Why yes, this IS the sexy Colin Wright.

I daydream a lot about leaving the area where I’ve been living for the past 31 years. I think of going back to Graz, Austria, for an extended stay. I beg my husband to consider moving up to Boston. When he shoots down that idea, I suggest relocating just a couple hours away to a charming small town in Central Jersey.

“I’ve lived here my whole life!” I tell him. “I want to live somewhere because I chose it for myself… not because I happened to be born there!”

Unfortunately, Michael has a full-time office job in NYC, so we have to stay put. At least for the moment. Which is why I have to live vicariously through the life experiences those like fellow YEC member Colin Wright, who runs his own branding studio while traveling the world. In fact, he travels to a new country every four months.

After reading his latest ebook, My Exile Lifestyle, it occurred to me that Colin might have a lot of wisdom to impart to you guys, on entrepreneurship, maintaining professional networks, and living location independent.

Do you feel that your experiences have made you a better entrepreneur? How?

Hell yes! It’s my belief that being a good entrepreneur is about being hardy, flexible, creative, and curious. Long-term travel really thickens your skin. You have to deal with the bad as well as the good, and you get quite accustomed to uncomfortable situations. Few long-term travelers make it very far without learning to roll with the punches and adapt to strange and novel situations, and that’s something that definitely carries over to the entrepreneurial realm.

Also, you generally don’t travel this way without already being curious, but every answer I find brings with it two more questions, so I’ve found myself becoming more and more interested in EVERYTHING the more I explore. This is a trait that has helped me to a ridiculous degree with my businesses.

What has been the toughest aspect of being location-independent?

Relationships are tricky, because the people you meet know they will only have you in their day-to-day lives for a certain period of time, and therefore may be reluctant to invest much time in you. That’s not always the case, and a lot of people embrace the idea of long-term relationships that take place either online and in real life, in different countries, but it does weird some people out, and there have been a lot of missed opportunities because of it.

I wouldn’t give it up, of course, because new opportunities arise as a result of what I’m doing, but there have been a few moments where I’ve questioned things briefly because of this.

How do you suggest that other location-independent entrepreneurs remain connected to their network, and to their target audience, while on the move?

It’s all about making yourself available — to the extent you want to be available — and creating platforms through which people can access you and your ideas.

For example, I always have a phone number in the countries I travel to, but I also have a Skype number and a Google Voice number for texting in the US. I also try to encourage email contact, and endeavor to get back to people who do email me within 24 hours.

I keep my inbox tidy, of course, but I also try to give people the info they need before they email me by creating products (like ebooks) that convey many of my ideas. My blog serves the same purpose. Rather than explaining the same things over and over, I’m able to write it once, and the connection with my audience is maintained.

Social networks also help quite a bit, as I can keep tabs on what my friends and family are up to on Facebook, and quickly convey information on Twitter.

How do you feel your introversion has affected your ability to start over in a new place every few months, and how do you cope with / manage this particular aspect of your personality? 

It’s something I’ve dealt with for quite a while, and I’ve had the chance to recognize when I need to recharge, and when I’m good to be social. I’ve gotten quite adept (through practice) at forcing the social side of things, too, though I’m incredibly exhausted afterward when I have to do that too frequently.

Because I tend to live alone, though, and because I have a good amount of alone time when I arrive in a new place, I actually don’t have too much trouble making new connections. There’s something about moving and having a new city to explore that gives me a boost and keeps me motivated to get out and talk to people.

You write about extreme minimalism… sort of a must when you’re constantly traveling. Do you have any tips for others who are looking to eliminate the inessentials?

The point of minimalism is eliminating the stuff you’re not passionate about and spending your time, energy, and resources on things that make you giddy. That’s it.

It can be tricky to do this in practice, though, and I’ve found the most success when I have a project that gives me the excuse to break habits and try things out. This seems to help with all the little voices that whisper No, you can’t get rid of that. Your parents gave you that card, and it’s sentimentally important. You know, of course, that the card is not in itself important — your parents and their feelings toward you are — but we’ve been programmed to give things sentimental value instead of the sentiments themselves.

A good place to start would be to go through your clothes and discard anything you haven’t worn in four months. Then, anything you haven’t worn in three months, and on and on, until you’re rid of all the stuff you don’t wear. The feeling you get from clearing out this kind of mental and physical space is enough to give most people the momentum to go on a life-cleaning frenzy, but if that’s not enough, just remind yourself what you’re working toward: more of what you care about, and less of what’s keeping you from it.

And do you have any tips on being financially savvy when you have to consistently come up with the money for travel and lodging? What are some suggestions you have for saving your moolah?

Something that surprised me is that unless you’re staying in 4-star hotels all the way, and doing nothing but eating out for every meal, it’s actually cheaper to travel full-time than to live in a big city. The money I spend on plane tickets and furnished apartments is the money I would have otherwise spent on gas, car insurance, a townhouse, furniture, electricity, etc.

A quick tip I would offer is to make sure that your banking situation is set up so that you have a way of accepting payments online, and that said method is attached to a bank with a high-yield checking account that pays your ATM fees all around the world (there are a few banks that have this, but I use Charles Schwab).

What did you gain from your time in each place that made it all feel worthwhile?

I feel like I walk away with so much more than I came with in each country I visit, to the point where it’s tough to even pinpoint individual items.

Perspective is a good way to summarize some of it. Being able to see things from a similar angle as the locals of a given country is a HUGE asset, and one that has made me a much better person.

Relationships are also very important to me, and I always leave with dozens of new friends, and usually one or two people who are more than just friends. People spend their whole lives trying to find like-minded folk, and I’m fortunate enough to find them everywhere I go, because I cast a wide net, and geography isn’t as much of an issue.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is having new experiences, and traveling to these countries has filled a significant portion of my day-to-day life with new experiences. Every time I try something new, I have a better big-picture view of the world, I’m much more capable of prioritizing and figuring out what I value and think about things, and I’m much more capable of adapting to future novel situations.

What has been your favorite experience so far? Your least favorite?

It’s hard to pick just one, but one of my favorites was playing naked Frisbee and lounging in the natural hot springs in Iceland during the Summer Solstice with a beautiful girl I was dating and a circus performer who did some fire-breathing, which looked really cool in the fog that shrouded the area.

Worst was probably almost getting mugged in Buenos Aires. I escaped, thankfully, after throwing an awkward punch at one of my assailants, but it could have gone VERY wrong, and it was a huge wakeup call for me.

Related: In Favor of Freelancedom: You Can Do It Anywhere

In fact, my own career has taken on a variety of slash career permutations. I’ve done freelance writing and editing while working full-time in the book publishing industry. I’ve juggled part-time permalance gigs with freelance projects and internships. And now I’m a full-time freelance sex writing, funeral singing career coach to word nerds.

I love having that variety, but doing so many things has made it difficult to build one, cohesive platform.

Which is why I approached Jenny Foss — founder of her own recruiting agency, resume guru, job search consultant, and author of To Whom It May Concern: Or, How To Stop Sucking at Your Job Search – and asked her to give my resume a major overhaul.

After she created a resume for me that made me want to make out with myself, it occurred to me that she might have more insight to share in terms of creating a cohesive marketing platform as a freelancer.

So I put on mascara and interviewed Jenny (also known as @JobJenny) via Skype video chat.

You’re welcome.

What do you see as the biggest obstacle freelancers face when building a one-stop marketing platform?

What I see is that it’s hard to put together something that creates a story that’s not disjointed.You need to ensure that your resume or portfolio looks like a story, makes sense to the reader, and is maybe not a career progression, but at least a method to the madness of the pieces that make up a career. It should appear that there’s a strategy behind the projects you take on, and what you offer.

For those freelancers and entrepreneurs coming from a corporate background, how do you suggest they put together a resume that showcases their freelance/client work, yet also represents their corporate past, in a way that shows that the two are aligned or directly related?

One thing I often recommend is that you put all of your freelance work under one business name, whether it’s an official corporation or an LLC or just something you decided to call yourself. Then you have the opportunity for a more smoothly flowing resume that showcases your freelance work, and that still shows the actual corporate work you’ve done and may continue to do. Because otherwise, what happens to people is that they appear to be all over the map, and most clients or employers get nervous, because they can’t see an intentional path.

What are some other tips you’d throw out there for those putting together a project-based resume?

Of course, make it organized. Showcase the “so what” about each project: What were your major accomplishments? What did you do that others in the same position did not? What will co-workers/colleagues remember you for? Make it action/verb-oriented: I did that and here’s what resulted.

Examples from Steph Auteri’s new Ridiculously Awesome Resume:

• Have earned strong reviews from editors and readers for natural ability to convey personal experiences in a way that engages and entertains a wide online community.
• Concepted, planned and executed a Word Nerd Networking event that attracted 75 writers, bloggers and publishers. The event earned outstanding participant reviews, and spawned plans for an upcoming digital publishing forum.
• Proven ability to write pieces that attract significant audience response and national media attention, including coverage on the Today show, CNN and PC Magazine.

On your site, you’ve advised that — visually — people keep it simple  when it comes to their resumes. How can those in the creative industries get creative with their resumes… without shooting themselves in the foot?

You might want to have a couple of resumes. If you’re planning to post something on an online portfolio or distribute it printed, it’s fine to have something eye-catching… design-oriented… a little ornate. It’s not fine when it might go through a tracking system. Use simple text… a common font… no graphics. Tracking systems don’t like those fancy elements. They don’t translate well. As a result, your resume could get lost in the tracking system as a garbly mess.

In addition to a fantabulous resume, what do recruiters, hiring managers, and clients look for in a strong marketing platform?

If you’re not online and not utilizing some of these tools that are so vital to the creative industry, that sets you back a little bit. Like, “Hi! I’m a web designer and I don’t have my own web portfolio!”

I also look for personality. There’s a difference between flair and weird. You can showcase a little of your personality in your documentation. Don’t use cliche words. I don’t care that you’re a heavy-hitting team player who thinks outside the box. Tell me what you’re really all about. If I can tell you’re using phraseology from a textbook, it doesn’t do it for me.

What is the most surprising… perhaps counterintuitive… thing you’ve learned about the job search process during your time in recruiting?

Jenny's ebook! Wheee!

The most terrible thing that almost everybody does is spend the majority of their time applying blindly to things they find advertised online. It’s a tremendous timesuck and will get you only nominal results. Why? If a job is advertised, there are more people chasing it. What I highly recommend, much to the chagrin of HR people, is to go after those positions, but take the extra step to figure out who the hiring manager is for that job. So much time and frustration can be cut out of the equation if you take that extra step.

Also, you can connect with high-level people if you engage with them instead of just blatantly asking for a job.

Tell me more about why you launched JobJenny.com, and why you wrote an ebook.

I had been a recruiter for a handful of years. When the economy turned, I was getting calls and emails from people every day who were very frustrated and wanted my help with their resumes, and with the job search. I work on commission. I really wanted to help a lot of people, but I had to draw the line somewhere, as I was not being compensated for my advice. I decided to provide a resource that would give the type of information I was repeating over and over again. At first, this was just jobjenny.com, but my ebook — To Whom It May Concern: Or, How To Stop Sucking at Your Job Search – has also just launched. [This is an affiliate link. Because I'd trust Jenny with my entire career, I feel totally comfortable endorsing her book. So yeah. Buy it. She's a genius.]

What has been your proudest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I get the message from clients who say, “I just got that job. I just got the call.” A woman I did a cover letter and resume for about five weeks ago was going after a really cool job with a really cool company. She just told, “I got that job.” She knocked their socks off in the job interview, of course. It wasn’t all me. But it’s really gratifying to me when I learn that people are benefiting from this guidance that I’ve offered. I can’t put a price tag on that.

Related: My 5 Favorite Things In: One Person/Multiple Careers, Passive/Aggressive: Finding Work as a Freelancer, Product Placement: The Resume T-Shirt, How To Market Yourself: Strengthening Your Web Presence, What Can You Do for Me?

Audacia Ray, sittin' pretty beneath her red umbrella. God how I covet those tattoo sleeves.

Dear readers: I know you come here because I know everything about freelancing ever, and because you love my pretty pretty smile. But every once in awhile, I like to give you the chance to soak up someone else’s wisdom.

To that end, I’m super-duper-excited to introduce Audacia Ray, a prolific media maker and advocate who’s has been an inspiration to me since I started in the sex writing biz almost 10 years ago.

I first met Audacia when she was leading a Safer Sex for Sluts workshop at Sexy Spirits in Manhattan. I began reading her blog soon after, tracking her career as she spread sex positivity through books, magazines, movies, and more. For a short time, I volunteered at $pread, the magazine by and for sex workers that she was the executive editor for. Later on, I did a write-up for New York Press when Audacia had a launch party for The Bi Apple, her porn directorial debut. And I read and loved her book Naked on the Internet: Hookups, Downloads, and Cashing in on Internet Sexploration.

Talk about diversifying! (Can you see why I so love and admire this woman?) Nowadays, Audacia is the Program Officer for Online Communications and Campaigns at the International Women’s Health Coalition, and the co-founder of advocacy organization Sex Work Awareness. Audacia also hosts a monthly storytelling series, The Red Umbrella Diaries, where people who have worked in the sex trade gather to share stories and document their experiences. Their latest live event is this coming Thursday, August 5, and you should probably go. (Even better, you should go with me.)

So what can you learn about freelancing from Audacia?

1. The bio on your website explains how you became involved in “the vast world of sexuality.” How is it that you eventually turned to various forms of media as a means of further exploring this passion?

I wouldn’t say that I “eventually” turned to making media. Media and storytelling have always been an integral piece of my work on sexuality. My first job out of college was a hybrid of the two — I was part of the inaugural curatorial team at the Museum of Sex. In that job, I tangled with representations of sexuality, and began to explore different ways of telling the story — plus I did my first interviews with journalists.

Creating a public record and telling stories about my own and others’ personal experiences has always seemed both compelling and political to me, and since I didn’t see representations I liked out in the world, I set out to make them myself.

2. It seems to me that you intuitively knew to diversify before “diversify” became the latest, entrepreneurial buzzword. What led you to turn down so many different avenues of the media world?

I’m interested in lots of different things, and when I was starting out with new media six years ago, there weren’t as many how to and best practices guides, and I didn’t have money to hire other people to work for me, so through trial and error I learned how to do a lot of different things, like install and modify a WordPress site, shoot and edit videos, do basic graphic design, self-promotion… all that. But mostly, I have the kind of personality that just likes and gets irrationally excited by new challenges — which is why I keep trying new things.

3. And jumping off from the previous question, have you found that there has been any one medium that has worked best, as far as spreading your message goes, or any one that you enjoy working with more than others?

I think the main thing I’ve learned about the different mediums is that they are, well, different. When I started it was with the attitude of — I just need to get my stuff out there and then people will know about it! But over the six years since I’ve started blogging, I’ve really begun to understand how important it is to have a clue, a strategy, and targeted audiences you want to talk to and interact with.

For a web project I’m overseeing right now I did an exercise of thinking up all the types of people who might come to the site, how they’d get there, what they’d be looking for, and what we’d want them to take away.

It’s a good exercise and definitely made it really clear that there is no “general public” — you have to get more precise than that.

I think that text content is still the best way to spread your message online because it’s easily indexed by Google, so if you blog for a few years you build up a lot of content and relevant searches that tie back to your work. The people who read blogs aren’t necessarily the folks who look for podcasts on iTunes or browse video shows on Blip TV or hang out with their friends on Facebook. This is a good thing, but sometimes it means you need to have one or two ways to reach out instead of being everywhere all the time. That said, planning is a great thing — but impulsive experimenting is awesome too, as long as you learn something from it.

4. I’ve found that my readers have a difficult time with identity. I know I do. When someone asks, What do you do? I’m usually at a complete loss as to whether I should say freelancer; writer; editor; career coach; publishing professional; sex writer; etc. How does one summarize the entirety of their professional identity into one simple phrase or sentence, especially when they do so many different things? On your website, you describe yourself as a “media maker,” which is such a smart phrase to use. How has your identity shifted over the years, and have there ever been times when you’ve struggled to define yourself in the context of your work?

My personal struggle with identity is usually having to figure out how much personal information I want to reveal. I’m a former sex worker, and that’s a big part of how I became the person I am today and a big motivation to create media and support sex workers in creating media that represents us in ways that are both accurate and interesting.

I like describing myself as a media maker because I think it captures the spectrum of what I do. It’s always interesting to see how other people describe me, though, kind of an indication of how well my branding is working. Many people describe me as a “writer,” –which isn’t untrue because I’ve been blogging for six years, edited $pread magazine for three, and wrote a book called Naked on the Internet -- but I always find that so strange because I’d never stop my self-description at that word. It’s equally weird when people refer to me as a filmmaker (though likewise true), so it’s not just that one identity that seems strange to me.

5. You also describe yourself as an advocate, and your latest monthly storytelling series, the Red Umbrella Diaries, is your newest form of advocacy. What led you to storytelling as a form of advocacy? How do you feel it helps you to raise awareness and inspire change?

I think that storytelling is the building block of movement making.

Without personal stories, it’s hard to get people to buy into the political aims of a movement.

Stories make difficult topics like sex work real and relatable, not just depressing statistics. I’ve done a wide range of activist work over the past decade, and I don’t think storytelling is the be-all end-all, but it’s a good basis for understanding what you’re working toward and what changes you want for your community.

Over the last two years, I’ve done two annual media training workshops for sex workers, called Speak Up!, and that’s a way to develop the skill set of creating messages and sticking to a story. But as I’ve developed that, I also realized it was important to do stories for the sake of telling them and bringing people together to listen — so that’s what the Red Umbrella Diaries is about. The project includes a live monthly event, an audio podcast, and a blog carnival, and I’m going to start doing storytelling workshops soon.

6. Bonus question! What is your top tip for those looking to diversify, but confused about how they can build a unified platform?

Have a place that brings everything together and links to everything you do. Update it, even if it feels like you’re being repetitive.

Also — make good aesthetic choices. Visual branding is important and good graphic design is really valuable. For people who are primarily writers, this can be a bit of a leap. Hire someone to design a look and feel for your projects — and reference it throughout the different projects you do.

[Image via]

Back in January, Betsy Lerner — brilliant author of The Forest for the Trees – wrote up a quick post in which she remembered two of her early mentors. And then, a week ago, Holly Hoffman brought up the topic again. All this mentor-talk got me thinking back on my own favorites, and how important they’ve been to my career success.

I myself have never had one single, larger-than-life figure playing the part of mentor (talk about pressure). Rather, I’ve approached mentorship in much the same way career expert Marci Alboher does: as an ever-shifting collection of people I surround myself with…people I feel I can learn from, no matter what stage they’re at in their career. I highly recommend this approach.

Why do you need a mentor? Because you shouldn’t be working in a vacuum, stumbling along your career path without outside inspiration or guidance. Why do you need multiple mentors? Because it’s silly to rely on a single person, when an entire community can provide much better support, and a greater diversity of insight and advice.

So where can you find this army of advisers?

1. In the classroom.

It’s been 16 years since junior high, yet I still think of Mr. Meyers — my eighth grade history teacher — whenever I’m faced with the horrors of public speaking. He taught me the mantra “loud, clear, and slow.” Simplistic enough, but key in keeping me calm. And then there’s Burton Klein, an adjunct professor at TCNJ who, 11 years ago, happened to be the first to teach me about cover letters. Now, well, they’re sort of my thing. It’s been years since I’ve been in contact with either of these people, yet they still loom large in my mind. And then there’s Sue Shapiro, well-known in NYC media circles for her generosity and no-nonsense teaching methods. I took post-college classes with her at both the New School and through Mediabistro, and consider her to be one of my freelance writing gurus. Though I only e-mail her every once in a blue moon, it’s nice to know she’s there if I need her.

Still working toward a degree, or even just taking non-credit, post-college classes in order to hone your skills? Keep your eyes open for mentor options. If you find that you click with one of your profs, the relationship could be well worth cultivating beyond the end of the semester. Just remember that you’re not the only one vying for his or her attention.

2. At your internship.

Sure, you’re there to beef up your resume and gain some much-needed experience. But don’t miss out on the opportunity to also ask your internship adviser some hard-hitting questions about the industry. After proving yourself to be the super-intern, ask your adviser if they have time to chat, or offer to take them to lunch in exchange for the chance to pick their brain. If you prove your mettle at the very bottom of the ladder, they may be willing to help you move up a few rungs once your internship has come to an end.

3. Via informational interviews.

When exploring possible career paths, it can help to target those already in the industry for informational interviews. Draw up a list of your dream companies, and then utilize the company’s website, or perhaps even LinkedIn, to find people who might be willing to talk to you. If you land an interview, use your time together to gather information about their personal experiences within the industry, rather than acting on the assumption that they can — or want to — give you a job. If they’re impressed enough by your initiative, they might be willing and able to help you out in the future. But remember: You career success is not their responsibility.

4. On the job.

So you’re on staff somewhere. I’m going to assume you don’t plan on being there forever. Just as I suggested with internships, try to pick your superior’s brain. The best bosses will feel invested in helping you grow as a professional.

5. Among your peers.

You have just as much to learn from your freelance colleagues as you do from the editors and clients giving you work. Case in point: In running this blog, and in being active on Twitter, I’ve connected with so many fabulous freelancers. And in so doing, I have learned so much. Because, obviously, despite all the preparation, I didn’t jump into full-time freelancing knowing everything there is to know about it. Some things you can only learn by doing. And other things you can only learn from those who have already been toiling away in the trenches. Thank god for all the freelancers out there who were willing to share their experiences, tips, and contacts with me. The very first freelancer I met through Freelancedom was The Urban Muse’s Susan Johnston. I continue to be a bit in awe of her success as a freelancer, and most definitely consider her not only a colleague but a mentor.

6. On your bookshelf.

It was The Anti 9-to-5 Guide that led me to pursue full-time freelancing and, when author Michelle Goodman followed it up with My So-Called Freelance Life, I decided she was the She-Ra of Freelancing. Had I never come into contact with Goodman, I still would have considered her a mentor. Her books are dog-eared beyond belief and, in tandem, operate as my Official Freelance Bible. Still, it seems that not all author-heroes are out of reach, and I eventually connected with Goodman through an online writers’ group. I still feel all ridiculously fan-girl when I see a personal e-mail from her in my inbox. Like: Really? We’re peers now? It’s like receiving correspondence from Barbara Kingsolver (as if). So don’t discredit the possibility that the person behind your favorite how-to might be responsive to your questions. And even if they are out of reach, their books still have much wisdom to impart.

So who’s part of your mentor posse, and how did you first connect?

Related: My 5 Favorite Things In: Test-Drive Your Dream Job

I channel-surfed my way to Tabatha’s Salon Takeover during today’s lunch break. I had never seen it before and, honestly, had never felt compelled to. What did I care about the trials and tribulations of hair salons across the country?

Silly me. I was quickly sucked into a three-hour marathon (I know) and, aside from constantly wondering where she got that fierce black jacket she’s always wearing, I realized: Tabatha Coffey has a lot to teach me about running a business.

I’ll admit it: I’m not much of a businesswoman.  If it weren’t for my abilities to create positive professional networks around myself and write kick-ass cover letters, who knows where I’d be? What did Tabatha teach me?

1. Your Clients Are Your Biggest Assets:

Tabatha scolded salon owners for not mixing with their clients, and stylists for not bending over backwards to give clients what they wanted. It’s easy to question the wisdom of your clients when they request work that — to you — seems ridiculous, or provide you with edits that seem to compromise the artistic integrity of your work. But you’re not just an artist. You’re a service provider, and it’s important to remember that the customer is always right.

In addition to making clients happy with work that meets (and hopefully exceeds) their expectations, it’s nice to reward them for their continued loyalty. Hold sales. Throw contests. Give out coupons. Touch base just to show that you care how business is going, and to find out how you can be the most effective in helping the both of you do even better.

That being said, the customer isn’t always right. If you have a problem client, drop them.

2. If You Build It, They Will Not Necessarily Come:

Tabatha urged both salon owners and stylists to hit the streets in order to both drum up business and build mutually beneficial relationships with other local businesses. She staged grand reopenings and marketing events. She taught her terrified salon students to put themselves out there. Because just being available isn’t enough.

It can be tough to balance product development with marketing outreach, but it’s necessary. Here are some of the marketing posts I’ve done up in the past:

• Passive/Aggressive: Finding Work as  Freelancer
• Ready for Your Elevator Pitch?
• Using Twitter to Achieve World Domination (in Your Field)
• Marketing Basics: Playing to the Right Crowd
• How to Market Yourself: Getting Out More
• How to Market Yourself: Strengthening Your Web Presence

3. Respect for Yourself Translates to Respect from Others:

After spying on the day-to-day operations of a salon à la What Not to Wear, Tabatha always asked the owners to give her the grand tour, during which she wrinkled her nose over inches of dust, uncleaned sinks, and other aspects of appearance. Each salon reopening was preceded by a major renovation that made the space more sleek, chic, and efficient.

While we, as freelancers, may not necessarily have an office space where we meet clients, it is important to maintain professionalism through appearance in other ways: professional website, social media presence, attire when participating in on-site meetings, business cards and other forms of business stationery, etc. If you don’t look the part, it will be difficult for prospective customers to place their trust in you.

4. You Have to Take Responsibility and Be the Damn Boss:

Most of us are running solo operations, but there are those of us who actually have employees. Though I primarily work alone, I recently had a stint as lead blogger for two of Nerve’s blogs — which required me to manage a small team of writers and do some hiring and firing (the latter made me want to barf all over myself) — and once acted as Books Editor for SexHerald.com (more of the same). The only problem? I’ve never been much of a leader.

The thing is, when you’re running your own business, you can’t always avoid conflict. You have to command respect. Give orders. Delegate. Critique. Forget about being everybody’s friend.

This is scary, and it seemed to be just as scary for a number of the salon owners Tabatha was dealing with. But no matter what, you have to take responsibility and Be The Boss in order to ensure that your operation runs smoothly.

5. You Have to Work at It:

Because no one else will.

It might mean long hours. Double shifts. Ramen noodles every day for three months. Atrophied legs from all the hours spent at your computer. Creative thinking. Aggressive marketing. Small failures but bigger successes.

No one else cares if you sink or swim, so it’s up to you to put in the hours.

Thanks Tabatha! I need to go and…um…set my DVR.

Her Anti 9-to-5 Guide led the way in my journey to full-time freelancedom. And when My So-Called Freelance Life hit the shelves, I couldn’t stop myself from gushing. It was the book I wished I’d had from the very beginning.

After the jump, Michelle Goodman — one of my top freelance gurus — is kind enough to answer my nagging questions:

1. Could you tell our readers what first led you to freelancing in the first place?

It was a hasty decision. I hated working in an office five days a week. As far as I was concerned, 9 a.m. was the middle of the night. At the time, I was working as a publicist at a New York book publishing company. A newspaper I had interned for after college offered me some freelance work writing advertorials about clothing trends (basically ad copy disguised as journalism). It of course costs a fortune to live in New York, and some of the freelance pieces I was doing paid more than I made in a week at my publicity job, so who was I to say no?

I researched and wrote these articles evenings and lunch hours, loving every minute of it. So much so that, when I moved to San Francisco at age 24, I decided to do everything in my power to avoid getting a staff job again. After a couple years of working odd part-time jobs to offset my initially paltry freelance pay, I was off and running as a full-time independent professional.

2. What percentage of your clients are regular, and how do you seek out new clients?

I’d say 80 to 90 percent of my work comes from regular clients now. For the past year, I’ve had weekly or monthly deadlines for the same three to five clients. One of these projects just ended and another seems to be running out of money, which means I finally have room in my schedule to pitch new editors and try to forge new relationships with what I hope will be ongoing clients. The idea of writing for some new markets has me really excited.

3. As a freelancer whose resume is a bit all over the place, I have a tough time declaring myself an expert in anything. When was the turning point in your career when you felt you had the expertise to write a book?

I’d been speaking and writing about freelancing and other forms of alt employment — temping, contracting, part-time work, and so on — for a few years before I began writing my first book (The Anti 9-to-5 Guide). When my editor said, “Pitch me the topic you’re most passionate about,” freelancing and alt careers was the obvious choice. So it was a combination of being comfortable as a subject matter expert, being in love with the topic, and putting my own unique spin on it (career advice for indie-minded women).

4. And how did your regular columns come about?

I wrote a post about that a while ago. The short answer: I was already freelancing for the Seattle Times when they asked me to write How’d You Land That Great Job?, and then Nine to Thrive. With my ABC News career column, my editor went to the bookstore, found The Anti 9-to-5 Guide, and gave me a call. The book definitely opened that door for me.

All the columnists I know have been tapped for the gig, either by an editor who already knew and loved them or by an editor looking for an expert (author, speaker, or nationally known journalist) to step into the role. Editors tend to be unimpressed by writers who approach them for the first time and ask for a column. Better to prove that you can rock a particular topic (personal finance, home repairs, life after divorce, whatever) and develop a following by consistently feeding an editor great story ideas and copy.

5. You’ve done articles, copywriting, books, the speaking circuit…where do you see your career taking you in the future?

I’ve finally had time this spring and summer to catch my breath, step back, and make a game plan. I’ve always been a freelance writer first and foremost. The copywriting is something I initially did to get in the freelance game and, later, to fill in the financial gaps when my journalism work didn’t pay enough. The speaking gigs have been to promote my books.

My immediate plan is to continue getting paid to write articles and essays about careers, personal finance, and whatever pop culture trend strikes my fancy. I’m also meeting with a speaking agent this month to see if speaking on the college circuit is something I can add to my schedule without too much difficulty. And while I haven’t ruled out writing another career guide, my longer-range plan is to move into creative non-fiction books, which actually has been my master plan all along.

6. What’s the most interesting, quirky, or fun project you’ve worked on recently, and how did you stumble upon it?

A high-tech firm I used to write marketing copy for recently gave me a Smartphone to fiddle with so I could write how-to articles about the phone and its apps. So basically I get paid to play with the phone and write articles like “How to Use Your Mobile Phone to Telecommute.” Fun, and the phone plan is free!

7. I think I settled into writerly work because I’m so shy, and I’ve always been able to communicate better when dealing with the written word. Was being a part of the speaking circuit ever outside of your comfort zone? If so, how did you get past that initial fear?

It’s still outside my comfort zone, but doing at least a couple of book readings in your home town to celebrate the launch of a new book is all part of the author shtick. These are actually a joy to do. Friends, family, and clients come. Local bookstores are incredibly supportive (and psyched for the extra foot traffic), and sometimes the local media even throws you a bone.

Although I still have to psych myself up before each talk and I sometimes get terribly nervous, it’s definitely gotten easier with time. I’ve also found that unless you’re speaking to a bunch of suits (not really my crowd, so not an issue for me), it’s okay to work your personality quirks into your talk. People appreciate hearing from someone who’s real, approachable, and potentially as goofy as they are.

8. You were a writer-in-residence at Hedgebrook. Feel free to share details so that we can all live vicariously through you…but for those of us who don’t necessarily have the ability to go away on a writer’s retreat, what are your tips for creating a working sanctuary at home?

This story I wrote about Hedgebrook says it all. It’s heaven to leave all your deadlines, RSS feeds, bills, stresses, roommates, etc. behind and do nothing but sleep, eat, drink wine, write, edit, talk shop with other writers, and stroll through the woods for a week or three. Time passes much more slowly without Twitter, and you get a ton of work done.

Though I’ve never been able to recapture the bliss of Hedgebrook at my house, retreating to my home office, kicking everyone out of the room, and shutting down everything but the Word doc I’m working on and my writing soundtrack of choice definitely helps. That’s not to say I always succeed at staving off the countless distractions of working at home, but I do what I can.

9. If you could purchase anything for your home office, what would it be?

I always thought it would be cool to store my clips and magazines in one of those flat file cabinets that architects use. I probably won’t splurge on one any time this century, though. I am, however, planning to move my office from the second bedroom in my house to my garage so I’ll have more space. I may even put a couch in there.

10. Aside from your own books, what are your favorite resources for the burgeoning professional in his/her 20s or 30s?

On My Own Two Feet is a great book on getting real with your finances in your twenties and thirties. I wish I’d had it when I was 30. And How’d You Score That Gig? is a great resource for those wondering what it’s like to work in some of the most coveted jobs out there (from film production to nonprofit management to clothing design). My favorite career columnists/experts for young professionals are Marci Alboher, Alexandra Levit, Lindsey Pollak, and Eve Tahmincioglu.

11. What are the toughest aspects of freelancing, and how do you deal with them?

In the past couple years, I’ve been really, really burned out at times, to the point where I’ve had zero interest in my work for weeks on end. (This often comes as a surprise to people who look at what I do and think, “Dream job!”) When I’m that fried, the only way out is to slog through any immediate deadlines on my plate as quickly as possible and take at least half a day off to sleep, read, zone out in front of the tube, romp around outside with my mutt, or do anything else that’s not related to work.

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Thanks Michelle!

Related: My (More Than) 5 Favorite Things In: The Anti 9 to 5 Guide, 6 Things I Like About My So-Called Freelance Life, Home-Schooled: 20 Books To Build Your Freelance Life Upon

Hey guys! Freelancedom’s Infinite Wisdom of Others series is back, this time with the infinite wisdom of Lisa Romeo, who’s done far more than I could ever hope to do. Because she is incredible. Seriously, check it:

1. First of all, please explain to our readers what your freelance business is, and how much of your time you devote to it.

That varies. At the moment, I’d say freelancing for print and web venues — which in my case includes a lot of personal essay writing — takes up about one-third of my time. I am also teaching, editing, doing editorial consulting, working on a memoir, writing essays for literary journals, and doing research and reporting for a website. In addition, I’ve put my 12 years of public relations experience to work coaching writers (especially first-time authors) on how they can handle publicity for their own books and careers.

Earlier in my career/life, I spent a good deal more of my time freelancing — for trade publications, specialty niche magazines, and general interest media — sometimes full time, sometimes sandwiched between working in public relations and raising kids.

2. What led you to freelancing in general, and writing in particular?

I guess I’ve been writing since around age six, when I fell in love with words, paper, pens, typewriters, magazines, and books.

I began as a full time freelancer right out of journalism school (Syracuse University). I had been riding, and after college I decided to spend a few years on the road competing in horse shows. I began getting assignments to write news, features, opinion pieces, profiles — you name it — for dozens of equestrian magazines and regional publications, both domestic and international, and then later began writing about equestrian personalities and equestrian-related topics for consumer publications. That led to my first public relations job, handling Purina, which at that time was sponsoring the United States Equestrian Team.

3. What type of writing do you concentrate on in your classes, and what do you enjoy the most about teaching?

I teach nonfiction — the personal essay, memoir, general creative nonfiction, and basic freelancing, too. Although I always liked the workshop format, and got a lot of satisfaction from helping fellow writers with their craft, I actually never thought I would enjoy teaching, but I’m finding that I love it. I teach in private settings, or one-on-one, or at writing centers, libraries, and such. (I suspect I’d like teaching less if it involved college freshman comp classes!) Someday, I hope to teach in a low-residency MFA program.

Teaching feeds my own creative work in ways that are surprising and wonderful, and frankly sometimes humbling. I learn so much from the others at the table.

4. You also work on an e-newsletter about the magazine industry. Which niches do you feel are the most in danger, and which will keep on truckin’??

Oh boy, that’s a huge question (or two). Certainly the more narrow niche and specialty magazines seem in the best position to hold on to their highly engaged audiences; their costs are often lower and they are more likely to be privately owned and do not have to show profits for share-holders each quarter. On the other hand, many lack the financial fall-back resources to get through the advertising decline. Still, those specialty magazines which have made great inroads on the web, engaging their highly motivated communities, are likely to survive.

On the other hand, magazines like The Economist, with an extremely well-honed vision, really high-quality journalism, and an understanding of the value of both to subscribers, are also good candidates for long-term survival, even though they are a premium-priced editorial product. You won’t see them offering $10 rates just to get new subscribers signed up.

5. What have been some of the most fun, enjoyable, or interesting writing assignments you’ve worked on?

Currently, my favorite writing projects are personal essays for themed collections. A new one was just released: Feed Me! Writers Dish About Food, Eating, Weight and Body Image (Ballantine).

Because I am a personal essayist at heart, the freelance assignments I especially like are those that also have a relationship to my personal life, even if they are news-oriented. I did a reported-essay piece for mediabistro, as I was near the end of my MFA, which asked editors to weigh the value of an MFA degree for a freelancer. In the 1990s, I suffered postpartum depression twice, and eventually I decided I needed to write about it, so I got myself assignments from mothering publications, in order to have an excuse to interview some of the experts.

I did a piece for O-The Oprah Magazine two years ago about yo-yo dieting, in which they had their life coach work with me for a few months and then we both wrote about the experience. That was emotionally a very challenging project, but a greatly enriching one too.

Years ago, right out of college, I interviewed all of the top hunter-jumper riders, trainers, judges, and Olympic athletes, and often had to do so while they were in the practice ring — these were dream assignments for a rider/writer!

Because I worked in PR for a wide range of clients, and later kept up with media contacts I made, I also quite enjoyed being assigned to unusual topics I would never think to cover on my own, such as railroad track construction, the retailing of high-end pens, pizzeria products, and lipstick manufacturing.

I’ve done a little first-person ghostwriting too, and that’s usually fun, to take on another persona for a bit — a pro football player, a hematologist, a childhood cancer survivor.

6. How do you see your business growing in the future?

I’m constantly trying to figure out for myself how much time and energy to devote to each aspect of my business and writing life. I want to spend more time on essays, memoirs, and other creative nonfiction; but I also want to teach more, do more short- and long-term editing, and work with writers on publicizing their work, too. I’d also like to expand my blog with more resources and interviews that are helpful to writers. Stay tuned.

7. What are the toughest aspects of freelancing, and how do you deal with them?

Rejection, of course, is no fun, but I get past it very quickly and move on. Competing with the hundreds of good journalists now out of work because of layoffs is a new challenge, but all you can do is keep going.

What I hate the most is querying. Maybe that’s one reason personal essays suit me, because they are rarely pitched in advance. On the other hand, a good query is one way to uncover the core of a piece, and has got a lot of value to me as a guide when I write the piece. How do I deal with it? I set reasonable quotas for myself to send out X number of queries a month. That said, I’d be perfectly happy never to write another one. I’m one of those writers editors can call in a pinch with an unexpected (not queried) assignment, and I usually say yes.

8. If you could purchase anything for your home office, what would it be?

Built-in, floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall bookshelves for all four walls. The English library look.

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As always, e-mail me if you’d like to be our next featured freelancer!

My posting has been a bit all over the place this past week. I apologize. I was swept up in wrapping presents, baking xmas cookies, and stockpiling posts in preparation for my long weekend away.

You can see some of the fruits of my labors above. They’re tassies, a recipe I learned from my mom when I was young, a delicious bit of heaven made up mostly of brown sugar, butter, and vanilla (yum!).

As I uphold the traditions my mother passed down to me, I marvel at how much of her is in me. Though there was a good amount of resistance in me, I’ve learned a lot from my mother.

After the jump, 7 things I learned from my mom about career success, despite myself:

1. Don’t be stupid:

This was her way of saying “invest in yourself.” She knew that if I wanted to achieve something big, I had to work at it, prepare for it, prioritize it. Financial needs be damned, she always supported my investment and participation in continuing education, barely-paid internships, and…um…the writing of vibrator reviews (though I heard “can’t you write about something else?”a billion times). This is important. If you want something…and you want it bad…you have to invest in that future, even if it’s impractical for the short term, and even if it’s risky.

2. Have patience:

I stayed on as a full-time staffer in the publishing world for far longer than I actually wanted to. All I did was breathe, read about, think about, talk about the full-time freelance life I was craving. “Be smart about it,” my mother told me. “Be patient.” Even though she didn’t understand what freelancing was all about, she believed in me, and knew that all of my careful preparations would pay off. After a no-too-exruciatingly-long period of time, I found a regular enough freelance gig that made it safe for me to make the leap. If I had leapt before then, I would have struggled a heckuva lot more.

3. Be positive:

When I lost my first post-college job, my mom wasn’t too concerned. “Now you have the time to find your dream job,” she told me, as I freaked the eff out. She also told me: “Don’t take a job just because you’re desperate.” (I was desperate.) I was living off unemployment benefits for a full year before I made my big break into the publishing world. She acted as if she knew all along that this would all work out. Now, as I struggle in the midst of this recession, my mother takes much the same view. It’s still infuriating, but also helpful. Be positive and sure that you’ll get the work and income you want and deserve, and it will come to pass. Mostly because you didn’t give up.

4. Aim High:

As I concentrate all my energies on blogging, web magazines, and other short-form content, my mom still wants to know when I’m getting my book published. (Disclosure: I am not actually writing a book; my mother is delusional.) She wants to appear on the dedication page. She sees no problem with thinking big.

5. Network with everyone:

My mom’s shameless. She’ll tell anyone who will listen what I do for a living, whether I need a job, whether I’m looking for work…It’s embarrassing sometimes, but it’s also the way to be. As she says, “you never know who might be able to help you out, or who might know someone else who can help you out.” My mom basically got me my first post-college job. Through someone at her exercise class.

6. Treat others as you would like to be treated:

I’ve always been a cranky introvert, while my mom has been the social butterfly, friendly and willing to chat up anyone she came across. I’ve learned a lot from this. Her warmth makes others respond to her more positively and, similarly, I’ve used this same approach to develop a good rapport with authors, clients, and editors. Taking this further, you should always be generous in sharing your wisdom and experience with  the other struggling freelancers you come across. They may someday — in some way — be able to reciprocate.

7. Be proud of yourself:

When I got a piece published in Playgirl a year or so ago, my mom photocopied the article — naked people and all — and brought it around to all her friends. I found this both amusing and heartwarming.

Remember to brag to others. Show off your work. It may bring you more work.

Or it may just make you feel good.

(My mom also taught me the correct way to decorate a tree.)

From Michelle Goodman’s My So-Called Freelance Life:

“Take a page from Molly Crabapple and get your friends in on the act: ‘For big, long-term goals, I’ve found loudly bragging about what I’m going to do makes me do it,’ says the award-winning illustrator… ‘Otherwise, I have to face the humiliation of public failure.’ (Talk about incentive.)”

Hey there everybody! I returneth from a looong day of pigging out with my husband’s extended fam, and man do I feel wiped out. The turkey was divine, but I think the twice-baked potatoes were my favorite. I digress, though.

As Thanksgiving conflicted with my usual Wisdom of Others post, and as I didn’t want to give this week’s purveyor of wisdom short shrift, I held off for a day. Take a peek after the jump for my e-interview with freelance writer/blogger Katy Lindamood.

1. First of all, please explain to our readers what your home business is, and how much of your time you devote to it.

I am a full time freelance writer who works too many hours and still doesn’t get as much accomplished as she wants. Along with my husband Ryan, I work writing web content for many different sites. Some of what we write gets published under our names, while other content is ghostwritten. This is fine for now, but I don’t want to be ghostwriting forever. In addition to the writing, we (mostly me) maintain Trapped in the Office, a blog where we chronicle our experiences and sometimes ramble on about nothing in particular.

2. What led you to freelancing in general, and writing in particular?

It was actually a fluke. When we moved, I decided to make a completely fresh start. I had been out of work for about six months, and was getting restless. Not really certain if I wanted to go get another “real job,” I began paying attention to what a friend of mine was saying about making money through writing. I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical that it was possible but — lo and behold! — it actually worked. I started out slow, just posting reviews and random articles on Associated Content, and then started expanding. I like the fact that I can work anytime and from anywhere.

3. What percentage of clients are regular, and how do you seek out new clients?

Actually, all of my clients are regular. When I look for new clients, I purposely look for long-term work. In this economy, you never know when one of your best paying clients might have to close shop, and that could mean big trouble if you are depending on that money.

When I look for new companies/clients to work for, I generally check out the bidding sites, like Elance, Rent A Coder, and Get A Freelancer. I only bid on projects that truly interest me. I have made the mistake of bidding on projects because they looked easy, only to find myself bored to tears writing them.

4. How do you see your business growing in the future?

I would like to think that in the future, I could move from writing web content to writing articles for magazines. I would like to cut a few of my lower paying jobs for higher paying ones, and am working on that right now. I honestly don’t know if freelancing will be a long-term career, because a part of me really misses working in retail, but until I finish my business degree I will be freelancing, unless a great job happens to fall in my lap…ha!

5. What are your favorite resources for the burgeoning professional in his/her 20s or 30s?

There are so many great resources out there for a person in the freelance writing business that it’s hard to pick just a few. There are so many blogs that I read religiously that I sometimes think I do more reading these days than writing. If I had to pick just a few, I would say Freelance Folder and Freelance Switch. Both provide great insight into freelancing. Also the Work At Home Mom message boards are a great place to ask others about their experiences.

6. What are the toughest aspects of freelancing, and how do you deal with them?

Working from home in any capacity is great, but it has its downside. For one thing, I hardly ever leave the house. Sometimes I think these four walls are closing in on me. That’s one of the reasons I started Trapped in the Office. I have met some great bloggers over the last few months and have learned a great deal.

I think the hardest part about freelancing is actually getting up the nerve to give it a try and then finding reliable companies to work for. If it had not been for my best friend Jenn, I would have been so lost when I started writing for money. Luckily, she had tried out some of the sites and gave me a great foundation for getting started. Once you know how to find reliable work and know how to spot scams, the sky is the limit.

7. If you could purchase anything for your home office, what would it be?

How about a real home office? That would be great. When we moved into our new home at the beginning of this year, I kept saying we needed to buy new desks and chairs, but that never happened. If you look at this picture, you will see the office (before I bought my laptop). Yeah, that’s the kitchen table and chairs shoved into a spare bedroom. Oh, how I long for a desk of my very own and a chair that does not make my back ache. Those are on the list of upcoming purchases.

8. What are some dream jobs you’d consider if you had your druthers?

Well, since my math and science skills are less than stellar, the space program is out. Seriously though, if I could be doing anything else, I would be working in retail. Some people think I am nuts, but there is something about retail. I am working on a degree in business management with a focus on Human Resources, so maybe one day I will have that dream job.

9. What are some of your favorite go-to sites in terms of entertaining or informative content, and/or damn good writing?

I’m admittedly on my computer 99% of the time I am awake. I enjoy reading blogs about freelancing, but I can’t go a day without checking the Pop Candy Blog at USA Today. I also enjoy reading Write In My Journal and about a zillion other sites. If you can’t find me surfing the net or writing an article, I am probably either using Stumble Upon to find random stuff or catching up on one of my favorite shows.

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To see some of Katy’s non-blog work, check out her Associated Content page, or her eHow page.

You can also connect with her over at MySpace.

p.s. You can find my story over at her blog!