Never Lose Sight of Your Childhood Dream

Every time a beautiful home catches my eye or I’m inspired by a furniture store’s interior design, I’m reminded that there was a time in my life when I was quite certain that I would grow up to become a creator similar works of art. Yes, my childhood dream was to become an architect and interior designer. The signs were quite obvious, really. The remnants of my mounding collection of doll houses can still be found packed away in my parent’s attic. Yet instead of playing house with the tiny people inside these homes, I would spend hours rearranging furniture and building additional walls to expand the modest structures into dream mansions.  I filled binders and binders with magazine pictures of bedrooms, kitchens and patios and would stare at blueprints long enough until I could visualize the house I would use them to someday create. And at the age when most children were still building with Legos and Lincoln Logs, I taught myself to use the same computer programs used by professional architects and designers.

Even as an adult, the memory of this childhood passion is still vivid.  It’s no longer as common that I allow myself to become so consumed in a hobby or so certain of a dream – and maybe that’s why I love to reminisce back to the time in my life when I did. Childhood should be a time for complete creative freedom and to allow natural talents to shine through. It is also a time that can tell us a lot of about ourselves and who we were destined to become long before we let responsibilities, worries and failures affect our dreams.

It should be obvious to you now that I never became that architect or interior designer of my dreams. The level of intensity I had for this hobby didn’t outlast high school. Instead, I slowly migrated into a completely different career path in communications and writing. Not many people know about my dreams to become an architect that I once constructed so carefully. For the longest time I thought it to be irrelevant and to some degree an admittance of failure. I walked away from something I was so passionate about and never felt the need to look back. Or did I?

To this day, I may not have a portfolio of beautifully furnished houses to showcase, but I do have quite a different portfolio of equally impressive work. I’ve never built a home, but I’ve built a brand and business. I don’t use my creative talent toward interior design, but I do use my creativity in so many broader ways every day. That passion for building something from the ground up and talent for thinking outside the box were never lost, only reassigned. I’m a Public Relations professional, not an architect, but I’m confident this is what all my childhood daydreaming has prepared me to do.

So many years ago I may have mastered some impressive feats for a 10-year-old architect, but I wouldn’t have had the slightest clue as to what Public Relations was and certainly wouldn’t have understood how to apply my talents toward this career path. Yet, with every choice I made to move away from architecture and design, I took one step in the right direction of finding the career I now have today. I couldn’t be more grateful for all the hours I spent playing with those doll houses. Almost 15 years later, I still have yet to build a single home, but I’ve built exactly what my childhood self would have wished for had she known everything that was possible.

As a child, did you ever have a passionate dream about becoming something far different than what you are today? Look closely at the career path you have chosen and you may see that these childhood talents were never lost, only reassigned.  Share your own story by commenting below!

 

A Quarter-Century of Life Lessons: Revisited

Tomorrow, on December 18^th, I will again celebrate my birthday. For as long as I can remember this was a day that all 364 others would be spent looking forward to. With the start of December before I began counting down until days to Christmas, I first counted down the seconds until my birthday. And from midnight to midnight for a full 24 hours I felt like the most special person in the world. When you’re a little kid birthdays are a big deal. You get cards from every aunt, uncle and neighbor you don’t even know and at school you get to bring in treats and wear a ribbon. And then there’s the cake. I loved every new candle each age earned and how it made my birthday seem bigger and brighter with every passing year. My birthday is still a day when I feel very special, though it’s not nearly as big of an ordeal as my childhood self once made it. But instead of those birthday candles merely adding glow to a cake, I now see them as adding wisdom to my life. And so on my grand quarter-century birthday, I want to revisit the blog post I wrote about one year ago at this time “(Almost) A Quarter-Century of Life Lessons” and with this new year and new candle,  I’ve added the life lesson my 25th year has taught me to this ever growing list.

1. Tie your happiness to a goal—not people or things

You will never be able to control people or things; don’t let your happiness be dependent upon them.

2. There is no such thing as awkward situations, only awkward people

Realizing this allowed me to take control of situations and handle them with confidence and grace.

3. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together

It’s not easy when you feel slighted or taken advantage of, but I truly believe that there’s a greater plan and even the bad parts play in to a happy ending.

4. Crying is neither an indication that you’re weak nor a solution to your problems

You can never really hold emotion in. Not dealing with how you feel causes emotion to come out as passive aggression or displaced anger. I allow myself a good pity party from time to time, but after that’s over I don’t let my thoughts linger. I move on.

5. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying

Sure it’s easy for people to sit back and criticize when they’re not in your position. But even failing is a sign that you’re trying—and that’s so much more productive than standing still.

6. Do what you love, not what you think you’re supposed to do

I struggled with this one for a while. I thought I was supposed to stay with whatever job offered the most money and benefits, regardless of how miserable I became. Sure I’d like more money, but it will come. Until then, I’d much rather be doing what I love and calling my own shots.

7. Only blaze your own trail if no one before you has gone where you’re going

Don’t take the path less traveled solely for the sake of being different. There’s no shame in following in someone’s footsteps, especially if you admire the path they’ve chosen.

8. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting

This can be applied to both results you want to keep and results you want to change. If you want change you have to create change—time alone cannot and will not do this.

9. At the core, people are truly good

Sometimes I meet people who really test this belief of mine! But if I spend enough time with someone, somewhere along the line they give me the proof I need to know this is still very true.

10. Strive for progress, not perfection

The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists; it rewards people who get things done. Trying to make each day perfect will only paralyze you from making any sort of progress, perfect or not.

11. Opportunity doesn’t go away, it just goes to someone else

Remembering this makes me reconsider any time I’m tempted to take any opportunity for granted and let it pass by.

12. Do not compromise sleep for anything

Anyone who knows me knows that even with a big project or looming deadline, I would rather call it a night and wake up early to get it done. Sleep is sacred to me—it allows my mind and body to reset. Don’t deprive yourself of this vital time; you need it to do anything else to your full ability.

13. As soon as you wake up, start by saying one positive thing about today

I’ve used this positive thinking technique to get me through some of the gloomiest work periods of my life. No one wants to be at the beginning of a 12 hour work day, but saying one thing you have to look forward to—even if it’s just a your favorite lunch–will help get you out of bed.

14. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck

It may not be what you want, but life will always give you exactly what you need. The sooner I learned to trust this, the sooner I was able to let go of all of the “What If’s.”

15. When you don’t plan everything, everything goes as planned

You may remember this as a blog post where I learned a pretty valuable life lesson. By planning everything, I only set myself up for frustration (and madness) when things would inevitably change.

16. Don’t measure life in grand gestures or life-changing moments

In doing so, you will miss the better part of what life truly is…the little moments

17. Happiness and success are independent of each other

Sure they can, and often do, occur at the same time. But this is not guaranteed nor is the fact that one will always cause the other. You must pursue each separately.

18. The problems we have with other people are more often about ourselves

You may remember my post about not having to like everyone you work with. It’s a fact of life that we will interact with people we don’t like, but do remain introspective about what it is that bothers us about someone else. It’s most often a reflection of our own insecurity or jealousy we can work on.

19. You will never be 100% ready for an opportunity when it arises

Never use this as an excuse not to take it!

20. Time can only heal what we allow it to

If you allow your mind to wallow in sorrow or hurt, it’s like picking at a scab that’s trying to heal. Either move on or embrace the fact that this will become your scar.

21. Never assume you’re the best or worst at anything

A quote Mr. S often shares with me is from his former coach, Joe Paterno “You’re never as good as you think you are when you win and you’re never as bad as you think you are when you lose.” This thought keeps me grounded.

22. Deferring your happiness to the future is a terrible decision

So often we hear people say, “I can’t wait until I retire so I can do that.” But why not be happy and do what we love right now and throughout our entire lives? Don’t put off your happiness and life goals until you have more money or more time, both can run out sooner than expected.

23. Under promise and over deliver

In work and in relationships, never promise more than you can reasonably give. It’s far better to underestimate your skills and commitment to someone to ensure you’re always exceeding their expectations.

24. Nobody has it all figured out

And anyone who claims they do probably has the most to learn.

The newest life lesson that I will add to the 25th spot on my list is the lesson I believe this year was meant to teach me. It’s a lesson that I not only personally experienced, but finally had the wisdom to open my eyes and see all around me…

25. Merely planning to do something is not the same as accomplishing something

I become so frustrated when a goal is set and never met. With so much information about goal setting and motivation I could never justify why so many good intentions never get off the ground. Just before my 25th birthday I reasoned that the answer was the trap of thinking planning to do something is the same as  accomplishing something. Good intentions are not enough if you want to bring something to reality. So as we emerge on the cusp of New Year resolutions, keep this simple truth in mind. It’s a lesson I’ll be sure to carry into my next quarter-century and beyond!

 

Making Christmas A Celebration Not An Obligation: The essentials for reducing holiday stress

If the advertisements, TV special and store decorations aren’t enough of an indication – the holidays are here! And so begins the preparation and the stress that often accompanies this time of year. I have never begun decorating before Thanksgiving and only once did I give in to Black Friday shopping (and believe me that was enough), but this year I feel the most organized and prepared as I ever have been. The decorations are up, the Christmas cards are ready to be mailed and the holiday cheer has definitely set in. It’s not because I’ve had any more time than in years’ past – in fact, I’ve likely had less. It’s because I’m starting to identify the key factors that allow for the holidays to be less frantic and more fun. They’re common sense really, but as soon as we see that first television commercial our brains seem to fill with eggnog and we tailspin into full Christmas chaos. Here are just a few ways in which I have and hope to continue to make Christmas a celebration, not an obligation:

It’s meant to be a team effort.

Our house is small and our decorations are just enough to give a warm feel of the holidays. But preparing our house for Christmas still would have been a daunting task for one person if it wasn’t for a second set of hands. The Sunday after Thanksgiving, when family had gone home and the dust (and dirt and crumbs) had settled, we dedicated our day to organizing, cleaning and then finally decorating. Amidst his incredibly busy work and travel schedule, my husband had a very rare free day in which to help me. He actually suggested this is how we spend our day together which set the tone that this wasn’t so much a chore as it was a memory.  I planned for a full day of dusting and decorating, but once we put on some Christmas music and divided and conquered the tasks, we were done in just several hours. I know that had I tried to tackle this on my own, we still wouldn’t be decorated for the Christmas and the nooks and crannies behind the couch certainly wouldn’t be as clean. What this experience taught me was that Christmas traditions are meant to be shared and in doing so they transform from a to-do into a want-to-do. We look forward to the warm glow of our Christmas lights every evening and this shared enjoyment is what makes decorating fun not frantic.

It doesn’t “sneak up” on you.

I hear this phrase a lot. “Wow, the holidays really snuck up on us this year, huh?” Not really. Christmas is very predictable. It’s the same date of the same month every year. If anything, the decorations in the mall and commercials on TV should give us even more time to prepare as they seem to start earlier and earlier each year. Yet no matter how stressful last year’s holiday preparations were, we fail to take action to prevent it from happening again…and again. If you mailed your Christmas cards on December 24^th last year, why not set a reminder in your phone to begin the process earlier next year? Writing Christmas cards, picking out a tree and buying gifts should be a loving and thoughtful experience. Any stress that comes along with it is unintended or misplaced. If you’ve made an effort to be more proactive and organized but are still left with a time deficit, then chances are you’re simply trying to do too much. So….

Simplify!

The holidays are made for tradition, but they should not take up so much of your time that you’re left with no time to actually enjoy everything for which they stand. The most important traditions should be carried on, but there are many that should also be let go. Determine what’s giving you the best return on investment (ROI) for your time. Sugar cookies made from scratch, hand painted Christmas ornaments and self-stamped wrapping paper are fun activities and beautiful memories, but don’t feel like you have to do all of them every single year. Enjoy the act of preparing for the holidays, but also remember to enjoy time with family and friends. Also, don’t be afraid to lower the bar. I imagine almost every other person you know is feeling a degree of stress and overwhelm as well. Simplify this Christmas with fewer, but more meaningful presents. Do a secret Santa or eliminate the pressure of presents altogether. Hopefully The Grinch that Stole Christmas has helped us to realize that it’s the time you spend with those you love (and the great food) that make the holidays special. Presents, cards and decorations are all just extra.

It’s a process.

So often I hear people boast that they’ve been decorated since Thanksgiving or their Christmas shopping was completely done by mid September and my inner response is, “Was it a race?” Preparing for the holidays is part of the celebration – it’s a process and balance. Rushing to get everything done and out of the way as soon as possible makes Christmas like any other task on your to-do list. I also can’t imagine you feel the same holiday cheer when shopping next to bathing suits and beach balls. Scrambling to buy that last present on Christmas Eve also makes the act of gift giving feel more like an obligation than a thoughtful gesture. Find a balance between the two, take time to sip the eggnog and when all else fails…simplify!

If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.

Finally and most importantly, you should be able to look back on your preparation for the holidays and smile while remembering some fond and funny moments. Even in the coldest and gloomiest months, you should feel warmer, brighter and friendlier. If you find that the holidays bring out the worst in you or your family, make you fight, feel angry or stressed, then something’s gotta give. Somewhere you’re missing the mark for what Christmas is truly all about. And once the holidays have come and gone, you shouldn’t be left feeling even worse—looking at the mounds of decorations that need put away or the heaping credit card debt. All of these are signs that a change needs to be made. Get back to the basics of what makes Christmas fun and special for you!

This holiday season be merry, be bright and….don’t be stressed!

 

Turning Freelance into Fulltime: Taking the Leap

This blog completes a series of 5 posts which outline and address a very valuable lesson for any industry or any career – how to turn your freelancing into a fulltime business. If you’re currently contracting out a set of skills or have at least thought about it, this can be the critical first step toward starting your own business. I invite you to join me each week as I share the 5 most important components needed to prepare for a successful transition from freelance to fulltime.

In case you missed it, read:

Establishing Professionalism

Getting Your Name Out There

Moving Away From One-Time Clients

Building a Client Base

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Taking the Leap

Last December when I wrote the post “Entrepreneurial Survival Mode,” I talked about how sometimes you have to give yourself no option but to sink or swim in order to find that inner fire to make your business a success. I still believe this. But during my own journey from freelance to fulltime, I didn’t tie a blind fold and allow myself to walk off a cliff. Instead, I carefully calculated the jump before I ultimately made the leap into entrepreneurship. The most important concept I want you to take away from that previous post and now this one is that when you can take the leap – do it without hesitation and get ready to work for all you’re worth. It’s a bold and risky move, but it holds the possibility of the most rewarding career experience…creating something that’s all your own.

Here are the key steps I recommend to every almost-entrepreneur contemplating a leap of faith:

Crunch the numbers.

I still have the first spreadsheet I created with all of my expenses versus the meager income I would make if I turned my freelance business into my sole income. It’s a great reminder of where I started and where I’m never too far from to return. But most importantly, it was the assurance I needed to know that I could make ends meet even if everything about my business stayed the same (which of course I hoped that it would improve). When I reflect on this spreadsheet now, it still offers that same assurance that if all came crashing down, I could stay afloat. At this point in my entrepreneurial journey, I learned the skill of minimizing costs. On my spreadsheet I listed all of my current expenses with my fulltime job. I was paying for internet I never used, far too big of a Comcast package and a reserved parking spot at my apartment. Before I took the leap, I really crunched these numbers. I cancelled internet and began sharing with my neighbor for a fraction of the cost. I downgraded my TV (anticipating 80+ hours a week of work on my new business didn’t leave me much time for such luxuries anyhow). I discontinued my parking spot and as a city resident was able to get a parking pass right across the street for just $5 a year. I wasn’t as surprised with my ability to minimize costs as I was shocked with why I was ever throwing this money out the window to begin with.

When you first start your own business, don’t let anyone convince you that you immediately need to rent an office space, pay for a separate phone line or upgrade the speed of your internet. There are many ways to achieve the same results for little to no cost. Separate business needs from business wants. Later down the road when money comes, so will the corner office, fancy business cards and personal assistant. You simply don’t need these things for the first year…or first five years. How much money you have in the bank isn’t just about how much money you made, it’s about how much money you didn’t spend. Minimizing your expenses will help supplement a smaller income and make your leap less of a stretch.

Consider everything that will be affected.

A salaried, fulltime position has many benefits beyond the stable paycheck. Remember that as an entrepreneur your healthcare, 401K and taxes will become something you actively worry about. These will take research and a critical eye to determine the best option for you. For healthcare, I got lucky with my age. Until 26 I’m able to stay on my parents’ insurance plan for a very minimal cost each month. After that dreaded birthday, I’m not sure what I’ll do next but I do know there are more and more options every day for entrepreneurs and small business owners. I will likely talk to a local independent healthcare provider and outline my options. For retirement, I rolled my existing 401K into a Roth IRA. Again, it made the most sense for me for a variety of reasons, but do your research and talk to several people before landing on a plan. Finally there are taxes. I dread them more and more every year as what I pay goes up in proportion to my income. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to claim your earnings and pay taxes on them accordingly. For the first several years you may be able to get away with claiming your business as a loss or have enough deductions that you still get money back. But that can only last so long. Eventually you should consider paying taxes on a quarterly basis to lessen the blow come March  (which is by the way when business owners must file taxes—note this now and avoid a nasty letter from the IRS later).

My dad gave me the best advice when I first started making freelance money, “Spend only what you need and keep the rest in savings.” He meant this so I would always have enough to cover my taxes, but wouldn’t it be great if we all handled our money like this all of the time?

Have an emergency backup plan.

For some, a backup plan may seem like a way out. I’ve heard, and at times agree, with the theory that a safety net is only an excuse to fall. But for large enough leaps where you are risking your income, career and possibly all of your worldly possessions (not to mention sanity), a safety net is warranted. For me, my emergency backup plan came from solid relationships with past employers and key contacts who said that if I should ever decide to be available for fulltime hire, I have a standing offer for a position with them. This verbal reassurance from people who believed in my skill set was the emergency backup plan I am grateful to have never used. More than just the ability to find fulltime work should I need it, I also keep a financial “runway” of at least 3 months. By this, I mean I aim to keep enough funds in savings and in my business that if one day absolutely all income should go to zero, I would be able to continue living and spending in exactly the same way for 3 months. This is a substantial amount of time to find additional income, cut back on spending and make other adjustments to prevent depleting this runway, but it’s a comfort to know it exists.

The idea of having an emergency backup plan in place reminds me of the quote by Robert H. Schuller. “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”  This plan is not to give you an easy way out should things get too hard; it’s to give you the confidence to move forward fiercely and passionately. When you know your next step is not doomed to be your last, you can keep moving forward with courage.

Do it right – and don’t look back.

Once you outline a tight budget, decide how you’ll handle your healthcare, retirement and taxes and setup and emergency backup plan, you’re ready. As tempting as it may be to go out with bang, scream “I quit!” and throw everything off your desk onto the floor, resist the temptation. Your grand finale should be one with grace and professionalism that demonstrates to your employer and everyone else that you are destined to become a great entrepreneur. First, speak directly to your boss. Give them the honor of being the first to know your passion for your side business and plans to take it fulltime. Whether you hate them, don’t want to disappoint them or have no relationship with them, they deserve this respect. Once they’re on board, they can become your advocate and guide you through the process of leaving. Depending on the structure of your business, you may need to speak with the Human Resources Director to place your 2-weeks’ notice. For me, I was also required to write a resignation letter (which felt absolutely wonderful to sign). Going through the proper process of resigning from your job allows everyone to be aware of why you’re leaving and to celebrate with you. It also allows you to take advantage of things like using vacation days, selling back sick days and getting that final pay check 2 weeks after you finished working. By leaving on the right foot, you’ll also start your new business on the right foot. And if you haven’t learned already, this world is a small place and you never know who you’ll see (or have to work with) again.

Once you properly end your fulltime job, that’s it. It’s all you now. During your first year it’s natural to be reminded of your old job by every season, holiday or co-worker’s birthday that would have been a special mile marker. But you have new mile markers now. Don’t look back or keep track of where you might have been had you not taken the leap. The fact is, you did take the leap and every ounce of you should be focused on sticking that landing rather than trying to backpedal mid-air.

Have you enjoyed the 5-part series, “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime?” If so, share this with a freelancer or entrepreneur you know! This wisdom was gained through my own rough and wild personal experiences and I only wish to use it to help others navigate their similar journey. Thank you for reading along.

 

Turning Freelance into Fulltime: Building a Client Base

This blog continues a series of 5 posts which outline and address a very valuable lesson for any industry or any career – how to turn your freelancing into a fulltime business. If you’re currently contracting out a set of skills or have at least thought about it, this can be the critical first step toward starting your own business. I invite you to join me each week as I share the 5 most important components needed to prepare for a successful transition from freelance to fulltime.

In case you missed it, read:

Establishing Professionalism

Getting Your Name Out There

Moving Away From One-Time Clients

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Building A Client Base

The two previous posts, “Getting Your Name Out There” and “Moving Away From One-Time Projects” are both aimed toward the ultimate goal of building a solid client base. Reaching this goal is more than just having your business known in the local community; it’s taking it to that next critical level of getting people to actually hire you. While many aspects about taking your business from freelance to fulltime will be about building a professional brand, this particular component will most directly affect your business’s bottom line – or more accurately, its “life line.” You need to have a core client base which can provide you with a stable income while so many other aspects of your business are fluid and ever-changing. So how do you begin to build this base of paying clients? It only needs to begin with one. From there you can implement these following steps to turn this single brick into a solid foundation for your business.

Ask your existing client(s) for leads.

Your first one or two clients are much more than a desperately needed paycheck. They are a source of potential leads for new clients. Not only can they speak to your business from a firsthand experience, they are also likely to have connections in similar situations where your services could be of great value. If you are a freelance writer and one of your clients is a commercial video production company that often hires you for script writing, they are likely also connected to other video production companies that could use a freelance writer. My own client base was built in a similar way – through word-of-mouth recommendations from current and past clients. Because of my background in political campaigns, I secured my first freelance political client who I helped with public relations and planning fundraisers. At the fundraiser, many of his fellow colleagues who are also elected officials were fascinated with the services they could contract out to me. This single client helped me break into a unique area that has consistently grown my business ever since. I am also lucky that it’s an area I truly enjoy. When I first began my freelance Public Relations business during my senior year in college, I knew little to nothing about political campaigns nor did I have an interest in them. Yet with a single client, I established a whole new branch of my business. When looking to build your own client base, don’t overlook the obvious or easy. Ask your existing clients for leads from their own network who might be interested in your services. Better yet, ask them to connect you directly by personal email. If the initial introduction to your business is made by someone that the lead knows and trusts, it won’t be as easy to brush it off as a cold sales call and will speak volumes for the quality of your work.

Identify your niche.

When using existing clients as a building block for new clients, it’s natural that a pattern of businesses with whom you work most frequently will emerge. Allow this to build organically for some time before taking a critical look at what these patterns mean for the direction of your business. Essentially, you will now need to identify your niche and embrace it. Identifying your niche is not a limitation or a blinder for future business. You can and should seek out projects from all directions as you never know when this could tap into a new reservoir of work. But a niche will allow you to target many aspects of your business’s branding and marketing to appeal to this niche and establish your expertise within it. Say you make custom invitations to sell on Esty and begin to track that the most orders you receive are for wedding invitations. You can focus your web site content, social media and portfolio on wedding-related stationary. You may also choose to attend more bridal shows and advertise in bridal publications or on wedding web sites. This focus will allow you to place your time and effort in the area in which you are most likely to secure future clients. In the client building process your focus may form a spotlight on your niche, but don’t completely turn out the lights on all other categories of services. Remember that the bride you created invitations for will someday be interested in birthday and baby show invites or holiday cards. Make sure even current clients are aware of the full scope of services you offer.

Introduce and incentivize.

Once you’ve reached out to your existing clients for recommendations and have focused on your niches, next comes strategically introducing your business to potential clients. There are various ways in which you can accomplish this and the method will depend upon your type of business and the clients you’re trying to reach. One common method is a letter written to the business owner which serves as a friendly introduction to you are and what you do. This should go out to all businesses which fall within your niche or with whom you’d like to work. The letter should close with a realistic call to action. This can be as simple as inviting them to visit your web site or alerting them that you will be following up by phone in the coming weeks. If you’re in the position to do so, including an incentive such as a discount or free trial for one of your services is a very effective way to get a response. I’ve written such letters for several clients and we’ve seen some amazing results. The more personal you can make it (add in details specific to the person or their business) the more likely you are to receive a response. People want to feel that it’s genuine and not a form letter sent to hundreds of other businesses. Finally, by providing an incentive to try out your services, you reduce the risk of the unknown and take one step closer toward gaining a new client.

Stay tuned as the “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime” blog series continues with: Taking The Leap

 

Turning Freelance into Fulltime: Moving Away From One-Time Projects

This blog continues a series of 5 posts which outline and address a very valuable lesson for any industry or any career – how to turn your freelancing into a fulltime business. If you’re currently contracting out a set of skills or have at least thought about it, this can be the critical first step toward starting your own business. I invite you to join me each week as I share the 5 most important components needed to prepare for a successful transition from freelance to fulltime.

In case you missed it, read:

Establishing Professionalism

Getting Your Name Out There

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Moving Away From One-Time Projects

Often freelancers are hired for a single project that is pre-defined in both scope and pay. If the project was ongoing or needed regular maintenance, that business would just hire a fulltime in-house employee instead, right? Not always. Some businesses still have the need for a fulltime employee but may lack the office space or sizeable pay to do so. This is where being able to offer a contracted service is so valuable. You can provide as much time and skill as a salaried employee, but at a much lower cost because you don’t require a workspace, benefits or consistent 40 hours a week of work. To turn a freelance business into a fulltime career, you need consistent pay or in other words, consistent work. Instead of living on a hope and prayer from one project to the next, begin building a reoccurring client list to add stability to your income.

Identify An Ongoing Need.

When you want to move away from a pay-per-project basis, sometimes you need to be one to identify an ongoing need in which you can address. Essentially, you need to put yourself in the position of that business owner. Ask, “What are their long term goals, reoccurring problems or limitations?” Once you’ve uncovered these valuable issues, look for areas in which the services you offer can align with resolving them. For example, a graphic design artist doesn’t have to wait around for the next client who needs a logo or promotional material put together – these tend to be isolated, one-time projects. With some creative thinking and researching you might discover that the client also updates their website homepage graphic on a monthly basis or regularly includes infographics in their weekly blog posts. This presents the opportunity for an ongoing contract in which you can provide these services on a reoccurring basis. No matter what your freelance business offers, there’s almost always the opportunity to become a regular contractor if you look closely.

Create Your Own Position.

Once you’ve identified a client’s ongoing need, you’ll next need to package your services in such a way that they create a valuable position that your client will want to fill – and do so by hiring you. Start organizing your ideas by writing them down. What can you offer on a regular basis? If you’re a freelance writer, this could be weekly blog posts, website content writing and formatting a monthly email newsletter. Be specific in what you’ll bring to the table and remember to include things like monthly client conference calls, unlimited email communication and projects guaranteed to be completed by a certain deadline every month. These will help to make the position look less like a freelancer and more like a real employee. By doing this, you will have essentially created a proposal in which you will need to pitch. For any freelancer, the first time you pitch to a client can be role reversal that takes some getting used to. Often you’re the one being pursued for work, now you’re the one pursuing a client for work.

Learn to Pitch.

You identified a need, you created a job proposal, now you need to pitch it – and hope you hit it out of the park. First, be sure your client is expecting a proposal for your work. If you’ve worked with them on several projects before, you can easily initiate a conversation in which you explain what you’d like to do. You want to offer them your services on a reoccurring basis to maximize their business goals. Once they’re aware of your intentions and are expecting your proposal, schedule a time to meet with them in person (if feasible) or a time you can connect for a conference call. In either scenario, email them a PDF of your proposal before your meeting so they can review what you’re offering and bring up any questions they may have at that time. This simply removes the back and forth that can often occur later. After your meeting, set a time frame for follow-up that works for both of you. This can be another call or just an email. This follow-up should confirm whether or not they are interested in hiring you as a regular contractor. During the whole pitching process, answer any phone calls or email within one business day. This sets the first standard for how responsive you would be if hired and clients will take this into consideration. Once you’re comfortable with the proposal and pitching process, you’ll be well on your way to securing more ongoing projects and this will also become a very useful skill once you take your business fulltime. Want more information? Click here to read the popular Bennis Inc Blog post, “Protecting Your Pitch.”

Think “Value Added.”

When turning one-time projects into reoccurring clients, your energy is best spent answering the question “What can I gain by hiring you on a regular basis?” Depending on your services and the situation, the possibilities are endless. Most commonly your answers will be among the following. A client will be able to focus more time on running their business by not always looking for freelancers every time a new project should arise. They will save money by using multiple services from one person. You will both develop a working relationship that will allow you to understand each other’s communication style and work together most effectively. I refer to this as “value added” or the value that is above and beyond the services in which you’re being paid to perform. If a client can understand the value you bring to the table that is at no extra charge to them – but can often become invaluable – then you are far more likely to secure them as a reoccurring client. Because there really isn’t a place to emphasize the value added services in a proposal, they’re best communicated when you’re pitching to your client. Make a strong case for yourself! Think of every client as one step toward taking your freelance business fulltime and put this passion into your proposal.

Stay tuned as the “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime” blog series continues with: Building a Client Base

 

Turning Freelance into Fulltime: Getting Your Name Out There

This blog continues a series of 5 posts which outline and address a very valuable lesson for any industry or any career – how to turn your freelancing into a fulltime business. If you’re currently contracting out a set of skills or have at least thought about it, this can be the critical first step toward starting your own business. I invite you to join me each week as I share the 5 most important components needed to prepare for a successful transition from freelance to fulltime.

In case you missed it, read:

Establishing Professionalism

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Getting Your Name Out There

Getting comfortable with confidently talking about your freelance business can be awkward and challenging, but is an essential part of getting your name out there. Often this also means opening yourself up for rejection or dismissal – after all, you’re not yet a “real business” in the eyes of many. If you wait to build a network, you’re only putting yourself months or years behind when you do take your business fulltime. It’s never too early to begin. So how can a freelance business establish a name and a reputation strong enough to compete among the best? The following steps are what I stumbled upon as the most effective way to establish my name in the local market when I was still freelancing:

1. Weave it naturally into any conversation you can.

People can’t know what you don’t tell them, so don’t be shy about sharing the skills you offer on the side. Whether you’re at a dinner, the bar or the bank, if you see an opportunity to connect with someone who could be a potential client or put you in contact with some, it’s worth mentioning what you do – even on the side. You never know who is listening or what you’re saying that could resonate with someone. Be sure to practice a smooth 1-2 sentence explanation as to what you do that you can delivery clearly and confidently. Also, think of adding in a unique or memorable tidbit like, “I first began my side business in college and have since worked with clients from several different states,” or “I just opened a shop on Etsy and custom-make every product.” This not only qualifies your business, but makes you stand out. As a note of caution, be sure to look for natural segways in the conversation that allow for the topic to be brought up. An unnatural insertion can make you look desperate or unprofessional. Start with asking them what they do and when they ask you in return, there’s your green light.

2. Join local networking groups, but limit them to ones that best serve your business.

There a myriad of networking and business development groups at the local, state and national level. Don’t be tempted to join every single one. Think quality over quantity. As a freelancer your time is more valuable than ever – trying to juggle a fulltime job, side business, family life and everything in between. The time you can dedicate to joining networking groups is best spent divided between 2-3 groups maximum. If you pay the dues but are spread too thin to attend any of the meetings, this is a waste of money and potentially a bad reflection on your business. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to category-specific networking group in my area right around the time I went fulltime. This type of networking group is unique in that only one business can represent a category. What this does is create a small “community” of businesses who feed clients to each other. Without competing businesses in the same networking group there’s no conflict of who gets what recommendations. These are often non-dues paying with the idea that you earn your membership by sharing leads. This group meets weekly and has better turnout than most monthly groups with a membership 4 times its size. It’s a large time commitment but also produces consistent results for my business. Because of this, I am only a member of one networking group – and I give it my all. Depending upon your business and what’s offered in your area, a different combination of networking groups might make more sense. The bottom line is to do your research, give each of them a try and know when to stay or when to leave.

3. Ask close family and friends to spread the word.

This may seem overly obvious, but often the best ideas are. Your family and friends have a vested interest in seeing you and your business succeed. They can also speak intimately about your character and skill set. Let them be your mouthpiece and plug your business for you. Even just 4-5 people talking to their networks, increases your network exponentially. I remember creating a little half-page handout for my mom to share about my business. She knew a lot of fellow business owners back in my hometown that could benefit from my consulting work and she did as any mother word – she promoted it. Also, whenever anyone asked what I was doing or where I was working, she remembered to mention that I was also running a side business. Prompting your family and friends to do the same will help the word spread in many different directions and to many potential clients.

Stay tuned as the “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime” blog series continues with: Moving Away From One-Time Projects

 

Turning Freelance into Fulltime: Establishing Professionalism

This blog begins a series of 5 posts which will attempt to outline and address a very valuable lesson for any industry or any career. To say I’m excited to share this information is a gross understatement. Reading any post on my blog, you will see I’m passionate about sharing my life experiences with as many other entrepreneurial hopefuls as I can. This special series “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime” could very well one day become a best-selling book or feature article in Fortune (we can all dream, right?), but for now it’s solely for your benefit and inspiration.

If you’re currently freelancing a set of skills or have at least thought about it, this can be the critical first step toward starting your own business. I invite you to join me each week as I share the 5 most important components needed to prepare for a successful transition from freelance to fulltime.

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Establishing Professionalism

Launch a web site.

As a freelancer, you’re often caught in the awkward limbo of working a fulltime job while living this second life on the side. How much time and energy should you spend on creating a professional image for your freelancing work when it’s not yet your bread and butter? My advice is – a great deal. When a prospective client asks for more information or a sampling of your work, it’s easy and convenient for you to send them a link to your web site. When I first started, I used an extremely clean and simple template on Weebly.com. The web templates are as easy to create as a word document and Weebly hosts your site completely free (which was right in my price range when I first started). Although I’ve since outgrown Weebly as my business grew, I highly recommend it as a starting point for any other freelancers. When you’re ready, you can purchase a domain name to personalize your site further. The bottom line is that a web site shows prospective clients that you’re serious about your side business and the quality of work you put into fostering this business is a good indicator of the level of work you’ll also put into their projects. Once you’re ready to take the leap into fulltime entrepreneurship, you’ll be that much further along in your process of developing a business web site.

Create business cards.

It’s never too soon to have a professional looking business card for your freelance business. When you have the opportunity to talk to someone about your business and they show an interest, you want to be able to give them something that allows them to be immediately in touch with you or to find out more about your work. A business card does just that. It’s also discrete in that you can easily slip someone your card and shift the conversation so you’re not stuck feeling like all you do is talk about this “side job” you have. I remember the first business cards I created. I ordered the minimum amount from VistaPrint.com using one of their pre-made designs. When they arrived in the mail and I saw my name alongside my business’s name on that little card, I felt that first jolt of energy that entrepreneurs live the rest of their life for.

Designate a professional email.

Once equipped with a web site and business cards, you’re now in need of a professional email designated for your freelance work. I still encounter many well-established businesses that skip this step and it’s noticeable. If you bought a domain name for your web site, you can usually create an email at this same address such as John@JSmithDesigns.com. First, this type of email address is both neutral and easy to share in that it uses your name and your business and not something awkward like 2Hot2Handlexoxo@yahoo.com. I can’t imagine a perspective client could overlook this red flag and not question the professionalism and legitimacy of your work as well. Second, a professional email is a nice accompaniment to your business cards. Finally, if someone misspells or misplaces your web site URL, they can easily find it by following what’s listed after the @ (I use this technique quite often to verify web addresses even now).

Include freelancing on your resume and Linkedin.

Even though your freelancing business is only a side job at the moment, there’s no reason to exclude it from your work experience. It says many valuable things about you. First, you have a specific skill set of a high enough level that multiple people are interested in contracting you just for this work. Second, you are organized and proficient with time management to be able to juggle a side business along with a fulltime job. Finally, you’re a leader and an entrepreneur to not only get a side job, but make a side job – which could very well become your sole business with enough time. Be sure to include this wherever relevant. I added my freelancing Public Relations work to Linkedin profile and my resume and received quite a few connections who were intrigued by this work. They key is to find the balance between promoting your work but not in such a way that it becomes a conflict of interest with your fulltime job. I assure you, there is a balance that can be reached!

An Extra Snippet: Do you need to incorporate?

While we’re at the very beginning of how to turn your freelance business into a fulltime career, now is an important time to cover the issue of how and when to incorporate. I waited about a year and a half into my own freelancing before I woke up and did this. And it was only after a brutal tax return that I saw the value in doing so. Once you start bringing in frequent income from clients that averages over several hundred dollars for each project, I suggest talking with a CPA or a tax attorney in your area. I was connected with a very sharp tax attorney who saved me from a bad tax year and set me up right away as an S-Corp. There is a cost associated with incorporating your business (especially if you do it the right way) but you easily earn that back the first year you file this side income as a corporation rather than an individual. Yes, there are online programs like LegalZoom.com that can get you started, but it can be a complicated process and I wouldn’t mess around with the IRS. Talk in person with a local professional who can advise you and apprise you of all of the decisions that will come your way as a new business owner. Never once did I hear of someone who regretted this extra effort!

Stay tuned as the “Turning Freelance Into Fulltime” blog series continues with: Getting Your Name Out There

 

Clearing Out The Mental Clutter

Simply put, clutter is stuck energy. It’s a clog in our mental piping that prevents us from working, communicating and acting as effectively as we could. There are more than enough mental-clearing techniques to help us relax and refocus, but these don’t address the ways in which we rebuild the same cluttered mind every day. Here are just instances in which mental clutter may be messing with your psyche and some easily implemented fixes to help you start moving forward.

Clean out your email inbox…every single day – Take a moment and click over to your email. What does your inbox look like right now? If this is the beginning or middle of the work day for you, chances are you’ve accumulated quite a few messages. That’s normal. But how many of these messages were rolled over from the last work day? Some of these messages may even be from several days or weeks ago. If so, you’ve unknowingly been creating your own landfill of emails which might be making for a pretty unpleasant work environment. The fix? Clear the inbox clutter by treating it like a to-do list. Any email that comes in should be read and prioritized before the day’s end. Some emails are a quick response and easily taken care of. Others will require some time or further action before it can be considered ready to archive. For these types of message – utilize folders! I’m always surprised by the number of people who don’t take advantage of the folder organization Outlook and Gmail provides. Label them with titles most applicable for the messages you commonly deal with and the actions they require. With these messages organized, you’ll never risk them “disappearing” under the heap of emails that build up over a week’s or month’s time. Since starting this practice myself, I’ve been much more aware of the messages requiring my response at any given time, know where to find them when I need them and have all but eliminated the dreaded “I don’t think I ever saw that email” moment.

Remove mental clutter by removing physical clutter – I’m not sure when this began for me, but to this day if I’m in a messy environment, I can’t work as effectively. I need to have a clear space which translates to a clear mind. In the midst of a project or a busy day, it’s completely acceptable to have some small mountains of paper fill your desk, but by the day’s end be sure these mountains aren’t left for you to climb over the next morning. If you tackle your physical clutter every day, each new day will begin with a clear desk and a clear mind.

Capture your thoughts in writing – In a world surrounded by cutting-edge technology, you may be surprised to know that we’re still allowed to be human. By this I mean we aren’t expected to commit every task, appointment, phone conversation or change in plans to memory. The times in which I have a lot of mental notes to remember are among the times when my mind feels the most cluttered and least productive. So write it down! Whether this is a pen and paper to-do list, phone app, word document or calendar reminder, capture your thoughts however best fits your lifestyle. It’s simple…the more you put in writing, the less that’s on your mind.

Eliminate unnecessary noise – When I first began running Bennis Inc I would often keep a television set or music on for “background noise.” It’s not so much that I would become distracted by the show on TV or the artist singing the song, but I would become distracted (and irritated) simply by the noise. It was competing with my inner thoughts and making me work harder to concentrate on the task at hand. The silliest part is that I was self-inflicting this irritation and audio clutter. I now recognize that I prefer to work in as close to a silent environment as possible. Some days this can even be setting the phone to vibrate and turning off email alerts. I don’t doubt that some people may work better with a little bit of background noise, but I urge you to try at least one day “working silent” to be sure you’ve given this option a fair shot. It’s not boring when your thoughts really get on a roll!

Address what’s really fogging your mind – If you’ve made your best effort to eliminate all of the mental clutter by following the steps listed above, but you’re still feeling fuzzy and unfocused, there’s a good chance there’s something else in play. What’s really fogging your mind? Mental blocks can come from feelings we’re harboring about a relationship problem, financial stress, or recent negative experience. These aren’t just clutter; these are actual issues that should be dealt with fully. If a personal situation has you distracted in other areas of life, you can’t bury it deeper and hope it will go away. The best thing to do to resolve this completely is to talk it out, go for a run to clear your head or seek a solution if one is possible. Once this major mental plug is removed, you can return to addressing the rest of the minor clutter rolling around.

Whether your mind is cluttered or organized right now, share with us some of your struggles or secrets to achieving a clear mind!

 

 

The Work-Life Imbalance

Often I come across an article or a quiz asking me to examine my “work-life balance.” It’s a term we should have all encountered by now – whether in a magazine, an HR seminar, even in a casual dinner conversation. To nod your head and affirm, “Of course, I have a great work-life balance,” carries a sense of pride as if you’re really saying “Yeah, I’ve got it all together.” But what defines a work-life balance? Must the parts always be equal to keep the scales from tipping too far in one direction?

We spend the majority of our waking hours working in some capacity. In the best case scenario, only 40 hours of our week is spent in a formal work environment, but what about all of those evening and weekend emails, phone calls and “emergency projects” that cut into the little time we’re already given for “life?” Such tasks sneak extra weight onto the “work” side of the scale and can lead to an imbalance we don’t even know exists.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve taken more notice to how I’ve been chipping away at my free time by choosing to do a several minutes of work-related tasks here and there. Even just a few minutes can turn into hours over the course of a week. For example, I try to finish up my last work project of the day no later than 6pm. But while I enjoy dinner and a little bit of television, my mind is still very much on work. If I hear the chirp of an email – I answer it. And so this persists throughout the evenings and into the weekends. My best estimate is that on average, I burden myself with an additional 7-10 hours of work each week beyond what’s expected or demanded. When all added up, that’s a full day! A day in which I could have taken a road trip, enjoyed the beautiful fall weather or simply decompressed. And while these off-hour emails may help progress work, they put a major halt on life.

Back when I wrote about The Two-Day Truce, I urged everyone to resist the urge to do unnecessary work on the weekends because it only causes the recipients of the emails to feel the pressure to respond. Essentially it takes away from everyone’s weekend. I have gotten better about not being a weekend warrior with work, but I realized an even bigger problem. We’re so trained to work, we do it without even knowing it. Consciously we may feel like we’re living a pretty balanced life, but really our scales are so off kilter they’re nearly falling over altogether.

I couldn’t tell you how many times a day I check my phone for new emails, especially after “work hours.” I’m not sure I would want to know. By proactively checking for emails and refreshing my inbox, I’m looking for work to do instead of enjoying that other component that should fill our time – life. A true Work-Life Balance is so much more than saying you leave your office or close your laptop at 6pm. Chances are we’re very accessible to work during any of the hours in between. But when we’re at work are we this accessible to life? Every week’s schedule is different and there’s no doubt that there will be some weeks that demand an imbalanced share of our time for work. The key is to find the balance not every day or every week, but over the long run.

The Work-Life Balance may not be so much about balance after all. Maybe it’s more about flexibility and our openness to work more when we absolutely have to, but to also seize extra moments of “life” when the opportunity should arise. If you can’t close down by 6pm tonight, don’t sweat it, but plan for some extra relaxing time in your schedule later this weekend to make up for the difference and realign the balance!

What about you. Is your work-life balanced…flexible…or somewhat of both?