Moms with Dreams Show

From emails to web copy, newsletters, and everything in between, you’ll need to get comfortable writing and creating content as an entrepreneur.

I know that everyone doesn’t enjoy writing as much as I do, so I invited my friend, Rosie Morley, CEO of Hedera House, to talk with me about writing and content creation for newer entrepreneurs.

Rosie Morley has been writing and editing for most of her life. She's heavily involved in the blogging and online content community and is passionate about the exciting growth of online writing spaces. She's currently completing her Masters in Writing, Editing, and Publishing, and has been running Hedera House for just over a year.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What content creation means and why it’s so important for your business
• How to convey your message and attract clients to your brand
• How you can shape your ‘voice’ and make yourself stand out online
• How to choose the right medium (and tools) to create content that fits your personality
• Why its ok to outsource content creation
• How to choose the right freelancer for writing and content creation in your business
• The most important rule that every writer needs to know
• First steps to start your blog
• and more…

Projects, Resources and Suggested Reading

Rosie’s Current Project (and a great resource for writers/bloggers):

Blog in Bloom – a digital/printed writing and grammar skills workbook, available at www.hederahouse.com/blog-in-bloom

Resources mentioned:

Rev.com – an affordable transcription service

Book that Rosie suggests:

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Ann Lamott

Rosie was inspired by this straightforward book that talks about writing from the perspective of an imperfect human being.  

Where You Can Find Rosie Online:

website: www.hederahouse.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hedera_house/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hedera_house

Rosie’s Parting Words of Wisdom

“Get to know yourself as a writer. It’s the best thing you can do for your writing.”

I hope you enjoyed my conversation and are feeling inspired to write, write, and write.

If you’re just getting started with your business and need support with your first steps, I’d love to help you get going.

Simply email me at [email protected] and we’ll schedule a time to chat about your vision and dreams.

It’s time for you to reclaim your dream, do what you love and make a difference!

xoxo

Erica

“Remember that, when you leave the room, whatever people whisper about you is who you are or what your product is. Make that product live for greatness.” ~Porsha Hargrove

Being a successful business owner requires that you make your brand visible for people to know what you offer and how you can help them. If people don’t know who you are and what you do, how can they hire you to help them?

That’s what this week’s episode is about – public relations and how you can use it to make yourself and your brand visible.

My guest this week is Porsha Hargrove, BA, publicist and CEO of Porsha Hargrove PR and Consulting, LLC. With more than 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing, mass communications, radio, television, and community relations, Porsha knows what you can do to increase your visibility and reach the people who need your products and services.

Even if you’re just getting started and have a very small or no budget for public relations, there are things that you can do to get your business out there.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The easiest way to gain visibility when you’re just getting started
• The difference between public relations and marketing
• How to know which social media platform(s) to use for your business
• The most overlooked, yet highly valuable social media platform for any business
• How to be your own publicist before you’re able to hire a professional
• How to build your brand through relationships
• Why going back to the basics is crucial to your success
• And more…

You’ll also find out what lessons you can learn from the popular movie, The Devil Wears Prada.

How to Connect with Porsha Online

Porsha Hargrove can be found by doing a quick Google search of her name, and you’ll find her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google +.

Porsha’s Parting Words of Wisdom

“Don’t be afraid. Take a chance. There really are no mistakes. Move forward and remember to network – you are a product and someone’s always looking at you and learning from you.”

What did you think about this episode with Porsha Hargrove? Did you learn new strategies that you’re going to try in your business?

I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below or send me an email at [email protected].

Keep dreaming, doing and making a difference. The world needs you!

I’m not a fan of making New Year’s resolutions, but I am a fan of learning from my experiences and looking at undesired outcomes as lessons rather than mistakes. 2016 was an interesting year, both personally and professionally. I finally decided to tackle three important goals that have been on my list for a few years.

In this final episode of 2016, I share important lessons that propelled me forward to living out my dreams. My hope is that you are inspired by my journey and apply these lessons to your life so you can go after what you really want in 2017.

As always, keep pushing forward to your dreams! Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! I will talk with you in 2017.

This week on the Moms With Dreams podcast, we’re talking about the hot topic of public speaking.

Women often tell me how they want to speak and get paid, but they’re afraid to put themselves out there. I remember how scary it was the first time that I spoke in front of an audience. So I thought it would be neat to have Angela Lussier, an award-winning speaker, three-time author, two-time TEDx presenter, and trainer join me on the podcast.

Angela is the founder of the Speaking School for Women, an online program that trains women to become paid speakers. She is also the founder of the Speaker Sisterhood, a network of speaking clubs for women, and the host of Claim the Stage, a public speaking podcast for women.

You’re going to love Angela’s bubbly personality and gain a ton of value from our conversation.

During this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Angela became a speaker on purpose but a paid speaker by accident
• What she did during her first 6 months in Toastmasters
• The truth about what you must do to become a great public speaker, get over your fear of public speaking, and improve your presentation skills
• The steps Angela took to book 16 workshops in 5 minutes and 32 workshops on her 2nd day in business!
• Why Angela thinks rules shouldn’t apply to brand new speakers
• What you can do as a new speaker to get comfortable on stage
• The #1 reason why business owners (especially new ones) should be speaking
• How to find speaking gigs (thanks to my listener, Cheranissa Roach, for asking this question)
• Why you should start out with unpaid speaking gigs that add value for your target audience
• What should be included on your speaker one sheet

Angela’s Tip for Improving Your Presentation Skills

Videotape yourself then watch it in 3 different ways:

1. Watch without sound so you can see your facial expressions and body language.
2. Listen without watching so you can hear what you’re saying
3. Watch and listen at the same time to see how it all comes together

Angela’s Recommended Reading:

Purple Cow, by Seth Godin. According to Angel, this is “a great book about marketing, standing out and taking risks so you can become that person or company that people remember.”

Angela’s Parting Words of Wisdom

“Stop waiting - start creating. The longer we wait for opportunity, the longer we wait to start, and the more time we’re wasting. We need to get started now. Then you can start experimenting and the adventure begins. We’ll get to learn more about ourselves and about the world.”

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.toastmasters.org/

http://thumbtack.com

Speaking School for Women (you can get on the waiting list for the upcoming February session)  

Angela’s website: http://angelalussier.us

I hope you enjoyed this episode of the Moms With Dreams Show. I love to hear from you, so please leave your comments below.

Have an idea or topic for an upcoming show? You can email me directly at [email protected].

As always, keep pushing forward to your dreams. Get out there, do what you love and make a difference.

I’ll be back next week with a special end-of-the-year episode to close out 2016 with a BANG!

xoxo

Erica

Shakesia Morgan is the founder of Just Simply Hair Care Products. When she noticed that her daughter inherited the same scalp ailments that she’d suffered with since the age of 12, Shakesia decided to do something about it. Determined to end the cycle, she became a hair enthusiast. Inside her kitchen, she created an all-natural hair care product line that helped her hair and her daughter’s hair grow back healthier than ever. Shakesia’s living her dream by helping others experience healthy hair and regain their confidence.

In this episode,…

• you’ll hear how Shakesia overcame her struggle with androgenetic hair loss
• Shakesia shares how she recovered from an earlier business failure and the lessons she took away from that experience
• you’ll learn key steps that entrepreneurs should take to lay a solid business foundation
• Shakesia talks about how she funded her business and manages her finances
• She reveals the steps you can take to start your own hair care business
• and more…

Shakiesia suggests that you read the book, The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne. This is a best-selling, self-help book based on The Law of Attraction, and it will change your perspective on life.

Shakesia’s Parting Words of Wisdom:

“Always remember your why for your dream. Your why is your driving force to get you up and moving every single day.”

Where You Can Find Shakesia Online:

Website: www.justsimplyhair.com

Facebook Fan Page: Just Simply Hair-Hair Care Products

Instagram: @justsimplyhair

I hope you enjoyed this episode! Please leave your comments below or feel free to email me at [email protected]. I can’t wait to be back with you next week!

Keep doing what you love and making a difference,

Erica

Annett Bone is the founder and host of the DancePreneuring Studio podcast, where she guides her listeners on a journey of transformation inspired by dance, life and business. Annett’s podcast is a reflection of her personal adventure of overcoming her fears and returning to her passion for dance after a 20-year hiatus. In her podcast, Annett lovingly shares the lessons that she’s learned along the way, proving that it’s never too late to be great.

In this episode, you’ll hear…

…how Annett struggled with a victim-life mentality, low self-confidence, a negative self-image and hated the sound of her own voice

… the moment that changed everything and what she did to never go back to living in fear and doubt

…what was really in Annett’s way and how she worked her away around it

 … how she used to think that her business and passion had to be separate and how she naturally blended the two

… and much more

Annett suggests that you read, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo. This book offers a unique and mindful approach to productivity and organization.  

Annett’s Parting Words of Wisdom:

1. Do what you can with what you have. Some progress is better than no progress.
2. Be careful of information constipation (she explains what this is in her interview).
3. Honor the season you’re in and don’t compare your worst with someone’s best.

Where You Can Find Annett Online:

Website: http://annettbone.com

Twitter: @AnnettBone

Instagram: annettbone

Facebook: http://facebook.com/annett.bone

Google+: http://gplus.to/AnnettBone

Thank you for listening and being a part of my dream. If you have any questions or comments, send me an email at [email protected]. I can’t wait to hear from you!

Keep doing what you love,

Erica

This week I introduce you to Dr. Stephanie Iglesias, the founder of Tasteful Art, an interactive business using art therapy to enhance lives. Stephanie is a single mom (of two sons), has worked for over twelve years for the state of New Jersey as a child welfare worker, and is passionate about using creative art for transformation and healing.

During our interview, I asked Dr. Iglesias what inspired her to go back to school to earn her PhD and how she made it through her program. Instead of sugar coating it, Stephanie lets us know how challenging it was – especially as she got closer to the end of her dissertation.

In this episode, …

…you’ll get Stephanie’s tips to succeed in school as a working parent.

…you’ll learn about art therapy and what it means to “transcend positive behavioral expressions”.

…you’ll be inspired to keep pushing toward your dream even when it’s hard and you want to quit

…and more…

At the end of our conversation, Stephanie reminds you to:

“Don’t allow yourself to get in your own way. Keep pushing forward.”

To learn more about Dr. Iglesias and her beautiful mission, visit www.tastfulart.com

Thank you for listening! I appreciate having you here with me. Post your comments, questions, and feedback below. Or you can email me at [email protected].

Keep doing what you love,

Erica

This week we’re celebrating Thanksgiving here in the United States, which kicks off the holiday season. This is one of my favorite times of the year – spending time with family and friends, eating lots of delicious food, and exchanging gifts. But it’s also when new side business owners fall into a “holiday slump” and struggle to stay on track with their businesses.

I’ve struggled with this before, and it’s not fun at all. That’s why I created this episode in which I share five easy tips to help you enjoy the holidays without losing momentum in your business or getting stressed out.

You’ll have to listen to find out what they are, and make sure that you have your pen and notebook handy to take notes.

After you’ve listened, feel free to email me with any questions, comments or feedback that you have at [email protected].

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Erica

I’m SUPER-EXCITED to share this week’s episode with you! I finally got a chance to sit down with the one and only - Dr. Nyali Taylor!!

Now, just in case you don’t know who she is, Nyali is my best friend since 7th grade, and she also happens to be a rockin’ mom, wife, and vascular surgeon!

You may have heard me talk about Nyali before – about the pact that we made back in the day. She would grow up to become a doctor and I would become a lawyer. (I’m pretty sure that I was heavily influenced by Claire Huxtable, the mom from The Cosby Show, who happened to be beautiful, educated, and the “perfect” mom and wife in my eyes.)

Life took us on different paths, but Nyali stayed on course. She went straight to college then to medical school and spent the majority of her young adult years in school working toward her dream of becoming a doctor.

In this fun episode, I help Nyali pull the curtains back. I wanted to know HOW she stayed on the same path she outlined for herself since she was a little girl.

So many people go through life and never discover their passion or settle into doing something totally different from what they feel they were born to do. That’s exactly why I invited Nyali on my show – so she could peel back the magic curtain and let us in on:

• How she knew what she wanted to do at such a young age
• How she stayed on course with her goals
• The event that changed the way she approaches life
• Her next big move that she’s getting ready to take (something that is completely out of character for her)
• And more…

I also created an action guide that asks you some pretty deep questions and gives you a chance to reflect on your life. At the end of the guide, there’s a challenge that you can take and share your answers with me in my private Facebook group, Side Biz Success and Life Mastery.

Download your action guide here.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and find out what resonates with you from my interview with Nyali. You can email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.

Enjoy and keep doing what you love!

This week I introduce you to Contessa Louise Cooper. She is an author, speaker, mother, and creator of the #WeAllHaveAStory Movement, where she encourages people to share their stories to change their lives and the lives of others. Her movement originally began from advocating for her son who has autism but has grown to include anyone who wants to transform their pain and challenges into a platform to uplift others.

We covered a lot in this interview - from parenting with an autistic child to becoming a bestselling author and a thriving business owner. 

Contessa’s story about having an autistic son:

I love Contessa’s warmth, caring heart and realness. You’ll see what I’m talking about when you hear how she became an advocate for autism, what she did to overcome her anger, and her process of learning how to forgive. She offers great suggestions for parents with autistic children to help them overcome their challenges.  

“The easiest thing to write about is what you know.” ~Contessa Louise Cooper

Then we got into her journey as an author and what inspired her to write her first bestseller, Mad at the World: How to Move on and Find Peace When You’re A Special Needs Parent. She shares awesome tips to help you begin your journey as a new author.

In less than one year, Contessa has built a thriving business and community.

She tells you how she did it and gives simple steps that you should take, before you even start writing, to build your business and be a successful “authorpreneur”.

To get the most out of this powerful interview, be sure to download your writeable action guide with key takeaways, self-reflection questions, action steps, and a challenge – all geared to help you begin writing your story.

Download your action guide to deepen your learning here.

You can find Contessa online at http://Contessalouise.com.

Thanks for listening and for being a part of my community - I’m truly honored.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions email me directly at [email protected].