Enterprising Moms Network Inc

One-Year Left to Live – By Eva Hamori   

What would you do? Where would you go? What would be important to you, and how would you spend your precious time left on earth? With friends and family or traveling to the places you have always wished to visit? Would you buy the fastest car your savings could buy and drive on the Autobahn or would you drink yourself into oblivion? All viable options but what if you weren't dying? Shouldn't we live each day as if it were our last? Why not live our best life now instead of waiting for that pivotal moment that awakens you from the day to day grind. Our auto pilot existence, where comfort and security are the bottom line of our needs, yet we ask little more from our selves. Heaven forbid we slightly move out of our comfort zone into uncomfortable change. But the question is, "Is this your life?" I know it is, but is it the dream life you couldn't wait to get too? Maybe you are stuck in a job you dislike, or a marriage that doesn't quite fit or debt you can't manage. Match your life with your true passion and everything else falls into place. 

These thoughts prompted our family into the next Hamori family adventure! 

Yes we have a beautiful life. Canada is a wonderful place to live. Money is not a problem. It steadily comes in and we steadily pay our bills.

I stay home with the kids. I have a support network of strong women I turn towards. Life is about what mattered to me. The causes I fight for and the people I surround myself with.  I volunteer.

With me home, Alfonz didn't have to share in the day-to-day stuff, and he started to get more and more successful, and had a soft place to fall at the end of each stressful day.

But this is not just my life to live on the back of my husband, who comes home exhausted. It's his life too. And why wouldn't he deserve the same luxury of self-growth he allows for me. I am not saying that staying home is a piece of cake, and that I don't work my tail off cooking homemade meals each day, or growing a garden or teach my kids, and all the things life as a parent entails. 

What I realized was being a parent was in fact my true self, being home with my babies was my life ambition, and I felt a huge reward having the time to figure that out. When I found my groove all the elements in my life started to jive. I found a passion for Montessori Education, volunteered at the children's school, started a block watch in our community and began to blog. My circle of friends grew around me with people I love and respect, people I truly learn from. So I wasn't idle eating bonbons watching soaps, I was my husband's equal partner, and my true self. As such I worked 100% of the time to the best of my ability. People seem to work much harder at the things they love. But how can we do the same for Alfonz?

Solution: A year of travel through France. With the option to buy a Gite, live there and run it. The idea is to spend as much time together as we can, while the kids are young enough to assimilate to a new culture. A land with warmer weather,  320 days of sunshine per year and a close journey to our home in Budapest. This would give our family the life we deserve, one that focuses on time currency and not just chasing the dollar. 

We are preparing by learning French, since January.

The vision looks like this. Buy a large home in the Languedoc region in the South of France. Close to tourist attractions and on route to the sea. It has a garden with a large table over looking a spectacular view of the Pyrenees Mountains or rolling countryside or something of that nature. Travelers’ are around a table and I’m serving them a beautiful Sunday Coq Au Vin meal or the like with ingredients from my beautiful garden. I see a house with a kitchen that we would live in and I an adjoining house with rental suites/rooms or floors for guests to stay in. There's a swimming pool to cool down in and a beautiful vineyard. The sun is setting as our glasses toast and our life would be restful, rewarding and happy. 

It's a funny thing. When we started to tell people we are moving to France, the first response is one of great disbelief. Many have dreams that seem implausible. People often wish they could move across the world to a land they visited once in there twenties that seemed perfect. Wishing to go back and live in that place that seemed unbelievably magical. And France being the most visited tourist destination in the world, I guess it's a common goal. 

The difference is I happened to have married a man that no matter what I have ever suggested, as crazy as it may seem, he never said as much. He always said, "If it's that important to you, we will make it happen." And in return I give the same courtesy. 

Great opportunities come along often and it really depends on character if you seize them. Our family is constantly dreaming, and wishing and improving and when something like this adventure presents itself we jump in headfirst.

If we end up back after a few months or ten months or even 2 years, at least we gave it a try. 

Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all? Better to have traveled and return than to never travel at all!

So if you think we are dreaming, yes of course we are. If you think we are crazy, maybe so. But if you need a rental B&B in the South of France, give us a call.

Visit Eva Hamori's website: http://www.thatshamori.com 

Do you dream of owning your own business and working for yourself? Before you make this huge leap of faith and finances, ask yourself this question…could you imagine working for someone else if you were offered your dream job?

If this is the case then you should spend more time looking for the job you truly want and less time dreaming about becoming an entrepreneur. There are certain considerations that can give you great insight and help you decide if you do have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

1.     1. What is your motivation? Ask yourself if you would want to be an entrepreneur regardless of how much money you might make as you build your business. If your goal is simply to achieve an income your chances of success, and more importantly, personal satisfaction are limited. Your real motivation must come from something inside you, not from external rewards like monetary goals or praise from others.

2.    2.  Who will it benefit? Is your dream based on something you want to give, or is it more about something you want to receive? A true entrepreneurial spirit includes a desire to do something that reaches beyond oneself. This is the reward that spurs the spirit of an entrepreneur.

3.      How hard are you willing to work? One of the biggest misconceptions about becoming an entrepreneur is that life will be easier than working for someone else. Rarely is this the case. Becoming successful requires tremendous commitment and usually the hours reflect the level of dedication to your dream.

4.      Are you prepared? What are you bringing to the table? Even if this is your own company, you need to have the experience and knowledge required to succeed. Ask yourself if you would hire yourself? If the answer is no, then spend some time educating yourself at what you want to really do. If this doesn’t sound compelling then entrepreneurship may not be for you.

5.      Can you handle success? How comfortable are you with personal success? One of the number one reasons independent businesses fail is the fact that many people are their own worst enemy. Some people like the idea of success and independence, but as their new business grows, self-sabotage becomes a factor and dreams become financial nightmares. Know right from the start that you are not someone who gets in his or her own way. Be certain that you know that you will always be your own advocate and that you are willing to go the distance to protect and fight for your dreams. You will encounter obstacles and negativity and doubt somewhere along the path. True entrepreneurs never accept defeat, and they never create it for themselves. Their entrepreneurial spirit pushes them past any difficulties and their greatest joy comes from the pride and sense of satisfaction that comes from living your dreams.

Anne Leedom is the Founder of www.TeenPalz.com, a website providing virtual monitoring and activities for teens. She lives in Northern California.

Cash Flow and Your Budget by Joanna Muir, Dear Piggy Bank

Cash flow can be a huge challenge. It is a key part of successfully maintaining your personal finances or operating your business. There is no magic solution but with a little planning and a strong money management system you will have more time to spend other aspects of your life or business. A little time invested up front will save hours over the long run. Not to mention, reduce anxiety levels!

1.    Have a Plan. Quantify your financial goals in terms of amount, timeline and worth. They may include a vacation, a car, home, a retirement plan or debt repayment. Prioritize them.

2.    Know the Numbers & the Dates. How much monthly income do you receive and when do you receive it? If your income is inconsistent then calculate a conservative average monthly income. Estimate any additional income as an annual figure. What expenses are you responsible for and when are they due?

3.    Do the Math. Compare monthly expenses to net monthly income. Do you have a surplus or deficit? If it is a surplus, you have the freedom to allocate funds to your financial goals. If it is a deficit, it is important to understand if it is temporary or not. If it is not, your two options are to earn more money or reduce expenses.

4.    Set Up Systems.

·      An easy way to organize expenses is to divide them into the 1^st and 2^nd halves of the month – so that you know how much money to have in your account for the 1^st and 15^th of each month.

·      Keep your monthly obligations as low as possible to allow for greater maneuverability.

·      Retain a float equivalent to your monthly expenses.

·      Total large, sporadic expenses such as insurance or property tax, and divide by 12 to calculate a monthly amount. Set up an automatic monthly transfer to a separate account so the funds are there when the bills are due.

·      It is important to meet obligations to Canada Revenue Agency. If you are self-employed, take the time to assess a guideline tax rate percentage. Deduct the appropriate amount from any income as soon as you receive it and transfer it to a savings account.

·      Use monthly savings plans and automatic transfers to reach your goals. Increasing your mortgage payment by $50 each month makes a big difference. The sooner the debt is gone, more cash is available for other purposes.

·      Use any income in excess of required monthly expenses to invest in your plan.

5.    Plan B. Expect wrinkles. What is your backup plan? It may be a contingency fund, a line of credit or a credit card. If you need to use it, it’s there – just remember to repay it as soon as possible.

The concepts are similar for personal and business money management. www.DearPiggyBank.com specializes in helping you simplify your finances and setting up a plan and systems to meet your goals – whatever they may be.

With preparations for Christmas well underway, I feel as though this year is the first year I've finally got it right.

I started buying gifts at the beginning of November and had the house decorated both inside and out by the first week of December. 

 Enterprising Moms Network annaul Xmas & Silent Auction was held in White Rock for the Ronald McDonald House and raised more than $850.

My own family has been able to donate to two other families  this year, that my son's school is sponsoring.

Usually, I am struggling with gift ideas, trying to figure out which charity to donate to, and driving myself crazy....

The kids have had their breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus, written their wish lists and the Christmas cards are done and mailed out.

So what makes this year so different from other years?  I'm guessing its because I finally allowed myself some time to get fully prepared.  Instead of reacting to Christmas, I am acting.  

I'm even hosting the Christmas Dinner this year at my house for my parents, in-laws and my sister and her family. 

I'm also planning on giving myself a break after the holidays for a quick getaway for myself and my friend at the River Rock. It's the first time I am allowing myself not to feel guilty about taking some time for me and have a night out filled with fun and relaxation. You can CLICK HERE to check it out what I'm doing.  I'm very excited.:)

This Christmas, I have chosen to put everyone I love and care about on my priority list, including myself. ;) And I hope you will too!

To all the mom entrepreneurs out there busy with their business, getting their families prepared for Christmas and really making it work - from my home to yours - Merry Christmas!

- Kelley Scarsbrook, EMN President

Are Tornado Warnings Affecting Your Business?

- By Tereza Kumric – Enterprising Moms Network Toronto

Business owners enter the business world with a no fail attitude. We’ve done our homework, calculated our margins, set our goals and are ready for success. But as our guest speaker Sarah Morgenstern of Savvy Mom Media said at the Enterprising Moms meeting in Toronto, business is not a Cinderella story.

Like  every business owner, when we have an important launch, important event or  meeting  we gear up, we plan , we dot our I’s and cross our T’s – like I did for the Enterprising Moms event that was planned for October 26 with Sarah Morgenstern. What I did not plan for however was the extreme weather warning for Toronto that forced me to cancel an event that I was planning for months (and you thought the tornado in the title was just a metaphor!).

So I did what all business owners do – I put out the fire.

I called all the members and guests, tweeted, emailed and rescheduled the event as fast as I could.

Not a big deal – life happens right?

Yes, it does and while your warnings might not come in the form of a tornado, one of the many “truths” that Sarah shared about being a mom entrepreneur was just that – “Bad things will happen… things will go wrong”.  So, all that cumbersome stuff that small business owners think they don’t need, like lawyers and contracts, insurance and a back-up plan… well, think again. Does that mean you need to dump that no fail attitude? 

Absolutely not.  Just know that despite your intentions and motivated spirit, things CAN and WILL go wrong. Have a lawyer, have insurance, make sure your goals are in line with your business partners goals (before you start the business!), be very involved and don’t leave your business on autopilot, and have support, whether  it is in the form of an advisory board, a networking group  or friends and family.

This way, when the tornado hits, you are prepared to react.

We are gearing up for  a very exciting event happening on Friday, November 5th from 7  - 10pm at the River Rock Hotel in Richmond, BC.

The event is the Enterprising Moms Fall Networking Social.   It's a great opportunity to meet members from other chapters, network with other women business owners and take the time to celebrate your accomplishments!  This event is for both members and interested guests as well as spouses, friends and supporters.

Speakers for the evening event include:

Kelley Scarsbrook, President of Enterprising Moms Network - "Busting the Myth of the Perfect Mom".

Felicia Lee, Business Development Director/Vancouver Chapter Director of Enterprising Moms Network and Ghost CEO Coach - "3 Tools for Entrepreneurial Time Mastery."

Kasia Rachfall, owner of Fresh Perspective Coach - "Your Values: The Unconscious Tool that Moves You Forward or Holds You Back."

Tickets are $25/pp and includes appies. 

The Grand Prize Draw at the Event is a Girl's Getaway Package provided by the River Rock Hotel.

DON'T DELAY - get your tickets soon to avoid disappointment (as we sold out last year!)

TO SECURE YOUR TICKET - CLICK HERE.

Take some time to celebrate you and your business - you DESERVE it!

Have you had that "ONE" bright business idea and let it go because you had no idea what to do with it? Or how about already owning your own business and being scared to take it to the "NEXT LEVEL"?       

Many of us have been there and know what its like. It's scary and exciting all at the same time. The risk of failure, the possibility of it not working - yep, that does exist.

However, what also exits is the possibility of its success and creating the life you always dreamed of.

If entrepreneurship was easy, everyone would be doing it. What separates those who succeed, and those who don't is simple: tenacity.

Have you ever read a bio about someone and thought to yourself "I thought of that!" or "I could have done that".  The only difference between that person and you is that YOU didn't try.

Entrepreneurship has its ups and downs. You will find that every successful business owner will have a story about failure(s) - of when the business really wasn't working very well. But they stuck with it - saw it through, and eventually it succeeded. 

These struggles build character, they define how you will handle business in the future. In essence, they make you a better entrepreneur because you  lived through the hard times - and so did your business.

So if you have always wanted to try your hand at entrepreneurship because you have that ONE great idea - or really want to grow your business and take it to the NEXT LEVEL; make 2010 the year you simply go for it.

Never live your life with regret - you'll never know if it could work, unless you work to make it happen.

Happy 2010!

Many first time business owners have a hard time deciding whether or not to go it alone as a sole proprietor, to take on a partner or if they should incorporate.

Below you will find some useful tips to think about when making this important decision.

A Sole Proprietorship is the easiest out of the three to start up. The start up costs are low as a Sole Proprietor, and there are great tax advantages (write offs) to the owner. The only drawback is that there is no name protection as a Sole Proprietor and there is no protection/separation between you and your business (ie if your business is sued or the business loses money, then you are personally liable as well.

A Partnership is when two or more people decide to combine their skills and resources and go in to business together. Both parties involved are responsible for the overall management of a business, and each are personally liable for all debts with the business.

When entering in to a Partnership business, is important to outline the terms and conditions of your partnership in a legal agreement. In the agreement you will need to outline how you want to share the profits.

A Corporation is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owner(s). With a corporation, you have limited liability. The owner and the company are separate and distinct. The name of the Company is also protected.

When you are seeking to incorporate a company, it is best to consult with a lawyer to review all the circumstance regarding shareholders, reporting and maintaining proper records. Incorporating a company is the most expensive venture to start out of the three options.