Ally Loprete

The New Age of Equality.... How do you measure FULFILLMENT? The feminine revolution has allowed us to be either breadwinners --OR-- caregivers... or even some combination of both. When we first made the decision to work at home, we were willing to make sacrifices... but are we still committed to living a simpler life? Maybe its time we change our definition of success. A Reassessment of the Family Narrative The "new equality" is no longer exclusive to gender roles. Real EQUALITY means valuing FAMILY just as much as Career. The truth is that career and family reinforce one another. In fact, caretakers who ARE ALSO breadwinners have a proven track record in this decade... perhaps it's because we've ALLOWED ourselves to have a broader range of experiences-- therefore allowing ourselves to embrace (without apology!) our capabilities and creative ideas. WE ARE PROGRESS. This is absolutely the age of SOLUTION. So, if you have a challenge... well... let's just say you better figure out a way to capitalize on it

Dream + Action = Results That --right there-- is the formula to innovation. THAT'S IT! Funnel everything through that puppy and you will reach your destination EVERY TIME. It is a mathematical certainty. If you are missing ANY PART of the equation above, you WILL NOT REACH your desired outcome. Period. DREAM: Without a clear vision, you will not know where you are going. You may be working hard, performing a lot of ACTIONS (while becoming exhausted in the process) but if your DREAM has holes in it, you WILL NOT reach your desired results. ACTION: You may be able to imagine all of the wonderful little details of your fantasy life, but unless you take SPECIFIC ACTIONS to get there, your fantasy is just a pipe dream. RESULTS: You are already getting results--- EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. This formula already exists in everything you do--- and chances are that you HAVE NO IDEA just how powerful you are! Let's start with understanding where you are RIGHT NOW, and how you got here. Your paradigms dictate everything that

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. If the most successful people really are risk-takers, then our mission is clear. Risky THINKING should become a habitual process for us as entrepreneurs and thought leaders. We all know the importance of creating a workable game plan that will bring you the greatest return of desirable results. -- This may MINIMIZE your risk in business-- but without a "no guts, no glory" outlook, you may never officially launch. The most dangerous risk of all... is NOT taking one. Complacency is not your friend as it leads to stagnation, and if you find yourself with a lack of enthusiasm for your business, your message or your approach to life in general... take it as a good indication that its time to push past your comfort zone. Reinvention is inevitable as nature is ALWAYS changing, adjusting and expanding. GET INTO A NEW HABIT: Take new risks everyday! Life doesn't stop for ANYBODY. Either you keep moving... or you may get PUSHED to move by a not-so-joyful-circumstance... (i

Our careers are not indissoluble. Its almost too easy sometimes to fall out of love with our projects, and let them die slowly on the vine. Our marriages: Not always indestructible. Our choice to become a parent? PERMANENT. No getting out of that one. Becoming a parent is never what you expected and no matter how much you prepare, you are never prepared enough. Why? Every child is different and every family has a different dynamic. Parenthood is a constant transition, filled with drastic modifications in your environment, your priorities and your relationships. Staying organized and on top of your game is essential for your business success as well as the success of your parenting. Joining me this week is parenting expert, successful business coach, public speaker and fellow Toginet radio show host, Brenda Nixon of The Parents Plate.

Can't find the ideal job? Create your own. If you ever feel like saying - Just give me a job already! Please, just give me a legitimate way to earn a paycheck and I'll make you proud! Then - oh boy - do I have a surprise for you! Together we are going to create a job opportunity. An opportunity that will give you: A. The flexibility to work around your family's hectic schedule B. A creative outlet in which you've been aching and C. Unlimited income making potential Think you've heard it all before? Think again. In this defining age of technology, the one thing every business needs is an email marketing system that empowers businesses to engage, educate and retain customers. Not to mention stay on top of cutting edge social media that will bring about new clients. There is no doubt about the need for this type of service. What would you say to someone hiring you to do just that? This Friday I am bringing on Geoff Alexander, Director of Product Development at iContact to talk to you about how to use their Agenc

You've listened to other inspirational stories. Now it's time to listen to your own. We all have a story to tell, but hands down- your story is the best one there is. No matter where you are in your journey- there is an inspirational screenplay in the making with you playing the role of the protagonist, the hero and the champion. Don't quite see it? There is tremendous value in living in the moment - in treasuring every trial and tribulation and having pride in your "war wounds". We learn through struggle. We become stronger each time we fall down. We gain valuable insight by doing - much more than listening to others tell us how to do it. For most of us, there isn't a lot that we aren't willing to do to achieve our ultimate success. Before we invest ourselves emotionally, financially and mentally however, we want to know that there will be an ultimate pay off. We are cautious. We can't afford to waste our precious time on a business concept that might suck up our resources and leave us feeling depleted, burn

You'd love to leave your day job and come home full time, but then how would you put food on the table? You are not alone in your desires, and you are willing to explore every viable option, but in the end, you feel lucky to have a job and a steady paycheck. You don't want to mess with decent fortune in this economy, so instead of rocking the boat you stay right where you are - despite the fact that you really wish you had more time at home with your family.   No one blames you for being torn between having big dreams and staying comfortable in your current reality.   So lets explore something new. Telecommuting.    Keep the job. Lose the commute.   Not only can you have your cake and eat it too, but by proposing a telecommute option to your current employer, you will be contributing to a growing trend and paving the way for others to do the same.   You may not realize this but most people who are currently telecommuting for their employer originally believed it wasn't an option. The reality? Telecommuting is

You might be holding a magic wand. If you've been following along each week, you have most likely been planting seeds for awhile now. Like the vegetables and flowers in your garden, the seeds need nourishment. Water, sunlight, soil and love. If you have been diligently tending to the seeds of your home based business, there is no telling when they could sprout! For some, seeing those sprouts can be very exciting. For others, overwhelming and downright SCARY. What if that big break to happened TOMORROW? The truth is that we are often not prepared for that million dollar break, and it could be a likely reason why it has not happened yet. Are you sabotaging your own success? I believe in the power of manifestation and that often we will subconsiously wish away the things that we are working so hard to acheive- because deep down we don't feel prepared to handle the success. I am afraid... ...if the local news station runs a segment about me, too many people would see, want to buy my product and I wouldn't have en

Today, we have Geoff Alexander from iContact returning to the show- and we will also be introducing you to the winner of the iContact email marketing campaign home-based business, Lisa Nicholson. I am thrilled to be able to talk to her for the first time and I just know that you are all going to be so inspired by her. She is definitely someone who makes things happen, without excuses, without letting fear or rejection frighten her… she has the right attitude- she is someone that we all should aspire to be like. The Home Free Thrive Guide Workbook & Audio Series- This is in honor of my first product launch! I am truly excited to be offering this to you all! First, I will be giving away a free package today on the air. And if you would still like to win a copy, you can visit us at facebook.com/thislittleparentstayedhome to register- it takes seconds to register- and we have giveaways nearly every week… so be sure that you are on our fan page.

Give yourself permission to be the boss of you. Today I had a conversation with my 5 year old about being the boss of himself, and how he shouldn't worry about what everyone else is doing on the kindergarten play yard. Interesting concept, isn't it? All too often we see a clear path to success for others much more than we see for ourselves. I remember when I wasn't the boss of myself... when I had a job working for someone else. Several jobs, actually. Although I didn't know it at the time, I lacked 2 things that I will never take for granted as my own boss again: Freedom and choice. I just came back from an empowering conference called "Woo Hoo Weekend" with Lisa Steadman- where I had the privilege of speaking to a fantastic group of men and women about our choices as parents who are self-employed. For many of us, the desire to become our own boss didn't fully transpire until we became parents. We talked about the physical, mental and emotional transformation that came about once our children became the cent

If life is a contact sport... just seize the remote. I admit it. I am a disenfranchised companion of a hopeless sports fanatic. Every year during the baseball season and then during football season…and then again during basketball and hockey season, I become a sports widow. My usually amazing, supportive and attentive husband disappears into an alternate universe. He becomes engrossed in our TV and is oblivious to anything occurring outside of the flat screen. He is visually as well as audibly impaired and deprived of common reality. Not only do I lose my husband's mental state to the sports world, I lose him emotionally as well. Suddenly his moods become dependent on how his team performed that day. During the season, my family also gets to witness overly superstitious behavior bordering on OCD. I don't just mean wearing a favorite shirt or chanting a team mantra- I mean the belief that if he doesn't eat the right food or sit in the perfect position- that he personally will have a negative affect on the outc

I have had the pleasure of connecting with thousands of parents in the last 4 years, and that number grows rapidly each day. One thing that remains consistent in what I have learned from you as parents: We really are more alike than different. It should come as no surprise that we are motivated by the exact same thing: Our love for our children. We may be activated through different means of achieving our goals, different passions, career aspirations and lifestyle visions, but the driving force is still the same. Why then, do we feel so alone? Today there is a greater ability to connect with one another than in any past generation. There has never been a better time for moms and dads to claim their place in society and earn their way to freedom, all while making a difference for our children and the future that awaits them. Thanks to the interactive media, gone are the days of the lonely house parent who has no means of connecting to other grown-up intelligence. We have resources! We must realize our potentia

The most effective enterprises come from our own experiences. It happens to all of us. We get an amazing product idea based on our own desire to fulfill a personal need. We consider putting our brainchild into action, get spooked by the unknown and let the idea fizzle away. Then we freak out when we learn that someone else had the same idea, and is making a nice living off of our brainchild. If this has happened to you on more than one occasion, its time to re-evaluate and re-engage. Don't let another brilliant concept pass you by. There are so many reasons that I am excited to share this week's guest with you. Kelly Lester, the inventor of EasyLunchboxes, is that Mom Entrepreneur. You know, the one who created a product that seems so simple in retrospect that nearly anyone could have come up with it, but she was the one who took the ball and ran with it. She is the one who took action, and she did it with full commitment- without reservation, without exception, and without excuses. In less than 3 years, Kell

Obstacles or... Opportunities? When faced with a set of unfortunate circumstances, we are presented with a choice to either ADAPT, or deteriorate. Either way, your journey will escalate into something new. Change is inevitable. If you want to know what I look for in a guest expert, it's how one meets adversity and turns it into an advantage... for career, family, personal fulfillment, financial abundance and quality of life. Linda and Brian Kaminski-- like so many other successful business leaders, birthed a successful global business as a result of an unfortunate accident which scorched Brian with life-threatening 3rd degree burns. After many ineffective medical treatments and unceasing pain, Linda and Brian searched for a new solution. They discovered the positive effects and healing capability of Aloe Vera. Despite the skepticism from his doctor, Brian used the Aloe Vera to relieve his pain more effectively, and eventually healed without scarring. Positively transformed by the experience and the new dis

When in doubt, blame the kids... We thought that leaving our corporate jobs and building a new career at home would give us FREEDOM. Freedom from the time clock... freedom from a long commute...freedom from overbearing and inflexible employers...and freedom to travel way beyond that ceiling made of glass. The biggest freedom of all? To be a parent without apology. There is a new boss in town and she needs a diaper change. The FREEDOM that was promised by an at-home career now brings about a new set of circumstances that seems almost counter-intuitive to the original plan. Therein lies the ultimate paradox. Somewhere along the way that freedom that we worked so hard to achieve became our new prison....guarded by (you guessed it) the little people that have taken over our lives. As if we haven't been tested enough, it seems as though the mere act of having children set off a chain reaction of creativity, exploration and the desire for entrepreneurship. The irony lies in the ideas that suddenly pour out o

COEXIST is a documentary film making an impact on young people's lives. This week we will be airing a special encore presentation of an interview I did with Adam Mazo, the producer and director of the educational documentary film, COEXIST. In this interview, Adam draws parallels between the events in Rwanda and attacks by school bullies, suggesting peer pressure can push nonviolent people to commit violent acts-- whether it’s throwing someone’s backpack in the trash or committing more extreme acts such as genocide. "It isn't enough to be tolerant of one another, we must learn to find acceptance. The best way to do that is to break bread with someone who you may think is very different than you. It's difficult to hate anyone that you've just shared a meal with." -Adam Mazo, Producer and Director of COEXIST I am pleased to be able to recognize Adam's great work and do my part to pass this important message forward. Educating our children is the best way to create awareness, tolerance and ultimately end violenc

The Mother of all Catastrophes We all have our personal stories of mess... where we had become so broken and beaten down that we barely recognized ourselves. It's the serendipitous moments that shape us --- especially the ones that hit us HARD upside the head and cause us to question... EVERYTHING. When you are emotionally and physically... just... DONE. It’s not easy meeting the endless needs of your family and your business, let alone the much-needed time for yourself to replenish your reserves. Top it off with the pressure that our culture puts on us to be super duper homemakers, and then under values the position we are in. Though the job involves incredible amounts of physical, mental, and emotional energy, it can still be trivialized by those who’ve never done it...or worse... those who watch us do it everyday. When our work isn’t valued by others, it is only with great effort that we value it ourselves. When your "road map" is a mess of detours... Around this time last year, I had some how lost my w

Wouldn't it be nice to wake up every day with boundless energy and vitality?   Its a common problem among hard working moms. We give the best of ourselves to our children, our marriages, our homes, our businesses and maybe...just maybe... if there is time... we'll give something back to ourselves.   We know its backwards.    We know its not healthy.   We know this behavior will eventually come back to haunt us, but its a trap we fall into time and time again.   Stop the madness and recapture your magnificence!   Its time to practice new habits and take preventative measures. Learn to put yourself first and as a result create optimum health and well-being for yourself as well as your children. Because lets face it- when Mom is feeling good, everyone gets to reap the rewards.   This week we'll be talking about how to amp up your vitality and your vavoom!  Joining us is Sharon Otness-Foot, a Healthy Lifestyle Coach who helps women fall in love with themselves again by feeling healthy, vibrant, sexy and confident

Sometimes you just gotta laugh about life. If you are like me, you are already knee deep in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I find that there is really only one way to enjoy it before it stresses you out. Indulge with no regret. You deserve to unwind, so take the hour off, pour yourself a glass of wine, and join me for some must needed girl chat and laughter. From here until the end of the year, we'll be talking about kickstarting the new year at a pace that works for us. We have a terrific guest joining us, stand up comedian, author and public personality, Stephanie Wilder-Taylor In addition, I will be welcoming a new host on the radio, Judy Schriener, an award winning journalist and a first rate interviewer. I know I am looking forward to getting a few lessons from her!

SEX is not a dirty word. As you probably have already guessed, we are going to get into some juicy conversations this Friday. So often we tip toe around topics like pleasure and passion...and as a result we may be denying ourselves abundant wealth, health and quality of life. Yep, sex is a necessary topic. The word has gotten a bad rap over the last several decades and yet it is one of the most natural ways to boost health and stamina, increase immunity, creativity and productivity as well as earn a better income. So if you want to put the sexy back into your business (as well as the bedroom) you won't want to miss Friday's show! WHAT? SEX can help me grow my business? Yes, absolutely. Ever hear of Oxytocin? Known as the "love hormone", it helps women to love, bond and call upon their most creative channels. So wouldn't it make sense to take full advantage of... this natural hormone when we are experiencing disconnect with ourselves, our partners, and even our businesses? Has This Little Parent Stayed Home go