this is a great article from Time.com; well worth reading…

For every person consumed with the need to achieve, there’s someone content to accept whatever life brings. For everyone who chooses the 80-hour workweek, there’s someone punching out at 5. Men and women — so it’s said — express ambition differently; so do Americans and Europeans, baby boomers and Gen Xers, the middle class and the well-to-do. Even among the manifestly motivated, there are degrees of ambition…

Read on…

Nominate My Blog...Please!

As the Business Mums Network knows, there are so many fantastic blogs out there written by Aussie Mums. We are looking for Australia’s favourite blogs. the entrepreneurial mother is a great place to start!

Every month, they will launch a new blog category. If your blog, or one of your favourite blogs fits in that category, nominate it for some great prizes.

And the best bit – simply by nominating or voting for your favourite blog, and joining our VIP list, you can win some great prizes too. Good luck! and thanks for nominating the entrepreneurial mother too.

Then come to a dinner where you will have fun, meet fellow business mums, have a delicious dinner and listen to a fun speaker.

Brenda Thomson from Networking World will share some fun and crazy ideas for strategic alliances that will really work. As well as coming up with some great ideas for your business, you will also have the opportunity to meet other business mums you may be able to create alliances with.

When: Thursday 2 September 2010, from 7pm
Where: Stations Street Cafe & Wine Bar, 26 Stations Street, Nunawading
Investment: $69 per person or $130 for 2 tickets ($65 per person)
Groups of 6 or more, $59 per person

Ticket includes 3 course dinner, a glass of wine or soft drink, coffee and great networking. Additional drinks are available at bar prices.
Don’t forget to bring a friend or two with you, we have some extra goodies for everyone who brings a friend.

Fun: This will be a night of networking and fun. A chance for a night out and to meet other mothers running a business. As well as a fantastic speaker, you will be able to network, enjoy a delicious meal, and come home with some great goodies and door prizes.
Book Now: Don’t delay, register for your ticket today!

Email events@businessmums.com or go to http://www.businessmumsnetwork.com.au/index.php?categoryid=95

About Business Mums Network
Business Mums Network was started in 2002 by Melissa Khalinsky who was frustrated at the lack of support for Mums who wanted to run a business around their family. Now working with 2 boys aged nearly 9 and nearly 7 (just ask them), she is providing events and training to help Mums start and grow their businesses. For more information about the network, visit www.businessmums.com.au

It is something I have chosen…definitely. Entrepreneurial thinking cannot be fostered in the current mainstream school environment as it is at the moment, so I’ve opted for a different path. Daughter is in year 6 now, and all is going very well…

Which leads me to “Legacy” time…
At her school, the grade 6 children decide what they would like to leave for the school community once they are on their way to bigger and better adventures in secondary school (hard to believe it’s happening already, where did that time go!)

Well… following on from this theme, a couple of parents and I have decided we too would like to contribute a Legacy of sorts…
And for it to take the form of a book of tales and tips, containing thoughts, stories and insights from far and wide, about the education we entered into… being that of an alternative variety.

We’ve decided also to open it up to reach a much wider audience than just our community. The reason for that is so we can bring together all that is the good, the bad and the ugly about what we’ve done, and/or what we’re about to do. We will be including current and past pupils, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and the budgie if need be! Anyone really who has been touched by this journey, from all walks of life, all ages, all connections…

So… here’s you can help…
Make yourself a cuppa (or anything else that takes your fancy) and sit in front of the computer, in front of this blog post.
Then click on (or copy and paste into your browser) this link

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3ZM38WM

and approx 15 minutes later, all will be done!

Then I ask you please, to forward this information to all you know who have been touched by the choice of alternative education.
Please invite them to do the same.

The result will be that you, and those near and dear to you, have contributed to what we hope will be the “Legacy” piece that remains long after we’ve gone. And will over time become a resource that others following will be able to use to guide their way….

Any questions, comments, suggested names even!…
all graciously received.

The survey will be available electronically for 4 weeks, with the option to extend should we need/want to. If paper copies are required, feel free to print out the survey and once completed, pop in an envelope and email me at info@theentrepreneurialmother.com for address details.

We look forward to your contribution already…
Thanks in advance!

A quick one today…

I have just enrolled in a 1-day event called “Wealth from Marketing”, so I thought I would share it with you also…

This event is bringing together 3 marketing legends including:

* Jay Conrad Levinson – the father of Guerrilla Marketing and
* Joel Roberts, one of the best Media & Communications experts in the world.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. If you want to join me, I have organised a free ticket for you, valued at $597.

Just click on the link below to get your tickets, with my compliments:

http://www.wealthfrommarketing.com.au/?af=CLO2037965

I hope to see you there
DeniseHall
the entrepreneurial mother®

The Fallacy of the Great Idea By Trevor Ginn for ChangeThis.com is right on the money. Not only will focus and brilliant execution get you a long way, being bold and opportunistic will get you that much further again. None of which require a Big Idea, just lots of small adapted ones, that keep you progressing towards your ultimate whatever!

Many entrepreneurs feel that they cannot start a business without a great idea. They believe it will be impossible to succeed without a completely new concept, as the market will already be cornered by established businesses. Only by venturing into uncharted territory can they achieve their dreams. This is the fallacy of the great idea.
[...]
The simple truth is that it is quite possible to create a thriving business without a big idea. In fact, starting up with a tried and tested concept is very sensible. The real key to success is focus and brilliant execution. Yes, the world needs people with grand ideas who are willing to take big risks to further progress, but the world also needs small businesses creating jobs, and entrepreneurs should not be embarrassed about not having a claim on originality… read on

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Reading through Tony Featherstone’s article “The Planet of Women” this morning in TheAge.com (which is well worth reading I might add), he brought this to my attention…

As reported in the July/August 2010 ATLANTIC MAGAZINE…

Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. Most managers are now women too. And for every two men who get a college degree this year, three women will do the same. For years, women’s progress has been cast as a struggle for equality. But what if equality isn’t the end point? What if modern, postindustrial society is simply better suited to women? A report on the unprecedented role reversal now under way— and its vast cultural consequences… read on

What if modern, postindustrial society needs to be remoulded to suit the Lifestyle that women aspire to, and that men will also definitely benefit from?

What if all considerations of Life were treated equally as importantly, without there being the lop-sided tilt towards work as it is now?

What if all the entrepreneurial mothers, who have left work as we know it to pursue their own version of what that Life needs to look like, were encouraged to return to the corporate jungle to re-vegetate and re-establish the equilibrium?

Replacing women with men will not be the entire answer, we know that. But to keep doing things as we have always done them will not rectify the straining issues right now either. At least the conversation has started…

A little while back, trendwatching.com gave us a light-hearted yet insight-heavy video edition of their trend report, featuring consumers from all over the world speaking their minds on a variety of trend topics. After all, one consumer video sometimes says more than a 20-page Trend Briefing Enjoy!

Source: www.trendwatching.com. One of the world’s leading trend firms, trendwatching.com sends out its free, monthly Trend Briefings to more than 160,000 subscribers worldwide.

…their control is still key. What potential loss if in hands of non-entrepreneurial charities!

Imagine if this money was handed over without proper supervision!
In an article this morning in TheAge.com, 40 of America’s billionaires and their families have pledged to give more than half of their fortune to charity in a drive organised by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

Whilst it is a particularly noble gesture; make no mistake that unless they are prepared to also police it and make the necessary entrepreneurial decisions so that the money is not squandered but in fact expanded, then itmay well prove in time to be a fruitless exercise.

Mind you though, these people didn’t get where they are by being silly and emotional without being savvy, so I’m sure they’ll do it again with this venture.

Sadly though, not one woman rates in the list of the richest… what is that? Mind you, all 40 doing this have not been listed, so I can only hope there is some representation, but I’m sure there’s so much room for more. Ladies, it’s about time we rectified that little stat!

To read the full article, click here