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Thirty-One Gifts Casual Cargo Purse

January 31, 2012 By 3 Comments

Thirty-One Gifts Casual Cargo Purse

 

My new favorite item for Thirty-One Gifts will be available tomorrow, February 1, 2012!

The Casual Cargo Purse is a great item for moms and anyone who needs to carry a lot of stuff.  The purse is large…very large.

It has two pockets in the front with snap closures, and 4 inside pockets, plus a zipper pocket.  As you can see in the slideshow below, I can fit a lot in the purse including diapers.

The Casual Cargo Purse comes in 3 patterns:  Black Paisley Parade (shown), Black and Lotsa Dots (a khaki color with white dots and dark brown accents.)  If you would like to see the catalog, you can visit my Thirty-One Gifts website at http://www.mythirtyone.com/ivette.  

Let me know what you think of this new item!

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The BEST Planner for Direct Sales Consultants

March 29, 2011 By 4 Comments

If you are in any direct sales company, you know the challenges of keeping your business organized.  One of the true benefits of being a direct sales professional is that you can run your business right beside your personal life with kids, family obligations and errands.

Staying organized is no longer a challenge – if you have The Diva Success Planner.  The Diva Success Planner is the first and only planner designed specifically for the party plan professional.

As a direct sales consultant myself, I find that I try to make “other” things work.  So I was using my current calendar and adding post it notes and tabs and using big clips to keep papers together so I could keep everything in one place.  I’m almost embarrassed to tell you I have lost a few slips of paper every now and then.

That’s why I’m so excited about The Diva Success Planner!  You can watch the short video below to see a detailed overview of what’s included in the planner, but here’s what I’m most excited about:

  • Month and Week at a Glance: this will help see what’s coming up in the week and month ahead.  If one of those “surprise” opportunities presents itself, you’ll know in an instant if you can participate!
  • Hostess and Customer Profiles: it’s great to have all your hostess and customer info at your finger tips so you can call them ASAP with a special that’s perfect for them or maybe pick up a unique thank you gift for that special customer or hostess
  • It’s 8″ x 5″ which fits perfectly in any purse or diaper bag
  • Goal Tracking system: keep track of your monthly goals all in one place so you can stay on target for that special incentive you’re working on!

The Diva Success Planner was created by Lynsey Jones, the Party Plan Coach.  Lynsey has been in the direct sales industry for more than 13 years and knows what it takes to build a successful business.  This is truly a custom made planner for us! (Listen to my exclusive interview with Lynsey http://www.wahmbahm.com/exclusive-interview-lynsey-jones-party-plan-divas.)

If you’d like to order The Diva Success Planner, go to The Diva Shoppe and click on “Tools for Success”.

This is what I’m getting myself with my March commission check!

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How WAHMs Can Make Money Using the Techniques in the Traffic Dashboard

February 10, 2011 By 1 Comment

No use sugar coating it – being a work at home mom isn’t easy.

Besides cleaning up after the kids, playing with them and raising them in general, there’s house cleaning, errands to run and bills to pay.  Somewhere in between nap time and bed time, we find time to actually “work”.  Now our work can consist of many things: emails, working on clients’ websites, transcribing audio, checking in orders, etc.  You get the point, depending on what your work at home business or job is, you’ve got many tasks to complete.

Aside from the tasks, it’s extremely important to stay “fresh” and continually educate ourselves – especially when it comes to internet marketing.  Things change at a rapid pace and it’s already difficult to keep up – never mind trying to do it “part-time” when you’re sleep deprived.  That’s why I am such a fan of online training courses – good online training courses.

One of my favorite bloggers online is Kim Roach over at BuzzBlogger.com.  Kim is one of those rare finds in the IM space that consistently provides tremendous value in everything she does.

She’s a country gal at heart but don’t let that fool you…

She’s been beating out many of the big-name gurus with her southern belle charm.

In fact, many refer to her as the ‘Traffic Queen’. Which from what I’ve seen is certainly a worthy title.

At the ripe ‘ol age of 25 she’s managed to unlock the secrets to massive traffic…testing and tweaking new traffic strategies… plus adding her own little twists and tricks.  And unlike most other marketers, she spends most of her time in the trenches, locked up in the marketing laboratory - cookin’ up more juicy traffic goodness.

But every once in a while she surfaces back up into the real world to share her latest findings. If you’d like to see what she’s been cookin’ up in the lab lately go now to:

Traffic Dashboard

Kim’s has unlocked her very best traffic strategies in her latest product called ‘The Traffic Dashboard’. It’s a complete training center that contains over 20 of Kim’s top traffic getting methods. These traffic techniqes are really quite unique as you can see for yourself by taking a look inside the member’s area…


Traffic Dashboard – a sneak peek inside…

Inside ‘The Traffic Dashboar’ Kim shows you how to go from nothing to over 3,000+ subscribers in just 30 days. (all in step-by-step detail).

You literally point and click your way to increased traffic with Kim’s unique dashboard design. (as seen above)

You have to actually TRY to mess this one up! Because the point-and-click learning system forces you to take action.

Here’s a sneek peak at what you’ll find inside…

An underground tool for extracting exactly where your competitor’s website traffic is coming from. This is like being given the keys to the kingdom. (I’m really surprised Kim is sharing this little gem!)

(If you thought Alexa was cool imagine knowing EXACTLY how much traffic your competitors were getting each day and knowing exactly where that traffic was coming from.)

“James Bond” tactics for spying on your competitors and forcing them to hand over all of their hard-earned, battle-tested, profit-busting strategies.

A super simple method for cramming your opt-in list with 200-400 subscribers in a single day… (and NO this has nothing to do with ad swaps)

A really cool strategy that shows you how to get 10x MORE traffic from EVERY article you write.

As many of you probably already know, traditional article marketing is becoming less and less effective. What worked in 2004 simply doesn’t cut it anymore.

So Kim show’s you 10 different ways to repurpose your content for additional traffic and exposure. Use just a couple of the strategies in this video and you’ll have no excuse for not getting AT LEAST a couple hundred visitors for every article you publish.

… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

This thing is packed with over 8 hours of juicy traffic goodness… NO fluff… NO filler.

With over 8 hours of step-by-step video and enough how-to information to DESTROY literally every question, worry and problem you’ve ever
had in regards to traffic.

A Word of Warning: There’s just ONE caveat to this product. In fact, these traffic methods will NOT work in all situations. In order for these traffic strategies to reap their full power – you MUST be creating HIGH QUALITY CONTENT! (not some auto-generated content that not even your momma would be proud of…)

If you think you’re going to slap together some useless crap, throw up some auto-generated sites and have thousands of visitors pouring in…This course is NOT for you.

This training course was created specifically for people who are looking to build REAL businesses online… People who are dedicated to providing top-notch value for their visitors, subscribers, and customers.

This is something Kim stresses a lot, and I agree. If you’re not willing to take the time and effort to put together some really good content and offer real value, then don’t bother with ‘The Traffic Dashboard’. It will just be a waste of time for you if you don’t have good content in place.

But…

If you are dedicated to building a REAL business online and providing your visitors with REAL VALUE then ‘The Traffic Dashboard’ will help you to grow your business 10x faster.

Plus, at an affordable price to boot!

So, if you’re ready to turn on the traffic tap, then click on the link below…

The Traffic Dashboard

There are no “tricks”, or “magic traffic buttons” here, just proven traffic strategies that are designed to generate traffic as quickly as possible.

Plus, for those of you who are more advanced, Kim combines old school tactics with new traffic twists and tips that you won’t want to miss…

The Traffic Dashboard

So how exactly can a work at home mom (WAHM) benefit from The Traffic Dashboard?  There are many ways, here are just a few:

  1. Shorten your learning curve with the most up-to-date traffic methods to get people to your website and buy (this is a BIG one since we don’t have enough time in our day anyway!)
  2. If your are a WAHM who is a virtual assistant, you can learn a new service to offer to clients and increase your earnings
  3. If you are a blogger, you can learn how to convert your posts into an eBook and how to distribute them to drive more traffic and even make some money selling your collection of posts
  4. If you’re a brand new internet marketer you’ll learn how to find Joint Venture partnerships that can help you grow your list in 30 days and start making some money
  5. Learn how to profit from webinars the right way

…and so much more.

Trust me, if you implement just one idea from the Traffic Dashboard, it will more than pay for itself.  It’s more than well worth your money and I don’t think anyone will be disappointed.  But, there is a 30 day money back guarantee so you can try it out first to make sure you find it worth your while.

Again, the Traffic Dashboard is for people who are committed to providing really high value content.  No fluff or second rate stuff.  If you’re not able to produce good content that people want to read, then there’s no use in buying this course.  The amount of traffic you will drive to your website or offers is directly proportional to how good your content is – end of story.

If you have the Traffic Dashboard, let me know what you think about it below!

I have learned a great deal from Kim and her techniques!  Her blog, Buzz Blogger, is a great read and you definitely need to subscribe to her newsletter if you are even remotely interested in internet marketing!

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Transcription Crash Course Review

January 14, 2011 By 5 Comments

Transcription Crash Course

I was given the opportunity to review Loretta Oliver’s Transcription Crash Course a few months ago and I’ve finally had a chance to review the whole thing.  I am so upset with myself that I had not done this before!

There are so many things I liked about this transcription course that I am going to list them with a brief explanation – otherwise this might get too long and you’ll stop reading:

  1. The Transcription Crash Course is brief yet very comprehensive on how to start a transcription business.  Loretta goes out of her way to show you the bare bones necessities of what you need to start the business without making a huge financial investment. She also provides a prioritized list of things you “need” to get going and things that will help you make your business run more efficiently when you can afford to purchase some of the equipment like noise cancelling headsets down the road.
  2. The course is a very easy read and provides FREE resources to get your business up and running.  Loretta even provides ideas on how you can get your business going whether you want to find a job, work or your own clients.  And yes, there is a difference.
  3. There is even a detailed section on how to format your document for a client, as well as a discussion of what to charge and how to structure your fees.  I will tell you that this is one of the most difficult things to figure out when you first start your business.  Charge too little and you will attract undesirable clients, charge too much and you will not have as much work as you’d like without the referrals and experience needed to charge those rates.

Overall, the Transcription Crash Course is a good tool for anyone who is interested in starting their own business transcribing.  But the value doesn’t stop there, Loretta provides bonus reports on how to deal with the slow times in your business and what to do about them, time management and optimizing the time you have available to work and 10 tips on how to communicate with your clients.

As if that weren’t enough, once you purchase the Transcription Crash Course, Loretta will send you periodic updates to questions she’s received and helpful tips like how to get your family to take you and your new business seriously.  Honestly, that could be a course all by itself! :)

Now, for the price…while I really should let you determine the value on your own, I will step in and say that the course is very reasonable for all the content and help you get.  I’ve paid more for online courses and have received less content and follow up than Loretta Provides.

You can follow Loretta on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/retta719 and ask her any questions at any time.  She is available to help whenever she can and I can attest to the fact that she’s on Twitter…a lot.  That’s how we met :)

Loretta OliverThanks Loretta for the opportunity to review the Transcription Crash Course for my readers!  I hope it helps someone on their work at home journey!

FTC Disclosure:   Loretta contacted me and offered me a free copy of her Transcription Crash Course because she thought it would be a good thing for my work at home mom and aspiring work at home mom audience.  Even though I did not pay for this item, the opinions are all mine and I was not compensated by Loretta in any way for this review.  However, if you find this review helpful and click the links to purchase the course, then I will receive an affiliate commission for referring you to the product.

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Keurig B30 Review

January 13, 2011 By 2 Comments

Well, if you’ve followed some of my previous posts, you know that I have been wanting a Keurig Coffee machine.  I guess some would call it “campaigning” to get my husband to notice :)   You can see my older posts here: The Great Coffee Maker Debate: Tassimo vs. Keurig and Tassimo vs. Keurig: And the Winner is…

About 5 months ago, I actually purchased my own Keurig B30 machine.  I had the opportunity to get a red one when it was on clearance at my local Sears store.    I seriously couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on clearance for about $60 – amazing considering the regular price was about $109.99  - so I decided to give it a try.

Even though I wanted the Keurig because it had the My K Cup capability to use any coffee you wanted with the machine, the Keurig B30 actually isn’t set up to use the My K Cup filter.  Let me tell you, that’s a major bummer for me.

However, I decided to keep the machine to try it out, make sure I liked the coffee pods available and the machine itself.

Overall, the machine is pretty easy to use, compact and makes good coffee.  Since there are SO many options available, I’m still working my way through the different flavors to find ones I like.  I can tell you that the main reason I wanted to use the My K cup filter was to get my favorite Dunkin Donuts coffee.  Alas, I have tried Keurig’s Donut Shop version which I’m assuming is supposed to be like Dunkin Donuts coffee.

It’s not.

It’s stronger and has a bitter after taste.  In my opinion, Dunkin Donuts coffee is smoother, less bitter and has more “nutty” notes than “coffee” notes.  Maybe that’s just me :P

The other “con” for this machine is that it only makes about 6 oz. of coffee at a time and only a standard coffee cup fits.  If you want more coffee, you’ll have to keep making individual cups and and them to a larger cup.  By the time you are done, you will probably have to reheat the bigger cup so you can drink it.

I like this machine enough to keep it for now, but I am already hankering for the upgrade to the Keurig B60.  I don’t want anyone to think I don’t like this machine, it’s good enough for now and overwhelmingly better than my Senseo.  I just want more.

On a separate but related note, the only reason I chose a Keurig over a Tassimo was because of the My K cup capability.  I have been following many Tassimo lovers and reading the reviews.  I’ve got to say the Tassimo has caught my interest again because so many people rave about the wonderful coffee.

I don’t call myself a coffee connoisseur, but I know good coffee.  And while the Keurig coffee is good enough, it doesn’t have me shouting from the roof tops like Tassimo owners do.  So I honestly have to wonder how really good it is.  Part of me thinks the coffee is so good because it’s consistent and the barcode scanner on each T-disc heats the water to the perfect temperature.  While you can’t use “any” coffee in a Tassimo, it’s probably that same reason why it’s consistently good because the “user” can’t screw it up.  Like me!

So I think the only way to determine which one is better, is to try them side by side in a taste test.  Not sure how I’m going to do that unless I get a Tassimo as a gift or one to review.  Highly unlikely.

So for now, I will still use my Keurig B30 and make my morning coffee.  It’s good enough, satisfies my need and it’s easy to use.  That’s no easy order to fill for a busy mama of two toddlers and two businesses!

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Review: The Party Plan Divas Membership Program and Giveaway

January 26, 2010 By 35 Comments

A work at home career as a direct sales consultant for one of the many fine companies is hard work.  It takes time to build a business, build a downline, and an income.  But there are tools available that can help you get ahead quickly, and make wise decisions.

I want to let you all know about a great resource, Party Plan Divas.  The Party Plan Divas is a community that helps direct sales consultants from all companies, all over the world.  The Party Plan Coach, Lynsey Jones, has developed a system to help any one in direct sales business work their business in just 30 minutes a day.

Lynsey has taken great care in developing her coaching program and forum.  The resources available on the membership site are numerous.  As a former consultant for a few direct sales companies, I can truly say this is an invaluable resource.  I wish I knew about the Party Plan Divas when I needed the help and support!

There are many wonderful components to the Party Plan Divas program.  First, there are daily tips that can be sent to your email on how to build your business.  Some of the tips have been advertising options, customer prospecting ideas and yellow page directory suggestions.  The newsletter is chock full of helpful tips to help any one grow their business.

And I have to mention now, is that the most impressive thing about the resources provided by the Party Plan Diva, is that it can be applied to any direct sales business.  There is a paid membership option that is very reasonably priced.  The resources available as part of the membership program is huge.  Anything you ever needed or wanted to know about building a business is in there.

The topics covered are for the beginning direct sales consultant, to the experienced.  There’s a special section called Getting Started that details how you can start your direct sales business, how to get organized, what should be in your home office, and how to start marketing your new business.  But that’s just the beginning.  There are even scripts to help you get started and get comfortable with your presentations for selling, booking parties and recruiting.

Then, there are ideas for booking parties, how to have a successful party, customer service, party games, recruiting ideas, goal setting, time management and leadership success.  There are also the templates, a huge library of forms and tools to use in your business to collect customer data, organize party information and advertise your business.  The templates are even categorized by business type like skin care, candles and home decor, scrapbooking, etc.

Like I mentioned before, I wish I had known about this community when I was in direct sales.  This would have been a great resource for me to learn how to build my business and network with other direct sales consultants.  My upline did not stay in the business too long after I joined.  And before she left the company, she moved and I never really heard from her again.  Now, ultimately, it was my responsiblity to work my business to be successful.  But when I was just starting out, I needed more support.  I needed someone to brainstorm with.  I needed someone to share their success stories and challenges.  I wanted someone to show me programs that worked so I could try them for my business.  The Party Plan Divas does that – for any one in any direct sales business.

Why do I keep mentioning that the program is for everyone?  Because it’s one of the few communities I have seen that is not company specific.  As a matter of fact, I have no idea what company Lynsey represents.  That shows true passion and dedication to help direct sales consultants.  Not to mention the fact that you know that someone is not going to try to recruit you and invite you to change companies.

As it has been mentioned several times, any work at home career is hard work.  No matter what you choose to do, you own your own business and need to work at it every day.  Having a support system and resources is critical to your success.  If you are in direct sales, you need to check out the Party Plan Divas!

As a special bonus, Lynsey has offered to giveaway a FREE one year membership to the Party Plan Divas – that’s a $49 value!

Here’s how to enter:

NOTE:  Please come back here and leave a comment each time you enter.  Every action is a separate entry for more chances to win!

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Party Plan Divas and sign up for the FREE newsletter.  (REMEMBER to leave a comment here to let me know you did this. )

  1. Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect – 1 entry
  2. Follow @PartyPlanDivas on Twitter www.twitter.com/partyplandivas- 1 entry
  3. Follow me, @ivettemuller01 on Twitter www.twitter.com/ivettemuller01 – 1 entry
  4. Become a fan of the Party Plan Divas on Facebook www.facebook.com/PartyPlanDivasInc - 2 entries
  5. Tweet about this giveaway – 1 entry per tweet (limit of one tweet per hour) “Enter to win a one year membership to the Party Plan Divas Membership Program http://bit.ly/PPDgiveaway“

Contest ends Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at midnight EST.  Winner will be chosen at via http://www.random.org/.  Make sure you enter your email address on each entry so we can contact you if you are the winner!

GOOD LUCK!

Disclosure:  I was given a two week trial to review the Party Plan Divas membership program and review the templates available for this review.  This did not influence my opinion.  As a former direct sales consultant, this is my honest opinion of the resource.

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Review: My Digital Studio

November 27, 2009 By 15 Comments

My Digital Studio is a new software program from Stampin’ Up!  that allows you to create digital scrapbooks, cards, calendars and more.  While digital software is nothing new, there is so much more to the SU! My Digital Studio (MDS)!

First of all, if you are not familiar with Stampin’ Up!, it is a rubber stamp, home decor and paper crafting direct sales company.  Stampin’ Up! has exclusive artwork for all their images, that you won’t find anywhere else.  They are consistently on the cutting edge of rubber stamping trends, techniques and products.  In case you couldn’t tell, I LOVE STAMPIN’ UP!  I used to be a demonstrator for almost 10 years.  I can’t tell you  how much I miss rubber stamping – one of my favorite all time crafts.  However, I don’t have much time right now with my two baby girls.

And that is what intrigued me to their MDS software.  I was very interested in the MDS software for two main reasons.  One, is that it would give me a way to start my girls’ scrapbook quickly, before I forget about the pictures and the memories.  Secondly, it was a way for me to still be creative when I had a chance, and there was no  supplies to take out and put away.  No messy kitchen table is a good thing.  (One of these days I will have to post a picture of my craft room.  Tons of goodies and craft supplies, but very messy.)

The My Digital Software far exceeded my expectations.  While I am very familiar with Stampin’ Up’s! quality and exclusive artwork, the digital software was more than that.  Sure, there are the main things that SU! is known for, great pattern paper, exclusive color palette, etc.  But the software has the ability to add elements from a punch, embellishments like brads, of course text in many different fonts, and…stamps!

Yes, you read that correctly, you can stamp digitally with this software.  It’s like the best of both worlds for me!  I love to stamp, but I am also OC about it (an obsessive compulsive perfectionist!)  When I would work on cards or any project, it has to be just right, perfectly lined up, trimmed, you get the picture.  I know, the beauty of a handmade card is the imperfection, but I couldn’t get there for myself.  I loved it when other people would create these beautiful works of art, and create patterned paper with their stamps.  But I personally could never get there.  I think I lack the “random” gene that allows for that kind of creativity!

Anyway, I keep digressing from this amazing software.  There are templates and sample cards and scrapbook page layouts, but you can totally create your own.  Once you’ve created your masterpiece, you can save it (even in JPEG and PDF format) and print it.  You have a few options for printing:  print at home on your personal printer, print through an online printing facility or print through SU!’s exclusive print partner.

This software has so many capabilities, I think I may have to blog about some of my creations as I go along.  I created a simple Thank You card in less than 5 minutes.  I started my oldest daughter’s scrapbook and finished 6 pages within about an hour.  The software is VERY easy to use, and you can create masterpieces in minutes.  I think this software is great for everyone, but especially for busy, creative people.

There are a couple of special things about this software from Stampin’ UP! that I have to mention.  First, once you purchase the software, you have the license to use it on 2 personal computers.  This is a big deal to me because I have a desktop and a laptop.  All other software I have purchased thus far, requires a separate copy (license) for each computer.  I think this is a huge benefit from SU!  I think part of their reasoning for this was for situations like mine where people have a desktop computer and a laptap.  I can imagine taking my laptop to a scrapbooking party some day!  The other special thing is that Stampin’ UP! has offered their demonstrators to participate in a My Digital Software certification process.  This certification establishes some demonstrators apart in their knowledge and ability to help others use the software.  Stampin’ UP! will be releasing additional downloads for purchase to expand the software possiblities.

I’d like to thank Stella MacKay for providing this software for me to try in exchange for an honest review.  You can purchase this software and all other Stampin’ Up! merchandise directly from her.  She has a wonderful new blog at www.stellarstamps.com where she posts ideas, specials, samples and more!  Stella is a certified My Digital Studio demonstrator, and the #15 demonstrator of the year in 2009!  Besides being the #15 demonstrator of the year, she also attended a cruise to the Bahamas.  All of this is a testament to Stella’s hard work and dedication to customer service with her Stampin’ Up! business.  If you have been looking for a work at home opportunity, you should talk to Stella about the Stampin’ Up! opportunity.  As you can see by Stella’s accomplishments, she would be a great mentor to have!

And, as a special offer to my readers, Stella is offering FREE SHIPPING on any order of $69.95 or more!  Just mention coupon code: WB01 for your discount.  Contact Stella directly through her blog at www.stellarstamps.com . Expires February 15, 2010. 

This is a great gift to give yourself or someone you love  — just in time for the holidays!

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Review: Start, Run & Grow Your Business Plus

November 26, 2009 By 4 Comments

As I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I will be posting my review of some of the tools and services on the Start, Run and Grow Your Business Plus software by Palo Alto Software.

This week, I created a logo for my new business.  It was very easy to use, and had categories to choose from to help narrow down the choices.  The logos are clean and simple, which I liked very much.  There were enough choices for me, because the more choices I get, the more confused I get!  The logo creation is free, and you get a web-read version included in the software.  If you want a print quality version for business cards, letterhead, custom cards, etc., there is a nominal fee.  I really liked this feature to get me started on my business website because I don’ t have a lot of time to get it done, and I am doing it myself, but I want it to look nice.

I also tried the press release builder templates.  Now, I tried this with a little skepticism because I actually write press releases for clients, and it is one of the services I offer.  So I tried this template to see how it compared to what I would write.  And, I have to admit that the template worked pretty well.  I had to play with it a little to make it flow the way I wanted it to.  But, for someone who is just starting their business, and needs to keep expenses down, this is a great option.  One of the other things I really liked about it was that the way it was formatted is very similar to a lot of the online press release sites.  So, it is easy to copy and paste to distribute.

So far, I have not seen any reason why someone just starting their business would not want to purchase this software. The price is less than $30 and has a ton of resources. Even if you used just one thing, the software would pay for itself.

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Preliminary Review: Start, Run & Grow Your Business Plus Software

November 3, 2009 By 9 Comments

A few weeks ago I responded to a tweet from John Jantsch, creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system and Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach Network.  The tweet included a link to John’s blog, where he offered 5 people the chance to get a copy of the software, Start, Run and Grow Your Business from Palo Alto Software.

And guess what?  I got a copy!

I just received my copy of the software in the mail yesterday, and WOW!  I can’t wait to get started.  The software is full of helpful business tools.  Just a few highlights of the software:

  • John’s contribution: videos, 7 steps to marketing success and information on how to use Twitter for your business
  • Website domain ($35 value)
  • Bookkeeping software
  • Presentation templates
  • Company logo
  • Time-tracking software
  • Project management software
  • Legal forms and guides
  • Sales contact database
  • Exclusive discounts and extras to help grow your business

The list of tools in this software are too many to mention here, but I have included my affiliate link to Amazon.com so that you can check it out for yourself.

But one thing I want you to see immediately is the price of the software – it’s only $39.99 for a new copy on Amazon.com.  Even the regular price of $59.95 is a great deal.  But at just under $40, you practically get that investment back with the website domain name which is included and a $35 value!

I will be taking the time to go through this software and I will blog about my experience with some of the features.

But, if you have been thinking about starting a business and don’t know where to start, this would be a VERY good place!

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Original Moby Wrap Product Review

October 23, 2009 By 1 Comment

Before I tell you about the Original Moby Wrap, I must admit that I was not excited about trying another baby carrier.

I had received 2 baby carriers as gifts when I had my first daughter and I didn’t like either of them.  The Infantino SlingRider was like an elastic banana.  The sound from the hook and loop safety strap startled my daughter every time I tried to put her in or take her out.  But more disturbing was the way it closed up and completely covered her when she was in it.  I was very concerned about her ability to breathe, and it bothered me that I couldn’t see her when I looked down.  I tried this twice and gave up.

The other one was the Infantino Euro Rider which was difficult to use from the beginning.  You had to put it on like a shirt, then lift the baby over your head and slide her in the pouch.  First of all, not easy to do with a newborn that cannot support their head yet.  Secondly, I could not  move the baby once she fell asleep.

So needless to say, I was already frustrated with the idea of baby carriers.  But, then it became a necessity with the birth of my second daughter.  With the girls only 13 months apart, I now have an active toddler and a newborn who wanted to be held.  My need peaked when my husband had to go out of town for work, and I was home alone with my girls for 4 whole days.

I saw the Original Moby Wrap on a mom at the doctor’s office when I went in for my check up.  She raved about it, and told me where she got it.  I promptly went to the store where they showed me how to use it.  (I must admit this wrap is a little intimidating at first.  It’s basically a VERY long piece of cotton fabric.  But, it is the most versatile baby carrier I have ever seen!)

Through a series of wraps, you create a customized carrier for you and your child.  They demonstrated several different variations with a doll they had.  But, I still wasn’t convinced it would work with my baby.  So I went home, got my daughter and went back to the store! (Yes, I was so impressed, I made a second trip!)  Once I had the wrap on, they showed me how to put my daughter in the wrap.  She was crying and squirming around, so it was a little difficult.  But, once she was in, she immediately calmed down and fell asleep!!

Having this wrap allows me so much freedom, I am sorry I didn’t have this with my first daughter!  I can now carry my newborn all around the house, play with my toddler, talk on the phone, work on the computer and even start dinner!  My hands are totally free!  I can actually visualize myself running small errands with both girls!

It is a little tricky to get the initial wrapping technique down.  For me, the most difficult part is keeping it taut to ensure a snug fit.  But, it just takes a few days to become a pro!  The wrap comes with a booklet that shows all the steps in full detail and color photos.  Plus, you can visit the website www.babyslingdemonstrations.com to see a video of the wrapping techniques.  I have this bookmarked as a favorite!

Here’s a list of reasons why I love this wrap:

  1. My daughter loves it!
  2. It’s made of soft, luxurious cotton
  3. It can be used for preemies, up to 35 lbs.
  4. It’s comfy and gives great back support
  5. One size fits most (even the Dads can use it!)

Now, I must specify that I initially purchased the Original Moby Wrap in black, which retails for $39.95 with authorized dealers and the website http://www.mobywrap.com.  I chose black so that it would go with any outfit and would be good year round.  In hindsight though, I should have chosen a lighter fabric.  It would be cooler and easier to conceal stains and lint.

I have subsequently purchased the Moby D Wrap which retails for $69.95.  It is more expensive because it has a decorative panel in the middle, and it is made to be tied on your side.  Since one side is longer than the other, there is really only one way to tie it and the knot will always be on the right side.  Also, it doesn’t seem to fit as generously as the Original Moby Wrap which I miss.  In my opinion, the decorative panel and design is not worth the additional $30.  I would have preferred to purchase 2 Original Moby Wraps in different colors for that price!

I hope that this review is helpful to anyone who is looking for a wrap to purchase for themselves or as a gift.  I highly recommend the Original Moby Wrap to every mom I meet!

One last note about the Moby Wrap…

Even though it can be used for children up to 35 lbs. you should use your comfort as a guide.  If it’s not comfortable to wear because of the weight of your child, then try a different wrap technique to redistribute the weight.  I tried to put my 15 month old daughter in the wrap and was not successful.  She only weighs 22 lbs. but since she is mobile, she doesn’t want to be carried around that much.  I also think that since she was never carried in the wrap, she’s not used to it and doesn’t like it.  If you are purchasing this for an older child, I would consider their mobility as a factor.

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