By Heather Niccoli
Since launching HaveHeart in January of 2014, I have been inspired. I’ve learned more from my fellow writers, photographers and cover models than I thought possible. Months ago, I heard about a woman who was creating an online school for women. She was inspiring others to push themselves, educate and better themselves. As you all know, I admire that. Sometimes I feel like we stop learning. Facebook becomes our news. Our friends and gossip become our higher source of information and philosophy, and not because we mean it to but sometimes the time slips away. I made a promise to myself last year to invest in myself. I took several of these courses and it gave me confidence. I loved learning about how to dress more professional, how to get my website more noticed and how to believe in myself. I wanted to introduce you all to this amazing woman: Di Ana Ford, founder of the Women’s Entrepreneur Academy and HaveHeart’s December cover woman. Here is our raw interview. I think you are going to be as inspired by her as I was. The thing is, it takes courage to make a dream real. You won’t believe what Di Ana has invented, what she’s been through, and most importantly: where’s she’s going.
HH.
You started Big Hit Courses. Tell us about that. What inspired you? What were you doing before you started it?
DAF
I started a company called BigHitCourses.com (which is growing into something bigger and better now) to help other women entrepreneurs take online courses to learn how to start, run and grow their businesses.
HH
Did you ever have low points when starting your own company? How did you deal with it?
DAF
The desire to help other women entrepreneurs make their ideas happen is what inspired me to do this. I’ve been blessed to have had the opportunity to experience the life of an entrepreneur in many ways.
I self-published a Wedding Planner that got picked up by a wedding designer and is now published and in book stores around the country (under her name, and I am the ghost-writer). I am the creator of Wedding Conversation Heart candies (like the ones you get at Valentines with sayings on them, but these say I Thee Wed, Kiss the Bride, etc). I was the creator of Wedding Window Clings, a collection of easy on-off “Just Married” clings to replace writing on cars with messy markers. Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot and The Wedding Channel all carried my products (Imagine hearing this on your message machine “Hi this is so-and-so with Martha Stewart Weddings, we want to carry your….). I founded a party plan company and had thousands of reps selling skincare and bath and body products at home spa parties around the country. I learned so much with the creation, production and execution of each venture I did! I spent hours researching and learning how to do things myself. Then business owners kept asking me for their help on how to do things and the idea for my new venture took shape! There have been many struggles along the way and lots of “learn-as-you-go” moments! At one point when I owned my party plan company it came to where I knew I either had to shut it down, or re-brand the company. It didn’t really make sense at that time to shut it down so I made the decision to rebrand the entire company (website, logo, products, labeling, etc). This is when I really learned how to laser focus and get things done, affordably and quickly (I rebranded everything in 3 short months).
HH
You’re re-launching your business with a new focus. Tell us all about it! What are your plans for the future.
DAF
We are re-launching as the Women Entrepreneurs Academy (www.WomenEntrepreneursAcademy.com). One of the things I have learned in my ventures is that what you “end up with” is rarely what you started with! Your initial business idea has to have the room to grow. You have to be flexible and let it expand. Offering online training courses (with BigHitCourses.com) was a great start, but in the back of my heart it didn’t feel quite right, it kept feeling like something was missing. As I worked on the business over time, it started coming to me, what I needed to do! Women Entrepreneurs learn in different ways and need access to experts, others who have done what they want to do, and the ability to source the services and supplies they need to make their ideas happen! That’s where we are going with WEA! It’s an online marketplace where you can take online training courses, and you can book a one-on-one consultation with an expert (on a variety of topics, business and lifestyle), and you can also shop and purchase the services you need from our team of creative experts (logo design, business card design, flyers, copywriting, editing, etc.).
HH
Why women-focused? Is this a passion of yours?
DAF
I love talking with other women entrepreneurs about business and ideas. I really want to build the Academy around a community of like-minded women, a place where women feel comfortable sharing and supporting each other. Most of the business ventures I have started have been build around products geared more for women (weddings, bath, body skincare products…) Plus, we totally get each other when we say how much we are craving chocolate, an hour of peace and quiet or how we had to pretend we were going to the bathroom, with the door locked, to be able to finish writing that blog post!
HH
What do you wish more women knew about self-empowerment?
DAF
I wish more women were braver. So many people have said to me “You get an idea for something and you just go and do it, I could never do that!” What they don’t understand is that my “that” wasn’t a big leap. It was a series of small steps: research, phone calls, meetings, emails, reaching out, searching and figuring things out along the way.
HH
What does it take to be successful?
DAF
Having the support and encouragement of your family is a big one! Continually asking yourself “How can I do that?” and keeping the words “I can’t…” and “I don’t know how to…” out of your head!
HH
What lessons have you learned along the way?
DAF
Your business is not bigger than your family! No matter what you are doing personally (starting a business, have a career, getting fit, etc.) put your family first! Take time to spend with them creating memorable moments. We are all capable of more than we think we are. Don’t take anything for granted. Be gracious. Be appreciative. Think outside the box. It’s all about the experience!
HH
Why should people sign up for your new site? What will they gain?
DAF
People should come join us at the Women Entrepreneurs Academy so our team of experts can help them make their ideas happen! It is so rewarding when an idea that you had in your head turns into a business, and you see other people enjoying and benefiting from something you created! Whether someone wants a new business card design, or to learn how use Google+, or learn how to go Gluten Free, every little change you make to your business or your lifestyle is one step closer to your ultimate goal of making your idea happen!
HH
If you weren’t running your own business, what would you be doing?
DAF
That’s a tough one to answer. I think my brain has a mind of it’s own (is that even possible?) as it never stops sending me new ideas! If there was a job that paid to come with up ideas all day long, that would be mine, hands down!
HH
What do you believe in? What’s your motto?
DAF
Living a Goodiful Life is my motto. “Goodiful” means: something extremely good and beautiful, which to me means striving to do the right thing, keep things simple, appreciating what you have, enjoying the everyday beauty of all the little things that happen each day. I have created a Weekly Acton Planner titled “Goodiful” to help people schedule meaningful experiences and moments that matter into their daily, weekly, monthly lives! I’m looking to get it published and building a brand around it.
To fully understand this I have to share a short story and dream I had…. It was shortly after the death of my baby boy (our second born son), when I had this dream that startled me awake, tears streaming down my cheeks. In my dream were three elderly women who had a beautiful soft glow all around them but I couldn’t see their faces as they had their backs to me. I realized we were all floating and I was watching with the women as we floated from one scene to another. They were seeing special moments and enjoyable experiences from throughout their lifetime, clearly enjoying remembering them. Suddenly, from behind, I said out loud “Is that all there is?” and one of the women gently turned to me and softly said “Yes my dear, that’s all there is.” I instantly understood that the moments in our life spent sharing experiences with family and friends and doing things to make a difference, these are the moments that truly matter and the ones we will long remember. Losing a child changes your world and you quickly become aware of what is truly important.
I encourage each of you to at least check out what Di Ana and the Women’s Entrepreneur Academy has to offer you. I applaud Di Ana for sharing her path to success along with her ups and downs. We all are giving, selfless women. Our days fly by quickly and time is a priceless commodity. I challenge you to gift yourself time to invest back into yourself. Please visit TheWomenEntrepreneursAcademy.com to get involved today!
