Goal Setting

Our family's goal of never having to buy eggs has happily been realized. Egg courtesy of "Onyx" our Black Copper French Maran.

With the freshness of the new year, it's time to take a fresh look at goals for your Barefoot business. Just like reading a road map, or even setting your GPS, you need to know where you are going in order to figure out how to get there - this means setting goals.

Now, I hear some of you sighing, "I'm just not a goal-oriented person." That's okay - that's where your team leader comes in. Oftentimes, we are able to pick up on your goals by what you are saying in email and phone conversations, even if you don't name it a goal as such. After a few emails back and forth, I am usually able to provide an Ambassador with a list of goals and they then let me know if I've understood. From there we can together work on time management, which is absolutely crucial in achieving one's goals.

If you haven't yet, or haven't in a while, print out a copy of the Setting Goals Tip Sheet. This tip sheet is based on the mnemonic known as SMART - goals that are Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic, and Time-frame or Trackable. Our friend jokingly refers to SMART as "Saving Marriages and Reducing Tears" - I like to make it SMARTER by adding Evaluate and Re-evaluate.

Once you've read through the sheet, take time to consider, pray, think through and discuss with your husband, team leader, or whomever you discuss those things with and then write your goals down. Once this is done, find someone to be accountable to and set up an appointment -- I like doing this with team members every two months -- to discuss where you are and where you may need to readjust.

Though each of our Barefoot businesses are unique, the setting of goals is instrumental in focusing our energies and achieving success. In the words of Hans Christian Anderson - "Nothing is too high for a man to reach, but he must climb with care and confidence."

Visit Miss Clara's intriguing work space

My very good friend (even before life with Barefoot), stellar ambassador and team member Melissa East recently sent me this video clip of Miss Clara, stating, "I think she's magic."

My boys and I agree, having read The Snow Queen in one marvelous sitting. Enjoy a peek into Miss Clara's workspace and no need to worry if you don't speak French - magic translates remarkably well.

Sorry, CultureBox has taken the video down. Be sure to have to look at Les Carnet de MissClara and you'll even find some pictures of her recent work at the Concord Museum.

Meet our team!

These smiling eyes and dimples belong to Colleen O'Hearn who hails from Wilmington, Massachusetts.  Happily, I'm able to claim her as a Tier 2 team-member which makes her something like a second-cousin to all of you.  Ambassador Leader Carie Miele has full bragging rights.

In her own words:

I'm a mom.  I am the keeper of the healing magic in band-aids. I am the griller of cheesy sandwiches. I am the master of hugging, and I am the remarkable reader of all stories. I have the most wonderfully exhausting job in the world. I'm the mom to my two beautiful children. 

Colleen truly is "the remarkable reader of all stories."  So much so that a recent forum post caught Barefoot's eye and they asked Colleen for an interview.  Of course she obliged, and now we get a peek into the O'Hearn family storytime over at the Barefoot mother blog:  The Importance of Storytime:  Part 2. 

Join Colleen at Destination:  Happy for a window into her wonder-filled world.  Be warned, do not read her posts until you've swallowed your coffee as Colleen looks at the crazier moments of mommy-hood with that same twinkle in her eye.

 

Meet our team...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of sitting down to tea with Ambassador Leader and team member Sandra Price to ask her to share with us a bit about herself.  Okay, okay, wishful thinking...in reality we were exchanging emails since she lives a three hour drive from me in eastern Massachusetts, close to the New Hampshire border.   I just know you will enjoy meeting Sandra as much as I've had the pleasure of knowing her and having her as a colleague.

Sandra, you have such a great and unusual Barefoot business.  I know you were a former elementary school teacher who never lost her love for teaching.  Please give us a peek into your world.

"Wow, what a great display of beautiful children's books!" Five years ago, that was my first thought and introduction to Barefoot Books. As a former Educational Publishing Sales Rep I sold literacy materials to schools in New England. I was an exhibitor at an Early Childhood Conference and met Amy .....who had a very creative book display of Barefoot Books. Everything about the books, art and story, (sound familiar?) were so engaging. I wanted the opportunity to sell the books in any creative endeavor I chose. I decided I would use my relationships with District Curriculum Coordinators and offer Family Literacy Presentations to parents after school.

Tell us about your favorite Barefoot moment.

My favorite Barefoot moment, well, I have a couple of them. After a presentation, a dad came up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for the idea of using emphasis and tone to make the story come alive with meaning. He never thought of that! During another presentation, in which I had a Spanish interpreter, many of the parents were sharing their at-home literacy activities and clapped after the presentation. Simple but very rewarding. For them and for me!

So, how do you stay motivated when running your own business?

I keep motivated by just doing what I am doing (and not worrying about what I can't do). While I don't sell full-time now with Educational Publishing sales, I do work full-time at the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA. I am able to schedule my presentations after work.  

Textile history...sigh...fascinating.  Okay, Sandra, how about some fun information about yourself we probably don't know.

I know some of you already know this about me, but some of you don't. I have an identical twin sister. She is now retired from a rewarding career as a Reading Specialist. She enjoys Barefoot Books as much as I do!

Seeing you with your twin at Barefoot gatherings is so much fun.   Thank you Sandra for sharing some of your story with us.  It's truly been a pleasure to work with you.

Please join me in congratulating Sandra on her fourth year(!) with Barefoot Books, which will be celebrated on October 3rd.  Congratulations Sandra and many happy returns!

Crafts For Your Business

I wanted to share with you two fun, simple and inexpensive crafts to use at your events. Adding a craft is a great way to get a reduced booth fee or gain entry into an otherwise closed event.

Enjoy!

This little book is so easy to make and doesn't use glue, tape or staples.



This origami bookmark is so simple you can teach children and adults in less than a minute. If you won't be standing at the craft table, you can make a "how-to" by having a mock up of each fold.
Note - You may want to turn the sound off for this one.

Do you have a favorite craft to use at Barefoot events? If so, let us know!

The Winner is...

My display at a monthly street festival held in our small city.

Amanda Courtright who said,

Hi Richele - so glad to meet you virtually :). I too am under Karen who is such a great helper! I've jumped right into this business and she has been there to support me 100% of the way - by allowing me to borrow stock to do an event!! I am super excited about all that Barefoot has to offer and soo excited to come to conference and meet more people with the same passion!! Hoping to get a chance at that $75 worth of stock - every bit helps!!

Congratulations Amanda and it's great to hear about your passion! I'm looking forward to meeting you and Karen at the conference as well.

Thank you all for your comments and see below where I addressed the most popular topic of getting started and acquiring inventory.

Slow and Steady

Photos from a booth that fellow ambassador, Tricia Santos, and I set up at a yearly holiday craft fair. We both started small, building our inventory in order to attend larger events.

My Mac just returned from the computer hospital and I'm officially back on-line. Now, where were we...

Most of the emails I receive have to do with getting started and building an inventory. Since there are so many new team members, I want to direct you to an oldie, but hopefully a goodie, post entitled Inventory and Money.

It has also just come to my attention that Barefoot's "Getting Started" training calls are not taking place for the time being, so this is your official invitation to schedule a call with your leader or up-line leader for a personal call. I'm happy to work around your schedule. If you would like to set up a call with Barefoot's Group Training & Development Manager you can do that as well by writing: help@barefootbooks.com

Either way, via the website, email campaigns, calls and blogs, we want you to get the information you need.

Team-members, you have until the 9th for a chance to win that book give-away below!