A few weeks ago I attended a business seminar hosted by SCORE NYC on the retail business. SCORE is a non-profit organization that provides free small business counseling and low-cost small business workshops throughout the country. However, the reason for my attending was Maisha Walker, the "internet strategist" for Inc. magazine and president of Message Medium. Her wealth of knowledge was worth every moment spent at the seminar. If you are a mompreneur or entrepreneur who is starting or expanding an online business, you definitely have to check her out. She gave great tips on how to establish and expand your online presence without breaking the bank; SEO strategies for small businesses; and how to optimize social media to get the word out.
I have yet to apply the things I learned at the seminar, but cannot wait to get started. It has been slow going for me, but I am enjoying the journey. I will keep you posted on my progress and on any good tips or information I find.
Until then,
Helen
TracyChambers Vintage
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
BROOKLYN in the HOUSE!
Welcome to Brooklyn Moms Talk!
We're three regular moms living in Brooklyn. A momprenuer, an artist, and a writer. We love to talk. And there's plenty of stuff to talk about in Brooklyn:
Public schools.
Gentrification.
Diversity.
Organic produce.
Street corner bodegas.
Brownstones.
Co-ops.
"Rent is too damn high!"
Playdates.
Public parks.
Oh my! No, Brooklyn is not the suburbs. There are no subdivisions, cul de sacs,ubiquitous minivans, and desperate housewives (that we know of). And some would even argue, not the ideal place to raise children. Au contraire, au pair (lawd knows we could sure use one of the those!). From Coney Island to the Botanical Gardens; Brooklyn Bridge Park to Riis Beach; Prospect Park to the New York Aquarium; the Transit Museum to our local public libraries, Brooklyn can be the ideal playground for the well-rounded, cultured, bohemian hip, socially conscious child.
Our children range in ages three through eight. We own and rent, volunteer at our kids' public school, shop at farmer's markets, the infamous Park Slope Food Co-op, thrift stores, hip boutiques, fancy toy stores, and love every minute of it--save for the occasional brouhaha that's all a Brooklyn brand of crazy. Along with running a business, freelancing, and art making, we navigate motherhood as socially aware, health conscious, somewhat well-adjusted women raising families in Brooklyn.
Yep, we go hard!
Okay, not so much. But we try. Not so tiger mom-ish. Say, an African hawk eagle mom, a gazelle mom, and a cheetah mom. We'll explain later...
Margot, Ibi, & Helen
We're three regular moms living in Brooklyn. A momprenuer, an artist, and a writer. We love to talk. And there's plenty of stuff to talk about in Brooklyn:
Public schools.
Gentrification.
Diversity.
Organic produce.
Street corner bodegas.
Brownstones.
Co-ops.
"Rent is too damn high!"
Playdates.
Public parks.
Oh my! No, Brooklyn is not the suburbs. There are no subdivisions, cul de sacs,
Our children range in ages three through eight. We own and rent, volunteer at our kids' public school, shop at farmer's markets, the infamous Park Slope Food Co-op, thrift stores, hip boutiques, fancy toy stores, and love every minute of it--save for the occasional brouhaha that's all a Brooklyn brand of crazy. Along with running a business, freelancing, and art making, we navigate motherhood as socially aware, health conscious, somewhat well-adjusted women raising families in Brooklyn.
Yep, we go hard!
Okay, not so much. But we try. Not so tiger mom-ish. Say, an African hawk eagle mom, a gazelle mom, and a cheetah mom. We'll explain later...
Margot, Ibi, & Helen
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Allergy Relief
Sniffling, sneezing, puffy eyes, itchy throat. My family has it bad! According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America it is estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from indoor/outdoor seasonal allergies. When my children were young I swore that I would not medicate them with over-the-counter elixirs. I used herbs and down home remedies to heal them and quell their misery. Well times have changed and while I still use echinacea and golden seal to boost their immune systems, I gave into allergy shots because things got really bad.
My oldest became allergic to everything pollinated - that included anything grown in the ground or on a tree. Then she developed seasonal asthma which scared me to death. I only allowed her to use the albuterol pump twice during the season while monitoring her closely and making sure she stayed indoors 90 percent of the time for two months. What a horrible thing for an eight year old, but I didn't want her to become dependent on the medication.
This year I was proactive and began giving her Zyrtec before the season started, and so far so good.
Now for me and the hubby, a nasal cleanse works wonders. You can purchase a Neti Pot at your local drug store or use a syringe bottle with a saline solution to clear the nostrils and help relieve allergy symptoms.
For more information on allergy relief, the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has a support community which I sometimes find helpful at http://www.inspire.com/groups/asthma-and-allergy-foundation-of-america/.
Until next time,
Happy healing and gesundheit!
Helen
My oldest became allergic to everything pollinated - that included anything grown in the ground or on a tree. Then she developed seasonal asthma which scared me to death. I only allowed her to use the albuterol pump twice during the season while monitoring her closely and making sure she stayed indoors 90 percent of the time for two months. What a horrible thing for an eight year old, but I didn't want her to become dependent on the medication.
This year I was proactive and began giving her Zyrtec before the season started, and so far so good.
Now for me and the hubby, a nasal cleanse works wonders. You can purchase a Neti Pot at your local drug store or use a syringe bottle with a saline solution to clear the nostrils and help relieve allergy symptoms.
For more information on allergy relief, the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America has a support community which I sometimes find helpful at http://www.inspire.com/groups/asthma-and-allergy-foundation-of-america/.
Until next time,
Happy healing and gesundheit!
Helen
Friday, April 15, 2011
Brooklyn Moms Talk Manifesto
I am not a maid
I am not a babysitter
I am not Claire Huxtable
I am not June Cleaver
But...
I AM sexy
I AM an artist
I AM a writer
I AM an entrepreneur
I AM ...
As a stay-at-home mom you have to re-stake your claim in this world. Sometimes people forget that you have the same interests and goals you had before those lovely little ones entered your world. Of course your children have no clue of who you once were, therefore you must educate them. This is a slow process and takes a bit of weaning, but with loving persistence they eventually get it. We love the paths we chose and would not change them for anything. However, we find it hard to strike that balance that all moms struggle with - attending to your children's needs as well as fulfilling your own.
Though we do not have all of the answers or solutions, we can explore them together. Hopefully this blog will add another dimension to the shared mommy spaces in cyber world. Stay tuned for tips, tricks, good conversation and webisodes. We are looking forward to sharing our knowledge and experiences with you.
Until next time,
Helen
I am not a babysitter
I am not Claire Huxtable
I am not June Cleaver
But...
I AM sexy
I AM an artist
I AM a writer
I AM an entrepreneur
I AM ...
As a stay-at-home mom you have to re-stake your claim in this world. Sometimes people forget that you have the same interests and goals you had before those lovely little ones entered your world. Of course your children have no clue of who you once were, therefore you must educate them. This is a slow process and takes a bit of weaning, but with loving persistence they eventually get it. We love the paths we chose and would not change them for anything. However, we find it hard to strike that balance that all moms struggle with - attending to your children's needs as well as fulfilling your own.
Though we do not have all of the answers or solutions, we can explore them together. Hopefully this blog will add another dimension to the shared mommy spaces in cyber world. Stay tuned for tips, tricks, good conversation and webisodes. We are looking forward to sharing our knowledge and experiences with you.
Until next time,
Helen
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