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You are here: Home / Archives for entrepreneurship

If I could make a living out of loving you, I’d be a millionaire in a week or two

June 22, 2014 by Stephanie Sheaffer 1 Comment

Dear Tim,

I just realized we’ve been together longer than we’ve been apart. I was sixteen when you surveyed that Algebra classroom and chose the seat next to mine.

How could I have known that a blonde-haired boy would forever change the course of my life?

But then again, you have always been full of surprises. Quite the opposite of predictable. It made sense that you were the Captain of the Soccer Team and Star of the Track & Field Team, with your lungs of steel. But then you ran for Student Body President your Senior year – and won. You sang Gospel Choir in college – touring middle America. You got your Master’s degree and rode dirt bikes and flew to Ukraine and stood over your brother’s grave with a gentle strength that I will never forget.

Remember when you interviewed with the police department after undergrad, donning your button-up and tie? Later, I pinned a rose to your uniform as you graduated from the academy. You were the best sort of policeman because you have always been able to see thru people, in people. You could fight the bad guys with one hand behind your back…but also were armed with things that the force could never issue. Integrity and compassion.

Later, you worked as a pastor, than an RV full-timer…now you clock your time as a realtor, an internet entrepreneur, an audio book reader, a relentless dreamer.

Not to mention a father of three little girls who adore you. They think you can fix any faucet, cure any ailment, outrun any assailer, fly all the way up to the moon. Actually, so do I. You’re the problem-solver. The brave doer. The let’s-try-it-and-see-what-happens inventor of the future.

The coming years are sure to bring plenty more mysteries. Adventures galore. Life is never a bore when I’m with you.

A few days ago, we were standing in the kitchen. You pulled me in, “You’re still the person I like being with the most.” I leaned in and looked up, “Same here.” Same here.

Tim and Steph forever

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: entrepreneurship, marriage, writing

writing in a coffeeshop (a poem)

March 9, 2014 by Stephanie Sheaffer 2 Comments

It seems poetic
sitting there with a cup
of bitter coffee
perhaps a pastry
in a paper bag
but the barista is bold
like seventh grade
the man adjacent is
talking loudly
the doorbell jingles
to signal a new customer
someone says hello
and I lose my line
I pack up my cords
to go where I write best
an unromantic wooden table
chomping on nuts
at home

Filed Under: Poetry Tagged With: entrepreneurship, work at home, writing

Best Business Cards of Bloggy Boot Camp Phoenix

June 5, 2013 by Stephanie Sheaffer 3 Comments

This past April, I attended Bloggy Boot Camp in Scottsdale, Arizona. Spearheaded by Tiffany Ramos and Francesca Bellini, the conference focused in on the business side of blogging.

I picked up almost everyone’s card in attendance and enjoyed going through them one-by-one, making notes about outstanding designs.

Here are the top seven cards that stuck out to me:

Best-Business-Cards-of-Bloggy-Boot-Camp

My favorite card of the pack comes from media maven Danielle Elliot Smith.

Danielle-Elliott-Smith's-Business-Card

PERSON: Danielle Smith of DanielleSmithMedia.com and ExtraordinaryMommy.com

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE CARD: I propose a new business card “rule of thumb.” Always include a photo of yourself. Invest in a great headshot and include it on your card. Nothing makes a card more memorable than a face. I love that one side of Danielle’s card is a (gorgeous) photo. Not easy to forget.

————————————————————————————

Chloe-Jeffrey's-Business-Card

PERSON: Chloe Jeffreys of Generation Fabulous

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: Everything about this card screams “fun.” Again, the highlight of the card is a bright, colorful, and personality-infused picture. To make the concept even more fabulous, Chloe had a variety of cards – all with different poses. Brilliant!

————————————————————————————

Kim-Janocko's-Business-Card

PERSON: Kim Janocko of Collective Bias

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: Very clear branding. Collective bias is known for their candy apple green and white color scheme – and this card plays on your memory. I also like the strong font with plenty of white space. The cornered edges are a great design element.

————————————————————————————

The-Celebration-Shoppe-Business-Card

PERSON: Kim Byers of The Celebration Shoppe

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: Typically, I don’t advise to veer from a traditional rectangular shape for a business card. In Kim’s case, however, I think the circular style is whimsical and festive – which meshes exactly right for her brand. It’s crystal-clear what her business is about.

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Real-Housemoms-Business-Card

PERSON: Aubrey Cota of Real Housemoms

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: Although I would have also loved to see a photo of Aubrey, I do like that the card features original photography from her site. There’s no question about what kinds of posts you will find at Real Housemoms.

————————————————————————————

Allison-Waken's-Business-Card

PERSON: Allison Waken of all for the everyday, all for the boys, and all for the memories

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: I appreciate the simplicity and professionalism of this card. No visual clutter. Super strong. Lots of white space, plus rounded edges. A good choice for someone like Allison who writes across a number of sites. Only one suggestion for her: add a picture.

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Wendy-Wright's-Business-Card

PERSON: Wendy Wright of Choosing Love and Arizona Moms Network

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS CARD: The “heart tree” is beautifully illustrated and clearly unique (no clip art here!). I also love the double-sided card that features her two biggest ventures – super smart.

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Have you seen any creative business cards lately?

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: conferences, entrepreneurship, money

10 Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls

August 3, 2012 by Stephanie Sheaffer 7 Comments

As the mother of three young daughters, it often dawns on me that one day soon they will be heading out the door with keys in hand.

Here are ten things I want to tell them…to tell all teenage girls.

1. Read. I hereby grant you permission to stay up past your bedtime with a book. I recommend that you make good use of the library, that you invest in an electronic reading device, and that you fill your room with books.

2. Exercise. Not because it will make you skinny, but because it will make you strong. Try track and field because running is an easy sport to continue through almost every season of life. Biking and swimming are other good options.

3. Travel. Though I want to always hold you close, I promise to let you go. See the world and hold it in your heart. Go to places that make you cry – because of beauty, because of pain.

4. Serve. If you ever start to feel blue. If you feel like your world is spinning out of control. If you wonder if anyone really, truly understands you. Roll up your sleeves and cook a meal for a family with a sick child. Rock a baby at an orphanage. Hold an elderly person’s hand. Write a letter to a teacher you inspires you.

5. Start a business. So what if you’re only 15. Create and sell a product. Fail, stumble, try again. What a gift it will be when you are older and know the secrets of entrepreneurship. Someday, when you have babies underfoot and you are still able to bring in an income, this will make sense.

6. Go to college. Not because it’s the thing to do. Not because you’re worried about getting a “good job.” But because you want to. Because education is available to you and can transform your life. If you can swing it, go to an Ivy League. If not, excel where you are. The important thing is to keep learning – in academia or not.

7. Keep in mind that, “Good friends are hard to find.” Somebody once said that, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Look for people who value the good, speak out against the bad, laugh frequently (but never at other people), work hard, and love Jesus. When you find those friends, serve, travel, and start businesses together.

8. Save your money – or give it away. Avoid shopping malls – with their heavy perfumes, their intoxicating lies about body image and happiness, and all of the signs that exist to get you to buy-buy-buy. Not to mention the boys that will try to pick up on you. The attention will make your heart soar, but it’s not what you want.

9. Hold out for true love. Find a man that treasures you, that listens to you, that leads by example, that lets you lead too. You probably won’t find him at a party or a movie theater or a club (maybe, but probably not). He’ll be out on a hike or teaching a kids camp or building houses in Mexico. So concentrate on doing things that are good for your body, mind, and heart. Help other people. And don’t hang pictures of boy bands and celebrities on your walls.

10. Remember who you are in Christ. Beautiful. Beloved. Wonderfully made for a purpose. You belong to Him.

* This post was inspired by Kate Conner.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: encouragement, entrepreneurship

three small children and entrepreneurship

June 5, 2012 by Stephanie Sheaffer 15 Comments

It’s 11pm and the baby isn’t asleep.

Tim walks around the kitchen in track pants and TOMS shoes, holding her, humming deeply.

Tomorrow will be another day to try to figure out how to have three small children and an entrepreneurial life.

Our days are atypical – both of us at home – equally sharing in the tasks of moneymaking, baby rocking, replying to emails, making phone calls, making lunches, closing deals, buttoning up princess dresses, and mopping the floors (okay, fine, Tim does all the mopping).

When people ask what we “do,” we used to answer with our latest clients/projects. Lately, though, we just say WHY we do it instead. “We’re entrepreneurs because we want to spend as much time as possible with each other and with our kids.”

The contracts fluctuate, but the mission remains the same.

Working from home isn’t idyllic. Our house is LOUD and there are always little voices, needing a glass of water or a book to be read or a back to be scratched or a question to be answered. And now there is a newborn babe to be nursed too.

Back in grad school, we wouldn’t have predicted this future. Between us, we’ve held a number of job titles: Police Officer, Guidance Counselor, Rehabilitation Specialist, Pastor, Editor, and Travel Writer.

All of those jobs have led us to here…to our house. 9-5 and 5-9. We’re always on-the-clock. AND always together – exactly what we’ve dreamed of for so long.

This is our unfolding story (and it’s totally keeping me on the edge of my seat).

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: entrepreneurship, work at home

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STEPHANIE SHEAFFER

Hi, I'm Stephanie - a writer, mother, and traveler. I strive to live with this in mind: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" (Plato). [Read More …]

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