Nessa's Notes

We're up to number 23 in the 30 days of blogging , and although I have missed some days this has still been the best thing that could ever happen to this journal. Prompt 23 is an especially fun one; make a wish! When I was a teenager and going through some difficulties, my school couselor would often ask me what I would wish for if I had the proverbial three wishes. Back then it all seemed so simple. I would always answer that I only needed one wish: for everybody in the world to have all they needed and be happy. In my mind then, that meant that everybody would have all their wishes granted! I suppose that now I should have a more practical view of real life. And in some ways that earlier wish seems simplistic and unrealistic. There are some people who never have "enough" and some who refuse to be happy. So as I grew older my wishes stayed generally the same became more specific. My wish is that everyone could be well nourished and healthy. That no one would ever...

Number 21 in the 30 days of blogging is to notice what's changing as we post during this project. Other than the obvious change of making more posts, I wasn't sure if anything had changed. I find that it's definitely easier to post when there is a set topic or question to answer. And thinking about some of the prompts has given me ideas about how to include a broader range of subjects within my theme. This can only mean good things for my business and my mission. Thanks Susan!

I missed a few days in the 30 days of blogging , but the nice thing about this project is that it's so easy to jump back in. :) Prompt 20 is to share a childhood memory. When thinking about what would make a good recollection to share here, I reminded myself that the topic of this blog is wealth creation. That led to thoughts of Carolina Florist, the business my grandparents owned. "The Shop" as we called it was one of my favorite places to be and there are so many fond memories to recall. Grandpa's whispery whistle as he worked, creating his beautiful arrangements Grandma V teaching me how to update customer files when payments came in Watering and dusting the potted plants and "dish gardens" kept in the window displays Making endless boquets and corsages for Mother's day, and hundreds of palm crosses for Easter The elation when after countless tries, I finally learned to make a bow-ribbon pompom It was a good place and a good way to learn about busines...

Prompt 17 in 30 days of blogging is to visit one of the other participants and tell something about her. I picked Heidi Caswell , who I first met on the Ryze network. I have long admired Heidi for her sense of balance in raising a large family and running a successful business at the same time. Connect Simply is the name of her website, and a philosophy that many would do well to take to heart. She gets to the point and tells it without trying to make things more complicated than they need to be. How refreshing!

We're halfway through the 30 days of blogging - time flies when you're having fun. :) Topic 15, music, is an especially good subject, and one of my favorite things. Friends know one of my personal mantras: "books and music are essential to life". Just recently I discovered how important music really is not just as background to life, but to my business. Recently I've noticed that writing has become more difficult; it's harder to begin, harder to find topics, harder to achieve that flow. Since coming to take care of and live with my dad, I had assumed that my much altered living situation was the culprit. But when I visited for a couple of days with an old friend a few months ago, I remembered something. I always used to write with music playing but that hasn't been the case here. Sitting alone at my friend's kitchen table sipping a drink and with his stereo on, I wrote more in an afternoon that I had in 3 months. I'm positive that being able to rel...

Day 14 in the 30 days of blogging provides an especially important prompt for me. The "cause" I support most is not a a single charity or organization; I am passionate about the plight of the homeless. A while back, I decided to do a project to contribute to the cause. I wrote about it in this blog here . Even before this current economic crisis that has caused so many families to lose their homes, there were always marginalized people in our society. People who through no fault of their own have less than what is needed to survive. This is not right. It doesn't make any sense to me that in a world of such plenty there are those who have so little. I wish to help as many as possible to find ways to better their situation. I wish to serve both those who are on the edge and those who are in it. This mission is the main reason that my business still exsists. This blog and my project are only two of the ways I try to accomplish that mission. I sincerely hope that others wi...

All the cooking and feasting seems to have put me a day behind in this adventure. But that's ok, I'll catch up. After all, it's a journey - not a race. :) Prompt 13 in 30 days of blogging is to write about strengths and what brings joy. This is an important topic that everyone should explore occasionally. The two subjects are closely connected since we usually like to do those things we do well, and we tend to do well that which we like. I believe that I have three main strengths: The first is something that I have always loved; reading and writing. Books have been my friends since before I can remember. (A trait I inherited from my English teacher/librarian mother) And I have a good ear for languages. The next would be that I am a caretaker. In addition to being a mom and foster parent, I've been an emergency medic, a doula and a group home manager for disabled adults and children. Helping support people as they develop towards their personal or business goals just com...

Prompt number 12 in the 30 days of blogging is to find a work of art that supports your blog. This isn't a work of art but a graphic I used on a booklet I wrote. It's a graph of a profit chart. I think it's representative of my work not just for the obvious business meaning, but for the larger illustration of progress. Any kind of progress. There are ups and downs in any challenge we take on; that's why it's useful to occasionally take a look at the big picture, so you can see the direction things are going. Progress is a wonderful concept.

Post #11 in the 30 days of blogging project is about blogging goals. This is a simple one for me. The goal for Nessa's Notes is to support my main website Vanessa's Desk . My business is all about removing the confusion and frustrations involved in setting up and marketing a small business; letting folks know they don't have to do it all, and they don't have to do it alone. My blog isn't as good as it could be - yet - but it is changing, for the better.

We're now one third of the way through the 30 days of blogging . This has been such a great experience for me that I'm already thinking about 'what happens next'. I'm wondering what I'll do after the thirty days are over. Today's topic is to remember a dream and talk about it's significance. One thing I've always had is a rich dream life - both awake and asleep. Here is one: I dream about collective as well as individual wealth, which is the main reason for this blog. I don't mean wealth as in a gazillion dollars; that type is illusory at best and when gained suddenly usually doesn't last. Although a certain variable amount of transferable currency is necessary that doesn't always have to mean money. I've written about this in this blog and elsewhere but for now suffice it to say that the wealth I dream about means everyone has enough, and just a little more to share with others. In this ideal (dream) world many of our societal ills w...

Prompt number 9 in the 30 days of blogging adventure is to make a list of 3 people who support me in my blogging efforts. First on the list has to be the creator of this 30 days project Susan Loughrin . Susan is a wonderfully caring and creative artist and brilliant photographer who I "met" on the Ryze network. This 30 days of blogging project has made it so easy to post regular entries - a habit I hope to keep. The other two spots must go to Bea Kunz and Debbie Dreyer . These ladies share a generous spirit and always have good advice to share. They lead by example; providing the template for honesty and balance in their writings and businesses. We've never met in person but these are my sisters. :) I owe a huge Thank You to all three of these talented women.

Yep, I missed another day but that's OK. Participating in the 30 days of blogging has been a wonderful boost - to my blog, my habits and my perceptions of why and what I want to accomplish. #7 is to Ask A Question . Being told to ask a question naturally makes you wonder what it is that you want or need to know. So, remembering my purpose for this blog and thinking about the assignment, here's my question: How do you define wealth, and does that definition sometimes seem to contradict itself? For example, everyone has heard the adage "don't put all your eggs in one basket", and most business "coaches" and internet "gurus" talk about multiple streams of income. One of the more popular pieces of advice is to create and sell e-books based on your main business offering, articles and other content. I think this is a great idea and I'm working on several of my own . But the how and why matters fully as much as the what. Do you think it's rig...

Day 5 of this exercise sounded simple at first: make a list . Of ten things that are important to me. My first thought was if I could narrow it down to only 10. So, I started thinking about what is truly important to me. According to my friend Mr. Webster, important means: marked by or indicative of significant worth or consequence : valuable in content or relationship. Significant worth. Valuable content. Relationship. My next thought was if there were 10 things that were worthy of such a list. 1. God and Them. 2. My children, steps, their friends, my neices, Godchildren, granddaughter, and all those wonderful folks who call me Mama-V or Auntie-V. 3. Books, words, reading, libraries, literacy and books 4. Pictures, letters to and from and special memories of number 2 5. Music 6. Friends. The ones who have fun with and make fun of me. The ones who come and go, and come back again. And especially the ones who love me and show me the way. 7. Grace 8. Beauty I think that's enough. Thi...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words - and photographs can speak especially loud. A photograph captures a moment in time, for all time. And yet, a photo can still be open to interpretation. First, I started to post a few photos of my kids and granddaughter (as they are the subjects of most of my favorite photos). I have several of those posted around the web. And I'm trying to stay in the neighborhood of what this blog is supposed to be about: entrepreneurship and wealth creation. But I believe children and family are the most important reasons for entrepreneurship and wealth creation. I'm not trying to ramble here, but there are times when bouncing thoughts around really is the best way to find your own truth. :) My grandfather was illiterate. He could read and write his name, but that was about it. As one of the oldest of (I think) 15, it had to be that way back then. But he raised 7 children who all graduated high school - and at least two who loved books and readin...

Ok, I got a late start and missed number 2 - but this is a process, right? Day 3 is visiting . This should be easy since I have a huge folder in my bookmarks for the sites of contacts, clients and associates. First up was a visit to my friend and mentor Laura Wheeler. Her blog Frumpy Hausfrau never fails to teach, and is usually entertaining too. Here and here are two of her recent posts that I think are especially helpful. Next, I felt slightly ashamed to discover that several folks that I don't visit nearly often enough are no longer there. Could I have done more to help and support them? This is definitely a wake-up call to put more time in the schedule to support those that deserve it. Finally, I landed at the blog of Mocha Dad . This guy is so inspirational - simply for the image he projects. When the media would have you believe that so few black men are taking responsiblity for their families, here is a man who motivates through example. As he talks the issues of day to da...

This is day #1 in Susan Loughrin's 30 Days of Blogging . I promise to try and keep up. :) #1 - Gratitude There have been so many blessings in my life that it's hard to choose just one to write about. But since that is the assignment, I will. Bea Kunz has been more than just a client, and more than just a friend. When I'm down she encourages me. When I'm up she rejoices with and for me. And she manages to do this for everybody. Generous is the best way to describe Bea. Not only does she grow and sell the most divine seasonings and teas, but she shares her knowledge and advice with any and all who ask. I am thankful for many people in my life. I must remember to express that more often.

One thing about me - other than my near obsession with helping folks pull themselves out from the bottom of the financial heap - is that I enjoy playing games. Most of my online "biographies" note that fact. Cards, board games, puzzles; it doesn't matter. I just like friendly competition. There's an online game I play from time to time. In this particular game you get points by making the best hand according to a sliding scale. But the only way to make a good hand is by cooperating and trading with other players. Some players will only trade for higher points. It usually takes them a longer time to assemble a good score. Then there are other players who seem to always give away the best pieces they get to other players in order to help them make good scores. You might think this would keep them at the lower scores for themselves. But that's not the case. I've tried it myself, both in the game and in business. When I enter the game giving and helping others, I ...

Thinking about wealth creation often leads me to also think about poverty, especially the extreme poverty that causes many to become homeless. There was a time after my divorce when I didn’t have my own place, and though we weren’t “out on the streets”, we were technically homeless. So I empathize with people who are going through that particular situation. One thing that I believe is that everyone must give. I think not being able to give is one of the worse aspects of poverty. Of course, this is something of a universal concept, expressed differently in various philosophies and belief systems. Some refer to the golden rule. Some call it the law of attraction or reciprocity. Whatever you want to call it, the principal is simple: you’ve got to give to receive. My pastor often says “you’ve got to be a blessing in order to get a blessing”. One of my clients is always talking about planting money so he can find some. For me, I believe in tithing and I also provide a significant amount of ...

I got the line "PR's Do Work" from a client who is also a dear friend. This is the caption she used to share her success when she was featured in a newspaper article. About three weeks ago I got a call from a reporter for one of the local TV stations. She wanted to do a news story about using Twitter for business. She said that when she did a search for local businesses on Twitter, my name came up first. So I agreed to talk with her. The story aired three times - on the 10pm news, the late night repeat, and on the early morning edition the next day. I have helped a few clients in the past with publicity, but those were print media. The results were always fairly good, but never spectacular or overwhelming. That is how I'd have to describe what has happened for me in the time since the story appeared. I started getting emails that night and after the peice appeared again in the morning, my phone started ringing. I was surprised that so many people were not only paying ...

The answer to this question is the third concept to understand. No matter what the income source is, all money is made by selling something. This is true even with investments. You buy stock and wait for the price to increase. Or you buy a house and make improvements to increase its value. This is also true of income from a job. You are selling the company your time and skills. When you make deposits to a savings account you are selling the use of your money and are paid interest. Even non-profit organizations and charities must sell. They sell the idea of helping others to the people and companies who contribute to their cause. Think of yourself and your financial goals like a business. Businesses do not make any money until they make a sale. And their sales (income) must be greater than their expenses in order to make a profit (wealth). It is the same for you. To increase your wealth, you must find ways to decrease expenses, increase income or, the best solution - do both! This post ...

There are two kinds of savings. The first involves accumulating money and storing it - setting it aside to allow it to grow in value. This is what you are doing when you make regular deposits into a savings or money market account or when you buy and hold savings bonds. The importance of saving cannot be stressed too much. It is critical that you develop the habit of saving regularly if you are going to improve your financial situation. "Pay yourself first." This means setting aside a regular amount out of every paycheck before you pay any other bills. Now obviously this is difficult to do if you are struggling every month just to pay your regular household bills. But with planning, discipline and some extra effort, it is possible. You may have to begin with a smaller percentage, or you may have to start with every other check. You can even start with $10 (or $5 or even $1 and the change in your pocket) in a jar or envelope. Label it with a goal or dream that you'd like t...

This post is an article written by my friend Debbie Barth of NC Women's Network . Debbie would like you to visit http://www.sharethecause.com/healthline Life Lesson: My Bowling Epiphany Who knew going bowling could teach me another life lesson! My husband bowls once a month with some of his co-workers, and suggested recently that I should go with him to meet them, and also to visit with those that I already knew. It was the day of the event that he let me know that I would also be bowling. Now, most know that I am an avid football fan. However, few know that I don't bowl...nada...zilch....forget about it. Being the trooper I am (ok, actually I knew I could use this to my advantage later), I stepped up to the challenge. While we played three games, my "focus" will remain on the first game; which, the day after, has been deemed "the highlight of the evening". Needless to say, by the middle of the first game it was evident that I would be helping the team t...

Ryze is my favorite networking site. Yes, everyone is crazy about Twitter , and I do enjoy and profit from it. I also use LinkedIn, Biznik, Black Planet and Front Porch Folks, as well as several others from time to time. Recently I heard a Ryze forum leader comment that she wondered why anyone is still on Ryze since Twitter is "where the action is". In fact, several prominent folks have either downgraded or canceled their membership and participation seems to be slacking off. A few weeks ago I met a guy who told me he belongs to 89 different networking sites. Personally I think that's a bit excessive - who has that kind of time? But using only one or two sites doesn't seem to make much sense either. Especially when you consider that each site is just a bit different. Some, like twitter are more entertaining with quick bits of information flying around. Some, like Ryze are more in depth with room for fully exploring and connecting. It all depends on your objectives, y...

I recently realized I was doing a ridiculous thing by not publicizing my blog. It's quite silly, but I've been waiting until I got it right. But it'll never be "right" so I may as well quit erasing entries and let someone have a look. Otherwise, what's the point? In my imagination I'm witty and clever. I can always come up with lots of useful and interesting things to write about. And I'm not shy about letting the world read my every word. But in reality, I haven't been writing regularly because I fear no one will read it. Or maybe because I fear someone will read it. There is no place for fear. I already know that my writing is fabulous because my clients tell me so. So, this is my public declaration. I will post. And I will leave the posts posted.

So I joined twitter a couple of months ago. It took a while to get the hang of it, but now it's rather fun. And it's all anyone can see to talk about - online or off. There really are interesting things happening in the twittersphere. In the past couple of weeks I have witnessed two marriage proposals and laughed at countless witty blog posts. I've also gotten plenty of article ideas, learned a time-saving tip for my business operations and found a new client. All in spare moments when I pop in to check on the tweethearts. All very pleasant, entertaining or useful, right? Not quite. The endless debates about the possibilities of twitter and the character of those who use it are becoming a bit dull. Some swear it's the best thing that ever happened to their businesses. Others claim you have to be a complete narcissist with severe ADD to participate in it. As with any public forum, you find a complete range of personalities, cultures, assumptions and behaviors. I've...

Good customer service is not a difficult art to master. A few simple basics should be the starting philosophy of every business. 1. If you want my business, you have to make it worth my while. Show me the value and don't try to fool me with worthless junk or expensive "upgrades". 2. You are not doing me a favor by taking my money, just as I don't shop to do you a favor. So keep your bad mood and nasty attitude to yourself. And tell your employees to do the same. 3. I am not invisible. In fact, it's very easy to see me standing right here, waiting for you to finish your private conversation and serve your customer - who just happens to be me. Didn't your boss (or your mother) ever tell you how rude that is? 4. If you have a store, make sure it's clean and pleasant. If you provide a service, make sure you're clean and pleasant. If you sell a product, package it in a way that's clean and pleasant. 5. Don't argue with me. You cannot win because I...

Why is it so difficult to take our own advice, to do for ourselves what we do so often and so easily for others? I have spent much of the past twenty years helping people start and grow their small businesses, yet my own seems to have suffered through an endless cycle of surges and stalls. Both of my sons had moderate physical limitations as they were growing up so taking care of them was often challenging: I spent so much time at the hospital that many of the employees thought I worked there too! In addition to being a therapeutic foster parent for several disabled children, I was also a neighborhood mom, often sheltering and feeding a half dozen or more kids every weekend. Meanwhile, now that the kids are all grown and gone, it seems harder and harder everyday to take good care of myself with proper eating habits, rest and exercise. So, even though I don't do "resolutions" I have made a decision and a commitment to do unto myself more of what I do for others. For 2009 I...