Kaira Rouda | Kaira Rouda

6 03, 2009

Share the Spotlight

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:03+00:00March 6, 2009|business, leadership, meetings, sharing, team|Comments Off on Share the Spotlight

I was recently at a company meeting and realized only the department heads took center stage. They covered a lot of great info, but it got boring. Face it: People just stop listening after so many PowerPoint slides. It would've been so much nicer to see some new faces. All of their team members were in the back, and only one leader gave a shout-out to her team. Whether you're having a sales rally or a client meeting, make sure to include your team. They work hard for you, so share the spotlight. It will break up the monotony of the formal presentation and introduce your audience to other key players who make your business go round while building camaraderie. With employees, it's the little things that count. The small gesture of inviting them to the stage or saying “thank you for all you do” [...]

4 03, 2009

The time is now, start your own business today!

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:11+00:00March 4, 2009|dreams, entrepreneurs, passions, personal brand, starting a business, women|Comments Off on The time is now, start your own business today!

It’s never too late to start your own business! Whether you are 28 or 72, if you are passionate about business, you will succeed. As the baby boomer generation grows older, it is more common to see that those approaching retiring age are not emotionally ready to do so. Every 60 seconds, a woman starts a business, and a large percentage of those women are over the age of 50. Many of these women have a productive career behind them, years of knowledge packed away and still dream of running their own business. And there are not limitations on making your dreams come true. I tell people all the time that it’s never too early or too late to create their personal brand. Everything you’ve done up to this point has prepared you for entrepreneurship, and you are uniquely qualified to make your dreams and [...]

3 03, 2009

When it’s time to say good bye

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:20+00:00March 3, 2009|jobs, moving on, personal brand, quitting, roots and wings|Comments Off on When it’s time to say good bye

You work hard. You create an unstoppable team. You build your culture, you nurture each other and together you grow. But eventually, almost without exception unless you make her a business partner, some of your most valuable team members will chose to leave, to spread their wings and become business owners themselves or join other companies promising more opportunity. It's the type of entrepreneurial spirit you hope to foster in your company, and model for those around you. But it still makes you just as sad when a treasured team member tells you she's taking the plunge. Trust me. I know. It happened again yesterday morning. On top of the fact that it was Monday morning, and five degrees outside, as soon as she walked in my door, I knew what was coming and it wouldn't be good for me. But it's great news for [...]

2 03, 2009

A mother’s work is never done. Just remember to slow down.

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:28+00:00March 2, 2009|family, kids, Oprah, Overwhelmed, overworked, priorities, supermom, wonder woman, work-life balance|Comments Off on A mother’s work is never done. Just remember to slow down.

With endless days filled with meetings, luncheons, doctor’s appointments and kids’ activities,it’s hard to cram everything I do into a 24-hour period. It is no wonder working moms feel overwhelmed. Mothers across the country are reaching out and starting support groups and communities. On an episode of Oprah, An Overwhelmed Mom’s Deadly Mistake, a grieving mother, Brenda Slaby, spoke about her unfortunate accident that she described as her “wake-up call to slow down”. In trying to be everything to everybody, she lost her daughter. Slaby chose to speak out about the tragic event because she wants to share her knowledge with others. She doesn’t want other moms to live through the same tragedy. To hear more about her story, go to Oprah.com. So in order to slow down, don’t go it alone—and ask for help. While it’s easier said than done, if you’re trying to [...]

28 02, 2009

Are you taking advantage of the wonderful network of words?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:38+00:00February 28, 2009|English major, social network, thesaurus, words|Comments Off on Are you taking advantage of the wonderful network of words?

I was an English major in college and have been a writer at heart throughout my career, so for me, and my personal brand, blogging and twittering and the like are fun. An ever-evolving way to reach my audience through the power of the written word. But for those of you who aren't writers, there is hope. Visuwords, an online graphical dictionary and thesaurus, may be a great place to start. Blogs should have a point, and tweets should be informative, so start with a kernel - a word. In my case I entered "social" and the chart you see shows all the many links and extensions of the word in a fun, web-world way. It's the word "social"s network. (Couldn't resist.) With that one word, social, a whole network of blog posts were revealed just through the relationship of words. Try it out next [...]

27 02, 2009

Turn part-time passions into a full-time gig

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:46+00:00February 27, 2009|business, economy, entrepreneurship, part-time business, passions|Comments Off on Turn part-time passions into a full-time gig

Have you listened to your heart lately? In the second step of the Real You Process, we explore your passions—the things that make your heart sing. Maybe you love working with children, you're an excellent writer or you have a killer voice that you haven't used in awhile. We all have passions and talents that have been pushed aside because life got in the way. But that shouldn't be an excuse. Start living your passions. Especially in this time of economic uncertainty, you need to have a back-up plan. Something to lean on. Something that makes you smile each and every day. Use that talent, and turn it into something profitable by starting your own side business. Here are some quick tips: • Start simple, on the side. You're not ditching your full-time job here. Not just yet, anyway. • Take your time and think [...]

26 02, 2009

Real You: When a free gift looks cheap

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:53:56+00:00February 26, 2009|advertising, Clinique, gifts with purchase, samples|Comments Off on Real You: When a free gift looks cheap

One of the guilty pleasures of cosmetics shopping is the gift with purchase, which has been luring us into retail stores since the beginning of time. I remember the good old days when the gifts were amazing: real leather totes; a full assortment of real-sized cosmetics; or a simple, but classy, special compact. And while I realize it is the time of cut-backs, the lipstick economy is stronger than ever. Attempting to tap into that small splurge mentality is Clinique, with the buy something for $5 and get the gift above. Sure, the gifts looked cool when they were all stacked up everywhere around the counter: happy purple-sided glossy boxes, an interesting design on the front panel and on the back, a glamour shot of three products included inside. Caught my eye, and created a purchase. But. When I arrived home and opened my box, [...]

25 02, 2009

Pay cuts and lay-offs affecting you?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:54:03+00:00February 25, 2009|interviews, job loss, personal branding, recession|Comments Off on Pay cuts and lay-offs affecting you?

If you are one of the thousands of Americans that has been laid off due to the recession, don’t fret! Your personal brand can handle it. You may view this as shameful, but it’s just part of life. Simply move on. Here’s how. First, don’t take it personally; this is business. Companies around the country are laying off employees, and thousands of people are having to pick up and dust themselves off. Just shake it off and start gathering as many references as possible—and take samples of your work with you. Next, stay positive and focused, and don’t waste time. Then, enter each interview with confidence, being quick and honest about your termination with potential employers. Remember, being fired may seem like the end of the world when it happens, but it can also turn into an opportunity to move onto something bigger and better.

23 02, 2009

Real You: No Light? No Trouble?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T01:54:10+00:00February 23, 2009|business, Camille's Sidewalk Cafe, real estate, realtors|Comments Off on Real You: No Light? No Trouble?

Yesterday at lunch I was enjoying a great sandwich at Camille's Sidewalk Cafe when I looked up and saw this sign on the wall next to my booth: Green -> NormalRed -> AlarmNoLight -> Trouble It made me think. Do we too often ignore the signs right in front of us in business? I know, speaking for the real estate industry, we were in a state of greed and denial before the bust. The government's goal was to increase home ownership rates; the mortgage companies made money easy to get; the number of real estate agents had reached record numbers nationwide; and everybody who was anybody had a no-miss real estate opportunity. In February of 2006, the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors released a book: Why the Real Estate Boom Will Not Bust. The bust had started in the fourth quarter of [...]

23 02, 2009

Sometimes, staying the same is the best survival tactic.

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:07:49+00:00February 23, 2009|Chef-O-Nette, entrepreneurs, experience, tradition|Comments Off on Sometimes, staying the same is the best survival tactic.

I noticed a trend in my tips: Most of them, and many of my examples of astounding entrepreneurs, deal with folks who have revolutionized an industry, or who have kept up with the times through change and constant improvements to their business model. But what about the success stories that abound of businesses and entrepreneurs who thrive through lack of change? Through tradition and continuity? My 8th grade son and I had lunch together at one such place yesterday. The diner is called Chef-O-Nette, and it's been in business since 1955. I'd link to it, but the diner doesn't have a Web site. Now located in a recently remodeled strip shopping center, the old fashioned font of the sign is the only outward expression of a timeless interior. But as soon as you walk through the doors, the Formica counter tops, naugahyde booths, laminated, hand-lettered [...]

kairarouda

About Kaira Rouda