From Bunny Slippers to Business Plans
Over at Nerve, I blog about products you need, products you’ll love, and products you probably don’t need but, gosh, they’re so nifty! (My work there gave me the idea to have a regular products feature here at Freelancedom.) During the course of all this blogging, I’ve found many prepackaged “survival” kits, which got me thinking… what could a freelancer on the go use in a survival kit? After the jump, the 6 items I came up with.
A couple weeks ago, I participated in a teleconference where I (and others) determined whether career coaching was for us. At the beginning of the call, CCI founder Marcia Bench listed the personality traits necessary for success within the career coaching realm. Of course, the characteristics she mentioned were relevant to all aspiring entrepreneurs.
Do you have what it takes?
It’s been a Xanax-worthy week, you guys.
Since finding out that the New York Sun may fold at the end of this month (I do freelance copy editing for them, 15 hours a week), I’ve been panicking.
Over a year ago, this regular gig gave me the courage to leave my full-time publishing job. A few months ago, however, I came to realize that I’ve been using it as a crutch, relying on it to the detriment of growing my at-home business.
And so I started looking for part-time work and freelance projects closer to home, eager to cut out the commute that took so much away from the work I was doing at home.
Now, however, with the final moment of truth for the paper only two-and-a-half weeks away, I’m wondering: Is it time for me to concede defeat?
I feel as if I’ve been writing a lot lately on the importance of money matters. To that end, I’d like to tell you all about The Money Therapi$t by Marcia Brixey, another how-to from the always-awesome Seal Press. Not necessarily geared toward freelancers in particular, it does take you step-by-step down the path of financial soundness, an always-necessary foundation for a healthy business. Check it:
Since I went into business for myself over a year ago, and have had to start handling my own income in a more hands-on way, I’ve been using FreshBooks, an online invoicing application that allows me to track the time I’ve spent on various projects, and then easily generate invoices and track the subsequent payments.
I love it. It’s a godsend. And a necessity for small business owners and the self-employed. After all, when you make the choice to become a full-time freelancer so that you can love what you’re doing, you need to make sure that you’re treating your work as a business, not a hobby. And that means handling all the nitty-gritty, business-y, financial aspects as well.
To start you on your way, I’ve done a roundup of 7 online invoicing applications for you to choose from, and because I believe that invoicing software is useless without time-tracking capabilities, all of the apps after the jump allow you to track the time spent on each project or task.
Most of these apps offer much of the same features. In addition to time tracking and invoice generation, you will be able to keep track of which payments have been received, and which payments you’re still waiting on (naughty, naughty client). Some applications even send e-mail alerts when a payment is overdue, and one of them actually allows you to subscribe to your invoices via RSS. All of them will make the business of running your own business infinitely easier.
Without further ado…
It’s inevitable. In the publishing world alone, both print and web publications are notorious for being late with freelancers’ paychecks. How can you deal with the vagaries of freelance income without allowing the stress to make your head implode?
It’s been a rough day, you guys (not to mention a rough week). I’m allergic to our new kitten, who was sick last week and ended up passing her virus along to one of the other cats. So I’ve spent a good portion of today moving furniture and tackling Mercutio and wrestling with him so as to get two different meds down his throat. This while partially comatose due to the Benadryl I’ve been taking (with some Xanax thrown in for good measure at the especially trying times). Plus I managed to squeeze in a doctor’s appointment (for me), a post office run, and seven new posts over at MM. Now I’m making my way through a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra because, really, I need me some comfort food.
I think I need a vacation.
It being Thursday and all, I would normally post a book review.
Last night, however, I found out that my main source of income may be folding, so I figured this was the perfect time to touch upon the ways in which you can keep the unexpected vagaries and pitfalls of freelancing from plunging you into financial ruin. The main thing to remember? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket:
Last week, I posted about an upcoming meetup I was attending, for NY bloggers. Well, the day has come and, though I’m waffling about going due to some dread virus I seem to be coming down with (though I suspect I’m just allergic to the new kitten, I thought I’d address an issue that often comes up at networking events: social anxiety.
