Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Week One


So I have officially been at home for a week and I think I have done less housework than I did when I worked in an office. Seriously, where do my days go? I can't seem to keep up with my to do list and I think whoever is in charge of my calendar must be on crack! There is barely a free minute on my schedule and I am clearly not getting everything taken care of!
What do I do first? Delegate! Shannon Harris to the rescue! She has taken the role of Social Media and Research Manager and run with it! Best investment of my life! And she doesn't get mad when I send random texts for things I need done, at least she doesn't tell me she is mad...Not only that, but every Saturday morning we push each other, this past Saturday we pushed for 12 miles! We both have the blisters to prove it, but for more on that fun part of life you will have to check out her blog "Run, Fatty, Run".
The majority of my time right now has been spent on the Menchie's SouthNashDash 5K and Block Party that will be on Sept 18th. As we get closer and closer, each day I realize that there is more I need to do and things I have forgotten. I was a nervous wreck because the publication that I sunk our marketing fee into went out a month late. So rather than potential runners getting it 7 weeks before the race and having time to train and put it on their calendar, they are getting it 3 weeks before when they are likely already doing something else. But sponsorships have increased over last year and vendors are looking good. So if I can get some more runners out there, we will be golden. But I am still trying to secure the emergency personnel as well as kids activities, all the crazy things that make a race day fun!
On Thursday I served lunch at Room At the Inn, which is a homeless and treatment facility. Each day they serve over 200 people a warm meal. It was a great experience! They have just opened their new building and they were so excited to be there!
Yesterday I spent all day at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. That in and of itself should be enough to scare you off! But really, they tested me for 6 hours and it will become my baseline for Alzheimer's. Since I have such a high risk of getting Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease, they need to know where I am starting and if I need to start medication in the near future to slow my delay. I have never felt more stupid than I did taking those tests! I took a WAIS - III and the MMPI and a few other tests. The worst was when I could not make the red and white blocks look like the shape they wanted! So frustrating! But I finished it and I believe all went well.
Today I went to the girl doctor and had my IUD removed, something I have wanted to do for a long time! But at last my husband has uttered the words "I am excited to have a baby" Not sure he is convinced yet, but we are going to try and let God decide what our future holds. All in the game of Sponsorship, Brand Management and Motherhood. Maybe I could get my (future) pregnancy sponsored so that we didn't have any bills. Then hubby wouldn't be near as nervous!!
This morning I met with someone about an Ice Cream Festival, I could not be more perfect for that job!! It will actually be a great fundraiser for a 3 year old with cancer, but I will hopefully help get the sponsors for the event so that more money is raised for her. All those who grew up with me, or know me at all, know that I could live off Ice Cream alone! It could be a dangerous contract for me to accept! But the event isn't until July 2011, so I have some time before I need to start taste testing!
I had another call with E.M. who owns 4 races and manages multiple others and it looks like we are going to work out a deal for me to sell sponsorships for his events. He has a great product and I really believe that his races could be set up in all larger cities! If the foundation gets laid correctly, he is sitting on a gold mine!
But now it is about time to go put my mommy hat back on, Isaac's CPA Lions are playing Friendship Christian Academy this evening. So time to dress in my purple and grab the camcorder! Let's go Lions!!

Friday, August 27, 2010

And So It Begins...

Back in May I was having a lot of health issues, and as a family we decided that I would resign and focus on the kids, thus becoming a stay at home mom for the first time in my life. The kids are 12, 7 and 3 now, so it made sense. I would rest during the day and when they were home I would spend my healthy hours with them. And then Dr. Knotts entered my life. Who would have thought that a chiropractor would change everything? Suddenly I am feeling better than I have in years...An offer to do contract work here and there pop up and I take them because I feel good and it would help the family if I continue to make some money. Before I know it, it is August and I am just leaving the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce (a job I loved!!!), and I already have 5 clients. How did this happen? Just a few months ago, my husband and I were talking about what I would do with the rest of my life. And I said "I'm going to write a book". I had big plans, I could write while the kids were in school and clean up a little and cook a little and drive carpool a little. I planned to do a lot of things for my family - a little. I also planned to fit a lot of exercise and naps into my schedule. But that isn't the way it has worked out.
Today, I am starting a blog, because I obviously won't be writing a book anytime soon! Heck, at the rate I am going, I won't be doing laundry anytime soon either! So what am I working on you ask? First is the 2nd Annual Menchie's South Nash Dash 5K. Thank goodness it will be over September 18th! It takes a lot of work to put on a 5K, get the sponsors and vendors on board and get people excited to run! My second project is one that my hubby asked me to take on for a very close friend of ours. I will be the brand manager for a robot he built called, Maxx. It is just a coincidence that my company was named MaxxV (Maxx Five) a few years ago. The Robot is amazing and I hope to get him booked in many many places, so that his owner can stop working as a valet. My third project is for Giandi's Catering. They do a wonderful job! But unfortunately they are stuck in the cycle of a ton of low cost meals. My goal is to get them a few high cost meals, they deserve it and they can pull it off if given the opportunity! Fourth, I am trying to get sponsors hooked into a Business is Booming conference with Brad Sugars, it will be in Nashville on Sept 29th. I really need to get moving on that one!! Also, I will be going back to do some work with HRG and when finalized, that contract could be a huge one. More on that later :)
So my plan with the blog is to talk about how I do it all each day. I know there are working moms out there everywhere who are barely hanging on to their sanity. And there are some stay at home moms who wish they had another adult to talk to! So for the working mom, I hope to share some tips on how I am getting it all done. And for the stay at home moms, you can live vicariously through me! You will read some posts and remember why you don't want a paying job. And you may read other posts and have some suggestions for me. Just because you are playing with the kiddos and monitoring the home front, does not mean you have to let you marketing juices stop flowing!
So, for now it begins, thank you all for taking this journey with me!