This holiday season is making me so, soooo tired that I just can’t wait when the normal days will be back. However, I enjoy all the sweet things I can eat. So I found a perfect wallpaper just for me:

This month I got struck by social media and it’s importance in future business networking and advertising. While few people still use TV, radio and newspapers, most of us have moved to world wide web.

I listened to really good video conference from HubSpot few weeks ago – marketing in recession webinar. They have different webinars over the site about blogging, reading and advertising online. I would recommend those as they are quite good. Or just subscribe and watch them later.

Social media is getting more and more advertised even in events around the Ireland. For example, I went to mini conference and expo for digital media companies last week. I was amazed by Sofia’s Diary presentation and how they in such a short time have made it so popular. It’s quite amazing phenomena that should be adopted by everyone. World already is made of digital content, we spend hours and hours of our time just browsing Internet.

The most challenge for me at the moment is:
1) Reserve time to read all stuff over the web
2) Reserve time to create something over the web (which comes after first point, because to write stuff people are interested in, you have to know what they are interested in)
3) Reserve time to build profile online (by building profile I understand – advertising content I created over different social media channels, answer to people in forums and blogs, connect to everyone and just let people know me)

When you have your own business there is so much things you want and have to do that sometimes priorities slip. Maybe I should just reserve one day per week for social media?

Today is my birthday, but I’m thinking only about Christmas. I already spent one day shopping for presents, one evening writing cards and the Christmas tree is up and decorated. I also already received presents from my family. It’s true that it is my favorite season of a year.

Few people hates Christmas, because it’s busy, there is not enough money and you have to actually think about what to buy for everyone. But this year it was really easy for me to buy presents. I made a call to my sister-in-law. I haven’t met her much last year (because we are living in different countries) and we started to discuss what everyone likes. So I came to conclusion – you can find present if you know one word that would describe, what person likes. E.g. my-sister-in law likes cute things, my sister loves fashionable things, my brother likes something that is fun and my mother is very practical. After this information it was really easy to find presents. I spent only 3 hours shopping.

And what I found practical also was to buy a box full with different Christmas cards. Last year I actually bought them one buy one and it took a lot of money and time. I also save all addresses in one file so each year I just go through it and I don’t have to ask people for addresses again and again. I actually enjoyed writing letters to my Japanese friends in kanji and katakana. Haven’t been writting in Japanese for a while

Now that I’m happy again, I have to write something about work. Will use different post about it (cause would be confusing to put everything in one).

Finally there is new version for WordPress called Coltrane that just came out on 11th of December. I loved the preview and customising screens seems similar to me as BBC or Facebook sites. When I get new version I gonna re-organise my first page as sometimes I think it is quite hard to view. And that will happen when my administrator will have time. And if what they written is true, next time I won’t even need to trouble my administrator.

Today is birthday of my husband. Happy birthday to you! <3

We did some celebrating already yesterday. And he got lots of presents from which his favorite is scarf and cake. Here is some photos:

While I was ignoring the fact that there are some economic problems in Ireland, it’s getting harder not to notice it. DLREB are providing at least one great seminar per month. Usually they are free and early in the morning. I went to the one on Wednesday and they talked on mostly how to get debts back, how to insure your business and how to ensure that you have steady income. So some points that I wanted to note from it

• Economic crisis will continue for next 1-2 years
• Companies should manage risks and profitability regulary
• Credit Unions might be more open for business loans then banks at the moment
• Companies should build good relationship with bank relationship manager (for loans, credits and other difficulties)
• It is important to get mentors from enterprise boards. They have big experience and might help a lot.
• Evaluation of companies are going down. Even angel investors might not invest so much any more.

I also heard for the first time term of Escrow. Might be good thing if we want to trade aboard.

I know Christmas is 22 days away, but I’m already getting into Christmas parties. I love them, because I can talk and talk, and talk… till I loose my voice. Without free wine you also get to know news in business, you get new contacts, potential clients and at the end of the day you get to communicate with real people (not computers).

DLREB Women Enterprising network is event that happens once a month. Quite often it happens together with other groups like Trading Post, Brite or Link! All members get access to internal networking portal, get chance to network and introduce themselves to others.

The good thing about Christmas parties – there is always some prizes to be won. I won Dinner for two in Beacon hotel + Bottle of wine. I will be enjoying networking events even more now. And I met great people – ones I did knew like my mentor and organisers, ones I didn’t knew but could talk about great stuff and one’s that would be interested in my business and could bring me some revenue. I’m happy about all of them. Because contacts in business is everything you need.

Cheers! Going for another Enterprise seminar early tomorrow… have to get some sleep.