Today's Innovative Woman Jan/Feb 2014

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From The Publisher

Happy New Year!

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ere we are – a new year with new possibilities! It’s so exciting! We set goals and dreams and begin the work to make them happen. But I have a question…. have you done the work?

The “work” is the inner work. The belief in one’s self. The belief that you can do it. The belief that, YES I CAN…. fill in your blank_________! I’ve been on a journey the last few months – one of serious reflection and introspection. The journey has led me through painfully pulling back the layers, getting real and being honest with myself. It continues, and I’m amazed each day at the experiences and people that cross my path, which, I’m certain, is no coincidence. You have to be ready – both in your head, and in your heart! You have to be open to the possibility. Then, and only then, do the doors open and you can see what was right in front of you all along. I invite you to read my full story and join me at www.YesICanWomen.org, to begin your journey of pulling back the layers, getting real, getting honest and saying YES I CAN to your dreams and possibilities. I’ll be walking it – I’d love to have you beside me! To your SUCCESS!

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IN THIS ISSUE All About You

10 Will Social Media Be an Integral Part of Your 14 Your Body Image: Is It Holding Business in 2014? You Back from Having The Influence You Want to Have 12 3 Steps to Fast Track Your Brand’s Growth in 2014 28 When Was the Last Time You Did Something For 16 5 Marketing Myths That Will The First Time? Keep You Confused and Stuck

All About Success 18 Innovative Woman Interview: Erin Condren 21 The Real Secret to Reclaiming Your Time and Staying Productive

All About Business 8 Gain “Insta-Clients” with an Easy Yes Offer When Speaking

20 What Google Hummingbird Means to Your Website and Content Strategy 22 3 Simple Steps to Kick Up Your Income in 2014 24 1099 Processing Instructions 26 The Secret Resource WordPress Experts Leverage That You Need to Know About

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Phone & Fax: (888) 544-1042 Cathy@TodaysInnovativeWoman.com P.O. Box 3893, Palos Verdes, CA 90275 Disclaimer: Today’s innovative Woman and What’s Up For Kids LLC expressly disclaims all warranties as to the contents of this publication and assumes no liability for the contents, including but not limited to any credentials stated or claims made by persons or establishments included in this publication. All rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2014.

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All About Business

Gain “Insta-Clients”

With an Easy Yes Offer When Speaking by Caterina Rando, MA, MCC Are you ready to come home with clients every time you speak? Great! All you need is an “Easy Yes” offer. It is the offer you make from the front of the room or stage when you speak. The idea is to make an offer that is easy to say yes to because it has a price that is easy to say yes to and an amount of time involved that is easy to invest as well, meaning offering a weekend workshop is a harder yes than offering a one hour teleseminar. Use an Offer Sheet The Offer Sheet is a sales tool. It should clearly describe in writing your Easy Yes offer and include a place to pay immediately. Make your offer time sensitive. It can say something like: Regular price $397, today it is $97. Give Yourself Time to Make the Ask After you have delivered solid value for the duration of your talk, save the last two to five minutes to make your offer. Don’t sell yourself short here, don’t leave yourself one or two minutes because you are feeling shy or embarrassed about selling. Your value packed speech earns you the right to make an Easy Yes offer. Remember, you are offering the audience an opportunity to serve them more if they want your support. Practice, Practice, Practice Too many times presenters take all of their prep time for speeches that come across strong, and because no preparation was given to the Easy Yes offer, it falls flat. Practice what your offer is, know the details inside and out. Practice speaking with conviction, sharing the features, benefits, results and most importantly, the transformation people get from working with you. Now it is time for you to start to practice your Easy Yes offer. Do you want to learn more about gaining insta-clients every time you speak? Join Caterina Rando at her next Sought After Speaker Summit. You’ll learn her 10 time-tested strategies catapulting your revenue with speaking. Learn more at www. soughtafterspeaker.com Caterina Rando shows ambitious women how to be loud and proud about the value they bring in order to make their businesses thrive. She is a master certified coach, business strategist and creator of the Sought After Speaker Summit http://soughtafterspeaker.com and The Business Breakthrough Summit http:// bizbreakthrough.com Check these sites for more business building ideas. You can reach Caterina at (415) 668-4535 or via email at info@caterinaspeaks.com.

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All About Business

Will SOCIAL MEDIA be an Integral Part of Your Business in 2014? by Debbie Saviano

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s a woman entrepreneur, you most likely agree that social media can be of great value to your business. You recognize the need to be proactive, innovative and productive. One of the greatest benefits of doing business today is learning from others. In December, I attended #Live Event Success Secrets with Cathy Alessandra and Bibi Goldstein. I am having an Event on 1-17-14 and I wanted to learn from the best! The information below is some of what I will be teaching in the all day learning lab. For some, the mere mention of social media can create anxiety. There are only 24 hours in a day and everyone understands how time consuming social media can be if there is no system or strategy. However, maximizing time is a crucial component of success. Using social media is no longer a “consideration”, a “maybe” or a “when there is time”. Using social media will be a must in 2014. If you have the tools, strategies and mindset, social media can provide you with a thriving on-line presence! Social Media Musts for 2104 1. A professional LinkedIn profile which represents you in a first impression of professionalism. 2. Use images to convey the who, what and why of doing business with you! Images speak to emotions.

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3. Use consistency in all social media platforms with messages, images, keywords, tag lines and urls. You want to be clear and consistent in the busy and hectic world of social media. Make it easy for others to find and know you! 4. Stay abreast of information for content. The app Flipboard is a mobile media outlet that lets you have access to countless magazines. You can even create your own magazines to keep interesting articles at your fingertips. 5. Use location based apps and features, and check in. Foursquare is an easy way to share what you find important by being present! 6. Video is a must! If you are not already using video, start small, and as you become more comfortable, so will your willingness to video.

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7. Be charitble and connected.Use social media to make a difference locally and globally. 8. Identify those you admire and respect and cross-promote! 9. Being visible, active,authentic and engaging will develop the trust clients expect. 10. Set aside 15 minutes 2 times a day to be present on social media. First thing in the morning, and then again in the afternoon.

Social Media has shifted the power of what you can do to promote yourself, your brand, products and services. All it takes is the commitment to use social media, and of course having the tools! 2014 is the year of opportunities and possibilities! Start the year off right, sign up today for Social Media Learning Lab January 17, 2014 in Allen, TX and Live Stream for Virtual Participation. http://debbiesaviano.com/socialmedia-learning-lab/

Debbie Saviano is a solopreneur whose daily mantra is to “help professionals take action and create an online presence by developing, nurturing and maintaining relationships.” Debbie utilizes social media to connect, network and engage with others. She is an advocate for “continuing the conversations”. Thanks to the internet highway, borders are no more; people can interact and communicate around the globe. Professionals from across the country call Debbie for her unique skill set in designing LinkedIn profiles & Pinterest platforms aimed at engagement and retention toward a target market. Debbie also provides business solutions to small businesses who seek to utilize social media to enhance their brand, improve skills of their employees, expand social proof and establish an online presence.

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All About Business

3 Steps to Fast-Track Your Brand’s Growth in 2014 by Linda Cotter

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re you inspiring your customers with your trusted brand? Are your clients loyal to you and your brand? Are they sharing your brand with their network? Here are three steps to make sure your customers are engaged and inspired to share your brand with people they know. 1. Deliver what your audience wants – Build engagement. Listen to what your audience wants, and make sure that you deliver it. Listen sincerely, and be authentic. It’s important to use surveys, but it’s also important to talk to them personally so that they feel you are genuinely interested in supporting them and their needs. If you haven’t already done so, identify your brand’s core values. If you already have, make sure that you stay true to them.

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2. Differentiate your brand – What is your company’s purpose? What are its core values? What are you really good at? What sets you apart from you competition? Why did you start your business? It’s important to express your company’s vision so that consumers can connect with your brand. Take some time to clearly define your purpose, keeping in mind the interests of the customer. Position your brand as a participant in your customer’s community. 3. Consistently engage your audience – With smart phones and tablets a part of our daily lives, brands must learn to engage with their clients by using social media. This personalized engagement will help you to understand your customer’s expectations and capture both their attention and their sales more quickly. Don’t underestimate the power of Social Media. If your brand isn’t working, it might be wise to reposition, reinvent or re-strategize. Take some time to study your brand with fresh eyes. Does it represent you and your goals

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for 2014? Is it time to reposition or reinvent your brand? You’re not the first person to have to revise your brand, your strategy, or even yourself. Remember, your business is ever evolving. If you have to go back to the drawing board, you will be in a better position to make the honest, accurate and appropriate decisions that will lead to greater success in the future. Linda Cotter is a graphic artist and fine art photographer who is known for her fresh, simple and elegant designs. Linda’s goal is to help her clients produce better results through great design and creative solutions while using imaginative and innovative development methods. Whether it is a logo, business card, website or brand development, she incorporates each client’s unique personality and style into the design with an eye-catching flair and business sensibility. This creates the opportunity for them to attract the desired clients and results they are looking for. Visit Linda’s website at www.LindaCotterDesigns.com. She can be reached at (310) 486-3108 or by email at Linda@LindaCotterDesigns.com.

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All About You

Your Body Image Is It Holding You Back From Having The INFLUENCE You Want to Have? by Wendy Darling

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f 100 women were asked if they liked their bodies, less than five would say they were completely satisfied! What has happened that so much criticism and shame is directed towards our wonderful bodies? As women took on more responsibility in the workforce, we were immersed in a “male” model, integrating male behaviors. Even though this provided value, there were also costs. Women began “squashing” those authentic qualities that are 100% female and finding their way to experience business and life!

We are also constantly being bombarded with a skewed view of beauty in the media, leaving women feeling inadequate, as if something was wrong with them. One of the costs: interference with being AUTHENTIC and creating the INFLUENCE you want to have in your business and life. And the more you focus on what you don’t like, or try to be someone you are not, the more the problem grows (i.e. weight gain!). Want your body to slim down? You have to journey down the path of self-acceptance and authenticity! Have you somehow given up a part of yourself and gotten off track? What would it be like to recognize, live from, and celebrate the natural beauty you were gifted with? Just like your thumb print, you have special gifts that only you can offer. If you recognize and utilize them, you can begin to experience gratitude for the truly magnificent being that you are! Similarly, you were given a special shape, a certain size, that is just perfect for who you are!

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So, for today, and hopefully all days to come, find ways to pause, take the time to love and appreciate your body! You will be amazed, in a very short period of time, by the changes you will experience in both your body AND your life! Wendy is the creator of the L.Y.F.E Freedom SystemTM and Loving Yourself LeanTM, helping women achieve PERMANENT weight loss. After a serious accident, Wendy opened up to her unique healing gifts and process. Combining that with her laser coaching style, the transformations are profound! Weight loss has NEVER been easier! Where women were previously held back, they are finally FREE to live the life of their dreams, while still having influence and impact. Wendy has over 30 years of experience as a business and life

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All About Business

5 Marketing Myths That Will Keep You Confused and Stuck by Veronica Drake 1. Marketing My Business Is a Part Time Job. You are no longer your title, you are a marketer of your title. You must consistently create a full time mentality (mindset) when building relationships (marketing). Creating a marketing plan, system and offers requires a FULL TIME commitment physically and emotionally - it’s the ONLY way you will ever make money. 2. I Must Have a 1:1 Business Model to Make the Most Money. Creating a business that is based on your being present in order to generate income is draining physically and emotionally. You can easily come up short financially if you aren’t able to be present. When you are the sole provider of services in your business, you run the risk of burnout, and that serves no one. Leveraging your income with multiple streams including group work, memberships and home study products will serve you in a greater capacity for a longer time - PLUS you get more free time! 3. Keeping My Fees Low Will Attract More Clients. This is the BIGGEST MYTH of all. Fees are a reflection of what you believe

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about yourself. Lower fees equal more hours worked, more energy spent and less quality. Being the “best deal” in town does not always provide the outcome you desire. People WILL pay for what they value, and the more you respect your gifts, talents and training, the easier it will be to ask to be paid what you deserve. You truly hold the key to get paid more - it’s all mindset. 4. I Should Hold Off on Creating a Support Team Until I Have More Money. Waiting to hire a mentor/coach or virtual assistance will keep you broke! When you hire people who know what you don’t, you will ALWAYS increase your income. I know it can be a financial stretch, but if you keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you’ve got, Is that ok wth you? Shift your mindset to see how income flows when you create the energy of a team.

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5. I Must Create a Market that Serves Everyone. This is the #1 mistake business owners make. Casting a wide net to capture prospects is driven by the need to create income; the truth is, you lose money! When you get narrow and know exactly who you are “talking” to you can focus your time, energy and dollars speaking to this ideal person who is looking for you! If you are finally ready to STOP the madness of struggling and being broke, here’s your answer: http:// veronicadrake.co/define-design Veronica Drake is an internationally acclaimed intuitive business strategy consultant. She works with heart inspired women entrepreneurs who are fast paced and creative and are ready to let go of all the distractions holding them back. She specializes in helping them create clarity around their niche and their marketing message so that they can plan, produce and profit with ease. Visit her website at www.VeronicaDrake.co.

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All About Success

Erin Condren

Personalized, Stylized and Organized

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ed rest with twins, running an apparel company from home and the realization that your first big order from Nordstrom’s wasn’t going to be ready to ship on time! Then came 9/11 and everything changed. She knew it was time to regroup, review the options and figure out what was next. Erin Condren began in the apparel business and is that woman. Living in Southern California, two incomes was a necessity for the Condren family, so Erin began her business to have a creative outlet and the opportunity to work from home with two premature babies. She printed stickers, stationery and holiday cards with her email address on the back, and soon enough, emails began coming in asking to order more! “They’d order one pack of cards and I’d ship two. That was 40 cards they were mailing with my email address on the back. It was a great marketing tool,” shared Erin. Her designs went viral and she was in business.

In retrospect, Erin’s biggest challenge was scalability. “My mom would watch the kids and my friends and neighbors would come over and help me pack the orders!” In 2005, the holiday season exploded with business and it continued from there. In 2006 Erin’s mentor and now business partner, Al Marco, convinced Erin to hire her first employee along with a publicist. That Christmas, she was featured on the Ellen DeGeneres show for the 12 days of holiday giveaways. Fast forward to 2014, Erin Condren is now in a 40,000 sq. ft. space that the business has outgrown, with over 120 employees working round the clock. “I’ve surrounded myself with incredibly talented people”, said Erin.

Work your hardest, work your smartest and do your very best. ~ Erin Condren

How does Erin define SUCCESS? “Creating a time management system that has a balance between work, family and play – that is success. It doesn’t happen every day; but I do try to achieve it most days and being able to inspire others to find that same balance is success!”

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Looking back, Erin said she would reconsider putting her name on the company. “Social media is a wonderful place to be viral and spread good stories, but it can be painful when people share bad experiences. So I start each day with the mindset ;work your hardest, work your smartest and do your very best’ – and then go home and feel good about what you did and don’t beat yourself up for what you didn’t do – and that can be hard growing a company with your name on it.” Erin is an innovative woman. She has created products and systems to simplify her life as well as thousands of others. In fact, during this time of the year, she sells 500 of her Life Planner’s a day. “I love what I do and I plan well so I can party often,” said Erin. “My business partner told me at the beginning, anyone can be an entrepreneur with a great idea, passion, drive and commitment. But very few can make the jump from an entrepreneur to a successful business person. It requires tough decisions that aren’t going please everybody, but can make the company succeed.” Erin Condren now has more than just stickers, stationery and holiday cards. Her products

Every time you press print, you are bringing smiles ~ Erin Condren

include luggage, candles, planners and more! Everything is online at erincondren.com – plus some items on Shutterfly and Tiny Prints.

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All About Business

What Google Hummingbird Means to Your Website and Content Strategy By Scott A. Pete

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n late September, Google announced it had made the largest change to its algorithms since 2001, impacting 90 percent of worldwide searches. That made many marketers and businesses a bit nervous, as much has been invested to attract traffic to their websites through SEO and content strategies.

But what exactly did Google change? To answer that, it can help to think about “search” from Google’s standpoint. Google wins when a person makes a search, and quickly finds what they are looking for. In that circumstance, you will likely go back to Google for your next search. This may sound simple enough, until you factor in a number of complexities that Google must navigate on your behalf. There are spammers trying to manipulate Google’s results to hijack your attention, businesses that use questionable marketing tactics, and just the plain old fact that there is a lot more competition and content out there today. Search engines must continually adjust their approach to sift through all of the noise effectively, and connect you with what you are looking for. Historically, that meant looking at keywords, meta tags, backlinks, etc. But now Hummingbird takes the sophistication up a couple of notches, looking not just at your content, but also considering social cues and user behaviors. Ultimately, Google would like to function as a type of “conversational search”, understanding your query much like a good friend who happens to be an expert in your target subject. So what does this mean for your website and content strategy? Although there are many complex factors to consider, you should start with one simple question: Have I created a great user experience by structuring my web content to deliver value and answer the user’s question? Scott Pete is President of Entrepreneurs Launchpad, LLC – a web consulting company dedicated to helping organizations generate marketing results through effective online strategies. He specializes in helping his clients understand the big picture, make sense out of complex technology, and implement web marketing solutions that produce results. You can reach him at (612) 399-6584 or via his website http://www.entlaunchpad.com.

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The Real Secret to Reclaiming Your Time And Staying Productive by Shelia Butler

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o you wish you had more hours in your day? Are you overwhelmed by, and at your limit with juggling clients, projects, emails, parental responsibilities and the pressure of ticking things off your never ending to-do list? If you’re like most small business owners, you feel like nothing is getting done. There are not enough hours in the day, and the ever-elusive promise of “Time Freedom” seems more like a dream than a reality. This isn’t how it was supposed to be. Your Number One Asset Is Under Attack The should-dos, must-dos, and might-dos are competing for every second, minute, and hour of your day, waging a battle resulting in time famine, overwhelm, and stress. Your greatest asset is under attack and the often recommended solution is Time Management. Unfortunately, this is not the answer. Time is the great equalizer. You can’t buy it, save it, gain it or create it. Although there are more than 116,000 books on Amazon related to Time Management and countless productivity and task management apps, we still feel overwhelmed, stressed and behind. Our current pursuit to manage time is failing and here’s why: it’s not about time management, it’s about choice management. The Solution: Focus on Daily Choices and Not Time Management Time freedom is about choices. We all get the same number of hours and minutes in a day. Spend them trying to manage time and you’ll wind up feeling stressed out and defeated. Instead, spend them managing your choices and you’ll feel empowered. It puts you back in control of the situation. You decide what’s most important for you to accomplish and you take action on it. Time is free, but it’s priceless, so choose wisely. Shelia Butler is a productivity and lifestyle expert who helps women entrepreneurs streamline their business in order to live harmoniously aligned lives through simple productivity, leveraged technology, and mastery of their most valuable resource -- time.

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All About Business

3 Simple Steps to Kick up Your Income in 2014 by Joy Chudacoff

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or those of you who find looking at your numbers similar to running nails down a chalkboard, you may find some resistance to this process, however I can guarantee this is time well spent and a bigger income can be yours if you follow this simple, easy process. This will take the guesswork out of how to achieve a big, bold income leap next year. Grab a piece of paper, a pencil and a calculator (or your smart phone) and take yourself through the three steps below: Step 1: Determine your current income stream – List all your services and products that you currently offer to your clients. Look back over this year and calculate how many of each service or product you sold to clients or customers. Next, write down the price or investment on each product or service that you offer. Once you know how many products and services were sold and at what price point, you can calculate what your income was so far this year. If you have a bookkeeper or use a bookkeeping software (highly recommended), this step can be done in a matter of minutes. Step 2: Determine your desired income stream for 2014 – Take a look at your current income. Are you satisfied with that number? Would

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you like to increase your income for 2014? Decide what you’d like your income to be in 2014 and write that number down. Now, subtract your current income in step one from your desired income goal in step two. Step 3: Close the Gap – Now that you have done steps one and two, you have the “gap” number, or the difference between your current income and your desired income. Your goal is to simply close the gap. For example, let’s say your current income stream is $100,000 and you would like to increase it in 2014 to $150,000. The “gap” is $50,000. Now is the time to think about what new services or products you can offer in 2014 that will close the “gap” for you and make your desired income a reality. Give some thought to new, fresh ideas that will be fun for you to create and implement. Choose

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the ideas you know your clients and customers need and want. Feeling a little stumped? Consider doing a survey to your list and call on current clients. Ask their opinion about what they would like to see you offer next. Research the market online to find trends that are happening in your industry. This is a critical time to reach out and talk to positive, successful people about what’s next for you in your business. Joy Chudacoff is Heralded as “The Coach for Women” in the millennium, Joy Chudacoff has x-ray vision when it comes to helping women discover their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals! Joy draws on both her personal life and entrepreneurial experiences to support women in achieving better ways of living. It’s her passion, her purpose and her business. She is a Professional Certified Coach, highly skilled group leader, motivational speaker and a gifted communicator. Visit Joy’s website, SmartWomenSolutions.com, where you’ll find more articles plus information about her Women’s Success Circles, Smart Women Smart Solutions Coach Certification Programs, Speaking engagements, teleclasses and upcoming events for women. Joy can be reached at 310-454-2005 or by email, Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.

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All About Business

1099 Processing Instructions by Candy Messer

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t’s that time of year again for 1099 reporting, so today’s article will give instructions on how to properly file forms.

In the Payer’s Name section, include the business name, address and telephone number. Include your tax ID number (EIN is format of XX-XXXXXXX, Social Security is format XXX-XX-XXXX).

Enter the recipient’s identification number using hyphens in the proper format. When entering the recipient’s name, put the owner’s name first if it is not an entity (a sole proprietorship, etc). You may list the business name below the owner’s name. Include the recipient’s address. Enter the total subject amount paid in the calendar year under one of the following boxes: Box 1 Rents: Enter amounts of $600 or more for all types of rents, such as any of the following: 1. Real estate rentals paid for office space. 2. Machine rentals. If the machine rental is part of a contract that includes both the use of the machine and the operator, prorate the rental between the rent of the machine (report that in box 1) and the operator’s charge (report that as non-employee compensation in box 7). Box 3 Other Income: Enter incomes of $600 or more required to be reported that is not reportable in one of the other boxes on the form. Box 4 Federal Income Tax Withheld: Enter backup withholding (if applicable). Box 6 Medical and Health Care Payments: Enter payments of $600 or more made in the course of your trade or business to each physician or other supplier or provider of medical or health care services.

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Box 7 Non-employee Compensation: Include fees, commissions, prizes and awards for services performed as a non-employee. Once all forms are complete, fill in form 1096 which summarizes the totals of all 1099 MISC forms being submitted. Forms need to be mailed to recipients by January 31, and to the IRS by February 28. For more detailed instructions, see http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1099msc.pdf.

Candy Messer: Candy Messer is President of Affordable Bookkeeping and Payroll Services and energizes business owners by removing the burden of the bookkeeping and payroll processing from their shoulders. With 15 years of experience, Candy understands the stresses business owners face and offers customized services to meet their varying needs, including bookkeeping, payroll, Quickbooks consulting, and bill pay services. Candy works with service based business owners who are overwhelmed with the paperwork required to stay in compliance for filings and frees them to focus on what they love to grow their businesses. Visit her website at www.abandp.com for more information.

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All About Business

The Secret Resource

WordPress Experts Leverage That

You Need to Know About by Jennifer Bourn

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here have been more than 46 million downloads of the free WordPress open source software in the last 12 months alone. So it’s no surprise that according to Matt Mullenweg, the founder of WordPress, 19% of the internet’s websites are powered by the software.

That’s a lot of people using WordPress, including: • • • •

Users who are trying to figure it out themselves and are do-it-yourselfers. Business owners who have hired a professional to build their site and who want to take their site further and do more with their site. Designers and developers who work with WordPress everyday for a living. Virtual Assistants who manage WordPress for their clients

Whether they just want to change their website header, learn how to configure a plugin, or create a custom template in their theme, all of these people have one thing in common. They all want to do more with WordPress. The great thing is that there is an awesome resource available to anyone interested in learning more and doing more with WordPress that many people don’t even know exists! It’s called WordCamp. A WordCamp is a non-profit, informal, community-organized mini-conference or workshop all about WordPress. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other. Each individual WordCamp is different because it is organized by volunteers in the local community, but they usually include sessions on how to use WordPress more effectively, working with and configuring plugins and themes, advanced development, security, SEO, and more. With tickets ranging from only $20-$50, there have been 207 WordCamps, in 116 cities, in 38 countries, on 6 continents. So no matter where you are located, there is probably a WordCamp happening within the next year near you. In fact, I just returned from the two-

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day WordCamp Las Vegas, and learned a few new tricks myself! Next up is the three-day WordCamp Phoenix in January, where I’ll be speaking about leveraging content for productivity and lead generation. You can learn more about WordCamps and get the schedule of all upcoming events at http://central.wordcamp.org You can also watch presentations from past WordCamps for free, including one from my business partner and lead developer, Brian Bourn, on the official WordCamp Channel at http://WordPress.tv.

Jennifer Bourn is the brand strategist, WordPress website designer, and graphic designer behind the award-winning branding and web design firm Bourn Creative, LLC near Sacramento, California. Bourn Creative helps successful entrepreneurs who are frustrated with their brand and website transform their marketing materials and their business into an extraordinary and lucrative brand through a combination of speaking, consulting, and done-for-you services. Learn more at www. bourncreative.com.

(612) 399-6584

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27


All About You

When Was The Last Time You Did Something For The First Time? by Bibi Goldstein

I

saw this question posted on Facebook recently and it really made me think “so when was it”?

When was the last time I did something without fear of making a mistake or feeling like it would be a waste of time if I failed? I really started to contemplate this and tried to make a list of what I felt were some “first time” experiences for me. I also started to ask some friends and family the same question. I discovered that there is an absolute need for everyone to be reminded of this often. Without trying and exploring new things, we don’t learn or grow, and growth is essential for every entrepreneur. I want to grow in my business and I want to grow as a person, as a woman, as a mother, as a wife, as a sister, as a friend. We should all have the passion and desire to grow in all aspects of our lives. So I’m challenging myself, and I challenge all of you to try something new every thirty days in 2014. Matt Cutts, who works for Google did a great Ted Talk (http://www. ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_ something_new_for_30_days. html) that I encourage everyone to watch, and I plan to use as my guide in 2014 to keep me on a path

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to better myself and expand my business and reach new heights. I started to make my list of 12 new things to try in the next year, and I mixed it up so that there are some things that are business related and some things that are personal. I am pretty excited about this challenge and am looking forward to more than just a new year’s resolution. I can’t wait to add so much more to my life. My list of new things to try in 2014… 1. Meditate/be silent for at least 15 minutes daily

2. Write an article/blog daily 3. Create info product(s)

January/February 2014


4. Ride a real bike (I haven’t ridden a bike in over 20 years) 5. Journal 6. Take 1 day off from technology per week To be continued… Bibi started Buying Time with a friend to give everyone the opportunity to have access to support and assistance with any task. With over 22 years in the transportation/logistics industry Bibi has specific experience in space and time efficiencies through Six Sigma training for warehouses from 1,000 to 30,000+ square feet. This provided her the ability to visualize the final outcome even when the client cannot. Bibi recently co-authored “Get Organized Today” with other organizing experts hoping to reach out and help more people. Bibi can be reached at www.buyingtimellc.com.

Subscribe for FREE at www.TodaysInnovativeWoman.com

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Today’s Innovative Woman P.O. Box 3893, Palos Verdes, CA 90275


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