Live! Leader Guidelines
FOR GROUP LEADERS
Letter of Introduction
Mompreneurs® Live! – Local Networking Groups for Entrepreneurial Moms
Are you an entrepreneurial mom who runs a business or is thinking of starting one? Wherever you set up your office or shop—at home or offsite—you will probably face the same work‐family challenges and feelings of isolation as other mom business owners. Today’s high‐tech world enables us to share these common concerns through blogs, social media sites, online forums and other Web‐based communities. But nothing beats face‐to‐face interaction! That’s why we’re starting Mompreneurs® Live! As authors of the Mompreneurs® series of books, owners of the Mompreneurs® trademark, and founders of Mompreneurs® LLC, a work‐from‐home consulting firm, we have been bringing entrepreneurial mothers together for over ten years, both online and off.
Through our forums on MompreneursOnline.com, moms share valuable tips, provide feedback on business ideas, offer support and advice for juggling work and family, and much, much more. But increasingly, we’ve been asked to spearhead local networking groups so moms can meet in person on a regular basis. We’ve hosted several of these get‐togethers in cities around the country, including Chicago, New York and Phoenix. The energy and enthusiasm has been so incredible, we want to do more!
So we put together this kit as a blueprint for starting a Mompreneurs® Live! group n your area. Please consider it as a flexible guide—not a rigid plan—and adapt it to the needs and wants of your particular group. Most of all, have fun!
Here’s to successful Mompreneurship!
Pat Cobe and Ellen Parlapiano
www.MompreneursOnline.com
Guidelines for Mompreneurs® Live! Leaders
- Use word-of-mouth and online networking through the Local Mompreneurs® Groups boards to gather a group in your area.
- Arrange monthly meetings at a group member’ s home, community center, restaurant, or other local spot. The first meeting should be introductory in nature. Subsequent meetings can be based on themes relevant to the group. Some topics to consider: part-time child care solutions; trademarking a business name; accounting tricks for solo business owners;taking a product from idea to market; publicizing your business; using social media to market your biz; search engine optimization for your website.
- Invite guest speakers or experts from your group to address each topic. Pat and Ellen will keep a database of experts who might be available to speak live or by teleconference to your group.
- Send out group press releases to local media about your networking efforts and the unique businesses represented in your group. Press release writing guides will be provided by the Mompreneurs®.
- Hold an annual trade fair for mom-created products and services. The Mompreneurs® will provide guidelines.
- The Mompreneurs® will hold a webinar or teleconference for each local group at least once a year.
- Each local group will have full e-mail access to the Mompreneurs® for specific questions and idea feedback. Each member will also be welcomed to the members-only
- Mompreneurs® Live! online boards for nationwide networking. Members can go in witha password and get feedback from others in groups across the country. Each local group will get a free link exchange with the MompreneursOnline.com site. A specially-designed button will be provided.
- Dues for each local Mompreneurs® group will be $25 per year. Membership will include a resource packet, with promotional Mompreneurs® merchandise, and a free e-book of Mompreneurs® Mantras, with motivational tips.
- The leader of each group will be awarded free membership. She will also receive a packet with leadership guidelines, promotional materials, and other resources.
- In addition, since Ellen and Pat are often contacted when the press is looking for local Mompreneurs®, there are many publicity opportunities for both leaders and members.