Jill’s Consultant List – Online Network of Industry Professionals

It is difficult to be self employed. It is more challenging to find out answers about taxes, payroll, insurance etc. Since most self employed people got that way through a passion for a product or service, their strengths need a little boost in the technical side of self employment. Check here for help : http://www.usaselfemployed.com/... more

Today there was a great article in the LA Times about a dentist who retired and now is on the road making housecalls to nursing homes to provide dental care. It is an inspiring article both from the human kindness point of view but the need to be creative to offer what we need to those who need us. Check it out: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-encore19-2008jun19,0,6838928.story?page=1

If the link gets disabled, look in the LA Times archives for

I just had to share this comment from a recent networking event that I was invited to:

The best part of any corporate meeting, to me, is the team building activity where you have fun with your co-workers and develop relationships that will assist you later when dealing with interdepartmental projects. Here is a nice spot to start looking for ideas that will make the team building event at your meeting fun for all.

Title: Team Building Corporate Entertainment Events
URL: http://www.spy-games.com
Description: Spy themed corporate events, ideal for team building, client entertainment, conference breaks or to boost the morale of your employees. Develops lateral thinking and communication skills. ... more

Well, it is lonely in the store.... But, the ad in the paper comes out tonight so things should pick up. There is a picture in the ad from the wedding. It has my mom, stepdad, all 3 kids, Jim and everyones full name. If people see the pic and read the name, hopefully they will come in. This is such a small town that probably 20% of the residents know someone in the picture !

Also, last night was the kid's school holiday singing program and I wore a Spencer Alexis jacket and handed out cards..

problem - lost the cell phone again... We decided to put the store number on a cell phone so I could answer it even when we are closed. Downside - store is open and I cant find the phone.... will get a new one today if I still can't find it by noon....... more

On Amy Zuckerman's recommendation, I just joined Eons.com. Did everyone see her CNN interview ? Anyway, I am helping people who want to become consultants but want to run their businesses Virtually to eliminate the requisite travel that consulting is known for. In this group I would love to explore the challenges and rewards of a Virtual consulting career.

My opinion is that as people finish 20+ years in an industry, they are well suited to consult to that industry. This gives them the self employment that they might be ready for while not throwing away years of industry specific information.

I used to have a 'Gold' level membership that allowed discussion but I am a firm believer in not reinventing the wheel and eliminating overlap. Eons.com has such a great group set up that I have taken down that level of membership on this site.

Coming soon is something totally exciting and new to the networking profile system - 5 minute podcasts on eac... more

Well, today it rained. In Carmel that means nobody goes out unless they have to. It only rains 20 or so days a year and this is our 'wet' season which means it rained twice this month.

The ad in the paper may or may not be color and/or big. This was my fault. I changed my mind over the weekend and then emailed the sales person. When she went to call me, I didnt answer the store phone. Why ?

Well, since our hours are just 12-4 I decided to put the store phone on a cell. Only since Jim and I are rotating in and out of the store and havent gotten used to the phone scene yet, the phone is lost...ugh... so I missed the call from the newspaper.

Since it was raining our temporary signs fell off...

We havent had any customers yet...but my mom came in. She cheered us up.

more tomorrow....still waiting for the 1st sale...... more

I can't believe it but I am opening a women's clothing store on Monday in Carmel CA. www.JillsofCarmel.com is the site and it is soooo cute. It is easier than it would be for most people because my husband just closed his shop in August and he is doing all of the back office stuff. My job will be to pick the clothes, do the marketing and be there when the store is open. It should be fun. It is small and comfortable in a beautiful courtyard. It is off the beaten path so we do not expect casual walk-ins. Most people coming to the store will be coming specifically to see us.

If you are in Carmel, check us out. If you are not, our inventory is available online at www.twosistersofparadise.com. I will keep this blog updated on the challenges and rewards of this new venture !... more

Too many choices - there are networks everywhere. In some ways I think it is great - like if they are clearly identified with specific goals - and in other ways it is really a pain in the neck - like if they are just to say hi and post social notes.

I signed up for LinkedIn, Facebook, classmates and others at first. Now I am also on MyGenius.com, Jumpup.com, and a dozen others. The first challenge is to use every site to it's fullest potential without leaving any stone unturned. The second challenge, let's face it, is remembering all the passwords and user ids. I hear there is a software program that remembers your passwords. Now, what is the point of passwords if you are going to store them all on one program. Sorry, I digress.

Anyway, yesterday someone told me about a new networking site for fitness people by fitness people. I like that. I also like my site, of course, which is just for consultants. I like Match.com w... more

I am opening a women's clothing store soon (based on the inventory at www.twosistersofparadise.com and I had the very real 3rd degree of separation experience that I always am amused by.

My friend Kathy told me she was giving up her space, so I got ahold of her landlord and leased the space. I asked Kathy for a mailing list of locals. She gave me Tina's name. In a conversation with Tina, we discovered that a personal trainer I used in the past is her best friend.

We had a home showing the other day with the woman who organized our wedding. At the showing, one of the 5 women told me her son lives above our new store (out of 10 apartments up there) and she lives nearby and can walk over.

I was reminded of how important this is when I re-read Steve Friedl's article posted on the Become a Consultan... more

When I started this site I searched high and low for the right suppliers and then, just to make sure I didnt lose their name, and to help you out, I blog about them. I havent done this in awhile but here goes:

www.pioneercolor.com - these guys printed up some very nice sticker labels for us. They were great about proofs, changing colors etc, and making sure it was perfect before they printed and we bought. They were very patient with my changes and they showed their artistic ability when I called them to say "it's just not right.

www.vistaprint.com - I have ordered twice lately. The thing I love on this site is the oversized postcards, the templates are good, the price is right and the quality when I got them is terrific.

www.magneticsignsontime.com... more

This morning I was checking my traffic monitoring software. This can be motivating, frustrating, useful and a huge waste of time - well, I guess that could be a lot of website activities.

This morning I noticed someone who kept coming back to the same page. I checked the page and realized that there was an article there that had gotten cut off mid-stream. This happens sometimes with .php programming where it picks up a code and changes a bunch of stuff you never intended to touch. Oh well. Double check your work.

Anyway, the article was Steve Friedl's incredibly helpful and very long analysis of what it takes to become a consultant. I went in and divided his article into many entries so that you can get right to the part that you want more easily.

The point is, as your site, or your business gets bigger it is hard to keep an eye of every single thing to make sure it is all working correctly. How many CEOs have be... more

Yes, I am at the point on this site that I will try a lot of things to get the word out. I will click on almost anything that will help me get more consultants on the list and get more customers for all the consultants.

Sometimes these work well - getting free articles that are appropriate to this site and posting them for you, contacting good consultants and marketers who help me in large and small ways, joining the Thirty Day Challenge -

Sometimes, they don't work so well. Stumbleupon is a huge time waster but really funny. It hurts my productivity but has replaced Computer solitaire when I need a brain thawing activity. Twitter - ok, I admit that I have not testing this much yet but it has a lot of bl... more

2007-11-09 - Article: Developing reciprocal business relationships by Andrew Brown

Developing reciprocal business relationships
by
Andrew Brown, www.small-business-guru.com

The world is a collection of communities and the business world is no different. But many times when we hear the term “community” and business mentioned together, it is reference to the area where the business is located more than the individuals and companies that keep the world running. Your “community” at its core, is your specific niche in your industry. Beyond this direct relationship, is that of your suppliers and customers.

Business to business sales offer you an opportunity to develop reciprocal relationships that can have far reaching benefits for your own company as well as your customers. Developing constructive partnerships with other businesses can help you manage your company more efficiently and provide ways to reduce your ... more

SBTV.com This is a great site. Lots of give and take by experts that really know what they are talking about. Check it out. The membership is free. There are TONS of videos of interviews of experts. Really - check this site out !!! ... more

At the recent conference I attended, I was able to hear many great speakers. I will tell you about them over time but today I want to tell you about Gayle Davis, also known as the Spunky Old Broad. No, seriously, that is one of her websites. One of the many valuable things she said was to embrace your competition. That by each competitor reaching higher, all parties benefit. As you know, we are a relatively new list but I believe and others have validated that there is a genuine need for our service "out there." In future blogs, I will highlight great sites that you can use to meet one of our 3 core goals: Become a consultant, grow your consulting career, or find the right consultant for you. Keep checking back !!... more

I just got married 3 weeks ago. One of the things that I love about my husband is that he never starts a sentence with "you need to...." and he is a perfect example of unconditional love and total acceptance. Why do I tell you this ? Because this blog used to be called "Jill's random thoughts" until some web programmer who I used awhile back changed it and I didn't notice. So, tomorrow my wonderful new husband will go into the site and correct it to be just the way I wanted it. I listened to Delilah on the radio tonight and I heard a caller who said the most important thing to her was that her mother always accepted her as she was and loved her no matter how badly she screwed up. That is what my husband does for me. And, when the web programmer wanted this blog to have a more normal name, like Jills Blog rather than Jills Random Thoughts Blog, he took a little of ME out of it...after all, those who know me ... more

I just got back from an amazing meeting. I went to a convention of consultants. WOW !!! All those energized, educated and generous minds with tons of questions, tons of answers and every word out of everyone sparked new ideas. There will be lots of good stuff coming in this blog that I scratched down in my binder during the two days, but, my point tonight - or actually this morning since it is 2:23 am and I just walked in the door from my 5 hour drive - is to find a group of people THIS WEEK and go to their meeting. Chamber of Commerce, Trade organization, Volunteer organization or even just an academic lecture or round table lunch...just go. Meet some new people. Get a new perspective and you will find enormous energy to take back to your business. Good luck !... more

2007-10-24 - Article - Volunteering as a Career Development Strategy by Laura Smith Dunaief

Volunteering as a Career Development Strategy

by Laura Smith Dunaief, LASD Resource Development
This column was previously published in the Times Beacon Record Newspapers, August 30, 2007.

Recently, a former colleague notified me that he is taking a new job as an event planner for a major lobbying organization in DC. I cheered for him, not just because it is a great opportunity, but because I know he worked very hard to get it.

2007-10-02 - sick kids at home ?

Good afternoon. I am reminded right now of one of the reasons that parents like to work for themselves....the sick child calling home during an appointment to get picked up at school because she doesnt feel well. If that has happened to you and you are thinking about becoming a consultant to achieve greater flexibility, check out the great article we have on becoming a consultant. Now I will go tend to my daughter.... more

2007-09-25 - Article - Career Networking: Mind your Manners by Laura Smith Dunaief

Career Networking: Mind Your Manners

by Laura Smith Dunaief, LASD Resource Development
This column was previously published in the Times Beacon Record Newspapers, July 26, 2007.

I like to think that I’m fairly well connected, and that I do a reasonable job of keeping in touch with former colleagues and friends. So, when someone is looking for career networking help, I will often drop everything to put them in touch with the right person from my network or to offer some guidance.

2007-09-16 - Hot new things ----

Hi everyone. Well, I have a new "thing" I am into. I am sharing this because I always seem to be one of those people who gets something, tells everyone and then everyone gets it. One of the things I love about this blog is that I get to spread the word so much more efficiently. Previously, my new "things" were Tivo, GoDaddy, and Tianello's Tencel fabric.

What is it now ? Monavie. Really great juice. I got turned on to it from parents of a friend of mine and just got my 1st taste. I ordered some and became a distributer right away. Check it out. more

2007-09-13 - website development

In 2007, every business should have a website. It doesnt need to be fancy. It doesnt need to be e-commerce or database programming. It just needs to be a presence. The banner ads in the Yellow pages used to reach everyone that we could do business with. Some ads were big, some small. Some ads had graphics, some just text. But, if you wanted someone to find you, you better be in the yellow pages.

These days the yellow pages is the internet. All company, large or small, who do business should have a website with at least basic information, client list, how the business works, how to contact them. To do this, you can go to GoDaddy.com and buy a domain name. Their site will even suggest names to you. So, now you own www.yourbusiness.com. By the way, buy the name for 10 years. It is not mu... more

2007-09-10 - Keeping children's movies innocent

When my kids were small, their favorite shows were Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (my son) and Little Bear (my daughter.) These shows were so soft and gentle and really worked on relationships between the characters as well as what their elementary school calls the "Pillars of Character" - respect, compassion, truthfulness, responsibility and others. The result was that my kids are excellent at relationships but didnt have a clue about many mainstream characters until they were bombarded in school.

I was just sent an interview done with the executive that leads the "Land Before Time" franchise for Universal Studios. It is worth the read ! http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/165427/21424747 ... more

2007-08-30 - The best support is all around you

Just look around you, and back in your life and you will find people who are amazing. You always knew they were nice, kind, smart, helpful, good people. And, you know how as you grow up you dont really think you are reaching "that age".. I remember years ago, I babysat for my parent's friends. They were, and are, wonderful people. It's just I always just thought of them as Ann and Tom. Last month, Ann mentioned that Tom would love to know about my site when it is ready. So, I just looked him up on the internet to get an email address and WOW check this out : Tom Schriber, I re-learned something I always knew but sometimes fail to follow up on: some of your greate... more

2007-08-19 - Life Changes every September

Here it is at the end of August. School starts back in two days. Yes, most of the world does New Year's Resolutions but not me. My resolutions start in September. My birthday is in September. I have had a child in public schools with the big kickoff either in August or September for the past 20 years. Summer ends and the water toys go away giving way to the fall and winter soccer balls and mittens. Yes, I find that September is the best time in my life for declaring my "new" way of doing things. Deciding to diet, getting the garage cleaned out, working out more.... standard stuff.

This year my life changes more than usual. I am getting married in October to an unbelievable man. All the various family members from a wide and diversified (and modern) family tree all get along well. Yes, this is a time for new beginnings.

One of my 1st will be to be a more frequent blogger. I will be writing this blog dail... more

2007-07-31 - the right work in the wrong place - freedom !!!

I love my work. I love to work at all really. I love the results, the people that I help, usually the people that I work with (but not always) and mostly the great feeling of adrenaline that comes with a job well done. But, even though I love the work itself, for that brief time that I worked for someone else recently, I didn’t always feel like going to work. I went, but I during that period I knew I should have been working for myself. I would still keep in touch, answer my cell phone that I use for business calls and check in if nobody called me. That was my hint that I was doing the right work in the wrong place. Entrepreneurs have lots of reasons to strike out on their own. Several great start up guys have said they like build... more

2007-07-09 - Blue Chip Expert

Good morning. I love this site. People who check it out or hear my pitch say "wow, what a great idea" but the reality is that this site is not for everyone. In order to be good on this site, you have to be independent and self driven. You have to search for the expert you want and develop that relationship yourself. If you are the expert, you need to put yourself out there and be open and wait for people to contact you. This is not for everyone.

If you would prefer a more anonymous method to hiring or becoming an expert, I recently became aware of another site: www.bluechipexpert.com. This site is more of the recuiter/headhunter model. They have experts who help both sides of the equation find the right balance. Check it out. You need an invitation code to get on the site so use jr945 and you will get through the system.

I welcome your feedback on... more