Then life got busier.   I went to graduate school, got married, had my daughter and left my corporate job to pursue an entrepreneurial path.  It was in grad school that I made my first vision board at a retreat at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead, Ca.  After graduation, some of my orange county friends continued to meet annually and create vision boards together.  They spent a day eating, drinking, visiting and challenging each other on their personal goals.  I joined them when I could.  What  a treat.  A safe environment to reach for your dreams but to be kept in check by those who know you well enought to call BS when you’re getting too aggressive?

After Six Figure Moms Club started, I began speaking about goal setting every January for two reasons 1) my love of personal strategy and 2) my observation that this group of women often spends time taking care of everyone else’s needs but there own.  It was obvious that one special night devoted to designing your intentions for the next year was important.  I wanted to create an evening where the setting was relaxing, where the food and wine was delicious and the environment inviting so that women and men could open their creative minds and plan their best lives for the next year.  That was the birth of the Making the Most of Your Personal Strategy Events.  They are my favorite event every year.

Whether you spend it with me at the Six Figure Moms Club event, alone or with a group of your own friends, my question to you is How Can You Not? How can you not spend some deliberate time on your personal strategy planning what you want out of your life in 2010?  I hope you will and I hope you’ll have fun with it! Cheers to a fantastic 2010!

Julie is a member of Six Figure Moms Club.  I’m proud to know her and to have the opportunity to learn from her as another working mother following her dreams and working through the challenges every day.  Thank you Julie for sharing this wonderful post with us.  May you find everything you always wanted…that’s not already right in front of you.

Warmly, Angie

Just Not Enough Time in The Day

By Julie Frans

Us working moms perform magic tricks day in and day out. Every mom has a few magic tricks up her sleeve, but there’s no denying us entrepenurial, business owning, super-driven moms have to have a bit of magic tricks and crafty spells in mastering the fine art of balancing business, motherhood, wife-hood, self health and happiness.

Balancing, juggling, struggling… however you get through it, however you call it, working moms are a rare breed. And yet… we still have not mastered how in the world to add more hours into our day… or have we?

I was always busy, graduating with honors from UCSB just after turning 21. I started a business from scratch at the age of 26 after traveling the world, with nothing more than a backpack when I arrived San Diego.

After cooking aboard yachts throughout California, Mexico, and Alaska, I figured simply, “I can do this at home- no problem! Everyone needs to dine well!” Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

Website development, networking, sales, tracking, follow-up, risk management, insurance, workman’s comp, booking, staffing, payroll, permits… and the dreaded Q word… Quickbooks! I never knew I would have to be a book keeper to be a chef! I was barely cooking anymore- I was juggling 10 different jobs at all times.

I quickly adapted- I multiplied myself. I didn’t want to work that “hard” forever- I wanted a family! I wanted a business that worked for ME!.. So that I could have a happy family, take my kids to the zoo every week, do yoga, travel! Boy, was that a silly notion.

As I grew my business, my responsibilities grew exponentially. Bills multiplied. As money came rolling in in droves, money went soaring right back out in sealed envelopes. Employee uniforms! Client gifts!

Now there were 5 of us networking, not one; 10 of us putting miles on our cars, not one!

My husband, a wonderful man who jumped along for the ride after a very cush job as a private chef to an ambassador, had no idea what was in store for him, but learned to pull his weight in the business.

Whatever he may lack in entrepenurial fire, he makes up for tenfold with his raw cooking talent and creativity, his personality that sells our business with his genuine smile and compassion, and his capacity as a loving husband and wonderful father.  My Johnny, my amazing, bright and happy 1 year old, is quite possibly the most well adapted kid in San Diego- leave him with anyone friendly and he’s happy… so it seems now. But- the guilt and wonder is always there- as I forge ahead with business, growing it as I chase that ever dangling carrot in front of me, thinking… “someday,” am I leaving my 2 guys in the shadows? Am I fulfilling my duties as wife and mother as I strive for bigger, better, more?

A wise man told me I need to get over my case of the “as soon as…”

syndrome.  ”As soon as” the business is “here” I will have “this.”

This being time, freedom, zoo trips with Johnny any time I want. It’s the entrepenuer in me. It’s the dreamer. It’s the driven, determined, passionate mission of my soul to keep it going until… until what?

Until I am satisfied in every aspect of life? Until I have mastered that fine art of perfect balance? Until I feel like there are enough hours in the day?

The bottom line is that I live this life because I have to… no, not for money… but for love. For the love of the challenge, for the love of the mission, for love of the teamwork that my family has to make this business and this life work harmoniously. It’s definitely not easy running a business as a mother. It’s not easy running a business with your husband. It’s not easy pulling off magic tricks every single day to create more hours so that everyone is getting their due- husband, child, business… me! But I would not trade my life for anyone’s. I am living my passion, pursuing my dream, and making magic every way I can to keep my life in the balance. And we are making magic together, as a company and as a family, Robbie, me, and even Johnny, as we create magic in the homes and lives of the people we feed and help live better lives through food.

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! =-)

Today I was driving down to Encinitas, Ca for a speaking engagement when I looked over at the Beach and realized how lucky I really am.  It had to be one of the most beautiful days I’ve seen at the beach in a long while.  I don’t live by the ocean, but I do see the beach at least once each week.

I presented to the Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club on social media for my company Square Martini Media.  (Thanks to Katherine Wichmann Zacharias for the invitation)!  Afterward, I was answering questions with a few folks but my mind was wandering as I gazed over their shoulders out the window into the ocean.  I had one thing on my mind-DOLPHINS.

Here in California, it’s not unusual to see dolphins swimming by but it had been a long time since I’d seen any.  Perhaps it had even been as long as a year.  I sent a tweet out on Twitter that I was looking for dolphins but no luck.

The meeting ended, I walked outside to my car and the club president shouted outside his car, “Look, There’s dolphins over there”.  I was so excited. “Yippee!”  I watched as they frolicked in the ocean for awhile before I got down to my next task.  It was now time to record the video that follows.  I recently heard a comment about Six Figure Moms Club that re energized me about why this groups needs to exist.  Click above and listen as I talk about the following:

• Our next meeting is Thursday night, June 18, 7pm.
• We’re taking the Summer off!
• We’re revamping our entire meeting strategy for San Diego.
• There’s still a BIG perception issue between moms that work and moms that stay home!

I could quit there and let you find your own meaning. I think you’d find inspiration in that one liner today.  However, that’s not likely why you stop by this blog, huh?

I spoke at three events last week (NAWBO, eWomen’s Network Head-to-Toe Expo Luncheon, and Six Figure Moms Club).  Almost every time I address a group, I get more in return than I give because there’s always at least one person who says something fantastic that inspires me more than they can even imagine.  Let me take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to all of you that are so wonderful.

Out of all three talks, my favorite point was this one.  Thinking Small Serves No One.  Imagine Yourself in your personal best.  What do you see?

See the impact you can make on the world if you see yourself in the biggest, grandest you taking advantage of your highest potential. How many and in what manner can you best serve yourself and everyone around you?  It doesn’t help anyone for you to mold yourself to be something smaller than your highest potential so why would you ever settle for anything less than the best you can be?

• I see people every day settling for mediocrity. Why is that?
• I see people every day spending time checking off their to do lists and calling that accomplishments when they really aren’t making progress on any big picture life goals. Why is that?
• I see people every day settling for moderately happy but not doing anything about it? Why is that?

Thinking Small Serves No One.

Especially not You.  Especially not your children because you are the role model.

Today, I challenge you to THINK BIG about YOU.

If you have some great examples of how you are thinking big about your life, please leave a comment and share your story?  Happy Monday!

According to Wordpress, my mom left the following comment on this blog on March 26, 2009 at 1:54 am.

“Great post, I totally agree, positive ‘me’ time is a must!”

She was responding to my post Why Do We Avoid What We Know We Need Most?

Sometime between then and when she got out of bed the next morning, she suffered a massive stroke which left her speechless and without the ability to use her right hand.

My mom is young, she’s just 19 years older than me.  We’ve grown up together.  Sometimes, I’ve even seemed to be the more grown up one since I’ve always seemed wise for my years. I know some of you Six Figure Moms know what I mean because us executive types often come in the same kind of packages.  If we’re different from our parents, we might just run right over them.  How must it feel to parent us?

Clearly, I’m not the victim and this isn’t about me.  However, I always try to look for my life lesson in every experience.  What am I suppose to be learning from this event?  What will I learn from this incident that is not only life altering for my mother who I love so dearly but likely life altering for me too because our lives may be changed forever?  (I know what you are thinking and before you ask…Yes, my mother and I have the very complex mother/daughter relationship like many of us do, but that is another blog post altogether.)  So, I restate, what am I supposed to be learning?  And as a coach, writer, leader, what am I supposed to be passing along to you?

The answer isn’t that easy. I don’t think I’m seeing it clearly yet as it is complex.  However, I can tell you that I know I had only one choice in how I could react.  Here are the steps I’ve taken.

1. Make sure my Mother wasn’t in any further danger.
2. Create order around the situation as best I could.
3. Put my businesses in order.
4. Let it be okay to postpone a few things (Thanks Rieva)
5. Slow down, get rest and take care of myself.
6. Let it be okay to not have all the answers.
7. Be present with my daughter and really BE in every minute.

Those of you who know me personally, know that there are a lot of things in the seven items above that are not easy for me. Thus, I’ve implemented a few things to help me stick to the plan. I’m going to bed early. I’m trying to eat healthy, nutritious foods.  I’m hiking and spending time outdoors.  I’m reading fiction for the first time in over a year. (Really, I’m completely “sucked in” to Twilight and I’m thankful that there are three more to available when I’m finished.)  And most importantly, I’m not trying to manage the whole situation.  Neither my mother or I were born with patience but both of us have to be patient with this assignment.

How can you help?  Send all your positive thoughts and energy my mother’s direction because that’s what she needs most, the universe pulling in her direction.  The good news is that she’s a great candidate for a successful recovery if she works hard.  If she’s anything, she’s a determined, hard worker.  She’s working hard in a Rehab unit in one of the best hospitals in the country and making great progress.

So, do I have any advice today?  Not really but I guess if we look directly at our busy lives, we sincerely know that we all need my seven step plan on some level all the time.  Ask yourself honestly, what is it that you need today and actually grant it to yourself.  It might make a great difference in your life.

Thanks for listening.

I had so much work to do on my flight from San Diego to Houston but as a working mother doing double duty, I’d been jumping from one deadline to the next for weeks.  When I saw the in-flight movie preview, I felt a strong, undeniable pull to watch.  It seemed the best thing I could do for my sanity (and that of everyone around me) was pay some respect to work life balance, buy a headset, sit back and unwind.  After all, this is precious time on a plane, alone, no internet access, no cell phones allowed, no twitter (sorry friend).

So, I watched the movie, “The Women” with Annette Benning and Meg Ryan* and loads of other high profile female stars.  I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed, I drank hot tea (2 cups) I related to the struggles, I found inspiration and then I started writing.

That’s what happens for me when I get overloaded. I can’t write.  But then when I feed my soul a bit, words start pouring out and I want to stay up all night writing.  I guess maybe that’s how writers function.  It’s a great barometer for me.  I know I’ve written about this before.   I’m bringing it up again because I know this so well about myself but still I don’t always pay attention.  How about you?  Do you pay attention to your barometers better than me?

Back to the movie.  In “The Women”, there were a few themes that were in direct parallel with the themes I like to write about here at Six Figure Moms Club.

• Putting Yourself First:  Bette Midler’s character says to Meg Ryan’s character something like this  “Girl, You’ve got to get selfish.  Unless you know what you want and need.  Nobody else can see the best you.” (Forgive me, I’m sure I’m misquoting a little).
• Being a Role Model to our Children:  Meg Ryan’s character is having trouble relating to her teenage daughter.  It’s not until she finds her true self and follows her dreams that her daughter gains respect and looks up to her mother as a role model.
• Work Life Balance:  Meg Ryan’s character has an opportunity to grow a really large company but she discusses how balance and family are important to her and that the cost of having that might be more than she’s willing to give.

Sure this is a movie and some of the scenes are a bit Pollyanna-like and a bit unbelievable, but overall I’m happy I invested the time to watch the movie instead of work on the plane and to get myself writing again.  Amazing what a two hour film can do for me.  Why is it that I don’t do that more often?   If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s definitely worth renting.

*I’m reading the description and it seems funny to me that it doesn’t even list Meg Ryan.  It says, Annette Benning and Debra Messing.  Interesting given Meg Ryan is the main character.

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

My daughter has had some bronchitis/ear/throat combo ick plus we had an “incident” at school and it’s her fourth birthday next weekend so we’re planning a party.

Let’s start with the Bronchitis Ick. I got a call on the way to a meeting to pick my daughter up at school due to a fever.  Of course, I canceled meetings and went to her immediately.  Next, five days lost work.  Not to mention my little one who suffered.  Thank goodness for flexible work and the ability to stay home when I need to but it sure does put a kink in ones ability to keep up.  (I did win an Ipod Touch Tweeting on @joelcomm’s Tweetathon while my daughter laid on my lap. Woo Hoo and Thanks Joel! Of Course, I haven’t had time to use it yet but you can read more about this event here.)

Next, my daughter told me an alarming story about boys and her private body parts.  This is so personal and dear to us that I won’t go into details.  However, I wanted to mention it to alert you that our children are never too young to be reminded about personal privacy and their own personal power.  My daughter is still three.  I was naive to think she wouldn’t be facing any issues like this yet.  As a protective mama bear, I’m now on the watch and in full training mode. I want you to be aware too so I’m telling you that we need to remind our little girls that they are SUPERGIRL!  Little Swartz and I are now talking about personal safety on a regular basis.  She’s fine but I’m in the middle of an investigation with her school.  What happened to her was mild and I’m thankful that I’m now in high alert mode.  I can do even better to protect her.

Now for the fun stuff.  As I mentioned, she’s turning four soon.  Her Grandma is flying into town for her birthday and we’re planning a party for 40 kiddos.  You know the drill, party planning, invitations, goody bags, food menu, RSVP coordination…oh, and getting ready for a visit from Grandma.

So, I’ve had a few wrenches lately…

I know some of you have had a few wrenches too so I wanted to write about mine. Sometimes it’s just good to know that we aren’t all in this alone. Everyone has wrenches.  I know I’m not perfect but I just keep trying to keep my head above water and to keep moving everything forward. My solace comes from helping other people so I try to help someone else every day. It makes me feel better. What makes you feel better?

In addition to my wrenches, I’m working on some really fabulous things that I can’t wait to tell you all about.  I’ll be writing more detailed posts in the future but for now, go check out GoEverywhere. I’m working on a social media project with them via Square Martini Media.

You can get a beta license to their Cloud Computing product and try it out for FREE….yes FREE! It’s REALLY amazing for a remote worker and helps cut down cost, improve productivity and give you added freedom to work from anywhere without lugging around a big heavy computer!  You know me…I love anything that adds more freedom to working from Everywhere!

Happy Sunday and cheers to turning your Wrenches into Rainbows!