Women ask me all the time, “How did you transition from being a stay at home mom to a woman in business?”

I’ve heard the question many times but each time I’m asked I still have to think about it. It didn’t just happen, I clearly had a drive and desire to do something with my skills. I began by writing copy and doing general free-lance marketing for small businesses. I helped people I knew or who I’d been connected to by friends or family. Once all three of my kiddos were in school I had already built up a bit of momentum but what really helped was making connections via social media and attending workshops and conferences.

One of the most important people in my network has been Maria Bailey, founder of BSM Media, who just released her 4th book and is absolutely “IT” when it comes to marketing to moms. She has been a strong influence and mentor to me from the beginning. Maria will be the keynote speaker at Moms In Business Unite Denver on September 21st. MIBU is a one day educational conference that offers four different tracks for women in every stage of business or product development. Also, Wendy Robbins, who co-starred with Kelly Ripa in the TV series Homemade Millionaire and currently works for HSN will be present and offering advice to women businesses. The price of the conference ticket is less than any comparable event I’ve seen anywhere. $85 for a full day of education including lunch is pretty amazing. I’ll be there as an afternoon panelist and would like to take THREE of  you with me! I’ll be giving away conference tickets to three lucky BB readers!

 

The Moms in Business Unite Conference has been designed to provide a unique learning opportunity for all women business owners–moms and non-moms alike. We’ve structured the Conferences to ensure that plenty of networking time is available, and because MIBU offers multiple tracks, we provide attendees with the choice to attend the sessions that are most relevant to where they are in their business.

Breakout sessions are focused on four main areas:

Track A – Getting Started: Perfect for the woman/mom who wants to learn how to start her own business. These empowering sessions will provide a solid foundation for any entrepreneur to get started!  

Track B – Running Efficiently: Ideal for the woman/mom who has her own business, but wants to learn how to run it more efficiently. These sessions are packed with useful information, providing immediate value to any business!

Track C – Next Level: Exactly what a woman/mom with an established business needs when she’s considering taking it to the next level. These motivating sessions will provide valuable inspiration to take the next step!

Track D – Inventor Fast Track: Got an idea? These sessions will give women/moms a tangible action plan to bring their inventions to market, covering all major components to take them from “concept to cart.”

 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED congrats to Daria, Tara, and Liz. You will receive an email with info on tickets!

Enter to win a FREE Moms In Business Unite – Denver Conference Ticket!

Just post a comment below letting me know what you hope to learn and why you’d like to attend #MIBUDenver. That’s it!

Winner will be chosen on September 13th by random.org all entries must be received by 12:01am 9/13/11 – winner will receive one free conference ticket *does not include transportation to and from the conference venue.

*This post has been sponsored. I will be attending the conference as a panelist and will attend the event at no charge.

Women ask me all the time, “How did you transition from being a stay at home mom to a woman in business?”

I’ve heard the question many times but each time I’m asked I still have to think about it. It didn’t just happen, I clearly had a drive and desire to do something with my skills. I began by writing copy and doing general free-lance marketing for small businesses. I helped people I knew or who I’d been connected to by friends or family. Once all three of my kiddos were in school I had already built up a bit of momentum but what really helped was making connections via social media and attending workshops and conferences.

One of the most important people in my network has been Maria Bailey, founder of BSM Media, who just released her 4th book and is absolutely “IT” when it comes to marketing to moms. She has been a strong influence and mentor to me from the beginning. Maria will be the keynote speaker at Moms In Business Unite Denver on September 21st. MIBU is a one day educational conference that offers four different tracks for women in every stage of business or product development. Also, Wendy Robbins, who co-starred with Kelly Ripa in the TV series Homemade Millionaire and currently works for HSN will be present and offering advice to women businesses. The price of the conference ticket is less than any comparable event I’ve seen anywhere. $85 for a full day of education including lunch is pretty amazing. I’ll be there as an afternoon panelist and would like to take THREE of  you with me! I’ll be giving away conference tickets to three lucky BB readers!

 

The Moms in Business Unite Conference has been designed to provide a unique learning opportunity for all women business owners–moms and non-moms alike. We’ve structured the Conferences to ensure that plenty of networking time is available, and because MIBU offers multiple tracks, we provide attendees with the choice to attend the sessions that are most relevant to where they are in their business.

Breakout sessions are focused on four main areas:

Track A – Getting Started: Perfect for the woman/mom who wants to learn how to start her own business. These empowering sessions will provide a solid foundation for any entrepreneur to get started!  

Track B – Running Efficiently: Ideal for the woman/mom who has her own business, but wants to learn how to run it more efficiently. These sessions are packed with useful information, providing immediate value to any business!

Track C – Next Level: Exactly what a woman/mom with an established business needs when she’s considering taking it to the next level. These motivating sessions will provide valuable inspiration to take the next step!

Track D – Inventor Fast Track: Got an idea? These sessions will give women/moms a tangible action plan to bring their inventions to market, covering all major components to take them from “concept to cart.”

 

GIVEAWAY CLOSED congrats to Daria, Tara, and Liz. You will receive an email with info on tickets!

Enter to win a FREE Moms In Business Unite – Denver Conference Ticket!

Just post a comment below letting me know what you hope to learn and why you’d like to attend #MIBUDenver. That’s it!

Winner will be chosen on September 13th by random.org all entries must be received by 12:01am 9/13/11 – winner will receive one free conference ticket *does not include transportation to and from the conference venue.

*This post has been sponsored. I will be attending the conference as a panelist and will attend the event at no charge.

 

 

*I can’t take credit for this photo-my friend, Martha, is the genius behind this one!

Have you ever caught yourself fantasizing or daydreaming? Do you dare to imagine things that might never become reality? It’s harmless fun, really. Allow yourself to feel and experience. Be courageous and brash. Let your mind wander and see where it goes. This is where I like to go….

I’m in Maine and I’m living in a cabin about 100 feet from the lake. I’m spending the summer working at the music camp I went to every summer throughout my childhood. My bedroom window looks out over the water and the porch is where I sit every afternoon watching my kids swim. In the evenings I sit and write until I feel ready to drift off to sleep.

I know this place as if it were my home. I know the sounds. I know the smells. I know the people. The people “get me” and that feels good.

I know the sounds of young people practicing. The sounds of careful confidence and young minds exploring and growing.

I know the feel of the wet grass as I walk up the hill to breakfast in the morning. I can feel the sun on my face and in my eyes as the flag is raised and the bugle sounds.

I know the sound of the orchestra as I sit in rehearsal. The smell of my violin. The vibrations under my chin and inside my soul. I like the sound of pencils being dropped on metal stands.

I know the sound of the milkshake machine. I know the taste of a Moose Tracks Shake, the resistance of my spoon digging through the chunks of caramel chocolates at the bottom.

I know the sounds of the night. The loons call back and forth from one end of the lake to the other and several times a week I listen as a train passes on the other side of the lake. Each night I fall asleep to the lake water lapping against the rocks outside my window.

This is the place I belong. This is where I feel whole.

I am whole, and it is so.

 

 

 

Good morning Syracuse! The Blonde family is headed back to Denver.

From where, you ask?

Heaven. A dream. The most beautiful place on earth. Approximate location of Heaven? 40 hours drive time from the other Heaven, Colorado. That’s a long time for my ADD ass to be sitting in a seat, so when I looked at my Facebook update this morning it occurred to me that, not only do I have time to blog this insanity, it might just be award winning material for ye olde bloggie.

HOW does one spend an entire summer in a dream and not blog it? The question is really, “How did I, spend an entire summer in a dream and not blog it?”. I have my theories and the amount of potential blog fodder those theories could produce should keep us busy for awhile this fall. For now, I leave you with my favorite photo of the summer….

As I sit here on my porch, looking out over the lake, I hear the sounds of the future coming from our outdoor performance venue and the practice cabins nearby. I’m the Director of Marketing and PR for the New England Music Camp in Sidney, ME and I happen to know that the kids here will go on to become successful in whatever profession they choose to pursue as adults. I know this because I spent every summer here as a teenager and have seen friends go on to successful careers, not just in music, but also as leaders in the medical field, technology, graphic arts and a host of other professions. So many of the opportunities that I have had in my life have come as a result of my involvement in music.

Amidst the debate on how to improve school performance despite educational budget cuts, arts education programs are being slashed from the core curriculum in many of our nation’s public schools. There seems to be a very clear focus on the end result (test scores) over the actual process of learning. Children who learn to play an instrument develop critical thinking skills, spatial/relational skills, and learn how to collaborate. These are all essential skills for success in any discipline or profession.

I was really happy to learn that Quaker Chewy Granola Bars has joined forces with the non-profit organization Little Kids Rock and recording artist Nick Jonas to make music education more accessible in schools across the nation. Little Kids Rock focuses on ensuring every public school student has an opportunity to experience music education. The arts are an essential part of any education and many of those children who are not cheated of a music education will be the ones who go on to cure disease, explore space, and negotiate peace in the world.

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars is teaming up with recording artist Nick Jonas to launch a new singing competition for kids. The Quaker Chewy Superstar Search, was created to give parents of kids ages 8 – 14* a platform to showcase their kid’s vocal talents. Four finalists of the Quaker Chewy Superstar Search will each receive a $1,000 cash prize. The Grand Prize winner will get to record a song produced by Nick Jonas,  an online music video, a contract with Jonas Group Management and $5,000 in cash.

The Quaker Chewy Superstar Mobile Recording Studio will be making stops at select cities across the country to give kids the chance to record a singing performance of one of 4 pre-selected songs and have that superstar ‘moment’ they deserve. The tour will make nine stops including:

June 9: New York City metro area	July 9 and 11: Atlanta metro area
June 11– 12: New Jersey metro area	July 18 – 20 Dallas metro area
June 17 and 19: Cleveland metro area	July 26 and 28: Denver metro area
June 23 and 25: Chicago metro area	August 2 – 4: Los Angeles metro area
July 2 and 4: Nashville metro area

 

Visit www.ChewySuperstar.com for exact locations, dates and times.

Quaker Chewy Superstar MP3 player and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars Giveaway!!

To help spread the word, Quaker has asked that I host a giveaway. One lucky BB reader will win an MP3 player and Chewy Granola Bars!

Enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post that answers the following question: How has arts education or the lack of it impacted your life?
• Like New England Music Camp and Quaker Chewy Granola Bars on Facebook.
• Follow @banteringblonde and @QuakerChewy

Readers must leave a separate comment for each entry. Must enter by 12am EST 7/21/11.

 

*I have been compensated for this post. All opinions are my own based on my own experiences.