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Truly Global by Anna N Schlegel

I received Truly Global in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Truly Global: The Theory and Practice of Bringing Your Company to International Markets

Today’s economy is increasingly borderless. Every company that seeks to grow beyond its national boundaries needs a globalization team to help develop, translate, adapt, and promote products to international markets. This team is vital to ensuring that customers receive product information and support in their own language in a personalized and seamless way. From a company’s website to product interfaces and documentation, to telephone and online support, providing this culturally specific experience is essential to building a brand across international borders with a solid enterprise approach.

Ideal for global corporate leaders, board members, employees, and students, Truly Global provides an insider’s look at how large companies move into international markets to successfully deliver their product to customers across different cultures and languages. It covers everything you need to know, to globalize your company from start to finish, including who to recruit as members of a globalization team, how to integrate globalization in each department, and how to use the team’s research to build your brand’s presence in new markets. This book will help your company succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy, and lay the foundation for your growth from a national company to an international household brand.

My thoughts on Truly Global

Truly Global by Anna N Schlegel came at the perfect time for me. I was head deep in my 3rd economics class for the year this past December – and the water was beginning to wash over my head. I love that I’m back in school. I love my chosen major – Marketing Management. Economics was killing me, though. I just want to play around with designs and stories that speak to people’s hearts. The making money and establishing all the stuff behind that, it gets confusing. I thought if I read Truly Global, I may come out of my last class – Global Business – with a better understanding of it all. While the book didn’t really help me in the class, it was a nice fresh perspective on the nitty-gritty business side of things.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking to understand how to build an international business, in the middle of going global, or those just purely interested in what it takes to be a global business. The book is not long because while it can get complicated to go global, the steps themselves aren’t that complicated. Ms. Schlegel has put together an informative step by step guide book to get your company out in the world and leave the borders behind.

Are you ready to take your business global? But Truly Global on Amazon now!

January 23, 2017
How to Balance the Work at Home Mom Life

I never thought I’d be a working mom. Let alone a work at home mom. I knew I’d always find ways to make a little money to add to our finances on the side, but this life I’m living. I never imagined it. Here I am, though, trying to figure out how to balance it all.

I get up at 5 AM these days just so I can get work done. Only usually, sometime between 5:30 and 6:30 I’ll find a small body tucking their toes under my legs, trying to share the space with my laptop. It’s like they have a 6th sense to when Mom gets up. No matter how softly I tiptoe or attempt gliding my stockinged feet across the cold hardwood floors they know I’m up.

I try to focus. Maybe if I cover them in a blanket they’ll go back to sleep for a little longer.

7AM rolls along, and I know I’m pushing it letting everyone else sleep more. We have 55 minutes to get up, get dressed, eat, make lunches, and double check backpacks before waiting for the bus. Thankfully the bus stops right in front of our house, so on cold mornings we hang out just inside the door.

There are days I feel bad for not walking them to school. After all, the bus ride around the corner takes longer than it does to walk. I remind myself the kids find joy riding the bus with their friends. So I resign myself to making sure I’m always at the door when they leave and when they get home. Because I’m Mom and that’s where I’m needed twice a day.

Do you know how incredibly hard it is to be “at work” with a 3-year-old stuffing RescueBots in your face begging you to play? For the rest of the day I feel torn. I need to work. I HAVE to work because I actually have clients and timelines. I also have schoolwork. It was a choice that to some may be something I could let go of, but it’s something for me I have to do. I also need to spend time with little prince. It’s a need for both of us. He’s my baby. In a few months he may be at school, making friends. I can’t waste this time we have together.

So I’m left wondering – usually around midnight – how do I do it all, and still find balance? I decide I can’t. So I let it go from my mind. I kiss my sweet babies and husband goodnight and head to bed for a little more sleep before doing it all again.

Are you a working mom?

Please share how you’ve found balance in your life!

To find more inspiration on balancing parenting and work, check out these awesome blogs:

Daily Momtivity
The Buccio Clan
Peaches and Pickles
Simple at Home
Sara B Nash
Craft Create Calm
Multitasking Mom
LedyLiz
Sweet Discord
Smart Mom, Smart Ideas
Misty Shaheen
Suzi Whitford
Angela Coleman Sherman

February 10, 2016
STEM with Adventurer Abby

I received product for review. All opinions are my own.

We got our first Adventurer Abby box in the mail today! Only a few minutes before Princess V got home from school too – it was like the stars had aligned. Princess V loves science. It’s been hard for me, only because it’s not a subject I ever really took to. I love science don’t get me wrong, it just wasn’t ever my subject, ya know?

Adventurer Abby is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subscription service for young girls, between the ages of 6-9. Princess V is 8, going on 9, but has really just found a love for these sciencey things. I give credit to her teacher this year, who challenges her class with STEM activities every Friday. From experimenting with different forms of matter, to building spaghetti towers – it’s easily the favorite day for Princess V at school.

One thing we really wanted Princess V to learn to love this year though was reading. She struggles with that (loves hearing stories!), but actually reading has been hard for her. For this reason I truly love Adventurer Abby! Before you can do anything, you have to read the story. One tells the beginning of Abby’s story, and the 2nd is more specific to the adventure Abby is going in with this box.

Princess V and I took turns reading through the stories. I could tell just in the way her voice perked up near the end of the stories, and when we got to the experiment, that reading is not necessarily hard for her – but just not enjoyable. Pairing it with something she DOES love however, made quite a difference. Finally on to the experiment!

Adventurer Abby makes sure the kids are safe! With safety goggles and gloves, Princess V was ready to start reading the instructions, to help solve the adventure Abby is on.

In this adventure we learned the catalyst. First we had to create two different mixtures. One is a hydrogen peroxide and soap mix (with food coloring for effect!). The other is a yeast and warm water.

The last and final step, encouraged us to move to a sink. Since I was having too much fun experimenting, the kitchen was a bit of a mess still. So we grabbed a large bowl instead. Princess V’s first question before mixing these was “Is it going to explode Mom?”

Purchase your Adventurer Abby subscription!

Follow Adventurer Abby

Facebook * Twitter

Do your kids like science?

I’d love to hear about a recent experiment you’ve done I can share with Princess V.

May 7, 2015
Mom’s Study Snacks

This is a sponsored post. Product was received as compensation. All thoughts are my own.

Guess what?! I passed my first class! After 8 years of not taking any formal classes, when my first final came up, I was beyond nervous. One of the wonderful things about going to school at WGU, is that it’s all online, including my tests.

The tests are proctored by webcam, but I still get to schedule it to fit into my time. So to make sure I had a completely distraction free zone, I scheduled my test for 10:30pm. The kids would be sleeping, and Mark would be home just in case they woke up.

The problem I ran into, was staying awake. You guys, I seriously almost fell asleep mid test! Not cool. But it turned out OK, because I passed! YAY, one class down, many more to go.

Seeing as how I do most of my studying at night, and will probably take my tests then as well – I really needed a way to stay awake. So I’ve been snacking a ton. I’ve tried hard to avoid eating past 9, but if I’m going to go to school, then I need the energy. Instead of turning to chocolate, ice cream, and candy – I’m trying to be a little more healthy with my snacks.

This parfait you guys! So yummy! I got a bunch of Lola Granola bars, but found the honey in it to be a bit overpowering. There’s so much goodness in them though, with honey as the only sweetener, they are also gluten free, and non GMO. I decided to try toning down the honey a bit though in a parfait, and it was perfect. However, if you really like honey, you’ll enjoy these bars just plain.

Lola Parfait
Your favorite yogurt
Lola Granola: The Ruby
Pomegranate arils

Layer the yogurt, crumbled granola bar, and pomegranate arils. Enjoy. The Ruby Lola bar has the perfect blend with cranberries and almonds that really adds to this parfait.

Win It!

Would you like to try Lola Granola?

Giveaway open to Continental US residents only
Previous Lola winners ineligible
If the giveaway isn’t loading head to this link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your favorite late night snacks? Help keep me awake!!

October 7, 2014
Sign up as a School Affiliate with Zulily and Raise Money for your school
*I am a Zulily affiliate. All opinions are 100% my own*

I LOVE giving back – but especially helping out our schools. As the daughter of teachers, and having been a teachers wife for a few year, I know just how hard our teachers work to give our kids the best possible education and experience.

Funding has always been a bit lacking in the schools, so we get hit with all these crazy fundraisers – magazines, chocolates, wrapping paper (though I fully admit, those chocolates are GOOD!). When I hear about ways to raise money for schools, that isn’t super expensive and from a place you already buy, I know I have to share it.

If you are a PTA rep, teacher, principle, or parent, I urge you to check into Zulily’s new School Fundraising program.

Easy peasy school fundraiser! You could earn up to 10% on zulily orders for your school by signing them up for the zulily Schools Program. Becoming a zulily Schools affiliate is as easy as 1-2-3
1. Click on the banner or text link below to register on ShareASale and apply to the zulily affiliate program
Admittedly, 10% isn’t the best percentage I’ve ever seen, but when parents are already shopping the sales at Zulily, it’s a great opportunity to get a little bit more back to your school!

What ways do you give back to your schools?
November 20, 2013
School Valentines Day Treats

If your kids go to public school, you’re probably facing the same predicament as me – no home baked goods. It’s one of the things I always looked forward to when becoming a parent, and now I can’t do it. Not that there’s anything wrong with store bought, there’s just something extra special about putting love into cupcakes and cookies while making them for your kids and their friends.

Tangent over. Princess V is in charge of bringing 21 treats to share for their Valentines party. Originally I was just going to buy some Valentine inspired cookies, but then a friend told me how she wrapped the juice boxes in Christmas paper for the Christmas party. I decided I could do more and put that extra touch of love into the Valentines treats, even though they were store bought.

I started with the cookies. Then some cellophane bags and twistie ties. To make it just a little extra special though, we added in the Owl Bookmarks from Living Locurto (check her out for more free Valentines printables).

February 13, 2013
Healthy Snacking with SunRype

Since Princess V started kindergarten this year I’ve tried to be the cool mom that always has a snack ready when she gets home. Princess V always seem to be hungry right after school, and really I don’t blame her. They start at 12, which means we had to change our normal lunch time to 10:30 (slow eaters anyone, anyone?).
So when 3 o’clock rolls around she is hungry.

My biggest problem with having a snack ready for her, is that I’m often crunched on time. I still have 3 kids at home to take care of, the house work, and often I try to run my errands during this time. And who wouldn’t, 1 less kid makes errands so much easier!

I remember my mom always having a plate of cookies, or our own ball of bread dough to shape and bake, or veggie trays, and crackers and cheese. Admittedly most of these are pretty easy and quick to throw together, so I don’t know why I don’t do it more. Some days I get it right , and other days it’s a work in progress.

My favorite snack for the kids, however, is fresh fruit! I like to keep a bowl of bananas and apples on the table. My 2 year old is a fruit snatcher though, which means often our after school snack isn’t there, and I’ve realized too late to make anything else, let alone make it healthy.

So I’ve started keeping ready made snacks like SunRype on hand. I love that SunRype is 100% Fruit, with no added sugars. They have a pretty strong sweet/tart flavor from the natural sugars in the fruit that is a bit hard to get use to. Princess R absolutely loves these bars, and they’ve helped keep her out of the fruit bowl some days.

Wednesdays the kids are especially grateful for these healthy fruit snacks as we pick Princess V up and head straight to dance. We get home just in time to get dinner on the table, so snacks at that point are out of the question. I’ve taken to dropping a few of the SunRype Fruit Strips – by far the kids favorite SunRype product – into my purse before heading out the door. It keeps the kids satisfied while I get to reap the benefits of sneaking something healthy into their hands.

Interested in trying out SunRype? Head over to Facebook for a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon.

*This is a sponsored post on behalf of SheSpeaks and SunRype. I received free product in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

February 8, 2013
Thirft Store Find {Wordless Wednesday}

On Saturday we headed to the thrift store to see if we could find any winter gear for the kids. We’ve got quite a bit of snow, and wanted to go sledding.
We didn’t find any of the gear we needed (snow pants and boots), but we did walk away with this desk! I’ve been wanting an old school desk for the girls to do homework on, but never had the luck of coming across one. I saw this, and knew I was going to leave with it, and redo it. That was when it was covered in snow. Once I brushed the snow off I found a chalkboard top, and already repainted seat. It was ready to go right inside.
As you can see, the Princesses really enjoy working at it, and playing around it. I’ve been struggling to get Princess C to do any of the preschool books we bought lately, but now she looks forward to it. Having a special space for her has made all the difference!

Want to know how much I paid? $8

January 16, 2013
Creative Teacher Gifts with Printable Gift Tags

The end of the school year is coming. Teachers have worked hard, and you’ve seen your child progress in their knowledge. It’s time to say Thank You for all the teacher has done during the year. Check out this list of Creative Teacher Gifts and you’re sure to find something for the greatest teacher ever.

I found this practical idea of gifts that teachers can use in the classroom. I think it’s common knowledge that many teachers use their own money to buy supplies for the classroom, so every little bit helps them out. Paper clips, pens, pencils, highlighters, and of course a treat as well. I created my own printable for you to use with the paperclips, but I Saw That Going Differently In My Mind has cute sayings for each of these gifts.

The idea was cute, but I wanted to make it a little extra special. So I mustered up my courage and made the easiest printable for this. Nothing says You’re Awesome like paperclips right? OK, maybe add a treat that your teacher can enjoy just for themselves to take it up a notch.

Paper clips not the thing for your teacher? Well, that’s A-OK because I’ve gone around and gathered together some of the most creative teacher gifts I could find on the web! Now all you have to do is put the gift together and say Thank You.

15+ Creative Teacher Gift Ideas

Expo Marker Teacher Gift Idea

Super Hero Candy Bar Teacher Appreciation Gift

A Fortune Cookie Teachers Gift

Stylish Teacher Gift Ideas Teachers Really Want to Receive

Mod Podge Teacher Gift

Refreshing Teacher Gift Idea

M&M Teacher Gift Printable

Sunshine Sugar Scrub

Sharpie Teachers Gift Printable

EOS Lip Balm Teacher Gift Idea

Teacher Survival Kit

Teachers Tote Gift

24 Ways to Encourage Teachers

Popcorn Teacher Gift In A Jar

Pilot G2 Teacher Gift Idea with Free Printable

Commit-Mint Teacher Gift

December 20, 2012
Would you change anything about your child’s school? – Think About It

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Tim and Angi’s Blog

This weeks topic

3 Things You Would Like to Change About Your Child’s School

Most of us are a good couple weeks into school. If our kids are in a new school, we’ve had time to get to know it a bit. If it’s a school you’re kids have been going to forever, you probably know all the ins and outs. So let’s hear them.

For us, we’re at a new school, because our oldest just started Kindergarten. She actually went to preschool at the elementary school last year, but then we moved, so it’s new again. So far we are really enjoying it, but there are a few things I would love to change!

1) Pick a different start time! She has afternoon Kindergarten, that starts at 11:50. I just find it the craziest time. For us, lunch is served at 12, but Kindergarten doesn’t eat at the school, which means I’ve had to change our meal schedule. We now eat at 11. It has totally thrown me off, and my kids have had some funny “grazing” habits since.

2) A separate pick up area for Kindergarten. There is one turn around area for the whole elementary school, and since Princess V gets out the same time as the rest of the elementary, it makes pick up CRAZY! For the older kids, the parents pull up, wait for their kid, and take off. For parents of the Kindergarteners, we have to park, get out of the car, walk over and let the teacher see us, before they let our kid go. I totally get it, and I think that’s great actually for safety. However, I’ve got 3 smaller kids in the car, and tons of traffic from every other parent there. This is the only place for parents to park their car, besides on the street a good distance away. So I have to show up to the school 20 minutes before it’s out, just to get a good spot right next to the Kindergarten pick up area. That way I can wait until they come out, then leave the other kids in the car (don’t judge, they aren’t alone for more than a minute, and I can see them the whole time!). Totally cuts into Prince L’s napping time.

3) Keep the fence closed around the playground. I’ve periodically driven by the Elementary school during the day, and noticed the gate leading to the road is wide open, and kids are out playing. I get we live in a small town, but the fence and gate are there for a reason. Crazy people are everywhere, and kids are always looking for a quick escape. Get that gate closed!

Ok, theses are really silly and simple changes. Obviously, they all, except #3 have to deal with my opinion, and schedule. I totally don’t expect the school to change just to accomodate me. As far as I can tell, we have been very fortunate to move to a school district that truly cares about their kids learning!

Next weeks topic

Mailboxes. Let’s spill out thoughts on Mailboxes!

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September 13, 2012