whileshenaps.com

Sewing, blogging, and creative business.

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Don’t Be Afraid of LinkedIn

March 4, 2015

Last week I mentioned on Twitter that I thought designers and crafters should be on LinkedIn. Almost everyone seemed to disagree with me. The overwhelming question was, “Why?” Why be on LinkedIn if you’re not looking for a job? Why have a LinkedIn profile if you’ve already got a website and a blog? I knew… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips

How to Set Year-Long Goals for Your Creative Business

December 12, 2014

I have trouble thinking big. I’ll happily write a daily to-do list and plow through it, but ask me to dream about what could be and I get very uncomfortable. I’m not a big risk taker, I’m really careful with money, and I definitely don’t want to sink all my energy into a crazy idea… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips

How Bartering Can Help You Grow Your Creative Business

December 5, 2014

I got a lovely email yesterday from someone I’ve never met. Her name is Karen Katin and here’s what she said: Abby, As a subscriber to your newsletter and avid reader of your blog, I wanted to say “Thank You” for the creative service that you are providing through your words and products. I find… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips

this is how we do things here

“This is How We Do Things Here”: Developing Guiding Principles for Your Business

June 20, 2014

Should you say yes to being part of an upcoming blog tour? Should you have a Black Friday sale? Should you install Google AdSense on your sidebar? When you have an online business, or even just a blog, you begin thinking about these questions and hundreds more. There are big overarching questions like what kinds… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips, Customer Service

Delegating Tasks Can Be Worth It

February 26, 2014

An elderly couple lives next door to us. They are devoted dog owners with two terriers, Tiffany and Jean Luke, whom they love dearly. I see my neighbors out every day, taking the dogs on long walks. Whenever we stop to chat, they always give me an update on each dog’s funny antics. Managing two… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed, Business Tips

Follow your own rules

Get More Done by Making and Following Your Own Rules

October 30, 2013

“No dessert until you finish your dinner.”  “You can watch a show once you finish your homework.”  “20 minutes playing on the computer is enough for tonight.” Sound familiar? I find myself repeating these rules, and a dozen more, to my three children day after day. As I say them I hear the echo of… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed

Why I’m Uncomfortable With the Term “Work/Life Balance”

July 5, 2013

This post is part of a six person blog hop on the topic of work/life balance. A chat on Twitter sparked this discussion. This is a big topic and I think our perspectives will vary in interesting ways. Okay, here we go! In 2004 I became a mother and left my full-time job. It was… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed

How I Made Exercise a Part of My Life

June 28, 2013

I woke up one morning a few months ago in a terrific mood. I got the kids ready for school and walked them over to the schoolyard. As I was headed home I ran into a neighbor. She’s a mom, too, and we sometimes talk on the way to and from school. She’s tall and… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed

say yes

Why Saying Yes Will Help You Grow Your Business

April 18, 2013

What should you do when you’re presented with an opportunity to pursue a project that’s not perfectly aligned with the mission of your business? Most business advice would tell you to say no. Turn it down. Don’t stray. Your time is your most valuable commodity, so don’t go spending it on things that aren’t mission… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed

How to Maximize Efficiency and Make More Time For Creativity

March 11, 2013

“You’re so productive!” “With three kids and a business to run, how do you find the time?” People say this to me all the time. For a long time I wasn’t sure how to answer. I would start to say, “Oh no, not really,” but that wasn’t true. The truth is I actually enjoy being… 

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Filed Under: Being Self-Employed

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Welcome! I'm Abby Glassenberg and I'm glad you're here. While She Naps is a blog about designing and sewing stuffed animals and running a creative business.
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