About Us

The Girls.

The three of us - Ivy, Lisa and Deanna - are fortunate enough to embark on our lustrous life adventures together as friends, women and working moms.

When we united in 2008, we were sitting on a gold mine. Our diverse perspectives have given us a winning combination for making the most out of our lives. We've even managed to make our jobs work for us, and not the other way around - a constant struggle of every woman and working mom.
Now depending on each other to share our successes - and failures - we are excited to share our golden perspectives with you!
Deanna
Deanna

I’m a mom, a wife—and like a growing number of women—a small business owner. I went to Virginia Tech where I met my husband, Chris, and we dated throughout college. We got married shortly after graduating and have been together now for 20 years with three beautiful daughters. We’ve moved several times for work—northern Virginia, Calgary, Charlotte—and finally landed in Atlanta. Our family is definitely my proudest accomplishment!

After being a stay-at-home mom for several years, I was ready to go back to work and focus my energy toward new avenues. I wanted to achieve the personal satisfaction of creating something new and seeing it evolve and grow. I love watching a plan come together—visualizing the results and then achieving them—and wanted to try “making it” outside the home. Ultimately, like many American women, I was searching for the self-worth and confidence I could achieve outside of my role as a stay-at-home mom—I was ready to move to “Phase 2.” For me, that meant joining forces with some great friends to start our own business. I didn’t quite anticipate all the juggling, but with flexible hours, it works for me and our family’s lifestyle!

Lisa
Lisa

When I lost my father—and when my children were born—I realized just how precious life is. And I learned empathy. And how I can help others through their struggles. I am now fortunate enough to help run my company’s charitable giving and matching programs. From the beginning, it has been magical—we have a great leadership team, the joy of offering small help to families in need, the wonderful thanks from charities, and the fulfillment knowing that we help bring hope to so many wonderful homes.

I live in Sanibel, Florida with my husband and our two sons and support several educational causes in our community. Sometimes I feel like a frazzled Jane-of-all-trades—but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Ivy
Ivy

I think this about sums it up: Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, once said, “Success is getting back up on the horse.” And boy, do I know a thing or two about that. Through facing major obstacles in my family, my finances and my health, I’ve felt like many people do—hopeless.

But I’ve gotten back on the horse again and again—and love encouraging others to do the same. I know from experience that it is entirely possible with the right support. You can turn your finances around. You can love again. You can be happy. The people who have been there for me are amazing, and I want to be the best mom, wife, sister, daughter and friend that I can be to them. I want my children and husband to always know how much I love them—and even when they drive me crazy, I still love them more than anything. I want to learn how to relax and not rush through life; it is so precious, and even I forget that sometimes. I don’t want to look back on my life and not remember the journey. I want to make a difference in the lives of my loved ones, but also in the lives of strangers. I want to achieve success—just as Welch defined it.

Categories

« What to do with your old stuff in the New Year | Main | Small people doing big things »

01/20/2011

I cleaned out my house. Now what?

Gg blog - paint 

 

If you’re like me, you’re on an all-out, no-holds-barred redecorating and organizational kick.  Maybe it’s because I get bored easily, but I love to change things up.  And what better excuse to inspire some change than a freshly cleaned out home?  Last week, Lisa blogged about cleaning out our clutter and donating clothes, books and more to charity.  And now that the old is gone, I am on a mission to revamp for the new year!

One of my favorite ways to add some pizzazz includes introducing small elements in my home (here and there) that really punch things up.  Who has the money for a complete overhaul, anyway?  And even if we think we can afford it, there are many ways we can ramp up our style without ramping up our credit card bills.  (Save some money and pay off some bills or start that college fund.  The kids aren’t getting any younger, after all.)

I love these tips and tricks from the Smart Cookies.  They focus on easy ways to cut costs when adding style to your home.

5 Sweet Tips for Saving Money at Home

With the new year comes a fresh financial start.  But if you think gaining ground on your finances means making a major sacrifice in style, fear not!  With a little spending savvy, you can save money for those big-ticket purchases you pine for – after all, you have to save in order to splurge!

1.      Fashion a Vision Board. 

Annual Savings = Infinite

2.     Brighten Up with Sweet Deals on Paint. 

Annual Savings = $40 (based on painting one room with two gallons)

3.     Make Clever Cabinetry and Countertop Choices. 

Annual Savings = 80% off retail

4.     Pick a Programmable Thermostat. 

Annual Savings = $248

5.     Consider Repro vs. Real. 

Annual Savings = 20% (or more! off the original)

Check out the full article – and details on how to implement these tips – on the Smart Cookies page here.

So how do you save money at home?  Share your tips here!

Posted by at 04:12 PM in Finance, Golden Perspectives |

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