Inspire, Instill, Ignite: Be an Example in 2014

In December 2013 I took time to review the past year and set personal and business goals for 2014.  I soon discovered 3 simple words that would become my inspiration for 2014.

Many times as entrepreneurs we try to separate our personal life from our business life.  I've learned over the last 10 years this is virtually impossible.  Whether you are a solopreneur, mompreneur, or entrepreneur with a large staff, embrace the gift that comes with entrepreneurship, melting your two worlds together.  Use this gift to leverage the opportunities that arise to better yourself and those around you.

Because of this I have decided to find ways to:

1. INSPIRE Others to be Better
2. INSTILL Values in Others that I Display, and
3. IGNITE in Others a Passion for Excellence

By doing this one can not only improve who they are personally, but also improve how they handle customers, and this allows for building strong relationships.

What will you do in 2014 to be a better person, better business owner, and better member of your community?

3 Reasons Why A Cruise is the Best Vacation for a Mompreneur

View I Enjoyed from the Cruise Ship Deck

Any Mompreneur realizes that we find ourselves in a unique situation.  First we are a Mom.  This means that if our little one has a fever or upset stomach a project or phone conference has to be pushed back or rescheduled in order to tend to the sick child.

Secondly, we are a business owner.  Often times this means we wear many hats.  We are the sales rep, marketing expert, manufacturer, account receivables enforcer, branding guru, and the list goes on and on.

As a Mompreneur I experience what the majority of Mom business owners experience, not enough time to relax.  If you're a WAHM (Work At Home Mom), and you have small children at home with you during the day, every day can become an overwhelming mix of emotions that often affect your business.

Taking a break is a must.

Here are 3 reasons why I feel a cruise is the best vacation for a mompreneur.
**I am not an affiliate of any cruise line referenced in this post.

1. You Get to Disconnect
   
   Most cruise lines offer Wi-Fi or Internet access for a fee, and most mobile carriers allow you to connect to your data plan for an extremely high price while cruising.  Because of this a cruise is a great way to force yourself to disconnect. No Internet and no voice distractions.  You can still make phone calls, and your mobile carriers will gladly charge you more per minute than anyone should have to pay.
   
   So set your smartphone to "Airplane Mode" and use this time to reconnect with your family. Spend time talking to your spouse and children.  Take advantage of the activities on board the ship.  You can do this guilt free, because after all, there is no email or voice mail to check.  No Twitter feed to read or Facebook page to check. You have no real mobile service.  Even if you port in the USA, lock the smartphone in the room safe, and enjoy your freedom.
   
   
2. You Are Catered to and Treated Like Royalty
   
   You can start your day with fine dining breakfast.  Hit the Lido deck at lunch for gourmet pizza, and finish your evening with an upscale dining experience.  Don't want to leave the room?  24 hour room service is there to enjoy.  You can experience all of this and never have to cook it yourself.  Unlike vacationing at a beach house or cabin in the woods where Mom is still expected to cook for the family, a cruise offers a full staff ready to do all the cooking, gourmet style.
     
3. Awesome ALL DAY childcare.....Yes, I did say ALL DAY
   
   I was a nervous wreck with the idea of leaving my precious girls at Camp Carnival**.  They have never gone to daycare, so this was a challenge for me.  I quickly got over the uneasy feeling when they both ran into camp ready to play.  They loved camp so much that when we got to port and started sight seeing they asked if they could go back to Camp Carnival instead.
   
   It was great for my husband and I to be able to spend the day together, just the two of us, knowing the girls were in good hands on board the ship.  On another day it allowed me to get some much needed me time.  During the cruise I was able to eat lunch, BY MYSELF, on the lido deck.  Enjoying a good book and fresh sea air.

Vacationing on a cruise ship allowed this mompreneur time to rest, enjoy my family without distractions, spend time with my spouse, and reconnect with myself.  I highly recommend any mompreneur start planning their next family vacation on a cruise ship.