Can You Feel the Movement for Working Women? (Aspire Her Conference)

We both know the world is a different place than it was at the beginning of 2020. 

Life as we used to know it has shifted. Can you feel that?

The way we work. The way we care for our children. The way we use our time and who we allow in our world. 

During quarantine the past couple months, I've sensed the movement of "creating your own ladder" is needed more than ever. 

Women need to have options for making good money while being a great mom. Work needs to work for our motherhood.

This is such a unique and rare time in history -- and that means we all need helpful tools, connections, and actionable information to face the future. 

Enter, the Aspire Her Conference. 

Aspire Her Conference for Driven Working Women

I'm so incredibly excited to be one of the speakers in this conference, alongside women like Alison Faulkner, Natalie Madsen, and dozens of other exceptional speakers in the Intermountain West.

My presentation is called "Creating Your Own Ladder" and I share how you can build a motherhood-first business.

It's coming up two weeks from now and you can use the code MAMALADDER15 to get 15% off your ticket. 

Get double the support during unique times

Aspire Her founder Erin Weist and I both believe so much in collaboration over competition. I'm proud to be a speaker, affiliate, and sponsor of this conference.

Fun fact: Aspire Her was a sponsor for the first 100 Grand Plan Workshop last year. We both support each other wholeheartedly.

So we've teamed up to offer you a bundle deal to attend BOTH the Aspire Her Conference AND 100 Grand Plan Workshop, saving you $97 and offering you world-class support next month to face the future as a mom business owner. 

June 2020 can be THE MONTH that changes everything for you.

I cannot recommend these events more highly. Every dollar counts right now, and I feel confident you'll get so much back in return for your time and money.

Both Erin and I pour so much love into our events and we plan to blow you away with VALUE that helps you right now.

These events can be the difference you've been looking for to grow your business. Join us, friend.

How to Work from Home with Kids During Coronavirus COVID-19 (Survive and Thrive Webinar)

Have you had a wild ride of emotions the past week during the Coronavirus COVID-19 updates? I know I have. As a mother and entrepreneur, there’s been so much to think about.

If you’re unsure how to keep your business alive while your kids are home during COVID-19, you’re not alone. I see you, Mama, and I can help.

I feel uniquely prepared to be a voice of reason and encouragement for you right now. Since 2016, I’ve been able to make good money in my companies while being a great mom for my kids. I’ve helped hundreds of mom business owners through 100 Grand Plan Workshops, #MamaSpringBreak retreats, and the High Five Grant for Moms international business grant competition.

My name is Crystalee Beck. I’m a mother of three cuties, published author, and owner of two companies, Comma Copywriters and The Mama Ladder. I have a deep passion for supporting women at the intersection of motherhood and entrepreneurship, and I want to tell you:

Now is a unique time that you can not only survive, but THRIVE as a leader in your home and company.

I won’t sugarcoat it: Some companies will thrive through COVID-19 (besides toilet paper brands!) and others won’t survive.

I care about you, your family, and your business. I feel inspired to help you right now.

You’re invited to join me on March 17, 2020 in a one-hour, FREE training: “Survive and THRIVE: Working from Home with Kids During COVID-19.”

Register now, friend

By entering your name and email below, you agree to receive emails about the upcoming webinar, and weekly tips and action-focused inspiration from The Mama Ladder® on building a business while raising a family.

In this one-hour FREE training, I’ll share how you can work productively with kids at home and create the greatest time of growth for your business (if you do a few specific things!)

WEBINAR ITINERARY:

What you need to be thinking about right now (both for your home and business).

How to get the most important work done for your business right now in limited time with kids at home.

Why now is the time to use creative ways to make the most of COVID-19, no matter what stage you're at in your business.

How you can market to your ideal clients in ways that feel authentic, not gimmicky, in a sensitive time.

Wanting personalized support with a loving and strategic six-figure business coach? I wasn’t going to offer 1:1 coaching in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented time for small business owners. I’m opening limited spots on my calendar through April for service-based business owners who love their kids and their company. I sincerely want to help you. Contact me here.

Lightning Struck My Plane! 3 Ideas for Your Business During Coronavirus Uncertainty

Years ago I was working the friendly skies as a flight attendant and lightning struck our plane at 30,000 feet. It was loud, made a metallic zing and flash of light that hit hard and fast. I was walking down the aisle, delivering peanuts, pretzels, and cookies. We were all stunned.

Babies started crying. Adults started hyperventilating.

My heart pumped faster, seeing dozens of passengers look up at me. The gal with the wings on. 

I knew in that moment I had to keep my cool, not matter how freaked out I felt. I called the cockpit, and the pilot told me our engines were OK and we might have to make an emergency landing in closeby city.

Then in one of my greatest acting moments, I made my announcement with a stone face and confident voice:

"Ladies and gentlemen, yes that was lightning that struck our plane. The pilot has everything under control and is in contact with Air Traffic Control. We will all be OK. The best thing we can do is stay calm."

I didn't know if I believed it myself, but I'll never forget that feeling of responsibility to help others in a scary moment.

I feel it now, as I type these words to you.

We're facing unprecedented days right now for small business owners. I'm not alone in saying I never would have guessed in a million years that we'd see what's happened in the past 36 hours.

Schools closed. Disneyland closed. NBA games stopped. Churches cancelled. National emergencies declared.

The world is put on pause for coronavirus to pass. 

We could swap stories all night about cancelled trips, lost money, broken dreams, and bad timing.

But ultimately, we're all on the "plane" together, journeying along this crazy ride of life. And we WILL be OK, even if we may feel stunned by the impact right now.

⚡ CONSIDER THESE 3 IDEAS FOR YOUR BUSINESS DURING CORONAVIRUS UNCERTAINTY:

1. For service-based companies: Most corporations will have a hiring freeze right now. If you need more clients, look for companies advertising for full-time workers who have your skills. For example, if you do SEO, look for companies who need an SEO Specialist. They may not be able to hire someone, but they likely still need the work done. Now is a time to offer your services as an "interim" outsourced solution.

2. For product-based companies: Think about for-profit organizations who could use your products right now, in bulk. For example, my friend Alyson sells adorable newborn graduation outfits at Kinder Keepsakes. She could reach out to hospitals right now because maternity ward mothers are not getting their normal number of visitors and likely feel super stressed. She can offer her beautiful products as a special gift for hospitals to offer mamas of itty bitty patients. (Again, be really genuine about this. It's filling a need, adding extra help where you can with the fabulous products you've made for the world!)

3. For every mama business owner: Be really, really gentle with yourself right now. We're all in this together. Everyone is hurting in some way. This will pass. And if we're looking for them, there are opportunities for each of our businesses right now. So like I said when I was a flight attendant, We will all be OK. The best thing we can do is stay calm."

(I will confess I've eaten an ungodly amount of Ruffles potato chips the past day. Comfort food, baby!)

Healthy vibes to you and yours, 

Crystalee 

Leap Day Announcement! Meet the Winter 2020 High Five Grant Winners

It’s LEAP DAY, which means it’s time for three women to “take a leap” ahead in their business.

The Mama Ladder and Belly Bandit are pleased to announce the three grant winners for Winter 2020. The High Five Grant for Moms started in 2018 to provide economic empowerment to mom-owned companies. As of this fourth round, the grant program has awarded $21,500 to promising mompreneurs.

Announcing the Winter 2020 Grant Winners!

In a competition with nearly 100 applicants, these women were selected as part of eight finalists by judges Lori Caden of Belly Bandit, sales coach Natasha Hemmingway, and serial entrepreneur, Michelle McCullough. There was a public vote for week, and after tallying up 6,811 votes, here are the top three:

The $5,000 grant goes to Dear Darby, owned by sisters April Millar and Aleena Hill, who are both mothers passionate about birth. They live in Idaho, USA.

Dear Darby designs and sells beautiful labor gowns that function perfectly for women’s bodies as they birth their babies.

They are also launching an online childbirth program specifically educating women who want to have an unmedicated birth in a hospital.

Note from April:

“Aleena and I have loved helping women on an individual level have their most positive birth experiences. But what we really want is to help thousands or tens of thousands of women approach this transition into motherhood with excitement and confidence. Educating women on their birthing rights gives the more knowledge and power over their births. If more women have positive birth experiences we will have more confident mothers and more confident mothers can change the world.”

The $1,000 grant winner is Jennifer R. Funk, proud widow, mother, artist, and creator of the Create Hope Foundation.

Based in Ogden, Utah, the goal of Create Hope Foundation is to foster relationships between local widows, with support and connection online and in real life.

Jen shares her vision:

“My vision for Create Hope is broad. I would like to offer support to widows in a few ways. Small, intimate retreats help true connection happen. I would love to offer those quarterly, or as often as possible.   As I secure funding, I envision a thriving online site where widows can find resources that are relevant to their circumstances (especially local resources) as well as ways to connect with other widows virtually. The goal is - if someone is having a hard day... there will be someone who is feeling stronger to offer support and encouragement.” 

The $500 Grant winner is Rola Amer, mama of two and founder of Choulala Box, based in Montreal, Quebec.

Choulala Box helps kids and their parents have a BLAST™ by simplifying their morning routines by fostering independence in the everyday routine of self-dressing.

Choulala Box was the recipient of the National Parenting Product Award for Best Family Product.

Rola says:

“I want to create a movement where parents reap the benefits of empowering their kids into early self-dressing and making the BLAST™ method for wardrobe selection a household tool for the entire family that extends into wardrobe organization and fashion purchasing decisions.”

All three of these mom-owned businesses will be awarded a giant check at the upcoming #MamaSpringBreak Business & Adventure Retreat in March 2020.

Want to support the mompreneur movement?

Help pass forward a HIGH FIVE. Contribute $5 to the High Five Grant for Moms Fund. Every penny goes towards future grants. Contribute here.

Want to be a sponsor for the next grant program and have your business seen in front of 200,000+ email subscribers who hear about the High Five Grant? Send us a note here.