I have been getting a lot of questions about my darling little grand-dog Fiona. She is recovering nicely after her surgery. She got her stitches out. She has been doing her physical therapy in the swimming pool.
She is so happy to be free of the cone she had to wear for weeks and be able to play in the backyard once again, that when we try to bring her back in the house she hides in the bushes so we “can’t see her” in hopes she won’t have to come inside.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
family Pets 
grand-dog, Pets, Welsh Terrier 
no comments
Funny as it sounds, I’m a big believer in the power of procrastination. I used to spend a lot of time agonizing over projects I was dreading. That alone was a waste of time. Now, when I don’t feel like looking at spreadsheets or some other less appealing part of my business, I throw myself into something else as mundane as cleaning out a closet. Some of my most productive moments happen when I’m in procrastination mode. You would be amazed at how much you can get done when you are trying to avoid doing something else.
Next time you have a project that you are dreading move on to something else you have been putting off. If you have been thinking about organizing the spice cupboard in your kitchen for months but never seem to have the time, move that to the top of your list when you are trying to procrastinate doing your quarterly taxes. Then get your quarterly taxes done when you are procrastinating scheduling your annual pap smear. See how effective this method is! Eventually everything gets done because there is always something worse than the next thing!
Just when you think that spreadsheet is looking bad there is always a root canal waiting around the corner! Ah, the power of procrastination!
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
Balance Business Procrastination, time management 1 comment
| Ironically, a bird had built a nest on my patio, just as I was facing my own empty nest. Each day I watched the other bird fly off to get food for her babies. It had been my morning ritual that summer.
My kids know I have a full life, actually enjoy spending time with their father, and have raised them to be independent and spread their wings. Having said that, I was still trying to wrap my head around the notion that my son was moving out, signing his first apartment lease, and heading off to college . |
 |
How did we go from swim diapers to dive master in 18 short years? Is it just me, or is there a lot more to worry about than when we left home? Did I teach him everything I needed to? Did I run out of time? It sure felt like it.
As I faced this scary time of letting go, letting my kids grow and take risks, I found myself taking lots of deep breaths and reflecting on when they were little. The challenges we faced then seemed so overwhelming. I had no idea potty training would be the easy part.
I often wonder if we are here to teach our children or if they are here to teach us? With each new challenge they face, our own comfort zones here to expand to accommodate their broadening horizons. I have learned that as our children grow so do we.
 |
With so many of my friends facing a leap of faith this fall and that daunting task of sending a child off to college, it seemed the perfect time to share this video with you, and I hope you will share it with anyone in your life who is in the midst of spreading wings and learning to fly. |
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
family Inspiration children, college, school, spreading wings, video no comments
Just like all grandchildren, my little four-legged, furry one, Fiona has been the bright spot of our family. She has been keeping us all laughing and in stitches. And now she has herself in stitches. Poor little thing fell and broke her leg. Fiona had to have surgery last week so our sad little girl has been stuck wearing a cone around her head, and she is not happy about it!
The Vet warned us that once she started feeling better the most difficult part was going to be keeping Fiona, a Welsh Terrier puppy, from wanting to go back to running around. And he was right! We have a long few weeks ahead of us.
To cheer us all up, and give us something more lighthearted to think about, it is time to officially give Fiona a middle name. That is where you come in…we think she needs a Welsh name in honor of her heritage. We have it narrowed down to three.
Which one do you like best?
Loading ...
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
Pets Fiona, grand-dog, Welsh Terrier 3 comments
I have been ready for an update, a fresh look, a new coat of paint on the blog. When we were discussing what new image should be used to illustrate The Barefoot CEO blog, my daughter and I were brainstorming, and she said just go with a snapshot of a day in your life…. the overflowing bag, cell phone in hand, multi-tasking, with her family waiting on her in the car. That is the story of my life! I can’t tell you how many times, especially in the early days of Femail Creations, my family would all pile in the car—and I would be one email, one phone call or one shoe away from being out the door. It became a running joke for years.
I think a lot of women who are spread too thin, and trying to be in three places at once can relate! The only difference may be shoes—you most likely have shoes on—and I tend to be barefoot whenever possible, or at least never far from a pair of rescue bunny slippers or flip flops—which I keep in the car, in my purse, under my desk, anywhere I may end up in shoes that have exceeded their expiration date—and in my case that’s only a few hours.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
Blog Femail Creations daughter 1 comment
It has taken me a while to write about this. Many of you have been long time Femail Cr
eations customers and supporters and readers of The Barefoot CEO blog, and are really like part of my big extended Femail family. And our family has lost our beloved Airedale Zoë. Sadly a few days after her 14th birthday on May 2nd she lost her battle with cancer. She had a wonderful life and we miss her dearly.
Almost by accident Zoë became like the Femail Creations mascot. In the very early days of the catalog when I had to do one of my very first photo shoots, the photographer arrived at the house and much to her shock she found me wearing jeans, and—as usual—I was in my bare feet. The photographer asked me when I would be changing into my business clothes for the photo 
shoot. I explained to her that wasn’t really my style. I was a more casual CEO, in fact a Barefoot CEO—literally! Well, that just seemed to startle the 
“professional” photographer who found me to be less than professional sans my business suit and all. Eventually, I ended up putting Zoë in the pictures with me—so I could hide behind her! I have always been somewhat camera shy, and Zoë came in handy as the ultimate prop! And the customers loved her! Soon she was getting her own fan mail! Zoë went on to appear in hundreds of catalogs.
Zoë has been the perfect pet for our family at every stage of our lives. It was as if she knew exactly what we needed at every stage of our ever-changing lives. When the kids were little, she was there, playful and protective. When the kids went off to college and the house felt empty she mellowed out and spent her days keeping me company at my desk. If I was having a bad day, she never left my side. And in the end, we never left her side.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
Siblings offer one of the most unique relationships we will ever have in our lives. A while back I spent time reminiscing with my brother, and finding out things about his childhood I never knew. It was very insightful and reminded me how much I still have to learn about my siblings and how much I appreciate having them in my life.
My sisters and brothers make trips down memory lane a much more enjoyable journey. And oh the tales they could tell… they love to tell the story of how as an infant I ripped all of the bars out of my crib – guess I never have like being fenced in!
I used to think my parents were crazy for having six kids. I can’t imagine having a half dozen children! I always thought having more children than I had hands would be too much for me – therefore I only have two. However, at this point I’m glad my parents didn’t subscribe to that notion. Now I have five great friends!
Who else, but those from the same gene pool, can help you laugh at all of the things that weren’t so funny back then? Time offers great perspective. Who else will remind you that the hairdo your sister gave you while she was going to beauty school should not be repeated! (And if you think for one minute I am foolish enough to allow you to click on that picture, you’re nuts! So you’ll just have to use your imagination!)
Of course we all struggle to avoid lapsing back into whatever role we played growing up. (Can you relate?) Coming from a large family there were plenty of slots to fill, and it was as easy to label us as it was to call it a “phase” we were going through. At times the labels are hard to shake. Some of the labels we grew out of, others we grew into, and others never did fit.
With parents long since married to other people, and the house we grew up in long since occupied by others, we have learned to find other ways to create a sense of tradition. It is becoming more and more clear that home is not comprised of four walls and an address; home is where the heart is. Time spent together doesn’t require a home with history, or a set of parents celebrating their 40th anniversary to each other, it simply requires the desire to spend time together with the people who have known you the longest and love you anyway.
The bond sibling’s share is one I have come to treasure more and more. If you are lucky enough to have a sister or brother that makes your life better, pick up the phone and let them know that. Or better yet, send them a card or a treat from this wonderful catalog I happen to know a lot about… www.femailcreations.com.
The thing I am learning as an adult is that the kids I grew up with did just that – they grew up. So now I am getting to know them all over again as the people they have become.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®
Inspiration brothers, family, siblings, Sisters 1 comment
