Occitan Imports Woman-Owned, Home-based, eCommerce Business

Occitan Imports Woman-Owned, Home-based, eCommerce Business Looking at already successful, women-owned businesses can provide excellent inspiration for you if you’re a woman who hopes to launch a business. In the small, home-based, multi-channel ecommerce market, Occitan Imports is an outstanding example. The style, backstory, and woman behind this company make for an inspiring paradigm for aspiring female entrepreneurs. Occitan Imports: French Tablecloths and Laguiole Cutlery Occitan Imports is a multi-channel ecommerce operation that’s woman-owned and run entirely from home. It provides French tablecloths and Laguiole cutlery at great prices. Each piece is of high quality and made by hand in the Provence region of France. The firm is designed to mimic a niche-specific French outdoor market, but online. This unique business is owned and operated by Laurence Bertone. She was born in France (where Laurence is a reasonably common girl’s name; it helps that in French it’s pronounced “lo-RAWNCE”), and she wanted to bring the charm of French marketplaces to everyone. When she’s asked how she came up with the idea for her unique and popular ecommerce platform, Laurence says, “I grew up in southern France, and always loved going to the outdoor markets in the villages of Provence, where you can always find beautiful Provençal table linens. Then I moved to the United States and I wanted to make authentic French Provençal table linens available to people in the US.” Building a Home-Based, Multi-Channel eCommerce Organization Instead of going the traditional route of a retail outfit that includes a brick-and-mortar shop placed in a prime (but pricey) location in a large city, Laurence decided that a multi-channel ecommerce platform would be preferable. “I knew that the only way for me to access a nationwide market was to focus on Internet-based retail (e-commerce), so I put all my resources into building an on-line store (presence) rather than into a physical ‘brick and mortar’ retail store,” she said. “I also saw that more and more people were (and are) shopping online rather than in traditional retail stores.” At the time, the budding entrepreneur was also a full-time mom, so she would consider the idea of having to leave her kids for long periods of time to chase a dream. “I felt that the only way I could run a business and be a fully engaged Mom was to run the business out of my home I wanted to be at home for my kids,” she explains. Thus, Occitan Imports opened for business, to service shoppers with an eye for beautiful, unique pieces with a decidedly French theme … all from her home. Plunging into the Unknown Laurence was excited about the challenge and opportunity of bringing the best of the French marketplace to the US, but it obviously wasn’t easy. Like most new business owners, she had a fear of failure and a shaky uncertainty about the ultimate success of her operation. “I think the biggest challenge was really just overcoming the fear of the unknown and the fear of failure starting a business from scratch, with your own money, is kind of like diving off a cliff into the ocean for the first time you just have to close your eyes and jump,” she said. “When I started my business, I really had absolutely no idea whether I would ever sell anything at all, let alone become successful (profitable).” Luckily for Laurence, she wasn’t a failure. Her unique platform grew swiftly, and has delighted customers all over the nation, including in Rhode Island, Texas, Colorado, Florida, Arizona, and California. It’s a full-service ecommerce business that stretches from coast to coast. Challenges of Female Entrepreneurship When asked about the biggest challenges of getting a business launched by a woman, Laurence didn’t refer to the gender pay gap or extra effort required to triumph. Instead, she spoke of something that’s dear to many female entrepreneurs’ hearts: the struggle of balancing motherhood with ambitions for commercial success. “It was a challenge to balance the needs of my business against the needs of my family (husband and kids),” she explained. “Being a wife and a mother is a full-time job, and my natural instinct as a mother was (and is) to put the needs of my children above everything else. So, as a mother, you always feel a little bit ‘guilty’ when you are focusing on your business rather than focusing on your kids 100 percent of the time.” Ultimately, Laurence figured out a way to make the demands of her firm work in harmony with the needs of her children, and now she provides a great example to women and mothers everywhere who want to start a business but aren’t sure if they can. In closing, Laurence wanted to offer a piece of advice to any busy mom or woman in the industry who hopes to start a business from home: “Bringing my passion to the world and being a great example for my kids has always been very important to me, and that’s what drives me to make Occitan Imports a success. Any woman can do the same if she will hold on to her passion and won’t let negative influences drag her down.”

Bounce Back from Redundancy in 5 Steps

Bounce Back from Redundancy in 5 Steps Redundancy affects employees across the world and can be a deeply distressing experience. However it is possible to turn the situation around to a positive and open yourself up to new opportunities.CV writing service StandOut CV have provided this visual advice piece showing 5 steps to bouncing back from redundancy and emerging unscathed.Once you have learned of your redundancy, the first step is to ensure that you know exactly what you will entitled to in the lead up to your departure.evalHave a meeting with your line manager and look to confirm your notice period, redundancy package and any support to be provided.Do some research online and learn your current value in the marketplace by finding out which companies are hiring, which of your skills are in demand and what sort of remuneration you can expect.Update your CV (Resume) with the experience gained from your current role and be sure to make your most in-demand attributes prominent to the reader.Promote yourself actively in th e job market by uploading your CV to CV databases, applying for jobs regularly and networking on LinkedIn.When it comes to interview stage, preparation is key so practice answering common questions and pitching your skills.Reprinted with permission from Standout-cv.com

Tagged - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Tagged - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Mike Wagner of Own Your Brand tagged me for the 4-meme thats going around. Seems more contagious than bird flu :o) So here goes trivia about me: Four jobs I?ve had Clueless part-time sales guy at Bilka electronics (a supermarket) Programmer for BangOlufsen. Was there 6 months, never got to program a single line of code Co-founder and consultant at Enterprise Systems CHO (Chief Happiness Officer) The last two were almost too much fun to qualify as work. They were more in the nature of play Four movies I could watch over and over The Matrix (coolest movie) Love actually (happiest movie) Koyaanisqatsi (most beautiful movie) Life of Brian (funniest movie) In fact, its best never to quote Monty Python around me I may be difficult to stop, once I get started :o) Dead parrot, anyone? Four places I have lived Tunis, Tunisia Las Palmas, Spain Odense, Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark Four TV shows I love to watch Battlestar Galactica Lost The Daily Show The Simpsons Though our TV is in the closet most of the time and usually only comes out for important national soccer games. You can follow all of these shows on bittorrent. Battlestar Galactica is especially good. The season finale last week showed why: Great writing, great characters, great dialogue, and you never know whats coming next. Lost is almost as good, and more addicitve than crack. Four places I have been on holiday Florida Cedar Point Phillipines Paris What can I say, Im an adrenaline junkie, and roller-coasters are a great way to get that rush. Four websites I visit daily Creating passionate users Tveskov.com Google (duh!) digg.com Four of my favorite foods 1. Spaghetti Bolognese (or simply bolo at our place) 2. Sushi 3. Burgers from Five Guys 4. Kellogs Frosties Four places I would rather be right now Snowboarding in the alps (and a week from now I will be) London. Cooool city. Tokyo. Never been there really, really want to. Beijing. Never been there really, really want to. Though I gotta say Im also pretty happy right here, right now :o) And four bloggers I am tagging Patricia Hansen of Patricia OnLine, if she?ll accept, because she is such a wonderful person. And girlfriend. Stephen Shapiro of Goal-free living, if he?ll accept, because I enjoyed meeting him in DC and get a real kick out of the whole goal-free approach. Bernie deKoven of Bernies FunLog, if he?ll accept, because I truly admire his deep knowledge and practice of play. Solveig Haugland of openoffice.blogs.com, if she?ll accept, because I admire her style, her writing and her dedication to open source. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Reviews of Resume Writing Group - What They Are and Why You Should Use Them

Reviews of Resume Writing Group - What They Are and Why You Should Use ThemThe main thing you want to know about is what the reviews of resume writing group are. Well, that is actually a very common misconception in this day and age. People think that the reviews of resume writing group are useless because if people are giving them a bad review then that means that they have nothing valuable to say about the resume writing service.The truth is that most of the postings will actually have numerous reviews of resume writing group. You can visit several websites that are dedicated to the service and check out the reviews that are there.As far as you are concerned this means that you can read through them and really get to know what is good and what is not so good about them. And you will also get the benefit of knowing how to make your own resume. With this in mind you will have a lot more confidence in the end.You may even find out that the writers of these posts have written positive reviews as well. This means that there are quite a few very good people who are working for resume writing group.You need to ensure that you do not let your own opinion be ignored when you are working on your resume. This is because people can easily misrepresent the work you do.Writing a resume is not easy but it does not mean that you should not try to be a writer. You will learn a lot of things about yourself and all the other members of the writing group by simply reading and observing the work of the individual writers who post their reviews of resume writing group.Resume writing group is not for everyone because some of them have fake names and have no credentials. However if you are looking for an option to get an online resume writing job then this will definitely help you in your quest.

Best Resume Writing Services For Project Managers

Best Resume Writing Services For Project ManagersSo, you have decided to have a career in a business that involves the creation of a certain product, and you want to make it as successful as possible, then you have to do your best resume writing services for project managers. It is really not that hard to come up with one. You are sure to find a good service on the Internet if you look around, even if you want to hire a professional to write your resume.The first thing you need to consider when hiring a company to do your resume for you is the layout of the job application form that you will use. Although you may want to hire a professional writer for your resume, you also need to be flexible about the length of time the resume will take to come out. Make sure you know when you will need a revised resume. It is best to get a revised resume only when there is a change in the requirements of the company.Once you have the resume in order, you should include the information from the comp any's requirements. This should include the complete name, title, email address, phone number, and address of the applicant, and all contact details of the applicant. You may also have to ask for the gender of the applicant and what type of experience she or he has had.Write a resume in a chronological order. This is an important point to remember, and you will need to look at it before you hire anyone. Make sure you avoid adding anything more than is necessary to the resume, and make sure the names are spelled correctly and include all contact details.Keep in mind, the one thing you will not be looking for in resumes is any information about educational background. If you have some information that would help in making your decision, mention it. But don't forget to keep it brief, and just tell how you can contribute to the company's success.Also make sure you inform the company about any specific events in your life, like graduations or getting married. This will not make any diffe rence to the company's decision, but you can let them know. Make sure you keep these kinds of things out of your resume.These are just some of the most important points that will help you choose a company that can help you with your resume. Look for a service that offers round-the-clock help. This is very important because you don't want to waste money on someone who can't get your resume done in time.

Kids, Work and Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience

Kids, Work and Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience Employing power words can raise the effectiveness of your resume. The absolute most important tool you've got to create use of is your RESUME. Utilizing the strategies below, you will be in a position to achieve that. From the above mentioned discussion, you are aware that your selection will be contingent on the info you present in the cover letter. 1 A resume summary is a brief, snappy introduction paragraph that delivers a summary of your very best work. You're going to compose a resume summary which gets many more interviews. While writing the resume, you may use the overview of your qualifications at the start. There are lots of resources available on how to a great resume summary, but it's tough to locate decent ideas for how to do it if you don't have a work experience. Concentrate on the points outlined above and you are going to be on your way to job success. You may need to receive a small creative, but it's still feasible to place a great resume together with no appropriate work experience. You don't need to incorporate every job which you've held, especially in case you have many years of expertise or have worked in unrelated fields. Resume are simple to craft and can be readily copied and adapted to your specific circumstance. If you follow the advice above you are going to have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience! Most Noticeable Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience There's a very long collection of font but you need to use the normal font employed for resume writing. For that reason, it's imperative you select your formatting and wording carefully. Whatever resume format you opt to use, be positive your format remains consistent throughout the document. In case the template isn't in an appropriate for mat there isn't any value of using it. Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience: the Ultimate Convenience! Make a list of absolutely whatever you've done that may be useful on a resume. All is a huge key word to begin a descriptive item in your resume. Search online for resume power words and you're going to be overwhelmed by the sum of sites that claim to `provide' the comprehensive collection of resume power words. You also have to have an ideal cover letter to escort your CV when submitting an application for any job. A free resume review may give you the confidence necessary to attack the work search with complete force. If you would like to receive a work soon or are trying to change your work then you want to contemplate the resume. Finding a job can be difficult for anybody, even an extremely seasoned professional who has successfully navigated several job changes. The Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience Game Do n't be concerned if you have hardly ever worked with different people before. All the men and women who have made use of templates can testify to the fact they have at least made it to the very first interview. While it's important to be as detailed as possible, many folks make the error of writing a lengthy resume. If everything looks the exact same, nothing will stick out. Gossip, Lies and Hwhat Template Do I Use when Writing a Resume with No Experience With templates you'll always have a notion of what things to write on the resume. There are a lot of reasons why templates are important in regards to resume creation. You are going to be happy to know that there is going to be examples of resumes that you may look at to receive a notion of the greatest template to use. You might also be interested in some suggestions that might be able to assist you use your templates more easily.

10-Minute Transformation Give Your Resume A Power Punch! - Work It Daily

10-Minute Transformation Give Your Resume A Power Punch! - Work It Daily Writing your resume is hard! As if being unemployed wasn’t enough of a morale-buster, you’re now pressured to put the best version of yourself on paper. An experienced writer balks at this task! But I’ll let you in on a secret: you already have more than you think you do. Related: Top 7 Resume Trends For 2015 Here are some quick ways to take whatever you’ve got (blank screen, job description, old resume, first draft) and transform in with a 10-minute power punch! The hiring manager has already given you a blatant ‘edge’ over your competition, but so few applicants take advantage of it! The posting you read online contains a secret giveaway of what the employer considers an ideal candidate. Your ten-minute task is to make yourself fit that bill. With this 10-minute transformation, you can give your resume a power punch! Grab Your Cheat Sheet Find your ideal job opening and match your resume to its description. If they use the phrase “database administrator,” you also use that phrase… two or three times. Don’t confine your previous work experience to the titles your former employer handed out. Describe yourself in terms of the actual work you performed. Not only will computers scan your resume for phrase matches, but people will also notice the words they are looking for. Delete The Obvious Next, start lining through that list of duties you included. Your single page of real estate is far too valuable. Your interviewer has a strong grasp of what your position requires. She is more interested in what you accomplished in that role. How did you stand out from other database administrators, for example? Did you help your company do things faster, do your work more efficiently, did you champion a project that got the attention of the higher-ups? Insert Personality Here’s a good oneâ€"were you the one that organized a team lunch or led a departmental contest that boosted the morale of your co-workers or inspired teamwork? Always include such intangible achievements that highlight your personality. Employers aren’t just looking to get the job done. They’d always prefer to simultaneously build their brand, creativity, and culture. You’ll pop off the page! Active Voice Next, do a quick scan to make sure you used the active voice and some power words. You weren’t “the manager of” a project; you “managed” it. Always think in terms of the person reading your resume and turn everything possible into an achievement. Example: Increased sales, expanded reach, systematized buying, streamlined processes, gained awareness, built a team, forged relationships, cultivated culture, earned designation, inspired creativity with a contest, convinced board to adopt new policy. When you use an active voice and power words you present yourself as an action-taker who gets things done, even goes above and beyond! You also show that you respect your reviewer’s time by making your sentences short, to the point, and relevant. Quantify Everything Do you have a general idea of performance before and after you completed a project? Were sales stagnant when you started, and climbing when you left? Can you calculate an estimate for the percentage increase? Did you automate a task that cut your administrative work in half? Perhaps you increased productivity by 50%. Maybe you grew sales territory from 13 counties to include 20. Or acquired a $1.5 million-dollar contract. Use figures as much as possible. Now, you have a resume that presents you in a way that pops off the page! Ten minutes of tweaking can not only earn you a call, but a nice new salary to boot! Always go after what you want… you just might get it. If you’re still struggling and would like to submit your resume to me for a free review, contact me here. I may use portions of it (anonymously, of course) in a future article to demonstrate a “before and after” illustration. This post was originally published at an earlier date. Related Posts Top 5 Easy Tips For Making Your Resume Stand Out 3 Secrets To A Powerful Resume Summary 4 Tips For Writing Resumes From Scratch Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join For Free!