New Business Start-Up Guide

The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit

A Step-By-Step Legal Guide [With CDROM]

By Peri Pakroo
(NOLO, Paperback, 9781413311884, 520pp.)

Publication Date: May 2010

Since I finally extended our wireless connection into the living area at Paragraphs, I though it would be a good time to catch up with reading some e-galleys that have been waiting to be downloaded and reviewed. I must admit I am still not totally sold on the net galley and catalog experience. I certainly appreciate the green aspects -- especially when I am buried in paper and books the idea of killing fewer trees for printing review copies makes sense -- yet when I spend so much of my day looking at a computer screen I long for the relaxing feel of print on paper as I curl up in my favorite chair.

But I digress. The galley I opened was a new edition of The Women's Small Business Start-Up Kit. I am about 2 years late in reading this but after the first few pages I have decided it is never too late to get some additional guidance. Before opening Paragraphs I worked through several business guides and had some great advice from the publications offered by and recommended by the American Booksellers Association and so far things are going well; we are able to pay our suppliers, our inventory is growing along with our customer base, and I am still excited about the future. But, there are places in my planning that were definitely left a little up in the air -- things I thought I would finish after we opened. The problem with that scenario was the lack of time available once we got our feet on the ground and needed to keep up with daily chores meant those areas I planned on cleaning up later are still clouds on my horizon a year and a half after opening. So, I am ordering a copy of this great little guide and looking for some help in those areas which I still need to address.

While I have made an effort not to forget why I moved to south Texas to live on a sandbar and make sure the bookends and I along with Griff, when he is in town, get to the beach at least once or twice a week, I have had much less time to devote to establishing friendships than I expected. Pakroo identifies this as one of the topics she covers in her book.

Another important aspect of running a business that the book addresses is the development of organizational skills and systems. Now, this is what I need.

Anyway, I think this looks like a helpful and informative tool for any woman who is wanting to take the plunge into running a business. And even a year into this experiment I am looking forward to ordering the book so I can refer to it and get some ideas on making this madhouse run a little more smoothly.

Good Luck, Devin

Devin De La Garza is a member of the On the Beach Surf team and is headed to Florida next week to compete in the surfing finals.

I met Devin's dad shortly after we opened and have since become acquainted with his mother and Devin. This is a super family and Devin is an awesome kid.

While he has been on a surfboard since he was three years old, Devin does well in school, participates in several other sports, plays tennis at a competitive level and most of all is an incredibly polite and well-spoken young man. Of course, maybe what I like most about the DeLa Garza family is that they are all avid readers.

Anyway, when Devin came by yesterday with copies of this poster by gscottimaging.com, which he was selling to raise money for the trip to Florida, I was only too happy to help - and was pleased that he included Paragraphs in his efforts.

As a Colorado, mountain girl I don't know any of the surfing lingo so the best I can do is say - Good Luck, Devin and most of all have a great time. We are lucky to have such a fine young man representating the Rio Grande Valley.

Banned Books Week 2010

Banned Books Week 2010 will be held September 25 - October 2

ABFFE Affiliate Program to Include Bookmarks

Last year the American Bookseller's Foundation for Free Expression introduced an affiliate program with 2020 Vision from Sarasota, Florida.

Paragraphs has been pleased to participate in this agreement with 2020 Vision, an independent supplier of reading glasses since we are able to offer a nice selection while also supporting a cause that is important to anyone who values the free exchange of ideas, especially those found in books. Over the last 12 months, 2020 Vision has contributed $1 for every pair of reading and sunglasses sold to independent bookstores, and the result has been a donation of more than $12,000 to ABFFE.

Now, a new member has been added to the affiliate arrangement between members of the American Bookseller Association and the ABFFE.

emotionGallery, introduced their offer to contribute $1 for every 10 bookmarks it sells to independent bookstores at this year's Book Expo America. I have finally ordered and received our selection of bookmarks from emotionGallery.

“We were very pleasantly surprised by the reaction of all the booksellers we met at BEA,” Sebastien Guttmann, emotionGallery’s managing director, said. “It gives us even more confidence that our products will perform well in the American market.”

Each bookmark is animated 3-d. The dolphins jump, the horses run, the hummingbird has wings that flutter. I can't decide which my favorite is -- today I think it might be the gold fish that have fins that move and a mouth that opens and closes.

I love these bookmarks and I like the idea that our purchase of them also helps support freedom of expression. These are 3-d animated bookmarks and I think they are going to be a popular addition to our sideline selections at Paragraphs.

Stefan Lewis Eye Recovery Fund

This is the link to a post on Rob Nixon's Waiting for the Next Swell blog post.

If you have ever met Stefan Lewis, you know that the 24 year old surfer is outgoing, talkative, friendly and an extremely talented local surfer. Stefan is also a member of the South Padre Island Beach Patrol and gives his time to help those that are in trouble or have been injured on our city beaches.

A couple of weeks back Stefan severely injured himself while surfing at Packery Channel in Corpus Christi. He was hit with his surfboard and his nose, left side cheek and left ocular orbit were all broken. The real injury here is to his orbit where he has essentially blown out the back of it which holds his eyeball in place.

Stefan has been to multiple eye experts since his injury and has been told that if his orbit is not reconstructed soon his eye will begin to sink into the back of the socket and he will very probably see double the rest of his life. For anyone, this would be devastating, but for someone who enjoys the beach and a sport that relies so much on sight at such a young age, it is especially depressing.

Stefan's surgery to repair his eye is scheduled for August 4th and he needs to raise approximately $7000 for the deposit before the doctors will operate. Stefan does not have insurance.

In an effort to help him out a group of his friends and the South Padre Island Surfing community are trying to help him by raising as much money as possible by the 4th!

Stefan's girlfriend and Mom have set up a Pay Pal account to take these donations! You can also stop by Island Native Surf House and leave a donation as well! Any amount that you can give will help immensely in helping Stefan recover from this injury!

OR you can CLICK HERE to also donate to the Stefan Lewis Eye Recovery Fund.

Thank you!

We will also be happy to pass any donations on to the family and have sent a donation via paypal. It is easy and safe. My guess is that even after the deposit is covered this young man will need additional funds to cover the remainder of the surgical costs in addition to the follow-up and other expenses.

Turtle Days

One of the events everyone on South Padre Island looks forward to every year is "Turtle Days". Turtle Days officially begins when the first Kemp Ridley nest is found on the beach and the eggs are transported to a safe place where they can hatch. The flags are raised and calendars marked for a week of festivities.

Paragraphs is pleased that we have been able to become a part of this annual celebration. In May, we host the "Turtle Tea" and join in the fun as our Island ladies come dressed in their best hat and gloves, often created by the busy ladies at Craft Camp to sip the finest Earl Grey from dainty cups and saucers while eating tasty cucumber finger sandwiches and delicate macaroons. Island resident Nancy Marsden does a great job of planning and putting all these Shellebration events together.

All of the proceeds raised at Turtle Days events are donated to Sea Turtle Inc. the wonderful organization whose dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured sea turtles, while educating the public, and assisting with conservation efforts for all marine species.

One successful fundraising program at Sea Turtle Inc., is the opportunity to Adopt-a-Nest. Volunteers and interns work together to locate the Kemp Ridley sea turtle nests, transport the eggs and relocate them to the corral where they are closely monitored for signs of hatching. Paragraphs adopted our first nest this year and it has been fun to wait for our nest to be found, and now we are eagerly anticipating news that our eggs have hatched and are ready to be released.

While we were excited about supporting Sea Turtle Inc., by adopting a Kemp Ridley nest, we thought there must be some way to leverage this donation into additional support for Sea Turtle, Inc.'s nesting program. So we started what we call our "nest egg" which is a fund we are setting aside for our adopted Nest #7.

Since May 6, when our nest of 77 eggs was found and moved to the corral, we have been putting a penny for every dollar spent at Paragraphs into our "nest" which sits on our counter. We will continue to donate this 1% of our sales to Sea Turtle Inc. until the hatchlings are released. While, we are pleased to make this donation, the really great part is that many of our customers have been adding to our nest egg and we are able to increase awareness of the turtle nesting program at the same time. When we started our little "nest egg" idea we had no idea how much additional support we would receive from our customers. The pocket full of odd change, a spare dollar here and there, it is amazing how generous people are.

The first turtle hatchlings were released Sunday morning, June 20 and so I know nest #7 will be ready to head into the Gulf of Mexico any day now. Griff and I will be the proud parents at beach access 4 cheering the little guys on their way.

Thank you to Sea Turtle Inc., for use of photos from their website.

To An Athlete Dying Young

A friend on Facebook just posted a quiz question asking for the title of and who wrote the poem which is used in the film "Out of Africa" and begins:

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

I remember this verse and its beautiful imagery (especially when thinking of Robert Redford as Denys Finch-Hatten) when the poem is read by Meryl Streep as his eulogy.

Anyway, I have always loved "To An Athlete Dying Young" by AE Houseman. It speaks so clearly to the waste of a young life when lost before it's time. The remaining verses follow:

Today, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay,
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

Books by Jennie Marlow

Jennie Marlow will be signing and discussing her books prior to the scheduled workshops on Thursday evening, July 8, 2010, at 7:00pm. For more about Jennie Marlow visit her website at JennieMarlow.com.

And for more information or to register for the workshops see my previous post.


100 Days of Wisdom: Inspiration from Spotted Eagle , Grandfather White Elk and White Buffalo

100 Days of Wisdom is a collection of powerful, inspiring quotations taken from the work of spirit guides, Spotted Eagle, Grandfather White Elk, and White Buffalo. Jennie Marlow’s guides challenge and motivate us to transform our perceptions of what is real, and to tackle life’s most persistent problems with willingness and determination. Presented in the style of a journal, the messages from Jennie Marlow’s guides are themed by subject in order to facilitate a process of discovery and meaningful change. This book contains 100 quotations, each presenting us with an opportunity to shift our perception of reality. This book can be used in a variety of ways—as a book of quotations selected at random, a daily journal, or as a process guide for individuals or groups. Each quotation provides the opening for a powerful spiritual inquiry.

Personal Magic: A Spotted Eagle and Grandfather White Elk Book

Spirit guides Spotted Eagle and Grandfather White Elk offer a compelling new model that allows us to embrace a reality not driven by fantasy or materialism, and that still affords us great freedom and peace of mind. They demonstrate how spiritual authenticity can give us access to our most powerful and intriguing possibilities. Personal Magic describes authenticity in real-world terms, as strengths and challenges, and as innate gifts and talents that we can employ in creating what fulfills our deepest desires for a joyful life. Personal Magic defines eight magic types. These magics express our uniquely human powers - the things that make us magical, creative, and able to build our lives on a foundation of what is real. This book offers fresh, no-nonsense insight into what human creative power is really all about, at the level of the individual, and how we might learn to dance with the uncertainties in the Universe that created us.

Jennie Marlow Booksigning and Workshops at Paragraphs

Do the keys to your success feel like a puzzle?

There are some vital things you may not know about how your emotional
and energetic systems work for you or against you. There is a way
forward, and it is all about returning to your authentic self, where your
power and potential lay waiting to be re-discovered.

FREE CHAT & BOOK-SIGNING at Paragraphs

THURS, JULY 8TH FROM 7PM TO 8PM

Emotional Mastery
WORKSHOP, SATURDAY, JULY 10TH
Self-Intelligence
WORKSHOP, SUNDAY, JULY 11TH
PRICE: $149 EACH
Register for both workshops by
June 15th for $199 & save 33%

Emotional Mastery WORKSHOP, SATURDAY, JULY 10TH
The truth is, we have all been conditioned to be inauthentic out of fear.
This conditioning creates the building blocks for a ‘not-self’ that is
making your choices and interacting on your behalf. You have a fear and
fantasy-based emotional system that governs how you react to others and
your world. Learn how to deal effectively with emotional triggers, fears
and destructive behavior patterns in yourself and others in Jennie
Marlow’s ground-breaking workshop, Emotional Mastery. In this
workshop, you will learn a simple, straight-forward system for using
your energy productively, no matter what uncertainties you face or what
is happening around you.

Self-Intelligence WORKSHOP, SUNDAY, JULY 11TH
Have you tried all sorts of success systems, only to find they don’t
deliver the promised results in your life? It may be that the strategies in
these systems will never work for you! Why? Because your design only
works when you are authentic, and your authenticity may operate quite
differently than it does for others. If you like astrology, you’re going to
love the Human Energy Design! Human Design combines Western
Astrology with the Eastern wisdom traditions of the I Ching and the
Hindu chakra system. It offers penetrating insight into how your energy
is uniquely designed exactly three months before your birth. Introduce
yourself to the real you and your personal success strategy in Self-
Intelligence, Jennie Marlow’s eye-opening introduction to the Human
Energy Design.

Jennie Marlow is an author, spiritual teacher and spirit-based
business consultant. A former Silicon Valley executive, she now
devotes her life to helping others achieve personal mastery. Her
behavioral and spiritual models for the Post-New-Age are used by a
growing number of therapists, coaches and consultants in personal
growth, psychology, leadership and business.

Private Consultations TUES &WEDS, JULY 13TH &14TH

Jennie will also be available for in-person or telephone consulations by
appointment. For more information, please call toll-free 866-270-3783 or
send an email to information@jenniemarlow.com.

ONLINE REGISTRATION:
www.jenniemarlow.com/SPI
CALL TOLL-FREE: 866-270-3783
OR CONTACT DR. SUSAN DUVE:
drsduve@duvewellnesscenter.com

The Passage - On sale today

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”