you can come from a place of abundance, rather than lack. Then you can afford to support and applaud the successes of those who are in the same field. There are some folks you couldn’t PAY me to ‘fan’ … because of lack of ethics or general shabby behavior over the years. But most of the folks I’ve met in our industry share the same passions. when one of us succeeds, we ALL succeed.”

   I think that’s a powerful note to end on, don’t you? I love the expressions shared here! They are more than just ideas or notions about what’s right. When put into the practice, they form a powerful basis for the success of small businesses nationwide. Again, you can read all of the replies here.

   Question: Do you join your competitors’s FaceBook Pages? Why or why not?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/27/should-you-join-a-competitors-fan-page/feed/ 5 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/26/colorado-cosmetics-template-letter-you-can-edit-and-use/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/26/colorado-cosmetics-template-letter-you-can-edit-and-use/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:16:40 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7665

   As you know, I have been blogging the past few days in my capacity as the leader of IBN about the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. Below is the text of a draft template you can use to send a letter to the Colorado legislature voicing your opposition to the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act. If you have not been following the updates, check this post (with video) and this one (introductory overview).

   

   Note that the letter can be customized to your liking. Insert your name and contact information and, to make it as profesional as possible, please use your letterhead. You can switch the paragraphs around to make it your own. You can also edit them or even delete anything with which you do not agree.

   The sponsors of this legislation are Representative Diane Primavera and Senator Betty Boyd.

   DIANNE PRIMAVERA: Colorado State Representative, District 33 // phone: 303-866-4667 // dianne.primavera.house@state.co.us // Fax: 303-866-2218

   BETTY BOYD President Pro Tempore: Colorado State Senator, District 21 // Phone: 303-866-4857 // betty.boyd.senate@state.co.us /// Fax: 303-866-4543

   Please be sure to send your correspondence to them at a minimum. Contact information for other Colorado lawmakers is listed here. I do not have fax numbers, but you can send the letter via email. If I get fax numbers, I will post them and share them as we go here at the blog and on Twitter. Please do not hesitate to call their offices as well, at the numbers listed. You will likely get a voice mail. Leave a message! Let’s let them know our views.

   Question: Are you sending a letter to the Colorado legislature? If so, please leave a comment to that effect in the comments section so we can see all of the people joining forces to address this important issue!

   LETTER TEMPLATE
   LETTERHEAD: with name, company name, address, phone number, email address. It is important that all of this identifying information be included.

   [DATE]

   Colorado State Capitol
   200 East Colfax Avenue
   Denver, CO 80203-1776

   To Whom It May Concern (or preferably, lawmaker’s name]:

   I wish to take this opportunity to share my position with respect to the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act, House Bill 10-1248.

   My company is a small manufacturer of cosmetics in [CITY, STATE]. While I applaud Colorado lawmakers for seeking to take steps to promote safe cosmetics, I am convinced that HB-1248 is not the best way to accomplish that goal. If this law is passed, it will put me and other small Colorado cosmetics manufacturers out of business without doing anything to help Colorado consumers or create a safer environment for them. Here are my main concerns.

   • HB 10-1248 may put me out of business.

   My business is very small. I am already struggling to stay above water in this poor economy, but I continue to dedicate resources to ensure the safety of the products I manufacture and sell. Why would Colorado create a needless, burdensome and hostile regulatory environment that would force me to close down? I am not a big business. I can’t just move somewhere else. If this law passes, not only will it confuse both me and my customers, but it would force me to sell all of my products to consumers in other states, and I cannot afford to do that. This law would result not only in loss of revenue to me, but loss of the personal satisfaction of serving people in my home state.

   If this law passes, I will go out of business while my customers experience no new benefits. They are no safer today than they will be the day after this law goes into effect. If this law passes, I would be faced with raising my prices to cover the increased cost of selling products to Colorado consumers. I would have to hire attorneys that I cannot afford in order to keep up with the law. I would have to constantly monitor a list of substances, wherever that is going to be maintained, and I would probably be faced with reformulating my products over and over again in order to keep up with changing “authoritative groups” and their studies. I cannot run a business that way.

   My business is one of multiple thousands across the state of Colorado that form the very backbone of this state’s economy. If this law passes, I will lose, my customers will lose and Colorado consumers will lose.

   • HB10-1248 does not consider pending federal legislation.

   The FDA already regulates cosmetics, and has for many years. In fact, under the FDA’s regulatory structure, cosmetics have become among the safest types of products manufactured and sold in the nation. In 2008, the House Energy & Commerce Committee circulated a draft of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008. After some revision, it was introduced last year as the FDA Globalization Act of 2009. If passed, it will completely overhaul the cosmetics laws that I have to follow.

   Why burden small Colorado businesses with a requirement to comply with new federal laws and new states laws, particularly when the goals of both lawmaking bodies are exactly the same – to promote safe cosmetics? Rather than impose potentially conflicting laws of its own, and open the floodgates for a patchwork quilt of state laws that will make it impossible to sell cosmetics to consumers in the state of Colorado, you should work with federal lawmakers to implement new federal laws that would accomplish the same goals in a more efficient and cost effective manner.

   • HB 10-1248 is vague and confusing.

   HB 10-1248 seeks to impose new legal liability on cosmetics companies based on the idea that if a single one of thousands of agencies or “formally organized programs or groups recognized as authoritative” concludes that a substance “causes cancer or reproductive toxicity,” my company can be sued and damages can be recovered, even if no damage occurs. There are several problems here.

   (1) Who is going to determine what “formally organized programs” qualify to submit data? What kind of studies do they have to submit? How will we know that we can rely on the data as scientifically sound and unbiased?

   (2) Who defines “cancer” and “reproductive toxicity?” How much evidence of either is required to invoke the statute?

   (3) How can we remove any and everything that’s potentially “toxic” from a product? Certain types of natural alcohols are used in perfumes, yet they are also toxic if not used properly. Coffee is used in cosmetics, yet it is toxic in large and inappropriate quantities.

   Even water can be deadly and toxic, and it also contains several substances which if used inappropriately, can cause injury. The very air we breathe can kill us! Is this bill designed to create a bubble around Colorado? That is not a reasonable goal and the bill is raises multiple issues along these lines because it is vague and confusing.

   I do not see where this bill is drawing on best manufacturing processes or evidence-based scientific documentation. Rather, it is drawing on anecdotal opinions. Since the law does not allow me to claim consumer benefit from my product based on anecdotal opinion, I am puzzled as to why Colorado would consider banning ingredients or products based on anecdotal opinion.

   In summary, HB-1248 would needlessly burden my business without producing any corresponding benefit for Colorado consumers It is “do nothing; feel-good” legislation that will punish me for working hard to provide for myself and my family during this nation’s, and Colorado’s, worse economic period is decades.

   I hope that Colorado will reconsider this confusing, burdensome and anti-small Colorado business law. Thank you for the opportunity to share my views.

   [SIGNED: Your name Company name]

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/26/colorado-cosmetics-template-letter-you-can-edit-and-use/feed/ 12 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/costly-confusion-in-colorado-the-bubble-bill/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/costly-confusion-in-colorado-the-bubble-bill/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:45:11 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7621

   A few days ago, I told you about the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act, which purports to seek to protect people in Colorado from substances in cosmetics that “cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” I do not like cancer and I do not want children, born or unborn, to be subject to unnecessary hazards. But after examining this bill again, I see even more clearly that it will do nothing to eradicate cancer or toxins. It will instead increase the costs to do business in Colorado, frustrate Coloradoans’s efforts to purchase the personal care products they enjoy and force the entire to state to participate in a fruitless effort to exist in what can only be described as a bubble. Where else can you find an “everything-free” environment?

   (If you cannot see the video, click here to watch it.)

   This video contains a short overview of some of the problems with the bill. You may feel free to click the embed code and share it at your blog, with a link back to this post. This situation is quite fluid right now, with updates and strategies being developed by the hour, so to remain abreast of the latest news and information, you will want to do a few things.

   1. Use the #COcosmetics hashtag to participate in the discussion on Twitter. If you have not set up your Twitter page, now would be a good time to do that. Here’s a video tutorial to show you how. Follow me for the latest news on Twitter where this issue is concerned. Retweet Tweets shared by others, especially blog posts, videos and informative links. using the hashtag will allow everyone to be involved in the conversation.

      Note that thanks to cosmetics manufacturers in Colorado, we are already connected to several media outlets who are now following this issue. Also, thanks to Jerrell Klaver, a cosmetics manufacturer and candidate for Colorado’s House of Representatives, much progress is being made. Candidate Klaver will be presenting testimony at Monday’s hearing.

   2. Testify. If you are in Colorado, you can sign up to present your oral testimony in person on Monday, March 1, 2010, at 1:30 in the afternoon at the Colorado State Capitol at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Room 0107 (in the basement) beginning at 1:30 pm. The telephone number there is (303) 866-2604.
   3. Join us on FaceBook.We are in the process of setting up a FaceBook Fan Page so stay tuned for an opportunity to join us there. Also, Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale has posted a useful listing of blog posts dealing with the Colorado bill. We have no excuse not to be informed!
   4. Write to your Colorado representatives. What follows is a list provided by Candidate Klavel of the Colorado lawmakers. Please email, write and call them with your statements in opposition to this bill. I am working tonight and tomorrow morning with Leigh O’Donnell, President of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, to draft some letters that you can use.

      Please check this blog and the Soap Guild’s blog tomorrow for templates you can cut and paste to create your own letters of objection. Here is the list of Colorado legislative contacts, courtesy of Candidate Klaver:

   Judiciary Committee
   Staff Contact: Jessika Shipley // Phone: 303-866-3528 // jessika.shipley@state.co.us // www.colorado.gov/lcs/HouseJUDCmte
   CGA-LegislativeCouncil:House Judiciary
   www.colorado.gov

   The House Judiciary Committee considers matters concerning courts and judges, civil liberties, Colorado’s constitution, revision of the Colorado Revised Statutes, etc.

   STEVE KING: Colorado State Representative, District 54 // Phone: 303-866-3068 // steve.king.house@state.co.us

   JOE MIKLOSI: Colorado State Representative, District 9 // Phone: 303-866-2910 // joe@joemiklosi.com

   B.J. NIKKEL: Colorado State Representative, District 49 // Phone: 303-866-2907 // rep.nikkel@gmail.com

   SAL PACE: Assistant Majority Caucus Chair: Colorado State Representative, District 46 // Phone: 303-866-2968 // sal.pace.house@state.co.us

   SU RYDEN: Colorado State Representative, District 36 // Phone: 303-866-2942 // su.ryden.house@state.co.us

   MARK WALLER: Colorado State Representative, District 15 // Phone: (303)866-5525 // mark.waller.house@state.co.us

   CLAIRE LEVY (Chairman): Colorado State Representative, District 13// Phone: 303-866-2578 // claire.levy.house@state.co.us

   BETH McCANN (Vice-Chairman): Colorado State Representative, District 8 // Phone: 303-866-2959 // beth.mccann.house@state.co.us

   LOIS COURT: Colorado State Representative, District 6 // Phone: 303-866-2967 // lois.court.house@state.co.us

   BOB GARDNER: Colorado State Representative, District 21 // Phone: 303-866-2191 // bob.gardner.house@state.co.us

   DANIEL KAGAN: Colorado State Representative, District 3 // Phone: 303-866-2921 // repkagan@gmail.com

   BETTY BOYD President Pro Tempore: Colorado State Senator, District 21 // Phone: 303-866-4857 // betty.boyd.senate@state.co.us

   LINDA NEWELL: Colorado State Senator, District 26 // Phone: 303-866-4846 // linda.newell.senate@gmail.com

   PAT STEADMAN: Colorado State Senator, District 31 // Phone: 303-866-4861 // pat.steadman.senate@state.co.us

   Elissa Klaver House Sponsors: DIANNE PRIMAVERA: Colorado State Representative, District 33 // phone: 303-866-4667 // dianne.primavera.house@state.co.us

   DENNIS APUAN: Colorado State Representative, District 17 // phone: 303-866-3069 //
   dennis.apuan.house@state.co.us

   KAREN MIDDLETON: Majority Caucus Chair: Colorado State Representative, District 42 // phone: 303-866-3911 // karen.middleton.house@state.co.us

   JOE MIKLOSI: Colorado State Representative, District 9 // phone: 303-866-2910 // joe@joemiklosi.com

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/costly-confusion-in-colorado-the-bubble-bill/feed/ 7 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/ivette-lost-100-pounds-in-23-months/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/ivette-lost-100-pounds-in-23-months/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:59:08 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/ivette-lost-100-pounds-in-23-months/
   This is Ivette. She is a native Puerto Rican who recently relocated to Charlotte via New York City. Ivette is a newly minted certified Zumba instructor, and she wore me out in tonight’s class. She has lost 20 pounds over the course of the past 23 months. Go Ivette!

   

   Sent from my iPhone

   Posted via email from The Lifestream of Donna Maria

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/25/ivette-lost-100-pounds-in-23-months/feed/ 0 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/24/you-have-to-learn-to-play-hurt/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/24/you-have-to-learn-to-play-hurt/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:27:27 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7591

   Earlier this month, I watched part of a CNN’s Black In America 2. In one segment, Soledad O’Brien interviewed Steve Perry, PhD, principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Ct. Born on his mother’s 16th birthday, into a 3rd generation of poverty, Dr. Perry had all odds against him. Today, he is a brilliant and inspiring, no excuses educator who rises every morning at 4:30 to pick up students and take them to school.

   

   I am impressed and inspired by Dr. Perry’s commitment to improve his own circumstances, and to use his success to help inner city children be successful. His bold, no-excuses approach has yielded stellar results. One hundred percent of graduating Capital Prep students go on to attend a 4-year college. One significant thing that struck me during O’Brien’s interview is Dr. Perry’s admonition to his students that, “You have to learn to play hurt.”

   As you might imagine, the vast majority of Capital Prep students come from broken and sometimes even abusive homes. There is alcoholism, drug abuse, physical abuse and the constant drumbeat of what I call “stuck-ness.” And even though these kids have every reason to give up, or to never even start, Dr. Perry still looks them in the eye, expresses empathy, lets the tears fall for a moment, and then tells them that their circumstances are not an excuse to fail.

   Learn To Play Hurt

   Isn’t it the same way in business? Time is short. Money is short. The economy stinks. You’re exhausted. You don’t get as much sleep as you should and probably not enough exercise. Friends turn on you because they don’t understand the hours you are putting in. Sometimes spouses don’t understand. Customers are demanding and often unforgiving. It never ends, and sometimes, you just want to crawl into a hole and give up. But to be successful in business, as Dr. Perry would say, you have to learn to play hurt.

   When you’re spent and don’t think you can respond to one more media lead, you have to learn to play hurt. When after serving customers all day you have to take care of your kids, then come back to work after they are asleep, have to learn to play hurt. When your best friends accuse you of abandoning them because you spend too much time on your business, you have to learn to play hurt. When the tax bill comes, you have to learn to play hurt.

   Make It Clear: You Are Not Here to Lose!

   Let people know that you didn’t come to lose. Play hard until you win, until you accomplish your goals. Do what you have to do to get it done.

   It’s all worth it, I assure you. Playing hurt is temporary. If you play hurt for a while, you will eventually rise above the pain to play on your own terms. Then, like Dr. Perry, you can reach back and help other people do the same.

   You can watch the entire segment on Dr. Perry and his work at this link.

   Question: Do you play hurt?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/24/you-have-to-learn-to-play-hurt/feed/ 1 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/are-you-ready-for-the-march-fitness-challenge/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/are-you-ready-for-the-march-fitness-challenge/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:12:58 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7567

   Next Monday, Kimberly Linton will be my guest on Indie Business Radio. You can see from the photo below, Kimberly means business! I recently stepped up my fitness efforts in order to put a healthy body alongside a healthy business. I plan to start Kimberly’s virtual fitness training program on March 1, and you can join me at a discount and get a chance to compete to win your choice of a $200 gift card from Amazon.com or a TRX portable home gym that allows up to 400 exercises!!

   

   More about that in a minute. To jump start my program, I started going to the gym on a more regular basis. I have also picked up my running, after nearly 4 months off, and eliminated almost all meat (beef, chicken, pork and fish) from my diet. I have also declared Wednesdays to be “WorkOut Wednesdays” at the Indie Business Fan Page. You can see all of the great ways we encouraged each other to higher fitness heights on FaceBook last week at this link. I hope you will join us tomorrow for another WorkOut Wednesday.

   Along with fellow IBN members Kayla Fioravanti, Allison Kontour and Anne-Marie Faiola, I also launched the #FitCEOs hashtag on Twitter. We use the hashtag to Tweet our workouts, health and fitness tips and recipes and to generally encourage each other to ensure that the day-to-day challenges of entrepreneurship do not interfere with our efforts to be healthy and fit.

   Collaborative Lifestreaming

   Last year, I created a collaborative lifestream to go along with the #FitCEOs hashtag. As you can see, every time someone Tweets using the #FitCEOs hashtag, it is automatically fed by the magic of RSS to the lifestream. How cool is that??! It’s very exciting to see other men and women joining in. In fact, This Tweet just came in a few minutes ago from @jim_e_gregory, and encouraged me even more!

   I have also been having fun Tweeting back and forth with @kbstudio who, as you can see here, is inspiring me and others to continue to pursue strength and endurance through running. She’s way ahead of me, but I told her not to get comfortable with her lead!!

   Putting My Radio Show Where My Mouth Is

   Beginning in March, I will host at least one radio show a month on the topic of fitness. I am very excited that Kimberly Linton will be my first fitness guest, on March 1. This is the perfect kickoff date because it’s also the start of Kimberly’s March Fitness Challenge.

   The 22 women in Kimberly’s February Fitness Challenge have lost a combined total of 97 pounds by logging food and exercise, reading labels to make better food choices and being accountable to one another by weighing in. Kimberly’s program includes her special brand of “in your face, but nicely” motivation, regular challenges throughout the month, a safe space to talk with other women about your fitness journey, nutrition and exercise tips, meal plans and workouts.

   Bonus For Indie Business Readers!

   Kimberly’s offering my readers a $5 discount on the $40 price. That’s a lot of motivation, encouragement, knowledge and accountability for a very small price! I can’t wait to get started!! The program starts on Monday so register now so we have enough people to make it happen for all of us! To get your discount us this code: FitFive

   And don’t forget to follow Kimberly on Twitter.

   Join #FitCEOs!

   And if you are the CEO of a business, why not join #FitCEOs on Twitter, just join on in! All you have to do to participate is be the leader of your own business and Tweet your workouts using the #FitCEOs hashtag. Also, share your questions, tips, recipes, books and links about how you are pursuing health in your business and your body! If you’re new to hashtags, it’s easy — just follow the basic format you see in our collaborative lifestream! Make it fun by posting pictures when you can, like I did here and here.

   Question: Would you like to join me, Kimberly and other women as we push ourselves to be our best individual best versions of fit?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/are-you-ready-for-the-march-fitness-challenge/feed/ 0 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/oppose-the-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/oppose-the-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:05:07 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7532

   In November, I shared my views as leader of IBN on the FDA Globalization Act of 2009. This post was followed by a second trip to Washington, DC to meet with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials and staffers in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. I have also shared my views on President Obama’s initiatives to earmark additional funds to support small business owners as our nation faces the challenges of a recessionary economy.

   

   As you can see from this series of posts, the potential for passage of new cosmetics laws at the federal level has existed since early 2008. We have been told that one of the factors currently preventing progress on these issues is the economy and health care. While the House Energy & Commerce Committee and all of Congress remains “on pause” regarding the FDA Globalization Act of 2009, other federal lawmakers have introduced other bills that would regulate cosmetics. These include the Safe Baby Products Act of 2009 and the Household Product Labeling Act of 2009. Not to be outdone (and probably due in part to the status of the federal legislation), at the prompting of self-motivated consumer groups, lawmakers in various states are beginning to introduce legislation that would regulate cosmetics in their own back yards. One of them is the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act.

   IBN member Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale published a great summary of the legislation, along with her commentary on why the poorly drafted bill should not become law. Those interested can track the progress of the Colorado bill here. This bill and other pieces of pending state legislation are based on experiences and opinions held by state lawmakers and their constituents, and are backed in large part by the Environmental Working Group and the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics. To read more about the potentially faulty science that supports the framework for this bill, please read Kayla’s post. As we probe the incorrect scientific presumptions behind the bill, we must also be aware of the practical adverse impact that passage of this bill would have on consumers and small business owners.

   1. The FDA regulates cosmetics. The federal government regulates cosmetics through the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act and the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act. These are comprehensive pieces of legislation that have been in place for decades. While there is little doubt that it is time for a revision of these laws in some areas, they are quite comprehensive in nature.

      The Colorado bill makes it illegal to sell cosmetics that contain ingredients that cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Aside from the questions raised in Kayla’s post about what entities Colorado will rely on to conduct and publish the studies that identify such ingredients (five federal agencies and “formally organized programs or groups recognized as authoritative” is language that is filled with potential for abuse), it should be noted that the federal government already prohibits the sale of cosmetics containing “any poisonous or deleterious substance which may render it injurious to users.”

      While states are free under the US constitutional system to pass laws that do not conflict with federal law, the question whether doing so is in the interests of its citizens in the face of the federal laws here, is an issue that does not seem to have been taken into account where this bill is concerned.

   2. A patchwork of state laws would frustrate consumers and annhialate businesses large and small. While a particular state law, such as the Colorado bill, can be written only to impact cosmetics sold within that state, the impact of such a law reaches far beyond state boundaries. Consumers seeking to purchase cosmetics from all 50 states will have their choices severely limited simply because manufacturers both inside and outside the state will stop selling products to consumers there because they cannot afford to expose themselves to liability.

      Companies that remain in the Colorado market are likely to raise their prices to account for increased regulation. Those that cannot afford to raise prices will simply exit the market, leaving Colorado consumers with limited options and variety when it comes to their personal care products.

      If all 50 states are then moved to pass similar laws of their own, there will be no coherent standard by which commerce can be conducted. Consumers seeking to purchase products made outside their state will be frustrated to find that many of their favorites are not available unless they are purchased in a different state. Businesses will not be able to plan for future growth and expansion if they must first consult 50 state laws, and federal law, to make sure they are either in compliance or put policies in place to do business in some states and avoid doing business in others.

      The adverse effects of different laws regulating the exact same products will frustrate everyone involved: consumers, lawmakers and manufacturers, and even the layperson juries who will have to sort through mountains of complicated scientific evidence and testimony to decide whether or not civil penalties are appropriate in any given case. Of course, the only people that may potentially benefit are the attorneys who will collect awards of $5,000 for the first violation and $10,000 for each subsequent violation.

   3. There is no exemption for small businesses, which are not contributing to the problem the bill seeks to solve. While it may be true that some companies manufacture cosmetics with chemicals that warrant increased scrutiny, this assumption cannot and should not be made about the cosmetics industry in general. Cosmetics are among the safest products sold in the nation today, and they always have been.

      Moreover, to the extent some ingredients are problematic (and which ones and how to identify them is a huge issue), small companies are generally not to blame. In fact, small businesses often launched because of the notion that cosmetics could be made with a larger proportion of more desirable ingredients than have typically been used by traditional cosmetics manufacturers. Passage of a bill like this one would drive large numbers of these small businesses out of the state of Colorado without providing any increased protection for the citizens in the state.

      Such a result would not be unlike what happened upon passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. CPSIA, which originated in Energy & Commerce, was signed into law by President Bush in August 2008 in order to curb the behavior of very large companies that were importing toys that contained unacceptable levels of lead content. The safety testing requirement is supposed to force companies to produce safer products, which in turn benefits consumers.

      While the law has noble goals, since the same law applies with equal force to all market participants, even the tiny companies that are not contributing to the problem, the law forced small companies out of business simply because they could not afford to comply with it — and even though their products contained none of the undesirable lead components. These little companies did not import toys or toy components. In fact, many of them made children’s products for years in small manufacturing facilities in small towns in states throughout the country. Many of them were women-owned small businesses.

      While a federal law was at issue there, the same type of situation exists here at the state level, where it is larger companies that are causing the problem sought to be addressed by the law. But the adverse impact of the law will fall unfairly on consumers and small businesses, neither of which are contributing to the problem in the first place.

   More Unanswered Questions

   Aside from the important legal and business issues raised here, a law that purports to list ingredients that are “toxic,” and therefore should not be used to make products should be carefully scrutinized to ensure that it is carefully tailored to have the desired effect. In this case, the biggest flaw in the law is not the desired outcome, but the manner in which the outcome is pursued. Putting at least five governmental agencies and any other entity calling itself an “authority” (including EWG and CFSC) in charge of what is and is not a potentially harmful ingredient is a recipe for gridlock, misunderstanding and frivolous lawsuits.

   What is the procedure for becoming a recognized “authority?” Who decides? How long does it take? How objective does one have to be to qualify? What if the science changes? How is an ingredient removed from the list if it needs to be? How is one added? What types of studies must be done? Who will monitor them? Who will pay for them? Are studies compromised when they are conducted by one of the authorities? Must the “authorities” conduct the studies, or can I conduct my own and submit them?

   These questions and others like it must be a part of the discussion before this and any other laws like it can pass muster. Kayla’s post reports that a hearing on the bill is scheduled for March 1, and you can check there for the address and room information if you wish to attend.

   Question: What are your questions about the Colorado law? Do you think it’s a good law? Why or why not?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/23/oppose-the-colorado-safe-personal-care-products-act/feed/ 23 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/21/indie-business-roll-call-week-of-2152010/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/21/indie-business-roll-call-week-of-2152010/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:21:56 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7474

   Part of the reason I didn’t publish last week’s roll call last week is because I am in the midst of re-working my business week to accommodate a new fitness routine. I am determined to find a rhythm that allows me to be as healthy as my business is. If I had not worked out 5 times last week, the roll call would have been published. But then, I’d not be feeling as strong as I do at this moment because of the way my workouts make me feel.

   

   I’ve read that 90% of businesses fail during the first five years. The way to avoid that is to understand that business is a marathon, not a sprint. In many ways, it takes the endurance and commitment of a world class athlete to run the race for the long term. To do that, we must show up day after day, week after week, year after year. These people joined me as present and accounted for at our FaceBook Page last week. Some came early in the day, some a bit later. But they were all there! Will you be there tomorrow!? IBN members have the Indie leaf beside their names!

   Tammy Wall-Brodbeck
   Milk and Cookeez

   Melissa Anderson-Stowe
   Mellabelle Designs
   A BIG YES!… Hey, Hello, and How Are You This Fine Morning! BUBBLE LOVE♥

   Lisa Kasper
   Lisa @ ☾ Blue Moon Candles here also!
   Morning! Ready to rock this morning!

   Candy Sweeney
   Nakee Natural
   Good Morning!

   Heather McCoy
   Natural Grace Organics
   You betcha! 2010 is gonna be great!

   Donna Standridge
   Saphoros Spa Essentials
   Ready and rarin’ to go!

   Jeanne Kissman
   Plum Hill
   Recession what recession? www.plumhill.net everyone have a great week!

   Donna Ruiz
   Eliza Grayson
   Ready for another great week!

   Sheri Lee Pierce
   Paradise City Herbal
   Good Morning dM and Everyone! Happy Monday

   Alana Rivera
   Etta + Billie
   Morning everyone! Hope everyone has a great week!!!

   Flutterby Jen
   Good Morning!
   Flutterby Beauty

   Tyrika Williams
   Good morning Indies and Lovers of Indies! mainelement: love is not participating in this so called recession!

   Marge Clark
   Nature’s Gift, signing in!

   Kayla Fioravanti
   Essential Wholesale signing in. WOOT!

   Dusty Warren
   The Bath Nook is here!

   Jill Gibbs Good evening!
   Black Pearl Botanicals

   Nikie Winslow Brown
   Happy Monday! I’m here, at After The Rayne!

   Charlon Bobo
   Edit Copy Proof
   No such thing as late for roll call: it’s 8 AM somewhere! Love and light to all beauty indies from expert copywriter and editor.

   Jamyla Bennu
   Oyin Handmade
   Sliding in under the monday wire, LOL! after the marathon snowstorms that shut down our region last week, our ‘week’ started last friday… happy monday (thursday) to you all and let’s have a FABULOUS indie week! )

   Jeannie Carpenter Steele
   The OV Soap Co

   Melissa Rivera
   Naturally Good Soaps

   Shelly Scott
   Good morning, Donna Maria!!
   Shelly from Thymey Bubbles here!

   Crystal McKinney
   Good Morning! Earth Natural Essentials here!

   Annie McRoberts
   Good morning all from Stonehouse Skincare!
   February 15 at 9:47am · · Report

   Linda
   Chek Kit Good Morning! You better know it! I’m here and ready to roll! 2010 is going to be the year we connect with women around the world!

   Karla Wright Hall
   T2 Dream
   Just saw this, Im here too:)

   Christina M Peterson
   C Petey Design
   Here and ready to rock some packaging design today! Good Morning and here’s to a great week!

   Christine Bellia Grudecki
   Good morning to all!
   PMI Creations is present and accounted for!

   Ishmael Holmes
   Good Morning everyone!
   Booth Outfitters is definitely present and accounted for!

   Lisa Rivera
   Blossoming Beginnings
   I found you yesterday through Samson Media and I have to say I love your spirit!!! Your articles are very well written, informative and inspiring. Thank you . Outstanding service, success and profitability are what we strive for. I am not participating in the recession!

   Danielle Ojeabulu
   Healthy Biz at Home is here!

   Dannette Evans
   Good afternoon everyone!
   Danni Davis Skin…sleep deprived but still kicking.

   Sheila Laing A little later than everyone, but am here!
   Organic Spa Girl is here!

   Cindy Yarghn
   Good Afternoon from Vixen and Venus!
   Looking forward to a productive week! Have a great week Indies

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/21/indie-business-roll-call-week-of-2152010/feed/ 2 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/20/the-snuggle-factor-boys-are-different/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/20/the-snuggle-factor-boys-are-different/#comments Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:21:36 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7454

   When my children were babies and toddlers, they were so cuddly. Whenever I wanted a hug, I got one. Whenever I wanted a snuggle, I simply started snuggling. It didn’t matter where we were or what was happening, mommy always got the warm fuzzies. Today, my 8-year old daughter still jumps at the chance to hug her mom. But my son, well, he’s a bit of a different story.

   

   My husband took these pictures today within a few minutes of each other at Reid’s Fine Foods where we stopped off for lunch after a visit to the Levine Museum of the New South’s “Cotton Fields To Skyscrapers” Exhibit. When he asked my daughter to pose with me, she came over and gave me a sweet hug, as you can see. But my son was not having it.

   First, he made us promise not to Tweet the photo. Eventually, in exchange for a promise of a new smiley face (which can be redeemed for either a sweet treat or time on the X-box), he agreed to the photo, but he still wouldn’t give me a hug or a smile.

   When we arrived home, he told me it was because he didn’t want his neighborhood pals to see him all cuddled up with his mom. This makes sense since a few months ago, in all his kindergarten glory, he advised against hugging or kissing him good-bye as I dropped him and his sister off in front of the school each morning. In place of a hug, I now engage in a high five, low five, fist bump sequence. And even that must be done in a subtle manner so we don’t risk anyone seeing how “uncool” mom really is.

   Thankfully, my daughter has not (yet) issued similar advisories. (Should I expect them soon? How soon? I need to prepare.)

   So, my cuddle-with-son-in-public days are officially over.

   Don’t tell my son I told you this, but I still get my cuddle on when it’s close to bedtime. But I didn’t tell you that.

   Question: If you have kids, or have spent lots of time around them and their parents, did you notice this as a difference between the boys and the girls?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/20/the-snuggle-factor-boys-are-different/feed/ 15 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/19/my-interview-with-lela-barker-of-from-morocco-with-love/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/19/my-interview-with-lela-barker-of-from-morocco-with-love/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:34:51 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7358

   This week, IBN member Lela Barker, owner of Bella Lucce in Columbia, SC, is launching an exciting new non-profit venture. From Morocco, With Love offers wonderful products imported from the beautiful nation of Morocco. I have seen this venture unfold from the time it formed as a seedling in Lela’s mind, so this week’s launch is especially exciting for me to watch.

   

   Among the many lovely products Morocco, With Love offers is this lovely pair of women’s leather babouche slippers pictured above, alongside the company logo. In a minute, I will tell you how to enter to win a free pair in the color of your choice, plus another From Morocco, With Love treasure.

   Because Lela is already a busy and successful CEO (her products can be found in boutiques, spas and resorts all over the world), I was curious to know why she felt compelled to launch another business. Then I became curious to know why she wanted to launch a non-profit business.

   And then, I became curious to know how in the world she planned to keep up with it all. I figured you might be wondering some of the same things, so I asked Lela to pony up some answers. Here’s what she told me.

   dM: You already have a busy and thriving business. Why another one? What is driving you here?

   Lela: I first visited Morocco in June 2009 just for kicks. There’s an amazing world music festival in the village of Essaouira each summer, and a dear friend and I were eager to attend. It was an incredible journey and I wanted to return to the country.

   Luckily, I’m in the early stages of a book project that needed some work done in Morocco. So I returned last September to start the research for that adventure and, during that visit, I was invited to visit a rural village school. What I saw there that day made an indelible impression on me and I haven’t been able to shake it.

   The two room school house had no library, no computers, no overhead projectors and no smart boards. There was neither heat nor air conditioning. There were no crayons, no jump ropes, no playground equipment and no hot meals. The students, those that can afford the $50 annual tuition, walked or rode the family donkey between two and four kilometers to get to the school.

   The teachers don’t have it any easier. They leave their homes and families during the week and travel to rural areas to help the children, and they share very basic living quarters. On less than $400 a month, the teachers must provide their transportation to and from the school, their food while at school, and all of their family expenses at home.

   The “teacher house” has no heat, no air conditioning, no refrigerator, no computer, no running water, no stove and no cabinetry.

   Despite these conditions, both the children and the teachers radiated joy and a palpable tenacity, and I was drawn to that. I love the underdog. And if these kids don’t have the deck stacked against them, I don’t know who does. But they smile and laugh and walk and study and sacrifice in order to move forward.

   As I left, every single one of the 156 students came to kiss me on my hands – a sign of deep respect in Morocco. They didn’t want anything from me. I hadn’t brought any gifts or made any promise. I had just come to spend time with them and they were thankful for that.

   I drove away from that little school forever changed and in search of a way to somehow “adopt” those kids and children like them. I wanted to tell the world their story, to compel other people to act and to raise money to help ease their journey a bit. From Morocco, With Love is the manifestation of that desire.

   Hassane, my driver and translator on that journey, has become the sole employee in this new venture. He coordinates a network of Moroccan craftsmen who produce the beautiful textiles, thuya wood products, pottery and leather items that we sell. From Morocco With Love buys them at a fair price, exports them to America and sells them at our website.

   We return all profits to Morocco for the benefit of the local impoverished.

   dM: Why new business, and why non-profit? Could you have accomplished the same goals through Bella Lucce, an already existing business?

   Lela: Bella Lucce certainly keeps me on my toes and I am ever-grateful for that. Thankfully, it’s in a good place right now. We’re as busy as we need to be, and I have a fantastic staff that keeps all the daily balls in the air so I can focus on strategic development and the bigger picture. Increasingly, that picture has included how we can more positively impact the world, how we can shape it for the better.

   I believe that we all fundamentally have that core responsibility. Some of us are more willing to focus on it than others, some are better positioned to focus on it than others, but we all have it.

   As I slide into the back end of my 30’s, I’ve realized that what I personally need right now is not more money. What I need is to feel that what I do each day is having an impact. Not just on my bank account, not just on my local community, but on the world at large.

   I’m in the beauty business and it can ring hollow and a bit shallow at times. When it does, I have work like this that I can focus on to mentally revitalize me. It does that in a way nothing else can. This revitalization is good for me personally, good for my staff and good for my family. It’s an overwhelmingly positive force that sweeps everything up and pushes it along for the better.

   Thankfully, my for-profit company, Bella Lucce, adequately compensates me and my staff. There’s really only so much money you need in the end. My needs are all taken care of, as are many of my wants. After staring into the eyes of those little girls at the Moroccan school, I couldn’t envision starting another venture to enrich myself while they struggle just to eat. I can’t walk away from that.

   dM: What are the basic steps to creating a non-profit?

   Lela: In many ways, launching a non-profit was remarkably similar to beginning my for-profit company. There are websites to be built, bank accounts to be opened, phone lines to be installed, photos to be taken, accountants and lawyers to be consulted, inventory to be stocked, etc.

   I was lucky that I had a great support system of people already in place and we were able to utilize many of the talents that have long worked with Bella Luccè in various capacities. In that regard, having previous experience as an entrepreneur was invaluable to getting my non-profit off the ground.

   However, there are some key differences in the two types of companies and I’ve spent an enormous amount of time learning how to navigate those. Essentially, a non-profit incorporates as a non-profit in the state in which it is located. There is a fairly straightforward set of paperwork to complete and file with the Secretary of State.

   There are tremendous legal implications inherent in this type of corporatel structure, and one should not enter into it lightly. For example, if From Morocco With Love is ever dissolved, I must return all of its assets to another nonprofit or the state itself. And we have very specific tax laws that must be followed to the letter.

   Non-profits are actually governed by board members who oversee strategic growth, while an Executive Director manages them on a day-to-day basis. I’m the Executive Director of this venture, but I am somewhat beholden to the board I’ve assembled and we must meet regularly to encourage transparency within the nonprofit.

   Additionally, my nonprofit is filing for federal 501c3 status with the IRS. That is an “elevated” nonprofit of sorts, with different tax implications. But it’s a significant amount of time invested in paperwork that is literally thick enough to be a book, along with some pretty hefty fees.

   That process takes 6-9 months for approval after filing, so it’s anything but a quick and easy process. Learning these waters has been incredibly eye-opening for me and I’ve probably spent as much time on that process as anything else.

   There are definitely days I’ve felt the sheer “weight” of this venture and have gotten a bit weary with the amount of responsibility it carries, but I do believe it will be worth it in the end. I found Scanpo, a state-wide trade organization for nonprofits who has been an invaluable resource for me and I encourage anyone with an interest in starting a nonprofit to look for something similar in their area.

   dM: How do you plan to manage two extremely busy businesses?

   Lela: Honestly, I’m not quite sure how that’s going to work. I think this is one of those instances where you just feel compelled to act, so you stand on the edge of the cliff, close your eyes and jump, and then pray that the wind carries you. While the “launch phase” of this venture has been almost five months in the making, I’ve been incredibly busy and have had to borrow a significant amount of work time from Bella Lucce.

   I hadn’t anticipated that being a tremendous problem, as the economy of 2009 had certainly slowed us a bit. However, we’re charting a record 2010 so far, and it’s been difficult at best to juggle my daily responsibilities at Bella Lucce alongside this new project. That has translated to Bella Lucce being a tad neglected and my sleep schedule being massively neglected.

   However, I’m hopeful that From Morocco, With Love will be much less demanding post-launch, and I plan to dedicate about 20 hours per month once the venture finally sprouts wings. The bulk of the buying and pre-shipment work will be done by Hassane on the ground in Morocco. Bella Lucce staff process and ship orders from our South Carolina warehouse. I’ll focus on the logistics of adding new inventory, accounting paperwork and freight arrangements.

   Of course, this is all in theory, isn’t it? Honestly, I have no idea what From Morocco, With Love will do. I felt moved to start something like this and I am just putting it out there in the universe. It’s been tremendously blessed and supported thus far and I remain optimistic that I’ll be able to manage whatever direction it eventually takes.

   dM: Who helped you with the new venture?

   Lela: I was blown away by the number of people who stepped up to the plate to help nurse From Morocco, With Love along. I called up many souls who have been invaluable resources for Bella Lucce and explained this new project. More times than not, they voluntarily (and without me even suggesting it) offered to do the work without payment or with a ridiculously low price tag attached. This entire venture would not have come together so beautifully without their help. I’ll be crediting them on the website, but I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank them here as well.

   Padraic Ryan of Ryan Design Studio donated his time and talents to this website. Having long been our web designer for Bella Luccè, I approached him for a quote on launching this website and was floored when he offered to do it gratis. He’s brilliant to work with and a very patient soul and I owe him my right arm at this point.

   My dear friend Robin Nalepa, a brilliant writer, photostylist, PR gal and all-around fabulous person patiently styled dozens of products, drew up our press release, edited a small mountain of web copy and helped me maintain both my focus and my sanity.

   Kim Kim Foster is a feature photographer for The State newspaper. She’s also one of the grooviest chicks I know and she stepped right on up to the plate when I threw myself at her feet, pleading with her to photograph mountains of Morocco’s finest artisan goods. Kim Kim and Robin recently launched a copywriting and product photography service for small businesses. Their website is coming soon at www.flowerboots.com. In the meantime, you can contact Robin at rcnalepa at aol dot com.

   Dharma Merchant Services provide our credit card processing. They set the standard for green, socially responsible processing with a heavy focus on nonprofits and they graciously waived all setup fees in support of our efforts to help Morocco. If you’re a business that accepts credit cards, please contact Alexia at (866) 615-5157.

   Brooke Stant, of Villainess is a cherished friend who also happens to design uber-cool custom blogs. She volunteered her talents and time to create Lovenotes, our blog that keeps people informed of new products, community donations, highlights of Moroccan culture and upcoming philanthropic efforts.

   Professional Printers in Columbia, SC is our printer. I am indebted to Clint and his team for rolling back prices on a variety of collateral materials necessary to launch this venture. Recipients of a 2007 National Premier Award, Professional Printers uses digital presses to create some of the most brilliant work in the industry, with quick delivery and extremely competitive prices. You can reach Clint at (803) 796-4000.

   dM: What are your long term goals with this venture?

   Lela: I’m really eager to see all this hard work translate into dollars we can return to Morocco. I visited the same school again in December with a small carload of playground equipment, including dozens of jump ropes, balls, ribbon wands and parachutes. The children were beside themselves as most had never seen those types of toys and it was tremendously uplifting to see the gratitude in their eyes and know that something we did brought joy to their day.

   A girl could get addicted to that feeling and I hope to return several times per year to witness the philanthropy myself and document the good works for our clients. We have many earmarks for the funds raised via the website, from building wells and plating gardens to providing books, shoes, dental kits and school tuition to the children of Morocco.

   I’m planning to journey to Mali, Africa soon for Bella Lucce, and my sister had the gall recently to ask me if I’d be starting From Mali, With Love in 2011. After I indulged in a really hearty laugh, I answered, “Maybe after I take a looooong nap.” You never know…

   dM: Would you recommend that others with the passion you have to help others launch a non-profit to complement a for-profit venture?

   Lela: I would never conceive of telling someone to NOT start a nonprofit. I truly believe that the world as a whole needs to “get outside of itself” and focus a larger share of energy working cooperatively to ease the burden of the impoverished. It takes so little some time to make a tremendous impact, and I hope we’ll all look for ways to do that.

   With that said, a full-fledged nonprofit is far more work than I ever envisioned. I came home last September on a bit of a high, determined to find a way to help those children. Things were still a bit slow at Bella Lucce, so I had some extra time. Thankfully, I also had some extra money. It seemed like the perfect storm. Five months later, I’m broke and tired and my kids are missing their mom, but I stand on the cusp of something really wonderful, born out of love and gifted with such potential to change hundreds of lives and I can’t help but be wildly enthusiastic about that.

   I can’t tell anyone else what to do with their time and money. I can only speak for me, but starting From Morocco, With Love is the single greatest thing I have ever done, save for the birth of my two daughters. I pray that the universe sows the seeds that I have planted. If it also moves someone else to do something positive for the world, then we’re all better for it.

   dM: How are you and your family handling the additional time it takes from your time together to do this?

   Lela: Honestly, I’ve given up sleep. And days off. And nights out.

   That was the only way to get this done. But I have an amazing support system at home as well. My husband, Christopher, has patiently resized and upload hundreds of pictures, constructed inventory spreadsheets, watched my children while I’ve been overseas and pulled more laundry and dinner duty than any man ever should. He also never complained when the initial funding ballooned to four times the sum I had initially planned. God love him.

   My kids have drawn me pictures when I have become completely delirious and been very patient when they’ve had to tell their teachers, “Mom’s in Africa again, you can’t call her right now.” And a few girlfriends have had to talk me off the ledge with warm smiles and glasses of Shiraz. I’m extremely grateful to all of them.

   Though we’ve had nannies and housekeepers in the past, our household is flying solo these days. The house is a bit messier and the food isn’t nearly as good, but we’re making it.

   dM: Thank you, Lela. I know we have only seen the tip of the iceberg, but I am confident that your journey is inspiring many people to consider how they might make a similar difference in the lives of children in other parts of the world.

   I am so ecstatic to see the wonderful Moroccan treasures at From Morocco, With Love. Lela has been gracious enough to offer you a chance to win a pair of the women’s leather babouche slippers in the color of your choice. And I have decided to sweeten the booty by adding a set of six multi-colored arabesque henna tea glasses. Are they gorgeous or what?!

   To be entered to win both of these fabulous Moroccan goodies, you must do each of these three things:

   1. Leave a comment below. Tell me how Lela’s story inspires you to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate, especially children. You may share as many comments as you’d like. Each will be considered separately.
   2. Join the Indie Business FaceBook Fan Page. Here’s the link. How easy is that one?
   3. Twitter a link to this post. You can do this automatically by clicking here. That link opens up your Twitter page and makes it easy for you to Tweet this post with one click.

   On February 22, I will choose one winner, based solely on my impressions of the comments submitted here. I will notify the winner via direct message on Twitter so be sure to follow me if you are not now doing so. If you don’t hear from me via DM by close of business on February 22, you did not win. The winner will be announced at this blog and elsewhere later in the week. (If it’s enough fun, I may just choose a second, and maybe even a third place winner!)

   Question: Are you inspired by Lela’s launch of From Morocco, With Love? How does Lela’s story inspire you to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate, especially children?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/19/my-interview-with-lela-barker-of-from-morocco-with-love/feed/ 10 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/18/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-three/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/18/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-three/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:33:00 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7402

   In yesterday’s video post, I announced the exciting arrival of the dry wall. Today, I am happy to report that we found someone to help us place the dry wall. More about that later. For now, I want to share how we have decided to deal with the window on our set. As I mentioned in the first segment of the series, lighting is one of the most important aspects of set design. This video shows how important lighting really is.

   (If you’re reading this via email or RSS and cannot see the video, click here.)

   We’ll talk more about artificial lights like the ones we used in this video in a future segment. For now, our next step is to measure, cut and place the dry wall. After that, we’ll paint and add the window treatments. Then, we’ll be ready to design and put the set decor in place. Then, we’ll be done!

   Question: Do you have a window to deal with on your set? If so, will you cover it completely or dress it up with shades, blinds and/or curtains, as we are doing, so you have more flexibility?

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/18/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-three/feed/ 9 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/17/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-two/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/17/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-two/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:23:18 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7365

   The dry wall is here! Earlier this week, I introduced my husband business partner’s and my new series to teach you how to turn unused space in your garage, basement or office into a video set. If you missed the introductory video, you can watch it here. This video is a short update on the arrival earlier today of the dry wall. I’ve never purchased dry wall before and I have no idea how to work with it. But Darryl and I are going to figure it out together and we’ll keep you posted on our progress.

   Dry wall doesn’t look heavy, but it is! I’m excited that we were able to purchase all we’ll need for around $50. It cost under $20 to rent the moving truck, a big savings compared to the $59 the home improvement store would have charged for delivery. We may have to engage a contractor to cut the dry wall, but if we do, you can believe we’ll barter and negotiate for the best deal possible.

   (Maybe we can trade a promotional video for the services!)

   I’ll keep you posted.

   Question: Have you found some space that you can turn into a set? Remember, you don’t need much. Even a small corner can get you started.

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   ]]> http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/17/how-to-turn-unused-space-into-a-video-set-part-two/feed/ 1 http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/17/great-readers-are-great-business-leaders/ http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/2010/02/17/great-readers-are-great-business-leaders/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:57:09 +0000 Donna Maria http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/?p=7359

   An award winning, board certified second grade teacher at my kids’s elementary school does a great job of encouraging her students to read. I believe that great readers are also great business leaders, and since I want to do a great job of leading my business, I read a lot. I’m also on a mission to land this particular teacher for my son, who will start second grade in 2012. (Planning is everything, you know!)

   

   I visited her classroom this morning to introduce myself and noticed that one wall is covered with this fantastic illustration entitled: “Strategies Good Readers Use.” Children are pictured beside speech bubbles containing tips for getting the most out of the reading process. I loved it so much that I had to share it with you.

   1. Skip an unknown word, read to the end of the sentence, then return and re-read it. I do this to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words, based on the words around them.

   2. Chunk words to make sense. I’ll get back to you on this one, not sure what it means to “chunk” words. If you know about chunking, please share in the comments.

   3. Notice beginning and ending sounds. I love paying special attention to how words are pronounced so I can create new ways to use them properly in keynotes and workshops, and right here at this blog.

   4. Think about what looks right. Sometimes, the author’s thoughts become even more clear when I think about what he or she most likely means in the context of a sentence, paragraph or chapter.

   5. Think about what sounds right. When something in a sentence or paragraph seems misplaced or unclear, thinking about it as I listen to myself read it aloud can point out a flaw in the author’s thinking (or my own!), or drive home an important point that I might have otherwise missed.

   6. Re-read it if it doesn’t make sense. I do this a lot. When it still doesn’t make sense, I skip over it temporarily and come back later. If it still doesn’t make sense, I may ask for help or check with a dictionary or other people whose opinion I value.

   7. Match illustrations to the text. Pull-outs and text boxes are especially helpful to wring every bit of information from a publication.

   8. Create mind pictures of what is happening in the text. A picture is worth a thousand words. If I can’t quite capture the meaning of a sentence, closing my eyes and creating a word picture often helps.

   9. Notice punctuation marks. Sentences make more or less sense, or mean one thing or another, depending on the punctuation.

   I have always loved to read. I can remember my mom checking up on me long after bedtime because she knew I was under the covers with a night light reading a book. Today, I am surrounded by books on all sides. I am especially blessed to receive wonderful books from many of the authors on my radio show. (Perks are good!)

   Like everyone else, I’m sure I will begin to read more on my iPhone, a Kindle or other mobile device. (The iPad looks especially inviting for this reason!) But no matter what, I will always strive to improve my reading skills. I think doing so helps me follow in the footsteps of great business leaders who are also great readers.

   Question: Do you like to read? What are some of the books that have helped you be a better business leader?

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