"I have a business idea, now what do I do?"

Launching a business looks and feels unique to different people. Some people feel horrified, some impatient, some unrealistic, some over zealous & some are just plain too quiet & shy! Whatever you may feel or experience when considering a business idea - take notes and start to ..... keep a journal of your ideas, fears and discoveries along your journey. Reference your journal on a daily basis - even for a minute or two. Start to read stories of other entrepreneurs - learn from their mistakes, successes, failures and experiences. Continue your note taking. Expose yourself to the likes of: Inc Magazine, Ladies Who Launch & get familiar with the business section of books in your library. The same applies for a person who wants to launch a jewelry line, sell a cleaning product or open a yoga studio; Study yourself and your own habits AND study the 'process' of starting a business, regardless of how big or small the business may be. Step 1 - Mindfully examine your actions as you explore launching the idea. Take copious notes and be totally honest with yourself - capture in your journal what you are loving and detesting about this first step. First list your fears, then list your dreams. And then, list your fears again. Focus on the dreams and slowly erase the fears. Honestly, how can you let a personal fear get in the way of your dreams? Continue to move forward until you open the doors of your new business or until you reach the point, right now is not the time for me to be doing this. Reread your journal starting from page 1. What are you learning about yourself? Are you seeing the fears shrink as you focus on the dreams? Is the idea of having your own business becoming clearer in your head. If so, are starting to think like a business owner. Your germ of an idea is starting to grow, the 'business baby' is being born. Foster, care and attend to your new budding bean ... Step 2 is Introduce the business to friends and family. Get ready to go back to your journal to transcribe the feedback and comments made by others. Be open and put your ego away for a couple of days as you listen to their feedback. Keep listening, taking notes and enjoy the initial process of making your idea into a business. Good luck! If you have enjoyed reading these notes and you are interested taking your idea to a North Shore business forum for people starting a business, who have a small business or would like to grow their existing small business, please email Stacey Lai - stacey@childrensdropandshop.com.

Mercedes FOR SALE

Mercedes 380 SL $9,000. The wind in your hair? PRICELE$$ 1981 87,070 miles Runs like a dream! Has 4 new tires. Comes with hard top and car cover as well as sheepskin seat covers. Perfect for cruising around Cape Ann this summer. Call Larry at 617-412-8671

SNOW BLOWER FOR SALE

Snowblower $250 Ariens ST824, 8HP Not pretty but a real workhorse. It came with the house when we bought it two years ago. We used it the last two winters. Will deliver. Call Larry at 617-412-8671

Boundless Playground coming to North Beverly, MA

For the last 13 months, a group of parents, teachers, specialists and community members have be raising funds to bring the first barrier free, Boundless playground to the North Shore. It will be sited at 48 Putnam Street in North Beverly. The Rising Stars Playground, as it will be called, will have so much to do and no barriers for children, parents or grandparents who have disabilities. No one will have to leave behind support equipment like wheelchairs or walkers. Children with sensory disabilities (like visual or hearing impairments) or developmental disabilities (such as autism or Down syndrome) will have lots to explore, too. What's more, the very play activities included for children with disabilities are often the most popular with children who have the ability to play anywhere. For more information about this project and how you can help, please visit NBPlayground.org

Skin Cancer Article from the Cottage Spa in Beverly

Each year, more than a million Americans develop some form of skin cancer, making it the most common form of cancer in the United States. Different Types of Skin Cancer The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and are highly curable. These are both considered non-melanoma skin cancers. Melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more deadly, and often affects young people. If you don't catch non-melanoma early, it won't necessary kill you, though it still has to be surgically removed and can leave your skin deformed. If you ignore it, it won't usually spread internally, but you'll need more of your skin removed, causing a bigger deformity. Early detection is crucial in reducing the likelihood of melanoma spreading internally and potentially killing you. Risk Factors Family history is a strong risk factor for both. With melanoma, the more moles you have and the bigger and more irregular your moles are, the greater your risk. With non-melanoma, the look of your moles is not relevant. But fair-skinned people who burn rather than tan are at higher risk. High exposure to sun and how much sun damage you have puts you at risk. Getting Enough Vitamin D Some say 10 minutes of sun a day is OK when you can take a supplement -- a better idea for most people, especially women, and even more so for older women. Realistically, how many of us are going to sit out in the sun with an egg timer?. There's no such thing as a "safe" tan. You don't need to be afraid of the sun, but you should protect yourself from the sun's harmful rays. Recommendations include wearing appropriate clothing, a hat with a wide brim, and two thin coats of 30 or higher SPF (sun protection factor) sunscreen on the parts of your body that aren't covered. Making sunscreen part of your morning routine can cut down on skin aging and skin cancer risk. A key warning sign for melanoma is any dark spot that looks different than the rest of your moles in terms of color, shape, or size. While most melanomas occur on parts of the body that get at least occasional sun exposure (arms, legs), melanoma can occur anywhere on your body -- between toes, private parts, scalp, etc. To screen yourself, you need a full-length mirror and a handheld one. Non-melanoma: Look for pink (not red) spots that don't go away for months or go away but keep coming back in the same spot -- especially in the summertime. Another warning sign is that the spot is easily irritated (i.e. towel drying makes you aware of it); it can occur anywhere on your body, especially the face and is important to catch early because they can be disfiguring. Determining Whether a Patient Has Cancer During a visit with your dermatologist, the doctor will search your skin from top to bottom for problem spots, sometimes using a dermatoscope -- a magnifying tool. In the uncommon case in which someone has many atypical moles, the dermatologist will monitor the moles using specialized medical photography to create a digital record to check for changes over time. The Cottage Spa 29 Cabot Street Beverly, MA 978-479-8411 www.thecottagespa.net

Host Families Needed!

Host families needed!

Worldwide International Student Exchange is a non-profit educational program and we are running two programs in this area. We are in need of Host Families for about 10 students. Hosting a student is a rewarding experience for the whole family! Here is some info:

Students can share a room with your child of the same gender

Students have a structured program each day from 9-5 with English classes and field trips

Students come with their own spending money

Students only want to experience and American family. There is no need to run around making sure the students see everything as they will be doing a great deal of this with the program. We only ask that you make them part of your family.

Families help each other with rides, pick-up etc so we can most likely work out any issues you may have with that.

Programs will run out of the Northshore area.

It is preferred that families take students for the entire stay, but we will break the stay in ½ to accommodate families when needed.

Students are usually ages 15-17. Profiles are available and families can choose their own students.

Please think about this wonderful opportunity.

Spanish program beings June 28-July 25

Thank you,

Carla King, Area Director, 978-884-4866 Carla.King@comcast.net

Haiti Projects Info & July 4th Event News!

When you buy any article from Haiti Projects’ knitting or embroidery projects you are helping women from a rural area of Haiti send their children to school, buy more food and better clothing, fix a roof, buy a pig. Your purchase provides desperately poor women with an earned income that nourishes the whole family and improves the struggling economy of the village of Fond des Blancs, Haiti. To learn more about Haiti Projects’ work please check out our web site at www.haitiprojects.org. On July 4th (9-1pm) we are having a sale of a wide variety of goods : nightgowns, pillow cases , napkins , exquisitely embroidered items of heirloom quality, made by the women of Haiti Projects needlework cooperatives . Our tote bags, sachets, aprons, jewelry bags, linen handkerchiefs are great for gifts. Come and check out the assortment of children’s sweaters at summer prices. Overstocked and discontinued items will be at discount prices. The sale will be held in Annisquam opposite the Annisquam Exchange on the lawn of 31R Leonard Street . Come lend your support and bring a friend. For more information you may call 1-978-283-0892

June 13th in Hamilton MA

PLEASE join us at the Odoardi/Ryan Families Lemonade Stand on Saturday, June 13 at 95 Union Street, Hamilton, from 10am - 2pm as we raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand. "Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation shares the vision of its founder and creator, Alexandra “Alex” Scott – a cure for all children with cancer." Check out the website and read this touching story of a girl with a vision and a lemonade stand! www.alexslemonade.org

Salem Event, June 20th @ 10 AM

What: Consuming Kids: The commercialization of Childhood When: Saturday June 20, 10 am Where: Cinema Salem, 1 East India Square, Salem, MA (www.cinemasalem.com) 978-744-1400 How much: Free (CinemaSalem has generously donated its facilities) Why: Because your kids are always nagging you for stuff. Because you're worried about them growing up too fast. Because you want them to think for themselves. Because you value their imagination. Because childhood obesity is on the rise. Because gender stereotypes are cramping your child's style. Because you want them to be happy for who they are and not for what they own. Who: Hosted by Alexa Ogno (adogno@alum.mit.edu). Just a mom on a mission. Join us for " an eye-opening account of the pervasive and pernicious effects of children’s advertising on the health and well-being of kids" and a lively discussion afterwards in CinemaSalem's cafe. For more information, visit http://www.consumingkidsthemovie.com/ "Consuming Kids shines a bright and probing light on the powerful forces of commercialism that are reshaping childhood. Contemporary marketers have developed a panoply of techniques -- from focus groups to "parties in a box" to brain research -- for engaging and influencing children, often under the radar of parents. The tentacles of modern marketing now penetrate every aspect of children's lives -- on television, in school, and through an array of new digital media, including interactive games, mobile phones, and 3-D virtual worlds. With its vivid imagery, this thoughtful and well-researched documentary explains it all." - Kathryn C. Montgomery, PhD. | Professor of Communication at American University | Author ofGeneration Digital: Politics, Commerce, and Childhood in the Age of the Internet

Beverly Farms

Small, small towns like Beverly Farms is the classic example of why it is necessary for residents to frequent their small, local shops in order for the shops to be there year after year. Local stores in small towns like Beverly Farms really need the constant foot traffic of locals to stay in business. Many readers spoke up about their favorite health food store on the North Shore - located in downtown Beverly Farms. You can't see it on the web, you can't see it in a hurry - take some time and visit the Wild Oats Health Food store in Beverly Farms. The owner, Tammy, is friendly, a wealth of knowledge and eases your mind about any ailing body part while she packs your basket with all the right, healthy foods, teas & supplements you need to get back on track. Wild Oats in Beverly Farms (not related to the national food chain) has a healthy solution and product for all your needs - home, house, garden, children, pets, dairy, sweet tooth, traveling, working, vitamins and Ear Candles. Tammy works every day expect Saturday. The store is open Mon - Sat 9 30 - 6 PM. Acton, Andover, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boxford, Cambridge, Danvers, Dracut, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Hamilton, Hampstead, Hampton Falls, Haverhill, Hudson, Ipswich, Kingston, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Magnolia, Manchester, Marblehead, Melrose, Methuen, Middleton, N. Andover, N. Reading, Nashua, Newburyport, Peabody, Plaistow, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, S. Hamilton, Salem, Saugus, Sudbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Wenham, West Newbury, Westwood, Wilmington & Woburn

Beverly

Just Kidding Resale in Beverly 978-922-6543. I have twin 8-month old sons. My family was kind enough to throw me a surprise shower the month before they were born. However, the rain storms that proceeded their birth (and the construction mess) destroyed my stash of goods I had saved from my daughter's infancy. I was able to comfortably afford many essentials that were in terrific shape. Again, another business started by a woman!

Casa de Moda in Beverly 978-922-8100. More than just hippy dressing staples. I try to get all my gifts there. Very cute... I could spend hours wandering.

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Acton, Andover, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boxford, Cambridge, Danvers, Dracut, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Hamilton, Hampstead, Hampton Falls, Haverhill, Hudson, Ipswich, Kingston, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Magnolia, Manchester, Marblehead, Melrose, Methuen, Middleton, N. Andover, N. Reading, Nashua, Newburyport, Peabody, Plaistow, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, S. Hamilton, Salem, Saugus, Sudbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Wenham, West Newbury, Westwood, Wilmington & Woburn

Andover

Andover is the new home to the Children's Drop & Shop (http://www.childrensdropandshop.com/). This past Spring/Summer the event was held on Chestnut Street in downtown Andover. Despite the rain, parking challenges & underestimation of the space needs to hold the event - it was a fabulous! The town was very welcoming & the local newspaper was terrific - see the press about the event: http://www.andovertownsman.com/archivesearch/local_story_084163355.html http://www.andovertownsman.com/archivesearch/local_story_098173300.html The Children's Drop & Shop will be back Fall 2009 for another bang out event for the families in Merrimack Valley area. While the CD&S Team was in Andover, we fell in love with a few spots (so did our consignors, here is what we heard!): Helen Thomas Simply Smashing - Right on Main Street, next to Bertucci's. They have a fabulous PJ line there, Tea clothing for children and a super nice mother-daughter team running the business. While I was there, the gal behind the counter engaged my children in drawing so I could concentrate on shopping. The simple touches of a business that gets a mom shopping with her children goes a long way. Hometown Seafoods - Chestnut Street, Andover, MA http://www.hometownseafoods.com/home.nxg Every town in New England would love to have a store like Hometown Seafoods. The experience (ok, we admit - the m u l t i p l e experiences) at Hometown Seafoods was/were amazing. The lobster roll - devine. The crab soup - epic. And, most importantly, the patient, hard working and attentive staff befind the counter - a pure joy.

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Acton, Andover, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boxford, Cambridge, Danvers, Dracut, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Hamilton, Hampstead, Hampton Falls, Haverhill, Hudson, Ipswich, Kingston, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Magnolia, Manchester, Marblehead, Melrose, Methuen, Middleton, N. Andover, N. Reading, Nashua, Newburyport, Peabody, Plaistow, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, S. Hamilton, Salem, Saugus, Sudbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Wenham, West Newbury, Westwood, Wilmington & Woburn

Acton

Thank you from clicking on Acton. If you live in Acton and would like to send us information about businesses you frequent OR is there an event you would like for us to know about - we'd love to hear from you. Please email Experience Included with your contact information, business name and a brief write up about why you use the service, what you love about the business and why it helps your family. Every month, regardless of whether or not your recommendation is published, you will be entered in a contest to win our monthly prize. Experience Included reaches: Acton, Andover, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boxford, Cambridge, Danvers, Dracut, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Hamilton, Hampstead, Hampton Falls, Haverhill, Hudson, Ipswich, Kingston, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Magnolia, Manchester, Marblehead, Melrose, Methuen, Middleton, N. Andover, N. Reading, Nashua, Newburyport, Peabody, Plaistow, Revere, Rockport, Rowley, S. Hamilton, Salem, Saugus, Sudbury, Swampscott, Topsfield, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Wenham, West Newbury, Westwood, Wilmington & Woburn