The Ms. CEO Show

Good morning!  Welcome to the first of what will now officially be my daily “Ah-Ha” blog (posted by 10 a.m. ET, Monday-Friday)!  If you’re a stickler and perfectionist like me then you realize that “Ah-Ha” is really spelled “Aha,” but humor me; I happen to like “Ah-Ha” better.  It’s more pronounced and it’s a four letter word so I can use it to express various emotions at any given time.  Saying it can ward off stress or express total elation, much in the same way that other—noticeably less polite—four letter words are used.  (Smile.)  Really a nice big “Ah-Ha” is great. You should try it.  So, welcome to the Ah-Ha blog here on the Ms. CEO website!

What’s this all about?  Well, it’s all about me connecting with you every day.  A week is an eternity in business so this is my way of offering up the best I can muster everyday to inform and inspire my fellow women entrepreneurs (and the guys who check us out, too) as well as women who are dipping their toe in the pool but haven’t quite dived in. (Lifeguard on duty whenever you’re ready, girl!)

The daily breakdown for the blog will be:

• Monday – Big Money Mondays – This day is all about ways you can make more money whether you’re a part-time, full-time or occasional entrepreneur.  I’ll talk about everything from boosting revenues to reducing overhead and a look at trends that could make you money.
• Tuesday – Business by Design – Most of us tend to be great at one or two things in business but not everything.  As an entrepreneur it’s important to understand every aspect of our business.  I’m not talking about the day-to-day details because your job as CEO is to keep the entire business moving forward so we don’t need to get caught up in the minutiae.  But to keep the business moving forward you need a general understanding of everything; and that’s what this day is about.  I’ll talk about a different aspect of business each week aimed at improving some part of your company – Management, Operations, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, etc.  I’m looking to highlight companies that really “get it” when it comes to a particular part of business so if you know of any good leads that I can make an example of, please send me a note.
• Wednesday – Hot Topic – This is in homage to my girls at The View because I so would love to be on that show.  In any case, on this day I’ll be discussing current events in the news and my spin on them as they relate to business and entrepreneurship!
• Thursday – Resource Riches – This day I’ll be reviewing products or services or discussing any and everything that I think is way cool to help you do a better job in business.  This could include anything from books and CDs to gadgets , technology, clothes, organizing items, helpful services or even destinations.  Hey, we’re not just business women – we’re women!  In fact, we’re women first and I have learned: When the woman isn’t happy the business isn’t happy so check out “Resource Riches” on Thursdays for neat stuff to make your life and your business easier.
• Friday – Ms. CEO of the Week – Now, what would my Ah-Ha Blog be without highlighting you?! I love talking to successful women entrepreneurs about their trials and triumphs.  There are common themes, of course, because there is a pattern for success.  However, there are also those starkly different aspects of each person’s success and it’s so awesome to see the creativity in every woman who has “made it” or is on her way.  Check out a fabulous new “Ms. CEO of the Week” every Friday here on the Ah-Ha Blog!  You never know what you may learn.  It’ll be a great Q&A covering the random, rote and revealing.

So, there you have it.  What the Ah-Ha Blog is all about.  So, I’ll talk to you tomorrow for “Business by Design”.  Oh yeah, since today is technically “Big Money Monday,” here’s a quick thought:

The front page of today’s Wall Street Journal features an article headlined: Bank Lending Keeps Dropping.  So banks still aren’t making as many loans as they once were.  Boo-hoo. That is a real travesty since taxpayers have unwillingly padded their balance sheets. 

For entrepreneurs this reality means being bottom line thinkers—as in, how do we improve our own—and creative tinkerers, as in what kinds of ways can we bring in the money we need to keep our businesses growing?  We can take this opportunity to become the greatest entrepreneurs ever by building a business in the face of the worse kind of adversity a company faces: NO MONEY.  What’s the key to doing it?  Sales!

I know a lot of us hate that word – sales.  Yuck.  Well, it’s the key to the long-term health of your business.  Boost sales, boost revenues, boost profits.  Simple as that.  Here are some quick tips I found to help you get started or to boost your sales even further if you’re already on a roll.

Be Encouraged,

Felicia Joy