We are celebrating IAWBO’s birthday all month long and we’re giving YOU the gifts! Including 30 days of How Does She Do It? Interviews on the blog like this one:

Today’s How Does She Do It? Interview is Cathy Alessandra National Association of Entrepreneur Moms & What’s Up For Kids

www.NAOEM.com and www.WhatsUpForKids.com

www.facebook.com/cathy.alessandra

www.twitter.com/cathyalessandra

How long have you been in business online? 12       

Provide a brief description of your business a) who do you love to work with? b) what is the #1 greatest benefit they get from working with you?

I have two companies – both online. Though my first company, What’s Up For Kids, began 16 years ago offline only with a printed magazine.  Now, we offer blogs, electronic magazines and more! The National Association of Entrepreneur Moms is a virtual community of like-minded women entrepreneurs – who also have kids!  Both of these companies serve small business owners – and I love that.  I love to be able to brainstorm and support other momprenuers with the tools and resources they need to be able to grow their business – just like I have over the past 16 years, creating a six figure business while getting to be the mom I want to be!

What does being a woman in business online mean to you and what is your favorite thing about it?

Being a woman in business online gives me the flexibility and the freedom to reach and support 1000′s of women.  I have met so many amazing entrepreneurs I would never have had contact with if it wasn’t for NAOEM and the online community we have created!

Who has been your greatest mentor and how have they impacted your success?

I have had many mentors over the years, but the last couple of years while growing NAOEM, the circle has been a little smaller.  Listening to David Neagle and reading books such as “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Secret” have helped with the mindset piece.  I have learned from Fabienne Fredrickson, Katrina Sawa and Suzanne Evans for marketing and business creation.  My mind has been opened to extraordinary possibilities by having these mentors and others – I have moved forward with ideas where fear was in the way, to create some really great things to serve my ideal clients.

What is the one achievement are you most proud of as an entrepreneur so far and why?

I am proud of many of the things I have accomplished – a six figure magazine business, an association of 100′s of members – but the one thing I am proud of the most is being a successful entrepreneur while being the mother that I wanted to be…and instilling those entrepreneurial values in my children.

What does “authentic in business” mean to you and why is it important?

Authentic in business is, I feel, KEY to the success of any business.  Being who YOU are, and not trying to keep up with your competition, can make or break your business.  Creating from your heart, using your own values and ethics along with your creativity, and sharing that with the world – that is being authentic!

What is your favorite & most effective marketing strategy that you use to grow your business?

To begin each and every day with a mindset of who can I serve today.  This spills over into each and every call or appointment I have – from selling an advertisement in my magazine, to writing my blog postings, to speaking with potential JV partners.  I use social media, networking, JV’s and many other marketing strategies in both of my businesses – but I always begin with how can I serve.

How do you stay off of (or minimize the extremes of) the proverbial cash flow rollercoaster?

I do not look at the bank account or Quickbooks and stress about it.  I have times of the year where money is flowing and others where things get tight.  But being in business this long, I know when my high and low seasons are – and I try to plan ahead. I have also set up my businesses so that I have continuous cash flow I can count on each month.

What’s your best advice about how to achieve work-life-self balance?

You need to schedule yourself in!  As a mompreneur, I could work 24/7. And sometimes it feels like it.  I have found I need to schedule the downtime with girlfriends, schedule the vacation, schedule the time out of the office.  Unless I have a big event coming up, I take Friday’s off.  I need to commit to the time away from the office as if it is an appointment with myself. And sometimes, you need to let it go and be spontaneous!!!

What is your favorite technology that supports your online business and why? (i.e. how does it support you?)

I love social media, blogs, my iphone.  If I really stop and think about it,  I use so much technology!  Social media has been huge in growing the National Association of Entrepreneur Moms.  That is how I have connected with most of our members.

What is your best productivity tip? i.e. how can our readers get more of the right things done quickly and with less struggle?

The best productivity tip I have received and used is to block my time on my schedule.  Since I have two companies, I do that in two ways.  First, I block specific days for each company, and then specific blocks of time for tasks. I know what I need to do each and every Monday morning for each company.  I know that Tuesday is my day for sales calls, Wednesday is my NAOEM day and so on.  By having that direction before I even sit down at my desk allows me more focused time so that I get things done quickly and efficiently.

What has been your biggest breakthrough, mindset shift or top lesson learned so far?

My biggest mindset shift has been letting go and not trying to control everything.  There is a plan and sometimes I need to sit back and listen.  Listen to others and listen to my inner voice and realize I’ve got to get out of my head, and into my heart, before I can be back in my head and move forward!

Today’s How Does She Do It? Mentor is Barbara Bellissimo of How to Ask for Money, LLC

http://www.howtoaskformoney.com

http://www.facebook.com/bbellissimo

http://www.twitter.com/bbellissimo

Provide a brief description of your business a) who do you love to work with? b) what is the #1 greatest benefit they get from working with you? 7 years

Asking for money is not just about the words you use. You can download tons of sales scripts off the Internet, and you still might not be successful. Over the ten years I’ve been working with women leaders, sooner or later the same issues come up around asking for money:

* Am I (or my organization) really worth that much money?

* How do I know the right amount to ask for?

* What do I do if the prospect says no?

Do I know what I’m talking about? You betcha. I’ve raised over $26M dollars for startups and nonprofit organizations. I’ve dealt with all of these issues and more. I often wonder how much more I could have done, and how much money I left on the table, if I had tackled these issues earlier in my career.

How do I know I’ve overcome these challenges?

I raised over $3M for a nonprofit organization during 2008, during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Now I’m sharing my expertise and mentoring with women who need to successfully ask for money…right now! I specialize in teaching women to overcome their fears and old beliefs about asking for–and getting–the money they need to be successful. My special gift is reflecting my client’s power back to her in way that she can see it, embrace it and wear it comfortably.

What does being a woman in business online mean to you and what is your favorite thing about it?

I love being in business online. It allows me to reach women I never would have the opportunity to reach otherwise. I have met so many exciting, powerful and wonderful women–colleagues, partners, clients, and friends–by doing business online. One of my “big missions” is to create a movement of women who are confident to ask for what they want, and I’m finding that being online is the new model for movement-building. So much faster and more convenient than knocking on doors!

Who has been your greatest mentor and how have they impacted your success?

Interesting question. I don’t think I could identify one person. There have been many women who have come into my life at fortuitous times. Right now I am in a mastermind group of heart-based entrepreneurs. What I love about this group is the way we truly care about each other’s success, and we set aside all the other distractions in our lives to focus on each other. Each of us gets time in the group for the other members to wholeheartedly support and advise. I really appreciate the multiple points of view, and the feeling of grounding and foundation that I get from this group of incredible women.

What is the one achievement are you most proud of as an entrepreneur so far and why?

Another tough question! I am really proud of building a base of clients who have been truly helped by working with me. I love coming across my clients online, and seeing them implementing the strategies we worked on together! I am also incredibly proud of creating a business that fits my lifestyle, and capitalizes on my strengths and passions. Finally, I am proud to have built this business while my child has grown up…to show her that a woman can create and be successful as whatever she is passionate about.

What does “authentic in business” mean to you and why is it important?

To me, “authentic in business” means acting in business as you would act anywhere else. Your voice, whether live, on the phone, in a blog, or in email, should be the same. You shouldn’t have to feel like you have to put on your “business hat” when you are working in your business.

Being authentic is important because being inauthentic wastes time and energy. Authenticity allows you to attract more of what you deserve–ideal clients, ideal pricing, ideal relationships.

What is your favorite & most effective marketing strategy that you use to grow your business?

I hate to admit it, but I love Facebook. And Facebook ads are a great, cost-effective way to build your list/fan base. You can get really targeted with your ad audience, and set clear limits on how much you want to spend.

Once I build a fan base, I start offering teleseminars. I am much better “live” than in writing, so the more “in-person” contact I can have with a group, the better conversion is for me.

How do you stay off of (or minimize the extremes of) the proverbial cash flow rollercoaster?

I am still challenged by the “cashflow rollercoaster”! Lately, I am creating new types of products and services, designed to minimize the extremes of cashflow. I also try to plan out my marketing and product launches for the whole year (I do this in September, because I never quite got out of the back-to-school cycle), and revisit quarterly so I can adjust as necessary. Finally, I’ve tried to focus my offerings on longer timeframes (3, 6 and 12-month programs) to even out the cashflow.

What’s your best advice about how to achieve work-life-self balance?

As soon as I achieve it, I’ll let you know! Seriously, what works for me is to treat life/self commitments with as high a priority as work commitments. I try to unplug from the business for at least all of Saturday and most of Sunday. I also reward myself with life/self treats for business successes.

What is your favorite technology that supports your online business and why? (i.e. how does it support you?)

I dig 1shoppingcart.com for all things payment, product and autoresponder related. I like the way I can manage these aspects of my business from one place.

I also like Time Driver for scheduling. Makes it really easy for clients to self-schedule, without having to share my entire calendar.

And finally, I love Instant Teleseminar for teleseminar management. It is so cool to see where people are calling from, and their voting/interaction capabilities are great.

What is your best productivity tip? i.e. how can our readers get more of the right things done quickly and with less struggle?

It’s OK to say no. And once you say no, you do not have to explain why not.

What has been your biggest breakthrough, mindset shift or top lesson learned so far?

It’s *my* business, and I actually do know best what will work for me/it. I don’t have to implement every new program or blueprint, I can pick and choose what feels right for me/my business at the moment. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it!

We are celebrating IAWBO’s birthday all month long and we’re giving YOU the gifts! Including 30 days of How Does She Do It? Interviews with successful women in business online like this one:

Today’s How Does She Do It? Mentor is Linda Joy of Aspire Magazine & Inspired Living Publishing, LLC.   http://www.AspireMag.net

http://twitter.com/LindaJoy

http://www.facebook.com/people/Linda-Joy/1079000619

How long have you been in business online? 5 years

Provide a brief description of your business a) who do you love to work with? b) what is the #1 greatest benefit they get from working with you?

I am passionate about inspiring women to live deeper, more authentic and inspired lives.

I enjoy collaborating and connecting with like-minded women who are dedicated to creating businesses that inspire, empower and enhance the lives of women.

I am a passionate advocate and supporter of women in business and have dedicated 20 years to encouraging women to discover their passion and purpose to create an authentic business.

The one thing that has truly stood out for me since my transition to an online business is the ease with which you can find, connect and collaborate with so many like-minded women.

Women who believe in the power of collaboration and relationships to build their business.

My most favorite thing about being a successful online entrepreneur is the ability to reach a global audience with my message of inspiration and my company’s “Mission to Inspire 100,000 Women” campaign.

Who or has been your greatest mentor and how have they impacted your success?

I’ve had many mentors both virtual and through the pages of books that have changed my life along with transforming my version of what success looks like.

What is the one achievement are you most proud of as an entrepreneur so far and why?

I feel that one of my greatest achievements as an entrepreneur has been my ability to bring my passion and personal mission to life in the form of a business and in doing so fulfilling my life’s purpose of inspiring women across the globe that they too, can overcome anything, and achieve their dreams.

I love hearing from aspiring entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants that my entreprenurial story has given them the courage to move forward and discover their authentic mission.

What does “authentic in business” mean to you and why is it important?

Being “authentic in business” means that how we present our business/brand/name to the world is in alignment with the authentic core principles with which we lead our life in every other aspect.

For myself it meant naming the five core principles that were important to me as a woman and bringing them into the redevelopment of my business.   In doing so, I aligned my outer and inner worlds and my business growth accelerated beyond my dreams.

In fact, it is those five core principles that I share and utilize in the work that I do as a Conscious Business Catalyst and Mentor.

What is your favorite & most effective marketing strategy that you use to grow your business?

My most favorite and effective marketing strategy has been Joint Venturing with select conscious entrepreneurs who embody the principles and beliefs that I share.

That collaboration -not competition is the new business paradigm.

That authentic relationships – are a company’s greatest asset

That service – “How can I support You?” instead of “What’s in it for me?” is a true conscious business.

How do you stay off of (or minimize the extremes of) the proverbial cash flow rollercoaster?

For myself as well as many other’s I have consulted or spoken with it has been MINDSET – the ability to stay focused, positive and moving forward even in times of fear and lack that have been our greatest assets.

It is staying connected to the passion and mission behind what we do that allows us to keep creating authentic products and services.

What’s your best advice about how to achieve work-life-self balance?

Set a specific time each day to shut down, tune out and walk away from all electronic devices.  Your business should add to your life and your purpose but it should not BE your life.

For many female, passion-driven entrepreneurs like myself, work-life-self balance is one of our toughest lessons. Many still believe they must operate from the old paradigm of “super woman syndrome” – been there, done that!  (And take it from me – it doesn’t work!)

I know operate from the feminine conscious business paradigm of ease, grace, love and balance.  Unless we are a full vessel we can not give to others -including our business.  Self care is a must!  Start where you are – take baby steps – but start today!

Your business and balance sheet will thank you for it!

What is your favorite technology that supports your online business and why? (i.e. how does it support you?)

There are two techie tools in particular that I couldn’t do without!

One is http://www.1shoppingcart.com/ which not only maintains my database and runs my affiliate program and offers much more.  I love that it expands with my growing business.

Two, is my personal and business online scheduling tool http://timedriver.timetrade.com/ that is a revolutionary appointment invitation system that will compel your customers and community to schedule time with you. By embedding a “”schedule now”" button in email messages and on Web pages, you’ll drive more appointments with fewer hassles than ever before.  It’s so easy even a non-techie like me had it up and running within moments!

What is your best productivity tip? i.e. how can our readers get more of the right things done quickly and with less struggle?

One of the best productivity tips I ever received (though I still struggle with following) is from the book by Julie Morgenstern called “Never Check Your Email in the Morning and Other Unexpected Strategies for Making Your Life Work.”

I notice that when I follow her sage advice and work on pending projects, creative ideas and the like first thing in the morning things are accomplished quicker and with more ease.  My task list has little checks next to all that I’ve accomplished.

What has been your biggest breakthrough, mindset shift or top lesson learned so far?

My biggest breakthrough has been that we are each capable of more than we ever imagined and are limited only by the depth of our beliefs.

If someone told me twenty years ago, as a single welfare mom that I would be touching the lives of women around the globe with stories of hope, love and transformation I could not have believed it.

My transformational journey shows women everywhere that anything is possible if you transform your mindset, surround yourself with like-minded individuals and dedicate yourself to inner transformation.

It’s IAWBO’s birthday and YOU get the gifts! Including 30 days of How Does She Do It? Interviews on the blog like this one:

Today’s How Does She Do it? Mentor is Katrina Sawa, K. Sawa Marketing International Inc. http://www.JumpStartYourMarketing.com

Blog:  http://www.KatrinaSawa.com

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/KatrinaSawa

Facebook: www.facebook.com/katrinasawa

Fan page:  www.facebook.com/JumpStartYourMarketing

Fan page:  www.facebook.com/LoveandMoneyClub

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/ksawamarketing

YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/katmarketingexpert

FastPitch – http://www.fastpitchonline.com/katrinasawa

How long have you been in business online?

8 years in business, 5 of that selling online and globally

Provide a brief description of your business a) who do you love to work with? b) what is the #1 greatest benefit they get from working with you?

I work with highly motivated women entrepreneurs who want to design a business around their passion.  They want to make a bunch of money doing what they love as well because they have so much to give and share with the world they know they need to make more to give more.  These women know their business, product or service yet they either aren’t sure HOW to start, grow or market what it is they want to do or they are working way too hard IN their business now and are searching for an easier, better and more effective way to run and market their existing business.  Typically they want additional residual streams of income that leveraged business models can provide yet they don’t usually know how to go about implementing those.  The #1 greatest benefit my clients tell me they receive is that they absolutely get that kick in the butt they desperately need to get the RIGHT things done in their business set up and marketing PLUS they end up with increased amounts of clarity, faith and confidence in themselves and can really step into their bigger, greater self from then on.

What does being a woman in business online mean to you and what is your favorite thing about it?

It means that I have flexibility and power.  I have flexibility to do whatever I want when I want and the choice to choose how and who I want to work with.  I have power because I can reach and inspire so many people, it absolutely amazes me sometimes.  So many people could do a lot of ‘wrong’ with this kind of power but I love that I can inspire, motivate and educate hundreds of thousands of other entrepreneurs, new or seasoned, young or ‘experienced’, rich or poor to be the best they can be, to live the life they want and to make the money they want to make.

Who or has been your greatest mentor and how have they impacted your success?

I’ve had many friends and peers who’ve made a huge impact on my life, my mindset and my business – some more so than the mentors that I’ve actually paid.  But I must say that the mentors I’ve had along the way have truly led the way and opened doors and opportunities for me to not only get exposure but more importantly to allow me the space to experience my own inner self growth and shifts.  These shifts have been the single most important thing on my journey that has helped me transform my business and life into the passion and love-filled, money-making business and life I have today.

What is the one achievement are you most proud of as an entrepreneur so far and why?

Taking huge leaps of faith all throughout my business life and even before.  I only realized I was doing this a few short years ago actually when I took a step back and saw that every decision I had made on my journey was based on the fact that I KNEW that it would all work out in the end; I KNEW that I was doing what I was meant to be doing and I had NO PLAN B.  I continue to take big leaps of faith both in investing in myself monetarily and with learning more; I believe this is the ONLY way those of us who are making over 6+figure incomes HAVE to be in order to keep moving forward and the ONLY way any of you will get to 6+figures if that is a goal – you’ve got to have complete and utter faith in yourself.

What does “authentic in business” mean to you and why is it important?

This is one of the most important things in business.  Being authentic to me means showing your true colors, saying what you believe in all the time, standing your ground, having an opinion, walking your talk, practicing what you preach and being open and personal with those around you and those who follow you. It happens to be one of the best marketing strategies around too in my opinion; it increases your ‘like, trust, connect’ factor tremendously when you’re authentic and immediately decreases it when it’s obvious that you’re not.

What is your favorite & most effective marketing strategy that you use to grow your business?

My favorite marketing strategy is networking; primarily networking in person.  It really is the fastest, most affordable strategy out there because you can get to know a whole bunch of your target market prospects at one time AND you can build relationships with them faster by meeting in person.  Online social networking can be very effective too but I feel like it’s more of an interactive numbers game online.  You need to have systems to reach MORE people online faster with an authentic and personal message and then the people who choose to reply or respond to that personal message of yours are the people you want to then personally spend time interacting with.

How do you stay off of (or minimize the extremes of) the proverbial cash flow rollercoaster?

Well the cash flow issue is always a struggle I think for any level of business owner.  We have to leverage our credit when needed so you don’t want to freak out if you have to charge something, just know that it will be ok and you’ll pay it off later.  It’s also helpful to offer payment plans on your offerings which helps the customer but also helps you spread out the income coming in.  Another thing I’ve done more of this year is offer more interactive conversations, I call them JumpStart Your Business Strategy Sessions; this helps to speed up the buying process in a way for the RIGHT people who are clearly more ready to buy.

What’s your best advice about how to achieve work-life-self balance?

Plan ahead for fun and schedule it into your calendar first.  For example when I was in a relationship and he had kids I would always schedule the family activities and/or vacations first into my calendar and then any other outings with friends or business trips, then I would schedule in work around my life.  I think this is very important otherwise your business could take over your life and you’ll have none and then your marriage could suffer, etc.  For example now that I’m single, I spend some time with online dating and leave some evenings open now for dating rather than filling them up with networking events because it is important for me to find a partner; almost as important to me as having a successful business (not everyone needs that).

What is your favorite technology that supports your online business and why? (i.e. how does it support you?)

I have a few: I love my shopping cart, it’s so easy to use to be able to offer and sell products and services quickly and easily.  I love the logmein.com service so that when I’m out of town I can check in (if need be) and log into my desktop and it’s just like I’m right there at my desk with everything at my fingertips.  I also love the online data backup service that I use, Mozy.com; you have to backup your data with any business, especially an online business and Mozy makes it easy, it’s done for me while I sleep.  I also really like the ning.com forum platforms and although I loved them much more when they were free to use, they are still by far one of the best online forums I think; easy to navigate, upload and interact with my coaching group members in a private online area.

What is your best productivity tip? i.e. how can our readers get more of the right things done quickly and with less struggle?

Delegate and automate everything you possibly can, seriously; it’s totally worth paying someone to get something done or do something that you don’t know how to do, don’t want to do or if they can do it faster and better than you – you want to delegate it or automate the function.  Developing systems for how a task or project is to be completed can be much easier than most people think; you don’t have to do it yourself and it is worth having someone like me help pull your systems out of your head onto paper so that they can be handed off to someone so they will actually get done – like your follow up!

What has been your biggest breakthrough, mindset shift or top lesson learned so far?

My love for self.  I used to have that head trash playing in my head too – oh you’re too fat, too new, you aren’t good enough, who do you think you are…etc.  I used to belittle my abilities and downplay my strengths and make fun of myself in front of others but no longer…. Now I KNOW that I am sexy just the way I am and the right guy is going to love me for who I am.  I KNOW that I am really great at what I do in business; I change lives and inspire thousands and no one is going to stop me!

Remember to claim your Virtual Birthday Gift Bag

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Be sure to share your comments on the blog! What did you like best about Katrina’s interview?