[Indie Business Blog] Enjoy Your Life, Build Your Business, Have Your Way! |  |
- #HandmadeChat No. 6: How to Use Milk in Handmade Soap
- Join Me On June 12: My Interview With Speaker and Success Coach DeLores Pressley
- FaceBook Cover Art: April and May 2012
- #HandmadeChat No. 5: How To Make Money Teaching Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Classes
- New Insurance Benefits For IBN Members
- What I’m Getting Out Of the #Fit30 30-Day Fitness Challenge
- Join Me On May 29: My Interview with Danny Nardo of ABC Shark Tank’s Nardos Natural
- How to Create a Habit
- #HandmadeChat Returns in June With New Hosts And Great Handmade Topics
- 30-Day Fitness Challenge: Day 4: Nutrition Challenge: Ken’s Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy Salad Dressing #Fit30
- Video: #IndieCruise MasterMind 2013 Early Bird Registration Now Open: Conceive! Believe! Achieve!
- Join Me For a 30-Day Fitness Challenge
- Video: Second Test of Indie Business LiveCast
- Video: First Test of Indie Business LiveCast
- Joyful Bath Co. and Shea Radiance: Whole Foods Market Local Producers
- My First #Etsy Treasury
- 14 Information Products For Handmade Entrepreneurs
- Interested or Committed?
- Ask Indie Business: “Should I Sell Information About How To Get Products Onto Retail Store Shelves?”
- 10 Habits Of Highly Effective Business Owners
- 3 Easy Tips To Make Your Blog Shine
- Asian Kale Salad
- Why You Should Keep Blogging
- Opportunities and Challenges
- Welcome Lauren, My New Assistant
- Welcome Lydia, IBN’s New Member & Community Manager
| #HandmadeChat No. 6: How to Use Milk in Handmade Soap Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:02 PM PDT Last night, our guest on #HandmadeChat was goat farmer, soapmaker and IBN’s Cincinnati Local Director Mary Humphrey of Annie’s Goat Hill Handcrafted Soaps. Mary makes soap by hand in her Red Barn Studio on the grounds of her goat farm outside Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mary has been making soap using goat milk from her own goats for years, and has some super useful tips for people who make handmade soap — and people (like me!) who like to use it. Here is a sampling of some of the tips Mary shared. Q1: What makes soap made with milk so special? A1b Milk soaps (especially goat milk) are high in caprylic and alpha-hydroxy acids. Both help rejuvenate the skin. A1c Goat milk is especially high in caprylic acid, leading to a soap that is closer to the natural ph of the skin. Q3: Can any type of milk be used to make handmade soap? Q5: Can cream instead of regular milk be used to make handmade soap? A5b I recommend diluting any milk extremely rich in butterfat with distilled water. A5c Approximate dilution 50% cream 50% distilled water. If you are interested in learning more about how to make handmade soap with milk of all kinds, or if you’d like to learn a bit about the positive effects handmade milk soap can have on your skin, you can read the transcript (including lots of more questions and answers from other participants) here. Follow Mary, and get more information about her soaps and soon-to-be-published books on soapmaking at her website and on Twitter. If you found this interview helpful, join us on Thursdays at 8pm ET and follow @HandmadeChat on Twitter. Take our survey here, so we can make #HandmadeChat even better and more relevant for you! Here's how to participate in #HandmadeChat. Join us for the next #HandmadeChat, June 21, 8pm ET, when our topic will be How To Approach Retail Stores To Buy Your Products. See you there! |
| Join Me On June 12: My Interview With Speaker and Success Coach DeLores Pressley Posted: 12 Jun 2012 05:48 AM PDT What if you never had to worry that lack of confidence would sabotage the continuous achievement of your personal definition of success? Today, more than ever, small business success depends not only on the quality of the products and services we sell, but on our ability to sell them with confidence. On this special one-time call, I will interview award-winning motivational speaker and success coach, DeLores Pressley, about how to tap your inner confidence so you can shine brighter than you ever imagined.
Tonight, you'll learn simple strategies to boost your confidence immediately, and in any situation. You'll be empowered to increase your results with less effort and heartache, and have fun doing it. Here’s more about this important event. We will be diving deep into it tonight, addressing issues of special significance to women who are leading businesses, often with no business training or background. I know that guys have confidence issues too, and we welcome men to our call, but I want you to know that we will really be rockin’ it for the ladies tonight. It’s happening tonight, Tuesday, June 12, at 8pm ET. Don’t miss it! “Tap Your Inner Confidence To Propel Your Business Forward”
Check out all of my upcoming calls here. Talk to you tonight! |
| FaceBook Cover Art: April and May 2012 Posted: 11 Jun 2012 10:40 AM PDT
In early April, we posted a FaceBook cover photo featuring an inspirational quote and a few IBN member products from the Indie Photo Gallery at our social site. Our fans loved it so much that we decided to make it a weekly event. You can see the current cover here, featuring some beautiful handmade stackable bracelets. This post shows the cover photos from April and May of this year, along with a bit of information about the members featured. Here’s the cover photo that started it all. The saying reminds us that quality relationships are the foundation of all successful businesses.
(Click image to enlarge.) The featured IBN members are Ayelet Meshulam of NY, New York and Rachel Phillips of Fairy Cute. Ayelet’s photos (this one is her soap) are exquisitely clear and gorgeously rich. See more here. The lip balm is from Fairy Cute, and believe me, everything in that line is very (fairy) cute. See more Fairy Cute goodness here. (The bath bombs look edible …) Don’t you want to see the rest of the covers?! Here they are: |
| #HandmadeChat No. 5: How To Make Money Teaching Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Classes Posted: 08 Jun 2012 07:48 PM PDT
On Thursday nights, I host #HandmadeChat, a weekly Twitter talk show about making, buying, selling handmade products. Last night’s night’s #HandmadeChat topic was How To Make Money Teaching Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Classes.
My guest was La Shonda Tyree, certified soapmaker and CEO of Handmade Soap Coach. La Shonda hosts soap, candle and body care product making classes throughout the northeast and will soon launch classes online. Here is a summary of the valuable tips La Shonda shared. At the bottom, you’ll find a link to the entire transcript and information about next week’s #HandmadeChat topic. Indie Business: THERE ARE SO MANY DIY CLASSES TODAY. HOW DO YOU STAND OUT IN A CROWDED MARKET? La Shonda: Use pictures to promote classes and make sure your students know they can post photos on FaceBook, Twitter, etc. Let them know how to use the hash tag for your event, and how to tag you in a post. If you have guest teachers, make sure you work together to promote events and help spread the word. Collaboration with others always makes you stand out. Really give your all in classes, and deliver what you promise — and then some. Doing that will always distinguish you from everyone else. Indie Business: WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIPS FOR STARTING TO TEACH DIY CLASSES WITHOUT BEING OVERWHELMED? La Shonda: Simple – don’t try to be all things to all people. Don’t try to teach everything you know. Choose what you’re best at, stick to that and grow from there. Focus on your strengths. You can also survey your newsletter subscribers and followers and ask them what they want to learn, and then deliver that to them. When you focus your efforts in this way, you can offer more relevant classes and do less guesswork. Everyone is happy. Indie Business: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO MAKING A PROFIT TEACHING #DIY CLASSES? La Shonda: Many people teach classes for fun, but forget about the “making money” part, and they charge too little for classes. Charge a price that covers your time, costs, etc., and which reflects your expertise and the empowering information you are sharing. Finding a good location can be a challenge too. (See more on this below.) Indie Business: IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR OWN LOCATION, WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS FOR FINDING GOOD PLACES TO TEACH DIY CLASSES? La Shonda: One way is to find local venues that have unused space. For example, I use unused space at a local boutique. Local recreation centers and community colleges are good options as well. They’ll often help you promote too, because they have course catalogs. Indie Business: HOW DO YOU BEST DETERMINE WHAT TYPES OF DIY CLASSES WILL SELL BEST? La Shonda: Well, what are you good at? Where do you excel? What do you love? Those classes will naturally sell best. use color too. People love colorful things and the more color you use, the more fun people will have. Their photos will be better too! As you teach classes, weed out the ones that don’t sell well, increase offers of most popular classes. Indie Business: HOW DO I DETERMINE WHAT TO CHARGE FOR CLASSES? SHOULD I CHARGE A MATERIALS FEE? La Shonda: Yes, you should charge a materials fee. Add up the cost of supplies needed by each student, pass it on. Indie Business: WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIPS FOR PROMOTING DIY CLASSES? La Shonda: Use social media, of course! Promote using your blog, newsletter, Twitter, FaceBook, etc. Create a single link and guide people there. Ask your friends and colleagues, and the event location host (if not you) to blog and calendar too. Schedule Tweets and FaceBook posts in advance so you are not bogged down with routine updates and can focus more on engaging with people. Be sure to post photos during (if possible) and after. People love that! And don’t forget about offline options like direct mail, local newspapers, etc. Add your class schedules to the calendars of social networking sites where you target customers hang out. Click here for a complete transcript of #HandmadeChat: How To Make Money Teaching #DIY Classes. Follow La Shonda, and get more information about her upcoming #SoapCamp at her website and on Twitter. If you found this interview helpful, join us on Thursdays at 8pm ET and follow @HandmadeChat on Twitter.
Join us for the next #HandmadeChat, June 14, 8pm ET, when our topic will be How To Use Milk In Handmade Soap. See you there! |
| New Insurance Benefits For IBN Members Posted: 01 Jun 2012 08:59 AM PDT
Iam pleased to announce a bundle of new insurance benefits for small and independent business owners who are smart enough to join us at IBN! These benefits are made possible by IBN’s collaboration with an insurance broker and underlying carrier that are committed to supporting small companies throughout North America.
Before I get to the benefits, I want to first tell you that the broker we have been working with since 2006, Stratus Insurance Services, Inc., is now Veracity Insurance Solutions, LLC. Daryle Stafford, the new President & CEO, has been with the company for many years and is the driving force behind the programs IBN offers. I am excited to continue our relationship, which has been strengthened through the years, and is now poised to offer a variety of new services to help IBN members grow and thrive in the new economy. Here are the new services: All IBN members who joined and/or renewed their membership and insurance after midnight EST on May 15, 2012, have this coverage, and it continues for current new and renewing members. You do not have to do anything to activate it. I am so thrilled to be able to offer this to my members at no additional cost. The price will be the comparable to that for US IBN members, and more details will be provided later this month. This new program makes me especially happy because so many service providers use the products IBN members make. The relationships IBN will facilitate will help product manufacturers connect with service providers who use their products in spas and salons throughout North America, and will help service providers find the products they need to give their customers the best facials, massages, makeup application, and hair care services. Along with Veracity, I am thrilled to bring you these new services this month. I am especially excited that the joining together of handmade and service-based entrepreneurs in the health and wellness arenas will strengthen our overall community and give each member access to amazing new collaborative opportunities with like-minded small business owners throughout North America. The pricing for these programs is still being finalized, but I am authorized to say that they are extremely competitive and most appealing for any small business owner. These new coverage options will all be available with your purchase of membership in IBN, which since 2000, continues to entitle you to so much more than insurance, including exclusive telseminars and webinars to help you grow your business, improve your marketing skills and boost your confidence level so you can sell your products and services with the grace and style that only you have. The rest of June cannot get here soon enough for me. I can’t wait to fully roll out these new services for you. What a thrill to serve IBN members! And just a little note to make sure it’s all clear. IBN does not provide insurance services. Veracity is the insurance broker. You can learn more about the company here. Question: Do you know anyone who could use these amazing new services? Could you use them? |
| What I’m Getting Out Of the #Fit30 30-Day Fitness Challenge Posted: 30 May 2012 05:23 AM PDT
Today is Day 11 of the 30-day fitness challenge I told you about here and here. For me, the best part so far has been the combination of specific daily tasks and self-directed accountability. I’m also discovering a few things about how I can incorporate more fitness into my life without becoming bored or discouraged. For example, I used to think that I had to exercise for a minimum of an hour to get any real fitness benefits.
This meant that if I didn’t have an hour, I wouldn’t do anything, figuring that anything less than 60 minutes wouldn’t count. Through the daily Active/Cardio challenges, I’m discovering that I get a great deal of benefit out of working out for just 30 minutes. One one morning when I felt especially sluggish and short on time, I performed a 10-minute cardio workout on Fitnessglo (which is complimentary during the program), and I felt great afterward. Another thing I’m enjoying is seeing others share similar challenges using #Fit30 hash tag on Twitter. On days when I don’t feel like doing anything, if I check in to see what others are doing, I’m suddenly challenged to get off my butt and do something too. Another great benefit for me are the Flexibility challenges. I have not been big on yoga, and am generally terrible at forcing myself to stretch after a run. But the simple Flexibility challenges are helping me to slow down and enjoy at least one stress relieving stretch every day. Finally, the Strength challenges are awesome. I have been so focused on cardio via running that I’ve neglected strengthening my core. This challenge is helping me to maintain and build muscle, so important for women. I died a few days last week, then came back to life, after doing planks, squats, and lunges a few days in a row. Then, I did this amazing “Superhuman” core challenge, followed by something called Dead Bug strength challenges. OMG. You should try this Dead Bug thing. Here’s what to do: Begin by lying on back, knees up and bent at 90 degrees. Take the arms straight up overhead and hold this position for a moment, making sure abs are in tight and your back isn’t arching off the floor (if it is, lower the feet to the ground for this exercise). Slowly lower the right arm and left leg towards the floor while keeping the lower back on the floor. Bring them back up and lower the left arm and right leg to the floor. Continue lowering opposite arm and leg for a total of 10 reps per side. What do you think? Is that crazy or what? I moaned loudly the whole time the first time I did it. Now I can complete two entire sets, and I’ve gone from moaning to wincing. Maybe by the end of the 30 days, I’ll be able to do Dead Bugs with a smile. I look forward to that. Question: Are you doing the 30-Day Fitness Challenge with me? What are you getting out of it? |
| Join Me On May 29: My Interview with Danny Nardo of ABC Shark Tank’s Nardos Natural Posted: 28 May 2012 09:19 AM PDT
If you’re like me, you are a huge fan of ABC’s Shark Tank, the show that airs each Friday night featuring five wealthy investors called “Sharks” who consider pitches from entrepreneurs seeking funding for their business or product. Earlier this year, four brothers from Tampa, Florida, pitched their line of Nardos Natural skin care products and emerged with $75,000 in exchange for 50% of the company, from Shark Barbara Corcoran.
Tomorrow night, you have the opportunity to join me and Danny Mastronardo (second brother from the left) as we cover Six Success Points for cosmetics companies. Here’s more about this important event. I'm thrilled to have Danny on for this special call to talk about life before, during, and after Shark Tank, what the Nardos brothers did to position themselves for the show, and the six things you need to do to up your business game. The points we will discuss are critical to success, and apply to your business no matter what industry you are in, and whether or not you want to seek outside funding. It’s happening tomorrow, Tuesday, May 29, at 8pm ET. Don’t miss it! “From Mixing in the Kitchen to Swimming With the Sharks”
Talk to you Tuesday night! |
| Posted: 26 May 2012 08:35 PM PDT
Aristotle said, “Excellence is not an act, but a habit.” I have found this to be true time and again in my life, but it never hurts to pause and “get it” again. I did that today at the Living With Purpose 3-hour mini-retreat, hosted by my good friends Marlon and Syreeta Smith.
We had a fun time of networking with like-minded people and performing tasks to set and achieve goals, improve our communication skills, and, of course, live our lives on purpose. One of the things Marlon shared that I found especially insightful was the R-E-P-O-H acronym, to help us create and sustain good habits. Here’s what it means: This is so true, and so easy to remember, don’t you think? Whether it’s a good habit or a bad one, R-E-P-O-H is generally how it forms. You repeat an action until it becomes easy for you, then you get pleasure from it, then you do it all the time, until eventually, it’s a habit. This can be applied to everything in life, from publishing an email newsletter to maintaining physical fitness, and beyond. Learn more about my friends, Marlon and Syreeta, at their website. Question: What habits have you developed in your life and your business? Can you see how they have become habits by studying them through the lens of the R-E-P-O-H acronym? |
| #HandmadeChat Returns in June With New Hosts And Great Handmade Topics Posted: 25 May 2012 07:43 AM PDT
You know me — I am not afraid to try something new and then tweak it until it’s right. Twitter chats are a case in point. I launched #IndieChat way back in early 2009, and discontinued it shortly thereafter. #HandmadeChat launched last year to test out a different format in light of newer technologies. We had a ton of fun meeting new people and checking out whether handmade afficianadoes were interested. They were, and participation was robust (see transcripts here and here).
But something wasn’t quite right. After much consideration and strategizing with the Indie Team, we concluded that we could improve #HandmadeChat by inviting leaders in the handmade industry to lead the discussion. I am pleased to announce the return of #HandmadeChat, and my hand-selected team of leader co-hosts who are going to rock this chat like nobody’s business. Meet the #HandmadeChat Leadership Team, pictured above! La Shonda, the Soap Coach, is a certified soapmaker who teaches soap and body care product making classes. She will offer tips to help you set up and teach DIY classes of all kinds. Learn how to have fun teaching people how to make things everyone loves, and earn a steady income too! Mary, CEO of Annie’s Goat Hill Soaps, is an experienced soapmaker who makes handmade soap using milk from diary goats she cares for and breeds on her Ohio farm. She will give you the inside scoop on using milk in soap with confidence. Alyssa, CEO of Vintage Body Spa, sells her spa products in spas nationwide, and she knows a thing or two about how to approach retailers with your products. She shares her knowledge through the newly launched Bath and Body Academy, and you’ll get her tips and insights during this chat. Melissa is the CEO of Naturally Good Soaps. She teaches soap and body care product making classes in the area, and her own line of soap uses only natural additives like parsley powder, rolled oats and honey. Melissa’s chat will focus on things to be on the lookout for when you use natural colors and herbs in your handmade cold process soap. You can follow the #HandmadeChat Co-Host Twitter List here. See you on June 7, for #HandmadeChat. Remember to read the easy instructions here if you don’t already know how to participate. Question: What are your suggestions for future #HandmadeChat discussions? |
| Posted: 23 May 2012 06:22 AM PDT
Afew days ago, I invited you to join me on a 30-day fitness challenge, and many of you did. Today is Day 4, and one of the things I am enjoying most is that each day, we focus on specific challenge areas: Active/Cardio, Strength, Nutrition, Mind/Body, and Flexibility.
Today’s Nutrition Challenge is to research a food I consider a “staple,” and determine whether it’s healthy or if I need to find a substitute. I researched Ken’s Steak House Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy salad dressing (get nutrition information at Ken’s Foods website), which I love. Here’s what I discovered. On the good side, this dressing taste great — especially if you love Asian cuisine like I do. It is low in calories and fat, also big plusses in its favor. My research using what I consider to be credible sources (including Mayo Clinic and Yale Scientific), reveals that, while some people experience adverse effects after eating foods containing MSG, it is “generally perceived by the scientific community to be harmless.” I’ll experiment over the next few weeks to see if I can come up with something delicious. I think I’ll start with this recipe for Orange Sesame Salad Dressing. I’ll swap out the sugar for Truvía to lower the sugar content, and swap out the soy sauce for Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to lower the salt content. I will also add ginger, and may cut back the orange juice a bit. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Questions: Are you doing the 30-Da Fitness Challenge with me? What are you learning? If you have a favorite recipe for a salad dressing you make yourself, please share it in the FaceBook or Disqus comment area below. |
| Video: #IndieCruise MasterMind 2013 Early Bird Registration Now Open: Conceive! Believe! Achieve! Posted: 19 May 2012 05:45 PM PDT
Iam pleased to announce that #IndieCruise MasterMind 2013 will set sail Februray 2-7, 2013 for a 4-Night Miami to Cozumel to Belize cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas. Our theme is Conceive! Believe! Achieve! Register now by clicking here, or call Gary Whitehurst at 800-668-6414, ext. 150. Early Bird registration (at the astounding rate of just $399.00 per person per cabin) is now open here now. Your deposit is ONLY $200.00 per CABIN due by July 15, 2012. (This means you can share a cabin, and each put down only $100 to hold it for both of you!) Deposits are FULLY Refundable until the Final Payment date of October 19, 2012. |
| Join Me For a 30-Day Fitness Challenge Posted: 17 May 2012 01:07 PM PDT
Beginning Sunday, May 30, I will participate in a 30-day fitness challenge hosted by one of my IBN members, Teri Patterson of Body Systems. I worked out a total of 10 days last month. I’ve done cardio on 13 days so far this month, so I’m on a bit of a roll. I hope to get an additional boost from Teri starting on Sunday. You can follow my progress using the #FitCEOs Twitter hash tag, which I already use regularly to track my progress with my FitCEOs accountability partners, including Anne-Marie Faiola and Allison Kontour — two of my fitness inspirations — and others.
Won’t you join me? It only costs $5. You’re worth at least that much, right? By the way, don’t make the mistake of thinking that, just because it’s inexpensive, it won’t be good. Teri is a certified fitness coach who is adept at all sports — from kick boxing and zumba to ice hockey! She knows what she’s talking about and she is very passionate about fitness. If Teri is as good a coach as she seems to be, chances are good this will be the last time any of us will be able to get her 30-day program for such a small financial investment. I’m also sponsoring the event, because I want as many people as possible to pursue personal maximum fitness level. I may post here about my progress from time to time, but you can follow more daily at my Escape Obesity Tumblr. C’mon! Do it with me! Register here. Question: Are you in? |
| Video: Second Test of Indie Business LiveCast Posted: 16 May 2012 09:50 AM PDT
Today, we recorded our second test of Indie Business LiveCast. Our show today is sponsored by Maggie Ghanam and her Team at Formulator Sample Shop. I invite you to watch now!
I am learning so much as we go, and as always, I want to share what I learn with you in case you want to follow my model and create a show of your own. Here are a few things I have learned so far: - Lydia’s picture looks better and the audio is less delayed when she uses a Mac (which she used in our first test) than it does when she uses her PC (as she did today). - Products with stark white labels and shiny packaging do not always reflect well on video. - When you have a live caller on your show, inevitably, the door bell will ring, the baby will start crying, and the dogs will start barking as soon as the call starts. This funny part starts at 3:30. - Don’t forget to hide your ear piece behind your shoulder so it doesn’t hang out for all to see. All in a day’s work here at Indie HQ! Resources Mentioned During the Show - This week’s sponsor: Formulator Sample Shop. Use code INDIE11 for your 10% discount — this week only! - Tonight, May 16: Sign up for #IndieMeetup: San Francisco Bay Area - May 13-19 – National Women’s Health Week - Grapefruit Cardamom Whipped Body Butter, from Etta + Billie Question: So, what did you think? You just might do a live show yourself, yes? |
| Video: First Test of Indie Business LiveCast Posted: 14 May 2012 12:29 PM PDT
Today, we recorded our first test of Indie Business LiveCast. We’ve had fun in the past with live video (here and here), and now, we’re making plans to launch a weekly LiveCast to showcase IBN member successes and keep you informed of the latest news for handmade business owners. We’ll have some fun too, as you can see from our test broadcast today. Watch now!
As you can see, it’s a little choppy for the first few seconds during the intro. I’m joined by my co-host, Lydia Fiedler, IBN’s Member and Commmunity Manager. I wasn’t sure whether I would share this recording, but it turned out to be so funny, I just couldn’t resist. Here are a few funny things you’ll notice during the show: - Our kids came home in the middle of the broadcast, so you’ll hear a door bell ring right smack in the middle. Stay tuned for the end when the kiddos come on camera and start acting crazy. - We thought we had properly set up the phone line to have my assistant, Lauren, call in to pretend like she won the aromatherapy diffuser as a prize. You’ll crack up when you see the phone does not work properly, and keeps ringing and beeping — and no Lauren! This is why we test, right? LOL! We are having fun with it, and hope you enjoy some laughs watching. Everything will be all worked out when we launch the “real” show in June. (Yeah, right — you can never say “everything is all worked out” with live broadcasting … we’re learning that up close and personal!) Upcoming Events Mentioned During the Show - Tuesday, May 15: Sign up for “Easy Blog Formats Any Indie Can Use” - Wednesday, May 16: Sign up for #IndieMeetup: San Francisco Bay Area Other Resources Mentioned During the Show SunRose Aromatics Question: So, did you laugh? Have fun? What did you think? What sorts of things would you like for us to include on Indie Business LiveCast? I can’t wait to hear your ideas! |
| Joyful Bath Co. and Shea Radiance: Whole Foods Market Local Producers Posted: 14 May 2012 10:33 AM PDT
Check out the lovely Indies! Rochel Roland of Joyful Bath Co. (left) and Funlayo Alabi of Shea Radiance joined forces Saturday at Whole Foods Market in Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Funlayo and Rochel are part of Whole Foods’s Local Producer program which supports local products and the people who supply them. Says Funlayo:
Rochel says:
Thanks for sharing IBN with others Funlayo and Rochel! These ladies are such inspirations! Look at them, selling their products while also using their success to inspire other women to pursue their entrepreneurial goals. We love it, and we love supporting our members, and are always excited to celebrate their success. If you are interested in learning about how to get your products into Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer program in your area, click here) (IBN member login required; click here to join) our exclusive online teleseminar on the topic, with Susan Mann of Manor Hall Soap Co., a Local Producer in the Boston area. (If you’re not an IBN member, click here to join.) Congratulations Funlayo and Rochel, and here’s to many more years of Indie success! Resources JoyFul Bath Co. website, Twitter and FaceBook |
| Posted: 12 May 2012 01:35 PM PDT
Today, I curated my first Etsy Treasury. This was a fun Saturday morning project. Have a look:
Here are sellers featured in my first Treasury, starting upper left:
What a joy to serve all of these successful handmade entrepreneurs from across North America! I hope you like my first Etsy Treasury. I look forward to curating more. Question: If you had to choose a favorite product from my first Treasury, which would it be? |
| 14 Information Products For Handmade Entrepreneurs Posted: 08 May 2012 08:11 PM PDT
One of the best things about owning a business of your own is that there is no limit to what you can do or how much money you can make. Once you reach a certain level of success in a core area, you can increase your income by offering different types of products that complement your core. Handmade entrepreneurs have a distinct advantage in this area. Selling the products you make organically paves the way for you to offer all kinds of information products.
As you grow (whatever “grow” means to you) your handmade business, you will eventually become an expert at two things:
In other words, after you enjoy a certain amount of core business success, not only do you become expert at your craft, but you also become really good sales person. This means two things. First, you can teach other people how to do what you know how to do. Second, you can make money doing it. If you find that you are ready for this step, this post is designed to get your entrepreneurial juices flowing! Here are my top 14 information products for handmade entrepreneurs, including examples of IBN members who are making their mark in this area. Technology makes it super easy to make your expertise available in e-book form. It’s as simple as designing a cover, formatting the text, adding photos and other graphics for interest, saving it as a PDF, and making it available for a fee at your website. Examples: Joan Morais and her e-books on how to make your own cosmetics, and Jameel Nolan, who offers a hard copy and e-book version of her soy candle making book (and a DVD too)! If this idea interests you, listen to my podcast with Charlon Bobo about how to write and publish your e-book. (Charlon also wrote an e-book on the topic!) Once you master how to make something that other people want to know how to make as well, you can record “how to” videos and make them available online behind a password protected area. Example: Anne-Marie Faiola’s colorful video tutorials, an example of which is here. She offers free videos on YouTube, but the paid videos provide tips not offered to the public for free. With so many affordable word processing programs available for Macs and PCs, you could create your own magazine and offer PDF subscriptions. Example: Debbie Chialtas of Soapylove and her Let’s Get Soapy online magazines. These are super examples, filled with color and inspiration for all of your melt and pour projects. If you’re brave (some would use another word), you might even launch a print magazine — like someone else I know … (Call me personally before you do this!) Grab that video camera and record what, and then burn it to a DVD. Example: Candace Newman of Oil Lady Aromatherapy and her aromatherapy and massage DVDs. Another example is Marla Bosworth’s cosmetics making DVDs. Twitter chats are subject-matter conversations that occur on Twitter. Participants discuss a topic using a hash tag to tie the conversation together. A Twitter chat is a great way for you to host an online event that shares your passion and exposes more people to what you have to offer. I’m surprised more handmade entrepreneurs don’t do this. Example: #HandmadeChat, which I launched earlier this year and am re-launching next month, and which will be co-hosted by several of my members. (Stay tuned!) With services like Ustream and Livestream, you can offer live classes and record them for replay later. I’ve done this before with my The Media Is You Event, to help people create branded media outlets so complement their sales efforts. Example: Andrea Butje and her online aromatherapy certification classes. Here are some tips for hosting a live video webinar. If you like working with people more intimately to help the learn what you know, coaching and consulting is a nice option. From one-on-one to group, and from in-person to via telephone, there is an option that can suit your lifestyle and that of your clients. Example: Alyssa Middleton of Vintage Body Spa recently opened the Bath and Body Academy, offering several different types of consulting options.. I love the idea of creating a product that provides a laser focus on a very particular point. Example: Special Reports offered by Joan Stewart, the Publicity Hound. I have purchased a few of these reasonably priced and easy to download reports over the years. Each spotlights a particular piece of information that people want and need to gain media attention. Despite what you may have heard, traditional publishing companies are still publishing traditional books. Example: This is how I got my start, with my book Making Aromatherapy Creams and Lotions, published by Storey Books. It takes a long time to go from concept to book in the traditional publishing world, but it’s great to have the support of professional editors and designers you don’t have to hire yourself. If you’d rather not go through a traditional publisher, you can use publishing services offered by companies like Amazon’s Create Space and Lulu to get your bound book out there. Example: Former IBN member Kayla Fioravanti and her how to books on M&P soapmaking and aromatherapy. If you think your customers would enjoy connecting with you and with each other in a more intimate way, you could launch a niche forum to help people use your products and connect with other fans. This is a great way to give your customers more access to you and to host a special pace just for them to talk about — guess what? — your products! Example: Aromaleigh Associates mineral makeup forum. It’s as easy ad one-two-three to set up a free Blog Talk Radio (here’s mine) account and start podcasting. This is a great option if video and/or writing don’t suit you. Example: My client Laura McClain, who completed my content training program earlier this year, and her Run Momma Run running podcasts to encourage women to run for fitness and sanity. These podcasts do a great job of supporting Laura’s core business of selling running equipment and hosting running events. I hosted Indie Business Podcast from 2005 until early this year. Because I hosted my podcast for so many years, and technology changed along the way, they are not all in one place (yet.) You can enjoy several of them in the Podcast Category here at the blog. (Indie Business Podcast is being reformatted to take better advantage of new technologies and will return soon!) Many IBN members offer in-person classes to share their expertise live and in the flesh. Examples: La Shonda Tyree, aka Handmade Soap Coach, Lori Nova of The Nova Studio, and others. You can see dozens of upcoming IBN member classes listed here — find some in your area! Teleseminars are like talk shows on the phone. They require very little technological know-how and are easy for both you and the attendees. Example: My Indie Protégé Network membership tier is built on teleseminars (and a few webinars now and then). For just $9.97 a month, my Protégés enjoy monthly opportunities to meet with me (and sometimes a hand-picked expert guest) to discuss a particular topic. This benefit is included in IBN membership too! You could charge more or less. The audio recordings can be made available for those who cannot attend in person, along with transcripts and hand-outs. (If you’d like to become one of my Protégé’s, you can sign up here!) As you can probably tell, these suggestions are not just for handmade entrepreneurs. Anyone who has a business in any industry, and who has a desire to grow and add additional income in a natural way, will be excited by at least one of these ideas. Of course, not every business is at a time in its evolution where information products make sense. But I would be surprised if, whatever you make, there’s not an opportunity for you to consider adding some type of information product to your repertoire. You have to be ready, and you need to plan so you can ensure that the type of information product you choose does not take away from your core product line. Don’t be afraid to try though. If things don’t work out, you can always pull back. Just be intentional and thoughtful, educate yourself, and give it your best shot. But if you have a strong core, adding one or more of these types of products could be in the cards for you. |
| Posted: 01 May 2012 03:20 PM PDT
Last week, I became inspired to write a post about bodies in motion for the Fitness Category here. I asked a few of my members how being physically fit positively impacts their business. My intention was to share their tips with you … until I received the reply from Candance Sweeney — who is pictured below in the green shorts, finishing her first half marathon.
Candance’s reply said:
That’s all it said. I received great tips from others, and I will share them with you later, but for now, I want you to keep Candance’s thought in your mind for a minute, as you read the rest of this post. One definition of committment is to pledge oneself. If you are committed to something, you are pledged to the mission. Come hell or high water, you are in it to win it, period. Consider what happens when you are interested in another person. You may be curious, even fascinated, with him. You may call him, pursue opportunities to spend time with him, and miss him when he’s not around. But that doesn’t mean you are committed to him. You can be interested, even highly interested, without being committed.
I am interested in my business. I am interested in my family. I am interested in fitness. But after a while, I can also tell that they are not committed. There’s nothing wrong with that, unless you mistake interest for commitment. You can waste a lot of precious time and money being interested. Being interested in business will not make you any money. Being interested in fitness will not make you fit. You have to decide whether you are interested or committed. You can be so interested in something that you read all the books and articles you can find on it. You buy all the tech gadgets that go along with it. You hang with all the people who share the interest, and even some who are committed to it. You may even pay people a lot of money to help you pursue your interest. Either way, it was their decision to pursue their interest that got them to the point where they could know whether or not they wanted become committed. But nothing happens. Likewise, I think it’s possible to be interested in fitness, but not committed to it. I don’t think it’s possible to be committed to fitness, but not interested in it. You can learn more about Candance by following her on Twitter or FaceBook. Question: So, when it comes to your business, are you interested or are you committed? And when it comes to fitness, are you interested or are you committed? |
| Ask Indie Business: “Should I Sell Information About How To Get Products Onto Retail Store Shelves?” Posted: 26 Apr 2012 09:18 AM PDT
Q: “Dear Indie Business: I need your advice on something. I have been getting a lot of inquiries from people asking how I got my products into Whole Foods Market and other stores. Should I give this information away or write an ebook on the process? I have found when I try to help others (although the learning process for me was difficult), they sometimes come back with additional questions before doing their own diligence.” – Jameel Nolan, Natural Candle Pastries, Alpharetta, GA
dM’s Answer: “Jameel, first of all, congratulations on getting your products into Whole Foods Market and other retail stores! That’s a super success … and with it, as you now know, comes lots of people who want to know the “secrets” of our success. The key to answering these types of questions is to create a system for dealing with them so you can respond to quickly and without spending valuable time figuring out what to do on a case-by-case basis. Here are my suggestions: Do you want to answer these types of questions at all? If not, you have a few options. First, you can collect a short list of people who provide consulting services to help people get their products on store shelves, and create a form response to the inquiries. Zip it off whenever one comes your way, and you’re done. You could also post the information in a blog or website page and refer people directly to the link for resources. A less “hands on” approach it to let people know that you don’t provide consulting service of that type, and recommend that they contact the Whole Foods Market in their area for resources. You can always politely suggest Google too. The point here is answer the question quickly. While you have their attention, you might also gently steer them in the direction of products you do offer. Finally, invite them to subscribe to your newsletter so you can stay in touch. Another option is to capitalize on your hard-earned knowledge by adding another information product to your line. It can take the form of an e-book, a live online class, an in-person workshop, an audio CD, or a combination of all of them. Plan ahead and insert this new product into your existing business model so it becomes a natural complement to your core business. Don’t forget to celebrate that your hard work has created a new opportunity for you to make money by adding a new product that flows naturally and logically from your past efforts. The organic creation of additional revenue opportunities is a great success in and of itself, and you should feel good about that. Happy Dance! Here’s an important bonus note. I have heard people balk at paying someone to share information they feel should be given to them for free. While I agree that there are times when giving things away is entirely appropriate, this is generally not one of them. I believe women should proactively pursue all opportunities they feel will complement their lives and add to their financial bottom line. You should make as much money as you want to make, and you should not feel guilty because you want to exchange your expertise for a fair dollar amount. You worked hard for years (I know this personally because I watched you do it!) to create a line of products worthy of the attention of one of the nation’s most respected retail chains. After you did that, you took the initiative to discover exactly what they required of you to get some of their valuable shelf space. You read specs, talked to buyers, downloaded PDFs, filled out forms, made phone calls, personally visited stores, signed contracts, purchased products liability insurance, complied with retailer labeling requirements, invested in UPC codes — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, right? You can create a training program or ebook that can save another entrepreneur all the stress and trouble you went through. That’s worth something, and anyone who thinks you have an obligation to give it away is not showing much respect for you as a woman, not to mention their own future success. If a person won’t invest in herself, how can she rightfully expect you to invest in her? Some people won’t like it if you decide to make money on what you know. That’s their issue, not yours. You've already gotten your products into Whole Foods Market, Jameel, but IBN members who have not may wish to check out How I Got My Products Into Whole Foods Market (and how you can too, a member teleseminar with IBN’s Boston Directory, Susan Mann of Manor Hall Soap Co. Susan’s products are in Whole Foods Markets throughout the northeastern US, and in stores all over. (If you’re not an IBN member, learn more and join here.) Good luck, Jameel, and let us know what you decide to do! – Donna Maria” Resources Natural Candle Pastries =============== Have a question for Indie Business? Submit your question about business and success now via this form, and it could be featured in our blog. |
| 10 Habits Of Highly Effective Business Owners Posted: 24 Apr 2012 08:28 PM PDT
Do you want to (continue to) be a successful business owner? I do. It’s what I invest most of my time doing, really — performing activities that help me serve my members more effectively. Ideas pop into my head all the time. Thank goodness for Lydia and Lauren, who receive a steady stream of dM’s New Ideas all week long, and who, after just a few weeks on the job, are doing a great job of separating the wheat from the chaff.
They help me say, “No” (see item #4 below), and it’s a good thing, because I’m not good at it myself. My life is spent working with, encouraging, and socializing with small business owners from all walks of life. The emphasis, of course, is on handmade business owners — people who make the amazing products they sell with their own hands. Based on my observations, these are ten habits of highly effective business owners. Effective business owners are either naturally curious or they quickly develop an insatiable appetite for information they can use to make things happen. They are constantly learning. They study statistics, the habits of successful entrepreneurs, competitors, and read industry trade journals and blogs so they can see what works and what doesn’t work. They are constantly connecting these dots to form a working strategy that pushes their business forward. As curious as they are, they know when to stop asking question and get busy. They know that knowledge is not power unless it’s action upon. They develop a sense of when they can stop researching a topic and start doing something with the knowledge they have. They appreciate the danger inherent in collecting so much information that nothing ever gets done. And they avoid that danger like the plague. After collecting information, and knowing when they have enough of it, they roll up their sleeves and the next thing you know, something amazing is done. A new product line is launched. A new blog post is making its way across their social networks. A new crop of product photos is on display at their FaceBook Page and their Pinterest. A new social sharing icon is added to their website. A new newsletter is published. A new pitch is on its way to their customers’s favorite magazine. At the end of each day, they can look back and point to 2 or 3 specific things they did to push the wheel barrel up the hill. They celebrate and then do it all over again the next day. …Well, they do if they want to remain sane. Th”ey learn to say “no” because they say “yes” for a really long time, and then get to the point where they learn to say “no.” Every successful business owner learns this lesson. Saying “Yes” to too many things will land you in one of two places: the poor house or the crazy house I don’t want to be in either. This is big, and pretty self-explanatory. You see them there, but they are not all over FaceBook like it’s a new job. They’re there like they have a reason for being there beyond socializing. They are interacting with customers, learning something new, sharing something they think will help others, or generally making it easy for new customers to find them. It’s a fine line, but at the end of the day, you just don’t see them idling away time on FaceBook. Effective business owners don’t just arrive at the beginning of each workday wondering what they are going to do next. They have a plan and when they veer off track, which they inevitably do, they quickly come back into line. No new product is launched by accident. Careful consideration is given to new ideas to see if they fit the master vision for the business. If they don’t, they fall on the cutting room floor. If they do, well, see #3 above. You can see almost exactly how they run their businesses just by looking at their calendars. That’s how disciplined they are. If it’s on the calendar, it can happen. If it’s not, it had better be an emergency. Otherwise, it won’t happen. I've been a business owner for 12 years. As much as I know, every day, I find out more things I don’t know. It’s difficult for a lot of people to be teachable because they don’t want to admit that they don’t know something they think they should know. Effective business owners aren’t like that. They are curious, remember? And they ask as many questions as they can while they can. They know that when you’re teachable, people will teach you things, and that will make you unstoppable. I love this part — you often see effective business owners sharing what they know. Whether it’s their passion for fitness or their love for a particular charity, effective people reach out into the world and sprinkle what they know all over it, like fairy dust. They make magic in at least one person’s life every single day. No laziness here. Effective entrepreneurs know that if they don’t lead themselves, they cannot possibly lead a business. This is tough. It takes discipline. I’ve met a lot of great people with great products. The ones who develop their products more than they develop themselves don’t make it. Question: What habit do you think is most valuable? What do you think the most important habit of a highly effective business owner? It might be one of the ones listed here, or something totally different. Let us know in the comments! |
| 3 Easy Tips To Make Your Blog Shine Posted: 23 Apr 2012 02:17 PM PDT
Last week, I shared why you should keep blogging. Today, I want to share an infographic that complements my commentary.
I am embedding this graphic from The Daily SEO Blog so you can see, as the editor of that blog says, how a blog, “[S]peaks in your voice, provides a gateway to your community, acts as your moral center and facilitates communication with the rest of the world.” Check out the graphic and then scroll underneath it to see what I think is most important for Indies.  Designed by Shepard Infographics for SEOmoz
There are lots of other juicy tidbits in the graphic, so be sure to have a look at your leisure. Question: Which of these tips is most useful for you? Question: Are you going to keep your blog (or start or re-start one)? Why or why not? |
| Posted: 22 Apr 2012 06:30 AM PDT
I love kale, and even better, so do my kids. It’s a super healthy veggie, and it’s easy to prepare and enjoy without messing up your fitness routine. This weekend, we devoured this easy Asian Kale Salad. Just wash a big, huge bunch of kale, and separate and discard the stems.
Chop up the leaves and let them drain. In another bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of Ken’s Steakhouse Lite Asian Sesame With Ginger & Soy salad dressing, a clove (or two) of garlic (chopped), about 1/2 small red onion (chopped), 1/4 cup of chopped pine nuts, 1/4 cup of dried cranberries (chopping optional), and the juice of a small lemon. Stir it a lot, then pour it over the greens. Add some freshly cracked pepper. I didn’t do this, but you might also add some freshly grated cheese, your favorite kind. (Hmmmm, might have to re-make with that. I would think Parmesan would be good.) Let it sit for a while, mixing things around now and then so the greens get all the goodies on them. Lastly, and most importantly, eat yours before everyone gets there. Yum! Question: What’s your favorite kale recipe? |
| Posted: 21 Apr 2012 12:47 PM PDT
A few days ago, USA Today published More Companies Quit Blogging, Go With FaceBook Instead. Huh? I don’t get it. You know I don’t get it, especially if you read this 2009 post about why a blog adds more long term valuable to your business than a FaceBook Page could ever add.
Sure, it takes less time to publish a short FaceBook status update (or 140 characters in the case of Twitter) than it does to publish 140 words. But since when did less time mean more value? If you want to add more value to your business, so you can add more value to your customers’s experience, so you can increase the value of your business, the last thing you want to do is ditch your blog for FaceBook Don’t Abdicate Your Throne How many times have you surrendered control of your community engagement to FaceBook, only to have FaceBook rock your world by doing things like:
And that’s a very short list. There’s little doubt that each of those changes was good for FaceBook. But were they good for your business? And even if they were, does it make any sense to turn over your community engagement to a third party that does not have your business’s best interests at heart? I think not. More People Are Reading Blogs … … so … why would you stop blogging? Don’t miss this. While the USA Today article highlights a decrease in the number of businesses with a blog, it fails to mention recent data from emarketer showing that the percentage of web surfers reading blogs rose from 45% in 2008 to 53.5% in 2011. Did you catch that? Companies that ditch their blogs are doing so at a time when the number of people reading blogs is increasing. Why would anyone do that? Don’t Delegate Your Community To FaceBook (or Twitter or … Anyone) FaceBook is great, and I use it almost every day at the Indie Business Fans Page. I love connecting with you there (and on Twitter and other places). But FaceBook is not looking out for my business. And it’s not looking out for yours either. If you abandon your blog, or neglect to maintain the one you have, you are literally making it harder for people to find you, trust you, learn about your products, and ultimately, buy your products. More and more, people are looking to blogs to find the information they need to do everything from choosing health and beauty products to learning how to change a tire. Whether you want to grow big or grow small, your customers and prospects will be looking to you for the information they need to make wise buying decisions. They will be looking to trust you, and to be able to rely on you as a leader in your field. What better way to showcase your credibility than to host a blog that you own, manage, and control? What better way to show customers, prospects, media representatives, colleagues, and friends that you are investing real resources in your brand and not relying solely on free services like FaceBook and Twitter to garner attention and sell your products? A blog is simple, very low cost, easy to manage, and free. Get one and use it. And don’t ditch the one you have. =============== By the way, if you’re an IBN member, you probably could use some help developing an easy, “plug-and-play” blogging format so you can blog more frequently without unnecessarily diminishing the time you need to make your products. That’s why dM is hosting Question: Are you going to keep your blog (or start or re-start one)? Why or why not? |
| Posted: 18 Apr 2012 11:26 AM PDT
What do you see when you survey the small and independent business landscape?
You won’t be surprised to know that I see a world of opportunity. You won’t be surprised to know that I see a world or challenges. Let me explain. Opportunities Let’s start with the opportunities.
Challenges Now, the challenges.
Question: What do you see? |
| Welcome Lauren, My New Assistant Posted: 17 Apr 2012 05:13 AM PDT
Yesterday, I introduced you to Lydia Fiedler, IBN’s new Member & Community Manager. Today, I am thrilled to introduce Lauren Riemer, my new assistant. In a word, Lauren is my right hand.
Lauren has many gifts, but two of her standout gifts are organization and administration. Lauren can sift through my mess of energy and ideas, find the gold, and get rid of everything else. She has an uncanny ability to identify the pieces that really matter, and then organize them into a coherent action plan. Say Hello To Lauren! Lauren and her high school sweetheart married a few years ago, and are the proud parents of sweet baby girl, Lillie, who helps them take care of their dogs Ally Dog (a lhasa apso) and Jake Dog (a toy poodle). Originally from Waterford, Michigan (outside Detroit), Lauren moved to Charlotte, NC two years ago when her husband got a job here. Lauren has previously served in various positions in the communications industry, including public relations, marketing, advertising, branding, and social media. Here’s more about Lauren. –> Favorite scents: woodsy and herbal smells, as well as fruits, citruses and clean linen aromas –> Favorite color: mustard yellow –> Favorite books: If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You, by Kelly Cutrone –> Favorite music: Top 40 –> What Indie Means To Lauren: “Indie is the future of the business world. I am looking forward to providing IBN members with outstanding customer service, and creating beneficial programs for their use and education.” Sign me up for that, Lauren. Let’s go! Please join me in welcoming Lauren to the INDIE Team! |
| Welcome Lydia, IBN’s New Member & Community Manager Posted: 16 Apr 2012 05:33 AM PDT
Iam thrilled to introduce Lydia Fiedler, IBN’s new Member & Community Manager! As Indie grows, it’s important that you have someone besides moi to go to when you need help or have a question.
Lydia has a passion for people, and she loves all things Indie. She is a skilled communicator, and after just a few days working closely with her, I can see that she does a great job of creating, organizing, leading, and nurturing community. The best way to contact Lydia is via the INDIE Assist Twitter Page and also at her Profile Page at Indie Social. Say Hello To Lydia! Lydia is the wife of 20 years to her 6th grade “sweetheart,” and together they live out their passion for animal rescue as they raise their cats, Maddie and Splotchy, who were ditched on the side of the road when they were only three weeks old. The book Lydia wrote about the rescue brought me to tears. Originally from Buffalo, NY, Lydia has made Austin, Texas, her home for the past few decades. She regularly teaches at SXSW, which she describes as “Disneyland for artistic geeks” like her. Here’s more about Lydia. –> Favorite scents: clean, citrus, herbals; mints and lavender –> Favorite color: blue –> Favorite books: 1984, The Brothers Karamazov, Blindness, Jude the Obscure, Trinity and all of Calvin and Hobbes –> Favorite music: Mozart to rap, with a favorite being local Austin musicians Darden Smith and Joanna Barbera –> What Indie Means To Lydia: “To me it means true independence from a traditional model. So handmade goods sold on Etsy or Zibbet bypass that cumbersome retail model that is hard for startups. Crowdsourced funding – like Kickstarter – is a great example of indie – independent art and music being funded, produced and sold outside traditional music and movie and art distribution channels. I love truly indie business that puts people in charge of their own destinies and equalizes our power in the market.” Please welcome Lydia on Twitter. You can follow her if you’d like to stay up to date on the great things IBN members are doing across the nation, and if you need help with anything. You can check out Lydia’s book about the rescue of sweet little Maddie and Splotchy at this link. Please join me in welcoming Lydia to the INDIE Team! |
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