So What? Right?

Well the week is so full of great things that you just have to know about them!  I’m one of those people who believes that you should always celebrate your birthday and that if you want to have a good party…throw one for yourself.  However, this year, three great folks are having terrific events during my birthday week.  And you know what?  They really have almost nothing to do with me and absolutely everything to do with you guys.  Both of the following events are so good that you won’t want to miss them!

2nd Annual Next Generation Work Flexibility Event

The 2nd Annual Next Generation Work Flexibility Event on November 3 consists of networking and a panel discusion.  The  event features a keynote address by Holly G. Green and a panel including industry leaders in the work flexibility.  See more details at Flex Work Connection’s website.  This is a Six Figure Moms Club sponsored event.   We also sponsored the inaugural event in Orange county last year.  Flex Work Connection has offered a special $25 rate for Six Figure Moms Club readers if you purchase via this post by clicking here.  You must purchase by Friday to take advantage of this terrific offer of $20 off the published rate! So hurry and buy your tickets! SEE YOU THERE!

Gary Vaynerchuck Wine Tasting and “Crush It!” Book Signing

Gary Vaynerchuk is one of my favorite icons in the social media industry.  He’s a personal branding expert with a passion like no one you’ve lively heard before.  He’s a social media strategist who not only represents the New York Giants but wants to buy them one day!  Every time I hear Gary speak, I can’t stop thinking about him because he’s just so inspiring and infectious!  Don’t miss this opportunity to meet him in person and hear him chat up his new book.

Excerpt from the Meetup.com:

Join @DowntownRob at the phenomenal Vin De Syrah Spirit & Wine Parlor (@SyrahWineParlor) for a Wine Tasting and Crush It! book signing on Wednesday November 4th!

** Everyone attending receives a copy of Gary’s just released book, Crush It! **

This is the wine event not to be missed as Gary’s first claim to fame was his internet TV series Wine Library.TV.  If you aren’t convinced yet, check out this post I wrote after the last time I heard Gary speak at Gravity Summit!  He’s truly on the mark and infectious!

Hope to see you all there so sign up today!

SAVE THE DATES:

NOVEMBER 19: Networking & Group Status Update

JANUARY 19: 4th Annual Making the Most of Your Personal Strategy New Year KickOff

Vision Boarding Event featuring fabulous catering by Dining Details!

FEBRUARY 22: Special Event Hosted by Birch Aquarium!

Some of you might remember that last year I attended Blog World Expo.  If you are at all interested in learning about how social media strategy can help your businesses at warp speed, then this is the conference for you.  It is the essence of drinking from the firehose.

I recently wrote a post  on my company’s blog, Square Martini Media,  Blog World Expo Changed My Life in 2008! And It Could Change Yours in October 2009! This post talks in detail about what I love so much about this premier blogging conference.  Additionally, on the Blog World website, you can review a schedule of over 250 speakers who will present in over 80 sessions in various tracts.

You can also listen to my interview of the Blog World Founders on Boost Your Business Radio with my Co-Host Rieva Lesonsky.  Boost Your Business Radio airs live every Wednesday at 11am PDT just before Twitter Talk Radio at Noon PDT which I also host every week.

After attending Blog World Expo last year, I came home and changed my career.  I wonder what might happen to you and your business.  I urge you to spend a few minutes reviewing their speaker offering.  It is truly an eye opening experience for any working mother or  business professional.

An update on live meetings in San Diego….

Stay tuned for some other exciting events coming up the first week of November regarding Flexible Work and Gary Vaynerchuk! =-)

On April 8, I’ll be live on the air with two internet radio shows on www.wsradio.com. The first show is about entrepreneurism and the second show is….you guessed it, Twitter Talk Radio!

It’s my great honor to co-host a show about small business owners with Rieva Lesonsky.  Rieva is truly amazing.  She is a small business expert and she writes, speaks and helps small businesses all over the country.  We’ll be interviewing successful entrepreneurs and experts and talking about three major themes:

1. How despite all the negative economic news, now is one of the best times in history to start a business due to the opportunities available right now.
2. How to transition from Corporate American to an entrepreneurial lifestyle (sound familiar?  ie, my book, QUITTING IS EVERYTHING?)
3. Using Social Media to launch and support your entrepreneurial business.

Twitter Talk Radio will focus on Twitter of course but will slant largely to using Twitter for business.  You likely remember that my twitter affair started right here on Six Figure Moms Club last fall and progressed into a blog, Twitter Attraction.  Twitter Attraction and Twitter Talk Radio will work in tandem together.

But let’s get to the important stuff.  What’s in this post for you, Working Mothers?  I mentioned my best childhood friend Shelley Swisher above.  Shelley and I met in six grade and there would be weeks where you would never see one of us without the other.  She knew me better than anybody else. When my family moved to another town in the middle of ninth grade, we often got into trouble for having long distance phone bills for outrageous amounts.  If she knew me best and she thought I was going to be a broadcast journalist, then there was probably something important to that.  Why?  Because every career book out there will tell you that there are messages from your teenage years about what you are supposed to be doing with your life.  I know not all of you are searching for something new but a lot of you who talk to me are.

I loved journalism, writing, speaking, editing and all of the things I’m doing now back then.  I also didn’t like to do most of the same things I don’t like to do now too. What did you love back then and how can you turn those things into a business?

One last really fun thing about my talk show with Rieva, we’re doing a fun contest with listeners to name the show.  Look for a press release and an email blast on Monday

People always ask me this question when I go to Social Media events.  I don’t think I’m a Mommy Blogger but maybe I’m wrong.  I’m not sure what the definition really is.  In actuality it doesn’t really matter.  I’m not a person who likes to put people into boxes or to be classified myself (unless that it, is you want to call me things like Successful, Six Figure Mom, Millionaire, Independent, Entrepreneur, Working Mother

I’ve even had people say to me that I SHOULD be sure to classify myself as a Mommy Blogger because there is so much sponsorship money to be made in the mommy space.  That bugs me.  It’s contrary to my philosophy that you must first be who you really are.  Follow your passion.  Then align the money to your passion.  I know many people don’t believe in this line of reasoning but I hear top personal branding people talk about this all the time.  Most recently I heard Jay Berkowitz.  Jay was an amazing speaker at Affiliate Summit.  You can get a taste of his presentation by reviewing the twitter notes here.

I guess the main thing I really don’t like about being classified as a Mommy Blogger is that people automatically stop talking to me about anything that’s unrelated to Mommy stuff.  Yep, I’m a mom for sure.  But I was many other things before I had my daughter and I still am many other things.  I love my daughter and being a mother is a big part of who I am but other than managing work-life balance, it’s not really a very big part of my career.

Why would someone automatically assume that I want to talk to them about their baby-related clients?  I spent my 22 months with diapers.  That was truly enough time for me.

Now, let me recant a moment. One of the main mantras for Six Figure Moms Club is Nonjudgment of others.  I’m totally good with the choices that everyone else makes.  So, if you want to spend your life working in the baby industry, that’s cool!  What I’m taking exception to is stereotypes.

Six Figure Moms, what do you guys think?

What about you MommyBlogger? Thoughts?

If you’ve been following along, you know that my love affair with Twitter has been going on for a few months now. This past weekend, I had the great pleasure of meeting the author of The Twitter Revolution, Warren Whitlock…again. Not only did I meet Warren but I also had the honor of joining him at TwitCastRadio when he interviewed Adaptive Blue about Glue, a cool new tool that enhances your web browsing experience.  Can you imagine what I asked when it came to my turn for an interview question?  Of course, you’re right!  I asked how the new tool could interface with twitter!  You’ll also hear Mari Smith stepping in for a few seconds too.  (You can hear our interview by clicking on the links above.)

I so enjoyed spending time with Warren this weekend and I could write this whole post about him.  However, that’s not what’s important for you.  Here is what I want you working mothers to hear about my experience and to put to use for reengineering your own lives if it’s helpful for you:

There are successful (and sometimes famous) people around waiting to help you with whatever you need and they are within your grasp.  All you need to do is reach out to them.

Coaches, editors and publishers have been advising me that famous people are much more within our grasp than we think and that they are much more willing to help you than you would imagine.  It’s not a natural thing for us to pick up the phone and call someone like Oprah, but hey, who knows? I just might someday soon and you should too.

When I left for this conference, I jokingly said to my husband, “Warren Whitlock is broadcasting his radio show live from the hotel and I’m going to join him”.  My husband laughed and said, “OK, Angie” with a skeptic tone.  I did know that Warren was broadcasting his show because I had invited him to dinner and I knew he had a time conflict.  I didn’t, however, expect to be interviewing his guest along side him.  Like just about everyone else that I’ve met in the social media space.  I found Warren delightful, open and so willing to reach out a helping hand (Oh, and very funny too).  Thank you Warren!

And by the way, thanks to @sugarjones for taking this great picture below of Warren and I and uploading it to Twitpics just before the interview started.  Don’t we look like a great broadcast journalist team?

Tracy Green just launched a new website, www.smartworkingmom.com.  Her site is worth a look if you have a minute.  This week, she emailed me and also left a comment on my blog.  I’d like to share them both with you because I think you’ll relate to what she’s saying.

 Email:  “I applaude you!  It was so refreshing to see a website that makes it okay for moms to work, and want to work and celebrates those who do!  I’m emailing to ask your permission to list www.sixfiguremomsclub.com as a  HOT LINK on my evolving website:  www.smartworkingmom.com.  I’m a full-time, plus working mom of two boys and enjoy having a career. My issue became that I was in complete control and successful at the office, but at home — forget it! I was out of my element.  (Snipped)

 Blog Comment: ”First, this is such a dynamic site! Finally, a site that doesn’t try to help moms get over whatever “guilt” they have for working. In terms of the one thing that I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving, OPPORTUNITY — the opportunity to have it all, career, family, health, success, etc. Best, Tracy”

Tracy points out three major issues for Six Figure Working Moms:  Judgment, Guilt and the ability to successfully juggle everything.  In her email, Tracy says it’s refreshing that my website makes it okay for mom’s to work.  Absolutely!  In my mind, it’s okay for a mom to do whatever she wants as long as she’s making choices that are healthy for herself and her family.  It’s so hard for us to remember not to judge each other isn’t it?  We women are our worst enemies.  I catch myself judging other women’s choices all the time and having to remind myself that it’s really none of my business.  Try it for one week.   Be on ultra alert for when you are judging others and ask yourself why.

The second issue Tracy points out is Guilt.  Why DO we feel guilty about working and wanting things for ourselves?  It doesn’t really matter why because it’s a phenomenon that’s been around for as long as women have been working and it’s not likely going away.  I say this because acknowledging guilt as a normal part of being a working mother sometimes makes it a bit more palatable.  Sure, there are some days when it bothers us more than others.  For me, those are the days when I need to readjust my calendar, reroute my priorities and spend more time with my daughter.  My guilt is a pretty good barometer if I use it and understand it correctly. 

Lastly, Tracy discusses that she had everything perfectly oiled at work but things were falling apart at home.  Sound familiar?  There really are only so many hours in the day and you’ve got to remember that balance is required when you’re living your life in the fast lane of career and home life.  You have to allow room for error when your operating at this fast pace.  If someone gets sick or something unexpected happens, your plan will get off kilter so plan for that as a normal part of your routine.  It will undoubtedly happen.  If you expect it, it won’t be such a surprise and will be a little easier to deal with.

“If you only get to give one answer, what ONE thing are you most grateful for?” 

My answer is STRUGGLE.  I’m so thankful for the struggle I have in my life and for so many reasons.

• Struggle makes me continue to grow and think about things from a multitude of perspectives.
• Struggle reminds me that I’m alive.
• Struggle highlights that if things are always easy that I’m not stepping up enough and that I’ve become complacent.  That’s not who I am.  I should be struggling with something.  I’m a change agent and that means that there should be struggle in my life…in every aspect.  That means there will be struggle in my relationships, my career, inside me.
• Struggle is my friend and my ally. If I forget that and let it make me feel down, then that is a sign that I’m not taking good care of myself.
• Struggle is my daughter’s friend too.  She is a lot like her mother.  I must remember who she is and how she is wired and remember that she will struggle with me and that it’s not personal.  It is her path too.

So, yes, my answer my seem a bit strange to you and that’s okay with me.  I want you to think about YOU at your CORE.  What are you truly grateful for about YOU?

YES, I’m grateful for so many other things too.  My daughter, my husband, my family, my friends, my strength, my health, my good fortune, my business, flexible work, work life balance, social media, all the inspiring entrepreneurs I’ve met, and the list goes on and on.  I’m a very, very lucky girl and with a friend like struggle, it’s important for me to stop, sit and remember all these things on a regular basis.

And lastly, let us not forget the comedic one:  TWITTER.  I’m thankful for my affair with twitter.  Yes, it’s still on and it’s hot and heavy.  I’m still in love with twitter and our relationship continues to blossom.

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you will take a few moments and reflect upon your own struggles, how purposeful they are for you and the wonderful treasures they bring to you in the end.  Be well. Be safe.

If for some reason, you happen to spending this Thanksgiving season alone or in a sad spot or if you are outside of the United States, visit my friend Gail Goodwin’s site at Inspire Me Today.  She’s always got something uplifting to say  

(P.S. Gail is about to make a huge global annoucement about an initiative we’re working on together. Stay tuned and SHHHHH until then.)

• I don’t publish pictures of my daughter on the internet….period. Not anywhere.
• Since this has not always been my policy so I ask friends and family to alert me if they come upon a picture that I’m not aware of so that I can promptly remove it.
• I don’t use my daughter’s given name when writing about her and my family. I’m sure there are people I meet in the public who ask her name and I answer. However, with regard to the internet, I don’t publish her name.
• I advise my friends not to publish their children’s pictures or names on the internet.
• I realize there are times when I may be in the public eye and events covered by the media may include pictures of me and my daughter. I will limit my daughter’s exposure when I can but realize this is inevitable.

You might be thinking, “But Angie, you of all people are a Social Media Evangelist who is having an affair with Twitter, How can you be so against using one of it’s best features to share joy with loved ones and friends?”. My answer to your question is a simple one. There’s no possible way that I can conceive of the same thoughts that a child killer/abuser can. I don’t think it’s possible for me to rationally assess the situation because that would require me, being able to stand in the shoes of the exact person that is a threat to my child. It’s just not possible. Thus, I am unprotected, because I live in a world of false security. I do believe there are wackos out there living in society ready to snap at any minute. I can’t protect myself or my family from them 100% but I can take the proper precautions and these are some of them, why wouldn’t I?

If you need more convincing, just read this article about how the US Army is worried that terrorists might use Twitter as a competitve war advantage.

I was working on another project this morning at my kitchen table with the window open.  It’s a typical Santa Ana fall weekend in San Diego where it feels like the threat of fires.  When you’ve lived here through both the Cedar and the Witch Creek fires, your sensors are up for that kind of stuff in the fall.  Both of those fires came within a mile of my home.  Luckily, we survived with minor damage and big messes from both.  Comparitively speaking, over 400 homes in my community were lost last year.  It was a devastating time.

As you may have heard on the news, fires are raging in Santa Barbara and north of Los Angeles.  I’ve been consciously trying not to turn on the TV or Radio this morning to protect myself from the negative energy of the news.  This is often my process when I’m writing or working as I’m more productive.  However, I did pop onto to Twitter for a quick five minutes.

Within one minute, I knew that fire was threatening somewhere close the Santa Clarita valley (or so I thought).   I quickly thought of three twitter friends I had met in Ventura a few weeks ago:  @respres, @jesseluna and @lindaptaylor.  I sent them a tweet to come to San Diego if they felt at risk.  They responded within seconds that they were fine but another twitter freind @QueenofSpain was in more danger.  I don’t know @QueenofSpain but because she’s in their twitter tribe, she’s now in mine.  That’s how it works.  Their friends are my friends and so on.  Below is our twitter streams.  Start from the bottom and read up.

So, cross your fingers for @queenofspain and everyone else in the fire areas.

I wrote this post quickly to show you the enormous power of twitter.  It’s so incredibly useful in times like this and can give you news faster than any other source available to us.  Just think what it could do for your personal brand or your business.  Pretty incredible possibilities huh? 

Understand why I’m still having an affair with Twitter??

Tweets I typed or received:

QueenofSpain: @aaswartz thanks. will keep in mind. we can’t go south right now.

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

aaswartz: @QueenofSpain Girl, head south already!

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

aaswartz: @ResPres don’t know @queenofspain yet but bring her too. She’s ok if she knows U

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

aaswartz: @jesseluna We’ll grab @marismith and have a party and do some go away fire dance

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

aaswartz: @jesseluna Keep me posted and come if u need to.

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

ResPres: @aaswartz thank you. I don’t think we’re in danger, but the map I just looked at might make @queenofspain a bit nervous.

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

aaswartz: @respres @jesseluna @lindaptaylor Cedar fire was less than mile from my home. Saw fire coming from 3 directions when leaving. Said bye house

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

jesseluna: @aaswartz @respres is the closest of the 3. Linda and I are about 20-25 miles away.

about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

 

• QueenofSpain: @ResPres yeah, um…..not liking the direction this puppy is moving

• amarquart: @Karoli so winds 2 not helping keep contained? worried 4 u & @queenofspain… no relief insight (weather)?
  about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet

  

• meresgreen: @QueenofSpain can you get out?
  about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

  

• QueenofSpain: @tsalagi1 we’re ok. We’re not in any immediate danger. Fire is a good distance. Worse for my son to be in this smoke.
  about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet · Show ConversationHide Conversation

  

• QueenofSpain: I-5 between 405 and the 126 is now shut. SO yeah, that’s us. Don’t come visit
  about 1 hour ago · Reply · View Tweet
   

President Obama’s ability to reach out and connect with Voters, specifically Generation Y is due to the fact that he embraced their language: texting and communicating with social media tools. Compare this to John McCain, clearly a novice, and it’s easy to see how a younger generation might feel they have only one clear choice for President. They just can’t relate to someone who can’t communicate with the tools of today. It’s a text book example of the generation gap.

So you say, interesting enough but how does this impact me, the working mother?

Think about it for a minute. If Barrack Obama can use Social Media to have a landslide competitive advantage over his competition, then why can’t you? If you’re an entrepreneur or you’ve been thinking about starting a venture, what can you learn from this recent presidential election? What can you implement for your own business? What can you plagiarize from Barack Obama’s presidential campaign? If our President used Linked In, Facebook, My Space, Twitter, why wouldn’t you? After all, he did spend millions on his campaign, likely the largest budget for market research this year. Why wouldn’t you maximize the research that he’s already done and copy that for your own business?

Clearly, I am a Social Media evangelist. I believe that Social Media is the path for working mothers to flexible work. In fact, I believe that it’s the path for not only working mothers but for anyone looking to lead a more independent lifestyle. Think about it. For the first time in history, the playing field has been equalized by the internet. We’ve all got the power to step up to the plate and hit a home run. Why shouldn’t it be you?

So, go see what your new President did to get elected and copy, copy, copy. Working moms, the man just showed you exactly how to do it. All we have to do is watch, listen and implement for our own businesses. How lucky are we to be living in these times?

Got examples of things you’ve already done? Love to hear from you so that other moms can learn! Leave a comment and if you like this post. Please stumble it!

Here are a few other interesting articles covering our new President’s Social Media success and predictions about how he might continue to use it moving forward:

Mashable: How Will President Obama Use His Massive Social Media Influence?

Search Marketing Gurus: Barack Obama: The First Social Media President?

Advertising Age: Obama’s Rivals Should Steal From His Social Playbook

Read Write Web: Obama’s Social Media Advantage