I got together with my team (not MLM) and we're all on the Weight Watcher's program. So far 6 of us have lost a combined total of 39 pounds–how cool is that! Oh yeah and I'm at the 10 pound mark…

And since October 9 I've been working really hard to increase my credit score–I've increased my score by 24 points! Yup, instead of spending money on stuff–I have started adding that to my lowest debt and decreasing the balance on that. This year we have paid off our Santa Fe Loan, a small credit card, and another loan that we have had for way too long!

We're being real disciplined and applying all of our extra funds to our lowest debt. When we pay off a debt we take the money we were paying on that bill and add it to the next bill and well–it's working!!! I'm so excited about our 24 credit score jump! Whoo hoo!

If we continue with our debt scrunch plan we will be debt free–including our home by 2018–yes, whoo hoo–!!!!

What have you done for you lately?

Good morning! I'm not going to make excuses about why it's been so long since I've written a post here on my blog.

Note: the picture here is 3 of our grandbabies and their cousin–we had the pleasure of having them spend the night a few weeks ago…we are also expecting 2 more granddaughters and are so excited about that! So we'll have 5 granddaughters and 1 grandson (sorry my little buddy).

I've been busy working with my partners and my team (not MLM).

February of this year I had 6 Filipino's on my outsource team and only me, myself, and I in my home office. Since then my team has increased; 12 Filipino's, 3 full-time State-Side employees, 2 State-Side virtual assistants, and 1 State-Side part-time assistant.

When I quit my job in October 2009 with an "I Quit" email I had one client–yup–one!

What a leap of faith, huh? Some would call it down-right stupid–to quit a job of 17+ years with free benefits to work for at the time 1 client. But I did and I have NEVER looked back. When I sit outside in the morning and watch the cars driving by my home–with folks who are headed to their J.O.B. I am so thankful for the relationships I have developed that allow me to take 10 more steps and walk into my home-office and do what I LOVE–every day–I am more and more thankful.

I know some of you reading this are thinking how cool that Holly can work from home–but I have to tell you the truth. It's NOT a 4-hour work week, I do have clients who expect (and rightly so) that we do what we say–when we say it. I probably work more hours now than I did when I worked at the school system!!!

BUT–I can and do take naps when I want or need to. I can and do take 2 or sometimes 3-hour lunch breaks! I can and do leave the office to run errands! I can and do take time to just do nothing–and I don't have to send someone an email that I am "out to lunch" or gone shopping!

I don't have to fill out a form and get approval from 5 different people in order to get paid when I'm off.

With this "freedom" I have the responsibility to pay my team on-time, pay my vendors on-time, and get the reports for clients finished on-time.

I can't leave work at work–it's staring me in the face every day. And because all of my State-Side team are family members I consider myself responsible for their financial well-being!

Soooooo, before you go out and make the decision to QUIT your J.O.B.; remember, that even when you finally accomplish the life-long dream of working for YOU–you will still have responsibilities and dead-lines and have to be accountable to someone!

Me? I wouldn't trade it for the world–as a matter of fact, thinking that I would have to go back to a 9-5 and take breaks when I'm told, go to lunch when I'm told, work on days that I don't want to–makes me sick to my stomach!

So, I will continue to work hard for my partners and my clients and for my team!

Are you really ready to work for you?

Had a great time–as you can see by the pictures on Facebook–but I would not have been able to do this if I had no pursued my dream of working for ME!!!

When I first started on this journey back in 2003–I knew without a doubt that I would make my dream come true.

When I quit my job on October 13, 2009 I took a leap of faith with only one client!!! Since then I have not looked back.

I now have the privilege of having 4 full-time employees on my team and 10 full-time Filipinos on my team. Yes, I love outsourcing and learned everything I know from John Jonas.

So while I was in Florida enjoy SeaWorld and Universal Studios with my family–my business still thrived.

What are you doing to fulfill your dream? Have you quit?

I want to shoot a video for the method we used to make the move soon.

Other events going on with us?

Always adding to my team–we're at 13 now including me!!! So we're growing. Managing an army seems like sometimes–but I love it for sure.

I created a private team training site–just for my team. This has been a long time coming. It's a private site–so I won't share–because even if I did–you can't see anything.

I bought the domain ages ago and just now getting that updated for my team to be ready as we bring on more projects.

Let's see–finally finished the design work on my corporate site SoaringAway.com –if you go look now–there is NO content–but soon I will be adding it. But the design is pretty

I'm going to change the header out soon on WhoIsHollyPowell.com soon as well–more updated/colorful I think.

I also launched a new service NonStopSocialMarketing.com so check it out when you have time.

As I was cleaning out my 4,000 plus emails this week and opting out of many, many lists (sorry just too distracting) I came across this one–I did NOT opt out of this list–esp after I looked at this. Do you see yourself pictured here?

How To Suck At Internet Marketing

If so…take a long look at how you're building your biz–and focus, focus, focus!

Our first day in Toronto we rented a car and drove over to Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls was absolutely beautiful…you can take a look at our pictures that I loaded to Facebook or you can look at the pictures below.

Niagara Falls April 2011

So while we were in Toronto we walked to ChinaTown–and had dinner. It was a long walk from the Sheraton–but it would not have been so long had we not walked in the wrong direction for about 15-20 minutes and then had to turn around.

Anyway, some folks may not agree with this–but when we finished eating–I got a to-go box even tho our hotel didn't have a microwave or refrigerator–so I could give the food to a homeless person. Which I did–right or wrong? I don't care–it's what I do.

Anyway, on the way back from ChintaTown I stopped in to Starbucks for a cup of coffee and used $20 USD–the clerk gave me back $14 and change CAN (2 $5 and change) and not thinking I dropped all the change in the tip jar…anyway…

I said "oh well–you get what you give to Jesse and it always, always, always comes back to me!!!"

Before we fly out the next day Jesse and I found a breakfast place in an off the wall place. We ordered, ate, and then went to pay…and the owner says he only takes debit cards and cash. Our meal was a little over $14–so we tried every debit card we had–because well that's all we have but the guys machine kept saying "invalid card".

So the owner of the restaurant tells us that their is an ATM about 1/2 a mile away–so Jesse drove to the ATM to see if he can get funds out from the card–Nope, it wouldn't work–he kept getting invalid card as well…so now we're in a bind–

We have a total of $5 CAN–so I said o.k. I'll go to the ATM to see if I can use my debit cards–but as I got in the rental car to go to the ATM Jesse shouts out to me–to forget it.

There was one other customer in the restaurant and he saw our dilemma and paid for our meal!!! We tried to give the guy the $5 CAN we had–but he wouldn't take it…so we left it as a tip to the owner of the breakfast place.

See, it always, always, always comes back to you!

I've proved this time and time again–how many times have you given your last dollar in your pocket to your sister, friend, or kids because they needed it?

Then something happens? You get it back. I know, sometimes it's not always monetary–but it always comes back.

I've done it in the McDonald's line–randomly paid for the persons meal in the car behind me–I get a big kick out of it–and I'll come home, check my email and while out I made a sale!

Try it sometimes–it doesn't have to be a lot of money, hell it doesn't even have to be money–it could be a donation of clothes or furniture to your favorite charity…

Please tell me your experiences with this–I would love to hear them.

I've been spending so much time on "other peoples stuff" cuz well that's what I do–I market for small businesses and other people.

I picked up a few more JV Partners and they have kept me hopping!

That is no excuse for not updating my own personal blogs from time to time–especially since I haven't written anything on my blog since November!!!

How sad is that?

Anyway, let me apologize and see if I can write a bit of an update.

I'm in Florida this week with hubby–Port St. Lucie–and you gotta love Florida for sure.

The weather is beautiful.

I know some parts of the country are under ice/snow–literally. I do hope all of you stay safe.

So what do I have going on?

I'm working on a project–and having the website built now–I've had to put it on hold for a bit-as my designers are drowning (not complaining for sure) in the work I've been piling on them…but soon I promise I will let you know what that project is.

I'll be in Florida another week–and plan to meet with some of my clients–that should be exciting.

My cousin is coming to stay with me for awhile–and whoo hoo she is going to be my assistant. I so need that.

My outsource team is growing–currently at 7–they rock! As I could NOT do what I do without them–so a BIG shoutout to my incredible team.

OK, so let me talk a bit about taking on JV partners:

You're going to go through some frustrations–that's inevitable–as you work through those kinks–remember that your JV partners are YOUR customers as well–treat them as such. Don't give up on the partnership too early.

Also remember that IF you are working as the behind the scenes fulfillment center for your JV Partner–it  is NOT your right to put YOUR name on their work (unless they give you permission). Does this make sense?

In other words–my team may design a website/blog for a JV partner–I do NOT put my stamp on that work–it is considered for all intents of purpose my JV partners work.

Now, this does NOT mean that if someone asks me for example of my team's work that I won't share privately the work that my team has completed–but I do NOT put in the footer–site design by…

Anyway, that brings me to another issue…

I am NOT currently looking to take on anymore JV Partners–this may change in the future we I add more folks to my team. You may think that is not smart business–but it really is. If my team can't complete timely projects for my partners–it not only makes me look bad but it doesn't fair well for my JV partners.

As well…I don't provide names of my JV partners to anybody–it's a private arrangement–and again it's just good business sense.

And another tip–do NOT consider your "competition" as a competitor–they may very well be the best person to approach with a JV partnership agreement. I prefer to develop relationships with what some of you may consider my competitors…I can tell you that my so-called competitors are the most lucrative partnerships that I have entered into agreement with…it's a scratch your back/scratch my back arrangement.

So for those of you who are looking for JV partners–remember my above tips–believe me you will fair better in all of your business arrangements.

Please share your experiences with JV partnerships–I would love to hear them.

I hope all of you have an incredible day/week and remember to stay safe.

The crabcake was yummy!

As we sat and talked one of my friends asked…if they had a job opening would I apply?

My reply? "Hell No!" I walked away on October 13, 2009 after 17 years with an I quit email and I have never, not once, regretted my decision.

It's an amazing feeling!

I love that I:

can eat lunch when I'm hungry and not because the boss says it's lunch time

can take the day off without filling out a request for leave

can take off on a trip with my husband without wondering if I have enough leave time

don't have to hear about who is fooling around with who and who can't be trusted

can watch my grandbabies for my girls because they have to work or the babies are sick

can take a few hours off and go have lunch with Jesse without having to answer to anybody about why I was gone for so long (which is what we're getting ready to do)

can go to the restroom and not worry about being paged over the intercom for all to hear 2-3 times (yes this really happened)

can turn on the radio without being told to turn it off

can cruise the internet and connect with my friends and business associates on facebook

How about you?

What do you like most about working from home?