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Welcome to DivaDirectories  Diva Blog
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Diva Blog
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Health & Fitness for Northwest Women |
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 Monique Danielle
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Health & Fitness for Northwest Women
I’m wrapping up the day and going over my
to-do list in my head...mail a couple of packages, pick up my dry
cleaning, stop by the grocery store...sigh. Grocery shopping
isn’t really my thing, but there is one part I find very
entertaining: running the check-out gauntlet of the
five-gazillion women’s magazines with glossy, gorgeous gals on the
covers. It’s not that I’m a big fan of celebrities (being a
business woman in the Pacific Northwest is philosophically about as far
as you can get from Hollywood), it’s that I think it’s hilarious that
actresses and supermodels--women whose livelihoods depend on being
lean, fit, and fantastic--are presented as a possibility to which we
working women can aspire.
Please.
In case you haven’t read, the Pacific Northwest has one of the highest
obesity rates in the nation. While it’s tough for most women to
follow a weight loss and/ or health and fitness regime, it’s especially
tough for the average business woman, and can feel almost impossible
for business women with children. When do you fit it in?
Get up at 5am and limp your way through a sleepy workout? Forget
about exercising at lunch--unless you’re in the construction trades,
you’ll have to fit showering into your allotted 60 minutes (and if
you’re an independent business owner you probably don’t even give
yourself that much time for lunch.) If you have kids, after work
is definitely out since it’s the only time you’re able to spend with
them.
What’s a wanna-be healthy woman to do?
Turn to a professional. The Pacific Northwest may have more than
its share of rotund residents, but there are also plenty of exercise
facilities. Guided workouts at a nearby gym or sessions with a
personal trainer are ideal for business women because you get expert
help, achieving maximum results in minimum time. And while the
cost may seem an extravagance, you just can’t get as much done if your
body’s in poor shape...so it’s actually good for your business (if only
the IRS would let us write it off as a business expense!) Whether you
want weight loss or an overall health and fitness spruce-up, I’m sure
the right resource is near you (check DivaDirectories for a provider in
your neck of the woods.)
I was always in great shape, until I started my business. As the
business soared, my health (and energy) plummeted. Last January,
I made a commitment to get back in shape. By working out
regularly with a fitness partner, I’m getting my old body back.
And, okay, so maybe I’m not ready to be a Shape magazine cover model
(yet.) Who cares...I feel pretty darn hot just as I am!
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Financing Women Business Owners |
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Monique Danielle
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Financing Women Business Owners
While the recent confirmation of Governor
Christine Gregoire’s ultra-narrow win may dishearten some of the
electorate, at least Washington state women and minority business
owners should be smiling.
In May, Governor Christine Gregoire signed a bill which enhances the
Linked Deposit Program, which provides affordable financing to women
and minority business owners (for details about the program, go to
www.omwbe.wa.gov/ldp/)
Enabling women and minority business owners with greater access to
affordable financing is significant because, historically, these groups
have been largely denied formal financial backing. And lack of
capital is a major hurdle to growing a business. The world of
venture capital is extremely male-dominated, so if a woman is looking
for seed money, it’s not a likely option. Therefore, banks, and
initiatives like the Linked Deposit Program, are necessary.
Although I’m not a lender and can’t support women owned businesses in
the area of financing, I can do this: patronize women owned
businesses. Regardless of the product or service, if I have a
choice, I make every effort to give my business to another woman.
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Becoming an Independant Businesswoman |
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Monique Danielle
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Becoming an Independant Businesswoman
Just met with a friend who’s considering
leaving corporate employment to launch her own business. She’s
worked for a large company in Portland for some time and, while she
knows it might be “safer” to stay, she’s had a long-time dream to start
up her own independent, woman owned business. She asked me to
lunch for some advice.
Hmmm...got a random guess as to my thoughts?!
I went independent 3 years ago and haven’t looked back. As a business
woman who is successfully operating a marketing agency here in
Portland, Oregon, I absolutely love running my own show.
Several factors led me to start up my own business, like schedule
flexibility and fulfillment. But I think the major reason is that
there’s no glass ceiling here—heck, there’s no ceiling at all when
you’re the owner. I love the freedom to follow my own
vision. As an independent business woman, if I get a
great idea, no one’s standing in my way.
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and lollipops. A start up has
its challenges, too. Oregon isn’t know for being an especially
friendly location for businesses; since I operate out of Portland,
that’s a reality I have to deal with. And being independent can
be lonely, which is the whole reason I started the Diva Directories
online community. I wanted to connect with other Portland area
woman owned businesses, and hey--there’s only so much time to attend
live networking and support meetings, right? See you around the
Diva neighborhood
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When It's Time to Walk Away |
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Monique Danielle
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Walk Away for Better Business
It's
not easy to turn away thousands of dollars from an eager client, but
sometimes it's the right thing to do. This month we handled two
situations that drove this point home.
In
the first situation a start-up asked DivaDesignWorld to manage all
aspects of their marketing, including branding, web development, print
collateral and public relations. They seemed to have a solid business
concept, with a readily available target market. However, as I reviewed
their business plan, I began to question the feasibility of their
goals. I felt that their approach was in need of an overhaul so great,
that it would require a paradigm shift (something not likely to happen
given the short time frame that we had to work with). So, I turned away
the project (and money). I did this, not for me, but because I felt
that it was in the best interest of the client. They appreciated my
honesty. That same day I was contacted by three new potential clients,
eager to work with DivaDesignWorld. While there was no direct
relationship between these people, I feel that somehow doing the right
thing paid off.
In
the second situation the owner of a local company contacted
DivaDesignWorld in a frenzy. She had just been hit by bad news about
her business. She wanted DivaDesignWorld to help smooth out what she
saw as a PR and Branding catastrophe. After our conversation I spent a
few minutes thinking over her situation. I called her back and told her
that it was not in her interest to hire us - yet. I then provided her
with valuable advice/input, suggested that use that advice to manage
her immediate situation, then call us in two weeks when it would be
more appropriate for DivaDesignWorld to step in. She was thankful for
the advice, and I'm confident that she will choose to work with
DivaDesignWorld in the next couple weeks. |
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 Dot
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I'm still recovering from the weekend. No, I didn't booze it up, I played
hostess. We live relatively far away from my sister and her family (about 6
hours by car) so we don't get to see them often. We try to have her boys down
for the weekend at least once or twice a year and this was the weekend we all
agreed on. My sister and brother-in-law drove all the way out here and had a
sort of mini-vacation. My nephews (age 9 and 12) stayed at my house.
Since I don't get to see them very often I always try to fit in a TON of
quality time. They got here on Friday afternoon and left on Monday morning. We
rented movies, made jam (twice), made marshmallows, went to the park (twice),
had a picnic, played board games, went to a museum, looked around at a few
stores and ate a lot. I can't believe how much I squeezed in! I am such an
overachiever!
After they left on Monday morning, we thought we would clean the house, go
to a quick BBQ and then make a wonderful dinner. Here's what really happened:
we cleaned up for about 14 minutes, took naps, went to the BBQ, watched TV and
went to bed early. We just aren't used to the fast paced life of having kids
around. |
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____________________________________________________________
Contact Info: monique@divadirectories.com or 503-297-4111
DivaDirectories is founded by Portland Marketing Agency DivaDesignWorld.
Woman owned, DivaDesignWorld strives to empower all businesswomen.
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