It happens to me every single year. Two seconds before the door bell rings or it’s time to take someone else’s kidlets trick-or-treating, I panic because I don’t have a Halloween costume.

How about being a Successful Woman Entrepreneur this year? Here are a few simple and easy costume ideas:

1. Oprah Winfrey:

Directions: Blow up this picture of Oprah’s face and print out. Glue onto cardboard, discarded cereal box, or stiff paper. Cut out eye, nose, mouth holes. Eat popsickle and glue stick to back.

Recommended Accessories: A copy of “O Magazine,” pant suit, cocker spaniel, and your own product or service to tout at “Oprah’s Favorite Thing for Halloween.” Hey, why not get in some PR on Halloween while you’re at it?

2. Martha Stewart

Directions: Follow same directions as above.

Recommended Accessories: “Marth Stewart Living” magazine, suit, handcuffs, and a fresh batch of handmade cupcakes for the kiddies. This is a great costume for interior designers as you can be “playing the part” while giving decorating advice and seeking business all at the same time.

These are just a few ideas…you can expand the same basic concept to be anyone you want for the night. Enjoy and happy trick-or-treating for business.

Trying to decide on dates, times, places or take a general opinion poll can be difficult and test your patience as well as the storage space in your email account. This is especially true if done over email with ten people involved. Ever attempted that? Your inbox is quickly filled with reply messages and the replies for the replies…from all ten people. Within minutes or seconds (it is, after all, a BlackBerry world) you can become utterly confused with who can and can’t on which days and times. Whether scheduling something for the office or a ladies night out…let me introduce you to DOODLE!

A friend recently introduced me (and a whole group of people) to the ease of Doodle.

• Those dozens of one-liner emails? Gone.
• Confusion over who said what and in what email? Gone.
• Agreement on date? Not included.

Here’s an actual agenda I’ve used:

Additional fab features:

• Export Doodle to pdf
• Export to Excel
• Printable version
• Available in over a dozen language

Only in existence for about a month now, Doodle has quickly gained both fans and awards. Our German friends have already rated it a top Facebook application.

I want to hear your email scheduling horror stories (I know I have plenty) and how Doodle has saved YOUR life and inbox storage limit!

Yet another fab money making idea has crossed your mind. Ah…the potential. You reach for your pen and paper. Oops…you forgot your notebook. Or, perhaps your pen. If you are driving, there is no way you can send yourself an email.

So many grand ideas have passed through my mind, but if I did not write them down, out they went. Lost forever to an idea graveyard. Oh, the frustration of an idea lost forever!

Whenever there is a problem, there is always a solution. That is what makes us extra-ordinary Diva Moguls.

Here is the solution to the above problem:

Most cell phones have an easy access button which allows you to record short messages. While this function was probably invented for you to remember you parked in Goofy 17 at Disneyland, Diva Moguls can use the feature to keep track of those fab money-making ideas.

When you get home listen to the message, add the idea to your Diva Mogul List O’Ideas, and erase to make space for the next brain powered moment of idea glory.

Without a doubt, email has taken over snail mail in the business world. Instead of sending reminders and news via the US Postal Service, small businesses use email to their advantage. It’s fast, it’s free, and above all…easy. However, there are still times when it is necessary to send customers hardcopies or various materials though the post office. Here is a technique that will save you time and money:

Buy blank return address labels for your printer at your nearest office supply store. Size down your logo to fit next to your address and print! Word has templates, all you need to do is match the template number on the package with the template number in Word. Fill in the boxes and print. Companies like Avery also have templates on the web you can download if it’s easier for you.

Every penny counts!

Your Advisory Board (Credit)

As a Diva Mogul and world-class entrepreneur, you can’t take the world on alone. That’s why you need to create your own Diva Mogul Advisory Board.

The ideal advisory board would include:

Accountant/CPA: helps with financial issues and questions that may arise when running your business.

Legal: Someone who is a lawyer or knows a lot about legal stuff for your line of work. This person helps you with contracts, avoiding lawsuits, assessing risk, etc.

Human Resources: depending on the size of your company, an HR person can be very useful when it comes to insuring your company and employees.
Planner: this person helps you set realistic business and personal goals. They help tell you want you need to do to get from Point A to Point B.

Mentor: having a person who acts as a motivator can help drive you and your business forward. This person should be very knowledgeable in your field and help you stay positive when the going get tough. A mentor can be either a trusted friend or a hired career coach.

How do you put together a Diva Mogul Advisory Board? Here are two possible suggestions:

1. On the cheap: Recruit people you know and trust from your network who are active in all of these areas. Do a trade. Agree to meet once a month or once a quarter to discuss your goals and help each other out in exchange for the expertise from your area of work.
2. Got Cash: Hire the best people who are a great fit with your business and personality. Quarterly, get everyone together to touch base about your business and business plan.

Every Diva Moguls must have her own advisory board! It’s the only way to grow…you can’t do it all alone!