Until recently Wiley was considering publishing the book, but decided the fit wasn’t right so I am now self publishing it. I plan to launch the book around Easter next year.

I have interviewed some amazingly inspiring women about how they make businesses work around their family. These interviews are now finished and I’m about to get stuck into the writing phase with a vengeance.

While that is happening I wanted to share the list of women who have been generous enough to share their stories with me:

• Janine Allis, Boost Juice

• Rebecca Mezzino, Clear Space Organising Services

• Naomi Simson, Red Balloon

• Polly McGee, StartUp Tasmania

• Alycia Edgar, Roaly Group

• Alli Price, Motivating Mum

• Sarah Allen, Sarah Allen Consulting

• Sara Redman, BodyZen

• Celine Egan, TCY Coaching & Training

• Janet Beckers, Wonderful Web Women

• Kristy-Lee Johnston, Footprint Recruitment

• Annalisa Holmes, The Transcription People

• Amanda Cox, Real Mums

• Anita Lincolne-Lomax, Babes in Arms

• Amanda Gonzalez, Untangle the Web

• Renee Mayne, Bra Queen

• Susan Pearse, Mind Gardener

• Kaz Cooke, Women’s Stuff author

• Carolyn Cresswell, Carman’s Muesli

• And me!

There will soon be a website dedicated to the Business & Baby on Board book, blog and workshops so stay tuned.

I first heard the term “mastermind group” in the very early stages of running a business, before I’d actually registered the name Strawberry Communications. Then I assumed it was beyond my capacities as a business owner (I hadn’t even realised I was running a business at that point), but I’ve since discovered the incredible value of having one – or more – mastermind groups to help drive my business.

Business leaders from around the world use mastermind groups to help them focus their efforts, plus draw on others’ knowledge, resources, energy and networks. The groups are made up of 5-8 like-minded people who are at a similar level in business.

I have been a member of an international mastermind group for two years now and we meet online monthly. I’ve also recently joined a group that meets in Launceston every month and we call ourselves Motivational Minds. While both groups share similar formats by giving each member time to discuss an issue they need help with and then setting goals for the month ahead, they are also different in that the international group has members from different cultures and time zones whom I have never met in person, adding a new dimension to the idea of looking at something with fresh eyes, whereas the local group meets in person so we have visual cues and I know the members.

Here are the goals I set when starting with Motivational Minds:

What is your intention for being part of the group/what are you hoping to bring to the group?

I want to be inspired by a group of like-minded business owners who can help push me to achieve my goals and provide alternatives when I need advice, plus I want to contribute to mind growth for all members.

What are you hoping to gain from the group?

Inspiration, motivation and my conscience.

What are the three top challenges/issues you are currently facing in your business?

Time management, handling growth and systemising.

Do you have a personal goal you’d like to work on achieving alongside your business goals?

Writing my book!

I am already working to achieve these goals and find having a group of people who ask me for monthly updates, along with business mentors, keeps me accountable and encourages me to keep chipping away at the tasks to get the results I want.

One of my business friends, Janet Beckers, is a member of several mastermind groups and shares her experiences about one that meets annually, like a board of directors, here.

Are you a member of a mastermind group? How does it work for you?

Ms Hibberd said the event, which will be run from 14-16 August at the Canterbury Hurlestone Park RSL Club in Sydney, has a fantastic line-up of speakers who will show female attendees how to be more successful in their professional lives.

“Speakers over the course of the three-day event will share their secrets on how to achieve exactly what attendees want, like having all the clients they can handle or working less and making more money,” Ms Hibberd said.

“This event is aimed at female entrepreneurs, women in business, women in the corporate world, solo-preneurs, and any men who are brave enough to put on some heels and join the soiree. It’s all about achieving the success they deserve.”

Not only will attendees have the opportunity to hear from some of the best business brains, but they will also have three days’ worth of opportunities to mix, network and build strategic alliances with hundreds of other like-minded women. Who knows – the next brilliant business idea might be created in the midst of all the energy at Accelerate in Business.

Speakers for Accelerate in Business include:
• Judeth Wilson, Managing Director of Upfront Communications, The Trainer’s Ultimate Business in a Box
• Ari Galper, Creator of Unlock the Game, Discover the Secrets of How to Sell with Authenticity by Unlocking Your Sales Potential
• Brenda Thomson, CEO and Founder of Networking World, Structured Networking Opportunities
• Lorraine Pirihi, The Productivity Queen, 7 Secrets to Boosting Your Productivity and Profits
• Janet Beckers, Wonderful Web Women, How to Build a List of Thousands of Raving Fans, Position Yourself as an Expert and Attract a Six or Seven Figure Business Fast
• Wendy Moore, Savvy Web Women, How to be a Media Magnet
• Ludwina Dautovic, The Red Tent Woman, Use the Latest Video Strategies to Grow Your Business
• Barnaby De Palma, Alive Online, Web 2.0 Wizard
• Lyndsey Baigent, Essentially for Women, Emotion in Business

“I’m really excited about the calibre of speakers booked for Accelerate in Business. I know they will not only provide the answers to help women achieve business success, but also show them how to effectively use those answers,” Ms Hibberd said.

“Attendees will be exposed to so much information at this event they’ll be jumping off their seats, excited to get back to their desk to put all the powerful strategies into action,” she said.

Seats for Accelerate in Business are limited and will be given will be on a first-in first-served basis. Tickets are $247 and can be bought at http://www.accelerateinbusiness.com/ Get in early and take advantage of the Early Bird Special where it’s buy one ticket, get one free.

But when I do attend something I make sure it is going to be worthwhile. After all as a business owner my time is money. I attended one such workshop last weekend and left inspired to be better for myself and my business. It was Janet Beckers’ Wonderful Web Seminars Quick Start Event – Turn Your Passions into Passive Income.

I’ve been thinking about writing a book on starting a business with a baby for about a year now, but had struggled with how to start. The project seemed a huge ask when combined with my business and family duties so, while the book plan had been on my ‘to do’ list for a long time, I hadn’t got any further than thinking about what to do and telling friends and family about it. This course was so fantastic that I now have the clarity I need to get started on the book, do the research, find the experts I need to interview and write it. Then I’ll just need to find a publisher, but that’s a whole other story!

While feeding off Janet’s inspirational ideas, I met a wonderful group of business people who came from the Central Coast (where I live and work), Newcastle, Sydney, western NSW, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. We all left feeling like we could tackle the world. Look at what some of the other attendees said:

“There was just so much useful information packed in a one-day seminar. It gave me the confidence to take action to create a product in the next week.” Yee Wah Choong (Younigne Business, Aequitas Attorneys)

“Fabulous. Given me amazing confidence to progress forward and understanding in simple succinct successful terms.” Vanessa Smith (www.allempowered.com)

“The event was much better than any other I’ve been to in terms of honesty about what I would get from the day.” Lenore Miller (www.outrageouslyhealthy.com)

“It was good of Janet to spend time with almost everyone in the room. A nice touch but I think very reflective of who she is as a person.” Anthony Venn-Brown (www.anthonyvennbrown.com.au)

So watch this space and I’ll let you know when the book is written!

What if you could make money from your passion – in fact create a successful business? Could this be the chance you’ve always wanted to tell the boss exactly what you think and work for yourself?

Online entrepreneur Janet Beckers had a passion for hearing people’s stories and was searching for inspiring female role models who had created successful Internet business. So she started Wonderful Web Women and has spent the past year interviewing the Internet’s most successful women to create a highly successful international business.

When Janet started Wonderful Web Women from her Central Coast home she had never recorded an interview or created an audio product and most of her interviewees had never heard of her. Now she has people clamouring to be interviewed, share their secrets with her audience and recommend Janet’s business to their customers.

Within weeks of starting her business from scratch Janet had won an award for best membership site in the world and built a community of thousands of people who wanted what she offered – information. Her information products have a profit margin of at least 90 per cent, a figure most businesses could never aspire to.Janet is constantly asked to share her system for her rapid success so has responded by launching her first one-day event. This “Quick Start Event” seminar helps others turn their passions into passive income, quickly and cheaply. The seminar shows attendees how they can create their own teleseminars and audio products to sell online within days!

The Quick Start seminar is an intensive one-day event on Saturday, August 23 at the Vibe Hotel, North Sydney. The seminar runs between 8.30am and 5.30pm and includes luxury food throughout the day.

Tickets are $597 + GST, but early birds can save $300 by booking before August 16.

For more information log on to http://wonderfulwebseminars.com/events/cms/quickstart.html