Birthday Blog Post No. 11

Well it's the end of the month and that means the end of The Cool Rule Company's birthday celebrations (blub!).

So to round things off I've lined up the perfect guest blogger. Heather Carter is a life coach and motivational trainer specialising in Emotional Freedom Technique. I saw her speak recently and was so wowed by her that I just had to include her in this guest post series. Enjoy!
 

Hi, I'm Heather and I met Abi recently at a Teesside Inspire meeting where I was the guest speaker. I was giving a talk about procrastination. But just because I know a lot about the topic doesn’t mean I’m always perfectly well organised or on time. In fact, I was within a whisker of being late with this guest blog! Why? Because I made a note in my diary of the day it was due but I didn’t schedule time actually to write it: the most basic of mistakes!

Heather taking her blog post to the wire

But do I have to be 100% perfect? No! Of course not. Who is?


And am I beating myself up because I made a fundamental and potentially embarrassing error? NO! What would be the point?


I’ve learned from it, and that’s the bit that matters. It was simply a timely reminder to practice what I preach (organisation, planning, forgiveness, acceptance, laughter, allowing).

Go on- laugh at those missed deadlines!

I could have chosen to feel angry and negative about myself for my failure, and for having to knuckle down NOW to an unscheduled task, (and anger, like happiness, is always a choice).  But being angry or coming up with excuses wouldn’t have changed the fact that I had nearly let Abi down. However, it would have put me under extra pressure and would have stifled my ability figuratively to sharpen my pencil and get on with the task in hand. So I calmly and gently faced the error, gave it my curiosity, examined it with an open mind and allowed the solution to flow into me.

Make space in your mind for the good stuff

The mistake itself was the inspiration I needed for the promised blog post on acceptance and allowing! (Accepting I had made a fundamental error and letting go of any negative emotion surrounding it; allowing inspiration to flow into the space in my head where a negative response could have been).


It was my emphasis on the importance of ‘allowing’ that Abi loved about my talk in June, which brings me neatly to what I loved about Abi’s fabulous Cool Rule Book when I saw it that day. I instantly loved the freedom built in to the framework of the book; the way her design signposts ideas and inspiration whilst creating space for the child’s own unique voice. I love the space she leaves for recording those truly individual decisions with quirky photographs or creative drawings. I love that every book of Cool Rules is a one-off; a unique record of one child’s earliest steps on the journey towards self actualisation and self respect.

Big Tot's on his way with his Cool Rule Book

I really don’t think it’s an exaggeration to reflect that The Cool Rule Company helps to lay down the foundations for a family’s future ability to live in harmony through resolution and respect – and from there for the child to grow through life with the confidence that grows from an innate sense of self and others. From Cool Rules Cool Rulers will grow – so I can think of at least one very new young person who should receive one asap!





Heather, thanks so much and I think most of us could learn from your inspirational philosophies, especially us parents of little people who have our endurance and patience stretched as a daily practice!

Check out why Heather gives The Cool Rule Book such a glowing report at www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk - you're bound to find at least one product to delight a tot in your life!

If you'd like to know more about what Heather does, you can visit her website at www.readyforchangenow.co.uk or by emailing her at Heather@readyforchangenow.co.uk
 
Heather will be giving a talk on procrastination to the Darlington Inspire Network on Thursday 12th September at 10am.

Heather will also be giving a free workshop on 'Health From the Inside Out' at Teesside University’s Darlington Campus on Thursday 22nd August at 5.30 and 7pm (email for confirmation of date and time), looking at the way emotions affect health and wellbeing including weight loss and gain. An 8 week weight balancing programme will start in September (dates TBA – please email for information).

Birthday Blog Post No. 10

Today's guest blogger is extra special because she has played a starring role in helping The Cool Rule Company become what it is today. Anne Livesey has been my mentor, my agony aunt, my business planner and all-round expert at keeping me sane during the last year or so.


Hello my name’s Anne, and, up until a couple of months ago, I was an Enterprise Coach and Mentor at Derwentside Enterprise Agency. That’s me, Abi and Big Tot in the picture.

Basking in the coolness of the Cool Rule Book

Currently I am the Business Manager at CHUF – the Children’s Heart Unit Fund at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. We raise money to help babies, and children who have to undergo heart surgery and transplant. You can follow us on Twitter, @CHUFOfficial (please!).

An amazing cause

I’ve always been self employed and employed while bringing up my two children (who have both now left home…it’s so quiet…I almost feel redundant, well almost, until some kind of crisis arises).

In the past five years, alongside being employed as an enterprise coach, I also set up and run my own business, Gift in a Tin. At Gift in a Tin we provide a range of beautiful, handpicked gifts which are encased in elegant tins and personalised with a special message. It's the perfect answer for any special occasion.






    

Beautiful gifts encased in elegant, personalised tins

Abi and I met over 18 months ago, on a cold February day in Consett (yes, I know what you’re thinking: that’s odd, Consett is normally so warm and sunny!).

As we sat and chatted, Abi told me all about her plans for her new business, The Cool Rule Company. Her enthusiasm immediately drew me in, and I was hooked! We just needed to devise a plan to pull everything together and unleash this amazing product range on the world!

Our first challenge was what the Cool Rule Book would actually look like, and how to get just a few samples printed. We used our Mumpreneur group to feed back to Abi, and she also ran a national trial which was very successful.

The final version of The Cool Rule Book

This was real start-up phase.

Abi was relying on me as business coach and mentor (and business owner) to listen and impart pearls of wisdom. But it was clear to me; Abi was a very intelligent, creative sort, who had run successful businesses before. She had fantastic dreams, was overflowing with creative ideas, my job was simply going to be to harness all that wonderful enthusiasm, and just, well, be there.



We set about devising how to let the world know about the Cool Rule Book. There were social media marketing master classes from the amazing Pascal Fintoni and bookkeeping and finance with the all-knowing Jackie Oxley. So I can’t lay claim to be the only person who supported Abi on her journey.

But I am very proud to say that Abi has done an amazing job with her brand and her product development over the past year (I really love the reward charts). Her life is busy looking after Big Tot, Little Tot, and Turkish husband,  but Abi works long hours and never gives up. She is a true entrepreneur with natural grit and determination.

Can you see the grit and determination?

Now, a year on, Abi has moved on from being a start up, and has found new connections who will help drive the business on and I know she will make a terrific success of The Cool Rule Company.

Anne might have to do a stint here

 My brief was to tell you all about me and my amazing products (Abi’s words, not mine). But that’s not why I wanted to write this blog – it’s just not about me. But with the risk of incurring Abi’s wrath and being sent to the naughty step, if you want to see more about what I do, you can find me on Twitter at @giftinatin or www.giftinatin.com


Anne, thank you so much for an overly-complementary blog post (two minutes on the naughty spot will do!) and thank you for every minute you've spent helping me since I made that call to you just over a year ago. Folks, if you want to check out Anne's fantastic gift range visit the Gift in a Tin website today, and don't forget about her amazing fundraising work at the Children's Heart Unit Fund.

If you're looking for ways to celebrate your toddler's behaviour, and promote happy family living in your home, visit thecoolrulecompany.co.uk - enjoy!

Birthday Blog Post No. 3

There's a touch of magic to today's guest blog post. I'm so pleased to introduce you to Mel Rickerby, or as her customers and fans better know her, Magical Mel. I'll let her tell you all about her wonderful line of work and you'll see why I've been so lucky to know her in my first year of business.


Hi, I'm Magical Mel and I'm so pleased to be part of The Cool Rule Company's guest blog posts to celebrate its first year of business.

Magical Mel and a fantastic 'Relax Kids' book

I was so very lucky to meet Abi and discover her wonderful Cool Rule products at Cumbria Baby and Toddler Show at the end of last year. I was there in my glittery fairy wear as I run Fairy School for children alongside Relax Kids classes, parties and training.

Having worked with children for over eighteen years now I truly believe that encouraging them to open their minds and believe in themselves is the answer to their well being. Helping them to engage in their dreams and wishes and giving them tools to succeed positively through life truly has to be embraced.

Mel and a fairy helper

I was attracted to the Cool Rule products not only because of the little man peeping over the wall (which I remember from my teens) but also the terminology, ‘Cool Rules’. How wonderful if children and parents can find a way to make rules cool and gain by spending valuable time together. If my own children had been at the right age to buy the goods I would not have hesitated.

The fantastic Cool Rule range

Starting children young on positive outlooks and remembering the good things in life will only enhance their future. I love the way Cool Rule children will gain something positive to keep and take into the future with them when using the Cool Rule Book or anything else from the Cool Rule range.

I feel that my own business Motivational Exciting Learning shares a lot of the philosophies with The Cool Rule Company and that’s why I invited Abi along to Cumbrian Fairy Day 2013. This is a unique event where children and grown-ups can come along with open minds and experience lots of positive and creative activities together. Building on last year's event, it's going to be a real success and I'm so pleased to say The Cool Rule Company will be part of it.

Faith, trust and a bit of fairy dust!

I hope to work alongside Abi again in the near future and cannot wait to see her wonderful products again this year at Cumbrian Fairy Day, I wish her all the best for her future, and I just know it will be a cool one.



Thanks so much Mel. We're glad you could be a part of our birthday celebrations and you continue to inspire us here at The Cool Rule Company. We're really looking forward to Cumbrian Fairy Day too and will be reporting back here on the blog about how it went!


If you'd like to find out more about Mel and her magical work with children, just use the links below:
 
motivationalexcitinglearning.com
facebook.com/pages/Magical-Mel
cumbrianfairyday.com

If you want to browse the Cool Rule range and see why it stopped Mel in her fairy tracks, check out our website, thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Birthday Blog Post No. 1

A Word from the Chillipeeps Lady!

Today is the first in our special series of blog posts to help celebrate the first year of The Cool Rule Company. Claire Mitchell from Chillipeeps has been kind enough to take time to write a few words and show you why she has been such an inspiration to me during my first twelve months in business. Enjoy!

Hello, my name is Claire Mitchell and I am the Inventor of the multi-award winning Chillipeeps Teat.

Claire and the genius Chillipeeps teat

The Chillipeeps teat attaches directly to cartons of ready-made formula and Volvic and Evian water bottles. We also have a Sterilised Teat and are about to launch the Chillipeeps Spouts for 6m+.
We now trade globally and have huge plans for the future to create a real difference for our babies.

The teat and the spout in action

It all began with a real ‘Eureka!’ moment when we had just set off late to a family party with our beautiful baby daughter. I knew I had cartons of ready-made formula in the car but I couldn’t remember if I’d picked up the clean sterilised bottle which I’d painstakingly prepared. I asked my husband if he’d picked it up, he hadn't and tried to convince me I definitely would have. So whilst I made him rummage through the baby bag to check, I ranted ‘Why hasn’t anyone invented a teat that can directly attach to the carton?’ It turned out I had picked up the bottle and off we went to the party.

Six hours later when the party was over and we got into the car, I told Rob I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Rob had already forgotten. ‘Why hasn’t anyone invented a teat that attaches directly to the cartons?’ We discussed it all the way home and after a little bit of research online, realised we may have come up with a good idea.

The result of that 'Eureka!' moment

I contacted Peter Jones from Dragons Den that evening and asked him to get in touch. His automated email response gave me the first steps of advice to contact the Patent Office and from there Chillipeeps was born. Genius!

I first met Abi and her funky Cool Rule Company at a local baby and toddler show, where I had gone to give away some Chillipeeps Teats and Abi had a stand. I was immediately drawn to see what she was up to. The branding was so vibrant and intrigued me as to what it was.

The branding that captured Claire's attention

Once Abi showed me the concept of The Cool Rule Book and her reward charts, I loved it. Having a little one myself, I just got it. I quizzed Abi a bit about what her plans were for the future and taking it to a larger audience and offered her my business card. Abi didn’t contact me straight away, which was a good thing as in the meantime I became a Mums Club Top 100 Business woman and within the 100 found a fabulous contact for Abi.

The Cool Rule Book for parents & toddlers

I hoped Abi would make contact one day and I’d have the opportunity to introduce them. Abi did finally get in touch and I gave her the belief and confidence to think big and I introduced her to my special contact, the Dodo Pad founder Rebecca. Fate works in fabulous ways and Rebecca was a perfect contact for Abi, to advise her on moving to a bigger stage.


Thanks so much Claire . . . it's been great to hear from you. And thank you for all your help and support to get The Cool Rule Company where it is today!

The next blog post is from a very talented paper artist, Poppy Lee. Check it out on Monday 8th July!

If you want to follow Claire and her Chillipeeps journey, use these links:

chillipeeps.com
Facebook.com/ChillipeepsTeats
Twitter.com/Chillipeeps

To find out what The Cool Rule Company can do for you and your toddler, visit thecoolrulecompany.co.uk