business

Last week, YourOnRamp was at the 43rd Annual Women’s Symposium at SMU in Dallas which was focused on Educating Women for Social and Political Leadership. One apparent theme was that leadership is a process and each step needs to be respected. Don’t we all aspire to lead? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could skip up the steps to a leadership position? The symposium was comprised of multigenerational participants and the older women were advising the younger generation that a leadership role is often earned.

Launching my second company, Cubes&Crayons, I have been delighted by the unexpected people and networking that has been a part of our unveiling. My first company, Innovative Spaces, Inc. (www.ispacesinc.com), was a very solo activity. Initially, I had no other staff. I was doing it all from finance to marketing to visiting clients to actual design work. It was an amazing, difficult, and valuable learning experience. At the time, it worked for me. I moved myself and company from Pasadena to the Bay Area three months after the company launched.

The other day I was driving my two daughters with me to Cubes & Crayons (www.cubesandcrayons.com), when my older one, a proud 2 1/2 year old, said to me "I love Cubes & Crayons." My heart melted. I built this endeavor, flexible office space in tandem with childcare, with parents like me in mind, but also for my children. While my daughter has been able to spout that the "cubes are for mommies and daddies and the crayons are for the kids," for months now, it has been a tough transition for everyone. Being a mom is the most important thing to me.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child last January, I was thrilled and scared all at the same time. I already ran a successful interior design company, but had been bored for awhile and looking for a new adventure. Initially, I thought I would be putting everything on hold while I researched what to next...school, new career, new business. But you know how it is when you start researching and reading and you get inspired, suddenly you just have to go for it, and I did.

As you start a business, you'll be paying out money left and right for various fees and supplies needed to get things going. If you're expanding your business, you'll most likely be in the same situation. One of the best ways to handle expenses for your business, whether they are start up costs or ongoing incidentals that occur, is to obtain a business credit card. With a business credit card, you'll have an organized reporting of expenses in addition to a quick and easy way to pay for your purchases.