Mind Your Business

"The Disney Way" can be your way too!

I read the Disney Way a few months back and this month, the Make Mine Pink book club has chosen The Disney Way as their book to review. For those that joined the book club, you're in for a pleasant surprise. For those that didn't, I hope you'll have the opportunity in the very near future to read this book. It will change the way you view your own business.

A Successful Small Business Doesn't Need Fairy Dust... or a Good Economy

With so many big box businesses closing, this can be an unnerving time for any small business owner. After all, if the big boys can't make it right now, who are you to believe YOU can?

You may even be entertaining thoughts of packing up your dreams and bringing them out again when the economy's a little bit better... or at least when there's not so much media doom and gloom.

The truth is, though, big dreams and small businesses have never needed sunny days or good economies to succeed. Even Walt Disney, the man who created magic for millions of people, didn't factor fairy dust into his plans. Instead, his formula for success was simply: "Dream, believe, dare and do."

Big dreams are a good place to start, but the way we make dreams happen hasn't changed one bit. No matter what everyone else is saying, success is still achieved one small step at a time.

Believe in yourself and your small business. As a small business owner, you have more creativity and flexibility than any big business, which means your business isn't limited by anything except the limits you choose to put in place. Success is yours for the taking and it does not require fairy dust or optimistic media reports.

What you do need is a goal, and a plan for how to reach that goal. What does success in 2009 mean for you? Think big! Don't hold back just because of the media reports. What is it you REALLY want to achieve this year?

With that picture in your mind, you might hear a little voice telling you, "It can't  happen.  Cut your marketing budget and lay low. You'll be lucky to keep the customers you have."

Do you hear it?

Good.

That's the voice you should not be listening to this year. That voice just repeats what it hears everybody else say. If you follow its advice, you'll be heading down the same path as everyone else.

Instead, ask yourself, "What do I need to do each week to reach my goals for 2009?" then do it consistently, regardless of media hype or outward circumstances.

Is big business closing? This is your chance to shine like never before. Take advantage of it, and make this is your time to stand out. 

Are you still planning to cut your marketing budget? Before you do, consider the message that will send to your customers. If they don't see your business in the places they're used to seeing you, they're going to assume that hard times are affecting you as well.

Instead, let your customers see that you believe in yourself and your business. Show them that you have chosen to not participate in this recession. Show them they can feel confident about doing business with you because you're not going anywhere.

There has never been anything magical about making dreams come true. It's time to do things the Disney way,  "Dream, believe, dare and do," and realize your dreams of owning a successful small business:

How about making a little magic of your own?

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

"SHADES of RED –WHITE and BLUE!" at Make Mine Pink

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday July 3, 2009 as we present "SHADES of RED –WHITE and BLUE!"

 Shades of red, white or blue remind me of 4th of July parties and fireworks and special times with family and friends. Vintage aprons, adorned with red roses against what was once a vivid blue, now slightly worn with time. Blue and white checked linens - once grandmother's finest, still carrying traces of the 4th of July picnics I had as a child. Pale blue Depression glass against the finest white tablecloth, topped with a white milk glass vase and filled with the summer flowers. On the wall, a white French farmhouse shelf displays white china hand painted with red and blue buds Adding a little color to your table, shades of red, white and blue can turn any meal into a celebration.
Blue and white Italian place settings against a red tablecloth.  An angel food cake atop a favorite white cake stand, topped with fresh summer blueberries and strawberries. Red sugar-coated candies in a white candy dish hand painted with blue forget-me-nots. Hanging nearby, white and blue checked kitchen towels decorated with shiny red apples Placed somewhere you didn't expect, red, white and blue can create a burst of color in any corner. Red roses on canvas and hung on a freshly painted blue wall. A piece of broken china jewelry - tiny blue and red roses against pure white china. A white lace sun catcher, with a red and blue design, hanging in the window. In the guest bathroom, a blue tissue box holder painted with white and red flowers. Tucked into a corner of your purse, a blue hanky trimmed with red and embroidered with white daisies. And dangling from your wrist, a bracelet made of cinnabar, turquoise beads and bone.

 
For a special touch of whimsy, plug in 4th of July light bulbs in red, white and blue. Use a white table runner with appliquéd blue rabbits and red rose buds. Display faux strawberries dipped in white chocolate placed in a blue cake box that looks pretty enough to eat. You can wear a soldered charm of red breasted robins against an azure sky, sprinkled with white German glass glitter or write on the white pages of a notebook decorated with red roses and blue ribbons. With shades of red, white and blue surrounding us, celebrations of life can happen any day.

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

Photo Contribution 1: The Sassy Beach Photo Contribution 2: Grandma G's Photo Contribution 3: Candy Lights

"A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME" at Make Mine Pink

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday June 26, 2009 as we present "A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME"

I've never seen a rose I didn't love. From the first blossom of spring, gently swaying in the breeze, to an intricately stitched needlepoint rich in history, I love them all. Silk roses mixed with a bunch of silk hydrangeas, gracing a vase on the mantle. Cabbage roses on a sugar bowl and creamer, brought out for a grandmother's tea. Colorful rose cupcakes scented as beautifully as they look.

Roses represent so many wonderful things and are often used to celebrate special milestones such as weddings, births and anniversaries. We might write a special announcement on stationery with long-stemmed yellow roses lying against a background of a French poem. Use white satin roses to create wedding memories in a vintage box.

Roses have also been used throughout the centuries in home décor. Like wild pink roses painted on porcelain china plates. A crystal bud vase embellished with a pink silk rose, ready to hold a freshly picked rose bud from the garden. A French ribbon rose attached to a crocheted cushion in the living room. Hand built ceramic roses to use as drawer pulls, or as a magnet to hang up a special photograph.

Milliners used silk roses to embellish the finest hats; perhaps one covered with embroidered lace and handmade millinery roses. Seamstresses stitched the richest brocade drapes adorned with roses.  Grandmothers embroidered the most delicate rose patterns on tablecloths and handkerchiefs. Now we can give silky velvet rose pins a special corsage. For everyday occasions, you might wear a vintage pink rose apron or admire a rose-shaped pillow made of hot pink satin.

Throughout the years, famous artists have studied and painted every aspect of the rose. Antique lithographs and post cards from the 1800s grace our homes today with their everlasting beauty. From a rhapsody of roses printed on canvas and hung over a doorway to garlands of decal roses that make favorite items look hand painted, roses continue to gracefully fit every lifestyle and décor.

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

Photo Contribution 1: Katie's Rose Cottage Photo Contribution 2: The Decal Cottage

"Favorite Finds" at Make Mine Pink

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday June 19, 2009 as we present "Favorite Finds"

You know that sudden flutter you feel when you discover a long sought after treasure? Maybe it's a piece of faux pastry delicately iced and trimmed with lace satin ribbon that takes hold of your imagination and makes you smile. Or vintage china pieces with hand painted roses that bring back forgotten memories. A cottage frame trimmed in vintage wallpaper to hold a treasured photo. Crisp table linens, reminiscent of special teas shared with Grandmother so many years ago. Hand painted silk roses adorning a beautifully wrapped gift or Cameo soaps, delicately scented to tuck inside a drawer of vintage hankies.An armful of hand-embroidered pillowcases you can't wait to bring home and show off by piling them on your bed.  A rose scented candle that hides inside a special teacup. Garden party hats with vintage floral brooches and ribbon bands, just right for a party or to dress up a corner of your room. Broken china mosaics on a teapot, lamp or silver plated tray to bring out when company comes.  A vintage rhinestone necklace and bracelet to put on for just the right occasions.

  A white painted cottage cabinet to be filled with hand-painted dishes, appliquéd tea towels, chenille bedspreads or vintage toys. Wrought iron candle sticks that dangle delicate crystal drops. They add an instant aura of old-fashioned romance. Vintage nursery jars to put in your powder room or the master bath, unexpectedly filled with rose-shaped soap petals and lavender potpourri. Hand stitched needlepoints, rich in history, combined with pastels silks for a treasured pillow. Tea cozies trimmed in Venice lace and satin ribbons and bows - stunning as any china teapot and just right for an afternoon tea party with friends.

Favorite finds of all shapes and sizes, to fill each corner and to suit every whim, wait for you to discover at Make Mine Pink.

 

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

 

 

Photo Contribution 1: Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe Photo Contribution 2: The Roseberry Cottage

 

We're Back From The Make Mine Mini Retreat. We had a Blast!

We had so much fun at the Make Mine Pink Mini Retreat on Cape Cod. Even though we had less than perfect weather, we had a blast!
The first group activity on the schedule for Monday was the "Inner Child - workshop." I'm pretty sure that no one knew what to expect!
Everyone grabbed a pair of flip flops, a beach towel and headed to the beach to await further instructions.

The next few photos will show how excited the girls were about the upcoming "Inner Child" Workshop! Pictures don't lie!

Lets just say that no one was quite ready for what we had planned next, but all were good sports! Some of the girls didn't skip a beat. They jumped right in and and let their inner child out!

To be continued....

The Girls Visit Horse Feathers Antiques on Retreat at Cape Cod.

"Along the Garden Path" at Make Mine Pink

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday June 12, 2009 as we present "Along the Garden Path"

Delights and pleasures that make your heart beat a little faster await you along the garden path. Sights and sounds and smells that excite your senses and inspire your imagination. Perhaps it's the purple cone flowers, multicolored morning glories, fragrant angel trumpets, or the lordly foxglove, all grown from seed and tended with love, that line the path and remind you to dream. Or the delicate shadow of a Victoria trellis supporting a new vine that takes you on a new flight of fancy. In the early morning hours, or when the sun begins to set, a verdigris candle holder or metal scroll work lantern might illuminate the garden pathway. But it's the vintage metal buckets painted with floral designs and planted with overflowing flowers, that seem to light the way.

Along the garden path, a cherub garden sculpture, or a vintage cherub planter might welcome you to this less-traveled road. Ceramic plaques engraved with thoughts and sayings to brighten the day remind you of the peace you find when you walk here, and invite you to linger a while. Garden mushrooms greet you, as does the sparrow-song sung by tiny birds that have stopped to rest on bird-feeders shaped like perfectly opened petals and delicately formed tea cups.

A garden tea party...a hand painted table brought outdoors just for the occasion. Sparkling candy lights make this a fairy-tale place in the midst of an enchanted path. A Victorian cake stand filled with roses and sweets takes center stage, the vintage china tea cups and plates are set. In the shade, you can remove the sun hat that was created just for you, in a design that makes you smile whenever you catch a glimpse of it.

The garden scenery is reflected in a beautiful handmade cushion, stitched from fabric alive with pink blossoms, then placed on a nearby garden chair. A decorative vintage birdcage hangs from a weather hook. On the table lies a gardening book filled with inspiration and ideas to share. Later, you'll remember absent friends and lovingly write to them on note cards reminiscent of a favorite rose garden.  But for right now, you'll celebrate with those who are here, and share the treasures you've found along the garden path.

 

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

 

 

Photo Contribution 1: Treasured Heirlooms  Photo Contribution 2: Caroline Alexander

"Something Old, Something New - A Perfect Time for a Summer Wedding!" at Make Mine Pink

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday June 5, 2009 as we present "Something Old, Something New - A Perfect Time for a Summer Wedding!"

Something old, something new. something borrowed, something blue. The age old timeless phrase describes the perfect ingredients for a beautiful summer wedding.

Something old symbolizes continuity with the past. Perhaps the  bride will wear a piece of heirloom jewelry passed from mother to  daughter. A necklace your mother wore to her wedding and your grandmother to hers. A vintage piece of delicate lace stitched into  a veil or the edge of a wedding dress, or tucked into an embroidered  sleeve, a vintage wedding hankie passed down from a great-grandmother.

Something new, to show hope for the new life ahead. Whether it be the traditional strand of pearls a new bride wears or rose patterned wedding invitations embossed with the initials of the special couple. A scrapbook uniquely designed to hold the memories of this day. A rose photo frame to hold your memories. A vintage cake topper - new to you - a bride and groom surrounded by vintage daisies and lily of the valley buds. A quilt lovingly hand-stitched for the new couple to treasure forever.

Something borrowed, reminding the bride that she can depend on their friends and family in the years to come. Stepping away from the wedding attire, today's bride and groom often choose blend the old with the new as they plan a more intimate reception using vintage silverware borrowed from grandmother's silverware drawer to serve the reception dinner. The crystal candle holders that sit on the dresser of a good friend. A vintage beaded clutch, borrowed from a mother's closet. A round hanging mirror framed by lavender vintage flowers and ribbon, to lend the bride when she checks her veil is sitting just right.

And something blue represents a love that remains true. Robin's egg blue thank you notes. Blue forget-me-nots on vintage china to serve the  bridal tea. Unique wedding centerpieces that combine the old and the  new, with a touch of blue for good luck.

The past, the future, friendship, family, and forever love, joined together to create one perfect day.

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

 

 

 Photo Contribution 1: Misty Moonlight Creations