How can you Sow the Seeds of Success During Tough Economic Times?

These links are excellent resources for doing just that.

Professional Success Resources:
SBA: Write a Business Plan
SCORE
SCORE Women's Success Blog
60+ How To Sites and Resources
Achieve Life-Work Balance with a Personal Mission Statement
270+ Tools for Running a Business Online
Moms Network
The Mom Entrepreneur

Budgeting/Frugal Living Resources:
The Household Helper Blog
Frugalous
Bearable Deals
Fishbowl Sense
Homemade Green Cleaning Recipes
Frugal Living
50 Tips for Frugal Living
Budget 101
Better Budgeting
Living on a Dime
Frugal Mom
Frugal Village
Money Saving Mom
Ideas and Easy Ways to Help Moms Save Money
Family Finances 101
Easy Budgeting Tips for Moms
Moms Budget



Compiled by Jennifer Rogers, the Owner and Founder of Moms United in Business, LLC
*If you have a tip you’d like to submit for Free Tip Friday, use the contact form to submit it. You will receive full credit for your tip, as well as a link to your website.

Congratulations to the winner of the LuShae Jewelry Giveaway:

2. Ann said... The button is on my sidebar: http://alatteinthemorning.blogspot.com
October 18, 2009 2:49 PM 

Please send an email to angie (@) buybymom.com and I will respond with the code to claim your jewelry!

Thanks to all who entered!

And if you missed out on the giveaway, remember that LuShae Jewelry is still giving away a $200 gift certificate every month! All you have to do is enter their giveaway!

This week, our featured mom is Yvonne of It's Only Squash. I've known Yvonne for quite some time now, and have had the pleasure of working with her on several projects. Her items are absolutely beautiful, and you can tell she pours her heart and soul into everything she offers.

I love what she says on her "About Us" page of her website, and wanted to share it with you here:

We are a company dedicated to personalized embroideries that accent home decor. We feature Linen Napkins--formal and informal, Bath Towel Ensembles, Kitchen Towels with matching framed Prints, Bed Linens and an assortment of Bath products.

We get our inspiration from a by-gone era, when dining was accompanied by a set table, when families ate together and actually engaged in conversation. And when night fell, one could find comfort and relaxation in the intimate retreat of a well-dressed bedroom. A place where bed linens and rose water linen sprays inspired dreams, healing, love and refreshment for the soul. We think that nothing adds to this 'hominess' like the feel of something beautiful, comfortable and personalized. Therefore, it is our desire to present to you, a line of products that feature these very things.

We hope that when you browse our products, you will find a little bit of you in all that you see. And should you have a hankering for something personal that you don't see, please contact us, and we'll be more than happy to assist you.  We are so elated that you stopped by for a visit, and we look forward to extending hospitality to you again and again.

About Yvonne and It's Only Squash
My name is Yvonne Massenberg, I am married and have a son. I have for most of my son's life been a stay at home mom. I enjoy a variety of hobbies, I love creating and making things. During my son's elementary school years, he attended a foreign language school, at that time I couldn't sew, he was in a play which was a Japanese version of Cinderella.  He played the part of her father. I was shown a picture of how her father looked and I created the look with fabric glue, velcro, and batting, and I must say it was fabulous! I love baking, sewing, cooking, entertaining, decorating, creating floral designs for weddings and special occasions and event planning. The list could go on and on, however, my biggest regret is that I didn't tap into these creative juices sooner. I spent many years wondering what my talents were, and then by some fluke of events, they surfaced.

My business even started out on a fluke. I began making things and giving them as gifts as a result others started offering to pay me for my creations.  I wanted to charge, but didn't know how, so I began to just give my products away.  Eventually my husband told me that if I wanted to go into business and REMAIN in business, I would have to find out what other people were charging for things and determine what a good price would be for my work. When I did this, I began to like doing business with others and like myself too, for being generously rewarded for the work I did. I didn't start out doing the embroideries and bath products though. I was doing florals and making silk ficus trees-- yep trees, 6 & 7 foot trees. I was fast becoming very successful at this, my sister has a great gift of gab and can sell just about anything, and so a partnership was formed. But then fear seized me, the thought of being successful frightened me almost as much as failing did, and I slowly came to a halt. I started up again doing florals for the home and then for weddings.  From there I learned to sew and to do embroideries, and the birth of "It's Only Squash..." Creative Stitches by Yvonne became a reality.  As a kid, I always wanted to work for myself, I tie dyed blue jeans for the neighborhood kids, and sold cupcakes and hot dogs. And once I became an adult, I tired of working hard and being inadequately rewarded by the corporate world, so the thought of being my own boss became even more appealing, and here I am.

Business is good. I love doing what I do. However, it could always be better, and that mainly rests on me. I have taken part in sponsorships, give a ways, and raffles, but I look forward to doing something on my own. I am in the process of doing a give a way, along with some discounts, this will be within the next month. I encourage all to stay tuned to see what It's Only Squash has in store!

Thank you for your time, Yvonne!

Readers, go check out It's Only Squash and see all of the wonderful products Yvonne offers. Enjoy!

Ok, so you've worked on marketing. Now what? Is there a good way to get even more traffic to your website?

A great option is to sponsor a giveaway on a blog. Most mom blogs (and blogs like Buy By Mom) require entrants in your giveaway to visit your website. It's a great way to get traffic to your site, and many times, visitors will bookmark your site to come back. With the holiday season right around the corner, now is a great time to find a blogger to work with and get your name out there.

Also, consider offering an incentive. Whether it's free shipping, a percentage off an order, or a free gift with purchase... do something that is a step above and beyond what they'll receive on someone else's website. You can offer this as an extension of the giveaway, (they might not win, but they can still shop with you!), or just something you offer to all of your regular customers, it will make a difference.

*If you have a tip you’d like to submit for Free Tip Friday, use the contact form to submit it. You will receive full credit for your tip, as well as a link to your website.

51. Angela G said... I would get the black aqua slimdress.
October 17, 2009 7:47 PM

Congratulations!!

I have sent an email your way. You have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be pulled.

Thanks to all who entered!

This week, our featured mom is Heather of Little Lambs Children's Boutique. Please take a few minutes to read about this wonderful lady and the business that keeps her passion alive.

Etsy is one of my favorite places to shop online. The people who list items on there are some of the most creative people around. And I always love finding out about Moms who run Etsy shops and sharing them here on Buy By Mom.

Molly, who blogs over on momma-molly.com, recently opened up an Etsy Shop called Me and Madeline. In her shop, she offers some gorgeous handcrafted crocheted items including hats and headbands. (She even has hats for boys and men!)

My Review of Me and Madeline
Molly sent a hat my way to try out and get my opinion on. She asked me what Lucy's favorite color is, and sent us a gorgeous pink hat with a beautiful pink flower attached.

When Lucy saw the hat, she asked me, "Oh, WOW, Mommy! Is that for ME? It's pink! I love pink!"

She put the hat on and refused to take it off the rest of the day. Then, the next day, she woke up and the first thing she did was put the hat on her head. There was my little girl, in her Little Mermaid PJs and her hat from Me and Madeline. She has done this every day. And now that the weather is getting cooler, she can wear it outside, too, which just thrills her to pieces! She loves showing off her hat to everyone she meets.

As a mom, I am super impressed with several things about Me and Madeline: First, the quality is top notch. The hat is beautifully made, and if it can survive my little tornado, Lucy, wearing it day in and day out, it can pretty much take anything! Next, I love the colors used. Bright and bold but definitely not overboard, Molly uses the perfect color combinations in all of her designs. And lastly, the price! At just $15 for a hat, and headbands starting at just $3, these are excellent quality items you can actually afford!

I've added Me and Madeline to my list of favorite shops, and I plan to stop by often and see the new designs she puts up! These would make fabulous Christmas gifts!

Want to Try Me & Madeline for Yourself?
To Buy: Head to the Me and Madeline etsy shop and find your favorite item. Right now she's offering free shipping until the end of October! What a great deal!

You Can WIN! Molly of Me and Madeline is offering up a $20 credit to her shop! That will cover the cost of your favorite hat and shipping costs.

To Enter Visit the Me and Madeline etsy shop. Then, come back here and tell me which hat is your favorite.
*Mandatory - if this is not done, all extra entries will be deleted.

1. Visit the *New* Me & Madeline Blog and leave a comment on any post. Then come back here and leave a link to the post you commented on.
2. Add Me & Madeline as a Favorite Shop on Etsy. (Leave a comment here with your etsy user name after you do.)
   
3. Subscribe to Buy By Mom via email or reader. (Leave a comment for each that you do.)
4. Follow our Blog through Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs. (Leave a comment for each that you do.)
5. Follow the Me & Madeline Blog through Google Friend Connect. (Leave a comment here after you do.)
   
6. Use any of the buttons at the bottom of this post, just leave an individual comment for each one that you complete.
7. Follow us on twitter.
8. Tweet about this contest. (Can be done up to 5 times daily - leave one comment per tweet.)
9. Grab one of our buttons and put it in your sidebar. (Leave us a link to your blog, please!)
10. Blog about this giveaway. Include links to www.BuybyMom.com OR www.buybymomblog.com and to the Me and Madeline etsy shop. You could say something like:
    

    Buy By Mom is having a great giveaway sponsored by Me and Madeline, a brand new Etsy Shop offering beautiful crocheted items! You could win a $20 Credit to the shop! Stop by before 11:59pm ET on November 8th and enter to win!
    
    

    If you don't have a blog, send an email to 5 friends, telling them about this giveaway. Be sure to CC me in your email (angie [@] buybymom.com), and you will qualify for the extra entries. (Leave 5 extra comments if you do this.)
    
11. Become a fan of Buy By Mom on Facebook.

If you make a purchase from Me and Madeline before the close of this giveaway, you can have unlimited entries. The only rule is that your entries must be complete sentences. They can be about anything you'd like, though. And you must complete the mandatory entry first. (Please include the name of the product you purchased in one of your entries. I will verify with Molly that the order went through.)

Contest Details
The contest will begin on Sunday, October 18th, and will end at 11:59pm EST on Sunday, November 8th. Winner will be selected via random.org and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Disclaimer: Me and Madline sent me a hat to test out and give my honest opion. The gift has not influenced my input in any way.

Who doesn't love jewelry? I certainly do! LuShae Jewelry has kindly offered a special prize to one of my readers!

Read on....

LuShae Jewelry is offering up a fantastic jewelry giveaway on their website. You can win a $200 US jewelry gift certificate just by displaying one of their funky jewelry badges on your blog, website or social profile page. Then, just submit a link to your blog or webpage so that they can make sure it's really on there.

They draw the prizes monthly, so keeping the badge will automatically re-enter you each month!

Totally easy, right? I thought so. For your chance to win a $200 gift certificate to LuShae Jewelry, head to their website and enter today! Support a mom-owned business by visiting her site and checking out her fantastic products.

Want an Added Bonus?
I've got a discount code here to give to one of my readers who has a valid entry in the LuShae Jewelry giveaway. This code can be used in your shopping cart to purchase any individual item for a 100% discount (free of charge). Awesome, right? I love jewelry, and this is a fantastic way to get a beautiful piece!

The rules are simple: You MUST enter the LuShae Jewelry giveaway and you must have a valid entry. (Meaning you must display their badge on your blog.) Once you do that, come back here and leave a comment with your blog address. At the end of the giveaway, I'll select a winner using random.org. I will then verify your entry with LuShae Jewelry, and once it's approved as valid, I will send you the code for your free item!

The contest ends October 25th, so there are no excuses! Head to the LuShae Jewelry website, grab a badge, and enter today!

*Please note: there will be no extra entries in this contest. You must enter directly from this post. If you enter from another blog or somewhere else, your entry will not be valid for this giveaway. If you have questions, please contact me. Once you have a valid entry in the contest, and the badge is displayed on your blog, leave a comment with a link to your blog here. Contest will end at 11:59pm ET on Sunday, October 25th. Winner will be verified with LuShae Jewelry, contacted via email, and announced here by Wednesday, October 28th.

What Is Twitter?

Twitter in Plain English, Video

50 Ideas for Using Twitter for Business

Twitter Toolbox

More Awesome Twitter Tools

Even More Twitter Tools

Don't Forget to Follow BuyByMom on Twitter!

*Tip Submitted by Jenn Rogers, Founder of MUIB. Follow MUIB on Twitter.

This week, I'd like to re-introduce you to Lori of Jewllori. Lori was our very first Featured Mom here on Buy By Mom. Unfortunately, when we switched from Wordpress to Blogger, we lost many of our posts. So, I thought it only right to reintroduce you to these wonderful ladies! (By the way, if you'd like to be added to the Featured Moms Calendar, drop me an email!)

Without further ado, here's more about Lori....

When I first met Lori, we were both pregnant and due at the exact same time. We shared our pregnancy experiences and quickly became friends. Lori was the first person I contacted about this site and the first mom I wanted to feature. Lori makes some of the most beautiful jewelry I have ever seen, and I'm excited to share it with you all.

Here's more about Lori and her business:

Tell us about yourself: My name is Lori Murphy and I am 26 years old. I've been married just about five years and have two wonderful boys. Up until a little under two months ago, I was about 20 pounds heavier, tired, sore and ready to be done with it all, then I delivered my newest baby boy Evan, and boy did things change! Being a mom to one was great, being a mom to two was pure craziness, something I don't think I could have been prepared for. But of course, give it a few weeks and you begin to work things out. Being the only girl in the house makes things very interesting at times, but I wouldn't change that for anything!

My husband and I are missionaries at the moment with an organization called Youth With A Mission. Any income we make comes from generous donations from friends and family, so you can imagine my excitement when I found Etsy, an online marketplace to buy and sell all things handmade. I am an independent business owner, who designs and creates my own jewelry! I started selling my pieces on Etsy just over a year ago, and am very surprised at the response I got! I've been able to sell jewelry and also help to make ends meet, what a blessing.

I enjoy all sorts of crafting, from scrapbooking, to cross stich, jewelry making to sewing. I also love to decorate and redocrate my house!! Watching HGTV, the W Network, and TLC sure doesn't help my constant desire to decorate, as I am always getting new ideas to try out. Amongst many other things, I also enjoy spending long days inside being entertained by my boys!!

Tell us about your business: My jewelry business started when I was very young. At the age of 9 I started a beautiful rock collection, all from my very own drive way! LOL! From there it progressed to collecting old necklaces from mom, Oma and garage sales, which I would pull apart and remake into works of art. It became much more one year, when I recieved a bunch of new beads and hemp string from my sisters one birthday, I believe I was 14. I started getting really good at the hemp necklaces and bracelets that I decided to see if this little tea and knick knack store in town would sell my pieces. My entrepreneurial spirit has been with me from birth I'm sure! My approach of the owner must have really impressed her, because she took my jewelry on consignment for her store, and I sold things there for about two years. I began expanding my horizons and getting more into different glass beads, and metal findings, which all was basically trial and error until I got it right! All of my skill has been self taught, but one day I would love to take some metal soldering courses etc at our local college. I'd love to learn to make rings and adding gems and stones to the rings.

I've always LOVED jewelry, from gaudy vintage jewelry, to beautiful pearls and gemstones, it's all really appealed to me. On my $5/month allowance, I couldn't always afford new accessories, so I decided to do something about that! That's where my love for crafting and creating came from, and It hasn't dimmed since. I just love my hobby and my job!


What are some of your favorite items that you've made? Some of my most favorite jewelry is the bold, chunky pieces that I make using Turquoise stones. I just LOVE the color of Turquoise(gemstone) and enjoy almost every piece I make with it in it. My favorite of all time would have to be a piece I made using large greenish colored turquoise stones. The pendant was made with a mother of pearl round shell. It ended up finally selling to another Etsy shopowner!

What's been your biggest challenge so far? My biggest challenge so far has been this huge economic crisis in the States! Because most of my online business comes from the States, things have been very slow around Etsy these days. This summer I was selling one, sometimes two things a day, and now I can't seem to get a sale a week! As much as I like a challenge ;), this has been pretty hard on business, as for many other sellers on Etsy, and has made me re-look, and re-think my business plans. I'm hoping something new will arise from it all!

What has come the easiest for you? Easiest thing is design work! I am in LOVE with fashion and trends, and so whatever I see in a magazine, or on some famous movie star, I try to follow and make my own. It's fun to come up with new ideas, but also fun to see if I can duplicate what the stars are wearing!

Where do you advertise - or do you? Yes I advertise, thought definitely not as much as I should. My biggest advertising venues have been our local farmer's market, word of mouth through my friends and family, and suprisingly Facebook! I have a page on there for my jewelry and have many fans! I also sell my jewelry in a few local shops and that definitely is good advertising! I am always having custom order requests for people who want jewelry.


What would you like to suggest to a mom who is interested in starting her own mom-made business? To any SAHM who wants to get into starting and running her own home business, I encourage you to do it! It is so much fun for me, and so rewarding. I enjoy being able to spend time with my kids and also get the chance to do something I absolutely love and make money for it too! Whatever you do decide to do, do with Excellence. That excellence will go a long way and people will come back to you when things are done professionally and well. Make every effort to keep the best customer service, and go the distance for everyone, even those that may upset you!

I hope you were encouraged by reading my story and willing to give your own home based business a go!

*************************************
By the way, Lori is now pregnant with baby #3! Congratulations, Lori!! Thank you so much for your time, and I wish you nothing but success in everything you do! Stop by and visit Lori of Jewllori today!

Here are some tips for helping your business succeed:

• LOVE what you do. Be passionate about the WAH business that you decide to go into. If you pick something that you aren't passionate about, your business will never get off the ground. If you love what you do, you're much more likely to draw people in.


• Have a goal, and stick to it. If you achieve one goal, set a new, higher goal. Stay focused on your goals, and you'll be accomplishing more than you ever dreamed of!


• Manage your time wisely. Working at home can be great, because you're at home. But, it also means that we can work too much or not enough. Plan how many hours you want to spend per day working, and make sure you schedule time off for being with family and just having a life!


• Attitude is everything. If you have a positive, motivated attitude, you are more likely to get and keep clients.


• Be proud of what you do, and celebrate when you reach your goals. This goes without any explanation. Be proud of what you have accomplished, and continue to set goals for yourself.
  

Being a WAHM is one of the most challenging, but also most rewarding opportunities a woman can have. If you're in the slumps right now, evaluate what you're doing. Fix what you're doing wrong. Do you love what you do? Do you let other people know that you love what you do? If they don't, why don't they? Are you managing your time wisely? Do you need to devote more time to business? Less time?

You can make your business a success. Stick with it, seek out advice, and make your WAH business everything you've dreamed it could be!

*If you have a tip you’d like to submit for Free Tip Friday, contact us today. You will receive full credit for your tip, as well as a link to your website.

This week's Featured Mom is also one of our newest Featured Sponsors! Please take a few moments to read about her and her business, and then stop by her website to see all the wonderful products she offers.

About Lori and Prim 'n Purdy
My name is Lori Homeyer. I have been married to my best friend, Doug, for almost 25 years. We have four wonderful children and an extended family that includes 3 granddaughters.

SlimPerfect Swimwear & Activewear has slashed their prices due to overstock and to make room for their 2010 line! SlimPerfect, Inc. was listed as "Best Brands" for swimwear in an article titled "Best Bathing Suit For Any Body (Yes, We Mean Yours)" for "Sizes 12 & Up" and "To Take Inches Off" in the May issue of O Magazine at Oprah.com.

I've been doing lots and lots and LOTS of research on Search Engine Optimization. Because Buy By Mom is a new website, I am constantly doing what I can to improve our SEO and bring more visitors to our site.

Now, I'm going to share some of my tips I've learned with all of you.

• Get inbound links pointing to your site. The more, the better.
• Google ignores the "META" keyword tag. Instead, pad the title keywords with the words you want people to use to find your site.
• Inbound links that actually contain your keyword will help your site be listed earlier in a google search. Example: If you want people to find you because you offer mom made products, using the link titled "mom made products" will do better than "click here."
• The age of the website is very important. Unfortunately, if you are new website, there's not much you can do to change that. However, by purchasing multiple years on your domain name, it will show that you plan to stick around. SPAM websites tend to only purchase their sites for short periods of time.
• If you don't have a blog, get one. Blogs are becoming increasingly popular and are an excellent way to get in more keywords and drive traffic to your website.
  

Now, there is no magic button to push to achieve better SEO. However, by devoting time to your website, and learning what you can about SEO, you can definitely increase your ranking!

Also, here is a link to a fabulous FREE SEO Training Class that I've been taking. It has definitely helped me, and I'm sure it will help you as well!

If you have more SEO tips and would like me to include them in this post, please leave them as a comment and I will add them in!

*If you have a tip you’d like to submit for Free Tip Friday, use the contact form to submit it. You will receive full credit for your tip, as well as a link to your website.

Boogie Wipes are made with saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments. Extra soft and scented in Great Grape, Fresh Scent or Magic Menthol (for extra stuffy noses) Boogie Wipes are recommended by Pediatricians as a gentle, effective alternative to a dry tissue.

How are Boogie Wipes different than a regular baby wipe?

• Made with Natural Saline to Dissolve Mucus
  
• Hypoallergenic
• Alcohol Free
• Moisturize with Vitamin E, Aloe and Chamomile
• Fun Scents Kids Love
• Gentle Enough for All Ages
• Phthalate & Paraben Free

In my own personal opinion as a mom of 5, Boogie Wipes are awesome. Our favorite is the grape scent. We are never without a pack in the diaper bag, a pack on the coffee table, one in each bathroom, and a pack in my purse. I carry them with me everywhere, and they're the only wipes I'll use for my kids - and myself. We've had some pretty sticky messes in our house, and boogie wipes are great to have on hand. And now that cold and flu season is hitting full force, you'll want to make sure you stock up on Boogie Wipes! You won't be disappointed in how well they work.

Boogie Wipes are available in most stores (Walmart carries them in our local area), and you can also purchase Boogie Wipes online.

Want to know more about Boogie Wipes?
Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter.

Become a Fan of Boogie Wipes on Facebook.

A big thank you to Boogie Wipes for becoming one of our newest Featured Sponsors.