<![CDATA[Lara Galloway · Storify]]>http://storify.com/LaraGallowayNodeJS RSS ModuleSat, 18 May 2013 13:31:45 GMT<![CDATA[Declutter your tech with #Office365]]>

This is a summary of the #MomBizMondays Twitter Chat sponsored by @MicrosoftCanada and hosted by Lara Galloway @mombizcoach and Shelagh Cummins @shelaghcummins of MomBiz.com (@MomBizDotCom).

Storified by Lara Galloway · Wed, Apr 24 2013 12:16:17

As mompreneurs, we are the CEOs (“Chief Everything Officers”) of our businesses, our homes and our families. And it’s no secret that most of us rely heavily on technology (and coffee) to keep our businesses and families running smoothly. But since few of us have a dedicated IT department (or technogeek) available to us 24/7 when computer/technology issues arise, we wind up spending vast amounts of our precious time on trying to solve tech issues or simply to get our laptops, desktop computers and smartphones playing nicely. Some of our favorite apps and programs that we use on our tablets don’t synch with our laptops. Or the programs our kids are using for school work are different from the ones we have loaded on the home computer, making it hard to edit or even access when homework is due. And we often try to squeeze in some extra work while we’re sitting at the soccer field, and we end up frustrated since we don’t have the right version of the right document or even the right software program on whatever device we have in our hands at the time.
Last night's #MomBizMondays twitter chat, sponsored by Microsoft Canada, helped us small business owners weigh the pros and cons of technology, how much it impacts our productivity, and how much more productive we can be using Office365.

Mompreneurs, small business owners, bloggers and parents joined in the discussion, and a few were lucky winners of Windows8 Phones and year-long Office 365 subscriptions!

Below is a summary of the questions around which our conversation evolved and a sampling of some of the great comments from our participants.
Q1: WHERE IS THE CRAZIEST PLACE YOU'VE WORKED ON YOUR #MOMBIZ?
Q2: HOW 'TECH-SAVVY' DO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CONSIDER YOURSELVES TO BE?
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/declutter-your-tech-with-office365http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/declutter-your-tech-with-office365Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:16:17 GMT<![CDATA[#ChevyBliss Excursion at BlissDomCanada]]>

Want an example of experiential marketing done right? GMCanada, Chevrolet Canada and BlissDom Canada made raving fans out of a group of about 50 women bloggers yesterday during the #ChevyBliss excursion.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Mon, Oct 22 2012 13:49:32

As part of the registration for BlissDom Canada, attendees were allowed to choose one excursion that took place on Sunday. This was a chance to break into small groups and get to experience some of the best the brands that sponsored the conference had to offer. I was lucky enough to participate in the GM/Chevy Test Drives.

I will admit: I'm not a car fanatic. I rock a 2005 mom van that fits my family of five in it nicely. I like taking long road trips and want to be comfy and safe while doing so. Also, I'm 41 and have three little kids and a husband who rely on me to be sensible. Smart. Safe.

I didn't have very high expectations about doing a "test drive excursion." After all, whenever I've test-driven a car that I was considering purchasing, it was about as exciting as watching synchronized swimming... But this excursion was amazing! We screamed, laughed, smiled so hard our faces hurt.  In fact, I think we all had the time of our lives!

Here's a recap of the amazing experience we had yesterday, captured in tweets, pictures and videos.
We loved the warm welcome we received when we arrived.
Awesome welcome @chevroletcanada as we start our day with some #chevybliss! http://pic.twitter.com/DHQhlX8Q · Jennifer Black
Looks great! RT @jackiyo: @RobbFarago @ChevroletCanada #chevybliss http://lockerz.com/s/254964511 · Robb Farago
#ChevyBliss Parking spots for expectant moms and these too! @GMCanada #BlissDom http://lockerz.com/s/255009573 · Lisa Calvi
We loved the kind folks at GM Canada who spent their Sunday with us, and especially those who put their lives in their hands when they let us hop in the driver's seat :).
Our slalom course instructors #chevybliss http://pic.twitter.com/ibsZLOmg · Sherrie Mae Guthrie
RT @Sherriemae23: @gmcanada #chevybliss Fred who has worked at GM for the 18 years..he develops technology planning & helps the path http://pic.twitter.com/bfRnABab · SKS Media Jersey CI
Donald is so very cool :) #chevybliss @gmcanada http://pic.twitter.com/tlrnTzKc · Sherrie Mae Guthrie
Getting started with a quick briefing! #ChevyBliss #BlissDomCA http://lockerz.com/s/254969625 · Adria MacKenzie
We loved learning about all the cool stuff that makes these cars cutting-edge: Traction control, driver assist, stability control, ergonomic design, crazy horse-power and smart ABS systems were all part of the day. And we got to experience first-hand how they worked by driving the Volt, the Cruze, the Cadillac, the Camaro, and a few others...
Learning about drag and airflow around a vehicle at #chevybliss. Best Sunday ever. http://pic.twitter.com/zsnad1VK · Sarah Baker
Our @cheverlotcanada presentation is in 3D!!! #chevybliss #blissdomca w/ @yourroutehome @ GM http://instagr.am/p/RDWkCctLYo/ · Katherine McIntosh
Very cool 3D experience #chevybliss @gmcanada http://pic.twitter.com/OKt7Wf0Y · Sherrie Mae Guthrie
Testing out the great traction control in the #buick #Chevybliss http://pic.twitter.com/BTMkzqxS · Chevrolet Canada
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/chevybliss-excursion-at-blissdomcanadahttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/chevybliss-excursion-at-blissdomcanadaMon, 22 Oct 2012 20:49:32 GMT<![CDATA[How to Connect With Your Community Through Video: #mombizmondays]]>

Last night's #MomBizMondays chat, sponsored by Animoto, was all about how to build better relationships and share content that matters to your #mombiz communities: family, friends, and business. This weekly chat is hosted by Lara Galloway (@mombizcoach) and Shelagh Cummins (@shelaghcummins).

Storified by Lara Galloway · Tue, Oct 16 2012 13:01:33

Video Slideshow Maker with MusicVideo Slideshow Maker with Music
Animoto turns your photos and video clips into professional video slideshows in minutes. Fast, free and shockingly simple - we make aweso...
We’ve been talking this month about the importance of building and connecting authentically with your #MomBiz community, because we value those relationships. As MomBiz owners, we have several communities we’re a part of: Our families, our friends, our neighbors, our school communities, our business networks, our clients/customers, our business teams, and our vendor communities.

Our chat brought out some thoughtful conversation on the power of video and how we can best use it. What's the best way to stay connected and leverage your relationships in each of those communities? How can you capture the most important moments and milestones and share them in a way that tells a compelling story? And how can you use videos to build trust in your communities, thus driving more business for you?

Below are the questions we asked during the twitter chat and some of the best answers we received.

QUESTION 1: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THE PHOTOS & VIDEOS YOU HAVE OF YOUR KIDS AND FAMILY? #mombizmondays
QUESTION 2: HOW CAN YOU CAPTURE AND SHARE SOME OF THE MILESTONES OF YOUR CHILDREN'S LIFE? #mombizmondays
The Busy Parent's Guide to Creating & Sharing Video: School Memories (Part 2) · animoto
QUESTION 3: HOW HAVE YOU LEVERAGED VIDEO TO BUILD YOUR BIZ? #mombizmondays
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/how-to-connect-with-your-community-through-video-mhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/how-to-connect-with-your-community-through-video-mTue, 16 Oct 2012 20:01:33 GMT<![CDATA[Use Your Blog to Build Your Business--Summary from WordCamp Detroit 2012]]>

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend and speak at my first WordCamp in downtown Detroit. I shared a talk about blogging for business and really enjoyed the conversations that came out of it. Below are some tweets that captured the highlights of the talk.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Sun, Oct 07 2012 09:13:44

You may not call yourself a “blogger,” but if you’re a business owner, you are missing a huge opportunity to connect with your customers if you’re not blogging. We’re in the age of Content Marketing, where our customers expect us to demonstrate our value by sharing a bit of who we are and what we do long before we expect our customers to buy from us.

Join us for a discussion that explains the true role a blog plays in building your business, some best practices for business blogging, and some tips for attracting and keeping ideal customers through your blog.

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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/use-your-blog-to-build-your-business-summary-fromhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/use-your-blog-to-build-your-business-summary-fromSun, 07 Oct 2012 16:13:44 GMT<![CDATA[Powerful takeaways from MomBizRetreat on #mombizmondays chat]]>

Our #MomBizMondays chat last night highlighted the takeaways from the MomBizRetreat. Get a peek into the powerful coaching, training and sharing we do there.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Wed, Oct 03 2012 13:53:10

Our conversation centered around the following six questions:

Q1: What role do your beliefs have on your success?
Q2: What can you do to get your clients to spend more with you?
Q3: What can you do to differentiate yourself from your competition?
Q4: What happens when you make plans and set goals for yourself?
Q5: What keeps you from achieving your goals?
Q6: A huge mantra from our Retreat was 'OWN IT!' What do you need to own in your life or biz?

Below is a transcript of most of the chat (minus the first 10 minutes for some reason), and the tweets appear in reverse order from most recent to earliest, so you'll see the answers to the last questions showing up first.

I hope you find this discussion as valuable as we did while we were having it!

Don't forget to check out www.mombizretreat.com and join our Facebook #mombizmondays community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/180977952007876/

See you next week and every Monday at 10pm ET for #mombizmondays!
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/powerful-takeaways-from-mombizretreat-on-mombizmonhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/powerful-takeaways-from-mombizretreat-on-mombizmonWed, 03 Oct 2012 20:53:10 GMT<![CDATA[#MomBizMondays: The importance of play in raising independent kids]]>

What happens when a serial entrepreneur puts his focus on raising healthy, self-reliant kids? He might write a book about it. Or he might start a movement that promotes this philosophy. And you never know: He might turn his neighborhood into a Playborhood.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Tue, Apr 24 2012 12:19:58

Last night's #MomBizMondays twitter party was sponsored by Mike Lanza, the dad behind the book: Playborhood: Turn Your Neighborhood into a Place for Play. Our conversation was, as always, a lively one, since it touched on some core parenting philosophies and mindsets. Read through the blog posts, links, questions and answers from our talk last night to determine where you stand on the importance of "free play" in our children's lives.
#MomBizMondays Are You Raising Entrepreneurial Kids with @Playborhood | Mom Biz Coach Business Coach for Mom Entrepreneurs#MomBizMondays Are You Raising Entrepreneurial Kids with @Playborhood | Mom Biz Coach Business Coach for Mom Entrepreneurs
Are you raising entrepreneurial kids? As mompreneurs, we clearly buy in on some level to the philosophy of self-reliance, independence an...
Bring The Fun Back Into Your Business | shelaghcumminsBring The Fun Back Into Your Business | shelaghcummins
Life is too short to hate your work. Here are 3 ways to bring the fun back into your business. 1. Get outside and play The one thing abou...
Raising Future Entrepreneurs | Mom Biz RetreatRaising Future Entrepreneurs | Mom Biz Retreat
I asked our #MomBizMondays Facebook group what personality traits an entrepreneur must possess to be successful. Here's what these wise w...
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/mombizmondays-the-importance-of-play-in-raising-ihttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/mombizmondays-the-importance-of-play-in-raising-iTue, 24 Apr 2012 19:19:58 GMT<![CDATA[Mompreneurs: Time to Embrace the New Facebook Timeline]]>

If you're a mom entrepreneur and/or you market to moms, you know that most of us spend a lot of time on Facebook. Last night's #MomBizMondays twitter party focused on how to leverage marketing with the new Facebook Timeline, going live March 30th for everyone.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Tue, Mar 20 2012 08:03:19

The #MomBizMondays Facebook Group drives many of the topics we choose as the focus of our #MomBizMondays twitter parties (every Monday night at 10pm ET on twitter). If you missed the chat last night, here is a recap of how mom business owners can adjust to and take advantage of all the new Facebook Timeline has to offer for our Facebook brand pages.
Here are a couple of posts that every mompreneur should read in order to help her understand what's coming with the new timeline:
Facebook Brand Timelines: 6 Big Changes Every Marketer Needs to ...Facebook Brand Timelines: 6 Big Changes Every Marketer Needs to ...
February 29, 2012 by Victoria Ransom 125 ... within the month, everything they knew about fan Pages on Facebook would be overturned. .....
So we started the evening by asking everyone for their feedback on the new timeline. As you might expect, there are mixed opinions.
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/mompreneurs-time-to-embrace-the-new-facebook-timelhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/mompreneurs-time-to-embrace-the-new-facebook-timelTue, 20 Mar 2012 15:03:19 GMT<![CDATA[Using Newsletters to Build Your MomBiz]]>

On our #MomBizMondays chat last night, hosted by MomBizRetreat.com, we discussed why every mom entrepreneur needs an effective newsletter campaign for her business.

Storified by Lara Galloway · Tue, Mar 13 2012 14:12:56

Again and again, we hear the marketing experts saying we have to "build our list," and that there's gold in it...but what exactly is an email list and how do we reap the gold from it?

At the MomBizRetreat, hosts Shelagh Cummins and Lara Galloway lead mom business owners through a variety of marketing techniques that help mompreneurs become and stay engaged with their audience.

We asked participants in the #MomBizMondays chat to chime in on what makes a newsletter campaign effective, whether they are actively building their own lists through newsletters, and what they love or hate about the newsletters they subscribe to.

Below are highlights from the evening's chat:
Question #1: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR EVERY MOMPRENEUR TO HAVE A NEWSLETTER CAMPAIGN FOR HER BIZ? #mombizmondays
A1: @mombizcoach A "list" refers to the ppl who sign up "on your list" to receive your emails, i.e. marketing materials. #mombizmondays

A1: @mombizcoach When people "opt-in" to ur list, they're telling U they want to know more about U & giving permission to market to them. #mombizmondays

A1- @biztrainher It's important to 'touch' your clients and leads as often as possible - newsletters/emails help you share your value.

A1- @scarvesilove To have regular interaction and participation, RELATIONSHIP, a real person, not a stagnant business #mombizmondays

A1- @biztrainher newsletters and emails also puts a voice and personality to your biz - helps others get to know, like and trust you.

A1: It is another way to reach clients and build relationship. You can also add teasers as well.
Question #2: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BUILD YOUR EMAIL LIST? #mombizmondays
A2 - @biztrainher You gotta give to get - give away valuable expertise in exchange for their email address #MomBizMondays

A2: @RNashPhoto pass out cards with link, offer something free that adds value, & use social media #mombizmondays

A2: @mombizcoach Offer something that solves a problem ur target audience has as a freebie in exchange for their email address. #mombizmondays

A2: @AmandaPadgett I build my list by having sign-up at blog, and give away a "freebie" each month, encourages subscriptions #mombizmondays

A2: @mombizcoach: Follow best practices that make it clear what they'll receive once they opt in, & make it easy to opt out. #mombizmondays

A2: @mombizcoach: eg. of hi value freebies 2 offer: guides, ebooks, checklists, videos, podcasts on bite-sized topic/solution. #mombizmondays
Question #3: WHAT MAKES _YOU_ SIGN UP FOR SOMEONE'S NEWSLETTER?
A3: @Genevieve_Lucy getting tips to questions or problems I have or am trying to solve/figure out. #mombizmondays

A3: @MaddieKertay Engaging info that opens my eyes to great ideas. Has to be a quick read too. #mombizmondays
Question #4: HOW CAN YOU MAKE YOUR NEWSLETTER STAND OUT IN YOUR READER'S INBOX? #mombizmondays
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/using-newsletters-to-build-your-mombizhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/using-newsletters-to-build-your-mombizTue, 13 Mar 2012 21:12:56 GMT<![CDATA[Goals for 2012: Success and Reinvention]]>

Get ready...Here comes the new year! Your chance to re-create, do things differently, learn from the last year. On this week's #MomBizMondays chat, we took a look over our accomplishments in 2011 and declared our goals for 2012. It was a lively discussion. Here's the story in case you missed it!

Storified by Lara Galloway · Tue, Dec 13 2011 12:12:48

Our first question of the night encouraged everyone to look backwards and take a minute to realize what you've accomplished. Being an entrepreneur (especially a MOM entrepreneur) is tough! Celebrate what you achieve so you can make it through those tough times when you're working hard, but not yet seeing the results you want. Here's the question:
QUESTION #1: WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2011?
Then we took a look at our challenges. QUESTION #2: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN ABOUT BUSINESS IN 2012?
Most of the answers on this one showed that the participants were thinking long and hard about how to grow their business, where to find more clients, and how to balance all that with running a family and a household.
We all know that goal-setting and planning are keys to success for mompreneurs. The party guests shared some great goal-setting strategies and big plans for themselves with this question: QUESTION #3: WHAT GOALS WILL YOU SET FOR NEXT YEAR?
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]]>http://storify.com/LaraGalloway/goals-for-2012-success-and-reinventionhttp://storify.com/LaraGalloway/goals-for-2012-success-and-reinventionTue, 13 Dec 2011 20:12:48 GMT