So many women I meet tell me they want to write a book. They have a big idea, or they have several, but they're afraid to start. Continue reading

This conversation focuses on that, brain health, women's health, and how to bring happiness into your life - both inside and out. Ann considers herself a Happiness Ambassador - a coach who helps us look better, live better, and FEEL better. Which is something we all need more than ever today. Continue reading

But this is not about me, or best friends. It's about Tara's journey. Her journey from there (starting at 19 when she started her first entrepreneurial adventure) to here, where she calls Emerald Lake Books her "favorite business, by far." It's also about recognizing and seizing opportunity. It's about faith and joy. It's about letting your faith lead you along that bumpy path and guide you to where you should be. Continue reading

When it comes to our small business, our next big idea, our purpose in life, we ignore our intuition to our own detriment. I would like you to think of your intuition as a super power. While we share this essence with all humanity, it's not a woman-thing as some will try to tell you, truth is, we, as women, have a deeper sense of it. We, as women, allow it to sway our decisions. We, as women, learn to appreciate it, over time. Continue reading

If for no other reason, watch this video for the stories. You know how important stories are, to me. To the purpose of what Nurturing Big Ideas is about. Stories are the essence of not just ourselves, but our Mothers and sisters and grandmothers and aunts. Our stories help us understand who we are and bring us together with other women - because every story, in every woman, is important and should be told. Continue reading

It's in the telling of how we got started that we can embrace once upon a time. It's not necessary to say the words "once upon a time" out loud. But, you can think them, and let them remind you of those delightful fairy tales of your youth. In your story, you're the hero. The client or prospect is the princess. It's your job to save the princess from the evil sorcerer! Continue reading

My desire to write a book was a secret I'd not told anyone, yet. I blurted it out to this man and knew it for what it was - the confession that I was wasting my life on work I did not care about, when I should be doing what I love. Writing a book! "You should write a book," he agreed. I wasn't sure he was agreeing because he thought I was capable of writing a book, or if he was trying to weasel his way into my good graces. Continue reading

Menopause is a loaded subject today. The term peri-menopause is so new to most women, they rush to grab whatever information they can about it, and often end up frustrated and worried. Does that sound like you? It sure sounds like me! I have had a lot of trouble with this issue, and I assumed (wrongly so, Lorraine tells me) that there was little to nothing I could do about it. Continue reading

I was having a bad day today. It didn't start off that bad. It was okay. I was excited about a Smart Woman Conversation I had scheduled. I took my shower, fixed my hair (and I like it, my hair, I mean... good hair, good day, right?), put my makeup on and chose an outfit. Continue reading

This time we come with memories, good and bad; we bring all of life's experiences, good and bad; we know, this time, that we can and should celebration, and that celebration is good, and necessary. Continue reading

I asked Katherine McGraw Patterson to be a Smart Woman Conversation member because I know she brings authenticity, experience, and insight to the world of business. Her focus is women. And, with all of that, she recently became an author. Her book, Lunching with Lions: Strategies for the Networking-Averse, tells us right on the cover that "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu." Continue reading

We build connections that spark with talent, excitement, laughter, tears, emotional bonds that are forged in iron! These are connections that will not be broken. When you forge something in iron, it builds tensile strength and beauty in one glorious piece of metal. Continue reading

I was an okay Mom. Not great. I saw other mothers, in our coffee klatches, who were better mothers than I. I saw that they were not torn between motherhood and…something else. I sometimes spoke of other 'urges', a desire to be something more. I was met with frowns and shakes of pretty heads. Sometimes with laughter. Continue reading

In this video, Maggie touches upon how to succeed in a gig economy and how to take something remarkably unique (i.e.: zero pet waste information) and turn it into a successful focus for her writing. You need to watch to learn how she got started - and while she has magic in her soul, becoming successful was not magic! It was... a good bit of work. Continue reading

This is boutique catering. There needs to be balance and harmony, as we all know that food is an integral part of life - which is ever about balance and harmony. I love that they say Chef Juan is "balloons in the air" while Judith is "feet on the ground." B Continue reading

I tried to imagine where it had hung, once upon a time. I read the inscription over and over, and imagined it as part of a large, heavy door, facing the public square in some mid-sized city. I could see people look at it, turn their eyes away, hurry along, hoping no one they knew would ever have to go through that door. Continue reading

When I found Nettie, again, after many years of silence, we took up right where we left off. Our conversations (behind the scenes) were full of the stories of life we needed to share. And therein lies the best part of today's Smart Woman Conversation with Nettie Reynolds - storytelling. Continue reading

Anastasia calls herself a "generational expert" and she doesn't do this lightly. She recognizes the need for all of us to work together. I give her oodles of credit for figuring out the #newjobnewlife hashtag (how that happened is in the video and it's interesting... so pay attention as you watch), given that so many of us are on that path. Continue reading

We are curious creatures, we human beings. Women, especially, are seekers of truth and justice - for our children, if not for ourselves. For our community, for those we love unconditionally. We long for a sense of significance. We ache for righteousness. We strive for acceptance. We desire to be noticed. But, we are too often not present for the result. Continue reading

Margo Lovett has a voice that makes my soul melt. There is a quality to the softness of it that makes me listen more closely to what she's saying. It also exudes confidence. When she speaks, I think the world is listening. Certainly, my heart hears and tells me this is a good thing. Continue reading

Yes, being polite is a good thing. Knowing when to express apologies and when not to, is a learning experience. The message here is that you cannot fix the whole world, and being sorry for that is not endearing you to customers or clients or prospects. In fact, it may be harming your growing relationship. Continue reading

We drove to the Outer Banks in one day. Long trip, yes. But, worth it. The three story house rented by three families, was more than adequate. Complete with an elevator (holy cow!), the house came with air conditioning, great windows with views to the street outside and small glimpses of the ocean. Of course, the trip was mainly for the children. We put in our sweat equity to give them memories that will last a lifetime. Continue reading

Let's talk survivors. People who never give up. People who believe in a better tomorrow. People who don't let yesterday dictate how happy the can be today. Continue reading

The moral of most novels is …more complicated because the human condition invites a long, serious discuss on morals as presented in novels. Not to mention, some understanding of the hero's journey. Novels exist to entertain. They take us out of our ordinary lives and give us glimpses into worlds we would not know, otherwise. The moral in most of them is that being human is okay. Or, being an alien based on the author's human experiences, is okay. Continue reading

In memory, these days, I see that child and watch her move cautiously in her world, all the while basking in the summer sun, with groups of friends who had nothing more on their minds than whatever mischief they could cause that day. It was all about the freedom. Continue reading