By Jenny Finke

I remember working at a large PR agency many years ago. Some of my older PR colleagues would tell me how fax machines were revolutionary to helping them disseminate information. Then came email – and whoa! – suddenly information spread as fast as lightening.

While some would argue that disseminating information is easier than ever today, many would argue that such instant communication has made the profession of PR more challenging than ever. Information overload is hard to overcome, and everyone is passing themselves off as a “journalist” these days. Plus, newspapers are going by the wayside and Google seems to be the first place people turn for answers.

However, if you’re doing PR, there are some excellent tools available to you to help you gain control of your PR efforts and better capture the hearts and minds of your target audiences.

Let’s talk about the top 10 tools used by PR people (including myself) today to get the job done. (more…)

By Holly Reisem Hanna

As a mompreneur I know how tough it can be to juggle a new business, family and your personal life – honestly there never seems to be enough hours in the day. But just because you’re strapped for time and/or money, it is not okay to cut corners and compromise your integrity.

Here are the top 5 no-no’s for mompreneurs.

Always Asking for Favors: Don’t be known as “that girl”, you know the one that always asks for favors, but never lends a helping hand in return.  People enjoy helping others in times of need, but if you’re constantly asking for things, you’ll start to turn people off and they will start ignoring your phone calls and emails.  In fact in Trust Agents, it says “In your business, you shouldn’t ask for anything almost ever. Asking for favors, getting people to blog things for you, these are things that make people go out of their way and that make them feel uncomfortable”. Instead be helpful and assist others when you’re able to, you’ll be surprised how people will want to help you in return and you won’t even have to ask. (more…)

By Wendy Lowe

The trusty to-do list. With school back in session, what would we do without it? It can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping track of all those appointments, activities, pick-up/drop-off times—not to mention parties, play dates and sports games on the weekends. There’s nothing more satisfying than dragging that pen across the page, knowing you’ve completed yet another task on-time and to the best of your ability.

Sure, when it comes to our businesses, we often use the same tactic to keep track of daily tasks. But there’s one item you may be leaving off your checklist that could lead to more additions and time wasted down the line—a close look at your small business technology. Whether you’re just getting started or want to maintain your success, your tech tools need to make you #1 in the eyes of potential clients and customers. Your technology should help you save time and money, allowing you to cross-off everything you need to get done quickly and efficiently.

See if you can put a check next to the following three statements. If not, take a look at the information below for some suggestions on how you can get the most out of your small business technology and make it work for you. (more…)

Tell us a little bit about Mom Corps and how you got involved with them.

Mom Corps is a national staffing & recruiting company that provides businesses unique access to a previously untapped pool of exceptional talent and provides professionals with flexible career opportunities. I had read about Mom Corps several years ago in the Wall Street Journal and immediately thought it was an innovative business idea that resonated with me.  However, after having both of my sons, I continued to work full-time with a horrific commute and periodic travel which over time really took a toll on both me and my relationship with my family.  So after I was laid off from my last corporate high-tech position due to budget constraints even though I was the only one bringing in business, I did some soul-searching, determined that I didn’t want to go back into that environment and knew it was time to have my own business.

At that point, a friend of mine, who happens to be a Mom Corps client, reminded me about Mom Corps and suggested that it could help me find an opportunity that could at least keep me working until I figured out my next big opportunity.  From there, I found out Mom Corps was franchising, and Austin did not currently have a franchise.  So my husband and I went down the due diligence path to explore the franchise opportunity and ultimately decided to move forward with the move to Austin to open the business. (more…)

Welcome to The Work at Home Woman’s Business Book Club!

The Business Book Club Pick is: Find Your Strongest Life – What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently, by Marcus Buckingham.

Midpoint Discussion: Friday, October 15th, 2010 – read through chapter 7.

Final Discussion & Review: Friday, November 5th, 2010 – read to end.

Book Stats: 260 pages and 14 Chapters.

Book Description: In Find Your Strongest Life, Marcus Buckingham reveals the powerful key to bring fulfillment, peace, and control into a woman’s life.

Modern women have it all. In the past four decades, women have secured better job prospects, greater acknowledgment for achievement, wider influence, more free time, and higher salaries. And yet, recent studies reveal that women have gradually become less happy than they were 40 years ago, and less happy than men—and unlike men, they grow sadder as they get older. Does this mean that women should (more…)