Merry Christmas from You Go Girl!

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone. I pray that everyone is safe, warm and that you would know that you are truly loved.

Enjoy your day!!!

3 Tips for Crafting a Vision for Growth

Many of my blog readers have home based businesses. As entrepreneurs, we may be examining the past year and looking to the future, thinking of ways to whether this economic storm. Here is an article from best selling author Robert Kiyosaki, "3 Tips for Crafting a Vision for Growth". Hope you find it helpful.


3 Tips for Crafting a Vision for Growth
As interviewed: Robert Kiyosaki, author Rich Dad, Poor Dad

For a small business looking beyond the horizon of today’s tight credit and sales environment, what three tips would you share on crafting a vision for future growth?

1. Learn how to "print your own money" by creating an artifact—a tangible asset like a book, game, product or service—that you can use to drive cash flow and grow your business.

2. Understand and appreciate the power of leverage, whether it’s your banker’s money, maximizing the asset value of an idea, or partnering with other companies or organizations to leverage their expertise or core competencies.

3. Keep pushing and investing in PR and marketing, especially when other businesses are cutting back. When the dust settles, you’ll have captured both market share and confidence.


What to Read Before Starting a Business

You’ve written how the "I can’t afford it" attitude of your "Poor Dad" limited his thinking. What can an entrepreneur do to maintain a proactive "Rich Dad" approach?
Robert Kiyosaki says, "I recommend Before You Quit Your Job – 10 Real Life Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Building a Multimillion-Dollar Business.
This book details the eight elements critical to the success of any business, large or small. It also outlines the importance of Mission, Team and Leadership. Coupling this with a ‘can do’ attitude, and aligning yourself with like-minded individuals, will serve you well in all aspects of our life.
Positive people attract other positive people. Associate yourself with those types of people you want to be like."

I've been a bad blogger...

...and I am so sorry! I have been really bad with reading my comments. Please for give me. I had neglected an important part of my dashboard and totally missed all your wonderful responses to my posts. I want you all to know that I am so glad to hear your feedback and your words of kindness mean so much to me. Please don't stop communicating back, I promise to do better!

No Coast Craft- O- Rama is a hit!

No Coast was a huge hit! We practically sold out of all of our Bath and body treats. Our Sweetiecakes line were a definite success. People loved the fact that these tasty looking desserts are actually soap!

It was so cool to meet such wonderfully talented artists and such kind customers.

Also, I am honored to announce You Go Girl! being chosen one of Venus Zine's Top 10 vendors! What a privilege! Click the link below to read more.

http://venuszine.com/articles/diy/4922/No_Coast_Craft_o_Rama_Gives_Recession_the_Finger

Find You Go Girl! at No Coast Craftorama!

Everyone in the Twin Cities, MN area, come and join You Go Girl! at the No Coast Craftorama! This is our first year doing this annual show and we are excited! We've been in the kitchen whipping up some tasty Sweetiescakes soap cupcakes and cake slices just for you. These delights are perfect gifts for the holidays!

So check us out at the Midtown Global Market this Friday 3-8pm and Sat. 10-5. Here's more info about the show. See ya there!

Our Holiday cupcakes are here!

Here are our new Holiday cupcakes!




New Sugar Plum Cupcake

New Holly Berry Cupcake



and New Gingerbread!

These available for purchase at our Etsy Shop. www.yougogirlsoaps.etsy.com

You Go Girl! has been busy!

Last weekend was a very full one for me. Friday, I attended the annual Women Venture Conference in Minneapolis. Jane Seymor(Dr. Quinn Medicine Women), was the keynote speaker. It was a inspiring day filled with advice and encouragement. Last year, I was blessed to be a vendor at this great event and this year, it felt good to be on the other side as a participant. Also, to my surprise, the Women Venture magazine article that I was featured in, was set on everyone's luncheon seat! What a honor!

Here's a picture of last year's table.



Saturday, I set up at the Excelsior and Grand Art Show. This is always a great show for me. I enjoyed the atmosphere wich is classy yet cozy. Sweetiecakes were a big hit and I'm baking more cakes as we speak.

It's amazing!

Obama is our new president, and no matter who you voted for yesterday, you have to understand what a great historical accomplishment this is.
As I was out and about running errands on Nov. 4th, the whole world seemed to be abuzz. People didn't seem to mind waiting in long lines at the poles. Which is something I have never seen. As I got me free coffee at Starbucks (If you didn't know about this, check my fellow blog http://thecouponsista.blogspot.com/), people seemed giddy about the change that was about to take place.
As I watched the final tally late last night, I thought how amazing! I never thought I'd see the day when an African American would be president! As a person of color, I feel a sense of pride. Pride in my country and in my race. Regardless of who you and I cast our vote for, this is a huge achievement for this great nation.
It also reminds us that anything is possible. With hard work, diligence, faith, and patience, we can do anything we put our minds to. Lets remember this as run our business, homes and life.

Great Holiday gifts from You Go Girl!

As the holidays are fastly approaching, be sure to keep You Go Girl! in mind for all of your gift giving needs. Our cupcakes are great for hostess gifts and stocking stuffers and are sure to put a smile on any face.

Our newest scents are Pink Pomegranate and Cinnabun Cupcake. We also working on some new ones too!

Save money with The Coupon Sister

I have been thoroughly enjoying my new found past time. Coupon clipping! So much so that I have decided to make a site devoted to saving you money. It's called The Coupon Sista.

A few weeks back, I told you about the coupon mom and other sites that you can visit to earn how to save big bucks. I will be keeping these links and many others, as well and freebies and much, much, more. I'll show you just how easy it is to use coupons and many other tips and tricks. Be sure to check my site daily for specials and limited time offers!

To visit, click here! http://thecouponsista.blogspot.com/

Follow through!

Today I learned a hard but valuable lesson. In business, you must follow through!

Several weeks ago, I posted a blog regarding a free business banner program that FedEx offered local businesses. You could get a free banner for your business that was well over $100 value.
In my attempts to get my banner made, I ran into a few obstacles. The first being that I was at the wrong FedEx, and when I went to the right store, the person who would have helped me was out that day. So after spending an hour in their store with two very bored and anxious boys, I decided to come back another day. Well, needless to say, another day was to late. I called FedEx this morning to find that the program ended in August!!!
I am beyond frustrated, but not at FedEx, I'm mad at myself, even though they did make it a little challenging for me. The fact is I made excuses for not going back, like, "I'll wait until the boys are back in school", and "I can't do it today, I've got to make soap"! But the truth is I blew it and missed out on what could have been a great blessing for my business!
Which leads me to my point. I must follow though! You must follow through, we all must follow through. In these tough times, the success of our businesses depends on it. So as I work on my issues, I hope that you will take a look at yours too. What's holding us back? Why do we make the excuses for not seeing a project through? Let's get real with ourselves. We have too much to lose!

Girls In Action

In effort to continue my passion for working with girls in the community, I have decided to be a consultant for Girls In Action. Girls In Action is a Minnesota based company that works with inner city high school girls teaching them about their personal power.

The mission of Girls in Action™ is to decrease and prevent violence among high school girls while positively engaging them in academics and leadership. GIA teaches girls personal power, leadership development, service learning, and career building.

I have been a long time follower of founder Dr. Verna Price for some time now, and am proud to be a part of this great and so needed work!

For more info on Girls In Action, visit http://giaction.org/.

New Cupcake soap with whipped frosting!

Here's what I've been working hard at the last few days. New Sweetiecakes cupcakes with whipped frosting. These are just as adorable as the homemade cupcakes and look more realistic.

Made in all your favorite scents, and new ones too.

I would love to know what you think of the new style. Just drop me a line!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

On October 1st, I instinctively wore my Pink without realizing Breast Cancer Awareness month had already began. As I ran business errands, I met with a fellow Indie business owner Linda Taylor of Adnil Designs, who was also, all deck out in her support of the cause. I admired her pink polo official breast cancer emblem shirt under a black suit. She also wore a pink and black beaded bracelet she had someone make for her.
Linda began to tell me about how her two sisters had both passed away having breast cancer and that she wears her apparel to honor their memories. It was very moving.
After meeting with her, I thought it would be appropriate to encourage everyone to be sure to support Indies. Spend your dollars with them instead of big box retailers. Your money goes to care for their families and support their cause, which in the end, will leave with a feeling that you made a difference.
To find out more about Linda Taylor and Adnil Designs visit http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org/?q=shopping/specialty/8.

Oh my aching mouth!

For the past 2 week I have been dealing with having my wisdom tooth pulled. Let's just say that I ended up having post-op trauma from the whole ordeal. I ended up losing three pounds from not being able to eat. (Not a bad thing, lol.)
After several dental visits and an ER trip, I finally saw an orthodontist. Everything had healed up pretty well and I was on the mend. Here's what he told me.
"This is what happens when you ask a dentist to do a Orthodontist job. It takes them 10-20 times longer to pull the tooth than it does us. Next time you need a tooth pulled come see me!" Point taken!
This is a life lesson we can all learn. Go to the Pro! Don't waste your time with an amateur, or someone who doesn't specialize in what you need done. You'll end up waisting valuable time and resources. I know there are times you may need to go to a student or someone less qualified for financial reasons. That's perfectly fine ,if they know what they are doing. If I had have go to the specialist first, I would have healed sooner, saved time and money, and not missed so many days where I could have been more productive.
Thank God, I am much, much better and back in the saddle. Lesson Learned!

How to pamper yourself in tough times

The recent stock market troubles and President Bush's bail out plan has many has everyone wondering what's next for our economy. Though times are uncertain, you can still find inexpensive ways to pamper.

Here are tips on two things women love to do, get their hair and nails done. Try these at home and you'll see that anyone can take good care of yourself even when times are tight.

1. Visit your local cosmetology school. Students get credit for doing your hair and are well supervised. My favorite? Aveda of course! Clients get their hair shampooed and styled, while you sipping Aveda's signature tea. You also receive a complimentary hand, neck or head massage all for around $14. Not bad! See my latest hair cut above.

2.Do your own nails. Here's how:

*Use an all natural sugar scrub like You Go Girl's, or make you own using any oil and sugar which is less abrasive. Add a few drops of your favorite perfume or body splash and there you have it! Salt work wonder on those tired feet too.

*Gently file your nails to your desired shape.

*Use any lotion that has vitamin E in it and rub it all over your hands. Be sure to rub it right into your nails and the cuticle bed, as this will help keep them strong and healthy. Remove lotion from nails with a little nail polish remover.

*Then simply buff the tops of the nails until they are smooth and shiny.

*Next, apply two coats of your favorite color. Allow to dry and finish with a clear top coat.simply buff the tops of the nails until they are smooth and shiny. Voila!

New Mini Cupcakes!

Introducing new Mini Cupcakes. These are smaller version of the cupcake soap you all love. These little treats are great for birthday parties, as shower favors, or any occasion. They can be purchased individually or in gift sets which will make upcoming holiday shopping a snap.

FDA Globalization Act on Television in Washington, DC

For those of you that don't know what all the fuss is about or just don't understand the full ramifications of this Act, this video may help you. It will make the difference in whether your favorite indie stays in business or not. Take a look!



Note that the video erroneously reads that the Indie Beauty Network website is www.indiebusiness.com. That correct link is www.indiebeauty.com.

Cupcakes everywhere!

Today is a cupcake makin' day for me! My creative juices are FLOWING! I can't wait to show you all of the cute new soap cupcakes in the works. Check back in a few days to see the unveiling!

We have a survey winner!

I would first like to say thanks to everyone who took the time to fill out our survey. We appreciate your input. It will help us in going forward in the future.

So now for the good news. Our winner is Patricia W. of Minneapolis!!! She will receive a gift package filled with bath treats from You Go Girl!

Make sure that you all join our mailing list to be notified of the latest buzz at You Go Girl, and for info on up coming sales and promotions!

Fall 2008 tips and trends

Fall is definitely in the air here in Minnesota. So you know what that means, its time for our annual look at the Fall season trends and tips. Now I am no fashion editor, but here are a few things that I have observed for the new season.

1. Once again, purple reins, as if you already haven't noticed. And so do berries for that matter. You can find these colors in lipsticks and nail polishes that provide a dark but chic look for fall. OPI France Collection has a mini pack of 4 hot purple looks for $10. That's a great way to be in style without breaking the bank. I also love Zoya's Pulse 2008 fall line. Try Mikka for your nails and Alias for the lips. www.artofbeauty.com.

2. Jewel tones are what's hot for clothing. Emeralds, Rubies, Garnets, and Sapphires paired with a grey suit with have you lookin' sharp! My favorite places to shop are NY&Company and Lane Bryant for those of us with more to love. You can also visit H&M and Talbots.

3. For bath and body, deep, dark vanillas, musks, and ambers, are making their way back. Check out You Go Girl's new Vanilla Amber, a smooth, sensuous blend of two of my absolute favorite scents. Many more Autumn flavors are in the works, so check back often!

You Go Girl! has been featured in Mpls. St.Paul Magazine!

Hey all,

I'm so excited to let you all know that You Go Girl! is featured in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine in the Women Venture section! I have secretly working on this interview for the past 6 weeks. I was so honored to have been chosen for the annual magazine article. The interview also features my daughter, the one who had the idea in the first place. And guess what, we have two full pages! Isn't that awesome? I'm feeling so blessed right now!

So all my Minnesota friends in family and beyond, pick up a copy today and check us out!

Thanks,
Stacie

Survey Deadline

Thanks to everyone who has completed our survey. You will all be entered in the drawing for a You Go Girl gift package. Just a reminder, the deadline to participate is Sept. 1st, so be sure to take a few minutes and let us know how were doing. I will be doing the drawing shortly after that.

MN State Fair

Today, was one of the most exciting days I look forward to every year. We took our annual trip to the MN State Fair! I don't know if it's the Cheese Curds, Sweet Martha Cookies or the Homemade Ice Cream, but I love this time of year!
It also marks the end of summer. School starts Monday for my children and though it's been a fun filled, crazy at times summer, I am ready for the change. It means we can get back into a schedule and I can be a bit more productive in my business. Don't get me wrong, family is everything to me, but it's time to get more focused on my craft.
How about you? What does the end of summer bring for you? Feel free to share your thoughts.

Fedex Kinkos free business banner program

FedEx Kinkos has a new business banner program that allows you to get a free 3'x 5' banner! It's very simple. Just bring you logo and text into a FedEx Kinkos and let them know what you need. I advise you to call ahead to find out if their are any restrictions.

There is a small catch. Fedex Kinkos will also advertise their sign services on your banner. Still, very much worth it. I am working on my banner now, so take advantage of this cool opportunity!

You Go Girl! Survey

Well here it is, just as I promised. We are conducting a survey to
find out more about your needs of as valued customers here at You Go
Girl! Please take some time to fill out this short survey, and you'll
be entered in a drawing to win a fabulous giftbasket filled with You Go
Girl! treats! Also, everyone gets a special coupon for their
participation.

Click this link to be brought to the survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=VLx8miQLeL5PpSWtgb2Xpw_3d_3d

Thanks in advance,
-Stacie

New products in the works

The last few days have been busy at You Go Girl! Besides enjoying my kids, I have been hard at work making lots of new soaps and lip balms.

A new soap I'm introducing for the fall season is Vanilla Amber. This is such a sweet and sensual combination.

Back by popular demand is Blue Musk, our Men's scent. This scent is so good, ladies like it too.

I've also launched Lip Love, the new name for my lip balms. You'll enjoy our debut of Chai Tea and Peaceful Mint, with more to come soon!

Check out our Etsy shop to purchase these fresh made treats!

Love My Body -"Real Me" Campaign

I just read in "Heart & Soul" Magazine, about the "You Are Beautiful Campaign", a nation effort to boost the self esteem of women of color. On the website, you can read the interviews of famous supporters such as Coko (formerly of SWV), Niecy Nash, Ashanti and many others and find out their "Real Me" stories.


You can also download a free copy of Love My Body Magazine. So come on' show your body some love!

Making some changes

You have probably seen some of our new labels and I'm curious as to what you think. I've been wanting to upgrade my labels a bit for some time now. My daughter came up with our newest label. She's moved on from making lip balms to heading up me IT Dept. In fact, she is my IT Dept. lol.

Anyways here are a few examples of the changes. How do you like them?

Fishy Pedicures?

I know many of you have heard by now the latest trend in Northern Virginia. It's called a Fish Pedicure. Tiny carp nibble away at the dead skin on your feet. Don't believe me? Then watch this.



So what do you think? Want to give fishy pedicures a try? Well if your like me and not sure you want to be fish bait, try you Go Girl's Sugar Scrubs. You get the same baby soft skin with out the fish!

Check Out Ladies Who Launch

For those of you that don't know Ladies Who Launch is a great resource for women who are thinking of starting a business. I attended a book signing last year and left feeling so inspired that i picked up the book right away.

Since then, I have enjoyed receiving their weekly newsletters that feature a woman owned business.

Some of the great tools on their website include, a social network where you can connect with other launching ladies. They also have a templates on writing a business plan to info on women and angel investors.

So be sure to pick up the book, "Ladies Who Launch: Embracing Entrepreneurship & Creativity as a Lifestyle", and visit the website www.ladieswholaunch.com today!

What does your skin mean to you?

Today I came across a website called www.skinvoice.com. It's a new campaign of Vaseline that asks the question, "What does your skin mean to you". The film is to release at the 2008 ESSENCE Music Festival. In the mean time you can watch the trailer and listen to celebrity answers that are sure to inspire.

I'm going to try the coupon game.

Everyone needs to save a little money these days and I as I find tips I will post them regularly in my blogs. Here's my first tip.

After reading this Sundays paper, I thought I would try the latest trend in savings, coupons! While using coupons is old news, there's a lot of new ways to use them.

Now I know you've you probably heard the buzz about playing the grocery game by paying a monthly fee and clipping all your coupons and watching your sales flyers to get the best deal. Well, I came across a free website called www.couponmom.com that gives you plenty of free advice on how to start saving up to 60% or more on your groceries and household goods. The site seems to be a bit easier to use and I like the fact that it's free! Who wants to spend money to save money? Not me!

So I think I'm going to give it a try. I challenge any of you that have been considering this new way of shopping to also give it a try. I'll be completely honest with you. I'm an ALDI shopper because the prices are soooo low. However, if I can save even more with very little work, I'll do it.

I'll let you know how things turn out. Feel free to post your savings too!

Our trip to our first Sonic drive In

The other day my husband came home from work telling me that a co-worker said that a "Sonic Drive In" had just opened up in our state. Now I know some of you might be thinking big deal we have those everywhere, but in Minnesota there are none, until now. So being that it was a beautiful day, we decided to pack up the kids and travel to St. Paul, to see what all the fuss was about.

We arrived to see a long line and a traffic cop directing traffic! We didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't that. We waited our turn to be told that you have to wait in line and get a pass to enter the drive thru. We thought, "We've come this far, might as well".

Anyways, were not sure what all the hoopla is about. The food wasn't that great and the service could have been better. However, it was still a fun trip and we may give their "Coney's and Slush's a try another day.

New You Go Girl! Etsy press!

You Go Girl! has been featured in the MN Etsy blog! In their "Getting Crafty" section they chat with Etsy seller's to find out their summer plans and projects. Take a look at what they have to say about You Go Girl! and other great Etsians too.

Here's the link:

http://etsymn.blogspot.com/2008/07/getting-crafty-this-summer.html

Star Wars here we come- finally!

Yesterday I took my boys on a summer field trip to the Science Museum to see the new Star Wars exhibit. My son is a huge fan of Star Wars. He can tell you facts that many grown ups don't know and he's only six! To put it mildly, we had a blast! It was cool (even for me), to see the actual props for the Trilogy -the ships, costumes, etc. The three of us even made our own floating spaceships to race.

It was fun to take a break and do something exciting with the boys this week. I look forward to many fun trips this summer and I'll keep you all posted.

Happy Independence (Indie) Day!

Happy fourth of July to everyone! As we celebrate our country's Independence, I can't help but to think about the freedom of being an Indie. Let's take a look at what it means to be an Indie.

Indie initially comes from the word Independent. Indie has several meanings. The first, -an independently owned business or self-employed; (of a business) privately owned. Another meaning is -An artistic work produced by an independent company or group. One article says "Just be yourself. That's true Indie".

I have to say I love being an indie. Having a say so in my business, staying home and working in my "grubbies", coming and going as I please, and spending more time with family, are just some of the reasons I made the switch from corporate to the entrepreneur life.

So fellow Indies, let's take the time today to rejoice in our Independence.

Cupcake Saturdays at Letterbox Creative

Recently on my quest for delicious cupcakes, I came a cross an email for Letterbox Creative, a card and stationary company, hosting Cupcake Saturday once a month. It was Saturday so I decided to hurry over a try their tasty treats. They were yummy and oh so cute. Even the father of the baker was in line to purchase his.

You can find out more about Letterbox by visiting their website at http://letterboxcreative.com

FDA Globalization Act

This is an important issue that I think both customers and small business owners of bath and body products should be keeping an eye out for. There is a proposed law that is currently in the works that could hurt indie Bath and Beauty owners and put them out of business.





So if you enjoy having the choice of getting your beauty products from Indie business owners with a name and face and not some big box retailer, make some noise! Tell congress no way, the choice is yours.

Juneteenth Celebration in Mpls. MN

This weekend, I attended our Juneteenth celebration at Theodore Worth Park. For those that don't know, Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery and dates back to 1865.

We arrived early enough to see the parade, which I had never done before. We watched the college Fraternities do their steps and B96, a local, radio station, rode by in their trick out 57 Chevy. Who could forget the Wells Fargo coach and it's beautiful Clydesdales as it passed.

It was great seeing old friends and family that you haven't seen in a while. One of my favorite places to stop was for Taquitos. I was a little disappointed to learn that they changed the recipe. I also enjoyed the soulful sounds of gospel music echoing through the crowds as we left. All in all it was a great day, for me.

Unfortunately the festival ended early as the result of 3 people getting shot. Apparently, a fight broke out and one of them started chasing the other shooting through the crowd. I can't help but to ask, "Are we really free?". A reporter asked a vendor about the violence. He replied,"It's sad, but we will be back next year!".

How was your Juneteenth celebration? Did it go off without a hitch, or did it suffer violence as ours did? I would love to know your thoughts on this. Feel free to leave a comment.

Huge sale at my Etsy Shop!

$$$$$$$$$$$ We are having a HUGE Summer sale and most items have been marked down throughout our store! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

We're making room for new lines and these are our lowest prices ever! If you've never tried you go girl, this is the perfect time.

So get it before it's gone!

Visit www.yougogirlsoaps.etsy.com!

New recipes for homemade bath and beauty - Banana Hair Smoothie

I am going to be posting recipes on a regular basis for making your own bath and beauty products at home.

The first in the series will be a Banana Hair Smoothie. This hair mask is great for those who have dry or damaged hair but can also be used for anyone as a boost. Everything is all natural with no added chemicals which makes it very beneficial.

Take 1 mashed banana, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of milk and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well and apply to hair. Leave for 15 – 30 minutes and wash out with a gentle shampoo.

Hope you enjoy! More recipes to come.

K.G.- You did it!!!

This blog isn't about soap or business. And I'm not a huge fan of basketball, except for any t4eam my son plays for. However, I just had to write it. Go Celtics!!!!!!!!!!!
Now before I upset any of my readers, I must explain.
You see, Kevin Garnet had been a MN Timber wolf for years a. We all loved K.G. (the kid back then) since day one. He was "our" superstar. He worked hard year after year to try to take our team to the top. So when it was time for him to leave, most of us were glad for him because he deserved a Championship and he probably wouldn't get it in MN. Well most fans just followed him to the Celtics and wouldn't you know it, he finally gets his ring. I can't believe it! K.G. we're proud of you!!!

Help your teen start a business

Recently, I gave a presentation to Beautiful, a girl's group that I work with, on how to become an entrepreneur. I shared with them how You Go Girl!, started as a n idea of my them 13 year old daughter.
One of my examples of a youth making it today were of Jasmine Lawrence, who started Eden Body Works, a hair care company which is now worth 3 Million. http://www.edenbodyworks.com/ (I actually picked up some of this at Walmart the other day and I love the Peppermint scent)! Chancey Hollowman also owns Harlem Lyrics, an urban greeting card company worth 1.2 Million. Both of these ladies started in their early teens!
I have always believed in creating your own wealth and my kids have picked up on that early. i remember when we had our bookstore, my children would sell candy to my customers and their friends at school. They did well too and those same skills have stayed with them today!
If you have youth that want to start their own business, a great resource is http://www.score.org/resources_young.html which list several business website for teens.

The business of social networking

Lately, the buzz in the business community is social networking. It's not just for teens and young adults anymore. Thousands of entrepreneurs have taken their businesses online and are enjoying free advertising. Communities have been popping up everywhere. Indiepublic, Divaprenuers, We love Etsy, are all apart one community, Ning, which allows you to even create your own social network and invite friends to join. And of course there's Myspace and Facebook. Twitter is another site that is similar, but allows you to see how others are doing by writing a short, quick to the point, sentence.

I must admit, at first, I was very skeptical. My husband and children all had Myspace pages and many people were telling me I need one. It took me a year before I joined, but I'm so glad I did! I have gotten many leads and sales from social networking that would have never came to my website otherwise.

I encourage any of you who don't have a social networking site that you belong to join the hottest trend in business marketing. Check out my myspace page for an example at: http://www.myspace.com/yougogirlsoaps.

And the winner is...

Congrats to Hil'Lesha who won our monthly drawing! She will get a lovely flower soap in the mail.

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for your chance to be entered in our monthly drawing. Visit http://www.yougogirlsoaps.com/ for more info.

A look at the history of Black Hair Care

I have been making my own hair care products for a long time now but I haven’t introduced them to market. I’m currently toying with a few recipes to come of with a perfect blend. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.

Recently, I came across an article on the history of black hair care. The article refers to a book is titled “400 years without a Comb: The Untold Story”, by Willie L. Morrow. In it you will find interesting facts like:

In Africa and during slavery:
- Black used grits, corn meal, and powdered charcoal as a dry shampoo.
- Wild Apple leaves and chicken fat were cooked together and used as a hair oil and conditioner.

Post Slavery:

- The Sunday morning haircut was performed on the front porch where the recipient would sit on a stump or box. This was known as the first barbershop.
- To straighten hair, lye was used and often caused hair breakage, scalp burns, hair loss, and baldness

You can find this book at Amazon.com. Though expensive, it proves to be an interesting read!

Summer tips

Summer is here and I have got some great tips for you to get ready for this season of fun in the sun!

Time to go through those closets again. Take a look at your summer wardrobe. I literally just did this 2 days ago. See what works. Try on everything and the clothes that are out dated or don’t fit anymore, give away or take to a consignment store.

How’s your swimsuit? I know this is hard for women but it may be time to purchase a new one. Look for a size higher to allow for a great fit. Also, there are so many suits that flatter your body type. Just make sure that it fits.

Take a look at your summer accessories to see what matches well. Summer brights and natural stones are in. A cute pair of earrings or a stone necklace is perfect find. And don’t forget a new pair shades!

4. Take care of your skin. Make sure you moisturize everyday and exfoliate to slough of the dead skin. Try You Go Girl’s Whipped body scrub to get your skin silky smooth and beach ready.

Green Spring Cleaning

Since the kids are out of school, it's a good time for me to do some spring cleaning. Right now were going through old clothes and giving some away to a local thrift store and saving some for a garage sale. Our house will need a deep cleaning too.

As I looked through a magazine, I saw some great ways to clean greener and i wanted to share them with you.

To clean your floor- mix 1 cup Vinegar and 2 Gallons warm water

To clean your toilet bowel- pour 1 cup Vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes. Then scrub bowl with baking soda.

Tub and Tile- Remove grime and film with Vinegar on a sponge. Wipe down. Then use baking soda to scrub tub.

*You can add essential oils like Lemon, Lime, Lemongrass, or Lavender to get rid of the sour smell.

All of these recipes are all natural and contain no preservatives. because they are non toxic, they will help your family and the environment.

Check out http://www.lifebeautifulmagazine.com/ for more recipes and a delightful inspirational magazine.

School's out, now what?

Well, today is the last day of school for my two boys. My daughter has 2 weeks left yet. It leaves me wondering what the summer will bring.

One thing is for sure, I plan one keeping my kids busy so that they don't get too bored. I know there will be times when I have to work and take care of business, but they will have to entertain themselves, at last for a little while. So I have thought of a few ideas for the summer that I wanted to share with you all.

1. Visit the park. O.K. this is a no brain-er, but you will find that after sitting on the phone or managing your website all day, you will need this much needed break. Also, you can bring a business book or magazine that you been attempting to read.

2. Visit your local library. Many libraries and even bookstores have story hours . Your kids can sit and be read to while you do a bit of research or work right from their. Also, have your kids join a book-club to keep their minds challenged this summer.

3. Check your local Museum or Historic Center. Many of these places have family days when everyone is free and they have lots of activities for the kids to do. These activities can be continued at home for continued learning.

These are a few things we plan on doing. How about you? Do you have ideas for staying sane this summer? Please feel free to share!

Craft Inc. Book review

I read this book a few months ago and it's a must have! I picked it up from my local library and didn't want to give it back. I renewed it three times and figured, "I've got to get this book"!

"Craft, Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby into a Business"by Meg Mateo Iiasco, is for anyone who has a hobby and is interested in going into business. It has great testimonials of how others have done it successfully.

You'll discover:

Your creative mind

Your business mind

Your personal style and products

production and Pricing

and much more...

You'll be inspired and you'll also learn a lot too. Get yours today!

Stimulus Check

Lately these days I've been hearing of everyone checking their mail and bank accounts daily, if not twice daily. It seems we're all waiting for that highly anticipated help from the government and I have to be honest, I'm a little anxious too.

There are many plans of much need vacations, and home improvement projects in the works. Others are planning to save or invest it. While some families are forced to pay bills with it. And yes, there will be recipients that completely blow on a big screen T.V.

Whatever it is that you decide you will do with it, you may just have to wait. Early T.V. reports of checks being mailed out May 2, have a lot of people watching their mailboxes. But in actuality, there's a time consuming process of how these checks are being deposited or mailed. http://www.irs.gov/. I've have personally been disappointed thinking it would be here by now, only to find that I have to be patient. Which is kind hard for me since I needed that cash yesterday!

Oh well. These are times that you just have to trust God. You can't always depend on man. Even if it is our government. I know the money will come right on time, just when I need it the most.

How about you? What are your plans for your stimulus check? Feel free to share your thoughts.