Laura Wallis: Web Navigator Gal

Image Courtesy of Hannah Maximova Photography

I recently had the pleasure of connecting with Laura Wallis in an online networking group. We became acquainted and it was quickly evident that she was a wealth on knowledge about business, marketing, and the internet. She’s also friendly and super-relatable! I thought it only fair to introduce her to other working moms.

How and why did you come to be the Web Navigator Gal?

I worked for many years in corporate marketing- Disney, Mattel, Fox International, and Sony. I loved my work and traveled a great deal, but worked very long hours. When I became pregnant with my first child, I had everything set up to go back to work, but my husband was working long hours as well, and we didn’t have family or any kind of back-up with childcare. I knew I needed to create my own village of support and I wanted to create something I could call my own. Something where I would be able to work and juggle parenting responsibilities so I could be there for my kids if they needed me, when they needed me, instead of having to request each and every day and hour off. I also really wanted to give back in some way and make a difference… especially here in our local community. I became very involved in helping launch a public charter school and that was very rewarding, but also was like a full-time job in many ways. I found a terrific school community in that work, but always loved marketing and wanted to start my own business. I especially wanted to help other women I knew who wanted to create a business of their own. So many I knew longed to carve out more time and flexibility in their work schedule so they could be there for their family. And all of my friends kept telling me I should start my own business. My nickname for many years was Laura 411 because when it came to the internet, I had all the answers!

As a working mother, how do you balance home life with work life? What are your best tips for maintaining a successful balance?

Map out your month – decide what you can do and what you can delegate, and if necessary, what you can reschedule. Use your smartphone! It’s the most amazing tool. I can move through an amazing amount of work just sitting in my car waiting for the school dismissal bell or for piano lessons to end. And I’m doing more than just processing email. I’m using some amazing tools that increase my productivity, and help me run my business on the go. Using my smartphone, I can:

SKYPE or “hangout” with clients or hold a join.me meeting.
Check art through Dropbox.
Clip interesting articles or tweets I come across to Evernote.
Correspond with clients through Facebook messaging.
Update my boards on Pinterest.

I am 100% more productive than I could have been just five years ago before 4G

But don’t drive and text, Skype, email, etc.! Lastly, don’t multitask during meaningful moments with the children. There’s a place and time for work and if it overlaps with important moments with your children you may end up regretting not giving them your full attention.

What steps can moms take to stay current, whether they’re working out of the home or out of the office?

Take advantage of the all mighty Googler and, as I mentioned above, your smartphone when standing in line and waiting during all of those menial daily tasks. Seriously. It’s the best free research tool on the planet. Not that everything delivered is the most useful answer, but Google keeps trying. It’s their lifeline to deliver the most useful and valuable information so they will keep trying to do that. And if they don’t, they know we will look elsewhere. Although to save time and money, I do recommend you pay for the best help and guidance you can find whether in online courses or personal coaching, consulting or mentoring. Offline women’s business networking events and online Facebook business groups are another terrific way to stay current and up to date on what is going on in your field. I am also a huge fan of LinkedIn. It’s not a place just to dump a resume… it’s a constant global networking event.

When WAHM’s are trying to start or grow their businesses, what online areas do you recommend they focus on to achieve success and avoid becoming overwhelmed?

When it comes to marketing and spreading the word about your business, focus on social media and native advertising. Traditional banner ads have lost their charm and conversion rates are down. Go with the soft sell rather than the direct response approach, especially if your target market is women. Native advertising includes high quality content like articles, videos, tweets, interactive graphics, and photo streams.

What projects are you working on now that you are excited about?

I absolutely love what is happening with Pinterest – Last year I published a book, Pinterest for Business Marketing. There are amazing opportunities there for lifestyle brands to grow their businesses.

I am also a huge fan of Facebook for business, especially small business owners who hope to reach the female audience. I have never been a fan of the hard sell approach and I don’t think women respond to it well. With Facebook, if you are considerate and are a part of the virtual neighborhood you can really see amazing reach with their ad platform.

What I am most excited about is that women business owners are an increasing part of the business landscape not just here in States, but worldwide. And because many women welcome a heart-centered approach to business and want to not only make an income, but to make a difference and give back in some way. I feel there really is a revolution in place in how business is approached. CSR (corporate social responsibility) is now a part of the business landscape and it just wasn’t to the extent it is now, even just a few years ago.

I also love being able to talk and connect and have real conversations with women in almost every part of the globe so easily now. We can share ideas and brainstorm solutions together in a way that just wasn’t possible such a short time ago.

Any other news or advice you want to share with our dandelion moms?

Own your value. Own your career capital and your life capital. There’s so much opportunity everywhere right now… especially for women. You just need to keep an eye out for it because it really is around every corner. With the virtual tools available, many that are free, now is the time to start building a business online if you have been considering or dreaming of that possibility. And just step into it. Take a few steps. Baby steps. Doing some small thing every day adds up. And when you step into it, that’s the time when you can pivot and see what works for you and what doesn’t.

So many women I know are waiting. And I think “waiting” is not a virtue like patience when you have an idea. Waiting is most often an excuse to cover up a fear of failure or worries about imperfections. And I think imperfection is absolutely underrated. I always tell my daughters that imperfection is what is usually what’s most interesting and captivating in life. Look for the imperfections and welcome them. And our mistakes are often our best teachers. Oh, and celebrate every small success. They all add up!