Laina Turner's Blog, page 47

What happened to September?

How is today October 5th? I mean really where did September go. I feel like my kids started school mid-August and then BAM I woke up and it’s now Oct. 5th. I’m almost afraid to go to bed tonight and wake up and have it be Christmas.

September completely fell off the rails, for good reason, but I didn’t even give my goals a 2nd thought. Now I really, REALLY need to refocus my focus and get completely committed to what needs to be done. It’s a LOT.

Probably too much BUT I know I can do it.

So what sidetracked me in September?

My book launch of the biz planning guide for bloggers and authors.

Plan for Success: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors.

I kept making so many changes it didn’t get uploaded in its final form until about 10 minutes before it went live.

Can you say STRESS!

But now it’s done and although I foresee a version 2.0 in my future the hard work is done.

I also spent a lot of time working on my upcoming rebranding with Braizen, a kick-ass branding firm. You might be thinking, but you just rebranded in June. Yeah, I did but I wasn’t feeling it. I’ve got big goals that I HAVE to reach by June 2016 and I felt that not feeling like I was in sync with my branding was more detrimental than the money I wasted going through the process again.

So as a result exercise, not eating crap (and drinking wine), saving money, and wedding planning kind of went out the window. I also got so far behind on my writing schedule that now I’m scrambling to get Bats & Bling, The next Presley Thurman mystery, out on time.

However, like my friend Val says – No Stress – it will all work out.

October Goals

1. Sell 1000 copies of Plan for Success.

2. Launch Bats & Bling Oct 29th.

3. Nail the rebranding and start on the website (well not me personally but handing it off to the web developer).

4. Working with book cover designer to redo all Presley Thurman covers for relaunch in December.

5. Exercise 5 times a week and NOT stress eat and drink.

It’s a short list. It’s doable! I can ROCK this!

What are your goals for October?

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Fab 5 Friday – Favorite Fall Activities

Apple Picking {and Apple Cider!}

Do you have a go-to apple farm you and yours visit? Or do you go apple picking in produce section of your local grocery store? Either way, I hope you take time to enjoy the fabulousness of this fruit that evokes all things fall. Eating this fruit not up your alley? Maybe trying some chilled apple cider, “adult” apple cider or hot apple cider would do the trick! There are so many variations and ways to enjoy one of my favorite fall drinks.

Pumpkin Farms

Perhaps its the kid side in me… wanting to get lost in a corn maze or enjoy a freshly baked pumpkin doughnut (you know my love for all things pumpkin!) Any plans to enjoy a family afternoon at a local pumpkin patch and picking up a few fresh pumpkins for the front porch? Or perhaps sneaking off for an afternoon date with your better half and leaving the kiddos at home?

Leaf Jumping *

Am I the only one that has a bit of a love-hate relationship with the falling leaves? I love the look of the leaves when they are, quite literally, falling off the tree and gently swaying in a downward slope to the ground before resting ever so gently; however, the clean up of said leaves? not so much fun! Get the entire family involved in raking up some leaves and then have a good jumping session (or two) before calling it a day. Not into jumping, perhaps this video from Huffington Post will make you smile!

Pumpkin Decorating

Even though my kiddos are a bit older, these Disney-Inspired pumpkins are so darling! Love the wings on Tinkerbell. A perfect way to include the tiny tots of the family when the older siblings are carving pumpkins that have a more ghoulish twist. “These Disney pumpkins are very simple to make and bring the perfect touch of magic home!”

Pumpkin Baking

I don’t think it is any secret I LOVE as in L.O.V.E all things pumpkin. I wait patiently (ok, not so patiently) all year for the fall season and to be able to enjoy pumpkin from sun up (starting with some pumpkin creamer in my coffee) to sun down (ending with pumpkin dessert). Perhaps one of my go-to pumpkin recipes will become one of your own go-to recipes as well! Enjoy!

* {photo credit: google images}

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Plan for Success: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors

Join the Twitter party fun tonight #bizplanbook, September 30th at 8pm EST, where I will launch the first in a series of books/workbooks/e-courses designed to help other bloggers and authors.

Every ten minutes during the Twitter party we will be giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with a final grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card at the end. There will be coupon codes for discounts on books, courses, and consulting.

 

Plan for Success: A Business Planning Toolkit for Bloggers and Authors

You have an idea, a skill, or a passion and want to make it into a business. Then you can call the shots and get filthy, stinking rich. Who wouldn’t want that?

Being your own boss is AWESOME and there’s plenty of opportunity out there for all of us entrepreneurs to be wildly successful.

But like your mother said…

Do it right, or don’t do it at all!

When over 80% of new businesses fail it is crucial to know of where you want to take your business, how you will get there, and the tools needed to be successful.

You need to understand the direction you want to go and be prepared for potential obstacles so you can crush them and keep moving forward.

The e-book, companion workbook, and online courses, will show you how to solidify your goals, take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, and create a solid plan with specific actions to get you to your goals. There will also be interactive community forums on my website so you can ask questions and interact as you go through the book. You’re not in this alone.

Cost $19.95 (but join the Twitter party and get the chance to get it for much less)

Get your planning on!

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One day to the Twitter party book launch!

One more day until the launch of my newest non-fiction book on how to create an awesome business plan for your writing success! Then I promise I’ll get back to a regular rotation of blog posts that aren’t all book related! September has flown by, and I LOVE fall and haven’t even had a chance to write about it.

Tomorrow – Wednesday –  at 8 pm EST the launch of Plan for Success: a business planning toolkit for bloggers and authors will kick off with a Twitter party from 8-9pm EST.

The Twitter party will be all kinds of fun. There will be gift card giveaways every 10 minutes with a final prize at the end. We will be giving away copies of the book AND giving out coupon codes for deep discounts for the book, online course, and one on one consultation session with me through the duration of the party.

If you want to take your business to the next level with a kick ass business plan, then make sure to stop by Twitter at 8 pm – hashtag #bizplanbook

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I changed my mind

I have been working feverishly on my new book that launches Wednesday. I’ve put it above all else because it’s important to me and I want it to be perfect. Because of that focus I’ve gotten behind on a few other projects but hey, I like working under pressure.

Over the weekend, my fiancé and I were working on the formatting of the workbook that comes with the book. Well, he was the one doing the actual formatting, I was just telling him what I liked and what I wanted to be changed. I’m a GREAT supervisor. Unfortunately, I realized I didn’t like the title:

Writing is a Lifestyle: creating a plan to make profits from your passions.

It’s too long, it doesn’t tell exactly what the book is about, and Writing is a Lifestyle is the current tagline on my website which I’m changing. I’m rebranding again (long story which I’ll blog about after this book gets released).

After brainstorming all weekend, I came up with something I really like.

Plan for Success: a business planning toolkit for bloggers and authors.

It’s a little shorter, more concise, and tells the reader what it’s about.

Today is all about scrambling to get the new cover art done in time for launch Wednesday and, of course, trying not to think about the money I wasted on the original cover art. I don’t mind though because I know it’s the right thing to do.

The book launches Wednesday at 8 pm with a kick off twitter party hashtag #bizplanbook. I hope you join us!

What do you think about the title change?

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Fab 5 Friday – Home Office Decor

Blue and Green Ikat Parsons Chair

When you spend long hours working on a blog post or writing a book, a comfy (yet beyond fabulous looking) chair is necessary.

Framed Corkboard

Love the size of this. Add a few favorite cute pictures and the necessary papers one might need for a blog or everyday home bills.

Addie Pendant

These lights are the perfect mix of funky and functional. Fabulous indeed!

Large Red Charlie Clock

Pop of color – to keep you on track and on your goals!

Never Never Never Give Up, Winston Churchill

This quote says it all. A perfect touch to any home office.

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Reviewers Wanted – Create a Plan to Make Profits for Your Passions

Want a free book, workbook, and an hour of my time in exchange for reviewing this book?

First 10 people to comment below will receive all I mentioned above!!!

Wednesday, September 30th at 8pm EST, I will launch the first in a series of books/workbooks/e-courses designed to help other bloggers and authors.

So mark it on your calendar!

Writing is a Lifestyle: create a plan to make profits from their passions.

Book blurb

You have an idea, a skill, or a passion and want to make it into a business. Then you can call the shots and get filthy, stinking rich. Who wouldn’t want that?

Being your own boss is AWESOME and there’s plenty of opportunity out there for all of us entrepreneurs to be wildly successful.

But like your mother said…

Do it right, or don’t do it at all!

When over 80% of new businesses fail it is crucial to know of where you want to take your business, how you will get there, and the tools needed to be successful.

You need to understand the direction you want to go and be prepared for potential obstacles so you can crush them and keep moving forward.

The e-book and companion workbook will show you how to solidify your goals, take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses, and create a solid plan with specific actions to get you to your goals. There will also be interactive community forums on my website so you can ask questions of me and your peers as you go through the book.

Cost $19.95

Join my mailing list to get special pricing at $9.95. An email reminder on launch day will be sent to you with the coupon code for the reduced price.

Get your planning on!

It’s only 1 short week away!

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Top Reasons Women Start a Business

I came across this blog about the top reasons women start their own business. I liked it because it’s right in line with why I prefer working for myself rather than for “the man” in a big corporation. Here were the reasons they found:

Top 5 Reasons Why Women Start A Business: (read original post here)

1) Financial independence – For many women looking to attain the level of financial independence they crave, a business is the best way. Even for those women working their business part-time while still holding onto a full time job, financial freedom is the motivator.

2) Being in control of their own destiny – Things have come a long way for women in their careers, but in some industries and companies there are still low glass ceilings for women. Women are now operating their own 6-7-8-9 figure businesses and there are no glass ceilings insight!

3) Stay home to raise their family – Many women want to be able to stay home and raise their kids or at least have the flexibility to be more available for their kids. Becoming an entrepreneur is a much easier for women to consolidate the need to support their family financially and also be present for major milestones in their kids’ lives.

4) Do work that has purpose and meaning– Purpose and passion are two words that are extremely important to women when deciding to launch their own business. Most want to feel like they what are doing matters and has a positive impact on the world.

5) Give into their creative self – Most women operate more from a right brain perspective and use their creativity in their work. For many female entrepreneurs, the confinement of the corporate box wasn’t allowing them to spread their wings creatively.

What are your reasons?

 

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Fab 5 Friday – Business Tips

10 Tips for the First-Time Business Owner

“Say it in 30 seconds or don’t say it at all. From a chance encounter with an investor to a curious customer, always be ready to pitch your business. State your mission, service and goals in a clear and concise manner. Fit the pitch to the person. Less is always more.”

Five Experts, Five Tips For Business Success in 2015

Treat customers like guests in your home. While there will always be customers who have decreased attention, are in a hurry, or appear to be frazzled, you want to still aim to deliver strong customer care despite customer scenarios. One way to do this is to treat customers as if they are guests in your home.”

11 Pro Tips for Better Business Blogging

“Blogging Is a Big Commitment. If you’re not willing to put the hard and persistent effort into building an audience over a prolonged period of time, your best bet might be to look at guest writing opportunities on existing blogs, websites, email newsletters or even in print publications, which have large and established readerships.”

Top business tips for 2015

“My tip for any entrepreneur would be to inspire your team with purpose and leadership and to foster strong working relationships with those beyond your own organisation. Collaboration is key for achieving success with a more purpose driven and socially responsible business.”

Richard Branson’s Top 10 Tips for Succeeding at Business

“Delegate, and spend more time with your family. The art of delegation is one of the key skills that entrepreneurs must master. Be sure to “hire to your weaknesses.” Bringing on people who can do the tasks you aren’t particularly good at can free you up to plan for your company’s future. This strategy also allows you to spend more time with your family, which is really the most important thing of all.”

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Timing Is Everything

I am a firm believer of everything happens for a reason, timing is everything, if it’s meant to be it will happen…etc etc etc. I believe in signs, karma, and the law of attraction.

So with that said I’m rebranding and relaunching my Empire one more time this year and it’s bound to be a raging success based on all the great timing of things and signs I have been seeing.

And if I needed any more affirmation I was making the right decision I got another one as I was writing this and came across this awesome post from The Nectar Collective – Four Things to Consider When You Feel Like Giving Up. Because I was thinking about giving up because I felt like things just weren’t working. Instead, I decided to figure out what the hell wasn’t working (for realz this time) and try again.

A post I read a couple years ago that really spoke to me was Common Mistakes That Can Lead to Your Blog’s Failure. Mainly because the writer said all the blogs she had started I the last 2 years had ended in failure but finally the newest one was successful because of all she had learned from the failures. If that’s true for me I’m going to be so damn successful it’s not even funny!

All joking aside, as long as I learn from failure trying again and again means at some point I will succeed!

What goal are you still striving toward?

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