I bought a loaf…

May 27, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

I bought a loaf...

(Book Review of “How to afford time off with your baby” by Becky Goddard-Hill)

at Tescos yesterday.

Nothing new there really. In fact my shopping habits are fairly predictable. The only way to manage a tight budget and a family of six is to be routine. No impulse buys. Planned mealtime menus. If I do buy special offers they are only on things I would normally buy anyway and then freeze.

That is why I found Becky Godard-Hill’s “How to afford time off with your baby – 101 ways to ease the financial strain” (Published by Vermillion – http://wwwbabybudgeting.co.uk) a fascinating read.

My eldest is 18 ( I know I don’t look old enough – I wish!) and being the first child we went crazy buying everything new, innovative and en vogue. By the time the youngest came along eleven years later I had realised that most of the gadgets I’d bought for baby one were a complete waste of time.

Babies need very little. They are actually quite robust and strive amazingly well on very few material items as long as there are plenty of hugs, clean nappies standing by and a healthy supply of food on tap.

My book Mum Ultrapreneur looks at the growing phenonmenom of WAHMs or Work At Home Mums (Mumpreneurs, Kitchen Table Tycoons etc). But do not be fooled few are multi-millionaires – quite the opposite in fact.

Whilst Becky’s book is primarily aimed as SAHMs (Stay At Home Mums – come on keep up!) the great ideas contained inside can equally be applied to WAHMs. And it is written in an honest, warm style that makes the concept of budgeting seem less daunting and even, possibly, some what fun.

Again though the book is aimed at new mums – I, as an experienced mother of four and expert financial juggler, found it full of fantastic money-saving ideas that I hadn’t thought of.

And to all budding Mum Ultrapreneurs there is also a great section on Making Money that will give you lots of fab ideas to get the cash flowing.

Then again instead of popping down to Tesco’s to buy a loaf – you could always bake your own? Try it!

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Book review on Mum’s The Boss

April 19, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

Check out the latest review of the book by Bizmum Helen Lindop on Mum’s The Boss, a great site dedicated to Business Mums.

http://bit.ly/9jh8Tt

And also check out my monthly guest blog on this site as well.

http://bit.ly/clLy63

Apart from me there are lots of great links and information for business start ups.

Take your time and enjoy x

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Susan to speak in Ireland 22nd May 2010

April 14, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

Susan is delighted to be invited by Mum Ultrapreneur Martine Brennan of Kerry Coaching , and author of  Happiness Its just a Habit to be a speaker at her Breakthroughin Business event in Sneem, Co. Kerry on the 22nd May 2010.

Details of the event can be found on this link:

http://www.parknasillahotel.ie/news/?c=60 or read below:

Breakthrough in Business Event May 2010

Mar 29, 2010
*   Imagine a day that will inspire you to grow your business.
*   Imagine a day that will give you tons of useful information that will put you ahead of the posse.
*   Imagine a day in which you will make excellent contacts with women in business in Kerry.
*   If you are a woman who has set up her own business, and you want to breakthrough and really grow your business in 2010 then this event is for you! If you know you need a boost in your business then this event is for you!

 If you have a secret dream of running your own business but don’t know where or how to start then this event is for you!

 Look no further!

 Breakthrough in Business in 2010 is a one day event which will take place at Parknasilla Hotel on Saturday, May 22nd.

 The event will be hosted by Martine Brennan, who recently served as the expert Life-Coach on Kerry Radio’s Talkabout Show. Martine is a Business Coach, a qualified Counsellor and Psychotherapist and author of Happiness it’s just a habit.

 Susan Odev, co-author of MumUltrapreneur will be joining us from England to open this event.

 What will you come away with after this day in Parknasilla?

 *   Renewed confidence in yourself and your business.
*   Methods that will assist you in taking the fear out of your business.
*   Clarity in terms of your strengths and challenges as a businesswoman.
*   An opportunity to ask questions in a respectful and supportive environment.
*   A game plan for 2010
*   Information on social networking sites such as Facebook and Linkedin.
*   An insight into sales and marketing.
*   Methods to handle book-keeping and accounts.
*   An information pack you can refer back to again and again.

Register now for this value packed event by going to
mhappybrennan@gmail.com
You will also have the opportunity to win

*   a 50% reduction on a six month Breakthrough in Business Coaching Programme 

 
Clients of the Breakthrough in Business Coaching Programme have already experienced the following results;

*   negotiated a 30% salary increase in spite of the downturn in the economy
*   quadrupled her client list in 3 months
*   earned more in the first quarter of this year than in the whole of 2009
*   well on the way to increasing turnover by 50k in 2010
*   set up a Facebook fan page which started to bring in sales after less than a month

If you want these results for yourself and your business go to
mhappybrennan@gmail.com 

May 22nd 10am-4pm Morning coffee and lunch included.
 
 

Teleseminar news! Including two FREE calls…

March 25, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | 2 comments

Hi everyone,

Would be delighted if you join me on, or spread the word about, my exciting new 10 week teleseminar programme based on the Amazon Best Seller Mum Ultrapreneur.

Aimed at mothers new to self-employment or thinking about setting up on their own this programme is designed to provide advice, support and a virtual hug as you tread carefully through those first few months of starting out as an entrepreneur.

There is expert advice from both a specialist mumpreneur lawyer and accountant, built in coaching and mentoring, online support and, as places are very limited, personal interaction and group sharing.

The pilot starts on the 28th April and teleseminar groups run twice a week on Wednesday evenings/ and or Friday mornings to enable participants to join us at a time that suits them.

Further details and sign up can be found here: http://mum-ultrapreneur.eventbrite.com/?ref=ebtntw

Or visit my website http://www.mum-ultrapreneur.com

There are also two “FREE” teleseminars planned for the 31st March and the 14th April – sign up and pop along! http://www.eventbrite.com/event/623724577/ref=elinktw

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Mum Ultrapreneur teleseminar programme launches this week!

March 23, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

How exciting!

Our teleseminar programme begins on the 28th April!

The programme contains amazing online lessons, facilitated by Susan and  based on the book, with  additional expert input from specialist lawyer Suzanne Dibble http://www.lawyers4mumpreneurs.com and financial advice from Biz Mum accountant Amy Taylor http://tayloraccountancy.net . You will have a session with Alli Price http://www.motivatingmum.co.uk on the value of coaching and mentoring and also included in the fee for the 10 week programme is a 1-2-1 coaching or mentoring call either with Alli herself of one of her hand-picked mentoring experts –  all leading BizMums in their fields!

BTW, this is what the wonderful Birgitte Lydum of http://www.babybeamers.com , who (along with Alli Price and 29 other BizMums) features in the book  has said about Mum Ultrapreneur on Amazon:

“I really enjoyed this book. The format is unique and very easy to relate to, and I am sure it will encourage and inspire lots of women to take that first shaky step into starting their own business, without shaking quite so much. It doesn’t take itself as seriously as many other ’start-your-own-business’ books, which is very refreshing, and leaves you inspired rather than daunted.

It’s written with a very feminine mind set, focusing on the emotional journey it is to start your own business. All the practical stuff you need to do to start a business can be read in hundreds of other books and on the internet. Knowing how to register a business or how to find a manufacturer doesn’t make it any easier to do if you are not emotionally ready for it. This book will help you take ACTION which in my opinion is the most important part of getting anywhere.

If you are a woman who knows that feminine values in business is the way forward there’s no doubt you will like and benefit from this book.”

Thanks Birgitte x

The teleseminar series is an amazing, fully supported programme which builds weekly on the great insights  and advice contained within Mum Ultrapreneur  and sign up details will appear here shortly. Remember within every Mum is an Ultrapreneur. Are you ready to just “DO” it?

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Mums in Business, Narborough 11th March 2010

March 17, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

I had a wonderful time at a Mums in Business networking event at the David Lloyd Centre, Narborough last Thursday.

Run by Zoe Newcombe (@zoenewcombe) of Connection Events http://www.connectionevents.co.uk

and http://www.socialmediamum.co.uk , ably assisted by her Mum , sister and beautiful daughter Lexie – this was truly a family affair.

With facilities for the children to amuse themselves @ 20 local business mums gathered to share news, ideas and general chit-chat.

I was made to feel incredibly welcome and the positive response to my little 30 minutes on inspiration and just “doing it” was incredibly motivating.

I am always amazed at the vast range of ideas and the depth of passion I find at these events.

Many of the attendees were brave enough to buy a copy of the book on the day and already I have received some tremendous feedback. I now mutually follow many of them on Twitter and Facebook.

That’s what I find so awesome is the friendships that are formed. It was great to meet up once again with Rebekah Harriman http://www.rrva.co.uk/ , whom I first met at the Mumpreneur Conference last year.

Rebekah (@RebekahHarriman)  had just turned full-time as a virtual PA or VA and was clearly loving the challenge of working for herself. And I just have t o share with you all Rebekah’s amazing shoes:

My little talk was followed by a delicious buffet lunch and two workshops run by Heather Smith, another lady with passion.

Unfortunately I couldn’t stay for all the workshops as I had a train to catch but my head was buzzing with ideas all the way home.

Thank you Zoe for inviting me and I look forward to delivering some workshops for you later in the year.

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Short piece on Mum Ultrapreneur Karen Simmonds, Travel Matters

March 17, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

Following the launch this article on Mum Ultrapreneur Karen Simmonds of Travel Matters appeared in a local online bulletin Inside Balham:

http://www.insidebalham.co.uk/feature.asp?id=120

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The Book Launch Party!

March 1, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

Mark, Susan and Karen Simmonds

What a great turnout last Wednesday at the Enterprise Centre for Women for the official Mum Ultrapreneur Book Launch Party!

Mark and I (Susan) had a fantastic time. So many friends and business accquaintances there was a real buzz about the place!

And business mums were there in force. I was delighted that Mum Ultrapreneur Karen Simmonds travelled down from SW London to share this moment with us. Karen owns Travel Matters and is featured strongly in the book.

 We were also graced with the presence of Joanne Dewberry of CharlieMoos (http://www.charliemoos.co.uk/)  and Laura Morris of Rentabuggy (http://www.rentabuggy.co.uk/) who had joined us all the way from Dorset!

The delicious cupcakes had come as far. Beautifully handcrafted by Heidi Bristow of Cherry On The Cake (http://www.cherryonthecake.org.uk/)

Also there were some amazing Virtual Assistants I had met locally since writing the book Dee Uzoka (http://www.deevas.co.uk) and Charlotte Burford (http://www.burfordsecretarial.co.uk) and some amazing tweeters like Helen @thefunkyfairy (http://www.thefunkyfairy.co.uk/) and many other amazing business women whose links I will post here in due course :0) x

The great thing was that whilst it wasn’t a networking event it turned out to be a great place for people to connect and do deals.

Mark and I must give out our huge thanks for Marion Warren who organised the event for us, arranged all the catering, balloons etc.

Despite the success of this event and others like it. The Enterprise Centre is to close at the end of this week because of lack of funding. I know that many women have found the support they received there to be be vital to their taking those first steps towards setting up on their own.

Mark and I would like to take this opportunity to wish Marion and all her fledgling entrepreneurs all the success they wish for over the coming years.

For further photos check out our Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mum-Ultrapreneur-the-book/132099138938?ref=nf

P.S.
The lovely Charlotte will be assisting me in the preparation, administration and delivery of the Mum Ultrapreneur training workshops and teleseminars which are being launched soon. Watch this space!

Still Top Five on Amazon but in a different category

February 21, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments

Yes, we have continued to chart in the Top Five on Amazon. This past hour we were #5 under Women & Finance. Another category to add to the list of Motherhood and Starting up in business.

The categories breakdown like this:

#5 in Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Women’s Studies > Women & Finance

#5 in Books > Health, Family & Lifestyle > Families & Parents > Motherhood and,

#5 in Books > Business, Finance & Law > Small Business & Entrepreneurship > Starting a Business

It’s amazing to be reaching such a wide and diverse audience and crossing so many genres. Just goes to show one should never label anyone or anything.

Amazon update 5th Feb 2010 – Top Five Best Seller

February 5, 2010 in The Book by SusanOdev | No comments


Wow Amazon update as at 2pm today …

Stats ranks: 12,238 and #4 in Motherhood, #11 in Starting up a Buisness and #49 in Entrepreneurship categories.

That’s it Mum Ultrapreneur is a Top Five best seller!!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1907498036/ref=sib_rdr_dp

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