by Rebecca Jones

I've been musing about writing a book since I began working with Motivating Mum but have had to put my ideas on hold, while I get to grips with actually running the business first. Looking at Business in Red Shoes, this is the book I would like to have written, well laid out, with a friendly and engaging style, and including all the tips that I might have given to mums starting out in business, with many more of Rebecca's own.

I'll be honest, I first decided to start out in business when I saw an ad for a popular distributorship business, and signed up on the spot, without much thought to the whys, hows and wheres.  A lot of my business life has been haphazard like that - I tend to be a creature of impulse, and as a result, some of my ideas have been successful and some have failed, until eventually (by luck more than judgement) I have hit on a combination of businesses that suit me.

The method that Rebecca suggests that you follow, is a lot more sensible, and if I had seen this book and gone through it in detail before starting my business ventures, i could have saved myself a lot of fruitless hard work and money.  Chapter by chapter she goes through a series of questions that you should ask yourself before taking on or starting a new business venture.  There are no right or wrong answers - every woman is different and you must try to find the business that best suits your skills and personality, and which you are passionate about.

This book is ideal for women who want to work for themselves, but haven't quite had that spark of an idea yet, and also for those who have an idea but no plan, or who have already started a business but it is not going the way they wanted.  It does not provide any definitive answers, but it allows you to think through things logically and ask yourself the right questions, so that you can find your own solution inside you.  I would thoroughly recommend it to anybody who is planning to start a business this year or next.

You can get your copy of Business in Red Shoes here,  or I also have one signed copy to give away - see details below

Business Mentoring Programme

Rebecca Jones is a Business coach with nearly 20 years experience both of running her own business alongside her family, and working with other entrepreneurs to help them get the most out of their businesses.

In May she is launching a new 90 day Business Mentoring programme, taking a group of new entrepreneurs and allowing them to support each other in taking their fledgling businesses to the next level. You can sign up for the programme at three different levels depending on how much money you want to invest and/or how much individual support you want to receive, and there are options to pay monthly or in full

To get a taster of Rebecca's style and the content of her metoring programme, you can sign up for free business webinars with Rebecca.  Then if you like what you see and hear, you can sign up for the full  Business Mentoring programme.

You can also get a personal taste of Rebecca's style by booking a 30-minute telephone mentoring session with her at Motivating Mum.  These are currently available at £20 each, however, grab them quickly, as I do not know how many more  sessions she will be able or willing to offer at this price once the mentoring programme gets underway.

COMPETITION

To win a signed copy of Business in Red Shoes, please tweet one of the following during April (max of one of each tweet  per day). The winner will be announced in Motivating Mum newsletter - first week in May - please sign up here if you are not already a member

RT @motivatingmumuk Join the Super Women's Business Group with Rebecca Jones http://ow.ly/4Cgho
RT@motivatingmumuk Free business webinars for women with Rebecca Jones http://ow.ly/4CgjA

If you want to see what other people are saying about Business In Red Shoes, please visit the Motivating Mum bookstore