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LaunchHER Re-Vamps in 2011!

There is only one thing we can truly say about LaunchHER; we LOVE them! Okay, we can say a lot more. How amazing they are, how they are changing the lives of women-owned brands, how the site is just so pretty to look out and filled with hours of browsing. See, we really could go on and on and on.....

As for the {re} vamp - well, it is simply gorgeous. They are no longer a blogspot. As of today they will have a much better site-experience, as everything is linked SO much better, there is a better search function, and through Wordpress, all of their features can be immediately linked to their Twitter and Facebook accounts!  Some of the biggest news... you will now be able to sign up for the LaunchHER newsletter. Feedburner will deliver LaunchHER right to your inbox! To coincide with the {re} launch and New Years' resolutions they are offering incredible opportunities for women to partner with LaunchHER which you can find out more below in our interview with the ladies.

One of our favorite things from the {re} vamp besides a beautiful site? They are sending all {freshly launched} businesses a button that says "they were launched" and everyone who was on the 40 under 40 a button that say they were on 40 under 40! How exciting is that! 

We truly adore them but we will let our chat with LaunchHER leading ladies Kara and Sallisha speak for themselves! Read on to get the scoop from the beautiful blondes of LaunchHER!

1.) Tell us about the HER behind LaunchHER. Who is Sallisha and Kara - the ladies making it all happen? 

Sallisha is a wife and a mom of 3 who always brings her A-game to everything she touches. Drawing on her degree in Finance, to LaunchHER Sallisha brings an impressive background in high-level Wall Street management and internet start-up consulting. Her knack for knocking every single thing she is involved in out of the park is beyond amazing. Ask any LaunchHER client and they will whole-heartedly agree.

Kara is a wife and a mom of 2 boys who cannot imagine doing anything other than working with women entrepreneurs. After nearly 10 years as a litigator, Kara’s decision to hang up her litigator hat and provide legal services to women-owned businesses was a no-brainer. As the proprietor of a few artisan business ventures over the years, Kara knows first-hand the challenges, joys and tough decisions her clients face. 

Kara

Sallisha 

2.) When you acquired LaunchHER, you turned it around so quickly. You have made it beyond amazing and you are some kind of genius - the both of you. How did you know LaunchHER is what you wanted?  

Before LaunchHER was named and the idea for promoting women-owned brands, especially new ventures in the handmade area, was first contemplated, Kara was actually part of the brainstorming process. At the very beginning, the idea was to build a business that would become a resource for women-owned brands by providing free press and promotion, as well as a connection to those all-important services a business needs – branding, web design, PR, marketing and legal. When LaunchHER launched, the ‘resource’ part of the concept seemed to fall by the wayside. While LaunchHER created some buzz those first few weeks, the business seemed to falter and nearly died out within the first 6 months or so.   

So when the opportunity to acquire LaunchHER presented itself to us, the decision to take LaunchHER and get it back to what was Kara’s original idea was an easy decision to make. In the few weeks before the acquisition, we had started becoming very good friends. Just days before the acquisition, we were talking about starting some sort of joint business venture, hoping to provide a service to women-owned brands.  

What is interesting is that, looking back to just about a year ago, when the initial brainstorming that resulted in the formation of LaunchHER took place, we didn’t even know each other, except that we were in the same MOPS group at church. To see where we are now, as friends, as business partners, and as LaunchHER, is thrilling and amazing. 

What exactly does LaunchHER do? for those out there that need some info.  

LaunchHER provides a {boost} to women-owned brands by offering complimentary features to new businesses twice a week, business coaching, branding, marketing, business development and flat-fee legal services. All services are available ala carte or can be combined in a custom package to meet each client’s individual needs. Occasionally we also offer celebrity gifting and other product placement opportunities.  

To kick-off the New Year, we are offering 2 great deals:

• Over the course of 3 months, LaunchHER will partner with you, to make this year the year to start, develop and protect your brand for the future; or,
• For less than the price of a month of lattes, LaunchHER will strategize, weigh-in, research and consult with you on your business and your specific needs/concerns/goals in a 60-minute telephone conversation.

When you freshly launch a company - what exactly are you looking for? 

That is a great question!! We love all of the {freshly}launched submissions we get on LaunchHER, and any new indie brand can submit their shop for consideration. Discovering new brands and giving a complimentary {boost} is one of our favorite parts of LaunchHER! 

While there are no hard-and-fast rules for our picks, we do look for newer brands, who are independent, have a great website (or etsy/big cartel shop), are unique and have started laying the groundwork for a big social media presence.

What tips do you have for those wanting to make their biz FABulous? 

Do what you love.

Make your business a reflection of your own personal style.

Fine-tune your product lines so your product offerings are cohesive.

Offer the best customer service EVER.

Create an engaging and consistent social media presence.

Hire professionals to handle the legal and financial side of your business if those areas aren’t your forte.
Protect your brand by trademarking your name.

How can you get Launched? 

Submit your shop to get {freshly}launched at www.LaunchHER.com

Subscribe to the LaunchHER blog and gain access to the LaunchHER::LAW, LaunchHER::SCOOP and LaunchHER::PRO articles for really great business advice.

Follow us on twitter: Sallisha :: @LaunchHER, Kara :: @LaunchHERLaw

Contact us: Sallisha :: hello@LaunchHER.com,  Kara:: kara@launchHER.com

What is up next for LaunchHER and what can we look forward to? 

We are so excited for 2011!! In early December we trekked through one of the worst blizzards in Minnesota history to meet and map-out the first 6 months of 2011 – it’s going to be amazing!  

In April we are speaking at Creative Estates in the Phoenix area (http://creativeestates.blogspot.com/) – we are literally counting the days!!  

Our lips are sealed, but the LaunchHER::SCOOP posts for January and February are SO GOOD. Working with our exclusive group of LaunchHER::PROs to continually provide our clients with insider knowledge to make their business ventures a huge success and avoid most of the small-business pitfalls.  And, finalizing the chosen locales for LaunchHER::LIVE events!

Sallisha:

1.  I am addicted to using Crest White Strips.

2.  When I'm driving in the car kid-free, I love to turn off the radio, enjoy the silence, and just be alone with my thoughts.  It's like a mini-vacation!

3.  My guilty pleasure is watching Real Housewives re-runs while on the elliptical at the gym.

4.  I've always wanted to learn how to quilt. It's one of my New Years Resolutions for 2011!

5.  Someday, when my children are older, I want to go to culinary school.  Just for fun. 

Kara:

1. I am 5’1” (on a good day, and without heels)

2. I have a shoe addiction and nearly always wear high heels (see #1) 

3. I have been on QVC.

4. I adore coffee

5. In 5^th grade, I decided I wanted to be an attorney.

 If you didn't already LOVE LaunchHER you should now officially be obsessed with their FABness! Head over to the new site now and check it out! Can we say it one last time.....we LOVE LaunchHER! 

Pucker Up, Buttercup (New Year's Eve Cookies)

Mr. E & I didn't meet on New Year's Eve, but I like to say that's when we fell in love. 

His roommate had been dating one of my best friends for a while.  So, we knew each other, but never given one another much thought.  At a New Year's Eve party, while my girlfriend Laura was running around finding her cousin to introduce to Mr. E and some guy to introduce to me....we ended up talking.  We never did meet that cousin or that guy we were supposed to have been set up with.

At midnight, Mr. E kissed me on the cheek.  I was smitten.  A little over 3 years {and one breakup} later, we were married. ♥

So, New Year's Eve has a special place in my heart....even though we won't be going out, we'll be sipping champagne at home (well, he'll be sipping a beer), watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV.

I'm running out of time to get these posted, so no tutorial, but you can see from these pictures how the cookies came together:

{I used my candy corn cookie cutter. These were decorated with royal icing, with a touch of luster dust on the hats and food coloring pens for the girls' cheeks.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!