Opportunity continues to Knock on my Door

I find it incredibly amazing that as I continue to work from my home opportunity continues to come my way. Networking is the key. Since the launch of http://www.newjerseybirthdayparty.com/ , we have launched 14 additional Metro Area Birthday Party Websites including Manhattan, Staten Island, Philadelphia, Rockland, Westchester, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Suffolk, Nassau, Delaware, Fairfield, Hartford, and even Hudson Valley.

I still can't believe the opportunity to be the exclusive Marketing and Sales Rep has pretty much fallen into my lap from a simple phone call about six months ago to advertise my own small business here in New Jersey. That phone call has changed my life. Not only has it allowed me the opportunity to continue to work from home, but allows me to meet on a daily basis through e-mail and phone contact, people who also work in my industry. I have never even personally met Debbie Kleinman, who by the way lives in Florida, or the other three women who are involved with the building of the Birthday Party Websites, but together we are building a Mini Empire and have never even met!

Once again through the power of Networking, I have seen an increase in business with my Hot Shots Instant Photo Favors business, http://www.nextstep-now.com/ , as I am booking more parties than ever. Using my number one skill, Yes I am a Talkaholic, opportunities continue to come my way. I have even recently made a connection that now allows me to offer Vintage Photo Booths as an additional choice for my customers to have at their parties simply by being me and never being afraid to ask.

So I say, let's keep Networking - You never know who you are going to meet!

Sophisticated Seating Charts

As part of my ongoing quest to find new and exciting vendors in the Party/Wedding Industry to offer to my clients, I was completely intrigued when I discovered a very unique way to eliminate the need for those pesky little place cards we pick up and eventually toss away upon the arrival to an event.

I was completely impressed upon finding http://www.bellejardine.com/. This company offers, in my opinion, the most elegant and environmentally-friendly way to direct your guests to their tables - Custom hand-painted seating charts or seating scrolls.

• According to the company's web site, "Seating Charts or seating scrolls are used as an alternative to place cards. A seating chart lists your guest's names and table numbers. Instead of having tens or hundreds of small place cards, all the guest's names are listed in alphabetical order on one chart with their table number beside their name."
  

• The web site goes on further to explain, "The average size of one of my seating charts is 18" x 24"; and is placed on an easel or tabletop near the doorway of the banquet room entrance. Although they are frequently used for Weddings, they can also be used for any event requiring specialized seating, including Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Retirement, Birthday, Holiday Events, etc. Belle Jardine seating charts are created individually for your occasion and make wonderful keepsakes."

So if you're planning a special event, before you opt for the typical place cards, you may want to check out http://www.bellejardine.com/ and impress your guests with an unexpected and impressive guide to their seats!

You'll also have a beautiful keepsake of your event and the guests who attended!

Opportunity Knocks - When you least expect it!

So in these financially challenging economical times, while searching on the internet, in an effort to find some affordable advertising opportunities to promote my home based business - Next Step Productions - http://www.nextstep-now.com/ - my Hot Shots Instant Photo Favor Business - I stumbled upon a new party planning website that was launching here in New Jersey - My curiosity got the best of me and I decided to follow-up with a call to obtain some information regarding this new site.

The Owner and I immediately hit it off and before I knew it I was advertising on the site and became the exclusive Advertising Rep here in New Jersey for http://www.newjerseybirthdayparty.com/.

This opportunity came when I least expected it. I was so intrigued and excited about the unique picture driven concept of this Party Planning Website that I couldn't start to share the site and the opportunity with people in the industry fast enough. I cannot be more excited to become a part of something that I am convinced will be nothing but successful.

Can't imagine where this will lead, but I know that I am enjoying the ride, not only promoting my own home based business, but sharing all of the possibilites with colleagues in the Party and Event industry from this amazing opportunity that fell into my lap.

Teenage Daughters

Today started out like any other, coffee, breakfast, brief hello from my youngest teenage daughter on her way to the computer. When suddenly I was surprised with an unexpected invitation to spend some time with her. That did of course entail a trip to the mall and some shopping, but these days I will take anything I can get.

Although I miss the days when my girls were younger, it is a comfort to know that they are becoming independent young women that I can be proud of. As much as they seem to believe I know nothing at this stage of my life, I can look back and know I must have done something right.

Emotional week got me thinking!!

A friend of mine passed away this week. Although she was quite older than me, she had been a great neighbor and confidant for the past 15 years.

Joannie lived a very simple life, her adoptive parents had already passed, she had no siblings, she was married but never had children. We only found out she was ill about 8 weeks ago and suddenly she was gone.

Joannie lived her life the way she wanted to and left the same way. She had shared with her husband of 47 years that she wanted no treatments, wanted to go to Atlantic City where she loved the slots, and wanted to die at home. Her husband is now completely alone with no family.

Upon her passing, her husband realized that she had known for quite some time that her time was coming to an end. She left him files with blueprints of each room in there house so he would be able to know where to find anything and everything.

Her affairs were all in order. She took care of him while she was alive and made sure he was going to be ok when she was gone. How many of us are ready for this? It got me thinking, how about you?