Big Idea Archives | Smart Women Smart Solutions

Smart Women and Successful Joint Ventures

June 7, 2012 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

I have the opportunity to speak with scores of women around the globe about smart ways to grow a successful business. One of the best ways to grow your business and collapse your time frame is through joint ventures. A joint venture is where you and another business owner come together for an agreed upon period of time and collaborate on a project or product. You agree to share revenues and expenses associated with the specific project or product.

Why is this so powerful? It offers you and the other person an opportunity to showcase your skill and expertise to a larger audience. When you meet someone who serves the same target market as you, but in a different way, it can be a wonderful boost for your business. Here are a few examples of potential joint venture possibilities:

Smart Women Celebrate Their Independence

July 2, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

07-01-09GirlandFlag A few days each week I exercise with a few Smart Women in a park near my home that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It's a beautiful setting that lends itself to taking your mind off the muscle pain and exhaustion from the workout! We are surrounded by magnificent sycamore and oak trees that stand strong and tall. The trees were planted and spaced apart in a very methodical way; however over time, they grew into their own independent and unique natural form with branches and limbs flowing in many different directions. This got me thinking about how Smart Women have the opportunity to stand tall and strong. You are independently unique from every other living thing on the planet; but are you making de cisions and choices that reflect the independent you?

We are “reminded” on a daily basis about who we “should” be. The covers of various magazines remind us that we should look thin and trim at all times. Our family, friends, and colleagues have their ideas of who we “should” be as well.

There have been times in my life when I wanted to be more of someone else and less of who I was. In my 20's, I was really into fashion and fitness. I wanted to look and dress like many of the women I saw on the cover of the most popular magazines. In my 30's, when I would meet a successful person in the business world, I wanted to emulate a lot of who they were being as I had a strong desire to be a successful entrepreneur. In my 40's, I'm still interested in discovering effective ways of living in the world and being successful as an entrepreneur. The difference for me today in my late 40's is that I know it's essential to take what works for me and weave that into who I am at my core–my authentic self.

Smart Women “Live into and Find the Flow”

June 24, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff 1 Comment

A few days ago, I was sitting with my good friend and Smart Woman, Suzanne, in her backyard and I was complementing her on how well the yard was laid out from the play area, pool area, and lounge area. Everything flows so well in accessing the home and the backyard. Suzanne shared with me that the backyard was not designed this way when they first moved into the home. When they bought the house initially, the backyard looked a lot different. She shared that after they had lived in the house for awhile and found their flow as a family, she and her husband created a vision on how the backyard might better serve their needs. This got me thinking about how Smart Women need to “live into their Big ideas, dreams and goals finding their flow along the way”.

In my Women's Success Circles, I sometimes find that women can get “stuck” and are afraid to take action on their ideas and dreams because they don't have a full or complete vision on how it will all come together.

We can become fearful or resistant when we don't have a clear plan. 05-21-09woman Although I encourage women to have a well thought out plan, sometimes just taking that initial step forward is what you need to make it happen. I had a mentor once who used to say, “Mindset first; details later.”

When I first gave birth to my business, Smart Women Smart Solutions, I had developed a model to help women in transition. It was a program that supported women who were ready to make a change in their life–both personally and professionally. I hosted Women's Success Circles here locally around Los Angeles. That was my initial vision. As my business began to grow and ripple out into the world, it morphed and changed into something quite different. Offering my process to help women make positive change in their lives is still a “core” part of my business today. However, I now offer a host of services from public speaking to teleseminars that are steeped in the “core” of supporting women as they move their lives to the next level of success.

Smart Women Have 203 Days Left

June 11, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff 1 Comment

I live in a community that’s a lot like Mayberry. It’s a community that has a focus on family. It’s the biggest reason my husband Greg and I decided to move to Pacific Palisades. Everywhere you go there are children involved in some sort of activity: soccer, baseball, basketball, 06-11-09Lady hockey, tennis, music, art, drama, playing at the park. The baseball league, in particular, is quite popular. They have a well thought out program in place with an Opening Day celebration, an organized season, and Closing Ceremonies to honor the players. Our family attended the closing ceremonies last weekend and this got me thinking about how Smart Women could learn a lot from the local Pacific Palisades Baseball Association.

As I look at my calendar, you still have 203 days left to realize your Big Ideas, dreams, and goals you set for yourself at the beginning of 2009. Or maybe you weren’t in a goal setting “mode” at the beginning of the year due to the economic downturn. It doesn’t really matter where you were then. That was then. This is now. All that matters is that you stop and think about what might be important for you to accomplish in the next 203 days. Here are a few ideas that I took away from our local baseball association that could be helpful to you:

Smart Women Are “Plugged In”

April 23, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

A few days ago, I did something that I’ve never done before. I went hiking in the desert mountains 04-23-09hiking with my good friend and Smart Woman, Debra. I’ve hiked many times in the mountains but I’d never been out in the desert mountains. This was quite a different experience for me. I highly recommend it as a way to get some exercise and see new forms of nature.

During our hike, we stumbled 0nto a conversation about how people have the option to carry a positive energy source or a negative energy source as they move through life. This got me thinking about how Smart Women are “plugged in” to a positive energy source—much like an electrical outlet.

What you think about will often manifest itself in your life in one way or another. For example, if you are continually thinking about money or the lack of it in your life, it’s possible that news ways of earning money will not present themselves to you. For example, a new opportunity may present itself, however, if you are constantly thinking about lack of money, then you might not even see the opportunity. It will pass right by you and move on to someone who is “plugged in” to a positive energy source. This person will immediately see all of the possibilities and begin to take action. What was the difference here? It was the mindset right? The way of being—open to new ideas, new possibilities. One of the exercises that I use in my Women’s Success Circles is “Reframing.” “Reframing” is choosing to adopt a mindset of looking at life’s situations in a new or different way. In other words, you are taking a situation and “reframing” it so that you can see the silver lining.

Smart Women Never Miss an Opportunity

April 16, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Recently our family took a trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. It was a great trip that was both fun and educational for the entire family. Did you know that the Falcon and the Cheetah are the two fastest animals in the air and on the ground? I also found it interesting just how effective the Park was at marketing. Everywhere you went in the Park, whether it was to watch the “African Birds Take Flight” show, the “Journey into Africa tour” or the local café, they never missed an opportunity to educate you on the benefits of membership. This got me thinking about how Smart Women never miss an opportunity to get the word out about their Big Idea or entrepreneurial dreams.

Are you a woman with a Big Idea? Do you take every opportunity to market your business? Let me ask you a question: How are you getting your message out to your ideal client? Are you sitting in your office waiting for the phone to ring or watching your inbox to see if you receive any emails from people needing your product or service? In my work, I often notice there are one or two marketing tools that women use to build their business. Usually they have a business card ready to give away to anyone who would like one. And sometimes they will have a web site listed on the business card so that their ideal client can take a look online at their services. It’s possible that they may occasionally attend some networking events.

When I first started out in business over 20 years ago, I relied heavily on referrals and networking events to market my business. In today’s world, with so many messages being sent to us 24 hours day through the media (internet, television, radio), you need to explore and discover innovative and creative ways to communicate your message to your ideal client in a way that will attract them to you.

In my Women’s Success Circles, I share 10 Marketing Strategies to support women in taking their business to the next level. These are strategies that I’ve used over the years to begin, grow and double my profits time and time again. I’ll share several with you so that you can think about how to never miss an opportunity to get your message out:

1. Publish a newsletter. This is a very effective way to share your product or service with your ideal client. You are reading my e-newsletter (ezine) right now. I send this every week to 1,000’s of women across the country. It’s important that you offer some great content like an informative article, some valuable tips and of course, information about your product or service.

Smart Women “Experiment”

April 2, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Recently, both my children participated in a science fair at their elementary 04-02-09experiment school. My son, Jack, did an experiment that involved an electromagnet. My daughter, Jenna, was curious about how batteries work so she chose to make a “homemade battery.” Needless to say, my husband and I were challenged on both projects! This process got me thinking about how Smart Women could benefit from using “the scientific method” in their own lives both personally and professionally.

If you have not taken action yet on your Big Idea, Dream or Goal this year, there’s still plenty of time. One of the trends I’m noticing in my work with women right now is that many are using this time to “experiment” or become “curious” about what might be possible for them. Spring has arrived! It’s a great time to do this work. The days are becoming longer and nature is alive with possibilities for the coming months. It’s the perfect environment for real growth and opportunity both in your personal and professional life.

Here are some tips and solutions that you can easily use to “experiment” with some new possibilities in your own life:

1. Decide what you’re interested in. What do you dream about? In my Women’s Success Circles, there are several women who are “exploring” new business ideas. They are doing their research and trying on the possibilities just to see how it feels. One essential is to block out some dedicated time in your calendar to spend working on your Big Idea, your dream. Block out the time, just as you would for other tasks and make it a priority.

2. Become Curious. Once you decide what you will choose as your “experiment” ask yourself a few key questions:

a) How would I feel if this became a reality in my life?
b) How would my life or business be different?
c) If I achieved this, what would become possible for me?

3. Plan your “experiment.” Grab a large pad of paper and some colorful pens. Don’t use standard 8-1/2 x 11 paper. (How big can an idea get if it’s created on small paper?) Jot down some ideas about what you can do right now to explore your Dream or Big Idea more deeply. Do you have an idea for a product or service? Who would benefit most from your service? Keep a notebook just for this experiment so you will have all of your ideas and notes together. Go online, go to your local library, take classes, join a community of like-minded women who are on the same journey.

Anything is Truly Possible…

January 22, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

Hey Smart Women! What a week in history. On Monday I read a story to my children about Martin Luther King and then watched the television coverage on the Inauguration of Barack Obama on Tuesday. I was struck by the power of what one person can achieve when they have a Big Idea. When the camera's panned the millions of people who were present for the event, I saw tears of joy at an occasion that many thought they would never witness in their lifetime. It was only 54 years ago that segregation ended in this country and only 89 years ago that women achieved the right to vote in this country. Anything is truly possible…

Thanks to all of you who commented on my new photo in the eNewsletter. It's been about 3 years since I had my last photo taken so it was time for me to “update” my photo. There is a great story about the blue blouse I'm wearing in the photo and I'm going to share it at my Live Event on January 31st. Debra Snell was my photographer and she has a great eye. Please contact her at
dsnell1001@yahoo.com, if you are in need of a photographer.

Good news for anyone that has been on the fence about coming to my “Smart Women Launch Into 2009 With Confidence” event on January 31st. I've decided to extend the Early Bird Rate. You now have until Monday, January 26 at 5pm PST to register for the event. Follow the link to get all of the details and see everything that you'll be getting on this special day.

Smart Women Are On the Slopes!

January 15, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

01-15-09skiing Recently, while on a family vacation in Park City, Utah, I was helping my 8-year-old son, Jack, get ready for a day of skiing. It was sunny, 35 degrees and gorgeous outside. I handed my son his face mask and he looked at me puzzled and said, “Mom, there is no way I'm going to need this today–have you looked outside?”

I replied, “Yes, I have and you always need to be prepared for a quick change in the weather when you are on the mountain.” As I prepared myself to leave for skiing that morning, I began to reflect on how being prepared for snow skiing is a lot like preparation for success as a woman entrepreneur.

When you desire a successful day of skiing, there needs to be some planning before you get on the chair lift. You need to stop and think about all of the things that you will need in order to have a great day. (This is why ski wear has about 19 pockets located inside and outside the clothing!) If you are a woman who skis, then you know that the weather can change at any given moment so you need to pack accordingly. If you choose to go skiing without thoughtful preparation, you may be in for a challenging day.

If you are a woman with a Big Idea, Dream or Goal, realizing your big vision can be similar to a woman getting prepared for success in a day of skiing.

As I rode up the chair lift that morning, I thought of 4 solutions to help you have a great day of skiing and realize your Big Idea, Dreams, and Goals as a woman entrepreneur:

Smart Women Face Their Fear

January 8, 2009 | By Joy Chudacoff Leave a Comment

A few days ago, I was cleaning out a backpack that my daughter used last summer when we were in Park City, Utah on vacation. This backpack was one that she wore every day to her skateboarding class. At the bottom of the backpack, I found a piece of crumpled paper and pulled it out. It was an evaluation form from her skateboarding instructor, Drew, with these comments: “Learn to relax and face fear. Trust in Yourself.” This got me thinking about how Smart Women learn to face their own fears.

We all have fear about something. Fear of heights, fear of snakes, fear of roller coasters. Many times these fears are related to childhood. I'm fearful of snakes. It was a big deal in our family when I was young. We lived on a farm in the mountains and in the summertime, my grandfather, “Pop,” would continually share with us the danger of snakes and to be careful at all times. You hear that “message” enough and your fear begins to grow. As a young woman, this fear began to alter my life experiences. For example, I would not go hiking with a friend on a hot summer day for fear of snakes. However, when my children got to the age where they wanted to go to the zoo, I had to face my fear. Why? My children do not know that I fear snakes. And guess what? I do not want to create that fear for them so I oblige them when they want to go to the “reptile center.” Do I feel anxious? Yes. But it's something that I must move through.