» Mompreneur Spotlight

WSL Spotlight : Sara Bingham

Britt Michaelian — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:23:16 +0000

Sara Bingham

Brooklin, Ontario

Astrological Sign: Aries

# of children: 2

Ages: 8 and 10 years old

Favorite Business Book: Currently Mom Inc. by Amy Ballon & Danielle Botterell

Favorite Family Book: still love “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Go to Bed” by Helen Cooper

Favorite Quote: “There are no hands so small that they cannot make a difference in the world.” – Author Unknown

1. What inspired you to start your business? My own children and my love of language inspired me to start my business. After my son, was born I was searching for work that I could do from home and it was important to me to be sure that that work focused on helping children’s language development. With a focus on teaching language through the use of sign language with young children, I’ve been able to do just that.

2. What is your biggest productivity secret—the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? It’s not really a secret and it pretty simple but it’s easy to get distracted from it. I have my business plan completed and each day, I have a to-do list with items only that contribute to that business plan. Of course, some times my to-do list for the day turns into a to-do list for the week! Having my goals clearly written out and on display helps me focus when the phone and the internet bring so many distractions!

3. Do you feel that your business is giving you the lifestyle of your dreams today? The answer to this questions is both ‘yes’ and ‘I’m getting there’. I started WeeHands to stay at home and be with my kids…now that they are in school; I love that if I get a phone call I can be there for them in about 5 minutes. At the same time when they get off the bus, I shut down or slow down the work that I’m doing. I’d like to be able to do more and develop WeeHands more but I know that time will come in a few years when the kids are older. It’s a balance of what my business needs and what my kids need right now.

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? Hmmm? There have been a few points: (1) when I realized that people are actually contacting me from across North America to teach with WeeHands; (2) when I was asked to write The Baby Signing Book and (3) each time I speak at conferences and people tell me they want more WeeHands products and classes!

5. How would you describe your purpose in life, in one word? Communicator

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals? The families that I’m in touch with. Throughout the years I’ve had families who’ve taken WeeHands classes stop me in parking lots and coffee shops years after they took a WeeHands class to thank me. One mom to a little one with Down syndrome thanked me after a class and said, “Sara, this is the first normal thing I’ve done with my baby”.

Recently the families and children involved in our first DVD’s production inspired me even further. Five of the children on “WeeHands At Home” are Deaf. Most of the behind camera crew were Deaf as well. One of the moms on set emailed me later to tell me she drove home crying because her 4-year old son (a triplet) is, “the most profoundly deaf of his siblings and people usually feel sorry for him the most…and he just appeared in a children’s music DVD!

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? Finding me time…whether it’s reading, getting my hair done, getting a massage. A mom needs to take care of herself and recharge!

8. What is one thing you cannot live without? If you saw my hair you’d know why…conditioner!

9. iPhone or Blackberry? Blackberry! I’d really like to try to the new Blackberry Torch. My kids have iTouch’s and my husband has an iPhone but I think BB’s are better business tools. It’d be fun to have both a new Torch and new iPhone to be able to test and compare wouldn’t it!

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate! Mmmm, chocolate. Except regarding ice cream, for some reason I can’t stand chocolate ice cream and French Vanilla is my fave.

11. PC or Mac? My PC laptop. I’ve always worked on PC and my husband’s Mac confuses me. I’d love to try a Mac for video editing though!

12. Which do you do most often? Eat out, Order in, or Cook it? Most often, I cook but I do LOVE to eat out!

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My daughter. She’s in grade three and each year they do a project of who they admire and what they want to when they grow up. I love that she picks me and that she wants to ‘do WeeHands’ when she grows up.

14. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I’d like to see WeeHands with many more products and many more certified Instructors. I see myself in an actual WeeHands office setting with staff! Can’t wait!

Name of Business: WeeHands

URL: http://www.weehands.com

Twitter Name: http://twitter.com/weehands

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/weehandsbabysignlanguage

WSL Spotlight :: Jeannie Spiro

Britt Michaelian — Thu, 05 May 2011 03:54:54 +0000

Jeannie Spiro

Middletown, Rhode Island

Astrological Sign: Aries

# of children: 2

Ages: 16 and 14

Favorite Business Book: The Slow Down Diet, Marc David

Favorite Family Book: …from many years ago…”The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk”.

Favorite Quote: “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple” Dr. Seuss

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? The kids

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? There are three things: Hootsuite, Arc System, my Droid

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? My kids are older and so supportive of me. They love helping me with projects. Any tips? Involve your children and allow them to be a part of your passion and work. This will allow them to find their own and work towards it themselves.

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? When I first started my business my husband said “Well there’s no looking back, you’ve done it, you’ve accomplished all you’ve set out to do so far and now the sky is the limit”

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Love

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? My family, they encourage me and are the most amazing sounding board. They truly are proud of me.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? I love yoga, pilates and skiing

8. One thing you can’t live without: Laughter

9. iPhone or Blackberry? Droid

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Always Chocolate

11. PC or Mac? PC

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? We do a lot of cooking.

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My husband

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? My children

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Speaking and training other Health and Wellness Coaches how to teach my Healthy Weighs System for Stress Free Weight Loss. Taking my dream of creating a corporate program and making it into a reality.

Name of Business/es: Jeannie Spiro, The Skinny Jeans Coach

URL/s: http://www.jeanniespiro.com

Twitter Name: @skinnyjeancoach

Facebook Page: Jeannie Spiro The Skinny Jeans Coach

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Mompreneur Spotlight :: Laura Beth Bastion

Britt Michaelian — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:28:37 +0000

Laura Beth Bastion

Newaygo, MI

Astrological Sign: Pisces

# of children: 5

Ages: 15-12-9-4-1

Favorite Business Book: 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris

Favorite Family Book: The Bible

Favorite Quote: “Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” –George Bernard Shaw

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? KIDS =-)

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day?

1^st Exercise, or I am tired all day. Eating healthy and exercise, contribute to more energy to get it all done.

2^nd Schedules, Organization and lots of help from the family. Everyone shares in chores around here.

3^rd Enlisting GOOD help, finding good help can be a challenge, but it allows you the freedom to do what you are good at, and allows me to keep my clients happy.

Oh and I do have chaotic days….it happens with kids– you have to be flexible. I have nights where I work nine to midnight or beyond to catch up….but it is in my comfy PJ’s!

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips?

I think I do pretty good most of the time, I am able to be there for important things with my children, take them to school daily, be there when they are sick. I am providing financial security for my family as well as teaching them valuable lessons of hard work. I really do have the best of both worlds. It took me a while to realize it was okay to hire a babysitter even though I work from home, and it was amazing how much more I was able to accomplish .

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? I have always been a entrepreneur at heart, ask anyone I went to high school with.

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Navigator

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? The Bible, with regular Bible reading and prayer, along with communicating my goals with my family.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? Regular Bible reading and studying.

8. One thing you can’t live without: My Kids!

9. iPhone or Blackberry? Droid with Google Apps

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate all the way!

11. PC or Mac? PC …though I learned on MAC in the 90’s!! And I am leaning towards going back.

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook it myself…or at least someone in the house cooks!

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My family.

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? My children!

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? 5 years from now, I plan to be debt free. I also plan to be enjoying quality time with my family….and of course growing my business.

Name of Business/es:

Lets Grow Virtual: Virtual Assistant, Social Media Management, Website Design

URL/s: http://www.letsgrowvirtual.com

Twitter Name: @letsgrowvirtual

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/letsgrowvirtual

Mompreneur Spotlight :: Christa MacLellan

Britt Michaelian — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:24:36 +0000

Christa MacLellan

City and State: Toronto, ON

Astrological Sign: Capricorn

# of children: 1

Ages: 4 months

Favorite Business Book: 30 Days to Wealth by Leanne Grechulk

Favorite Family Book: Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life by Wayne Dyer

Favorite Quote: “We are all meant to shine, as children do.” - Marianne Williamson

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? the biz

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? On a post it note I write down the 3 most important things that I want to accomplish that day and no matter how my day goes I cross those 3 things off. We all have crazy to-do lists and big ambitions, but there is always 3 important things to complete that when you do you will feel accomplished!

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips? I’m still very new at this, but I think I’m getting the hang of it. I better wait before I give any pointers, ha ha!

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? When we bought our first home on the income from our business.

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Nurture

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? Her name is Leanne Grechulk, love her to pieces. She is my mentor and most trusted coach on every level.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? I like church on Sundays, I try different churches and religions all the time. Joel Osteen is great for a lazy Sunday morning on the couch. A long walk by yourself in nature works too! I also love HayHouse radio which I listen to on my iPhone. Right now I’m reading The Path of Practice which is a great spiritual read about ancient healing and taking care of the whole self. I could go on and on, but yoga is also a very important part of my life and my spiritual practice.

8. One thing you can’t live without: Love.

9. iPhone or Blackberry? iPhone!

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla

11. PC or Mac? MAC!

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook myself

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My mom

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? My Nana

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Empowering women to shine through it all with self healing and nurturing. I will be a speaker and coach traveling the world helping as many people as I can reach. I also hope to return in Africa to do more community work as a family.

Name of Business/es: Petite Fashionista, author of Blogging Your Way to the Top, Business Developer with Usana Health Sciences, and up next…. Shine Sister (my next project)

URL/s:

http://www.petitefashionista.com

http://www.bloggingtothetop.com

http://christajean.usana.com

Mompreneur Spotlight: Cydney Smith

Britt Michaelian — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:00:21 +0000

Cydney Smith

City and State: A little town between Brattleboro, VT and Keene, NH

Astrological Sign: Aquarius

# of children: 2

Ages: 9 and 10

Favorite Business Book: Tribes by Seth Godin

Favorite Family Book: Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Favorite Quotes:

“Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” Rumi

“If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all.” Anna Quindlan

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? Kids

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? Having a schedule. Which is not an easy thing for me to do. But placing important tasks into a time slot helps me to not overbook and to get things done.

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips? Honestly, I try to not think about balance. When I do, I start to feel in anxious, because I seem to only understand balance as a form of perfection. I now think in terms of creating a conscious rhythm in my life, where there is an ebb and flow. Sometimes, there is flood and draught too!! I’ve come to a place where I can roll with the day to day, and stay focused on the things that are a priority. I try to create a baseline each day, and for the week, of the bare minimum I need to get done to carry forward my vision for myself as a mom, women and entrepreneur. That usually means a small percentage of what’s on my list! The bare minimum approach is really about not losing my center. So I guess that brings it back to balance, or at least trying to maintain grace as I move through life.

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? When I decided to start a Dog Sledding Adventure Business, and it worked. It was so far fetched (NYC suburban childhood) and I didn’t have a clue about business. But within a few months I had contracts, permits, a merchant account, logo, brochures and a booked schedule for that first winter. I also became pregnant with my first while still in start-up. But that’s another story!

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Spirited

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? I come from a very large extended family, Irish, on my Dad’s side. We are still very close. I spend summers with many of them and holidays with my siblings and parents. I was brought up with the understanding that family is your greatest currency.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? Yoga and wilderness adventure. Oh, and going out for drinks with the ladies

8. One thing you can’t live without: The ability to breathe

9. iPhone or Blackberry? iphone

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla

11. PC or Mac? Mac

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook it myself

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My husband

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? My daughters

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Extended travel with my kids, a completed book, a successful coaching and teaching career, offering adventure wellness retreats for mompreneurs, and contributing time and money to issues related to hunger and wellness in the world.

Name of Business: Mompreneur Wellness is my primary focus right now (also, Spirited Nutrition and A Nourished Life, LLC)

URL: http://MompreneurWellness.com

Twitter Name @cydneysmith

Facebook Page http://facebook.com/mompreneurwellness

Mompreneur Spotlight: A New Resource for All Things Mommy!

Britt Michaelian — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:23:30 +0000

Have I got a treat for you!

Last week, one of my fellow mom entrepreneurs and I were talking about what she is up to…

and what she is up to is SO amazing, I just had to share with you because that’s what I do.

From coast to coast and around the world, Multi-Media Moms, Comedians, Bloggers and Mom Entrepreneurs are teaming up and to be a part of MommytoMommy.TV — the show is witty, intelligent, informative and sometimes just plain wacky.

Kimberley Blaine, author, parenting expert, and founder of The Go-To Mom has created all new online programming for moms. The new series is produced and hosted by Blaine, alongside other well-known Internet mompreneurs as her co-hosts. MommytoMommy.TV is a face-paced entertainment variety show, which highlights and features Sony’s digital products.

MommytoMommy.TV focuses on relationships, health, child-rearing, social media, along with product highlights, services, and news to improve the quality of life for moms.

We hope you find MommytoMommy.TV comforting, entertaining and addictive!

Take a peek and let me know what you like about Mommy to Mommy tv. I love the branding and the simplicity.

Now, I’d love to hear about any resources for moms that you’d like to share. Tell us what you like & what works best for you –> See ya in the comments!

Mompreneur Spotlight :: Louise Edington

Britt Michaelian — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:10:15 +0000

Louise Edington

Park City, Utah
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
# of children: 2 girls
Ages: 12 and 10

Favorite Business Book: Trust Agent by Chris Brogan
Favorite Family Book: Since we are all big literature fans I would have to say Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? The kids

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? Lists, lists and more lists.

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips? Since my business is fairly new not all that well right now as I am so focused on growing the business. My only tip is that I do take time away though but right now I have to go away from the home to fully put my focus on the family.

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? I have worked for myself, doing various things in the UK (I’m British) and then Australia, since my youngest daughter was very small but quite honestly it’s only very recently that I have truly seen myself as an entrepreneur rather than a work at home mum. Since moving to the States and then taking Ann Evanstons Social Networking Coaching Club bootcamp and learning how to market online using social media I can see a way to grow my business in a big way using methods that I enjoy and am comfortable with. I now see what I do (Childcare Coordinator for Cultural Care Au pair) as MY business and can see that it has HUGE potential.

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Giving

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? My fabulous women friends both in person and online and this includes my daughters. I couldn’t do it without them

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? In winter skiing. In summer walking the dogs.

8. One thing you can’t live without: The internet!

9. iPhone or Blackberry? iPhone – though possibly droid….

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla

11. PC or Mac? Mac – though I have both

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook myself

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My husband

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? Ann Evanston – she’s an amazing woman

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Running a very successful business but with multiple streams of income rather than only the one thing.

Name of Business: International Au Pair Finder – contractor for Cultural Care Au Pair
URL: http://ledington.aupairnews.com

URL: http://louiseedington.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LouiseEdington
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LouLovesLearning
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseedington/

Mompreneur Spotlight :: Lynn Colwell

Britt Michaelian — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:17:54 +0000

Lynn Colwell

Renton WA

Astrological Sign: Aires

# of children: 3

Ages: 40, 37, 35

Favorite Business Book: Can we do that? Peter Shankman,

Favorite Family Book: Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, of course

Favorite Quote: “..the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.” Leo Rosten

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? My kids are grown. I live near my grandkids and the answer is I’m all business until the grandkids need me, then business is on the back burner.

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day? Before I leave my home office at night, I write down three tasks that need to be done the next day but that won’t take hours. First thing in the morning after email, I attack those tasks so at least at the end of the day I feel I’ve accomplished something important even if I’m interrupted 15,000 times!

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Been an entrepreneur most of my life on and off so although I don’t have kids at home right now, I can say that when my children were around, it wasn’t easy at all. I think my most important tip is to understand why you have a business and not allow it to take over your life. Be as caring for YOU as you are for everyone else. Seriously.

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? Honestly, never thought about it in this way because I started working for myself before it was considered a positive thing to do. For me, it’s less about birthing and maintaining a successful business than it is about my own sense of empowerment so there never really was a tipping point. I started out as an entrepreneur. It was only after I started working for a company that I realized that I really wasn’t cut out for working for anyone other than me.

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? Fun.

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? My husband is supportive and positive about what I do. Always has been. But honestly, along with my daughter, it’s all the people (mostly women) we’ve met online over the last five years along with friends I’ve known for 40+ years.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? I look outside or preferably, go outside.

8. One thing you can’t live without: My flat iron.

9. iPhone or Blackberry? Neither.

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Can I say butterscotch? Probably not, so vanilla.

11. PC or Mac? Both.

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? “Cook” is a bit strong for what I do. Toast and a salad works for me.

13. Who is your biggest supporter? At this moment I would say it’s definitely Corey.

14. Who is your greatest inspiration? I’ve been fortunate to have had some amazing role models, but the person who probably has inspired me most when it comes to work is Erma Bombeck.

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? Tough one. I’ve never been a goal setter or planner. I love to wake up each morning and welcome whatever comes my way. So I guess I’d have to say, I see myself doing that—staying open to possibilities.

Name of Business: The Green Year, LLC, better known as Celebrate Green!

URL/s: http://www.celebrategreen.net http://www.greenHalloween.org and http://www.costumeswapday.com

Twitter Name @celebrategreen

Facebook Page: celebrategreen

Mompreneur Spotlight :: Stacey Kannenberg

Britt Michaelian — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:25:39 +0000

Stacey Kannenberg

Fredonia, WI

Astrological Sign: LEO

# of children: 2

Ages: 11 & 9

Favorite Business Book: Anything by Authors Tamara Monosoff or Joyce Bone

Favorite Family Book: The Dream is Clear to Believe is the Reward – Mike Kannenberg

Favorite Quote: Winners never quit and quitters never win! Vince Lombardi

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid? The kids were 3 and 1 when I started the biz!

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day?

My ability to multi-task keeps me on track!

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? As the kids get older it gets easier.

Any tips? Involve the family so they support you and the family business; Try to establish a routine that works for the family; Work around your family time; and most important remember it takes practice to balance it all!

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur? It started with my hot dog stand from 1969-1974 in front of my grandparent’s busy family bowling alley in Hayward, WI. I always knew I would have my own business but I wanted to learn from the corporate world first and start my own business from home when I started my own family!

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life? EMPOWER

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life? I have the unconditional love of my husband and kids and the support of thousands of people standing behind me that have gotten me to where I am today. From the love of family and friends to the support of so many people that I didn’t even know in person, who once they heard my story, have cheered me on by sharing my story and have continued to rally behind me!

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries? Pray and read the Bible!

8. What’s the one thing you can’t live without? Electricity!

9. iPhone or Blackberry? Blackberry

10. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

11. PC or Mac? PC

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself? Cook it

13. Who is your biggest supporter? My amazing husband Mike who gave me a crystal clear clock in 2004 engraved with the Cedar Valley Publishing logo that reads:

The Dream is Clear

To Believe is the Reward

14. Who is your greatest inspiration?

I was raised by my grandparents who were both my “rock”. My grandfather told me every day that I was destined for greatness and that I could make the world a better place. He started me on my path and passed the baton off to Mike, who continues to support the mission!

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years? More of what I am doing today and loving every minute of it!

Name of Businesses: Cedar Valley Publishing and HerInsight Media

URLs: www.cedarvalleypublishing.com

www.herinsight.com – coming soon

Twitter Name @StaceyKann

Facebook Page www.facebook.com/stacey.kannenberg

Mompreneur Spotlight :: Nika Stewart

Britt Michaelian — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:45:00 +0000

Nika Stewart

Freehold, NJ

Astrological Sign: Taurus

# of children: 1

Age: almost 5

Favorite Business Book: The Go-Giver, Bob Burg

Favorite Family Book: Give me some suggestions! I am always looking for a good, new bedtime story.

Favorite Quote: “Good enough is good enough… just do it!”

1. Which came first: the biz or the kid?

I’ve always been an entrepreneur. I was in business for 15 years before I had Ellie, but becoming a mom compelled me to change the structure of my businesses. I now run business in a completely different way.

2. What is your biggest productivity secret- the thing that helps you accomplish the most in your day?

Total focus on one thing at a time… until completion. AND the mindset that good enough is good enough (always trying to control my perfectionism, and remember that life is never done, so take time to love life and feel good about myself).

3. How well do you feel you are balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips?

I think that being able to run a business from home helps me feel balanced. My biggest tip is to always remember YOUR priorities, and make business choices that support them. Never give in to doing things and taking on projects that don’t support your ideal lifestyle.

Yes, you can have a rewarding business AND a happy family life.

(Also remember that NO ONE does it perfectly. And be good to yourself!)

4. What was the tipping point for you when you realized you were truly an entrepreneur?

The longest job I ever held was 3 months. And that felt like a lifetime.

I never had to realize. I was born an entrepreneur. In elementary school, I created hair accessories and custom sneakers (S’nika by Nika) and marketed them to local stores and all my friends. In High School, I ran a singing telegram service. I dreamed of opening my own fashion boutique. I was always coming up with the next business.

5. What one word describes your purpose in your family, your biz and your life?

FREEDOM

6. Where do you find your greatest source of support for your goals in your family, business and life?

My husband is my biggest support. Although we don’t always agree on business strategies, I am so fortunate to be with a man who understands and encourages my entrepreneurial nature, and who shares the same goals for our family and our future.

7. What do you do to recharge your spiritual batteries?

Meditation – I don’t do it enough. But when I make it a daily habit, everything starts falling into place.

8. One thing you can’t live without:

My laptop

9. iPhone or Blackberry?

iPhone (but not sure I made the right choice!)

10. Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla

11. PC or Mac?

Mac

12. Which do you do most often: Eat out, Order In or Cook it yourself?

Order in

13. Who is your biggest supporter?

My hubby

14. Who is your greatest inspiration?

I get inspiration from ALL moms who are living their own dreams – taking care of themselves, growing personally and professionally, and running rewarding businesses without sacrificing family priorities.

15. What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?

Hosting the Laptop Mom TV show, giving hope and inspiration to moms all over the world

Name of Business/es: Nika Stewart Enterprises, LLC / The Laptop Mom

URL/s:  www.NikaStewart.com

www.TheLaptopMom.com

Twitter Name @nikastewart

Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/nikastewart

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