As we hope you read in our blog “Match Made in Heaven – Part II” our Moxie team includes members from a wide range of backgrounds and points in their individual life journeys. From career changers to former stay-at-home moms, all of our Moxies have varying degrees of experience in life.
Yes, we are all here to learn and grow, but a fair number of Moxies are also college students with their own long-term goals. Our in-school Moxies get the work schedule flexibility they need to stay on top of their formal studies while earning money, staying in shape and learning real-world skills that will help them reach their goals.
By “real-world” skills, we’re not just referring to cleaning and household tasks – that’s a given. Even our Moxies with previous professional cleaning experience are schooled in the “Moxie Way” when they come aboard. We’re talking about learning effective time and home project management skills, multi-tasking and making good judgments, too!
We found one of our college student Moxies, Breona, at our on-campus job-fair booth at Arizona State University where she is enrolled full-time. She was looking to earn some money with a flexible schedule, but she found a lot more. Breona says she loves “the whole dynamic of this company, and its morals and values” and quickly advanced to a Team Lead position after joining us in the latter half of 2018!
Breona’s dream is to own and operate an in-home care-giving business to serve the needs of those who might otherwise be relegated to nursing facilities and she credits Moxie Girl with helping her gain important communication skills. “I would envy the Moxie team if I wasn’t able to be part of it.The name itself is so empowering to me, but more than that, this team feels like one giant family that continuously encourages and supports one another.”
Another of our college student Moxies is Rachel, who was also discovered at an ASU job fair. Rachel is majoring in Justice Studies and has her sights set on becoming a crime scene investigator. Flexibility in schedule was of great importance to Rachel, too, but she was also looking for a supportive team to work with while honing her time-management skills.
Working with Moxie Girl is “having a group of people to boost your positivity and help you in situations you’re not sure how to handle. Having this group to look up to is something I cherish every day.”
Many of our Moxies say one of the most important things they’ve learned is determining what’s “good enough,” because Moxie Girls all tend to want things to be perfect , and in doing so, we know we need to be reasonable. After all, we’ve got schedules to keep!
Does Moxie Girl sound like your kind of tribe? We are always looking for more of “us”, so introduce yourself, please!
We hope you enjoyed our feature on Moxie Girl founder, Amanda Thomas, last week. International Women’s Day may have come and gone but we’re still celebrating over here! Last year we introduced you to Going GreenHouse, Moxie Girl’s personal recommendation for your residential cleaning needs. Since we’re still feeling the girl power though, we thought it might be fun to have April, founder of Going GreenHouse to share some of her insights and experiences (so far) as a female business owner.
The Challenges of Being a Boss Lady
Being a business owner presents a bundle of challenges and a female business owner will experience all of them – and more. April says one of her biggest challenges is participating in networking groups. While the premise of these groups is to help you grow your business and make helpful connections, “Some networking groups are still ‘good ol’ boys clubs’ and I have trouble fitting in,” says April.
“It’s also been a challenge for me to recognize what and who I’m comfortable or uncomfortable with in business, and adjust accordingly,’ April says. Effectively setting boundaries and standards can be difficult, but it’s actually much easier in the long run than compromising your integrity or trying to do business with people or in situations that just aren’t cutting it.
Leadership and Tough Decisions
“I do think I’m a born leader, but some aspects of leadership are not natural to me – such as setting boundaries and making uncomfortable decisions,” says April, echoing the voices of many women in business today. Many of us find it difficult to stifle our nurturing, people-pleasing tendencies – even when it’s necessary to do so in order for business to be at its best.
Without revealing details, April admits that she’s had to make at least one tough decision in the past. “It was best for the company but it did some damage to an important personal relationship for a time. Thankfully, everything has worked out personally,” says April.
Help Along the Way
As women in business we are often reluctant to reach out for help because we fear being perceived as weak. But in fact most successful upstart businesses – regardless of ownership gender – can certainly benefit from the experiences of others. April says she’s “sought guidance and camaraderie from many – and definitely a few key people at certain times” noting that she’s had one “coach” on-going for about 5 years, and others she’s spent a year or so with along the way.
Balance is Everything
“Any uncommitted time I have, I tend to fill up with work-related tasks,” says April, adding that she also enjoys hanging out with family, watching Project Runway and, of course, getting some much-needed sleep. “I built my business to suit my lifestyle, 100%. It just took 5 years to get it that way!”
Congratulations on all your accomplishments to date, April! Moxie Girl wishes you all the best on your continuing journey!
How Can We Help?
By choosing Going GreenHouse for your residential cleaning needs and Moxie Girl to care for your Phoenix-area vacation rental home care, you can be assured you’re receiving top-notch service while supporting a local, female-owned businesses. Both Going GreenHouse and Moxie Girl take great pride in our reputations and our teams. Click a link and find out how we can help!
