The New Ambitious Ladies Club Members

Alejandra Costello

Founder of Color-Coded provides custom organizing for your closet and home!
Visit her FB page to check out some great  Pictures
Alejandra is based out of Arlington,VA but serves, DC, MD,VA and the Miami, FL area.

Alejandra Costello has been a Ambitious Ladies Member since November, 2009

Serena Scanzillo

Owner of Lean on Me: Personalized Fitness & Health provides personal training and health fitness plans in the comfort of your own home. Serena is based out of the Arlington, VA area and serves Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. Check out her website for holiday specials for those New Year's resolutions!

Serena Scanzillo has been  a Ambitious Ladies Member since October, 2010

Networking Events In the DC Area

http://www.wbis.biz/ The Fairfax Womens' magazine

http://www.novawomensbusinessconference.com/ Thursday Nov. 12th, 2009 8-4pm Landsdowne VA

http://www.successinthecity.org/Let's Do Lunch at The Tower Club
Where Tower Club8000 Towers Crescent Dr.Suite 1700Vienna, Virginia
When Monday, October 5, 2009 -- 11:30 AM to 01:30 PM

Astute Institute - Confronting Your Fears and Embracing Risks
Where Telos Corporation, 19886 Ashburn Rd.Ashburn, Virginia
When Tuesday, October 27, 2009 -- 03:00 PM to 06:00 PM

http://www.quintcareers.com/womens_networking_organizations.html Job search, Career Networking, Career Advancement

http://www.winonline.org/ Democratic Womens Group- Networking Happy Hours

Breast Cancer Walk Photos

2009 Breast Cancer Awareness Walk was a great success!

The girls and I burned calories, enjoyed a live performance from Miley Cirus (Hanan Montana) buzzed up on Starbucks lattes and Reem even got a phone number from Ronald McDonald... LOL JUST KIDDING!

But over all it was a great day! I even got a bit of a tan.

SOOOO MUCH FUN!

5 Tips to Prepare Your Family for Entrepreneurship

*Coordinate your schedules. Each week, sit down and coordinate your work/errand/family schedule with your husband’s, so there are no surprises.

*Your marriage is a partnership; don’t try to do it all alone. Ask your husband for help with the housework and the children.

*Carve out family time every weekend, so you can maintain a sense of balance, and your children and husband do no feel pushed aside.

*Schedule quiet time during the day when the kids are home for the summer. Ask them to read or play quietly for an hour, letting you focus on work. Follow it with family time.

*Let your children help. Helping you out in your business, even in very small ways, will encourage their support and understanding.

The NEXT 5 Tips

1. Create a brand. Spend a little money to create a professional logo, business card and stationery. Present a professional image. (www.elance.com) (www.logobench.com) You can get this for as low as $50 bucks!!!!
   
2. Ramp up Online. Make creating a Web site a top priority. A Web site is today’s calling card. You really shouldn’t do without one. Give people a place to go to learn about your business.(www.blogspot.com) FREE OF CHARGE.. (www.google/sites.com)
   
3. Make Your First Sale. This is key. Get that first sale even if it’s friends or family at a discounted rate. This counts as getting started, so go for it. Network in diffrent groups such as this one :)
   
4. Promote Testimonials. Get testimonials from your first sales. Start building credibility for your business from day one.
   
5. Build Buzz. Be creative. Look for a special promotion, big event, email campaign or something out of the norm for your business to get people talking about you, your product or service. (Join group activites that will allow you to comfortably meet new people such as charity walks!.....like the one ALC is going to on Mother's day 2009.)

5 Tips for Effective Business Planning

1. 
   Clearly define your business idea and be able to succinctly articulate it. Know your mission.
   
2. Examine your motives. Make sure that you have a passion for owning a business and for this particular business.
   
3. Be willing to commit to the hours, discipline, continuous learning and the frustrations of owning your own business.
   
4. Conduct a competitive analysis in your market, including products, prices, promotions, advertising, distribution, quality, service, and be aware of the outside influences that affect your business.
   
5. Seek help from other small businesses, vendors, professionals, government agencies, employees, trade associations and trade shows.

What Are They Up To Now?

It's been a long year and these girls are hitting the pavement hard.
Next stop:

Avon Walk For Breast Cancer Research Mothers Day May 10, 2009 on the National Mall.

Join the girls as they take a leap towards breast cancer research and get a good cardio workout at the same time. There is no enterance fee. Meeting time is 8:00 AM. To join the Ambitious ladies of D.C on Saturday May 10 2009, Email ambitiousladiesclub@gmail.com Or call 703-498-1181.