Stop Being a Slave to the Corporate World

Jackie Greene started selling as a hobby on eBay in 1999, selling items her children had outgrown. Her business, The Steinsburg Store, now focuses on collectibles and children’s items, and her profits have grown to cover her family’s monthly expenses.

I've heard that Jackie often mentors other sellers new to eBay and is an eBay Top Rated Seller who takes pride in her excellent customer service.

Jackie has managed to turn her eBay business into a source of income for her family.  You can too.  Anyone can start a part-time business for supplemental income that can eventually turn into a full-time occupation that allows you to live more of your life rather than being a slave to the corporate world.

Pay a visit to her store here.  You'll get plenty of ideas on how to succeed.  Plus, you might find an item or two you didn't know you wanted.

Meet the Apple App Ladies

What do Amanda Wixted (1), Cathy Edwards (2), Lisa Bettany (3), Monisha Perkash (4) and Prerna Gupta (5) all have in common?

They are women entrepreneurs who build apps for the Apple store. 

1. Meteor Grove
2. Chomp
3. Camera+
4. Lumoback
5. Khush

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit:  No. 5

Don't Be a Wimp: Show Courage Under Fire

Four years ago I wrote and cross-posted here at Escape From Corporate America the article below for the American Express OPEN Forum.  Has much changed since then?  Not really.  Especially my last point:  Don't be a wimp.  Show courage under fire.

Read:  16 Ways to Dodge an Economic Crisis

Brush Up on Business With a World Class Online Education

Lately, have you been thinking that perhaps you don't know everything there is to know about running a business?  Join the crowd.  We all feel that way from time to time.  But many of us, including me, do something about it.

Why not take a time out to pursue knowledge that will better equip you as you grow your business?  And I've got just the place.  Two Stanford computer science professors -- Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng -- are offering higher-level online education courses for FREE at Coursera. The beauty in this new education that you don't have to leave your home or office, you learn a whole lot and you don't spend a dime.

I'm already signed up for a course in January 2013.  Check it out for yourself.  You may find one or two courses you like as well.

Coursera

At the Helm of HER Own Company

Arminda "Mindy" Figueroa

After 25 years of experience in the corporate world, beginning with a marketing position at Anheuser-Busch, Arminda "Mindy" Figueroa (pictured) made her dream come true.

In 2007, she founded Latin2Latin Marketing+Communications, LLC, targeting the growing Latino market in the United States, and initially operating her new business out of her home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Learn more about what it took to get started and where she's headed next - here.

Never Give Up For Quitting Lasts Forever

©Laurel Delaney 2012, "Comeback 2.0"

As you run your business, if ever there is a lesson to learn, it's from Lance Armstrong.  And in this case, it's to do the opposite of what he has decided to do:  quit.

Yes, Lance Armstrong has decided not to fight the doping charges.

The reason I am writing about this here is because the following quote referenced in the blog post by Michael Specter for The New Yorker really stood out for me:

(My favorite Lance quote about pain, clearly applicable to the accusations, is, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”)

Yes, quitting lasts forever.

Read the entire blog post by Michael Specter:  And now he is nothing (The New Yorker) 

Never, ever quit.  No ands, ifs or buts.  Just don't.

Photo credit:  ©Laurel Delaney 2012, front cover of "Comeback 2.0:  Up Close and Personal"

Giving It Your Best: What's Your Story?

My trusty Clinique collection (as shown)

Following up on our "Women Rule" theme ... Clinique has a wonderful campaign taking place on Celebrating Personal Best stories.  Have a look.

What's your best accomplishment? Have you started that business?

Visit Clinique.

Full disclosure: Sponsored ad.  Photo reflects Clinique products used by author.

Women Rule

U.S. Artistic Gymnasts -- Gold Medal Winners 2012 Summer Olympics

I am featuring this recent article published in The Wall Street Journal only because I absolutely loved the third point.

3.  Women Rule

Thanks in part to its population, and its progressive policies toward girls' and women's athletics (see: Title IX, the 1972 federal legislation that guarantees women equal support for sports at public institutions) the U.S. produces the best female sports team on the planet.  

I suspect that stat holds up on female entrepreneurs too.

Congratulations to all the women Olympians who exceeded everyone's expectations on greatness.  You are a role model for us all.

Entire article can be found here.

Related article (added 8/22/12).

Just Start Something in Your Life

Whatever it may be -- running a race, taking a photograph or starting a business -- confidence is key.

According to the article below:

... women actually develop confidence through the process of launching a business, which in turn helps their endeavors grow. "Just start something in your life … you will have a happier life, you will feel more confident, and that's what it's all about" ...

Read the entire article:

Women Starting Businesses - Oprah.com

Photo:  Jean Chatzky

Gifted Gabby Gets Gold!

Congrats to artistic gymnast Gabby Douglas (pictured - wins two golds!) and all the Olympic champs!  Gabby is an example of an American dream come true -- similar to entrepreneurship in that one goes after their calling and passion in life, deals with the unknown, works hard to achieve something great and then creates a destiny of her own.

Read more here.

And while I have you, I'm going for my own little gold with the Small Business Influencer Award.  Please take a moment to vote for me - thanks!

How to Get Sensational Media Coverage on the Cheap

Say you just started a business and you don't know anybody or who to contact to get media attention.  Where do you start?  Celestine Chua (pictured) is founder of the site Personal Excellence.  Below she provides excellent tips on how to get media coverage.  Hint:  It all begins by being pro-active!

One example she provides:

Example:  One of the story angles which I brainstormed when I started my business (2008) was the fact that I had quit a prestigious, well-paying job to pursue my passion - from nothing. This was considered unconventional in the context of the Singapore society (at that time, at least) because most locals conformed to the view that one should stay in a stable job with financial security and an iron rice bowl —the complete opposite of what I did. Hence, I used that as the angle for one of my press releases, and it was eventually picked up by several media outlets (Today, OMY, Lianhe Zaobao, AsiaOne, among a few other sites).

Read:  How to Get Media Coverage for Your Business, Blog, or Startup 

Illustration credit here.

Negotiating a Commercial Property Lease

Are you about to sign on a commercial property lease for your new business?  Or perhaps you simply need more space.

... the abundance of choice and favorable market conditions for potential tenants can prove an enticing prospect for budding entrepreneurs and small business owners. However, even in a buyer’s market, negotiating a commercial lease is a daunting and complex process that requires research and due diligence.

Below are some helpful tips for leasing a space for your small business.  If you've got more, please let us know!

6 Tips for Negotiating a Commercial Property Lease without Getting Burned

Challenges For Women Who Start Businesses

Related article here.

The Artist: Mae Chevrette

Meet 25-year old mixed media artist, photographer, writer, traveler and all around lover of adventures and the unknown, Mae Chevrette.

What influences her work?

Numerous solo cross-country road trips and travel abroad as well as an insatiable curiosity for interesting people, places and stories.

Take a tour of her creative work here.

Illustration credit:  Mae Chevrette

Happy Birthday No. 236 to the United States and No. 8 to the Official Escape From Corporate America Blog!

Photo courtesy:  ©Laurel Delaney 2012, "USA flag, Chicago"

Happy 8th Birthday to the official Escape From Corporate America blog and Happy 236th Birthday America!  Enjoy the day and thank you for your readership.

Celebrate freedom and all your successes!

For a little bit of history about this blog, including last year's post, go here.

Photo credit:  ©Laurel Delaney 2012 - Wrigley Building, Chicago proudly featuring our USA flag.

Boost Your Business: Attend Live Events

According to Stacia Pierce (pictured), a great way to boost your business and take it to the next level is by attending live events. She says:

As entrepreneurs and leaders, it’s important to break out of your comfort zone and get away to business conferences. It’s your opportunity to completely remove yourself from your business and the pressures of your everyday life to get inspired, invigorated and empowered to take your business and life up.

Read all of her advice at: Keep Your Business Thriving By Attending Live Events

Will There Ever Be a Society That Works For Women?

What the authors discovered:

What we discovered in our research is that while the empowerment part of the equation has been loudly celebrated, there has been very little honest discussion among women of our age about the real barriers and flaws that still exist in the system despite the opportunities we inherited.

Why Women Can't Have It All

Posted by:  Escape From Corporate America (Laurel Delaney)

Corporate Climber Turns Business Owner

I love getting emails like this, especially on a Sunday, because it tells me somebody is really working it:

Hi there Laurel,

I'm a former corporate climber (spent 10 years building an architecture career) who just picked up the keys to my first business location as an entrepreneur last weekend. I'm opening a private fitness studio, the culmination of a two-year journey towards total self-employment and fulfillment. It's been a terrifying, exciting, challenging, and thrilling process.

I'm in a position of finding creative solutions, like so many women do, to make this work, so I've launched a crowdfunding campaign (refer below) to support this startup and fill in the gaps between my budget and our dreams for this studio.

Would you consider sharing my story and this campaign on your blog? I'm reaching out for creative ways to spread the word and connect with women who get what I'm going through.

You can check out the campaign at indiegogo and please email me if I can share more about what we're trying to do.

Katrina Cobb, Owner, NASM CPT
reFORM Studios Personal Training
North Charleston, SC  U.S.A.

Visit: reFORM Studios Personal Training | Your premiere personal training experience

Illustration credit:  reFORM Studios Personal Training

Best wishes and much success Katrina and we do get what you are going through! 

Is It the Right Time to Start a Business?

Go For It!

The next Wendy Kopp (pictured) could be starting their business right now.

Will it be you?

A new study says almost 600-thousand new businesses are created each year by young adults right out of college.

Catch the remarks from a clothing shop owner about why she felt the need to start her own business rather than work for someone else.

Read the entire article here.