Mom entrepreneur

A WINNER NEVER QUITS AND A QUITTER NEVER WINNER-YOU ARE A WINNER!

A must read for those of you who are stay at home moms as well as stay at home dads!!!!!! What an incredible story. Another great books it also on Amazon Millionaire Mom By Joyce Boone,this book has not be release yet but you can preorder. Mommy Millionaire, by Kim Lavine, I have personal read through the book full of ideas and referrals too.




A Very Personal Story From MaryEllen:


I had my very first job when I was 10 years old.



I delivered our local newspaper. The papers would arrive in our driveway by 5:00 a.m each weekday. I was up by 5:30. I would load the papers on the back of my bicycle and by 7:00 a.m. when most 10 year olds were just waking and starting on their Captain Crunch I had already delivered the newspaper to 34 homes. More importantly by 7:00 a.m. each morning I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.



In 1971 there were three main television stations, a few AM radio stations and NO Internet. The daily newspaper was the window to the world for most people in my hometown. It introduced us to people and places most of my townsmen would never meet or see in their lifetime. It brought excitement, intrigue and tragedy into their lives, making me the conduit between them and the rest of the world.



I knew all of my customers by name. I knew their kids names, their grandkids names. I even knew their dogs, cats and birds names; and all my customers knew me.



You may be thinking that, who the heck was up at 5:30 to meet and greet me. Well, there were a few during the week but it was on Saturday that my paper route turned into a party on wheels.





I Was Like a 10 Year Old Mayor



During the week, I could get my route done within in 75 minutes but on Saturdays it took about 2 hours.



The paper did not get to my house until 9:00 a.m. So when I would deliver the Saturday edition many of my customers were already out side; raking leaves, washing cars or cleaning out their garage. But what ever they were doing they always stopped to talk to me.



This did not bother me. In fact, I enjoyed talking to my customers. They told me fascinating stories about their lives. They invited me into their homes, and share life long souvenirs. Weather it was an exotic stamp collections or family photos, I felt honored that they wanted to share those moments with me. They would ask me in for breakfast. I sampled goodies I did not know existed. Treats like chocolate chip pancakes, croissants and crepes. Nothing like the oatmeal I was use to. And on a couple occasions they even washed my bicycle.



Here were people just a few months prior were complete strangers and now they were surrogate parents, grandparents, aunts an uncles; people that surprised me with birthday cards and welcomed me into their lives.



My customers were not only fascinated by this little ten year old girl who knew more about what was going on in the world then most of their friends, golf partners and colleagues, they actually cared about me, and I them.



I later realized the reason I enjoyed my conversations with my customers so much was because there was so little conversation in the home I was growing up in. In fact it seemed like all my brothers, sister and I did was listen. Listen to my parents, actually my mother complain. Mostly complain about money, that we did not have enough of , or about her job and how much she hated what they did for a living.



It was because of my mothers distain for her job and her considerable lack of discretion, that I asked if I could have a paper route in the first place.





The 5:00 Whistle Was The Devil in Disguise



Like most middle class families in the early seventies we played outside after school regardless of the season. Unless there was a severe rainstorm we were, jumping rope, playing ball, riding bikes or doing any numerous activities kids used to do. As long as we stayed in the neighborhood and were within “calling” distance we could pretty much do what ever we wanted.



The time between 3:00 in the afternoon and 5:00 pm. was what I labeled as my kid time. It was the only time during the day that I felt like a 10 year old. It was the only time during the day that I acted like every other kid I knew, or least I thought it was.



Once that 5:00 whistle blew I knew the daily saga was about to begin. There could be 25 kids from the neighborhood playing and in mid swing, jump or sentence, once that whistle blew everything stopped and all the kids scurried home. We were like little mice being chased by an oversized cat.



By 5:15 my entire family was seated at our dinner table prepared but not looking forward to the habitual rant about my mothers’ lousy day. It always started the same way with the horrible traffic. A ride that should take 30 minutes turns into 45 minutes because of the number of cars on the street. Even at ten years old I understood the irony of traffic and how miserable the daily commute could be. People would complain about it all the time yet they were part of it. Essentially, they were just complaining about themselves.



From that point it always got worse. My mother would complain about the sick kids. Again, I thought about the irony. You see my mother was the school nurse. Yet she did not particularly like children and she especially did not like sick ones.



One night I interrupted the daily monologue and stated what seemed like the obvious; that if there were no sick children she would not have a job. This did not go over well. Since I knew the outcome would not be particularly favorable for me I took it one step further. I had the audacity to ask why she had children in the first place and four of us at that.



I was prepared for immediate sanction to my room after a good smack. But what I got instead was an epiphany of a lifetime. My mother just looked straight ahead not at anyone of her 5 family members and simply said, “Because that’s what I thought I was suppose to do”.



That night at ten years old I vowed to myself that I would never have a job that I did not like and that if was ever blessed enough to have children they would know they were wanted and loved.





Money May have Started It..



I just wanted to save $1,000 dollars. For some reason in my 10 year old mind $1,000 was a lot of money. And if I had $1,000 I would be able to move out. Since $1,000 was a lot of money and if I wanted to move out when I was 18 I needed to start saving now.



The day after the infamous dinner, I asked my father if I could get a paper route. He told me that I could not because I was too young. That one needed to be 12 to have a paper route. Since I already knew this from an older kid at school, I was prepared. I said that since my brother was 12, we could register the route under his name but I would deliver the paper and of course keep all the money.



My father was born in 1929 in a somewhat undesirable neighborhood so he was impressed with my initiative to earn money. He too had started in the wonderful world of employment at they age of ten out of necessity to eat. Even though we had the essentials of food and shelter he thought I wanted the money for the extras that we rarely got. So he was thrilled that I had thought ahead and he agreed to register the route under my brothers’ name.



Within a week I had my route and was one day closer to my $1,000.





One Dime at a Time



I heard from the older kid at school that his tip was a dime a house. I had 34 houses on my route, which meant I could make $3.40 a week, $176.80 a year and in 8 years I would have $1,414.4, which exceeded my goal of $1,000, I was thrilled.



Because I knew what I was working for (or so I thought) I delivered that paper everyday with pride and enthusiasm. Soon my average tip went from $.10 a house to $.12 to $.15 to $.20 a house a week. I was making twice as much as the older kid doing the same job!





But so many other things were happening than just making money, things that were much more important though I did not realize it at the time.



For one, I read the paper everyday. But since my day started so very early I read it in the evening, which almost landed me as an outcast with my own family. Like so many other families after dinner, clean up and homework it was TV time. I guess watching TV was just easier than talking.



But soon I was giving up Bonanza, Laugh In and The Partridge Family to read the paper. (Ok, I’ll admit it I put the paper down when Keith Partridge sang, I was just ten after all.)



Next, I starting having conversations with people. I spoke with my customers, teachers and my friends about what was going on in the world. It was the first time I could talk about something other than our local football team score or who was on the TV Guide.



Finally and most importantly, I enjoyed getting up early and getting my day going. I loved what I did and I got paid to do it.



I did not realize it then but 1971 not only laid the foundation for my adolescences but for my entire adult life. It is profound to think that a single statement that caused me so much pain at the time is responsible for the success today.





Today I am the Luckiest Woman in the World



I did meet my goal of making $1,000 (actually I exceeded it by quit a bit) and moved out as planned. And because at the time I believed the money was a means to the end; for the next almost 25 years concentrated on making money and my career.



It wasn’t until I meat my husband Patrick, that I understood the difference between being rich and leading a rich life.



Today I am a CEO, Mom of three, Best Selling Author, Wife, Speaker, Sister, Daughter, Business Consultant, Aunt, Philanthropist and Friend.



On many days I play all roles on some days just two or three. But regardless of the day and the number of roles, everyday I believe that working moms have more responsibility for what world looks like today and more influence of what our world will look like tomorrow than any other group of people.



Which is why I wrote The Working Mom’s Only Thriving Guide: Secrets to Mastering a Wealthier, Healthier and Balanced Lifestyle.



Sure many of you know me as CEO and Publisher of Early To Rise where I grew that company from $8 million dollars a year to $26 million in just 15 months. Some even remember me as President of Weiss Research where I helped grew that company from $11 million to $67 Million is just 12 months!



But what many working moms may not know is that I accomplished these milestones while rising and nurturing three small children, traveling the world speaking and writing best selling business books!



And because of my impressive track record of generating revenues and profits I earned the nickname in the publishing world as “The Money Honey”.



At first, I was a little insulted – but after thinking about it – you know what? It’s GOOD to be THE MONEY HONEY!



And in The Working Mom’s Only Thriving Guide: Secrets to Mastering a Wealthier, Healthier and Balanced Lifestyle, I am going to give you my lessons learned. Because when you are making “lotssa” money, frankly it makes home life a little easier.



But guess what else? When you are “The Money Honey” you have got a lot more negotiating power. And that power allows for things like: