We’re moving!  Offline, that is.  Loaded Bow will still be around, but this time ’round in a non-virtual format.  Blogging has been an amazing learning experience for us.  We have had a crash course in the world wide web, and have met the most incredible people.  Here’s a little secret: blogging will open all kinds of doors for you.  We encourage you to go for it.  When we would leave our interviews, we would be so high from the energy of the women we met.  We always felt a little bit greedy that we were the only ones who got to experience it, so we decided to share that energy with others.  Loaded Bow will now be connecting female entrepreneurs through intimate events where the emphasis will be on developing long term relationships.  If you are in Vancouver, or will be passing through, please join us.  Thank you, ladies, for letting us share our (and your) stories.

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Photo courtesy of Dysfunctor

Amber says:

“So we met up for a drink at the beautifully lit Chill Winston in Vancouver and played dress up. My friend, The Amazing Janos Sitar, shot some brilliant photography (including some blurry “styling action” shots – y’know, I move like a gazelle on speed) while we giggled a hell of a lot and rearranged the furniture in the bar. They are both precisely as fun, talented, charming, inspiring and adorable as they appear. We had a short, but glowing time. Roman candles, indeed.”

Thanks Amber for the great times and to Janos for the beautiful pics.

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We are here.

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-Jack Kerouac

Madona and a Dolphin.  Lucky Dolphin.

Note: This photo has been used without Gen’s permission.  I strongly think she will find it very funny, but in my 20+ years of knowing her, i have been wrong once or twice.  Why not just ask her you say?  Because, want to use it and don’t want her to say ‘no’.

Sometimes I feel as though I am mad.  I read Jack and listened to a lot of Madona when I was a young adult.  Surrounding myself with their words made me feel alive.  They encouraged the ravenous hunger in me to be the best and practice and master my craft.

Now as a female entrepreneur, it is only when I surround myself with the like-minded that I can find peace in my mad quest for this life.  Life is shorter when you have kids and now watching two of them grow so quickly, it is as though there is a daily reminder of the passing of this life which makes me all the more anxious to get it all in. 

Entrepreneur and Social Media Specialista Gwen Bell

One of my favorite ladies who packs loads of love into her life is Gwen Bell.  From dancing salsa to advocating for the companies and people she loves, she teaches and learns with a fervor and desire.  Using social media as her platform for a transformation of all interactions into good and effective change, Gwen is great example of a lady on line making her mark.  If life is for sharing, then social media is a great place to create and be in community.

Dooce pregnant and exposing her skin ‘sans Dolphin’.

Even if it’s getting a little jump start from White Hot Truth, I have recently responded to my own needs to be with the mad ones.  When I feel the urge to laugh, I have called upon that perfect person who makes me giggle.  Sometimes I just need to read a little Dooce laugh my head off or feel connected as a mother. I have recently created dates with my husband when I have needed connection and make appointments with my business coach Heather White when I need to find a new path for my business.  Putting yourself in contact via web, phone or in person with the people you need in a moment can save you from feeling alone as a female entrepreneur.  It can save you from feeling down and enriches the experience if the experience of life is to be shared.

ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED.  TRUST IN WHAT IS IN YOUR SOUL. GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR PEOPLE. 

I intentionally surround myself with the mad ones cuz the ‘same-same’ got us into a mess and, let’s face it, being around the ‘same-same’ just makes me feel awkward.

NOTE: (To my husband who is never socially awkward) BEING SOCIALLY AWKWARD IS A SIGN OF BEING A GENIUS.

Finding like-minded madness is good for the improvement of your mental space, the growth of your business and the development and realization of the truth that was in you since the beginning and is dying to live amongst like minded-mad ones.

“…and everybody goes “Awww!” 

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Photo Credits:  Gwen Bell, Dooce and Liberty Post

- Urban Dictionary

We first spoke with Andrea Baxter last year about the remarkable story of Smart Cookies, the first company that she co-founded.  Today, she’s back to talk about her latest business venture, Bratface Marketing.

Andrea knows the importance of investing in your story, brand and identity, and understands the exponential benefits of pulling a great team together to do so.  She is passionate about marketing as an outlet for her creativity and her ability to connect others.  Here, Andrea tells us about branching out on her own.

Loaded Bow: How did Bratface come to be?

Andrea Baxter: Prior to Smart Cookies, I worked in marketing and I was painfully missing it.  It’s a real creative outlet for me.  Also, an important part of the Smart Cookies philosophy is about making more dough, so I thought what better way then to work in my area of expertise?  I still had contacts in the industry, and was doing projects here and there, so creating a marketing company just made sense.  I love working in a team, but it is also really exciting to be able to make decisions independently and one I can call all my own.

Inevitably, I’m asked about the name!  I wanted a name that would reflect my personality, my culture and my history.  Bratface is a term commonly used in Newfoundland where I was born.  It’s actually in the Newfoundland Dictionary (yes, we have our own dictionary)!  Bratface was one of the nicknames my father called me when I was being a bit cheeky.  That’s special to me because my father is not only my business mentor, but someone who I am very close with and have a great deal of respect for.  He was very successful by 28, but he was always very fair and very modest. Bratface was a good fit because it balanced being conservative, having fun and was true to my playful nature.  It adds just a touch of smartass as well!

LB: How will you market Bratface?

AB: It has been a very organic process.  My contacts have been a really valuable source, and I have been able to benefit from word-of-mouth marketing.  I am so thankful that I kept my foot in the door, while staying under the radar!  Networking continues to be really important.  And of course, it’s important to implement social media marketing initiatives through blogging, Facebook and Twitter. For any small business getting off the ground, these are great outlets to use where you can get access to so many business people.

LB: Bratface is still a very young company.  What have been some of the challenges you’ve experienced so far?

AB: Sometimes companies can be hesitant to bring fresh blood into the organization.  People can ask for help, but can be reluctant to give up control.  Trust and confidence are really important to help people let go.  I seek to put together the best team that I can for my clients.  A lot of it is about project management, and I’m up front about that. If I know people that can help me with a certain project who are more qualified, I will bring them on board. Its the best way to highlight people’s talent and let them take the lead.

LB: What draws you to marketing?  How did you get into it?

AB: Let’s be honest: marketing is the underdog of every company, but we need to spend money to make money.  It isn’t an instantaneous process, but one that is an important investment and one that will always be needed. Period.

I am really passionate about the creative process, and it was my father who really encouraged me to work in a creative field.  I always thought that I would go into medicine – I actually studied Art History, American Literature and Biochem in university!  so when I ended up in marketing as my profession, I don’t think a lot of people were surprised.

LB: What do you see in Bratface’s future?

AB: I would like to keep it small – an intimate, boutique agency where I am able to focus on a few, select clients.  I also love to move between industries because I have been fortunate to work in so many different ones, but I also want to stand apart in my industry.  My goal is to stay self employed for as long as I can because once you have been bitten by the entrepreneur bug, you want to stay there!

And we have no doubt that she will!  Keep reading for a taste of what Bratface has to offer and to follow Andrea online!

Corporate Identity & Brand Standards

Every company should have an identity that is easy to recognize and association with and by the public. Its the ‘persona’ of the company/brand. This can be displayed through the logo, brand colors, and any type of marketing they promote to the general public. For example, part of Nikes corporate identity is their ‘swoosh’ logo and McDonald’s is the golden arches. If a company has done a good job at exposing it properly through various marketing, sales and PR channels, their consumers should be able to identify their brand just by looking at the logo.

A brand standards guide is a very standard visual guide for a companies internal use only. This maps out the entire brand of a company from logo and logo color variations, to basic logo application, correct and incorrect usage of a logo/brand, correct fonts and its usage and much more. The manual can be a small or very large, depending on the companies branding guidelines and company size. It is typically used as a guide for all employees (especially the marketing/design team) to understand how the companies brand is properly represented and displayed to their target customers/consumers and general public. With my extensive background on branding, I know how to build a standard brand manual from scratch that encompasses the companies creative vibe and personality so it is illustrated and explained professionally.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

This is a fairly new(er) term and not your traditional type of marketing. SEO is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results.  Search engines would be Google or Yahoo. The main purpose of SEO is to ensure that your company name and all terms related to your service or product, is at the top of the list on these search engines. It can be quite a costly method of marketing, depending on how many terms you want to searched via the search engines. However, some websites hit the top of the list organically due to media attention or word of mouth. I have worked with companies with extensive SEO/SEM needs ranging from smaller budgets of only a couple hundred dollars to companies with budgets of over $500k and over hundreds of key search terms.

Lastly, all of the links you can include in the article of where to find me!

LinkedIn

Facebook Fan Page

Twitter

Bratface Site

I never thought I would really meet her.  I no longer listen to Sarah’s music, but for a LARGE part of my life, Sarah meant everything to me.  Sarah’s music was the way I learned that I had a voice.  I took my mom to her very first concert to Lilith Fair.  I sang “I Will Remember You” at both one of my best friend’s grads and at my aunt’s funeral.  Sarah’s has always been my only real icon of the youth I loved and hated and fought through.  She was often the woman I looked to to show me how to follow my dreams and use my words and voice to communicate what I am passionate about in this life.  She is the only person I have ever owned a poster of.

I never thought it would really mean anything to me to meet her.  I had never considered it.  But that’s the way it is with the great times in life that take you by surprise and take your breath away.  I was literally panting (I’m sure she thought that was hot) while I met her, had cheese and wine breath and just kept saying “Thank you for your work.”  It strikes me odd that I would say “Thank you for your work.” But now as I am a mother and an artist and an entrepreneur, I really see how all this work I put in, transfers into many things for many people. My work turns into money for our family, inspiration to teens and other women, a way of learning life that is often so challenging for me, a way to form professional friendships and many other unknown forms of energy that move into the world and affect every person I encounter.  Sarah has no idea what her music meant to me, but I am so grateful to have met her last night.

When you give, things come back to you again and again.  I gave a piece of art to Unite with Art which is a huge fundraiser for children living with AIDS. Last week, a client found me through their website and then I got to meet thier interior designer. I then  got to be at the gala, make a connection with a woman artist whom I greatly admire, and then meet Sarah McLachlan!  The Greatest Salesman in the World suggests that you give away half of your worldly possesions.  How much would we recieve if we were to give that much?  For now, give what you can, and one day, you too may meet Sarah McLachlan!

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Having just celebrated our first birthday, we are feeling a bit reminiscent!  Over the next few days, expect to see some of our favourite posts from the past year… starting with tampons.

Well, ladies, if you have been considering starting a blog, I have news that may tip the scale for you.  You can get free tampons.  Really, if that doesn’t convince you… 

This morning FedEx delivered a big box that held a tote bag filled with all sorts of goodies… and a crazy number of tampons. 

Shortly after we launched LOADED BOW Zoe and I received an email from a word of mouth marketing company out of Toronto.  After playing phone tag for a few weeks, we connected with one of the women working on the project.  We were asked if we would be interested in receiving a promotional package from o.b., and in return, we would need to talk about the products.  She made it very clear that whatever we had to say could be positive or negative. 

Considering that Zoe is pregnant, I got dibs on this particular ‘assignment’.

My initial reaction was that I really don’t have that much to say about tampons.  Then the WOM lady pointed out the difference in waste between a traditional tampon and an o.b. tampon.  That, I can talk about. 

A few minutes of online research reveals that the average woman will use approximately 10,000 tamponsover the course of her lifetime.  That is a whole lotta applicators being flushed down the toilet.  Literally.  Currently, o.b. is the only tampon in Canada and the US that doesn’t have an applicator.  That is something I can advocate for.  There are feminine hygiene products are are far more eco-friendly than o.b. tampons, like The Keeper, but for those of you who are a bit squeamish, applicator-free tampons just may be a good place to start.

I have been puttering around the o.b. site for the last few minutes and I just finished watching a little animation with an ant that is supposed to be analogous to an o.b. tampon.  The screen then reads: try carrying an elephant in your purse and you’ll know how it feels.  I have carried tampons in my purse for years and not once has it crossed my mind that it felt like lugging around a large mammal.  On occassion, I feel this way when I have crammed my laptop in with a bottle of wine, but never about tampons.  No need to be so melodramatic, o.b. people.  Focus on the difference in waste and the cute little carrying package (see below) that protect your tampons (because I have pulled tampons out of my purse – in public no less – that had fallen out of their wrapper, and that I could do without).

A wedding, a baby, paternity leave, travel, and meeting many new friends. 

And, of course, we can’t forget our crash course in blogging, learning along the way from the best.  We hammered out a name, had ourselves a photo shoot, stumbled upon a logo, and found ourselves a mentor.  Most importantly, we met incredible women doing incredible things. 

We have big plans up our sleeve for the next year, and are set to keep meeting these amazing ladies.  Thanks for all the help we’ve received thus far!

With Love,

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Clear the Floor

“Say ‘Ho’ if you know that the flow will get you out on the floor and make you sweat fo sho!” That’s a line in a rap song that pretty much sums up the intention of this company.  Clear the floor, shake it, work it and make your event one to remember!  Amy Alto and Moe Brody are the two ladies who have followed their hearts and moved their feet straight  to the dance floor.  Clear the Floor is owned by Moe Brody and Amy Alto. It was started in January, 2009 and takes place out of Harbour Dance Centre in Vancouver, BC.

LB: What is Clear the Floor?

CTF:  We are a company that provides dance choreography for dancers and non-dancers for any public event. We specialize in the unconventional wedding first dance, but we also do corporate events, anniversaries, parties or anything else you think you might want to add a little flavour to.

LB: How did you come up with the idea for Clear the Floor!?

Amy and Moe in Mexico

CTF:  Moe was married in Mexico this past December and being a dancer herself you had to expect something. So true to Moe’s creative mind in always striving to be unique, she went with the unexpected. A few living room rehearsals later she transformed her Financial Planner husband with ZERO dance experience into a bonafide dancer. The guests were shocked when they hit the floor doing a full on hip hop duo. Caught on film and promptly posted on You Tube it became the talk of the wedding.

Here is the link to Moe and her husband Brian’s dance they did at their wedding in Mexico this past Dec. It was awesome and a total surprise to their friends and family. He has ZERO dance experience and it turned out great.  This is Mr & Mrs Gardiner!

Arriving home and fielding calls from excited brides wanting the same dance for their wedding night, we then realized there is no company like this in Vancouver. The concept of Clear The Floor was born.

LB: What does it mean to work in partnership?

CTF:  It’s the absolute best way to run a business. Each partner contributes something different to the company as we are specialized in different skills. Amy is fantastic at marketing, computer graphics and organizing. I am a professional dance choreographer, whether beginner to advanced, my place is in the dance studio. We also believe in each other and that is important.

LB: What is the rewarding part about your ‘job’?

CTF:  When we see the bride and groom loving what we did for them. Not to mention there are lots of laughs. Its so satisfying when you know you’ve help someone create a moment that they are going to remember for the rest of their lives.

Carolyn and Paul, Amy and Moe’s first clients in Mexico

It started with a slow dance…but…

tuned into FABULOUS….

LB: What gave you the push to become entrepreneurs?

CTF:  We both knew we had something to offer that was innovative, creative and fun! We are passionate about the concept and after realizing we could possibly provide some income and have a great time along the way it was a no brainer. We always look forward to seeing our clients because it is a guaranteed good time.

LB: How did you know that your idea was viable?

CTF:  We did some research on line and there was not a single company that provided the exact type of service we do. Dance studios are everywhere, but we offer something different. It is also a fun trend for weddings and a break from the traditional first dance. Don’t get me wrong, a slow first dance is a great moment, but it’s not for everyone. We think it’s important to make sure the personalities of the bride and groom are evident and not lost in the formalities of the event.

LB: What do trades do for a new business? How have you used trades to start your business?

CTF:  Trades are great for a new business, the concept of “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” is key. We believe referrals are the best form of advertising and it’s a struggle with every new business to get the word out. Harbour Dance Centre has been great at helping us get started because we share the same field, but offer different services and are therefore able to promote one another.

LB: What advice would you give to young women wanting to start their own business?

CTF:  If you are really passionate about your product and believe in it, there is a market out there…go team go!

I’m a Mrs.

The name change process can be a bit daunting.  These ladies saw a little problem and responded with a package.  “i’m a mrs.“was created by best friends Claire Lamont and Jo-Anne Stayner.

I’m a Mrs.

Canadian brides can now change their name with one easy stop.  There they can access all the forms, instructions and personalized letters needed for that last big step: taking your partner’s last name. Women today don’t have time to track down forms, send letters off to their loyalty programs or fill out all the forms. That’s why I’m a Mrs. is the perfect shower or wedding gift for the busy bride. It takes the effort and worry out of the name change process. What can take some brides months or years to get around to; women can do in a matter of minutes. Once you’ve found that special someone you don’t want to spend your time filling out forms to show your commitment on a driver’s license.

A New Second Location for the Much-Loved Sugarbox

Jane, Mara, Lindsay, Sarah, Kim and Briar are announcing a swishy new Sugarbox! Sugarbox is the business brainchild of Miss Jane Brookes. Immaculate Waxing for your most special parts.

Paired up with the new Chop Shop, the last month has been spent painting, antique hunting, and wallpapering so that everything is just right!  Now the pink carpet is all rolled out for all their amazing clients who want to experience Sugarbox.  It’s a big and beautiful space where you can chill out and relax while you enjoy your treatment in a warm and professional environment.  If you`re in Vancouver, visit Yaletown or their second location at 1035 Commercial Drive.

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Choose your entrepreneur and donate what your able to their loan.  100% of your donation goes directly to the individual.  Over the next six months to one year, receive updates on the status of their business.  Once they have repaid the loan you are able to reinvest the money with other Kiva entrepreneurs.  Over 45,000 entrepreneurs have already paid off their loan.

Kiva allows you to circumvent organizations that often have costly overhead, and invest directly into communities.  The next time you need to give, consider spending your money here!

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