Ally Loprete

How to Re-Design a Deteriorating Business

By

  When Good Intentions Go... Bad   So what happens is this. We get these big ideas of how we are going to build a fantastic new business to help improve upon the family finances. Our excitement and passion fuels us to jump right in. We feel empowered and invincible. We say, "Bring on those challenges! I can handle it. I am smart. I am willing. I can DO this!" … and in that moment all of those things are absolutely true for us.We are UNSTOPPABLE!   Then doubt begins to creep in ....   It happens to the best of us. Now, you must fulfill your purpose by committing to what you have put into motion... but the negative self-talk is growing louder and more … [Read more...]

Business Mentorship for Parentprenuers

By

  A BUSINESS MENTOR THAT FITS... YOU   Whether you are just starting out or looking to grow your business to the next level, having a business mentor is a terrific way to benefit from the perspective of someone who knows how to get ahead. As someone with more experience in entrepreneurship, a seasoned business pro can advise you on how to hone your abilities as well as navigate new challenges. A mentor can provide pointers on business strategy, bolster your networking efforts, or act as confidantes when your work-life balance gets out of whack. Personally I have a whole treasure chest filled with business support that adequately feeds me when I am stuck. If you were to take a … [Read more...]

Congruency is Crucial

By

Congruency is Crucial   I believe in fakin' it 'til you make it, but the truth is, you have to be able to convince YOURSELF of where you are headed or you won't goanywhere.   Check your Body Language   You could have an uber powerful message, but if the delivery of your message is weak and tentative, this contradiction of yourself is sending mixed messages out into the universe. (no wonder your results are askew!) The way that you present your brand, your business, andyourself has everything to do with genuine QUALITY of your movement. In other words, your gestures, voice tonality, stance, and composure MUST vibrate authentically with WHAT YOU SHARE OF YOURSELF or you … [Read more...]

Building Your Brand with Podcasting

By

  It’s time to jump on the podcasting bandwagon, people. Or is it?   There are more than 200,000 English speaking podcasts today and over a billion subscriptions to podcasting on iTunes alone. Add to the hundreds of millions of people walking around with smartphones -all podcast-enabled- and you have yourself a pretty big reason to join the podcasting trend. As a business owner, you'd be a fool NOT TO. The evolution of small business marketing and the onslaught of podcasting as a medium allows you to reach a far larger audience, but with so many podcasts popping up these days --- let's face it--- the competition has gotten steep.   Instead of creating your own … [Read more...]

Sometime Mommy just needs… Daddy

By

  Sometime Mommy just needs... Daddy. Like today. The first day of Kindergarten for my youngest baby. It's not as if I didn't prepare. I've been ready for eight years...or so I thought. This was SUPPOSED TO BE the day that I would be able to get back to myself, my sense of peace, and the voices in my head.   A chance to revisit the woman I was BEFORE I became a parent...   Ironically, I have never felt MORE like a parent than I do right now. I have become outlandishly aware of the dubiousness that surrounds me as a mother who just graduated her baby to big boy. Did I pack him enough to eat? Should I have looked for a school with a half day kinder program? Are his new … [Read more...]

What Robin Williams Meant to Us

By

Torn Between Parenting AND Peace?   While summer vacations can be rewarding, plentiful, and filled with quality family time...holding the responsibility of entertaining the kids for two straight months can be downright DRAINING. Don't kid yourself. SUMMERS ARE HARD FOR PARENTS. If you've ever been made to feel inadequate from a member of an older generation of parenting, you aren't alone....and you aren't WRONG. Life WAS easier back then. Times have certainly changed as has the expectation of more parental involvement and societal pressure. This, in addition to the need to sustain a second income ... as well as an unavoidable increase in spending during the summer. (Sheesh. When … [Read more...]

Word of Mouth

By

Cost Effective Marketing with BETTER Results   Who says you can't compete with the advertising budgets of bigger businesses? Research shows that small businesses areBOOMING due to better customer service, more personal engagement, and strong word of mouth. Corporate entities simply can't compete with that kind of intimacy and direct connection.   There is No Better Form of Advertising   While there’s no single formula for word-of-mouth success, no one can deny the power of trusted referrals. An estimated 80% of small business customers are facilitated through trusted networks and personal recommendations. Research shows that word-of-mouth marketing is by far the most … [Read more...]

Executing Your Million Dollar Idea

By

  Sometimes the most practical concepts are the most prolific. You don't have to be a Rhode Scholar to come up with an innovative new concept. If you are like most people, you have an infinite sea of fresh and ingenious ideas swimming around your head. In fact, you just might be sitting on top of a gold mine--- if only --- you had the confidence (or the wherewithal!!) to dig into the cold hard surface and reveal it's value.   What do they got that you ain't got? Nothing. That's what. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but the truest innovators are the ones whostep up to the plate and give it their best shot. YOUR ideas could be worth a fortune if executed properly, but are worth … [Read more...]

The “no-time” and “no-money” opportunist

By

  The "no-time" and "no-money" opportunist. As a talk radio host who interviews expert guests, I am usually the oneasking the questions.... but...on several recent occasions the roles have been reversed and I am the one in the hot seat. (I admit, I love being asked to tell my story). Last week one of the interviewers gave me the above nickname, and ---I have to say--- I was flattered. It didn't matter that I had little cash to invest in my business or a mere six hours a week --kid-free-- to get work done. I was still hell-bent on making hay while the sun was shining.   No super powers here. Let go of the assumption that successful people have been given some kind of super … [Read more...]

Happiness… it’s Pretty Serious Stuff

By

Let's get HAPPY!   If you REALLY want to accomplish great things in your business, your family and your personal life... then you NEED to make happiness your #1 Goal. Scientific proof that HAPPINESS makes a difference Pursuing happiness leads not only to happiness itself, but also to SUCCESS, according to Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage. "People who cultivate a positive mind-set perform better in the face of challenge," said Achor. "I call this the 'happiness advantage' -- every business outcome shows improvement when the brain is positive."   Use Positive Thinking to get BETTER results... in every area of YOUR life.   A happy face alone does not … [Read more...]