Blog Post #4 It’s party night as we celebrate Wightbuzz’s 4th birthday

Blog Post #4 It’s party night as we celebrate Wightbuzz’s 4th birthdayHappy Birthday

I can’t believe we have already reached our 4th Wightbuzz birthday and what a way to celebrate – with the launch of our global brand Allthinksnetworking . It is a very exciting time for us and so I take a few minutes to reflect on why I started Wightbuzz and how it is making my dreams come true. – So a quick flashback in history to bring you up to speed.

I am a teacher by profession and spent 30 years nuturing little people and then slightly bigger people and helping them to achieve their potential. My first jobs were in the primary sector in the state system until my first born,  Toby arrived on 24th November 1975. I spent 18 happy months at home being mum. I decided I wanted to work but didnt want to put my son in care so what better than open a nursery school and take him to “work” with me. Perfect! Baby number 2 , Natasha, very obliging arrived on 24th March 1978, (19 days late and very conveniently made it to the Easter holidays and was born on good Friday and mum and baby were back at “work” 2 weeks later – perfect!) baby number 3, Tristan was born on 15th October 1981 (would love him to have been late and arrived on 24th – do you see a pattern here? – and it would have been half term too) but as Natasha was 19 days late and a 10lb plus baby, they were taking no chances. And here they are now taken at a recent family gathering.

my gorgeous three

Well 21 years later, I began to lose the will to live as the council and government were changing my role.Had I wanted to be  secretary – that is the path I would have chosen!!!

I continued in teaching for another 7 years but along the way I had become a book seller by chance so when teaching had lost all of its appeal, I decided that full time book selling was my preferred option. I had a home based business with a children’s book publisher and I had enormous fun travelling the country in my van laden with beautiful books (I could write my own book about that too!) I won awards and had a lot of fun.

Party Plan Shining star awards

I joined a local referral  network group where I became the top referrer connecting people and introducing thousands of pounds worth of business to the group. Eventually I decided to walk away from the book company as they moved the goal posts and I wasn’t prepared to have my business compromised. Therefore I had to leave the networking group as I no longer had a business for which I needed referrals. .I then decided to take the #ecofriendly route and joined #wikaniko. I needed to find a network group so went back to the one I had been in before.  I went to visitors day, then to two trial days before filling out the application form. I got a call -The conversation went like this!  We are NOT accepting your application. Do you mind telling me why? Oh no I can’t tell you why.

Well when you are a networking guru (as the county press called me – ) or a connection queen (as Veronica Pullen so nicely named me ) you tend to have a big network so I used the network to find out why and sure enough it gave me the answers. I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say those who didn’t want me were doing a huge disservice to the group by denying them my skills. However, not to be deterred, I decided the only way was UP!! I opened up my own network group and Wightbuzz was born. Over the years I have helped very many businesses. People have come and gone and many have stayed. Sometimes, like most businesses , the ride was bumpy but we have arrived in a fantastic place as we celebrate birthday number 4.

When I started Wightbuzz, my facebook friends wanted me to bring the networking to the North Isle as we, who live on the Isle of Wight, so lovingly call the mainland. I tried but clearly the time was not right. I continued to network as hard as I could across the Island connecting many people who continue to do business together whether they are still members or not. I had the vision of helping many people. The Island is quite deprived and unemployment is high. I wanted to see more people get into work through Wightbuzz and to help and serve the community too. My perserverance has paid off. I am starting to see some wonderful collborations between members. Members support members in times of crisis and are also there to shout from the hilltop when praise is due. I love my wightbuzz family. They are really doing me proud. When I won my mumpreneur award in 2010,

and the winner is

(when I was in a very dark and long tunnel) I came back to the Island , proudly displayed it on my cabinet and determined to make good for the Island. Tonight I will be celebrating with those who have helped to achieve so much of this. Recently, my son, Tristan, who has also been through a long and very dark tunnel, suggested we join forces. He graduated from Bournemouth University last year and now lives in Sydney. No problem there though as with modern technology we can shrink the world and in fact we talk more now than when he was in Bournemouth. What he and his graduate friends don’t know about social media simply isn’t worth knowing. So together with them and my other son Toby, of Cubic Mushroom we have set up AllthingsNetworking – our global brand. Wightbuzz stays as it is unique to the Island but all my members will also benefit from being members of Allthingsnetworking. ATN will  allow us to go national and global .as we network across the world. We will be able to deliver networking skills and business mentoring and training online. What a journey it has been but I can truly say tonight I will really celebrate as we start that fantastic new journey beyond the Island. I do hope many of you will join us as we start that journey. Pop over and sign up for our newsletter and see what we are doing. We do hope many of you will join us if you like what we are delivering. Yes it has been a bumpy ride and I am sure there might be the odd hiccup but the future is looking very bright. What is this thing called retirement. It certainly isn’t for me. I’m having way too much fun and meeting so many lovely people and now I’m even learning to blog!!!!

Susan and Lyn at the B2B expo

 

 

How Time Flies

Wow what a lot of time has passed since my last blog. Hmmmm not good Mrs B so now to put that right. A lot of things have happened since I posted about Wightbuzz “doing” Cowes week! Such a lot of water under the bridge. I have welcomed a lot of new members into Wightbuzz.I have helped these Isle of Wight business owners to network their businesses and to find more business.  I have carried on promoting my other businesses. I have a new trader and more customers in my Phoenix cards business, growing it at my own pace and I have continued to spread the eco-friendly word about Wikaniko.

All of a sudden we are into a new year and as I have not been very good at keeping up this blog, I have decided to take the Ultimate Blog Challenge once again. There is a lot of support and plenty of ideas so the ideas should never dry up.

 

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Since my last blog. I have also set up The Giggly Grannies website as well as a facebook page and a twitter account – you can find us @gigglygrannies. My Giggly Granny friend, Julie Jordan, and I have been out and about in the community raising awareness for some of the Wightbuzz businesses, as well as for The Open Arms project which helps to feed and clothe the homeless.This is supported by many volunteers from the churches together in Ryde and was inspired by The Wacky Rev who initiated the project after a conversation with Father Anthony (but was criticised and treated very badly for her work by some who should have known much better!)

It has been very humbling and we have been thrilled with how much awareness has been raised. We have been delighted with how people have donated food, Morrisons vouchers to exchange for food, supported our fundraisers and awareness days that Barclays allowed us to hold in their Ryde Branch.

So although the blog has been fairly static, I have been very busy and in the coming days, Ill update you with much of what I have been doing over the last six months as well as new things going forward. I hope you enjoy visiting my blog and hope that your support will keep me on track to finish 31 blogs in 31 days.

 

Wikaniko and how I like being a distributor of eco friendly products

I have been a distributor for Wikaniko since December 2010 and it is a company I love to be involved with. The folk who run the company work tirelessly to help us grow our businesses. they pay all the suppliers upfront . They offer help and support every step of the way. They are helping me to help others take those small green steps to save the Earth without costing the Earth,

green feet 2

 

It has taken time to build, as all good things do but this morning I faced a particular frustration and I got straight onto the online direct chat to HQ. Drew answered my call and within minutes, he had sorted my problem. Well done Drew. Thanks so much. Im now on my way to take more green steps……….why not come with me – check out the eco friendly products in my online shop and find out how you could have your own shop full of eco friendly items. Why wait – act now http://lynblackledge.wikaniko.com

Coffee and Shop at Ryde Methodist Church March 2nd

On Saturday 2nd March, I will be running another Coffee and Shop event at Ryde Methdist Church. We have many talented local crafts people and some of these  have booked a stall at this event. We also have people running local businesses so this is a great chance to pop in and support the shop local campaign.

 

See you there.

Ryde Methodist Church, Garfield Road, 10 am – 12 noon

4 home based businesses – who said it couldn’t be done?

Once upon a time – a business was for life – not so anymore!. Having worked hard in my 30 year teaching career – during which I ran my own nursery for 21 years – I turned to becoming a book lady – selling children’s books via stalls at local events and book parties. When the book company moved the goal posts after I had built my business for 7 years, I decided to leave and then at the age of 58 I had to look for new ways of earning an income. I found other home based businesses and set up several. I decided to spread my eggs into several baskets. There was criticism but at the end of the day – it’s my life and I have to do what’s right for me. What is right for me is not necessarily right for others.

Read more

The not so humble lemon

An article from Wikaniko

Let’s take a fresh look at lemons – a fruit with a tangy citrus fragrance and flavour that we are all familiar with, great in food and drinks, and also very handy for lots of things in your home! You can even grow a lemon tree in a sheltered spot in your garden in the UK!

 

Here are some uses for lemons that you may not know about…

 Read more

 

How healthy is your environment.

How Healthy Is Your Indoor Environment?

 

Did you know that indoor air quality can be up to 100 times worse for you than

the air we breathe outside?

Indoor pollutants such as mould, pet dander and pollen combine with

chemicals in everyday products, making our homes a pretty toxic place to be.

As we spend at least 50% of our time indoors (more in winter), we are actually

at risk of developing allergies, asthma and worse.

 

Indoor air pollution is easy to manage once you understand where it comes

from. In many cases, pollutants and toxic chemicals such as polyurethane and

formaldehyde are in the items you bring into your home, such as furnishings,

paints and wall coverings. Curtains, carpets, mattresses and other absorbent

fabrics can trap airborne chemical “nasties”, as well as being a breeding

ground for dust mites and other harmful allergens.

 

Indoor pollutants known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are all

around us. They’re not listed as ingredients, but they’re in most household

products, such as cleaning agents, solvents, plastic, even cosmetics. When

they vaporise, they combine with other compounds to form ozone, which

really is not good stuff to breathe.

 

Remember; if there are chemicals and VOC’s in a product, they can escape

and they won’t be good for you if they do.

The simplest way to keep indoor air healthy is through good ventilation. By

regularly opening your windows (even in the winter), you’ll replace polluted air

with cleaner outdoor air. This also minimises the mould and stops harmful

allergenic spores being released into the air or recycled via air conditioning

units.

 

Water-based glues, adhesives and finishes will contain lower VOC levels,

while “green” cleaning products help reduce toxins, as citrus and pine-based

solvents react with ozone to create formaldehyde. Alternatively, vinegar or

baking soda mixed with warm water makes an excellent all purpose cleaner.

Keep pesticides out of your garden, as they’re easy to walk in on your shoes

and clothing and always keep filters and vents clean, as pollutants can cycle

through air ducts, central heating and cooling mechanisms.

 

Some Interesting Facts

 

5,100: the number of petrochemicals available for home use which have

never been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.

63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average home,

translating to roughly 45 litres of harmful chemicals per household.

100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above

outdoor air pollution levels.

10 million: the number of dust mites that may inhabit a standard size double

mattress.

1000: the number of dust particles which settle on a square centimetre each

hour.

2.3 billion: the weight in kilos of chemicals that the cleaning industry uses

each day.

 

Staggering…….

 

Take a look through the cleaning products in the Wikaniko shop to find out

how

you can make your home a healthier place to be!

Chocolate!

I just love chocolate and now I am lucky enough to stock it in my eco-friendly online supermarket. Wikaniko is part of my portfolio of businesses and supplies over 900 products that are eco- friendly. Healthy, raw chocolate. Would you like a supermarket of your own where you too can sell chocolate? Wikaniko is a home based business that suits so any different people. I have a growing team and would love to help more people grow their own businesses.

 

If you want to know more or buy some lovely chocolate , then click http://lynblackledge.wikaniko.com/fru/pg/39835/pid/8a5581ce-e2c1-4cf5-a771-a879c50a6048/default.aspx and why not pop over to my facebook page  and “like” the page. The chocolate is scrummy. I can vouch for that.

 

Welcome to my ecofriendly world and see what’s on offer in my ecofriendly supermarket.

Welcome to my ecofriendly world.

I am just approaching my third birthday as a distributor with Wikaniko. Back in 2009, I decided to start taking small green steps to help save the planet. What better way than joining an ethical business that is set up as a cooperative. Trevor and Karen Blake work tirelessly to grow Wikaniko I have an online ecofriendly supermarket which contains over 900 items from raw chocolate and a range of health and nutrition items to bamboo items, from cleaning products to garden products, pet products to mineral makeup and much more. I am so lucky as I don’t have to stock the supermarket or employ staff. This is all part of my membership. Members merely pay £79 to become a distributor and then for a monthly fee of £3.50 we have access to a super online shop that stocks more than 900 items to lead to a greener world. Not only that prices in my supermarket often beat the big national supermarkets! Many people still seem to think going green means paying more. We also have offers to help the family budget. As I write – the following offer is current but you will have to be quick as this offer finishes on December 16th so check it out quickly.

CHRISTMAS SPECIALS

Don’t forget to take advantage of the Christmas Special Offers this week. These particular offers are only available until midnight on Sunday 16th December, so grab them whilst you can:

*Buy the bespoke Cremoil, get a FREE Lavender Essential Oil to put in it.

* Buy 2 Aloe Vera gels, get the third FREE. (This offer is worth almost £10!)

*Lip balms – buy 2, get a random flavour FREE

*Buy 1 brown flaxseed, get 1 brown flaxseed FREE

*Buy any 6 packs of dog treats and get a FREE roll of dog waste bags

all of these can be found in my supermarket

I have a team of distributors on the Isle of Wight . We are all working from home and have many ways of promoting our businesses from catalogue drops to stalls at fetes and fairs, buying for ourselves to selling to family and friends. Just recently, the business has gone global and we are able to recruit across the globe :) I would love to help many more people take those green steps to a better world. I would like to help lots of therapists promote their own brand products for a minimal fee. There is so much to benefit to connecting with Wikaniko. I also have a facebook page and I can be found on twitter at @lynsgreenbiz

I would love to help you either as a customer of distributor. Lets work together for a greener world.