Business Training Party

I sort of fell off the grid! I've been really busy trying to get Bedtime By Tink off the ground. Got a couple big orders in this past week, but finances are so tight that I have to figure out how to come up with the money to get the materials to make the orders. But once I get them, finish them and get paid, I'll have enough in the bank to start getting myself caught up! :)

As I'm looking online for helpful resources, I stumbled across Therese Skelly, a Money & Mindset Mentor and Business Catalyst. She is a business coach and will help folks that need it to improve their businesses. She is actually having a free 2 hour training seminar January 23, 2014 here. The event starts at 9 am PST, 10 am MST, 11 am CST, 12 pm EST.

I will be attending. Can I count you in as well?

From the Therese Skelly website:

"Attention: Freedom-seeking business owners who want
to build a business on your own terms…
Come Party with Me in a Live Google+ Hangout!

Join me on January 23rd at 9am Pacific for a totally free live party on a G+ hangout. I’m celebrating the launch of my new website with fun, games, prizes, giveaways, and free training that will help you blast your business to the next level.
You’ll see me live, on camera,
teaching the four pillars of Keys to Creating a Business You Love

What’s a hangout party, you ask? If you’ve never been to a G+ hangout, it’s kind of like a webinar, but instead of only seeing slides you’ll be able to see ME (and my guests). We’ve also got a cool setup that allows you to chat live with all the participants, network, and ask questions during the event.

Attention: Freedom-seeking business owners who want
to build a business on your own terms…
Come Party with Me in a Live Google+ Hangout!

Join me on January 23rd at 9am Pacific for a totally free live party on a G+ hangout. I’m celebrating the launch of my new website with fun, games, prizes, giveaways, and free training that will help you blast your business to the next level.
You’ll see me live, on camera,
teaching the four pillars of Keys to Creating a Business You Love

What’s a hangout party, you ask? If you’ve never been to a G+ hangout, it’s kind of like a webinar, but instead of only seeing slides you’ll be able to see ME (and my guests). We’ve also got a cool setup that allows you to chat live with all the participants, network, and ask questions during the event.

The secret to business success? I’ll share with you the four pillars you must have to create a business you’ll LOVE (hint: it’s about money, value, messaging and more). And to help you figure out how these pillars work in your own business, my clients and friends will be joining me virtually to share their stories and experiences for you to learn from.

We’ll be playing games (ready for a scavenger hunt?), taking networking breaks (yep, self promo is cool here, we want to know about you!), and just having FUN in this celebration.

You’ll learn:
How your mindset can make or break your biz
Why your income is capped (and what you can do about it)
What it REALLY takes to get the RIGHT kind of visibility
The role of personality in your marketing
The ‘deal breaking’ things you don’t want to do when having prospect conversations

We’ll be on for 2 hours, so you can come for all or part of the conversation. But in order to WIN some awesome prizes, you need to be there live!

Oh… and I’ve got some surprises up my sleeve… including giveaways and prizes! You’ve got to be present to win, so get on the list and put it on your calendar right now."

http://www.happyinbusiness.com/party/

Self Interview on Business

I decided to do a few business related posts. I wrote this post in the form of an interview with myself done by an outside source. Hopefully someone will benefit from my advice. Please let me know if you do!!!

Sometimes running a creative business on your own can be a bit overwhelming! And there are times when you just want to give up. One crafter turned her hobby into a budding small business. Let’s see how she did it!!!!

Tink of Bedtime By Tink began her bedtime crafting business as a hobby. She slowly built it up from there into the current fledgling business that it is. Here, she shares some insights into what she feels has made her business a success.

Tink is based in Indiana, where she hand stitches pillows, blankets, and more at Bedtime By Tink (BBT). Surrounded by a blanket obsessed family her whole life, the want for a special gift idea gave her the idea for BBT. In between being a single mom of two, being enrolled in college, and generally trying to navigate through life, she has managed to build a growing business.


What one thing did you have in mind when starting out?

I didn’t really have anything in mind. I began making blankets as gifts for family members; friends got interested and offered to buy items from me. I kind of let things lag there for a couple years. When I got pregnant this last time, I decided to make some items for my son. J Then after I lost my job, I decided to really put work into making a go of this business so that I didn’t have to worry about job security or being able to take care of my kids. Now it’s a matter of making money doing things I love.

What three things do you think make you successful?

My tenacity to keep going even when things may not seem to be going the way I originally intended! My ability to keep creating items people are interested in. I am still doing what I love and not just in it for the money.

Did you take a business course before starting up your business?

I was a business major in my local community college for 4 years before I started my business in a serious manner. Unfortunately, I dropped out and switched majors 15 classes away from earning my degree. L

What are your top three business tips?

Network!!!! Work hard!!! Never stop creating!!!!

What’s the best piece of creative advice you have ever been given?

Maintaining Your Business Image on Facebook

I decided to do a few business related posts. Hopefully someone will benefit from my advice. Please let me know if you do!!!

I admin for a page called Hike Those Likes America. And on HTLA, we do our best to try to help others promote their pages and be seen. A lot of hikers (as we call the participants on there) are concerned about increasing how many “likes” they get on their page instead of networking with other hikers. Please keep in mind, LIKES will not get you sales. You can have 50,000 likes and never sell a thing. You can have 500 and sell every day. Likes are merely folks who click on a button. Some of them may actually follow your page, a large portion of them will not. The key is to be SEEN. And how do you do that? You do that by participating in our hikes and by commenting on statuses and pictures of others, as well as by sharing your page (part of what is known as your business brand) on your personal profile as well as on HTLA.

Every business that exists has something called a business image. A business image is not something invented by a public relations firm: It's a reflection of what you do and how you do it. Marketing your business brand means running a first-rate business and letting people know about it. Every action your company takes sends a marketing message. (http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/business-image-build-and-market-29721.html) Remember to be courteous when you are posting or leaving comments on your business page. And your personal page as well, for that matter. You never know who will put two and two together and come up with your business. If you honestly have a problem with something or someone or don’t like a product, post or comment, please take those things into a private message with the page owner or fan. Whenever you post something, fans take that into account of your business image. You can have amazing products, great prices and share everywhere possible. But from personal experience I can tell you that just ONE wrong comment (sarcasm or joking gone wrong, expressing anger, etc) can RUIN your image.

Another thing that can ruin your business image is the way that you present yourself on other pages. If you wouldn’t want another page doing something to you, don’t do it to them. An example of this I have seen recently: Tagging a business page on another business’s photo with the note “I make/do something similar”. How mad would you be if someone did this to you? I know I would be LIVID!! That’s like going to a craft fair, setting up your booth next to someone who makes similar products and then telling all of their customer, “Come over here and get it cheaper/better/in more options/etc.” If a customer sees someone tag their business on another business’s photo, or acting like that at an in-person event, it can potentially be FATAL to that person’s business. Many customers see it as underhanded and disrespectful. And we all know that the participants on HTLA are neither of those things!!!

We are a loving, sharing community that HELPS others in a non-selfish way! That’s why we suggest that you do NOT tag your page on posts by another page when you are hiking. Leave a comment of niceness on their posts and wares, and then tag your page on the WALL. I am not trying to tell anyone how to run their business! Only to think before you post!!! These tips go for sites other than Facebook as well: websites, blogs, etc!!!!

Chicken Fail

So I had been enjoying today. I even cooked dinner to end it on a good note. Unfortunately, I apparently suck at cooking. L My presentation was good:

But we found out that I can’t cook fried chicken all the way through to save my life. L So I am sorry to say that my creative juices have evaporated for the evening after that fail. Luckily, Nana took over and cooked the rest… No one got sick at least and that is the important thing! I will need to have her teach me again. Or watch me and tell me what I’m doing wrong. 

Super Soft Playdough With Only 2 Ingredients

So today I have decided to do something a bit different. I have told you about the Critter Kids. Well, I wanted to share a project with you that I planned to make with them this week! I will post pictures and a review afterwards. :) I got this idea from http://pagingfunmums.com/2013/11/01/soft-as-a-cloud-playdoughusing-only-2-ingredients/

They say that this is only 2 ingredients, but to get colored playdough, it actually takes 3:

1 part conditioner

2 parts corn flour/corn starch

Food coloring (optional)

And yes, they mean actual hair conditioner! They used HomeBrand Everday Conditioner in Apple Splash scent. Wonder if you end up with scented playdough? That would be really cool!

Here are their steps:



Step 1

Pour your conditioner into a bowl (we used a home brand conditioner – note that not all conditioners are of the same consistency so you may need to add a little more or a little less corn flour to get the right consistency for you)

Step 2

Pour in the corn flour

Step 3

Give the mixture a good stir

Step 4 (optional)

Add a few drops of food colouring

Step 5

Mix well using your hands. This part smells delicious!

Step 6

Have FUN moulding, squishing, shaping and playing with your new Playdough!



*Please note, this recipe is not able to be digested, so please ensure the kids keep it out of their mouth.

Being My Own Boss

Today I’ll fill you in on the two businesses that I personally own and run. I started them both from scratch, as you will see. J I hope that I can entertain and inspire you to accomplish your dreams!

Bedtime By Tink (https://www.facebook.com/bedtimebytink)

This is my main personal business. I hand sew blankets, pillows, and pillow cases. I also do no-sew blankets and scarves modeled after them. I will be expanding the line to include sleep pants as well once I get a few patterns. I will hand sew these as well. I fell in love with making blankets in 7^th grade. But I had so much other stuff going on, that I let my love of crafting get pushed to the very back of the filing cabinet that is my mind. Then, while I was pregnant with Critter Girl, I re-discovered my love of making things. So I started making little things here and there. After Critter Girl was born, I started in on bigger things. I made Nana a matching blanket and pillow for her couch, showed it off on Facebook and Bedtime By Tink exploded from there. J I am constantly working on exploring new products and things to improve the business. So any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!

Pit Bull Momma Rescue (https://www.facebook.com/pitbullmommarescue)

I started PBMR in 2008 while living in Oklahoma. The over-population, the dog fighting and so many other factors contributed to me starting this business. It is a non-profit, so please don’t think that I help these animals so I can make money. I actually saw a comment on another blog this morning that was accusing rescue groups of just trying to make money and that once all the homeless animals were placed, we would begin breeding more so that we could stay in business. Ugh. Some people. But I am a not for profit business. Every donation that comes my way is either put towards any rescue dog(s) in my care, or donated to the local Humane Society or to Villalobos Rescue Center to help their rescue dogs.  I have a vision of turning PBMR into a rescue similar to VRC. Tia Torres is an amazing woman and what she does there is beyond amazing. I am hoping that I can one day build my rescue facility to at least half the size of hers, if not to the same size. It is sad to think that she has 200+ dogs in her facility and it hasn’t even scratched the surface of the abused, neglected and/or homeless pet problem. L I loved one of her quotes so much that it’s the first thing you see on my page:

At PBMR, I take in any unwanted bully breed or mix of bully breed. “Pit Bull” is not a breed; it is simply a way to describe any dog that has the characteristics of three main breeds: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. There are also other breeds that are similar to these. The breeds as a whole with the same physical characteristics are classified as “bully breeds”.  I have decided to start an educational segment on the PBMR Facebook page. I started it off today trying to bring awareness to puppy mills. Valentine’s Day is coming up and, for whatever reason, puppies seem to be a big Valentine’s Day present. Below is the first of the educational series posts:

I hope that you have enjoyed learning about the different roles that I play online and I look forward to hearing from you!!!

Facebook Admin

Today is Sunday and the Little Critter is with his Ninny. I miss him when he is gone. I have no idea of what to do without him. So I decided to take the time without him and get some blogging done. I have mentioned before that I admin on some Facebook pages, as well as running my own businesses. I figured now would be a great time to touch base on those; Especially as I am gearing up towards a few Valentine’s Day things on a few of them. This will be a two part post. Today I will cover the pages I admin on and tomorrow I will cover my businesses.

First, the definition of "Admin". This is the best definition and description I could find and is much better said than I could have done:

"On Facebook, an administrator, or admin, is someone who oversees a group page. When you see the "Make Admin" button, that means that you have created a group or you are an admin for a group, and you can select other people to become admins as well. An admin has access to several functions that a normal group member is unable to access. As an administrator, you have access to the entire group. You are responsible for adding new members, approving requests, deleting content or members, and monitoring action within your group. An admin is also able to change the name and photos associated with the group, in addition to the content found within the group. Only admins can add, delete and ban members or content. You may choose to have multiple administrators for your group, particularly if you need to split the responsibility of monitoring the group or if your group is very large. By having more than one admin, you give the responsibilities of group monitoring, accepting and deleting members, and other administrative functions to another person so that an additional person can help you manage your group."  (http://www.ehow.com/info_8515777_make-admin-mean-facebook.html)


Sisterhood (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sisterhood/737576146270684)

The first page that I admin on is called Sisterhood. “Want to join our Sisterhood? Well come on in, grab a cup of coffee and lets chat. We're here for you.” We are just what the name portrays. A sisterhood of

women (and actually a few men) spread out not only across the country, but across the world. We play games and ask questions; share inspirational pictures and motivational quotes; we are there for each other when needed and provide a listening ear, as well as a swift dose of bluntness when needed. Something someone once said came to mind as I wrote that. “I don’t sugar-coat things. This isn’t Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.” That is exactly how we are. Our admin group of 7 and our fan group of 3,409 are all sweet as can be. But we don’t hold back. Have you ever met siblings that did? Siblings are usually more blunt and honest with you than any other person in the world. And we are brothers and sisters, no matter our parentage or location. It doesn’t matter that 99% of us have never met face-to-face. We’re still family.

Hike Those Likes America (https://www.facebook.com/HikeThoseLikesAmerica)

The second page I admin on, I am actually new to. It is called Hike Those Likes America and that is only part of what we do. We're here to help you share & sell AMERICAN wares through your networking skills so as to reach a wider audience for you business page. Most of the businesses that use our page are crafty

businesses (I use it myself for one of my businesses I’m going to tell you about in my next post), but our

community is open to small businesses of all creeds, not just crafters. We like for you to use our page to SHARE your wares, SHARE your events, SHARE your special offers on our wall WHENEVER & AS MUCH as you wish to! We are a community looking out for one another, helping to bring awareness to all small businesses as well as helping small businesses succeed with tips, tricks, encouraging posts and pictures. We welcome YOU to ask or lend advice and/or support, and to motivate & encourage one another, as this is networking at its best. We encourage you to use our wall as an extension of your own and to use our many different resources to improve your sales, exposure, and business in general. Pictured is a recent post on the page.