Recently, I attended a surprise 50th birthday party for a good friend from college. I had a fantastic time reconnecting with old friends and discovering new ones as well. One of the biggest Aha’s for me during the weekend festivities was the realization that most of my time is spent with entrepreneurs—people who have made the jump to self-employment and choosing to do it their way. Many of the people I spent time with at this weekend event were employed by someone else. The topic of conversation was quite different for me yet it was illuminating to learn and see life from their perspective.
Smart Women And The Tug Of Transition
June 2, 2011 By
Smart Women Deal With Their “Stuff”
February 24, 2011 By
Today, I received an email from a very smart woman who is just beginning her journey as an entrepreneur. In her email, she shared with me that lately she’s been noticing that a lot of “stuff” is coming up for her. When I read this, I smiled. I knew that my smart, courageous friend is getting out of her “comfort zone.” Smart Women know that when they enter unfamiliar territory in life and business, “stuff” always shows up and can get in the way.
Smart Women Get Off The Sidelines
October 14, 2010 By
Soccer season 
has arrived and my kids are avid players. In the fall, we live the AYSO mantra, “All Your Saturdays Occupied.” Fortunately, I enjoy watching my kids play sports so it’s a lot of fun. One of the AYSO rules is staying off the field if you’re not officially involved in the game. If you’re not a player, coach or referee, you do not cross the line onto the playing field. This got me thinking about how Smart Women need to get off the sidelines and become a player in their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals if they really have a desire to make them happen.
Smart Women Make It Happen
June 25, 2010 By
A few days ago,
I happened to get caught in the typical bumper to bumper LA traffic near the location of my last “job” before I began my journey as a woman entrepreneur. I had some time to reflect on where I was back then and where I am today. As the images of my life passed through my mind much like the scenes in a movie, I asked myself, “How did I go from where I was back then to where I am today?” The answer popped into my mind almost immediately: I took action. Smart Women make their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals happen.
Smart Women Take Their Business Offline
June 10, 2010 By
The other day, I 
was speaking with a smart woman entrepreneur and at one point she said, “Joy, I think I need to take my business offline.” My response? “Bravo!” In today’s world, with all of its moving parts and the opportunities to build an online business, I sometimes see entrepreneurs leaving a valuable tool out of their marketing plan—building “offline” relationships to create another stream of referrals.
Smart Women Have a Good Eye
March 25, 2010 By
This past weekend, I 
was sitting in the bleachers at our local park watching my children play little league baseball when I heard the weekly mantra from their coach as each child took their position at bat:
“Wait for the one that’s right for you!”
“Don’t swing at every pitch!”
“Good Eye!”
Smart Women Serve It Up The Right Way
March 18, 2010 By
Have you ever heard the
phrase opposites attract? This can be true of my husband Greg and I when we go out for dinner together. I like fine dining with beautiful menus, fine wine and those heavy linen napkins. Greg prefers more casual dining where someone takes your order or you place your order at the counter and sit wherever you can find a spot. We both enjoy two different kinds of experiences. This got me thinking about how Smart Women need to offer their ideal client what they want and prefer if they have a desire to grow their business.
Smart Women and the Race Against Time
February 11, 2010 By
Over the last few days, I’ve spent some time with women entrepreneurs who
are all having the same challenge—the race against time or “time management.” Whether you are an attorney, a fitness professional or a business coach, time is the like the elusive lover—you can never get enough! Here are a few comments I heard over the last few days:
– “I’m never able to get it all done.”
– “I can’t figure out which “to-do” should be done first.”
– “It only takes 10 minutes.”
Smart Women Entrepreneurs, Solids, and Fluids
February 4, 2010 By
A few weeks ago, our family took a trip to the California Science Center for their “family lab day.” 
It was a fun and educational experience. There was one experiment that had to do with the difference between solids and fluids, and it got me thinking about Smart Women entrepreneurs and their businesses. Does your business need to be solid or fluid? Actually, both.
When you first make the decision to become a business owner, you as an entrepreneur are very “fluid.” After all, you’re probably a solo-entrepreneur trying to do everything yourself! There aren’t any rules about how to do anything. The goal is to get some clients and earn an income—right? After some time passes, you begin to realize that this “fluid” aspect of your business is not working. You are “surviving” and you want to be “thriving.”
Smart Women Can Learn a Lot About Business from a 3rd Grader
December 3, 2009 By
Recently my son Jack, who’s in 3rd grade, had to do a book report and I spent some time guiding![12-03-09Article[1] girl holding pencil studying](http://smartwomensolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/12-03-09Article1-girl-holding-pencil-studying1.jpg "12-03-09Article[1] girl holding pencil studying")
him through the process. His teacher had asked the report to consist of 6 elements: Title, Setting, Main Characters, Plot, Problem, and Solution. This got me thinking about how Smart Women could use this exercise to create a clear and focused plan for their business and entrepreneurial dreams.
Having a firm foundation is essential for any business to have sustainable growth and long-term success. What do you need in order to create a firm foundation for your Big Idea, Dream, or Goal? You need the same 6 elements that my son Jack used in his book report:
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