When we consider the benefits of freelancing, it’s usually in the context of our own lifestyles as members of the work force. We think about the increased potential to earn and the freedom to set our own schedules and perform our work from the locations of our own choosing. Don’t forget, though, that the freelance-client […]
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One of the most enjoyable aspects of the freelancer’s life is the ability to work from anywhere, and increasing numbers are finding personal fulfillment and business success thanks to the rise of co-working. Sure, for many of us, non-virtual tasks are big parts of what we do, from networking and lining up clients to making […]
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What Attracts Coders to Open Source Software engineers are generally considered to be a defiant bunch. Whether or not these reputations are legitimate, the stereotypical coder marches to the beat of his own drummer. He keeps odd hours, delivers projects whenever he sees fit, is socially awkward, loves science fiction and is rabidly loyal to […]
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You aren’t like the others. You take pride in delivering top quality. It’s important to you as a freelancer to do your best work – to do the best work. You review, revise, incorporate oh so many contradictory pieces of feedback, and when you are done, you have a perfect deliverable. But along they way, […]
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It doesn’t really matter how much value you deliver, how far ahead of deadline you deliver it, or how above and beyond the agreed-upon scope of work you go. Getting your clients to pay up can sometimes be a challenge. Any measure you take to reduce friction along the way can help, which is why […]
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Bitcoins emerged in 2009 and have become an increasingly popular form of electronic payment ever since. Their use does not involve banks or credit card companies and no personal information about the consumer is at risk of identity theft. Bitcoins were designed to be as easy to use as credit cards, debit cards, or PayPal. […]
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Today’s businesses are all about the cloud. With so many killer services and apps on the market today, it’s hard to argue against it. Servers are scalable on demand with zero necessary maintenance. Data is automatically backed up in multiple locations and accessible from anywhere in the world. And cloud-based apps that make all aspects […]
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The month you launch your new freelance business, you’re likely to be (or have been) a jittery, double espresso-fueled, intimidated mess. But you’re also so high on adrenaline that you can crush that initial wave of projects like breakfast cereal and network successfully at conferences, Meetups and happy hours in the same day. You’re inhaling […]
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Credit and debit cards have become prevalent in our society. Direct deposit, online payment systems and the Internet have all contributed to the convenience, and sometimes necessity, of these electronic forms of payment. While using credit and debit cards is convenient, major retailers have recently experienced security breaches that left the credit card information of […]
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“What do you do?” Oh, that daunting, inevitable question you’ll be asked at every cocktail party, networking function, PTA meeting and family function. But before you reply with, “I’m a freelance designer,” or whatever your micropreneurial endeavor is in the broadest of strokes, think about what you’re sating about the brand that is your small […]
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6 Things You Need to Hear Before Opening Your Own Business You did it. You dreamed, you researched, you planned, and then you took the leap. The big leap – in faith, confidence and security. Deciding to open your own business is the first major step on your journey into the big unknown of entrepreneurship. […]
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A year ago everyone in tech was non-stop talking about this “new” thing they called Bitcoin. It was an emerging currency or something. Then as fast is it came, it seemed to have had setbacks to make it a flash-in-the pan. Yet Bitcoin is alive and well today and if you’re a freelancer or business […]
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When Joshua Gross tells friends and acquaintances that he is a freelancer, he often receives pitying looks and sometimes even offers of full time jobs. And when he refuses them and says he is perfectly happy with his current arrangement, he gets incredulous looks. But the fact is that freelancing and running small businesses has […]
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Large businesses have the advantage of large budgets for advertising, social media and promotions. Small businesses are always looking for ways to compete with the big guys and with their smaller competitors. This may seem daunting at first, but the truth is that small businesses have one advantage over larger businesses – the personal touch. […]
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Since most of us don’t have trust funds or large amounts of savings with which to start a business, one of our first stops is to the bank to request a loan.This is a critical step which requires a lot of homework, since asking for too much or too little may kill your business right […]
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One of the first decisions you have to make as a new business owner is how you will get paid. If you plan on marketing services or selling products through a website, you will obviously need an online payment system, known as a payment gateway. Even if your business is primarily offline, consider offering your […]
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Freelancers often work hard for many hours and don’t see much return in the way of income. They are often viewed by those who hire them as cheap labor, and the extra time they put in to find clients, create proposals and chase down payments are not valued by the clients. If you are one […]
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Twenty-first technology makes working remotely much more feasible than it used to be. The speed of email, instant messaging, project management apps, screen sharing and remote meeting software all make telecommuting possible. According to Forrester Research’s US Telecommuting Forecast, http://www.wired.com/2013/06/the-new-workplace-reality-out-of-the-office/ 34 million Americans work from home. And this number is expected to reach 63 million […]
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One of the scariest aspects of freelancing is pricing your services. You know you are talented and should be properly compensated for your work, but you don’t want to overcharge and be beat out by the competition. Or you undervalue your services because you’re so good at what you do that it seems like highway […]
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