This is the 6th and final installment in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Gabrielle, who went from stay-at-home mom to successful business woman. Keely, who is building a business on limited funds, Isabelle, who knew there was no alternative, but to succeed, and Jamal, who decided to create his own job opportunity after a lay-off. Read on to get your inspiration and remember – With determination and hard work; the road can lead you to Success!!

Gabrielle Napolitano, Owner of Still Hip, a kid’s resale boutique said, “Boy have I overcome some crazy things! The short of it is, I opened my business with a partner and a year later my husband left me, he ruined my credit and my business partner decided she no longer wanted to be a part of the store!” Gabrielle went from stay-at-home mom to single parent running a business completely on her own.

Visit Still Hip’s website at http://stillhipbrooklyn.com
Follow Still Hip on Twitter at http://twitter.com/stillhip
Become a Facebook Friend at http://tinyurl.com/28c7hzc

Keely Capel, Owner of BidABooking, an online auction for holiday property rentals said, “I set up my business 15 months ago even when the banks only offered 50% of the capital investment we required. I have managed to get the business off the ground by being resourceful and negotiating as much as I can on fees for services and purchasing and where ever possible looking for free options. Growing the company with such a limited budget has been tough. I have had to rely on friends and family to support me and have used personal credit cards when funds have not been available to us. We are currently seeking external investment as a way to expand the business as the banks are not prepared to increase their lending to us and personal funds are now limited. Although this is also proving a challenge. The experience however has taught me to think outside the box, never except the first offer and has provided me with even more determination to succeed in what I am doing.”

For more information on Keely and BidABooking visit http://www.bidabooking.com/
Follow BidABooking on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bidabooking
Become a Facebook Fan at http://tinyurl.com/2dk5jqn

Isabelle Thomas Duston, the Founder of Apps of All Nations LLC, a producer of applications for the iPhone and the iPad said, “I live in the US, but I am French. In the height of the recession, I realized I needed to leave my husband but had no way of supporting myself financially. Additionally, I wanted to stay in the US to continue raising our two young children. These were limitations I was able to overcome by starting my own company, Appsofallnations. I realized that by starting my own business I could both obtain my own visa and become financially independent so I could support my family. This proved to be very challenging because in order to be approved for an E2 visa you need to invest about $100,000, hire 2 people, and be profitable within 1 year. However, I was able to do it and my business is going extremely well. It enables me to use my creativity and ingenuity, as well as to apply my philosophy of life to my business and management style. This philosophy focuses on the importance of empowerment, collaborative team work, virtual and international teams, and giving to important causes. 5% of the sales of my applications are donated to important causes of my choosing. I believe that bad economic times are actually the best times to start your own business. If you are out of job and need to support yourself like I was, that’s when you get the highest level of personal implication, because you have to make it. There is no easy alternative, so you are driven to find the energy within yourself.”

Visit Apps Of All Nations at http://www.appsofallnations.com/
Follow Isabelle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/iCooking

Jamal Hipps, a marketing and advertising entrepreneur, launched his company MPYER (“empire”) with a specific vision in mind: to help their clients find their own niche or personal ‘secret’ within their industry. Jamal, who uniquely can always be seen wearing a touch of orange (his company’s color), leads MPYER with the marketing mantra of uncovering those hidden treasures of clients – discovering the secret that strengthens the bond between clients and customers and identifying the specific wants and needs between the two.

Surprisingly, MPYER was born thanks to a major setback. In April of 2008, Jamal was laid off from his job at Regions Bank as its Area Marketing Manager – after being with the company since his college years. That’s when he was given the opportunity to enter the industry on his own, determined to establish his own marketing and advertising agency (a goal of his since he was 25). Through diligent networking and several phone calls and emails, Jamal was able to meet with industry professionals who provided insight and direction for his future plans. He decided to create his own job opportunity, and MYPER was born. The company assists its clients with a wide array of services, including event planning, crisis management, graphic design throughout Nashville and nationally. Now, Jamal boasts excellent clients and a great team to work with, and advises that everyone take the risk and jump into entrepreneurial waters themselves.

For more information on Jamal and MPYER visit http://www.mpyer.com
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/MPYER
Connect on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamalhipps

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 5th in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Tiffany, who didn’t let cancer stop her from landing her product into CVS; Lisa, who didn’t let lack of time stop her from growing a successful business, and Savannah, who went from nearly bankrupt to millionaire in under a year. Read on to be inspired and remember – Kick those obstacles to the curb!!

Tiffany Krumins, creator of Ava the Elephant said, “I created a product that makes medicine time fun for babies, children and parents! Ava the Elephant is a friendly elephant that talks and then dispenses medicine to the child. I was shocked that there was nothing on the market that made it a pleasurable experience for children. Last year I pitched my idea to investors and was able to secure the $50,000 needed to bring it to market. However, two months after I started the process I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 28. I decided to push through and continue working at my “paying job”, do all things necessary to start my business, raise my new daughter, have surgery, radiation and recovery all at the same time! CVS will be our first large retailer. It retails for $9.99. They are also available for purchase on our website.”

For more information on Tiffany and Ava the Elephant visit http://www.avatheelephant.com/

Lisa Tener, Book Writing Coach, and Author said, “My biggest limitation was time, when my son was younger. So I built my business slowly. And it took time. Some of the keys were: – appreciating every payment that came in, no matter how small and seeing it as a victory! – sticking with my vision, even when others wondered how it would ever work. – Finding good mentors – finding supportive women entrepreneurs to brainstorm with and support each other. – I value the flexibility of owning my own business. Once I had more income, I began to outsource. I help people write and publish their books. I serve on the faculty of Harvard medical school’s CME publishing course and also teach my own book writing courses locally and by teleseminar. I also help people with book proposals. My clients have been published by Random House, Simon and Schuster, Prometheus, Karnac books, Atria Books, and Beyond Words.

Visit Bring Your Book to Life at www.Lisatener.com/book
Follow Lisa’s blog at http://www.lisatener.com/blog

Savannah Ross, a real estate investor and trainer went from nearly bankrupt to multimillionaire in under a year through real estate investing. Savannah had to overcome many obstacles that included the near death of her youngest son, a house fire, and an impending divorce. Savannah now runs the Rich Mom Corporation which teaches people about investing in rental real estate.

For more information on Savannah and Rich Mom visit http://www.richmom.com
Follow Savannah on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TheRealRichMom
Become a Facebook friend at http://tinyurl.com/26x53fd

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 4th in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Andria, who didn’t let Hurricane Katrina end her dream; Steffany, who persevered through the limitations that resulted in a growing business, and Peter, who overcame what many would consider a disability. Read on to get your required dose of inspiration and remember – Anything is Possible!!

Andria Lewis, a wedding and event designer, made the leap into from corporate America sales into entrepreneurship in February 2005, six months before Hurricane Katrina hit. With only one client and a will to work, Andria relocated to Memphis to start her own wedding and event planning business. Not only is her five-year old business thriving, but she used her pitfalls to sustain and grow business while striving to stand out in a world full of wedding planners. This year, her growth as an entrepreneur and her efforts to remain diligent have allowed her to expand her clientele into corporate events, add 5 new staff members and move into a small office space. Andria is currently planning the wedding of Golden State Warriors NBA player Monta Ellis and his fiancé Juanika.

Visit Andria Lewis Events Website at http://alewisevents.com/
Become a Facebook Friend at: http://www.facebook.com/andrialewisevents
Follow Andria Lewis Events on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/alewisevents
Check out the Planner Pages blog at: http://www.theplannerpages.com/

Steffany Boldrini, Entrepreneur and Creator of EcoBold said, “I launched www.ecobold.com on my own and have gone through lots of limitations. The biggest one is that I wanted to make the “amazon.com of green products” but could not find a good technical partner that was driven enough and passionate about the subject. I looked everywhere for one year, I met 20-30 people and nobody was a good fit. So I started thinking about how I could launch the site on my own, without an engineer. After a few weeks the idea of doing video reviews came to my head. I posted internships for video guys. After us shooting over 20 reviews, his camera pooped out and all videos were lost. So I decided to buy a camera, tripod, I learned how to edit, got samples, and here the site is! It’s only 6 months old, growing, and it’s on the first page of Google for several keywords, and many people like it .”

Visit EcoBold’s website at www.ecobold.com
Follow EcoBold on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ecobold

Peter Geisheker, a marketing expert and CEO of The Geisheker Group Marketing Firm said, “My limitation is that I stutter. I was told it would be very difficult for me to build a successful business because of my stuttering. I turned around and built a very successful international marketing firm. The secret of my success is I am very determined and I love to prove people wrong when they try to put a limitation on me. When somebody tells me I cannot do something, it makes me want to do it twice as much just to prove them wrong. When a person tells me I can’t do something, they are giving me a tremendous amount of inspiration to prove them wrong. My biggest motivator in life was reading the book, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. It showed me that average people can accomplish anything they set their mind to as long as they believe in themselves.”

Visit The Geisheker Group’s website at www.geisheker.com.
Follow The Geisheker Group on Twitter at http://twitter.com/geisheker

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 3rd in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Victoria, who left her position as the Group Vice President at Kenneth Cole to follow her dreams and Julie, who ignored the “crabs” to build a business that now has revenue of over $1 Million per year. Read on to be inspired and remember – You Can Do It Too!!

Victoria Staten, Designer of casual luxe baby gear said, “It took me six months to make the decision and 18 months after I told them I wanted out, for me to officially walk away from my position as Group Vice President at Kenneth Cole. After two parties filled with tears, not in my eyes but in those of my team members, I walked out of the office I had called home for much of my working life – a free woman. Not that I was in bondage, in fact quite the contrary. I was a senior executive, with the full support of Kenneth Cole and many others, and was empowered to run the business as I saw fit. I felt exhilarated that moment, as I shut the big iron door and walked slowly down the steps.

Our CFO told me, “Victoria, you will be successful in your new venture because you are so passionate.” I knew that passion was the root of success. I had plenty of it during my 15 year reign as the queen of men’s footwear at Kenneth Cole. Unfortunately, a couple of months after I left the big city to work from home in Minnesota, (I commuted to The City each and every week) I made the stupid decision to also leave my husband. My passion turned from my new business, to working through the logistics and the emotional roller coaster of divorce. To hold positive energy close by my side, I hired two younger spirited women, who kept me from sliding into the abyss.

I had saved close to a half a million dollars, and though the divorce cost me a lot of money, I thought that I had enough to get through at least a year. Well, with a burn rate of $30K a month, my money ran lean fast. I think that I spent WAY too much money on the wrong things because I was subconsciously trying to overcompensate for the emptiness and sadness that I felt inside. It was like I had to prove something to myself. So, I took part of a year off to get resettled into my new life, got remarried and recently hit the ground running again. Our business is moving fast and we have a lot of exciting things on the horizon.”

Visit Victoria’s website at http://www.victoriastaten.com/

Julie Murphy Casserly, President of JMC Wealth Management, Inc. said, “Once I decided to let “my freak flag fly”, my business took off regardless of what I like to call “my crabs in my bucket” were telling me. In the past 6 years my company revenues are 5 times what they were in 2004. They went from $160K to now up over $1M per year and growing; I was refused business lines of credit more times than I can count (joking, about 6 times denied), kept going after my vision and now I’ve been on CNBC, Harpo Radio, Lifetime TV, wrote a book and all is still going great. To me it’s about holding onto your dream and surrounding yourself with those that support that dream and getting rid of the rest of the crabs in your life.”

Visit JMC Wealth Management’s website at http://www.jmcwealth.com/
Follow Julie’s blog at http://juliemurphycasserly.com/
Follow Julie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JulieMCasserly
Become a Facebook friend at http://dld.bz/bvDv

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the 2nd in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business.

In this installment, you’ll meet Robert who shares is wisdom on the “gut check moment” that all entrepreneurs need to be ready for and Dana who did not let domestic violence and being homeless with four children stop her from becoming an entrepreneur. Read on to be truly inspired.

Robert Tuchman, Entrepreneur, Author of Young Guns Fearless Entrepreneur said, “If you want to become an entrepreneur, you are going to have to take a few deep breaths and get ready to enjoy the ride. At some point during this journey, you are going to encounter a “gut check moment.” This is when you answer the WHY question of your business that you will have to figure out with your partner. Everyone must answer this question. There are going to be those times during the early stage of business that you come across these “gut check moments” and are unsure what to do. However, if you know what you are doing and realize WHY you are doing it, you are setting yourself up for a good future. Many people understand that they are going to come across these “gut check moments” and are going to have to make tough decisions along the way. It is a great thing to have confidence and you need that in order to be successful, but you also need to know that there will be scary decisions that you will come across.

When you come across one of these moments, you must stand tall and stick your chest out. You need to be in full control of the decision and make sure that you are feeling up to the challenge. If you put off one of these decisions, you will not be prepared the next time a situation arises. Being an entrepreneur is a learning process just as everything is in life. The more decisions you make, the more you grow as a person and as a company.

A “gut check moment” that I had to face was when we first started out the business and sold a client packages to the MLB All-Star Game that was taking place in Colorado. The cost for us was $25,000. The phone rang and it was not a call I was looking forward too, but I had to step up and stay calm. The supplier told me that his company was going bankrupt and would not be able to deliver the tickets. $25,000 was a lot of money to the company, especially since it was our first year of business. I knew that I had to do something to make the pieces fit into the puzzle, and we were able to get other hotel inventory and ticket inventory to make everything work out. I had to do the right thing for the client even if we lost money on the deal. If the client is happy, I am happy.

When engaging in these moments where we second guess ourselves, we have to keep going forward and never look back. After that phone call, I could have gave up on my dreams and quit but I kept going and did what I needed to do. As you are on this wonderful ride, keep positive and stay determined.”

Visit Robert’s website at http://premieresports.com/

Dana Rankin, Advertising Sales Representative said, “I did not let the crisis of domestic violence and being homeless stop me from building successful online businesses. Most started while living in a shelter with my 4 children. I used resources on and off line and researched in the library to help get my businesses started.

Visit Dana’s website at http://www.hopeforwomenmag.com/
Follow Dana on Twitter at http://twitter.com/devosbydana
Follow Dana’s Blog at http://therecipediva.wordpress.com/

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron, lovable dog Hank, and sweet kitten Sammy. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

This is the first in a series of stories from entrepreneurs who have not let limitations in life and business stop them from reaching their goals of owning a successful business. Entrepreneurs are an inspiring bunch. They have the tenacity to keep pushing forward. I hope their stories encourage you to NEVER give up on your dreams.

Six years ago, Selena Cuffe was 28 years old and single, with a steady job, a Harvard Business School degree and the dream to one day own her own business. The next year she got married, became pregnant and started her own wine importing business, Heritage Link Brands, which was the first and now largest distributor of wine from the African continent and it’s Diaspora. Selena was featured as the B.E. Next Entrepreneur of the Year on the cover of the August 2009 issue of Black Enterprise Magazine, but it hasn’t been an easy ride through the male-dominated, highly competitive wine industry. It’s taken five years of building supply chains, late night transatlantic phone calls and coaching vintners in the ways of US business deals, but Selena, who financed the company with personal savings and credit cards, has made it work. Pregnant with her first child when she began, her family has blossomed along with her business, and she happily works alongside her husband Khary, the COO of Heritage Link Brands, and is the mother of two young boys, who share her enthusiasm for life. The company’s wines are now sold online and in 41 states through noted vendors like Whole Foods, Sams Club and Disney, as well as grocery stores across the country. Selena also recently took Heritage Link Brands to the skies, and now several of its wines are available on American Airlines and United.

For more information on Selena and Heritage Link Brands visit http://www.heritagelinkbrands.com
Become a Facebook Fan at http://www.facebook.com/heritagelink
Follow Heritage Link Brands on Twitter at http://twitter.com/heritage_link

When Peggy Frank’s daughter now 27, received a terminal diagnosis 10 years ago, she quit her corporate position as PR Director for Prudential Healthcare to start her own home-based Public Relations firm. She had worked at her hospital bed in different parts of the country as the family lives in Los Angeles. Peggy’s daughter had surgeries in Miami and Boston (last surgery Feb. 2009), last hospitalization April 2010 in Los Angeles. Peggy also teaches online, and again, she has continued to work productively. Peggy is the mom of 4 daughters; mostly she raised them as a single mom. Peggy said, “I know many people have their own health, or health of loved ones’ that serve to derail enthusiasm for productive work efforts, however, I have never allowed her illnesses to stop me.” When Peggy’s daughter was younger (1983-1995), she worked at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, as the assistant director of PR. Often her daughter would be hospitalized for weeks at a time. Peggy continued to work by day, while visiting her daughter throughout the day, and then she slept in her office, so that she could stay with her all night – living at the hospital on one occasion for as long as two-weeks.

For more information on Peggy and Frank Public Relations Worldwide visit http://www.frankpr.com
Become a Facebook Friend at http://www.facebook.com/peggy.c.frank
Follw Peggy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pcfrank

Pamela Hawley, a social entrepreneur who founded UniversalGiving™ – not without needing to overcome some challenges! Starting out to found UniversalGiving had its own obstacles. Even though Pamela had a track record as an entrepreneur within the industry (having previously been a co-founder of VolunteerMatch), people were doubtful her new organization could survive. One prominent foundation executive said, “The question is… is there even a market for international giving? Who would want to give to another country?” They expected it to simply wither away…but they obviously didn’t realize how tenacious and scrappy the team was! That was in 2002, and UniversalGiving is still strong today. UniversalGiving was originally founded under another name, only to face legal issues with another company. After a few years, the issue was successfully resolved to UniversalGiving’s benefit. Pamela has also faced challenges from trusted employees, which led to an almost complete rebuilding of UniversalGiving’s core team. Through patience and perseverance, she was able to let employees who were not a good fit exit, and then quickly bring on the right people to replace them–people who were not only knowledgeable and competent, but also aligned with UniversalGiving’s strong values. Now they have solid funding, a supportive and innovative culture, and super employees! They kept sticking with their values and they eventually realized themselves after much hard work.

For more information on Pamela and UniversalGiving visit http://www.universalgiving.org/
Visit the UniversalGiving blog at http://www.philanthropost.wordpress.com
Visit Pamela’s blog at http://www.pamelahawley.wordpress.com
Follow Pamela on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelahawley
Follow UniversalGiving on Twitter at http://twitter.com/universalgiving

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for the next installment of Overcoming Limitations.

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneur journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

Summer is finally here. It’s time for fun in the sun and a little extra reading and relaxation. Whoo Hooo!! Here are the top five books on my summer reading list.

1. Grindhopping: Building a Rewarding Career without Paying Your Dues by Laura Vanderkam.

Grindhopping is the hottest career alternative for anyone who wants to skip the long hours, low pay, and lackluster rewards of entry-level corporate jobs. Join the wave of young professionals who are starting their own companies, freelancing, consulting, job-hopping, and networking their way to success. Discovering Grindhopping will help you get up and go after your dreams. Get off the corporate treadmill. Get out of the job you hate. Get paid for the work you love. Get better at negotiating. Get savvy about networking. Get smart about taking risks. Get in on the biggest opportunities. Get hopping and make it happen!

Get your copy here.

Follow Laura on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lvanderkam

2. Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself by Daniel H. Pink

Free agents are the marketing consulting down the street, the home-based “mompreneur,’ the footloose technology contractor. Already 30 million strong, these 21st-century pioneers are creating lives with more meaning – and often more money. Free Agent Nation is your ticket to this exhilarating new world.

Get your copy here.

Follow Daniel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/danielpink

3. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel H. Pink

Yes, I’m a huge fan of Daniel H. Pink.

A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and offers a provocative and urgent new way of thinking about a future that has already arrived. Gone is the age of “left-brain” dominance. The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: designers, inventors, teachers, storytellers – creative and emphatic “right-brain” thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn’t.

Get your copy here.

4. Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business by Michael Masterson and MarryEllen Tribby

Changing the Channel is an all-encompassing guide to making the most from multi-channel marketing. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, Changing the Channel offers you a detailed look at twelve of today’s most important marketing channels-explaining how each one works individually as well as in conjunction with each other, leveraging the power of your message for explosive profits. Page by page, you’ll become familiar with a variety of approaches, including direct online marketing, social media, public relations, radio and television advertising, direct space ads, event marketing, telesales, telemarketing, joint ventures, affiliate marketing, and direct mail. With this book as your guide, you’ll quickly discover how marketing across multiple channels can help develop quality customer relationships and improve the bottom line of your business.

Get your copy here.

Follow Michael on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mlmasterson
Follow MaryEllen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MaryEllenTribby

5. Think Like An Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life by Deborah A. Bailey

Think Like An Entrepreneur is the book for you if you want guidance on reinventing your career in spite of what may be going on in the economy. Think Like An Entrepreneur is a blueprint for moving from employee to entrepreneur directly from someone who has experienced it. The book gives you clear steps for managing fear of failure and self doubt. Motivation to pick you up (and point you in the right direction) when you’re facing the emotional and mental challenges that come with making life changes and to know how to think like an entrepreneur so that you can constantly increase your income and your opportunities!

Get your copy here.
Follow Deborah on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/DebBC

What are you reading this summer?

Julie Barnes is the author is this post. Julie is excited to be living in Generation E – the age of the Entrepreneur. As a writer, she enjoys writing about all aspects of the entrepreneur journey. She enjoys interviewing entrepreneurs whose experience and wisdom can inspire others to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at www.julieabarnes.com. Follow Julie on Twitter at @JulieBarnesKS. Become a Facebook friend at Julie Barnes.

Becoming an entrepreneur brings joy to one’s life in many ways. According to the Non-Employer Statistics published in the U.S. Census Bureau, on average 2,356 people go into business for themselves every day. To the outside observer, they see the entrepreneur hard at work ready to tackle the personal, professional and financial risk to make their dreams come true.

Entrepreneurs are born, not made. It runs in their blood. It’s the drive that keeps them going. Those who observe the entrepreneur watch the endless days of eyes going cross from staring at the computer screen, feet hurting from pounding the pavement and the endless dialing for dollars. Today’s entrepreneurs are becoming life entrepreneurs that give back to the community. Entrepreneurs that empower others have a passion for their work while having the freedom to design their lives.

The book Life Entrepreneurs by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek explains about life entrepreneurs. These are entrepreneurs who apply their vision, talents, creativity, and energy not only to their work but to their entire lives, changing the world for themselves, and those around them. These people are not just living their lives – they are leading them.

According to the website (www.tomsshoes.com) Blake Mycoskie of Toms Shoes founded his company on a simple premise. With every pair of shoes a customer purchases, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what TOMS Shoes all about. Because of the support of their customers, TOMS planned to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world in 2009.

For entrepreneur Tierza Davis, owner of Pura Vida Adventures (www.puravidaadventures.com), a women’s surf and yoga retreat in the seaside village of Malpais, Costa Rica it’s being able to share the amazing experience of traveling and surfing with others. Tierza says, “The best part of owning Pura Vida Adventures is that I get to share the beauty of Costa Rica and the empowerment of surfing with other strong, passionate women from around the globe.”

“The biggest joy in being an entrepreneur is that I’m able to focus my time and energy on something that I am passionate about, in a way that suits my schedule, but more importantly, in a way that fulfills my own vision,” said entrepreneur Christine Eisner of Lifestyle Design – Practical Tools for Balanced Living (http://www.lifestyledesign.org).

Freedom to manage your own schedule is how entrepreneur Leslie Jacobs of Les Mess Organizing Cards (www.lesismore.net) finds joy. “I can work at 10pm writing emails or packaging my product and spend two hours taking my mother grocery shopping during the day,” said Leslie.

There have been an estimated 181,412 business started this year alone and regardless of how these entrepreneurs find their own joy in entrepreneurship, the rewards far out way the blood, sweat, and tears required to start and maintain a business.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (http://www.so-you-want-to-start-a-business.com/ ) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

Young entrepreneur Danielle Herb started her business Drop Your Reins with her mother in 2009. Danielle continues to expand her business while giving back to the community. She is also passionate about helping neglected and abused horses. In this interview, learn how Danielle used her experience with horses and ADHD to start her business at 15 years old.

What is the name of your business?

Drop Your Reins

What does your business do?

Offering Peaceful Solutions for ADHD/ADD & Autistic Children Using Natural Horsemanship.
By partnering with horses, they have created an experiential learning environment that invites open communication, personal reflection, and progressive alternatives for ADD/ADHD and Autistic diagnosed children as well as for those who support them.

When did you start your business?

February 2009

How did you come up with your business idea?

From my own experience with horses and how much they helped me with my ADHD.

How has your business evolved since the start of your business?

First I was teaching at my mother’s small private school and then we closed the school and began traveling and teaching children in other areas. I also have marketed online and have developed training videos online. I have written a book and been included in other published books.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I am from a long line of entrepreneurs so it was just a natural way of living and starting my own business.

How have your parents helped in the starting and growing of your business?

Yes my mother has been my partner. She has worked on a lot of the business development while I focused on my work with the kids and horses.

You are a great mentor for other kids. How are some of the ways you inspire other kids to start their business?

I encourage them to follow their dreams and their heart. I tell them it is ok to be different and to do something that others might think is silly.

What advice would you give other kids who may have a business idea and are ready to start a business?

Find mentors and others people to assist you. Do not try to do everything yourself. Stay true to your vision and your dreams. Always remember it is not a destination but a journey. There is no rush.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

Continue to grow myself, teach children and adults and hopefully reach 1 million with my methodology.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I am also passionate about helping abused or neglected horses. I have helped to start several non profits for horse rescue. One is www.hopechestfoundation.org. Heal Others Physically and Emotionally

Visit Danielle’s website at http://www.dropyourreins.com/.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (http://www.so-you-want-to-start-a-business.com/ ) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.

Jason O’Neill started his business Pencil Bugs when he was just 9 years old with one product. With the help of his parents, Jason has expanded the Pencil Bugs product line to include bookmarks, greeting cards, and birthday invitations. Jason also speaks at schools and events to inspire other kids to try their business ideas. In this interview, learn how Jason began is inspirational journey into entrepreneurship.

What is the name of your business?

The legal business name is Pencil Bugs Plus but most people just know it by the product name, Pencil Bugs. When my parents helped me set up the business officially, we tried to think of something that could be expanded on but still used the Pencil Bugs name. So adding the Plus seemed to make sense.

What does your business do?

I hand make and sell a variety of products which started with original Pencil Bugs — the colorful, bug-like pencil toppers.

When did you start your business?

I started Pencil Bugs in 2005 at the age of nine.

How did you come up with your business idea?

A lot of people wonder if my plan at nine years old was to start my own business. I kind of laugh every time I hear that because having a business was the farthest thing from my mind. My mom was painting some crafts to sell at a craft fair. I had the idea that if I helped her paint them that she would split her money with me. She didn’t like my idea too much and told me I should come up with my own product so I did. After a few designs on paper and seeing what materials I could use, Pencil Bugs were finally born. I took $10 of my own money and bought the supplies I needed and made 24 Pencil Bugs for the craft fair. When they all sold out, I was pretty happy and at that point, I still hadn’t thought about starting a business. After Christmas break, I made a few more and took them to school. Other kids started ordering them so I was making the pencil toppers on a regular basis which became very time-consuming after school. One day a classmate offered to buy my business for $100. I still don’t know why a fourth grader had two $50 bills in his pocket but I turned him down. I knew that I could make more than his hundred dollars so with the help of my parents; we got the necessary legal documents for the business.

How has your business evolved since the start of your business?

Since the business sort of started by accident, I didn’t have a long-term goal at that point but I knew that having just one product to sell wasn’t going to be enough. The next product I added was Pencil Bugs bookmarks which had photos of the characters on them. Most bookmarks are just cheap paper, but my bookmarks are on heavyweight, glossy cardstock and laminated so they last a lot longer. Adding bookmarks made sense — School, writing, homework . . . “Pencil Bugs.” Books, reading . . . “bookmarks.” Next came greeting cards. My mom and I designed eight different cards for various occasions, each with a Pencil Bugs character on the front and a message inside. Last Christmas I added a ninth card with a Santa Pencil Bug and verse. Customers can buy individual cards from my website as a “send-out” option or buy a whole set which they can mail out themselves. Lots of people buy original Pencil Bugs for birthday party treats so creating birthday invitations and thank you cards were the next products I added. In addition to these products which can be purchased directly from my website, people can also shop at my CafePress online store for things like t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads, and even fun things for the family pet, all with the Pencil Bugs characters and/or logo. Besides the products, I have collaborated with my mom on several books (a business tips book, a picture book, and an early reader chapter series). I never realized just how long something like that takes – lots and lots of editing and then you still have the publishing and marketing parts.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

I have always liked creating things, whether it was a gadget made of toy parts or a craft of some sort but those were usually just for fun like most kids do. When I was five, I had my first lemonade stand during a neighborhood community garage sale. Another neighbor kid saw how well I was doing so the next year, he set up his own and I had my first experience with competition. But when I heard he was going to do that, I asked my mom to make cookies so I could sell more than just lemonade. Even though he probably got more business that day since his house was at the beginning of the neighborhood, I was selling homemade products whereas he had store-bought juice boxes and candy. When I was about eight, our neighborhood had another garage sale but it was in December for some silly reason. We live in southern California but the winters still have some pretty cold days. So instead of selling lemonade which I knew no one would buy, I made hot chocolate and sold that. I even had Christmas music playing and wore my Santa hat to get people to stop. It was a really cold day and many people didn’t even want to get out of their cars if they didn’t have to, so I moved my table closer to the street and basically had a drive-up hot chocolate stand which worked out really well. The next year was when Pencil Bugs happened and here I am today.

How have your parents helped in the starting and growing of your business?

If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. No matter how smart you are, no one can do it alone, especially a kid. My dad is a VP of Sales for a food broker and has a financial background so he helps me with the big financial decisions and coaches me on making sales calls and investing. My mom is the creative one so does the marketing, PR, website design/maintenance, and handles to day-to-day business while I’m in school. Even though school comes first so I don’t always have time to do my own accounting, or box up orders, or update my website, I have learned how to do all of those things. The key to staying balanced is to not get overscheduled, learn how to prioritize and stay organized. With my parents’ help, I still am a normal kid who just happens to have a business too. The good thing about being a young entrepreneur is that you don’t have to earn a living just yet so you can afford to take things slower and enjoy childhood.

You have received many honors. What are they and how have they helped you grow as an entrepreneur?

I have received many honors and with each one, I am still surprised and very excited. It never gets old. Some of the more notable ones are: Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (I was the youngest at age 11 to win), Young Philanthropist Award, Forbes Top 10 List of Role Models 18 & Under, and the Kohl’s Kids Who Care Scholarship Winner. Because I started my business so young, there have been many times that I have wanted to quit. Receiving recognition for my efforts has helped keep me motivated and reinforced my decision to stick with the business. I have long-term goals and quitting wouldn’t get me there.

You are an inspiration in that you give a percentage of your earnings to the Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program. What made you decide to do this?

I actually use part of my proceeds to buy toys, games, books, etc. and donate them each quarter to kids at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California. The Kohl’s Kids Who Care Program was a contest that Kohl’s sponsored for kids doing different types of charity work. I won at the local and regional levels in 2008 which earned me a small college scholarship. To answer your question about how I picked Rady Children’s Hospital . . . I wanted to find a way to help kids who were in less fortunate situations. I’ve never been hospitalized so I could only imagine what it would be like to be in the hospital. Even though kids have families that I’m sure take in their favorite toy or blanket, I wanted to donate new items so the hospital could distribute them to the kids when needed. We don’t have a children’s hospital where we live so Rady Children’s was the closest one and I wanted to deliver the donations personally.

You are a great mentor for other kids. How are some of the ways you inspire other kids to start their business?

I speak at schools and events telling how I started my business and remind kids that creating a product doesn’t have to be complicated. I encourage people of all ages to at least try their ideas because doing nothing will guarantee nothing and you’ll never know what could have happened if you don’t try. Some kids say their parents don’t know how to help them or don’t have time or think their ideas are dumb. The good thing is, if a kid really wants to try an idea, there are other people besides parents that can help. Sometimes it means asking a teacher, older sibling, maybe a neighbor, someone at a church, or even another biz kid. I’ve received lots of emails from kids asking my advice on different ideas and I always write back to try and help.

What advice would you give other kids who may have a business idea and are ready to start a business?

Start by writing down your ideas. If it’s a product, draw out your ideas because it’s easier to explain your concept to other people. Research online and in stores to see if there are other products similar to yours and/or what makes yours different. If it’s a service business like offering tech support or web design which many kids are doing now, do the same research online to see what other businesses are offering. Whatever your business idea, you need to know your competition and it’s important to do that BEFORE you get too far into it. Having a goal or an idea is great but you need to be willing to revise it if necessary. Once you decide your business idea is good to go, get help from someone that has business experience. You could try to do it yourself and with enough determination, could make it work but if you can avoid making a lot of mistakes by having someone’s help, you’ll save a lot of time and energy and be farther ahead in the long run. One of the biggest business mistakes people make (and this includes adults) is they are in a hurry so spend too much money or expand too fast. I started my business on just $10 and took it very slowly. One thing to remember as a young entrepreneur is that we don’t have to earn a living at our business just yet so there’s no need to rush things and make big mistakes, which could end your business before it even gets started.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

I have short-term plans to add new products as well as get my books published. For the long-term, I envision Pencil Bugs as well-known as SpongeBob or any other cartoon character. I see the Pencil Bugs characters on all kinds of products and someday a cartoon series. This is a long shot but it’s good to think big because you just never know what could happen.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I think I covered everything but people can always visit www.pencilbugs.com for other information.

Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” (http://www.so-you-want-to-start-a-business.com/ ) in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.