2016

IN THIS ISSUE:

Business Ideas

Work/Life Balance

Nutrition Tips/Recipes

Fashion Tips

Success Stories

Productivity Hacks

Summer Issue

EMPOWER - SUPPORT - MENTOR

Make a difference.

“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people's lives.”

Oprah Winfrey

Business Ideas

Is Your Business Scalable?

Perhaps you have been in business a couple

of years and you have enough traction to

expand. What are the important things to

consider before expansion?

Managing Cash Flow

By: Betty Robertson - CPA

We have all heard the term cash poor. It is a real

issue for businesses in their beginning years and

during periods of growth. Although businesses

exist to make profits, their actual purpose is to

create wealth or cash.

Many businesses fail not because they are not

making profits but because they do not have the

adequate funds to keep the business operating. It

is vitally important to manage and forecast your

cash to ensure that no surprises arise.

As everyone knows, a business plan which

includes a financial budget is an important

component of beginning a business. The budget

helps you assess if the business is doing what you

expected it to do. The comparison of actuals to

budget informs you of problem areas or

opportunities that you did not anticipate. By

doing adequate reviews, you can anticipate

problems before they become enormous. The

same is true with cash.

Preparing a cash flow budget as part of your

financial business plan is very important. You

would forecast where and how much cash would

be used to fund your business. A carefully

thought out plan, will tell you if you have

adequate financing. Another added benefit-if you

ever plan on approaching the bank or other

lending facility they will require a cash flow

forecast.

As with the financial budget, comparing your

actual results to your model or forecast is all

important. You can pinpoint areas that are

consuming too much cash and make appropriate

changes before you are unable to pay your bills.

Each type of business has its own elements that

need to be managed to ensure that cash

requirements can be met. Some are simply to

predict and others very complex.

For example, this business model is very simple

and the cash forecast is easy to prepare. Let

examine:

Anticipated revenue- $30,000 all paid in cash or

credit card

Anticipated expenses-$25,500 all paid by cash or

cheque

Cash flow model - Cash in $30,000 less cash out

$25,500 =$4,500 positive cash flow

In this case, it is simple to see the flow of cash and

realize that as long as the revenue exceeds the

expenses, you will have a positive cash flow.

However, it the company has debt to repay of

$5,000 per month. After the repayment of the

loan, there would be a negative cash flow.

If your company needs to carry inventory to

provide to customers, additional cash is required.

The amount of inventory required should be

forecasted to match sales noting that the amount

will increase as your sales increase. This

investment in the company is a permanent use of

cash meaning that you will spend the cash but

when the inventory is sold the cash will be used to

buy new inventory so you never really have the

cash again.

The terms of sales have a big impact on cash. If

you have to offer 30 day or 60 days terms, you will

have provided the goods to the customer but have

not received any cash to pay your suppliers or

expenses. There is also the extra concern terms

are given but the customers do not pay within the

terms. This is hard to predict but can have a huge

effect on the cash required to keep the business

going.

A more obvious use of cash is the purchase of

fixed assets like equipment, leaseholds or

automobiles. When starting a business, it is

usually easy to predict the cash required to invest

but few spend time planning expenditures for

growth or replacement equipment.

Each element of the business needs to be

examined to determine the impact on the cash

flow. Use your best knowledge to build the model

and then as your business progresses test against

your assumptions to ensure there were sound. If

not, adjust the model and determine the impact

to ensure your cash flow is still adequate.

Cash planning is an ongoing process and requires

the same dedication as reviewing your financials.

The more time spent planning, the better the

results. Remember that when your business is

growing, it could be consuming more cash than

you have available.

Business Processes

Timely Tax Remittances

Did you know that the Government in Canada has

the ability to shut down your bank account if you

don’t remit your HST tax?

Yup, that’s right. Why? Because when you

collect HST you are doing so on behalf of the

Government. It’s not YOUR money, you are just

holding in trust for the Government until it’s time

to send it to them on a quarterly or annual basis.

To avoid not having the money in your bank

account when the remittance is due, open up a

separate bank account and put the HST collected

in this account. It will be there for you to remit

when due!

Bookkeeping – It’s just good housekeeping

Is your house in chaos or is it neat and tidy? Your

business is like that too. Streamlining your

bookkeeping is #1 on the list before you expand

your business. Here’s why:

The story of your business is right in your

Income Statement. If your bookkeeping is

up to date then you will know if you can

afford to take your business to the next

level or not

You can compare your income statement

for seasonality, trends, issues if your

books are current. This will help you

assess risk for expansion

Before you hire additional staff, you can

assess current employee costs and

calculate the increased revenue you will

need to cover new employee additions.

Your income statement, if set up

properly, can show you which products

are profitable and which ones are not,

helping you develop new products or

product extension.

Model your growth

Download your income statement into an

excel spreadsheet and model your

expanded business in a yearly

spreadsheet to give you a projected

income statement when you scale up

Do the same for your predicted cash flow.

Will scaling your business up mean you

need to borrow money or can you finance

the expansion organically from current

cash flow?

If you need to finance your growth, what

do you need to borrow for?

o Inventory?

o Larger premises?

o Marketing?

o New product development

Success Story

Starting a Small Business:

ALPHA Health Services - Toronto

Charlotte Anderson, Physiotherapist

& Owner

I grew up in a family of business minded people. I

was surrounded by MBA’s, business owners,

presidents of companies… it was all I knew. My

parents worked in business, my grandparents

worked in business, and I always thought I would

work in business…

I graduated with my Masters in Physiotherapy in

2012 and my first job was in a public clinic in

Toronto. At first, it was exactly what a new

graduate would want- the experiences treating

many different patients, good mentorship, flexible

work hours, and a fully equipped environment to

treat patients. I enjoyed the physical therapy

aspect, but struggled with the company I worked

for, their values, their expectations, and adhering

to their objectives and missions. I felt I wasn’t

given the opportunity to work as I saw was best

for my patients while working for this clinic.

So, a year after graduating as a Physiotherapist, I

decided I would go out on my own. This decision

did not come lightly, I had thought about it a lot,

saved my money, weighed the pros and cons, and

had discussed the implications of starting a small

business with many different people. But I don’t

think anything can completely prepare you for

taking such a big step and opening a private clinic.

Once I signed the lease, for an 800 square foot

space in Toronto, I knew there was no turning

back! I bought the minimum equipment I required

to treat my patients effectively. I brainstormed

company names, I wanted something that didn’t

pigeon hole the business to just physiotherapy, in

the hopes of growing. I incorporated the business,

opened a business bank account, had a website

developed, and for the first few weeks wondered

why in the world I had thought this was a good

idea!

However, I quickly started booking clients. Word

of mouth referrals were my biggest source of new

patients, and I will forever be grateful to those

patients who spread the word. My case load grew,

and within the year I had hired a part time

massage therapist and another physiotherapist. At

the two year mark we had outgrown our space,

and moved down the street to a much larger

space, with more treatment rooms, a small gym,

and room to expand again. There are now 4

physiotherapists, a massage therapist and a

dietitian who work at the clinic. We have

contracts with two high school sports teams in

Toronto, and have opened two satellite clinics.

I never realized the possibility of being a business

owner and a treating physiotherapist, I didn’t

think about being able to wear both hats. I am

grateful for this chance to challenge myself as a

physiotherapist, making sure I provide a

comprehensive service to help people get better,

and as a small business owner. There are

challenges owning a business- managing the

people who work for you, creating a strong,

supportive and dynamic staff, making sure you

budget properly, continuing to grow as technology

and the world around us progresses at an

unbelievable speed. But the satisfaction and sense

of accomplishment that comes when you know

that this business is yours, the good, the bad, the

positives, it is you. You are responsible, you eat,

sleep, breathe, this business. The business

becomes part of who you are. You love it and you

can hate it. It brings you the most joy, and can

cause emotional upheaval. There are days when

you have the best job in the world, and days

where you wonder why you decided to start a

company. Times when you feel lucky to be in the

field, and days where you wish you worked a 9-5

job. Because owning a small business will never be

a 9-5 job, so you have to believe in the company,

love what you do, hire like minded people and

take risks to allow for growth.

For me, this journey is far from over. It is just

starting. I feel lucky to be able to be doing

something I love by practicing physiotherapy. I

feel grateful I have some “business” in my blood

and I took a risk to start a company that stays true

to my values and challenges me in a field I love.

Alpha Health Services

Life Balance

Getting out of your office and

becoming physically active ….. make it

a personal goal.

The weather is better, it’s warm outside,

time to get physical.

Swimming

Biking

Walking

Running

Golf

Tennis

Baseball

Rock climbing

Yoga

Zumba

Dancing

Can you incorporate exercise in your weekly

routine at least 3x per week?

After a winter indoors make sure you take

time to work gradually into your exercise

routine.

If you haven’t been doing any weight bearing

exercise for a while, you may find you have

weak ankles. Physiotherapist Charlotte

Anderson, of ALPHA Health Services has

these tips for strengthening weak ankles

1. Alphabet: Try writing the alphabet with your injured ankle. This increases the range of motion of the ankle. Do this multiple times a day. 2. Calf Stretch: Your calf muscle runs along the backside of your lower leg. This

muscle goes down and becomes the Achilles Tendon at the back of the ankle. Depending on the ankle injury and the length of time the joint was immobilized, this muscle can get quite tight. To stretch the calf, stand on a stair with your

heel off the edge. Let gravity and your body weight allow your heel to dip below the stairs edge. You should feel a stretch behind your leg. Alternatively, lean against a wall with the ball of your injured leg propped up on the wall. Lean forward and feel the pull in your calf

muscle. Hold this for at least 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. 3. Dorsiflexion: Seated, pull your toes upwards, than lower your foot back to the ground. This exercises strengthens the muscles running down the front of your lower leg, and can help increase range of motion. To increase the difficulty of this exercise, use your other foot to resist your injured foot from lifting off the ground. Do this exercises 20 times.

4. Forward lunge on chair: This exercise aims to increase flexibility in the ankle. Place your injured ankle on a chair. Your knee should be bent, and shift your bodyweight forward so your knee extends over your toes. You should

feel the available range of motion in your ankle, then try to push a little bit further as long as there is no pain. Hold the end range for about 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

5. One Leg Stance: Balancing on your injured leg will help strengthen the stabilizers of the ankle and will help increase your proprioception. This is an easy exercise, simply stand on your injured leg and balance there for 2 minutes,

twice a day. To progress this exercise try closing your eyes, or tossing a ball up in the air, or standing on a pillow/uneven surface.

6. Calf Raise: This exercise is to strengthen the muscles at the back of your leg below your knee. Stand holding onto the back of a chair. Slowly rise up onto your tiptoes, and then lower back to standing. Repeat this 20 times. To

progress this exercise you can hold light weights, do it on one leg, or perform the exercise on a stair

with your heels hanging off the edge. 7. Resisted Eversion: Use a sold surface as resistance. Against the resistance, try and turn your foot outwards. Hold this for 15 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times. This e xercise works on the evertors of the ankle.

8. Plantarflexion with resistance: Put a piece of tubing/theraband under the ball of your injured foot. Keeping the resistance on, attempt to point your toe. Then return to neutral. Do this exercise 12 times for 3 sets. 9. Squats on a wobble board: To increase proprioception and

balance, stand on a wobble board and squat down in a slow and controlled manner. Then return to standing. Repeat this 10 times and do 3 sets. If you do not have access to a wobble board, perform the same movement on a pillow, or try on one leg.

10. Bend and Reach: Stand on one leg and slowly reach down to the floor while extending your other leg behind you. You should hinge forward at the hips and bend the supporting knee slightly. Then return to upright. Try this 10 times on each leg. To progress this exercise, place objects on the floor around you that you need to touch, or hold the position for a few seconds.

Charlene (Charla), food

blogger from That Girl

Eats Healthy…. Healthy

food with a Caribbean

flavour

Greetings Everyone!

My name is Charlene but I prefer to be called Charla and I am a young woman of African Caribbean heritage, who resides in the UK. I have a degree in public health and certified in holistic health and a true passion for cooking deliciously tasting foods and baking healthy treats. What inspired me to try my hand at blogging was gleaming through some of my favourite health fanatic bloggers and having the desire to join them on the same platform.

Since I was a young girl I’ve always been intrigued by cooking but didn’t channel my energy until my early womanhood. I grew up in a Caribbean household, where it was customary for girls to acquire the art of

cooking; perhaps this explains why I’m composing this website. Unfortunately, the art of cooking seems like a dying trend and with the high levels of obesity and vascular disease, it’s important to take control of what does inside the body and what causes harm.

Despite my cultural upbringing I appreciate food in its broader context, meaning I’m more than happy to sample most foods from different cultures. In my spare time, you’ll find me in the kitchen exploring my creative food juices.

and so ultimately….

This website is dedicated to showcasing dairy free and gluten free recipes. One day I’d like to transition to a vegan lifestyle. Although with that being said, I eat a high plant based diet with a small amount of chicken/fish, so I’m slowly getting there. Right now I would describe myself as a “conscientious vegan in the making”, as I do enjoy vegan and in fact raw food, but can bring myself to break away from the carnivore chains just yet.

I want to be as candid as possible about who I am and my culinary principles, so I don’t disappoint.

Aside from gluten and dairy free recipes, I like to tap into Caribbean cuisines. I want the world to become familiar with what these beautiful islands have to offer. Therefore, you’ll find a range of authentic Caribbean dishes and also some with a modern healthy element.

Summer recipes from That Girl Eats Healthy

Boiled Plantains with Kale (Paleo & Gluten Free)

There’s something

amazing about plantains, I just cannot seem to get enough of them. I don’t think there’s a week that goes by without me incorporating this starchy vegetable (fruit but classified

as a veg). What’s more, there’s a store right around the corner from me that certainly knows how to entice me.

You’ll be pleased to know this recipe is super duper healthy, the plantain is boiled and not fried (YIPEE).

What I did was boil the plantain with the skin on for roughly 20 minutes until tender. The key here is to yield tenderness and not achieve some type of mushy texture. When I first started boiling plantains to make this dish I winded up disheartened because the results would range from tender to mushy. Overcoming that obstacle presented itself as a challenge but I finally managed to perfect a fine balance between mushy and tenderness – boiling the plantain for 15 minutes.

I wanted to pair the recipe with some callaloo which is an exotic leafy vegetable derived from the same family as spinach. However my vendor didn’t have any to hand and so I used curly kale leaves to substitute. You can follow suit and use kale or better yet spinach if you don’t have access to callaloo, the results using spinach are incredibly fool proof I’m just a

bit more partial to my beloved kale right now.

To keep the calories on the lower spectrum or should I say balance things out with the starchy enriched plantains, you’ll find a selection of veggies – red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, scallions along with the kale. I would render this light yet filling and definitely not fattening, so ladies do not run from this on, there;s nothing but love and healthiness here.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 large plantains (yellow with dark spots)

1 cup worth of bell pepper (red and yellow mixed)

2 large scallions, sliced (or 3 small ones)

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp of turmeric

¼ tsp of allspice

1 tsp of thyme

¼ tsp of himalayan pink salt

large bunch of kale (chopped)

1tbsp worth of ginger, minced

1 small red onion, chopped

coconut oil for sauteeing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil the plantain for roughly 15 minutes until tender. Once cooked drain off the excess water and allow to cool then cut the tips of the plantain and use a paring knife to make a incision length ways to

remove the peel, it should come off with ease, then slice the plantain into little discs.

2. Meanwhile on medium heat sautee the scallions/red onions to begin with, add about 2tbsp of coconut oil for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, bell

peppers and add the rest of the spices. 3. Flip the pan to ensure everything is

thoroughly coated before incorporating the sliced plantains and allow to infuse with the spices. The kale should be added lastly to cook for another minute

and combine with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Serve accordingly.

Let’s treat ourselves to a

healthy vegan dessert!

In a bid not to miss out on all of those wonderful summer time recipes, I have decided to be ahead of myself and start submitting a few from May. Furthermore, apparently the weather is set to soar over the weekend so you might be thanking me for this pre-summer time recipe.

If you do not own an ice cream maker then you are missing out on some of the best dessert recipes on the planet. I use my ice cream all year round, though I increase its usage during the spring/summer. I like to experiment with different flavours – forget the ice cream that’s full of all of those additional additives and preservatives. This recipe is the real deal you will taste all of those bold, rich, FRESH (very important word) complimentary flavours

Nowadays I rarely purchase ice cream I would much rather enjoy making my own instead. It’s easy and incredibly effortless but it feels like a milestone has been achieved if it’s your first time doing so. In terms of what flavours one can make, absolutely ANY…though the general rule of thumb is to use milk as the base. I always whip up my ice cream with full fat coconut milk and then include whatever add-ins I see fit.

In this case I made a diabetic friendly chocolate ice cream for my grandmother, she likes ice cream but being afflicted with

type 2 diabetes doesn’t permit consuming processed store brought ice cream. Home made ice cream allows one to enjoy their creature comforts without compromising health. Avocados are full high density lipoprotein (HDL) a type of good cholesterol that lowers the bad cholesterol which can clog our major arteries and create fatty deposits in the liver. Many people shy away from ALL type of fat in fear of developing cardiovascular disease but the true is we need fats to regulate our hormones AND to fight inflammation.

Another thing, if you’re looking to gain weight in a healthy manner I would highly recommend consuming some good fats like avocados, so in a sense while this ice cream isn’t specifically made to gain weight, you can incorporate into a lifestyle where eating something more calorific needed.

The additional hint of cinnamon is there to add a spicy flare and to also aid blood sugar levels (no huge spike).

Recommended sweetener as always low glycemic index – coconut nectar, agave or maple syrup.

Chocolate Avocado Ice

Cream

INGREDIENTS

1 can of full fat coconut milk

1 large avocado, ripe, pitted and skin

removed.

3 tbsp of raw cacao powder

¼ cup of coconut nectar (can use agave or

maple)

½ tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of vanilla powder or extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If using an ice cream maker, place the bowl in a freezer overnight for at least 4 hours before use.

2. Place all of the ingredients in a high

speed blender or food processor and blitz into a smooth consistency.

3. Once a smooth consistency has been achieved, prepare the ice cream maker and use accordingly to the manufacturer instructions.

4. To make without a ice cream maker,

once the ingredients have been blended, simply pour into a freezer friendly container and freeze for an hour. After the given time whisk the mixture every 30 minutes for up to 4 hours to omit freezer burn. Over a course of time the

ice cream will thicken and then serve

accordingly.

Yummy, Yummy in my tummy and

kids will love this recipe. You can

use the same base and then change

the flavours according to the

favourite ice creams your family

loves.

This is a great excuse to buy an

ice cream maker, but if you are

home, just whisk up the mixture

over four hours …but an ice

cream maker would make it so

much easier! More recipes

From That Girl Eats Healthy

You and Your Pets

Thinking of getting a puppy this summer? Here

are some tips from Sandra King, owner of

RedRover Dog Training.

Puppies are undeniably adorable and dog lovers' eyes light up whenever they see one, but there is much more to owning to a puppy than enjoying its heart-warming cuteness and silly antics. With puppy ownership comes a lot of responsibility. Be honest with yourself and consider the amount of time that you can devote to a puppy (or any dog for that matter) before you make a decision to get one that is solely based on emotion, Do you have the time, the desire, the patience, and the lifestyle to raise a puppy that will one day

become a well-balanced adult dog? If you are not sure, please consider the following before you rush out and bring home that cute bundle of furry joy. - Puppies need a lot of attention, especially while they are being house broken. Until your pup is able to sleep through the night, you will be getting up OFTEN to take outside for toilet training. Indoor pee pads are not a solution and will only prolong, or even be counter productive to house breaking your pet. - Training – yes, training, but I don't mean the kind where you are taking your puppy to obedience school – that comes a bit later. However, you can do a lot to get your very young pup off on the right paw, so to speak. Knowing which games to play and NOT to play with your puppy will help shape your young dog into a well-adjusted pet. - Chewing can be an issue, but you can save your home, your furnishings, and even your hands, by knowing which types of toys to avoid. Did you know that a dog's mouth is like our hands? The mouth-feel of something is almost always the deciding factor on

the question of To Chew, or Not to Chew. For example, if you give your dog a soft toy to play with and chew, not only will you run the risk of having your pet harm itself by ingesting the material, stuffing, etc., but you are also inadvertently teaching your pet to chew similar objects in your home. It simply cannot differentiate between the soft toy you gave it and your towels, soft slippers, pillows, etc. - Obedience Training – this will be needed once your pup is old enough to go to school. Group classes are always recommended to help them get socialized to being in a group environment as well learning IMPULSE CONTROL! We recommend starting formal school with puppies when they are 14 weeks of age, but we also offer a Puppy 101 Consult to help you avoid common

mistakes and many other training strategies for your pup that you can start implementing immediately.

How to Find a Great Dog Walker

By Aline Duriaud

Chacharocks Kitsch Canine

I have a fabulous dog walker and sitter whom I

trust implicitly with Ronnie. He loves her too and

nearly knocks me over in excitement when she

arrives to pick him up. Invariably he returns from

his walk happy, well exercised and ready to crash

on his bed, or mine. What makes her so good?

And how can you find the perfect walker

for your dogs? In this post I'll share my top five

traits to look for when selecting a pet care

professional; make sure your walker has them and

you won't go wrong.

1. She gets on with your dog. This

sounds obvious but no matter how

glowing the recommendations or

impressive the website testimonials, if

your walker or sitter doesn’t click with

your dog, look for someone else.

Organise a preliminary meeting or,

better still, a walk, so you can see how

they get on together. Unless your dog

has significant behavioural issues that

complicate his ability to interact with

humans (in which case you need a

trainer) it should be apparent very

quickly whether or not the relationship

is going to work. Most reputable

walkers will be happy to meet your

dog before an initial outing and let you

come along for a test walk. If they’re

not, find someone else.

2. He is insured. Although insurance

doesn’t guarantee a great dog walker,

most legitimate pet professionals are

insured. As no training or certification

is required to become a professional

dog walker or sitter anyone can

advertise themselves as one

irrespective of experience and

expertise, therefore up to date

insurance is generally a good indicator

of a walker's reliability. If possible find

a dog walker who is fully bonded and

insured, with up to date CRB or DBS

clearance too. Ask for proof especially

if he will be picking up and dropping

your dog off when you're not at home.

3. She doesn't do large, on-leash group

dog walks. When Ronnie started going

out with his walker he particularly

enjoyed off leash outings in a small

group of two to three dogs. Sometimes

his walker also leash walks him with

one other dog he knows and is

comfortable with. What she never does

is leash walk big groups of dogs that

haven’t been properly introduced. To

ensure your dog is getting the

stimulation and attention she needs,

look for a dog walker who follows her

lead (no pun intended) by introducing

dogs before taking them out together

and maintaining a four dog maximum

per walk.

4. She knows her their limitations. Like

any professional a good dog walker

and sitter will be honest with you if

your dog’s needs exceed her expertise.

She will alert you to any behavioural

or health issues she observes in your

dog and will not try to train your dog

behaviour without permission, or the

appropriate skills and experience.

5. He communicates with you. A great

dog walker understands that his clients'

furry kids are precious family members

and he will be happy to answer

questions about how he works, where

he walks your dog, how long the walk

lasts and which other dogs will be on

the walk. Don't be afraid to ask

questions about a walker's experience

and methods and to ask for verifiable

testimonials from other clients.

I hope this post helps you find a fantastic

walker for your pooch. Do you have any

must know advice on choosing a pet

professional?

Make a difference.

“What material success does is provide you with the ability to concentrate on other things that really matter. And that is being able to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people's lives.”

Oprah Winfrey Fabulous Fempreneurship Initiatives…making a difference In this internet world, we can connect with anyone, anywhere. That’s what we have been doing over the last couple of months, to see where we can make a difference. Belize Initiative with Yvette Mazariegas – M & M Distributors Yvette and I have never personally met. We have only met via Skype and corresponded over email, but I feel that she is a kindred spirit in Belize. Both of us have been mentors for Assistant Prof. Michael Goldberg of Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. We mentor for his Coursera MOOC, entrepreneurs in Belize. Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies. Prior to 1981, Belize used to be called “British Honduras”. The country known primarily for its

tourism and export of sugar and bananas. To the north is the southern tip of Mexico, to the west is Guatemala and to the south Honduras. Yvette lives inland in a city called Belmopan.

Women and Entrepreneurship And Yvette and I have the same interest, how to grow entrepreneurship for women and for disadvantaged youth. Yvette, herself is a serial entrepreneur, featured in our book. She also was invited to and attended the International Conference on Entrepreneurism held in Africa in 2015, the GES Summit. Yvette at the 2015 Entrepreneur Conference Yvette has the idea of introducing our book “Fabulous Fempreneurship” into the education system to help women think of entrepreneurism as a way to grow both themselves and the economy of Belize. What we are working on:

Special price for digital downloads of Fabulous Fempreneurship by university students

Additional contribution by Fabulous Fempreneurship to a scholarship fund

Finding Corporate sponsorship (Belize Bank, Belize Sugar Company, Kimberly Clark, US Embassy in Belize etc.)

Pitching to sponsors Youth Program Yvette mentioned her new initiative of how to keep teens out of trouble. We mentioned a great program in Canada that would fit perfectly in Belize. In Halifax, there is an initiative called “Hope Blooms”, which was the Dragon’s Den 2013 season’s best pitch. Hope Blooms is to help inner city kids take their own initiative, help themselves and their community to eat healthy foods. They grow their own vegetables, feed the local community and sell their products at the market. They also make salad dressings from the ingredients. The salad dressings are sold both at the market and to local restaurants. To learn more about the Hope Bloom initiative, see the video on YouTube. Hope Blooms could be replicated anywhere in the world! Yvette is been appointed as President of the first Alumni Association Board of Belize (US Embassy-Alumni Association) and will be pitching the Halifax Hope Blooms initiative to the Board. At Fabulous Fempreneurship we are also working on other community initiatives that we will write about in future issues of our digital magazine. If you have a community initiative that you would like to tell us, please feel free to send us your story to elaine_slatter@xlconsultinggroup.com

A simple guide to self-compassion

5 steps to self- compassion / 5 ways to bring more self’lovin’ into your life.

By: Natz Costa (Fabulous Fempreneur mentor) http://www.nataliecosta.co.uk/

Now I’ll be honest - Self-compassion was not

initially something that I was very familiar with. In

actual fact, I used to be very good at NOT being

compassionate with myself - and speaking with my

friends, it was clear that I was not on my own.

Having self-compassion sometimes used to feel

like self- indulgence, almost as if I was allowing

my excuses and permitting myself to be ‘soft’.

Living in a fast paced society, I would easily get

consumed with my daily to-do lists, tasks that had

to be done, commitments that had to be made. I

would find myself fulfilling various roles –

caregiver, teacher, colleague, advisor, coach and

listener etc, so it was easy to leave myself at the

bottom of the list.

To add to the process, I would constantly feel as

though I had to achieve more, be more and have

more - I needed to look a certain way, act a certain

way and achieve certain things if I was to really

“succeed.”

This would ultimately result in an influx of internal

‘natter’ - that little voice in my head, reminding me

why I wasn’t good enough, thin enough, pretty

enough, smart enough, whatever enough… to be

who I wanted to be.

I use to be an expert at giving myself a hard time

and beating myself up, especially if things didn’t

work out the way I would've liked them to. I’d

push and push myself that little bit further (ideally

thinking that I am Wonder Woman, that I can do it

all) yet I would often find myself feeling

exhausted, irritable and annoyed, wondering why

things are so difficult.

Luckily the penny finally dropped. Feeling

stressed, worn out and exhausted, after yet another

busy and over-filled day, I realised that it was ME

who was making things difficult. I was the one that

was allowing myself to be stretched thin; I was the

one that was being too hard on myself and I chose

to put myself at the bottom of the list.

I was tired of the struggle and tired of the fight.

And it finally dawned on me - when we teach and

encourage a child to learn, we know that standing

over them and booming degrading phrases is

hardly going to have the desired effect, yet this is

what we do to ourselves.

However, if we show that child patience, love,

support and compassion - they are 100 times more

likely to grow, develop and flourish into the best

version of themselves.

So, what if I were to take on that same attitude

with myself - the attitude of patience, kindness,

acceptance, support and love?

What effect would that have on me, my reactions

and perception of myself and my overall well-

being?

I slowly started to implement some kinder and

gentler strategies. I started treating myself with

kindness and compassion. I started talking to

myself like I would to a friend. This took a while

to get used and to it wasn’t always easy, but slowly

things started to shift. Tasks became a little lighter,

setbacks didn't hurt that much and I actually felt

calmer and more at ease.

Taking the time to place myself first on my to-do

list also resulted in me getting more things done

and I became that much more enjoyable to be

around! The journey to self-compassion is an

ongoing process and it’s something that I actively

have to pursue, but it’s certainly one that has led

me to be more gentle, kinder and compassionate

with myself.

So, below I’ll share with you some of my top tips

that I have used to move me into that space where I

am now being kinder to myself.

Become your own best friend:

I think this is the most important aspect to consider

- the words we use have so much power. It’s easy

to criticize and give ourselves a hard time. But this

rarely has the desired effect and results in us

feeling even worse than before.

A great strategy that I always use is to ask myself

the following question:

“Would I be saying this to a friend?”

If my answer is no, then I know I need to watch

my words and change my language to be more

supportive with myself.

Awareness is the key to making a change. So start

paying attention to your thoughts, acknowledge

them and then gently shift them to a more

compassionate approach.

Reverse Bucket list

It’s easy to get caught up with our to-do lists, to

focus on completing the next step and setting the

next goal. We tick something off and we just move

on. Very rarely do we stop and take stock of all

that we already have achieved.

This is a great activity to help you tap into your

strengths and remind you of the amazing things

that you already have accomplished. Consider the

setbacks you overcame and the challenges that you

conquered. No matter how small - write them

down, acknowledge them and celebrate all the

awesomeness that you are!

Treat Yourself

Now this may initially feel like an indulgence, but

I honestly do believe that treating ourselves and

taking time for YOU is crucial to developing self-

compassion. A treat could include a soak in the

bath, a walk through the park, indulging in a nice

cup of coffee. Something small to symbolize that

you are also important, that your needs also

matter.

I realized that when I scheduled in some “me-

time”, I was better able to fulfill my other roles

too, as I knew I valued myself and therefore was

able to give that much more. I now regularly

schedule a ‘date’ with myself and do something

nice – to ensure that I am recharged and energized

for the other commitments on my list.

Accept what is and let it go.

Setbacks are a part of life and nobody likes to feel

like they’ve failed. But getting things wrong and

making mistakes are part of the process - and it’s

only through setbacks and ‘failures’ that we learn

and move forwards. But instead of beating yourself

up and over-analyzing your every move, take the

time to congratulate yourself for having the

courage to take action in the first place.

Acknowledge the feeling, but then let it go. Shift

focus to what you have learned as a result and be

patient with yourself, knowing that you are a work

in progress.

Gratitude

Practice being thankful for what is going well in

your life.

We can easily be swamped into thinking that we

need to be more, have more, get more in order to

be happy. This can cause our thinking to shift into

a ‘lack’ mentality which results in that feeling of

not having/ being ‘enough’.

Instead, make a point of actively recording 5 things

that you are grateful for. What as good about your

day? What were positive points?

By doing this on a regular basis you are slowly

starting to prime your mind to focus on the

abundance of what you already have in your life.

Gratitude is a powerful exercise that easily shifts

our focus from lack to abundance.

So, there you have it - five simple ways to guide

you towards self-compassion. Give them a go and

be patient with yourself. Take it one step at a time

and start noticing the positive effects that this will

have on you and your life.

Impact Business

Competition

Helsinki, Finland

Winner: Leila Gharavi

(Leadpool)

Criteria for Competition: Think big and bring an

idea that solves a societal problem – social or

environmental, be it a challenge in employment,

wellbeing, health or natural environment.

Leila’s entry:

A gamified online platform that tackles gender

inequality by shifting the conversation on

Structures. Congratulations to the team.

Leila has written a great piece on what gender equality really means. Check it out here.

Fashion Forward, Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone By Beth Kennedy, Fashion Stylist

I love how my clients let me take them out of their comfort zone of clothing, away from the basic colours they always choose. I get to add patterns and texture or even graphics and then accessorize. The accessories can range from shoes to scarves to necklaces and earrings. Recently I took my clients to a nearby mall in town and had a blast with a mother and daughter duo. Two contrasts in style. The Mom likes things that are outside of the box, her daughter is more reserved about her style choices. Picking out clothes for the Mom is easy, because she is open to lots of different styles and colors.

Encouraging her daughter to experiment took a little coaxing, but once she started to try on some different clothes, she got excited about all the possibilities and the fun began. She picked a straight skirt that had pale turquoise (limpet shell), white and yellow. I added a graphic tee in a buttercup color. She looked and me and said “I would not have thought of this pattern and the graphic tee together.” I said “the colours in the skirt and the tee look great in combo.” For the accessories we kept it simple, a multi-colour crossbody bag that picked up the colors, with simple green flash flats and stud earrings. All the colours came from the Spring/Summer Pantone colour selections. These colours have exotic names: Snorkel Blue Buttercup Limpet Shell Shell Lilac Grey Iced Coffee Peach Echo Rose Fiesta Green Flash

To see how I used all the colours together, check out the whole range of Pantene 2016 fashion colours here. One of the au courant designers, Katherine Kung, is using Limpet Shell in her Spring Collection. The straight shift dress, from Katherine Kung, combines the

pale turquoise with a contrasting black and white band at the bottom. Stunning and unique. Notice, the plain black shoes, link with the black and white pattern at the bottom of the dress for a complete fashion statement. The eye is drawn from top to bottom, a great look if you are looking for a sleek head to toe, lengthening image.

Mom already knew she wanted a pair of pixie pants in one of the Pantene top 10 fashion colours for this year. She was looking for something that would also go with the neutrals she already had in her wardrobe. Her final selection was in the Buttercup colour, similar to the pixie pants in the Old Navy collection. I paired this with a black blouse and white blazer. We rounded this out with a handbag in the beautiful green flash colour and accessorized with a black ring.

Part of being a fashion stylist is bringing out the personality of my clients. On this shopping trip, Mom and daughter loved the way their new purchases gave them confidence. No more boring neutrals, they have added colour

and zest to their clothing collection. They can’t wait to go on another shopping trip with me soon, and I can’t wait to go too!

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES

Linkedin

LinkedIn Isn’t Just for People Looking for a Job!

Linkedin is so much more. So exactly what is it? I like to call Linkedin, facebook for business! Having said that, when talking about the purpose of LinkedIn we have to remember it is a platform for networking for business and posting interesting and informative information for business people. So here are some important tips to think about when designing your profile and posting on this social media platform.

Profile Tips Your Photograph How you present yourself in a photo is so important. It’s your first impression. Think as your picture as your interview picture. Make sure you are dressed appropriately in a neat way. I have seen guys and women with pictures that are totally inappropriate for this platform. Pictures with their family, pets, selfies, frowning, casual gear, with friend, sexy etc. Noooooooo. Don’t do it! Stick to professional, you never know who is going to check out your profile! Summary This section is at the top of your profile. Use this area to summarize who and what you are, short and concise. Linkedin Title Try to make this as descriptive as possible as it shows up in the search bar. Job titles don’t necessarily translate well if you are an entrepreneur. Descriptions of your work experience This isn’t quite the same as a resume. The goal in the description of your work experience is to demonstrate the problems you have solved for your client or company. This shows your leadership skills and initiative. It’s showing you off without being a “show off”. Difference between ‘endorsements’ and

‘recommendations’.

Anyone one who is a first level connection to you on Linkedin can “endorse” you, whether they have worked with or hired you. Although that’s a nice compliment if a work associate “endorses” you, endorsements don’t carry as much weight as recommendations. In addition, endorsements show up much lower on your profile than recommendations and are grouped under skill sets rather than under specific achievements.

Recommendations are posted in the appropriate sections of your work experience, so are directly applicable to the work that is profiled.

Don’t feel shy about asking people for references about your work. It’s a great idea to approach people just after you have ‘wowed’ them with your work. If your client isn’t familiar with how to write a recommendation and therefore hesitant to help, ask if you can help write one and guide them through the posting process. Contact information Yes, there are places at the top and bottom of the profiles to add your contact information. Add both your email and phone no. to this section so it is easy for people to contact you outside of the LinkedIn platform. Additional Advanced Profile Tips

1. Use slideshare to highlight powerpoint

presentations

2. Post videos showing your expertise

3. Link to your blogs

4. Link to your publications, articles, books

you have authored etc.

5. Add your volunteer activities

6. Add the causes that are near and dear to

your heart.

Posting Tips

As we suggested, this is a business platform and your postings should be related to business

DO NOT advertise your product/service in an obvious way. Linkedin could kick you right out for doing this. You can post a link to your blog that highlights a service you have provided or how your product has worked for your client. If you don’t have a blog, you can write on Linkedin Pulse. Remember our rule….make it a general business article that would appeal to anyone in business. You would be writing this article from your own unique perspective. If people like your posting they will like, comment and share it on their social platforms and therefore think about the content you are writing and who would enjoy reading it. Don’t write anything that you would regret. Once it is on Linkedin it can go viral. If you are commenting on someone else’s post and it is an opposite viewpoint, make sure you write from positive stance in your rebuttal. Use pictures and videos to illustrate your article. Keep your postings concise. If you are not sure, run your posting by a supportive colleague before publishing. Introduction Tips

Messaging: When you are ‘linking’ people

together through messaging (ie introducing two

people to each other), give a brief reason why you

are introducing the two people together,

something like this introduction of Mary and

Sarah.

Mary Smith Sarah Brown

“Mary, I would like to you introduce you to Sarah Brown. Sarah Brown is a social media specialist. Sarah, Mary is the owner of a restaurant and would love to learn more about social media. I hope the two of you can link up. Regards, Jane.” Introducing yourself to someone you have met at a network event: When you suggest at a network event that you link up on Linkedin, if the person

agrees, then do it the very next day, before you forget!

It’s also a good idea to mention in your introduction of yourself where you met the person and brief reason why you want to link with them. Ie. “I would like to meet you for a coffee to discuss mutual interests”, “I would like to introduce you to xxxx”.

Accepting Linkedin Invitations from your e-mail Unfortunately, there are phoney Linkedin profiles in Linkedin, much like there are dubious facebook profiles. Accept LinkedIn invites ONLY from the Linkedin platform. 1) If you accept from Linkedin you can take a look at the person’s profile before accepting the invite. 2) It prevents a virus getting into your computer. If accepting from email, you can unknowingly have a virus downloaded with it the acceptance which could wipe your computer right out!

Need a person to help you with your Linkedin

profile? Why not sign up for a course by Stacy

Maynard . Stacy is also a Fabulous

Fempreneurship mentor and can guide you

through social media strategy.

NETWORKING

Who You Network With

is NOT Always Your

Target Market!

By Linda Sztanko (Fabulous

Fempreneur Mentor)

Award Winning Entrepreneur | Networking Coach & Follow-up Expert | Speaker | Trainer for Business

It's Networking Day! You are headed to a promising networking event! You walk into a room armed and ready! You are in "networking mode". You have your elevator pitch down pat! You have done your mantras, your visualization for success and you have enough business cards to hand out to everyone in the room. You arrive, you smile and have some great

introductions, you hand out "ALL" those business

cards, you head home after a fabulous event

and.......... nothing! WHAT THE HECK!?!

WELCOME... to the reality of

networking.

One of the biggest misconceptions entrepreneurs have is this; who they network with, will be who does business with them. WRONG! Oh, you will get the small percentage of people you meet at a networking event that may purchase your product, or sign up for your service, but those people who were already looking for your product or service and you just happened to be at the right networking event at the right time. Ask yourself this question. WHY do I go to networking events? I would suspect that most of you will answer: "To get business." Well... THAT IS EXACTLY WHY other people are there too! They are not there to buy or do business WITH you,

they are there to sell their product or business TO you. That is exactly why people get frustrated with attending networking events. They believe they are there to "get" business and when they don't get business, they get discouraged, they get frustrated and they stop going to THAT networking event. That is a costly mistake.

When you understand that the people you network with are most likely not your target market, you will have much more success in growing your business. WHY? Because when you go networking - the people you meet there are the people you build your business friendships with. These are the people you build your "likeability" factor with. Building strong business likeability with others is the key to referrals and word of mouth marketing. Networking is a tool for your word of mouth marketing. Make your networking activities about building trust and respect with your business piers. When you network, focus on getting to know the people you are networking with. Get to know THEM! Make a habit of directing the conversation about them. Ask about their family, their hobbies, and yes their business. Get to know why they went into that business, why the like what they do and who they help with what they do. When you take the time to get to know each other, you will become each other’s biggest supporters. When you hear of someone who is looking for a product or service, who do you always recommend? Someone you know,

someone you trust and someone you already have a relationship with - not a total stranger you know nothing about. When you make a referral you are not only referring them, you are staking YOUR reputation on THEM! So, are you taking the time to connect with the people you network with. Do you reach out to them on Social Media? Do you make introductions for them to other people you know will be a good connection for them? Are you inviting them for coffee or lunch - away from the networking arena? How are you building up that likeability factor and with them? Are you giving THEM Value so they want to network with and refer YOU and make connections for YOU?

Stacy Maynard (www.stacymaynard.com) and Fabulous Fempreneur mentor is a social media strategist and online visibility coach. She calls this your R.O.E. Return On Engagement. She says "Your Network IS Your Net Worth. If you focus on your R.O.I., Return On Investment, then you are only focused on what YOU have to say. If you focus on your R.O.E., then you are truly building relationships first and business second." What's YOUR Return On Engagement? How are YOU focusing on your business relationships? Start investing time to get to know the people you networking with so your R.O.E. gets bigger and better and your network grows!

PRODUCTIVITY HACKS

PASSWORD PROTECTION

Jane Whitgift founder of Whitgifts Security has some tips for us about computer passwords. According to Jane, 10,000 passwords are used by 98.8% of all users. Hackers have all these passwords programmed as well as dictionary words that are used in passwords. Here are the things to avoid when choosing passwords: 1) Personal information that can be found on your social media pages such as facebook. 2) Capitalization of the first letter. 3) Adding a number at the end or using numbers 1 or 2. 4) Changing letters for vowels ie A=1, E=2, I=3, O =4 and U=5 5) Adding common symbols at the end #@%* etc. 6) Moving keys to left or right ie a=s, s=d etc. So Jane says mix it up more to safeguard your password and to prevent hackers getting into your computer and stealing your passwords.

Would you like to be a contributor to our quarterly magazine? Send your inspiration to: elaine_slatter@xlconsultinggroup.com

We reserve the right to edit the copy submitted for grammar, punctuation and content. All rights reserved. ©Fabulous Fempreneurship 2016

Fabulous Fempreneurship is a community of women entrepreneurs who support, mentor and inspire women to become entrepreneurs. Check out our facebook group, click here.

Did you know we also have a website and mentorship for women entrepreneurs? Why not get some help for you and your business. It’s at no charge for 6 x 1/2hr. sessions depending on the availability of our fabulous mentors. You can pick your own mentor and contact them directly. It doesn’t get any better than that!