It takes a lot of persistence to get you from a great idea to a profit-making venture!Entrepreneurs are following some special elements of success which makes them what they are.There are skills to do business. Going across some books I came across these elements of success which are followed by successful entrepreneurs-
- A GOOD BUSINESS PLAN-
This is crucial for planning, implementing, and conducting a new business. It helps organize and direct the important steps for your venture and can mean the difference between success and failure.There are different workshops by various women groups, which can provide free help in writing a business plan.
2. CLEAR GOALS-
Select the goals you want to concentrate on and the direction you will take to achieve those goals. Determine daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals, for your business. and then make a to-do list of steps that you will take to accomplish each goal.
3. MONEY-
If you want to start your business, experts say that you must have 6 months to 2 years savings with you as a backup.This is just to cover living expenses. Money for business is to be arranged after estimating how much will be your startup cost. Loans from banks, friends, savings etc can be good options while making financial arrangement for business. Then to keep your business going you have to have a cash reserve for all your purchases, bills and other expenses. Keeping good records and consulting with financial advisors will all help you to stay in business.
4. KNOW YOUR BREAK-EVEN POINT-
Using your records and advice of your accountant or financial advisor watch for the point when your business begins to make a profit. Depending on how much money you have borrowed it may take about 2 years. It depends upon the type of business, like a service business such as public relation and counselling, will generally require less start-up money than opening a small shop with inventory or another product related business.
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Recognizing children’s assets is another way which can help us in moulding our kid’s behaviour positively!
When we think of assets, we usually think about money in the bank or property, and natural resources like oil or gold. But every human being also has personal assets like the gift of heart, mind, and that’s his true wealth. The more a person understands what these are and develops them, the richer his or her life will be. I came across this thought in one parenting book -“Every child is unique in himself. There may be particular talents, strengths, and conditions that are natural to follow when he or she learns. Being ineffective and going against a child’s grain is what squanders human resources. A willingness to wonder and be curious about a child about how to use his or her assets to overcome challenges increases effectiveness.”
There are different patterns which can help in determining those assets in our kids. Observe these features-
1.What are our child’s accomplishments?
2.What helps our child to concentrate, make decisions, and imagine new possibilities?
3. We have to give a thought to innate ways of thinking that our child excels at and is energized by.
It is emphasized in some parenting books that “Children whose assets have been recognized and supported are strong learners who trust their own abilities, they know and can explain how they learn and recognize what they need in any given situation. They can maximize both internal and external resources to satisfy those needs. They have ready access to their inventiveness, courage, intuition, and concentration. They know how to solve a problem creatively, to care for themselves, to think well with others, to motivate themselves, and to evaluate their own performance. They know they matter, they know they are important, they know they can make difference to the world”.
How much important is to recognize our child’s assets!
As a parent, we have to shift our attention to child’s capabilities. Instead of worrying that our kid is not up to some performance like other kids, or giving generalized comments to our child with a thought of motivating him we have to change our thinking pattern. We should notice what is true of our child’s capabilities, what he or she has accomplished, learned and achieved. This recognition nourishes a child’s inherent sense of self-worth, the understanding that he or she possesses certain gifts, and it is her responsibility to share with rest of the world. (continued)
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Stress is the normal part of the life nowadays.Womenfolk particularly often feel stressed due to loads of responsibilities on them. Its the matter how women handle it, specifically how they avoid it and that determines your success rate in life in today’s mad rat race world!
I tried out some new ways of stress busters which I found very effective. I want to share it with my readers so that they can also be benefited-
1. PUT THE MUSIC ON particularly instrumental one. Words can distract you. So go for some calming music which gives you fresh energy. Piano music can be very relaxing. Just came across very relaxing music online which is available free on http://www.origenmusic.com. There is one other site http://nature-downloads.naturesounds.ca which has a collection of natural sounds like of birds for relaxation. People who love fast music can go for salsa numbers which can freshen you like something.
2. USE ESSENTIAL OILS- You can also use essential oils for relaxing. Lavender, Clary sage, ylang-ylang, and frankincense are some great ones for relaxing. However, finding the perfect scent for you will be based on your preferences. You can use fresh flowers daily around yourself for a good natural fragrant atmosphere around.
3. TIMEOUT YOURSELF- You can give yourself a mental time out. To do so clear away all your thoughts and try to concentrate on a color or the emptiness. When thoughts try to disturb you, work on pushing them back out.
This will provide a lot of relaxation in just a few minutes.
4. MENTAL VACATION- This is also very interesting one.Pick someplace that is restful whether it is a beach, garden, pond, or elsewhere. Go there for a few minutes and try to imagine what it looks like, smells like, and even sounds like. This will freshen your spirit in a minute!
Its all in your mind!Always be aware of yourself and whenever you realize that stress is overpowering you go with some relaxation technique. It will help you a lot in keeping yourself healthy and strong!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Activities help kids to active, agile, and alert!
As a parent, we can teach different skills which can be taught while carrying some activity. This two activity help in teaching kids about the importance of time and what to do during an emergency.
1.PLAN FOR EMERGENCY- Take a paper and write word emergency on top of it.Just below it write FIRE, POLICE, AND AMBULANCE in three columns.You can put pictures of fire under word fire, and pictures of a police car and ambulance below words police and ambulance. With your child look for the phone numbers in the directory and fill the numbers under the column headings. Practise with your child what to do in case of emergency. With your finger on the end call button, help your child dial the phone number and speak correctly to the speaker. Have your child give the home address, phone number and request the help that is needed. Practise this until the time your child has the confidence to do it on his own.
2. HOW MUCH TIME- This activity can help in making your kid more efficient as he will learn about how time flies. Read a book with him for five minutes and then count the pages you have read. He will be surprised to see the results. You can ask him to observe time in between two commercials. , brushing his teeth, getting ready for the school, doing homework, setting the table and various other activities. He will learn the importance of time.
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Are you thinking to start a business?
You are not alone!
It reported that women are starting business twice a rate as a man. There are plenty of reasons why women want to start a business and establish themselves as entrepreneurs. Childcare concern, lack of job security, threats of job loss, the potential for increasing income, and major reason what I think is the need for flexible work schedules. It’s not an easy task to establish any business. I searched out through some books which discuss these traits which I want to share with my blog readers.
Make no mistake, It will take a lot of persistence and hard work to get you from a great idea to profit-making business. It has to be something that you really want to do, a real burning desire that motivates you into action. You will need this motivation, determination, doggedness to drive and sustain you through this new way of life. It is both exciting to contemplate going into business for yourself, and frightening as you worry about the changes, that the business will bring to you and to your family with the fear of failure of the idea itself!
Qualities which are common in entrepreneurs are-
1.PROFESSIONALISM– Business has to be treated as a business whether you work out at the office, a centre, or why not you are home! You have to be particular about your working hours, stationary, treating customers, and business contacts in a professional manner, staying current with the latest information in your trade and conducting yourself in a manner that establishes you as an expert in your field.
2.SELF-CONFIDENCE– Prepare yourself well for your business, this will infill you with confidence and then you can handle your tasks very well. Take to research the ventures that interest you. A good business plan will only help you to succeed. It’s always good to investigate, research, observe how others are carrying their business. When you observe others doing and moreover your research about their failures, success history, it gives you edge in terms of having the confidence to meet those obstacles.
3. PERSISTENCE– It is true that if you want to succeed you will have to persevere to reach your goals. If you need an answer concerning to your business, someone can help you, you have to just look around. Don’t leave hope if you are not getting your answers easily, but be persistent. You may have to face many obstacles, problems, and other negative things but you have to be firm and continue your work. Your persistence can play a very important role in your success.
4. FLEXIBILITY– When you start your business you have to be open-minded. You have to be open to any other opportunity which can suddenly pop in front of you. I read one example that there was one lady who opened one antique shop in her remodelled barn. She decided to carry lace curtains and pottery. There was such a demand for the curtains that now she advertises them in several magazines. The point is that when you start your business to serve a certain market, but because of new customer demand your business may go in entirely new direction than you expected. You have to be alert and ready to change direction. The survival of your business may depend on your willingness to change.
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Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
The environment at home can have a profound effect on kid’s behaviour!
The environment at home can be defined in terms of space around the whole home and how clean it is. Another way of looking at the environment around the home is the emotional and environment full of empathy. One book says that ” We are hardwired to feel one another’s happiness and pain more deeply than ever we knew. This news is both exciting and humbling. It means we are truly born to connect. Facial expressions are contagious. Empathy is the connective tissue of parenting. It enables us to establish a bond of trust with our children and to meet them with our hearts as well a soul minds. Empathy enhances our insights, sharpens our hunches, and at the same time even allows us to read one other’s minds. ”
Isn’t it very interesting to know that we as a parent can easily catch our kids sadness, anger or whatever emotion he is going through but at the same time it is quite true that he is also able to catch your emotional state! We have to be very mindful of our behaviour, actions, and words. One parenting book emphasizes that “The more mindful the parent is of her own bodily responses and actions, the more skillfully the parent can choose to engage mirror neurons to gain valuable information about a child’s emotional state.”
The river of empathy is running from both sides-parent to kid and vice- verse. When you are slowing down, your child is mimicking you and unconsciously he is also slowing down, but if you are suffering from anxiety then it also affects him in the same way. Therefore it is very necessary to remain in your present surroundings always, especially as a parent. At times due to some emotional infection, we are not aware of our sensations. It is just to take some action at that time. Whenever you find yourself centring you can -“1. Take few breaths, feel the sensations of your own body, feel your own centre of gravity in your pelvis, you can feel your hand also.2-Hum a song to yourself, touch your heart tenderly.” There are numerous ways to become actively aware of your own sensations and come out of sync with your child.
Parenting is having its own ways. But there are certain rules to it which can help in taking out best of your child. Why not apply those rules practically in life and nurture our kid’s environment with love forever. Happy Parenting!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Age is no bar to keep on working in today’s times- Unless you are passionate!
I was never interested to know about Madam Vera Waters, an elite member of Nuskin circle until I met her. She is a 73 years old lady from Hong Kong who is so much into her work that will put shame to any youngster who always complains about their workload and other things in life. Nobody can guess her age as she has maintained herself so well. You will never find a wrinkle on her hands, she carries herself with such a charm that is unmatchable. Though she gives all credit to Nuskin for her younger looks as she swears by NuSkin Products. It is her own positive attitude towards life which counts more.
Vera Waters is a 5 million dollar circle member elite in NuSkin-an Enterprises, a leading direct-selling company that distributes premium quality products and services. It’s not about the company I want to emphasize but it’s about only her. Madam Waters has basket full of achievement through her life. She has worked as a manager at Standard Chartered, she was the first lady in Hong Kong to set up a Beauty and Charm school, she has received Asia Pacific Life Time Achievement award, she was on the list of 100 outstanding women entrepreneurs of China, and now at 73 years of age she is as much passionate about her work in NuSkin as any newcomer who wants to bring change in others life.
Success is by choice, she proclaims. She is a super positive woman who believes in the quote that “There is no shame in justifiable failure. There is the shame only in fear of failure.” When somebody asked her that at what age she will love to retire, she answered with a smile “I will love dying while working”. How passionate she is for her work that reflects in the way she works for Nuskin. She is working for last 19 years for NuSkin.
Vera Waters is an inspiration to womenfolk in today’s times. She is setting up an example that it doesn’t matter what work you are doing, but how much you love doing what you are doing, that fills you with love for life and for the world too.So love your work and love the world around!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Shopping with kids can be fun and fuss- it depends on how you mould it!
Most of the time parents don’t like taking their kids along for shopping as they find it troublesome. By doing this you are depriving your kid of having a great learning experience.
These two activities can help you in making your kids’ smart shoppers and develop a sense of money and food costing.
1-SHOPPING GROCERY-
Prepare a shopping list for your kid. Explain to him how important is to make a list before going out for shopping as it helps saving money and how it minimizes impulse buying. It can be a good practice for reading and writing. While you go shopping ask your kid to find some item, he will get busy and when he finds out and puts it into cart ask him to check off from your list.
2-FOOD AND MONEY-
Shopping grocery from the store can be a fun activity. When you return back from shopping while settling your grocery in the store ask your child to find the items you bought and ask him to read the price also. In this way, he will come to know about the food the family uses and the price too.
Have fun while shopping!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Social networking can do wonders if used positively. Networking is good if done with like-minded people, so for mothers, it is all about meeting with mothers of same age kids as their ones. Social networking can help them to have some talk with the fellow mothers and this can be valuable ‘me’ time for themselves!
Hats off to womenfolk of Dallas who are being termed as dollar wise who have used this tool to form groups for their kids and organize camping and other activities at low cost. I am really amazed that how these moms got together and planned a group for their kids. I strongly believe in the saying where there is will there is a way. Mothers want so many things for their kids but at times are not able to get or organize due to certain reasons. Its very necessary for the child to participate in outdoor activities and games. Interaction with other kids helps him in learning new things and developing social skills.
Group activities can be beneficial for stay at home moms to keep them active and use their skills in a different way. They themselves can take benefit by making new friends in the group, then they can teach kids group some new activity or skill which they know very well like dance, arts, craft and so many other activities. Kids will definitely enjoy and will have loads of fun. In today’s times when there are nuclear families and kids are staying alone then, such activities can fill their life with love, happiness, enthusiasm, and positive energy.
It’s time to take step womenfolk, let’s get active for our kid’s sake because they are angels in our life!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!
Communication plays a key role in creating a desirable behaviour for our kids! With proper communication, kids can learn a lot.
The ability to communicate with others, to share experience, to collaborate, and to exchange information is very important in today’s times. To achieve it parents have to start setting the base since childhood by having positive communication most of the time. Always think of mistakes as experiments rather than failures. Whenever your kid makes some mistake don’t react, or shout, just try to create a positive environment.This act of yours will teach him how to handle your anger. You have to express your anger in words rather than in action. Words don’t mean you have to shout or yell, softly you have to make him aware that why you are upset. There are many ways to control your anger. Counting numbers, moving to some other place at that moment only, drinking water, and much more. Follow any habit but definitely do it. Most of the parenting books emphasize the importance of communication in parenting.
One book I came across explains that one of the biggest misconceptions we suffer from is the assumption that all human beings use the same process of understanding. Every individual has the different set pattern of thinking and understanding. We Have to understand that aspect of our kid while dealing with him or her. While communicating also we have to make him understand what is the appropriate behaviour in simple words. Don’t make the situation complex by acting as cops- “you should do this”,”you should not speak loudly”, “don’t go there”…etc. It takes extra effort to explain him the consequences softly and with patience. Invest time in communicating with your kid. Try to understand his choices, his dislikes, why he said something wrong, what was his motive behind some particular wrong action. You will be amazed to see that how much he wants to share with you now.
At times we also make mistakes. Sometimes we scold our kid for wrong reasons, or by mistake, we say something wrong, always say sorry. Never thought to be a parent you can take your position for granted. Always say sorry and see how easy it will be for your child to say sorry. There are many small talks during whole day which can create a huge positive impact on your child personality.
Happy Parenting!
Charu Mehrotra
Promoting Excellence in Women!