Don’t get me wrong. All this time, I’ve been running a real business, including business cards, an LLC designation, business bank and credit card accounts, and of course, copywriting and social media clients.

But until now I haven’t developed a brand per se beyond my name and face. Some might call it “the brand of me.”

Now I’m ready to give this business its own brand. Because it’s starting to become bigger than just lil’ ol’ me, and I want this enterprise to have some room to grow.

As someone who’s helped many other businesses—small, medium and large—develop and enhance their own brand identities, I can’t tell you what a fun learning experience it is doing it for my own company. From naming and logo development to business planning and vision/mission, I’m having a ball putting my creative energies into something I will own and manage. And going through the process also helps me better relate to my clients, who are themselves business/brand owners.

Soon, I’ll be unveiling my business’ new name and identity, along with all the digital and social components that go along with it. I can’t wait to share with you the end results, and get started on the next phase of my professional journey!

Well, give me a break, people. I’ve been busy writing copy and managing social media for some very active clients! The summer has flown by, and I loved (nearly) every minute of it. (Could’ve done without the insane heat and humidity, but that’s what AC is for, right?)

Here are some of the projects I’ve been excited about lately:

• Managing social media for Mom Corps, including the corporate blog, Twitter account, Facebook page and LinkedIn group
• Managing the Official Sponsor community for Prilosec OTC (via my friends at Bridge Worldwide,) including Twitter account, Facebook page and consumer email inquiries
• Launching a new blog for local records management company BIS, Just for the Records
• Creating marketing materials and cooking up new custom card-creation services for a local SendOutCards distributor, via marketing coach Andrea Dale
• Writing copy for a popular (and quite delicious) juice brand, via my friends at HyperQuake
• Contributing to ING Direct’s We, the Savers blog about my ongoing efforts to be more savings-oriented

Plus, I’ve been contributing (when I can) to Family Friendly Cincinnati and working on a big reimagining of Working Moms Against Guilt. Both blogs recently became part of the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s CincyMoms Blog Network, so we’re happily getting lots of new readers!

While I did make a few summer trips with the fam, my big professional vacation was attending the BlogHer conference, held in August in New York City. My fellow blogger and PR extraordinaire Shannan and I had a blast posing with mascots (see above pic with the Statue of Liberty), going to Broadway shows, meeting other bloggers and maybe just learning a few things along the way.

I really aim to update my own business blog more often in the future. And, by the way, my kids do have shoes — even if this blog doesn’t always have new posts.

Longtime readers of WMAG may recall my “other blog” that I created and maintained for about a year and a half, before abandoning it last fall: Mr. and Mrs. Get Fit.

That blog chronicled my husband’s and my efforts to drop our excess pounds and become a fit, healthy couple together. And we did it. I lost about 60 pounds and felt so great about my body and my health. Jay lost 40+ pounds and actually reversed a fatty liver condition that threatened his long-term health. (Look how cute we were back in December 2008, at right!)

Read the entire post on Working Moms Against Guilt here.

Moving makes you realize just how much stuff you have. Especially if you have way too much of it. After paying for hundreds of cardboard boxes and packing materials ($210), professional movers (four separate visits! $2,200 total!), storage unit rental ($280) and junk removal ($450), not to mention spending countless hours packing and unpacking (time = money), I also realized how expensive it is to have all that stuff.

Read the entire post here.

Dear Dave Chappelle,

I know you needed some time off after your whole Chappelle’s Show/Comedy Central breakdown thing a few years ago. When you suddenly abandoned your own show and dropped off the face of the earth, I was stunned and disappointed – but I understood. You’re a comedy genius. You burned your brilliant candle of comedy at both ends, and required some “me time” to regain your sanity. That’s cool.

But what the hell? It’s been like five years now. What have you been doing? I have this image of you, sitting around your farmhouse in Yellow Springs, Ohio, just smoking pot and playing video games day after day. Ignoring your calling as the funniest man in America – nay, the world…

Read the whole post here.

The past few weeks have been absolutely nuts.

I’ve been working day and night to get our house ready to sell. Who knew “staging” a house for the market meant putting 75% of your stuff in storage, painting all the colored walls beige, decorating each room like a Pottery Barn catalog knockoff, and cleaning every square inch of your bathroom grout? Not me…

Read the whole post here.

Read my latest post on Working Moms Against Guilt here.

P.S. WMAG has started a Facebook fan page and a Twitter account. Check them out and “like”/follow us if you want to stay in the know on all things mom guilt.

I was both confident and uncertain of my chances at getting picked. I’ve been blogging for years and have worked with all kinds of brands and companies looking to connect with people online. I’ve also been a loyal ING Direct customer  since 2004. But I can’t call myself any kind of savings guru. I’ve made my share of financial mistakes. Who am I to be the voice of We, the Savers: Official Blog of Savers Everywhere?

Well, what do you know? They liked me! They really liked me! I found out this week that ING Direct selected me as one of their customer bloggers. I’ll be paid (via my ING savings account, naturally) to write monthly posts about my savings successes and mishaps through the year.

Having recently started my own business and added a second child into the mix, I have plenty of material. On top of that, we’re getting ready to sell our house and move into a bigger one. I know you’re probably thinking, Is there any room for savings with all that going on? That’s what I’m going to find out — and share with the world.

Thanks, ING Direct! Happy to join your merry band of customer-bloggers.

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UPDATE: My first post is live. Check it out!

Both the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky chambers have robust programs that help professional women develop their careers, meet and network with other women, and build their businesses. For Mom Corps Cincinnati’s blog, I wrote a post about what these programs entail and how local professional women can benefit. Read the entire post here.