Moving forward...

... I feel as though I'm the proverbial "tortoise" in Aesop's Fables.

You know, the little guy who trudged along behind everyone else, yet won because he persevered?

Terra Verde work right now is very behind the scenes and at times feels like we're moving nowhere. But the marketing plan, the product designs and packaging, and everything else that is going into this, will be foundational to our success. Action items right now are: Finish marketing plan. Finish business plan. Get every preliminary item in place so when the curtain draws, I'll be ready.

So if I keep being like that tortoise, eventually I'll win, right?

The cost of going cheap

I'm learning by trial and error.
Cheap web hosting is cheap service.
I am glad to iron this stuff out now before Terra Verde really launches.

Inspiration

Isn't it weird that some things inspire people but not others?

It's like the truest form of the "one man's trash, another man's treasure" theory. Over the past three days we have been seeing milder, gentler after effects from Hurricane Ike-- not to minimize the damage; we did lose some trees and a few shingles, but we're not seeing anything like those down south did. We lost power for about 24 hours, but some folks are going on their fourth day without power. I sat here with my laptop while the power was out, praying that the battery wouldn't expire too quickly...I had a burning candle, a cup of steaming tea, and warm wooly socks. I have to say I was sad when the power came back on. I found it very comforting, relaxing, and inspiring to cuddle in the dark with my dog and work on Terra Verde.

I think I have finally come to a conclusion about Terra Verde's target audience. I am not going to limit myself by choosing my target customers that narrowly yet, but I am launching a sub-brand to meet the "multitasking, do it all woman" theme. I am so excited and passionate about it. I can't wait to launch it. However, I have to separate all my ideas out and launch them one by one. If I try to blend them all together, I'd never be able to explain my train of thought or reach any kind of audience.

My website is still being designed. Bear with me while the placeholder is sitting on www.terraverdecompany.com. Sooner rather than later (hopefully), Terra Verde will have a well designed website!

This week also brought some leads in the way of clients. I now have someone to subcontract work to, and another one to subcontract from. Things are shaping up, slowly but surely. I get so excited and restless all at once. I can't stand it (in a good way).

When I sit down at my computer and start working, I always have a ton of stuff that I want to do to keep this engine moving down the track it's on. Chug, chug, chug... I think I can!

Target

So yeah, that's a store where I usually spend more money than planned.

But Target isn't really what I set out to talk about today.

Targets are. Customers, that is.

I had a conversation with my business coach that really got me thinking last night about my niche market. Is marketing to women entrepreneurs a nice little niche, or am I limiting myself?

And if not this niche, what niche should I choose?

Back to square one.

working working

Lately I have been putting so much time into Terra Verde, which is exhaustingly exhilerating. I am setting up a CafePress store, which is going to be sweet. Also, I have been networking a lot. I found a group of stock investors that meets monthly. Considering that I know little to nothing about investing and will be checking it out in the near future, I decided to attend. I met some great folks who gave me great small business pointers!

Also, my husband and I went to the Rennaissance Faire in Harveysburg today. At first I didn't want to go when Michael suggested it because it took me away from Terra work, but I realized that I needed to get out and take a break. I have to have a life in addition to work or my family will suffer. (After all, Terra Verde's whole premise is based on the market need for multitasking women. Entrepreneurs need to balance work and life, and I need to practice that if I'm going to preach it!) I didn't realize what a great networking opportunity the Ren Faire would turn out to be. I collected dozens of business cards from arts-and-craftsmen while shopping, and I intend to follow up with them. I also had great photo opportunities, so I got a lot of my weekly photo shoot in while I was there. Multitasking at its finest-- so fine that you forget that you're not out just having fun. :-)

And speaking of practicing what I preach: I have a list of things I need to accomplish by the end of the week. "Buy recipe card box" is on the list. I thought one of those little boxes would come in handy for collecting business cards. I told Michael I was going to buy one, and he raised an eyebrow and said, "Isn't one of Terra Verde's core values resourcefulness?" Ha, he got me on that one! So I started digging in my closet and found the cutest abandoned silk-covered sage green box that was intended to be used for jewelry but looks much cooler than that. I didn't even know I had it. So it saved me time and a buck or two. Thanks, Michael, for reminding me what my core values are. :-) Now it sits on my desk with about 30 business cards in it, collected over the past week.

I could go on about networking. I had more experiences this week and potential customers coming out my ears. The funny thing is, opportunities come up when my salesman hat is left at home. Sometimes I am not looking for customers; they just show up. This is a great feeling.

I'm not sure how to close this blog, but the only phrase that comes to mind is "Te quiero, Taco Bell." Must be hungry. :-)

Angela

1st anniversary

Michael and I went to Chicago for our first anniversary last weekend. The actual anniversary was on Tuesday, so we celebrated over the weekend and ate greasy Chinese carryout on the actual day. Michael is amazing. I am so fortunate to be with him. I still pinch myself from time to time, wondering if it's real. It's one of those too-good-to-be-true things.

We stayed at a Country Inn & Suites, which I half expected to be the hotel version of a Bob Evans-- nice, clean, but not exciting. I was totally wrong. I don't know if all Country Inns are this nice, but this one was fabulous. It was like a turn of the century hotel. They had a lovely veranda outside with wicker furniture and served tea with petit fours every day! I was beyond thrilled. At one point I sat on the veranda with my magazine while Michael slept. It was the most relaxing, enjoyable time. (The tea was served on real china. I dig anything if it involves real tea cups!)

And in the evening, we visited Medieval Times at the Schaumburg Castle. That was amazing as well. We had an authentic 15th century meal (a big chicken leg, soup, garlic bread, and ribs with no silverware) and watched the incredible period sportsmanship. Of course Michael enjoyed the jousts best. (He really is about 7 years old at heart.) Honestly, although the jousting was cool, my favorite aspect was the horsemanship. These horses were INCREDIBLE. They were not just some dude's horse that pranced around in the arena; they were bred, trained, and primed to perform. They are beautiful, muscular animals with the most agile, fluid performing abilities. There was only part about Medieval Times that I wished was different. I wish they would have kept the horses on the property so we could see them in the pastures, too. Apparently the horses live elsewhere, though, and only visit the castle on their scheduled performance dates.

That reminds me, I *so* want to learn how to ride. I think it would be amazing, but my experience with horses has been little to none.
Ah well, there will come a day if I make it a priority!

Business friends

The past 2-3 weeks have been pretty eventful for Terra Verde. I am excited about the plethora of opportunities available. I need to keep focused, though, because I start thinking big and lose sight of what needs to be done right now.

Terra Verde is encompassing a larger theme of supporting do-it-all women. We are entrepreneurs. We are grad students. We are moms. We are jugglers. Terra Verde Marketing & Communications exists to help women in their entrepreneurial efforts-- we lighten the load, so to speak. But that is the foundational aspect of Terra Verde. We are going to expand our horizons to include health & wellness as well as home & organization. This will give our customers a way to balance their lives holistically. Hopefully we will make it more fun, too.

So here's a little bit of what's happening this week:
-You can improve your marketing with our new eBook entitled, "Big Ideas and Little Cash." It should be released within the next month. I'll post a link when it's up.
-My business coach and I have started a mutually beneficial partnership.
-I have been working with April Welch of http://www.simplyorganizedonline/. We are in the process of designing products of form & function. The brand includes cool stuff that multitasks as well as you do, because they will be chic and highly practical simultaneously. I can't wait.
-I have been working with Signature Soirees (http://www.signaturesoirees.com/) to plan some networking events in the Dayton area. Look out for these events. I think they will be very beneficial to do-it-all women, especially entrepreneurs.
-And of course, new customers and prospects.

And believe it or not, this is the tip of the iceberg. Terra Verde is poised for success if I remain focused. I am one of those do-it-all women, so maybe my market need is closer to home than I thought. :-)

Aux Champs Elysees

As I mentioned in my "pilot" blog, one of my long term goals is to learn French. The culture and language have always fascinated me, and I definitely want to pursue it when I can. Until I have the extra time to take French classes, I am trying to gain exposure to the language. Thanks to a friend, I found a sweet French ditty called Aux Champs Elysees. I can only pick out pieces that I can understand without a French-English dictionary, but the song itself is so beautiful. The Champs-Elysees is a major road in Paris. The lyrics in French and English are written below.

Je m'baladais sur l'avenue le coeur ouvert à l'inconnu
J'avais envie de dire bonjour à n'importe qui
N'importe qui et ce fut toi
je t'ai dit n'importe quoiIl suffisait de te parler pour t'apprivoiser
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
Tu m'as dit "J'ai rendez-vous dans un sous-sol avec des fous
Qui vivent la guitare à la main, du soir au matin
"Alors je t'ai accompagnée, on a chanté, on a dansé
Et l'on n'a même pas pensé à s'embrasser
Hier soir deux inconnus et ce matin sur l'avenue
Deux amoureux tout étourdis par la longue nuit
Et de l'Étoile à la Concorde, un orchestre à mille cordes
Tous les oiseaux du point du jour chantent l'amour

I trotted on the avenue my heart opened to the unknowns
I wanted to say hello to no matter whom
No matter whom, it could be you, I'd said anything to you
It was enough to speak to you, just to calm down.
You said to me "I was pinned in a basement with fools
Who live guitar-in-hand from dusk till dawn
"Then I accompanied you, one sang, one danced
Any one who did not even think of embracing oneself
Yesterday evening two unknowns and this morning on the avenue
Two in love all dazed by the long night
And to the Star of Concord, form an orchestra with thousand cords
All the birds at day-break singing for the love

Certified Usability Analyst

Something that made Thursday feel like Friday:

I finished my Usability certification from HFI today! It was not easy, but I finally finished it. Now I can conduct some Usability testing and advance my career as an analyst. Hooray!

6 Things that Make My Day

1) Being hugged
2) A phone call from an old friend
3) A nap in the sunshine
4) Being encouraged
5) Landing in an entrepreneurial goldmine of information (BTW, that is what just inspired this post)
6) Wine

- Angela

PS: If any of you out there have not discovered Seth Godin's blog, I highly recommend it. It is like heaven for the small business owner. Also, Jay Conrad Levinson's book, Guerrilla Marketing, is a page turner. My list of action items is growing by the minute, but that is a wonderful thing!

creative juice, smoothies, and lulu hoops

Hello from the Brown's :-)

Lately the wheels in my mind have been constantly in motion. I have such big ideas in the way of entrepreneurship. I hope I can channel it into one constructive path instead of flying off in all "could have been" directions. I have been reading Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson. Talk about a page turner. I have been reading this thing nonstop and writing "action item" in the margins of the pages. I have discovered the world of Newswires, self publishing, viral marketing, and a host of other things. (Lulu has become my new alibi. I am hoping to publish some Terra Verde books to promote the business.) It is so exciting! Last night I read into the wee hours of the morning. My task list is growing by the minute. I suppose that can be a good thing as long as I actually knock the items out one by one. I love being so excited that I can't sleep. I love being busy. I love working on projects.

Speaking of projects, I have a crochet basket full of items that I am half finished with. (One of my vices!) One is a jute book bag that I may possibly give to my sister Beth or my sister in law Sarah. They are earthy like that, but it is SO fun to crochet jute regardless of your style. I am planning on lining the inside with striped linen fabric. Should be nice if I finish it. :-) I also have a blue and white throw and a yellow blanket that I am working on gradually. Will post pictures when they are done.

I am going to Target later this week. I have a list of random things that I am going to pick up, but one in particular is a blender. (OK, I know that sounds SO boring.) My sister Beth has spent the past 6 years, give or take, in a wheelchair. Her hands trembled all the time, and she would have seasonal asthma flare ups that landed her in the hospital. She decided to try to become as healthy as possible since the prospects of walking were becoming slimmer and slimmer all the time. (I promise this does fit in to the blender idea eventually.) She began to do as much exercise as she could on her own even though her legs were weak, and she also started eating an all-raw diet. This diet prescribes eating fruits, vegetables, berries, some grains, and other raw items such as olives and figs. She researched it on her own (keep in mind she is 16 and has not walked since she was 10) without any outside advice other than what she read online. Long story short: she can walk again! The live enzymes in the raw food literally woke up her nervous system and healed her. Her hands do not shake anymore, and her asthma doesn't flare up as it did. Amazing! So that's why I am buying a blender. Even though I don't have the guts or stamina to give up normal food, I am going to begin making fresh fruit smoothies and eating more raw items. The proof is in the... well, not the pudding, but you know what I mean! I am going to try to find some raw recipes that my husband Michael likes, too. He will never give up his prime rib or sirloin steak, but adding raw food to the diet will be so good for both of us.

Here's Beth as she was a year ago:

And here she is now, in the middle with the orange shirt:

Talk to you soon!
Angie

Easy lasagna improvement

Yesterday I figured out a cool trick that improves an ordinary pan of lasagna.
I combined Ricotta cheese, two eggs, parmesean cheese, and a handful of grated mozzerella cheese in a mixing bowl, and then layered it with my ground meat and noodles.
Voila! Perfecto.

It's here!

My new small business website is finally up! I expect the website to grow and develop over time, but here it is! I am working on building cliente, establishing a business presence in Dayton, and expanding my service offerings. Check it out!
http://www.terraverdecompany.com/

Hello world

So today I was inspired to open a blog. Oh, I have had blogs before-- one that I wrote in faithfully every day until graduation, and another that I basically abandoned.

But today I am turning over a new leaf.

I decided, instead of writing about my boring so-called life, to chronicle a journey. You see, I am still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up. I have been told to get used to it because that feeling never goes away. I have a head full of things that I want to experience, and only one lifetime to do it in. So this blog will chronicle my journey of traveling through these ambitions.

So here it is: my highly impractical mental block:
*To be more crafty and sew on a whim. I would also like to learn how to use that spinning wheel.
*To learn how to ride horses
*To play the violin
*To have children
*To improve my graphic design skills
*To improve my writing skills
*To read more
*To learn a language fluently
*To improve my weak musical abilities
*To garden and get rid of my black thumb
*To be more spiritual
*To travel
*To improve my artistic interest
*To run a successful business
*To cook meals that do not have the words --'n bake, --'n cheese, --helper, --sticks, or --roni in them
*To meet new people
*And 'most important, to have the time of my life doing it and maybe make a little money.

So there you have it: a highly impractical, ambitious list of...well, ambitions. I want to enjoy every minute and invite you all to follow me as I chronicle it.

Ang