Own it's Blog
OIV Member Highlight:by Own it Ventures at 2012-03-02 15:04:11
Olive Lynch describes her business as, "We create value out of that which is considered valueless. " She has definitely done that. This week, Waste Management Technologies won the Woodbridge Business Plan Competition on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. A wonderful accomplishment, yet one amongst many for start-up entrepreneur, Olive Lynch...
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2 >> 5 >> 3 Change, Fear, and Entrepreneurship by Melissa Gasnick-Cloeter at 2012-02-13 17:10:47 The last several weeks have been tough. A wonderful friend, mentor and business advisor died in a freak accident. My son was in the hospital, (Thank God, he is fine). In addition, my business is undergoing a SWOT analysis. As a result, 'CHANGE' is lurking in every aspect of my life. I recently met other women business owners who are going through 'changes' professionally and personally too. Most described feeling overwhelmed and frozen by fears because of these 'changes.' Reflectively, I recall what a counselor told me several years ago, "The only thing constant in life is change." I also recall an interview with Rebecca Cenni. Rebecca Cenni is a prominent woman entrepreneur and the founder of Atrium Staffing in New York City. Rebecca started Atrium in 1995 with nothing more than her phone and notepad. She has built Atrium to a nationwide 0+ million staffing firm with eight offices throughout North America. Atrium, a WBENC-certified firm, now ranks among the top ten largest diversity-staffing firms in the United States.Our interview focus was to discuss how a strong management team adds value to a business under investment consideration by Angel Investors or Venture Capitalists. The predominant theme, however, evolved to 'change.' Rebecca revealed how embracing 'change' had a positive impact for her and Atrium Staffing. The following is excerpts from our interview about 'change,' fears and entrepreneurship.  Rebecca Cenni, Atrium Staffing"I started my business at the age of 24 with the goal of doing solely administrative support. I knew the values that I wanted this business to be built upon were my own personal values. At the very core of these is respect for all people," begins Rebecca. "While Atrium had enjoyed great success and seen steady growth in its early years, I knew there was still so much potential to grow the business. However, as is often the case for entrepreneurs, so much of the business was tied up around me. The challenge was how to scale the business while maintaining our differentiators and staying true to the fundamental values that the business was built upon. I was still knee-deep in the day to day operational activities but with an increasing number of strategic decisions to be made. My personal fear of losing control, together with my fear that delegating would result in loss of the company's identity, meant that while I had been the engine behind the company's success I was potentially road blocking its enormous growth opportunity," she explains. Rebecca's insights parallel what research shows and what many women entrepreneurs, including myself, experience. Change, either intentional or not, can lead to fear that results in blocking success. One key element to overcome fear is, as Shakespeare says, 'To thine own self be true." Remain true to yourself and your company's mission will lead to the highway of success. Rebecca continues, "To echo the sentiments of authors like Spencer Johnson ('Who Moved My Cheese') and others, the greatest advice I would give to budding entrepreneurs is to embrace change. In business, as in life, the only thing constant is change...Accepting at the beginning of your journey that you will probably not end up taking the pre-planned route means you will be able to adapt quicker to sharp turns in the road. An open mind opens more doors of opportunity. Not being afraid of change has allowed me to grow my business to what it is today. Had I been so blindly focused on the initial goal, I would not have seen the opportunities that sprung up on other roads." Although we may resist change, often it can lead us in the direction we were actually meant to go. In my career, I have at times been paralyzed by the fear of change... embracing change as a good thing allows you to be mentally armed to face any bump on the road and deal with it proactively. For anyone starting, (or running), a business - especially in this economic climate - standing still is not an option; being open to change is an essential tool for success," concluded Rebecca. Change can be scary. Frozen in fear because of 'change' is even worse. As life and my business evolve, I seek to embrace the 'changes.' By being open to new opportunities and ideas; keeping myself true to purpose and my company true to intent; and not fearing operating outside of the original business plan, I am optimistic about the future and the 'changes.' All In A Name by Melissa McClaytor at 2011-12-01 09:36:09 It’s All in a Name How to Name Your Business What’s in a name? As an entrepreneur, this is an important question to ask in sorting through potential names for your business. When beginning Own It Ventures, we concentrated on coming up with a short name that would resonate, motivate and inspire women. We felt our rebranded name needed to demonstrate strength and encapsulate a positive message. We would write down names we liked, check to see if the domain name and company name was available, and kept a running list throughout this process. Coming up with a name was one of the longest, most painful exercises we have gone through but once we came up with Own It Ventures, we knew it was the winner. So what should you think about when brainstorming a name for your new business? Business Insider [link name to http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-keys-to-a-killer-name-for-your-company-2010-11#1-unique-and-unforgettable-1#ixzz1RQPIg3bt] says a name should be unique and unforgettable, yet easy to remember. Short names tend to be more “sticky,” but be careful about being too unique. Coming up with an original word like “Google” can be a real winner or a total flop, so always make sure it’s easy to pronounce and check its international meaning. It can save you some embarrassment later. Also, as Business Insider recommends, check it’s availability. Make sure there is a domain name available and also check preferred names with your State Incorporationor the U.S. Patent Officefor Trademarks. Alternatively, a simple solution to sorting through potential names it to just use your last name. However, there are some important points to remember if you choose this route. Unless you plan on passing your business on to your children, you have no real exit strategy other than shutting the doors. It’s challenging, if next to impossible, to sell a company named after yourself to someone else. Additionally, most investors won’t consider a company named after the founder. The long-term success of the business is too closely tied to one person and a family name. There are professionals that a business can hire to help come up with a great name, but they can be expensive. So do your research, test it out, check it out, and get some feedback. You’ll be seeing and hearing it a lot, so make sure you find that perfect name for you and your business. If you want to read more, check out Business Insider’s “10 Ways to Come up with a Killer Name for Your Company.” (link to http://www.businessinsider.com/ten-keys-to-a-killer-name-for-your-company-2010-11#1-unique-and-unforgettable-1#ixzz1RQPIg3bt). Or, check out advice on “How to Name a Business” from the U.S. Small Business Association. (http://www.sba.gov/content/how-name-business) The Virtuous Woman Parfum Story by Kathy Hobbs at 2012-04-29 19:28:39 The Virtuous Woman perfume was developed to honor and celebrate the virtuous woman in my life; my mother Floree Watson. My mom died of cervical cancer in 1993 at the age of 54. She was the embodiment of the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31. She was beautiful, creative, industrious and a woman of integrity who loved her family and continually did for others; but most of all she loved God. My mom also loved beautiful scents. Whenever asked what gift she wanted, she would always say, “Just get me something to make me smell nice.” Even on her sickbed, when I would ask if I could get her something, she would still just say, “put something on me to make me smell nice.” And, this one simple request was my heartfelt beginnings of Virtuous Woman Parfum. |
What makes you look older than you really are? by Yolanda at 2012-04-28 20:30:58 If you have to name one thing that makes you look older, what would that be? Wrinkles, gray hair, sagging neck or dark circles? Surprisingly, it is the dark circles under your eyes. Dark circles usually would indicate that you are not sleeping enough so you look a little run down and tired. Although that can be a major reason other factors such as: 
1. Heredity DIY dark circle treatment at home: peel very thin slice of raw and cold potato(keep it in the fridge) and aply 2 slices to each eye. Press gently the under eye area, turn over the slice and repeat one more time. This process should take no longer than 5 min to enjoy the amazing results!
Call Yolanda today and schedule a professional dark circle under eye treatment 201 301 0739
DIY FACELIFT by Yolanda at 2012-04-28 20:21:52 DIY Facial Exercise Get's Rid Off This.... Get rid of folds and lines from your face with a daily 5 min home facial massage. Muscles will get back to shape as quickly as two weeks and then you can do the massage less frequently keeping in mind that in order to keep the muscles in good shape you need to exercise them at least twice a week. They’re more than just laugh lines, it is simply sagging skin of the face and sagging cheeks. Flabby muscles make you body look older and the same applies to the face. A fit body looks sexy, you stand taller and the skin has a smooth and it is glowing from the extra oxygen it receives during the exercise. The look of aged skin and droopy muscles will affect your confidence and no matter how you wear your hair, or how much makeup you use you'll still show the sagg. It takes just a few minutes a day before going to bed:
For more information visit www.speranzi.com/diy |