Pro bono work is a great way to build your skills, increase your business visibility, and give back to your community.

Here are some guidelines that might help:

• Keep Your Intentions Pure

Don’t take a pro bono job if you are only motivated by personal gain or reputation building or the connections you will make. Most organizations that need your help are very sincere about their mission. If you don’t believe in what they do, refer someone else to them and then find something else to do that does align with your values.

• Don’t Commit Unless You Have the Time To Do It and Will Follow Through
  

Follow the same rules of under commit, over deliver that you do in your paid business transactions.  It’s easy to get wrapped up in the deep needs of these worthwhile organizations that you want to help more than you actually have time to do. Be careful with this, because once you make a commitment, they will be counting on you. It’s better to take on a small project, see how it fits into your lifestyle and other business demands, and then do more once you see how the first project goes.

• Remember That What You Do Every Day Easily Isn’t Easy For Other People

Lots of things we do day to day are second nature to us. We’ve programmed websites for years, we understand how to ask for funding, we manage projects like they’re an easy shopping list. Just because something is easy for us doesn’t mean it doesn’t have high value. Even something as seemingly simple (to you) as setting up social media profiles might sound like utter Greek to someone else who’s never done it. Just remember that acting like “any idiot could do it” will cast ill feelings on those who need your help. They don’t want or need to be made to feel stupid. Share your skills, the things you’re good at, and do it with a loving and compassionate heart. The things you do every day, which might seem like nothing to you, could be just the thing that propels a social organization to the next level.

• Honor Confidentiality (and Get Permission For Any Sharing)

If you want to share with your client base that you are donating your time – something that can be life and relationship building – confirm that the organization you’re helping is OK with that. Depending upon the group, you might have to remain quiet for the health and safety of who they help. In this case, get a letter of recommendation that you can perhaps share less publicly with potential clients during consult or get a commitment from your contact that you can share their info for a reference. Be on the safe side and ask first.

• Don’t Pro Bono Because You’re Afraid to Ask To Be Paid

Many organizations have budget to hire a professional. If you see a group you want to help, create a proper proposal to be hired and present it. If that doesn’t happen, then you can always offer pro bono. Sometimes we get shy or nervous about asking for what we’re worth. We know what the organization does is great and we really believe in it so we think we’re doing them a favor to volunteer. But too often, we get peeved when someone else comes along with the courage to ask to get paid and gets the job. Just because an organization is non-profit does not mean they only work with volunteers. If you aren’t sure, go back  to tip #1. If your intentions are pure, you will know the right thing to do.

Thank you for being the kind of person who does pro bono work. Enjoy your time!

Vicki Flaugher, CEO
SmartWomanGuides.com

Never before in my life have I felt such an outpouring of gratefulness, generosity, and caring as I have witnessed over the last several weeks. Don’t know if I was just wearing the right clothes, or smelled just so, but I have had the pleasure of seeing some amazing things first hand. And, I feel glad from it.

Everywhere around us, we witness the world. Some of it can seem frightening. If you listen to the general attention monger media, you might conclude that we should all be in a constant state of fear.

But here’s the deal – fear is a state of mind, not an automatic reaction. When we open our eyes to beauty and miracles, we see that instead. Call me a rose-colored glasses wearing optimist, but hope and forward looking visioning feels better to experience. It gives me more strength of spirit to face the issues that need addressing and to take action. Fear cripples – hope and love uplift. Fear is a choice and it is not my choice today.

In honor of this elation and well…gratitude I feel for the wondrous and hopeful things I see around me, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite causes. If you have one you love, please list it in comments below so we can all know about the good work they are doing and how we can help.

Kiva.org – Microlending site: For as little as $25 you can provide much needed credit assistance to deserving entrepreneurs worldwide. Most entrepreneurs who use microlending are women.
RoomToRead.org – Literacy program started by ex-Microsoft executive, John Wood, that builds libraries throughout the developing world. Room to Read’s programs have reached more than three million children so far and hopes to improve literacy for ten million children by 2020.
WomenForWomen.org – Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.
Charity: Water - Almost a billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean drinking water. That’s one in eight of us. charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects.

We have the power within ourselves to create a world of peace, understanding, tolerance, and health. Thank you to everyone who is working toward this vision – know that many of us stand in gratitude for what you do.

Together, we are stronger!

Vicki Flaugher, CEO
SmartWomanGuides.com

Networking, to me, is some bit of a necessary evil. I don’t always feel so comfortable at big events with strangers, but I am working on releasing that. I do especially enjoy certain events and this last week, I went to a happy hour that was complete fun.

The event, hosted at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas, was a philanthropy happy hour, held to promote the upcoming White Party fundraiser for LEAP/Lifeworks. It was a garden party full of drop dead gorgeous people who are just as beautiful inside as they are on the outside. Everyone in attendance was a direct volunteer or financial supporter of the LEAP organization and I was blown away by the quality of individuals there.

I was equally impressed with the organizers themselves. Pictured above in the middle is Brett Barnes, the Executive director of Lifeworks. Lifeworks’ mission is to transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success with education, housing resources, job training, life skills, and more. LEAP is one of their umbrella programs that connects executives and business people to Lifeworks via fund raisers, volunteer opportunities, and more.

So, I partied for a cause. I met some great people. I connected with other like minded social entrepreneurs and conscious philanthropists that see compassion as a prerequisite to doing great business. I felt like I was among “my people”. Networking isn’t so bad after all…

There is a no-strings attached gift from Eldon Taylor just for taking a look at this event, a gift that was designed just to bring unity to the world. You cannot get much better than that.

You can buy the book here, if you’d like, then proceed to the bonus page, put in your receipt number and get access to the bonus gifts available for those who purchase, as well as claim your no-strings attached gift just for visiting Eldon’s site. I’ve read the book – it really is great, so I have no reservations about encouraging you to check it out.

Here’s the press release and bonus offer, including the details on their charitable contribution to Women for Women:

The Gift of Self Actualization

Eldon Taylor’s International and New York Times best selling book, Choices and Illusions, states that “the real meaning in life comes from what you give, not from what you take. . . . that the “warm fuzzy feeling” we derive from a true service experience—going to the aid of another in need—is the best feeling we can have when we put our head on the pillow each night.”

Today, Eldon has put together an amazing special offer that just keeps on giving. In fact there is a bonus gift for you, just for clicking on the link below and reading his inspiring special offer.

Click here for more details.
Eldon Taylon Choices and Illusion Bonus Offer

For every copy of Choices and Illusions sold, Eldon will make a donation to Women for Women International of $1. Women for Women is an award-winning non-profit that provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. They currently work in eight countries including Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. They have served over 150,000 women and distributed more than $42 million in direct aid and loans. You can see for yourself the fabulous work they do by going to: womenforwomen.org

In addition to raising money for Women for Women, you will also receive over 100 additional gifts from leading visionaries, such as Don Miguel Ruiz, James Van Praagh, Louise Hay, Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield and of course myself, just for purchasing one copy of Choices and Illusions, which costs less than $15.

Choices and Illusions does a great job at explaining, in a very down to earth way, how your mind works, why some changes can be so difficult to make, and how you can take control of your own mind to create the life of your choosing. You owe it to yourself to learn all that Choices and Illusions has to offer and then apply it to your own life. Readers from around the world are reporting huge changes in their lives when they did just that and now it is your turn.

Enjoy the no-strings gift and THANK YOU very much for your contribution to providing women around the world the means to build a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman
Click here to follow me on Twitter

Honestly, though, my main goal is not primarily to make money with this blog. I’d love to make money and I am open to it, but I mostly want to empower women to follow meaningful work with passion. I know how happy I became when I shrugged off the yoke of employment and began working for myself. It changed my life. And, I truly believe that women have an amazing amount of power to change the world and they need encouragement. Like watering an exquisite and rare orchid, I believe that it benefits the world now and for generations to come to nurture female entrepreneurs everywhere. I can only pray that I contribute to this cause with my input. I can think of very few things that I consider as important.

I keep my costs very low here and am doing all I can to build a loyal audience that wants to purchase products that I offer. Until that happens, I am opening my heart to receiving whatever assistance the Universe sends me. If you are moved to donate, your money will be used wisely and with much gratitude.

Perhaps my actions will encourage you to add a “Donate” button to your blog. It’s fair for you to get support too. I’ve seen the amazing work that’s happening out there in the blogosphere and it deserves financial attention. If you decide to reach out in this way, please email me when you get it set up and I’ll come to your site and donate. I am certain you could use the acknowledgment.

As always, I thank you for being part of this community. Please let me know if I can assist you in your causes. I am ready to serve.

Together, we are stronger.
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/smartwoman