business | Kaira Rouda

24 10, 2008

Letting Go is Hard to Do

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:13:59+00:00October 24, 2008|business, growing business, team building|Comments Off on Letting Go is Hard to Do

Eventually your small business may turn into a booming company. As your company grows it becomes more difficult to control every aspect on your own. Never forget that working smarter—not harder—is the answer to your dilemma. Remember that team you built? Trust them to get the job done. Successful entrepreneurs know the difference between leading and managing. Sure you’re still going to be there, offering them the direction they need. But now that your company is growing, you can’t be everywhere at once, and you certainly can’t do it all. So give your team the breathing space they need to put your plans into action. You created a plan and a vision. Now let your team members carry it out. For more tips on building and managing a stellar team, check out Life Lesson 14 of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials For Women Entrepreneurs.

14 10, 2008

Don’t Forget to Dream

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:14:31+00:00October 14, 2008|business, dreams, entrepreneurs, Gloria Steinem, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, speaker, women, women in business|Comments Off on Don’t Forget to Dream

Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. Begin by asking yourself this question: If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be? What is your dream? Start defining it. What are you passionate about? What business activities feel most like fun and least like work? Of course, this requires some soul-searching. Take it to the next level. Write down the names of three people you admire. It doesn’t matter if they are family members, friends or business acquaintances. Then, determine what characteristics you admire in each of them. The attributes you list should be closely aligned with the heart of your passions! When you define your passions and dreams, you begin the planning process, and that in turn opens the door to exciting possibilities. This tip, from Gloria [...]

10 10, 2008

What’s in a name?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:14:39+00:00October 10, 2008|Brands, business, company, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, speaker, story, women, women in business|Comments Off on What’s in a name?

Let me say this: Naming your company matters. It’s part of your real brand; it’s your essence. What you need to do is begin with your company story. Write it down; record it. From the first twinkle of an idea to the people that have played a significant role, get it on paper. This is important because you’ll want employees to know about and understand your brand. They need to know the real story. After you’ve got that down, coming up with a name for the company should be easier. You’ll want it to define your real brand—the genuine, truthful, authentic you that your company is all about. Remember those dreams? Sure you do! Let them unfold—in your company name. To share your success story and company name leave us a comment, or check out RealYouIncorporated.com for some inspiration from other female entrepreneurs.

30 09, 2008

Find clarity about what it is you are seeking, and go after it.

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:16:19+00:00September 30, 2008|Betty's Fine Food and Spirits, business, dreams, Elizabeth Lessner, entrepreneurs, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, The Surly Girl Saloon, vision, women, women in business|Comments Off on Find clarity about what it is you are seeking, and go after it.

If you don’t have a clear picture about what you want, you will never get it. Clarity of vision is so important. But to do it right takes time and effort. Begin by choosing three words to describe your business, even if that business is not yet off the ground. Then put your operating principles in writing. This will likely be the precursor to your company vision or mission statement, so take the time to get it right. Next, list some additional adjectives that you want to associate with your vision. Play around with it; be creative. This is the fun part. Remember, the clearer the picture, the easier it will be to transform your vision into reality. This tip comes from Elizabeth Lessner, owner of Betty’s Family of Restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, which includes Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits, The Surly Girl Saloon, Tip [...]

24 09, 2008

Make your office of reflection of the Real You

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:16:42+00:00September 24, 2008|branding, business, Martha Stewart, offices, Real You, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, women, women in business|Comments Off on Make your office of reflection of the Real You

MAKE IT HAPPEN: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2007 the average American worked 42.9 hours a week. Over the course of a year, this added up to approximately 2,230 hours, which is about 13.3 weeks straight. If you’re spending this much time in your office, create a space that reflects the real you by addressing the needs of your five senses. TIP IN ACTION: Start with color. Choose colors that exhibit your personality. For example, those who consider themselves to be imaginative, idealistic, a visionary and somewhat eccentric at times may be drawn to the color blue. You may also want to surround yourself with visual reminders of your hobbies and passions. My walls are blue, and I have sea glass on my desk to remind me of the ocean (I’m landlocked in Ohio). I also have tons of pictures and mementos [...]

8 08, 2008

Is a Culture Vulture bringing down your team?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T02:19:00+00:00August 8, 2008|business, business consultant, culture vultures, employees, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, speaker, staff|Comments Off on Is a Culture Vulture bringing down your team?

You’ve probably met this person at one time or another. They’re the employee that isn’t on board. The one causing friction among your staff and bringing down team morale. I have a name for people who sabotage businesses—culture vultures! And my best advice is to get rid of this person as soon as you can. If that’s not possible, then pay close attention to what’s going on, and trust your instincts. In other words, your perceptions of this person are probably right. In the meantime, take comfort in the fact that culture vultures usually destroy themselves. Truth prevails, but it doesn’t typically happen as fast you’d like. Get help in the form of a business consultant, a person who will work with you to plan a strategy that ensures that every member of your team is on the same page. Is your team being brought [...]

31 07, 2008

If you lose your job, don’t look at it as a setback

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T13:29:02+00:00July 31, 2008|business, personal branding, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, speaker|Comments Off on If you lose your job, don’t look at it as a setback

When women are fired, they feel ashamed. Men, on the other hand, take it as part of life. Let’s learn a lesson from the other sex just this once. First, don’t take being fired personally. It’s all about business, and your personal brand can handle it. Get out of your personal funk and move on—to bigger and better things. Start gathering references; take samples of your work; and keep your head up high. This is the beginning of great things for you—and your personal brand. Have you had experiences that have helped shape your personal brand? Tell us about them! To learn more about developing and communicating your personal brand, check out Real You Incorporated.

25 07, 2008

Should you join the family biz right out of college?

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T13:29:15+00:00July 25, 2008|business, college, dreams, family business, passions, Real You Incorporated, Rouda, speaker, women in business|Comments Off on Should you join the family biz right out of college?

Joining the family business might seem like the easy route after college, but there are several things to consider. You must first decide, simply and emphatically, if this business is your passion. Sure, you’ve grown up with the business, but is working in the family business part of your dream? Be absolutely honest about your answer because it’s your life—and you can’t live that life pursuing someone else’s dreams. If you make the decision to join the fam, do so only after obtaining the necessary training and know-how. Make sure you’re qualified and prepared for the task. This is important so that others have a positive perception of your role in the business—and they take you seriously. For other tips on finding your passion see Real Fact Two in Real You Incorporated.

17 06, 2008

If someone’s not supporting you and your passions, they’re using you and draining your energy.

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T13:30:33+00:00June 17, 2008|business, Chien-Shiung Wu, Columbia University, Manhattan Project, passions, snarks|Comments Off on If someone’s not supporting you and your passions, they’re using you and draining your energy.

Watch out for snarks! Instead, surround yourself with the real people in your life. Make an appointment with one of them today. Then, make it your business to foster those relationships on an ongoing basis. Known as the “queen of modern physics”, Chien-Shiung Wu came to the U.S. to study science when she was still a teenager. While working at Columbia University, she contributed to the Manhattan Project, and she personally assisted Tsung-Dao Lee in the development of his parity laws by providing him with a possible test method for beta decay that worked successfully. In spite of her contribution, which was considered by many to be instrumental in the creation of the laws, she did not share in the Nobel Prize that was awarded to her male counterparts. Many view this as an act of sexism on the part of the selection committee. If, [...]

25 04, 2008

Women need to stop competing…

By Kaira Rouda|2023-02-07T13:33:54+00:00April 25, 2008|business, Carrie Runnals, entrepreneurs, networking, TheDivaCast, women|Comments Off on Women need to stop competing…

And start helping each other. It’s a topic I’m very passionate about, and I discuss it in my recent interview with Carrie Runnals, author of Words-To-Mouth blog and co-host of TheDivaCast. We also talked about women as natural networkers and the gifts we bring to the business world. Click here to listen to the podcast.