Videography Blew my Budget

I told you all that I'd share with you what I have and am learning along my entrepreneurial journey. I've actually written two articles titled "My Big Dumb Costly Business Mistakes". Well here goes with mistake number 3 - I hired a professional videographer when I decided to launch my vlogs. What should I have done? Purchased one of those flip cams that are all the rage now for less than $200.

Sometimes I can get a bit hung up on making sure that my business reflects quality and professionalism. I've come to understand that this isn't necessary in all aspects and can become quite expensive if you're outsourcing. What does this mean for the future of my vlogs? Nothing other than I won't debut any until I purchase a flip cam or some other do-it-yourself device. (I think I may have one episode left that still needs to be published).

I'm still going to feature my Small Business Showcase here on my blog in the interim. If you know of an entrepreneur that you'd like to see mentioned, drop me an email at info@donnaljohnson.com and give me specifics of who/why. If you can recommend a small, easy to use camera I'd appreciate that too! My video clips are one of my favorite things to do. :)

Talk to you soon...

Unemployed? Unhappy with your Present Job?

I've always known that I wouldn't be an employee for my entire life. I had no problem with showing up to work, doing my job, and exceeding expectations. However, deep inside me it was never enough and I often became bored within a couple of years of being on a job. I was fired from my last job in July of 2008 and I talk candidly about this experience. I'm not embarrassed or ashamed because 1. my work/title didn't define me and 2. I didn't have the courage to quit so getting fired was a life saver.

There are millions of people who've lost their jobs involuntarily and my heart goes out to them. I've been in that situation as well. Additionally, there are probably millions of other folks who go to work every day and absolutely hate what they do, but because of the current economic conditions, they have no choice but to stay. I can relate to that as well.

No matter which category you fall into, I'm here to tell you that you can take control of your situation and circumstances. Don't allow yourself to become a victim and make excuses. Instead, make a decision to take action and turn your life and career around for the better. If you've ever thought of starting a home-based business, there's no better time than the present. If you're afraid or unsure about where to begin, I've put together an easy to read eBook to help you overcome those fears and get you going in the right direction. Look to the right of the screen and click on the link underneath my web address to purchase your copy today. I've priced it affordably, but the introductory price won't last long.

If you have any questions after you read it, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. I'm always here to help and you are never in this alone.

Blogging is Communicating - Commit to Comment

I took a poll on twitter to find out if people wanted blog authors to reply to comments left by their readers. Hands down - everyone who responded said yes. I asked the question because I'm not a pro blogger (if there even is such a thing) and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't falling short on delivering value to my supporters.

What I learned from asking this question is that people want two way communication when reading blogs just like any other form of communication. If you've taken the time to post a comment, the least I can do is take the time and show some love by reciprocating with a simple thank you or other relevant feedback.

I pledge to you, my readers and friends, that I will immediately begin to interact, engage, and communicate with you more here on my blog. For those of you who have blogs, I challenge you to do the same.

Talk to you soon...

What does a Confident Business Woman look like to You?

Today I tweeted the following, "Confident business women recognize someone else's great idea, compliments on that idea, and then humbly asks for permission to use it!". Within minutes, I got the following reply, "I guess. But it would be better to come [u]p with our own.."

On the surface, I completely agree with what the person is saying - plain and simple, it's better to have your own great ideas. But the reality is that we just can't always do it! You can spend countless numbers of hours brainstorming on something and trying to figure something out and never get from point A to point B. That's why we have terms such as writer's block. It happens to all of us - we get stuck and need a little nudging in the right direction. I was stumped on what to blog about and low and behold as a result of the dialogue between me and the other person on twitter, I'm sitting here now typing away.

The point I'm making boils down to this: there are those instances when you've admired something someone else has done and their creativity led to a "Hello Duh?!" moment and/or prevented you from having to reinvent the wheel. What's the politically correct thing to do in this case? Ask for permission to use their template, framework, suggestion or whatever it is - don't use their idea and not give them their props. I've witnessed this on a number of occasions and must admit that I've been a victim myself. Sitting down in a meeting or during a presentation and the presenter (aka - your so called boss!) is highlighting all of your "bullets" and she is taking all the glory. Not a good best practice and certainly not a characteristic of a confident leader.

Confident women are completely comfortable with who they are and what they have to offer. They don't need to downplay others to make themselves look good or feel validated. A confident woman can pay another woman a compliment and not expect one in return. They are content with who they are, both inside and out, and aren't afraid to let it be known. If you're a confident woman, leave a comment and celebrate yourself. Invite your confident friends to do the same.

Photo credit: Chris Nuzzaco

Clutter Diet? What will they think of next...

Ok...as if there aren't already enough diets going around, here's a new one for you - it's called The Clutter Diet. What does it entail? Perhaps rearranging and cleaning out the fridge to get rid of processed foods. Maybe taking inventory of your pantry and throwing away everything that contains carbs, sugars, and MSG. Well, there's definitely going to be some purging and sorting going on and if you choose to start with either your fruits and veggies or non perishable items, that decision is completely up to you. One thing I can guarantee is that once you start, you won't want to stop. And even if you do, there's no risk of gaining back any unwanted pounds in the form of body fat, but you'll certainly end up right back at square one battling the junk drawer bulge!

I had the pleasure of meeting the creator and Chief Executive Organizer of The Clutter Diet, Lorie Marrero, CPO. I'd seen Lorie on CNBC's the Big Idea with Donnie Deutsch and then visited her website ClutterDiet.com. After going to her site, I was thrilled to find out that we were neighbors - she lives right here in Austin. When I found out I was going to be on the Big Idea, I reached out to Lorie for help with doing the show. We weren't able to connect right away (she was busy with CNBC and writing her book) but just so happen, we "bumped" into each other one day on twitter. We met for coffee about a week later!

One thing I'd always wanted to ask Lorie was how do you get people organized by using online tools and resources? Once she explained it to me, it made complete and total sense. There are people who really want to become more organized, but don't want someone else in their homes doing it for them. All they need is a push in the right direction, along with comprehensive strategies to get the job done. Once they implement those strategies, they can then use them all over the house AND office and every other space that could stand to lose a few pounds of clutter. What a cost effective way to hire a professional organizer!

When you visit The Clutter Diet, don't leave without getting your free report: 30 Ways to Find Time to Get Organized. But don't stop there. Come back and let me know how you're putting it to use. We've finally found a diet that really works! Lorie and I are working on a give-away that you don't want to miss! Do you think I'm kidding when I tell you to sign up on my website for free stuff?? Well don't just sit there...go sign up! :)

Talk to you soon...