Highlights from the Mompreneur Fundraiser, Hollywood, CA

Last Wednesday I participated on a panel of Mompreneurs (moms who take their passion and start a business) as part of a fundraiser for a local charter school which seeks to educate children in a child-led learning style, with a diverse student body that is representational of the neighborhood, and achieve an academic standard of excellence.

It was an evening of celebration: honoring the achievements of the business women who were unanimously led by the heart in creating uplifting and conscientious products and services. Cyndi Finklelent her gorgeous art space to host the event, the panel was generous with stories of overcoming obstacles, and in highlights from their journey, and the audience was engaged and interested, making it an enriching experience for all.

 

 

Here are some highlights from the information shared:

Get support: a cheerleader, a sounding board, a mentor, a business partner. It is helpful to have a friend who will listen to your process and offer nothing but encouragement. It is helpful to have a sounding board who will listen critically and offer advice. Seek out a mentor in the field who has traversed the terrain and can offer specific advice. Sometimes it can be helpful to collaborate with a business partner who brings an entirely different set of skills or area of expertise to the table. Lastly, you can engage a network of women who will support your entrepreneurial vision; Jan McCarthy, a mother on our panel presented about one such organization: Ladies Who Launch.

Facing Obstacles: One panelist achieved national television exposure and was subsequently inundated with 25,000 orders of her product the next day. The solution: breathe, take it in stride, do her best under pressure, “throw money at the problem” by borrowing a large sum of money to pay new staff to immediately fulfill orders, and follow through with committed costumer service by email and phone to explain delays in shipment.

Single-focused time management: I offered the L.O.V.E. Parenting 10-10 Technique that I invented on an afternoon that I had an article due for publication the next day and I was home with my three children under 6-years old trying to finish up amidst constant interruptions: I Set the Stage about the 10-10 plan and then carried it out: I set the kitchen timer for 10 minutes and played with 100% commitment in a fairytale game, and then BEEP, set the timer for 10 minutes and gave 100% focus to editing my article while my children played in the other room (safely, child-proofed, and with the door open) until BEEP, 10 more minutes to fully engage with my kiddies, and back again, until an hour had passed this way and I finished my article.

 

 

Photos by Cyndi Finkle.

Love,

Jessica

 

Ask L.O.V.E. Parenting on Mothering’s Ask An Expert forum. Private sessions in Los Angeles 310-242-7081. “Truly amazing woman. I love her advice.” –Carrie-Anne Moss.