Small Biz Sanity

I (think I might) Love It: YouSendIt

As someone who does her business virtually, my clients transfer lots of large files back & forth.   Uploading a file to a page on my website & emailing them a download link can often be cumbersome--but at the same time, who wants to clog up the space in their email account, waiting until kingdom come just for the file attachment to upload?  Then, chances are, the file's too big to go through on your recepient's end.  So you wind up doing this gangly, awkward dance--and meanwhile that big ol' file is floating around in not-yet-downloaded limbo, feeling unloved & unwanted.  All together, now:  Awww. 

So, anywhoo (why do people say "anywhoo," anyway???), I found a free service that just may remedy all that confusion & tomfoolery.  It's called YouSendIt, and it allows you to upload your large files to a simple interface, enter their & your email addresses, and it notifies the recipient with a download link that'll remain active for the next 7 days. 

So, we'll see how it goes, once my associate gets it and lets me know how easy it was to download this file I sent her.  Hence the "(think I might)" part in my entry title, lol.

What mompreneurs are reading...

More and more, moms are staying home with the kids and building thriving businesses.  And why not?  There are tons of great resources not only online, but between the pages of a slew of books on "mompreneurship" and work/life balance.  And in this economy, one of the smartest moves one can make is to explore starting a business (if you haven't already).   Here are some picks that small biz mamas can add to their resource library:

Stop Spinning Plates: How to Lose Your Balance and Become a Thriving Mother by Susan Guiher and Mary Mc Henry:  For the woman who has too many plates in the air...and wishes to create a thriving life and business.

16 Weeks to Your Dream Business : A Weekly Planner for Entrepreneurial Women by Michelle Briody: Whether it's selling products you love, or creating a service you know people need, business startup experts Nada Jones and Michelle Briody will take you step-by-step through the process of making your business aspirations a reality.

Mompreneurs: A Mother's Practical Step by Step Guide to Work at Home Success by by Patricia Cobe and Ellen H. Parlapiano:  Good tips on writing a business plan, getting a loan, setting fees, creating office space, and finding the right mix of child care.  Also includes inspiring tales of mothers whose businesses are now household names. 

Motherhood to Otherhood: Step Up to a New You by Julia Roberts: Life coach Julia Roberts (the other Julia Roberts) shows women how to apply lessons learned in pregnancy to launch another brand new life--their own.

My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire by Michelle Goodman: Tired of clocking in and losing out? Want to pursue creative, fulfilling work on your own time and also make a living in the process? My So-Called Freelance Life is a how-to guidebook for women who want to avoid the daily grind and turn their freelance dreams into reality. Michelle Goodman, author of The Anti 9-to-5 Guide and self-proclaimed former “wage slave,” offers tips, advice, how-to’s, and everything else a woman needs to pursue a freelance career.

 

Connecting with other virtual assistants

One of the big questions I'm often asked by newbie virtual assistants is, "How can I connect with other VAs?"  (Actually, the number one question is, "How can I get more clients?" lol--but the former isn't far behind.) 

Anyway, here are some great sites where virtual assistants can connect with each other, discuss various issues in the VA industry, and/or just take an e-coffee break. (To find others, you can also do a Google search on "virtual assistant message board" or "virtual assistant forum.")  Peruse & utilize!

Virtual Assistant Forums

Virtual Assistant Networking Forum (VANF)

VirtualAssistants (Yahoo! Groups)

The Virtual Assistant Network (Yahoo! Group)

Meetup.com (you can do a search on "virtual assistants" and your zip code to see if there are any VAs meeting up in your area.)

Virtual Assistant Job Forum (Indeed.com)

iVillage.com's Virtual Assistant message board

Mompreneurs Online Forums

Contracts & agreements. They're nice.

I was on the phone earlier this afternoon with one of my graphic designer chicas--who's dealing with a small snafu at the moment.  She'd began working on a project for a client--one of those "I need it yesterday and I'll pay you extra...now rushhurryrushrush"-type situations.  She didn't mind doing the rush job, as she had room in her schedule to do so.   But instead of submitting her usual contract/agreement (which includes project terms, fees & her standard policies) to the client, my girlfriend typed up an abbreviated email that just stated the project's basics.   Seemed like an okay idea at the time--the client wrote back that she agreed to & understood everything, and they were off to the races.

Is Twitter giving your biz the hookup?

Facebook might have recently knocked MySpace to the side in becoming the world's largest social network (not that I was a big MySpace-er anyway), but that doesn't mean Twitter is anywhere near being out of the game.  It's gotten some interesting press in the past few days; for example, actor Ashton Kutcher just beat out CNN in becoming the first Twitter member to net a million followers.  And in related "If Oprah Even Farts It's News" news, the media felt it was important to announce that the mogul's first words on Twitter were the profound "HI TWITTERS."

So, okay.  Everybody & their mama, it seems, is on Twitter--got it.  But if you're a business owner who's not that familiar with it, you might be thinking, how can this help me & my biz?  You might want to check out this Manta.com article, "How Twitter Works and How It Can Help Your Business."

Entrepreneur Spotlight: Pat Katepoo, WorkOptions.com

If you’re in a 9-to-5 working situation and would love to discuss flex-time options with your employer (but aren’t sure how to approach it), WorkOptions.com is the site you need to check out.  Started by Pat Katepoo, it’s an online resource for people who want to negotiate flexible work at their current job.  It’s got tons of free info, and downloadable, low-cost proposal templates that can greatly reduce the chances of being laughed out of the office of a skeptical, conservative boss when presenting your case.

I caught up with Katepoo to dish a bit about flexible work & telecommuting—the myths, the realities, why it can be a win-win situation for employers & employees alike—and how to approach your employer the right way if it’s something you’d like to explore.