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Best Practices for Freelancers

7/27/2016

A freelancer is a person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer. (dictionary.com)

If you are a freelancer you have to possess a high level of discipline and organizational skill because you are your own employer and not part of a corporate structure. And although you may not have a brick and mortar location or multiple employees, it is important that you conduct yourself as a business.

There are some tax considerations and legal documentation for establishing yourself as an actual business entity but when I say “establish yourself as a business”, I mean from a mental standpoint– approach every interaction with a client as you would if you were working for a company because in essence, you are the company.

Here are some best practices that freelancers should follow:

Establish your prices- Set base prices for your work. Depending on your line of work you may not have to publish those prices on your website but at least have a solid starting point for what you will charge clients. Of course you have the freedom to change those prices based on the client, for example maybe you charge $10 less for non-profits. But you absolutely have to get comfortable with charging a fair price for your time and product.
Avoid letting cutting deals become the norm- As I mentioned above about changing your prices for a non-profit, that is totally an individual decision you are not required by law to lower your prices for anyone. Actually, I would advise that you not get in the habit of cutting too many deals with people (it’s hard to get out of that hole, trust me). Know your worth. If a client can’t afford you then perhaps they should look elsewhere. Because I firmly believe you get what you pay for. . .
Be professional- The golden rule always applies: Treat people how you want to be treated. Be respectful. Not only in your conversation and correspondence (Please, Thank You, Yes sir, etc.) but also be respectful of their time. If you schedule phone calls or face to face meetings be on time- as a matter of fact, be early. Never have your client waiting on you. If you meet someone in person also be sure that you are presentable. You may work in your dirty sweatshirt at home by yourself but when you leave the house make sure you have on a business casual outfit that is clean and pressed.
If it doesn’t fit don’t force it- You have the right to refuse service or not to work with someone as a freelancer. If the client is turning out to be a client from hell, don’t let them bring you down to their level because as freelancers our work and reputation go hand in hand. You don’t want to become confrontational with a client or start a twitter war with that person for other potential clients to see. If it’s not a good fit, you will know early on. Respectfully inform the person that you don’t think you will be able to help them with their project and move on. Don’t let the idea of money make you compromise your principles or allow people to treat you poorly.
Network- Being a freelancer is such a solitary function and if you’re not careful you can become a hermit cut off from the outside world. It is important to leave the computer (and the house) and network with actual people FACE TO FACE. It can be scary and a little nerve wracking if you’re shy or if you don’t consider yourself a sociable person but it is also necessary. Networking events can not only be a good place to find new clients but meet other industry professionals and get some inside scoop on industry trends.
Keep learning- No matter what your profession, talent or skill there is always room for improvement, so be sure to take a course (in person or online) and stay abreast on changes, trends and new releases.
Set a quitting time- If you work from home it can be hard to establish a stopping time. When you’re at work it’s easier to shutdown the computer and leave the building because you’re either not getting paid overtime or you want to beat the traffic and get home. But when you’re already home you might keep working well past the time you should. Establish a reasonable quitting time and let clients know that you aren’t available during those hours.

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Being Over 40

7/25/2016

I have mentioned my age quite a bit over the years. I’m forty six at the time of this post. I mention my age for several reasons:

I don’t “feel” forty six. (Although I’m not entirely sure what it’s supposed to “feel” like)
I don’t think I “look” forty six. (Again I think I look about the same as I did ten years ago)
I’m in denial.

Number three is the main reason I mention my age so frequently. It’s a reminder for ME. Although I feel good and think I look great, the truth is I am no longer in my twenties, thirties or even early forties for that matter. In FOUR short years I will be FIFTY. And while I pray I am blessed to still be alive, feeling fine and looking fine when I turn fifty. It also scares me.

Sometimes I feel like I’m on borrowed time (my mom and maternal grandmother died at sixty three) and other times I feel like I’m “too old” to be move past where I am. Let me explain, I follow people on social media who I really admire and who inspire me to want to take my brand to the next level. . . .they are all in their thirties. Some haven’t even hit thirty yet. Even the people I follow and interact with on social media (save a few) and in real life are in their thirties. I sometimes feel like the old lady in the club still trying to party with the youngsters.

It can be discouraging and admittedly downright tiring trying to keep up with so much (marriage, motherhood, writing, designing, blogging, social media engagement, etc.) and I wonder if I’m not truly cut out to excel in this digital age. Don’t get me wrong, I do alright but I just wonder how much more I could accomplish if time were on my side.

But being over forty is not all doom and gloom, it’s been a fantastic ride (so far) and I’ve done and seen so much. Not to mention, I have something on my side that many of my younger colleagues don’t: life experience.

Being over forty, I bring a different perspective to the table with my design clients and even when I’m writing books. I’d like to think that my age definitely helps me more than it hinders me, it gives me a certain level of credibility and makes me feel somewhat distinguished.

However I believe age is really just a marker for the day you were born more than an indicator of experience or effort or even in determining whether or not you will be successful. My advice is to use your days and your time wisely no matter how old you are because when it’s all said and done you can only achieve the goals that you actually pursue

Wordless Wednesday

7/13/2016

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May your joys be as deep as the ocean. . . . .

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5 Ways to Teach Children Responsibility

7/11/2016

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As parents we face such a paradox as we try to protect our children from the same world that we need to also prepare them to live in without us.

Sometimes as parents we fall short because want to be our children’s friend or we want them to “like” us or we simply don’t want to see them struggle or hurt. But failure and some form of struggle is inevitable and it helps build character. One of the main things we should teach our children is responsibility. If we strive to raise responsible citizens it will go along way in helping them to be successful in life.

Here are some ways to teach kids to be responsible:

Hold them accountable. If they did it, they need to learn to admit it. Teach them to take responsibility for their actions and not blame others if they are truly at fault. We do our kids a huge disservice when we take the fall for them.
Give them chores. I personally don’t think kids should be paid for chores but to each his own. But the bottom line is if you make a mess, clean it up. They need to understand that everyone in the household must play a part in keeping it clean and functioning. And most importantly they need to understand that Mama (or Daddy) is not the maid!
Make them financially aware. Kids have no idea that everything costs money. From the house they live in to the Wifi they use and the car that drives them to school. You don’t have to show them bank statements but as soon as they understand the concept of money let them know that as parents we work hard to have money to pay for things. Nothing in life is free.
Have expectations. Not only with respect to chores but with school work and behavior too. Let them know what you expect and the consequences for not meeting expectations. If they don’t study and keep making failing grades in Math then take away their electronic devices or no television for a couple of days.
Let them know when they’ve done good. Most children want to please their parents and they want to get their approval. So if you balance out the discipline with compliments, hugs, and small tokens (I’m all for balloons or cupcakes for all A’s or B’s on a report card). Just let them know you’re proud of them and you appreciate their efforts, it will go a long way.

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My Next Book

7/7/2016

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I’m currently working on an anthology type book with four short stories. It’s tentatively titled Let Me Love You and highlights four couples at various stages in their relationship. I’m shooting for a late August release but there is still much to be done! Here is a little unedited snippet:

Sometimes the simplest things have the most profound impact on our lives. Sometimes the most innocent comments open up wounds that we thought had healed long ago. And sometimes the most random numbers appear and your past suddenly collides with your future.

Fifteen.

I glanced at the clock in the upper right corner of my computer, it was fifteen minutes past five on the fifteenth day of August. At that precise moment my assistant, Christina walked in holding an envelope in her hand. She was smiling brightly as she waved the generic packet around.

“Guess what I have,” she beamed pushing her thick black-framed glasses up on her nose.

“A winning lotto ticket?” I laughed.

She rolled her eyes. “No, you have to play to win. Besides this is bigger- better than that!”

“Okay, now I’m intrigued.” I said sitting back and giving her my full attention.

She walked closer to my desk and placed the opened envelope in front of me. But before I picked it up, she squealed.

“It’s an invitation to your fifteen year high school reunion!” she clapped with more enthusiasm than I thought was warranted. “Open it! Oh my god, my favorite group is playing at your class reunion!”

High school reunion. My heart fluttered as I pulled the cream colored card from the envelope and saw the James K. Polk High coat of arms and colors emblazoned on the front. The reunion was in one month, on September 15th in my hometown of Buffalo.

“So did you know Xavier Ross?” Christina asked with an awestruck expression.

My eyes widened. “Wha- how- you know Xavier Ross?” I asked confused.

“Turn it over- Soul Skylight- they’re playing at the reunion. He’s the lead singer. Please tell me you’ve heard of Soul Skylight,”

I tried to steady my shaking hands as I slowly turned the card over. There was a picture of a group of guys and sitting on a stool in the center, clutching a guitar, was Xavier Ross.

Suddenly I found it very hard to breathe. I opened my mouth and stared up at Christina. Her face registered alarm.

“Oh my god, Angela- breathe, breathe-,” she patted my back furiously.

I gulped and forced air down my windpipe. “Okay! I couldn’t breathe, I’m not choking!” I exclaimed moving away from her heavy hand against my back.

“Goodness, you scared me. Do you have asthma or something?” she asked concerned.

“Um no- I just- I-,” my eyes darted down to the invitation.

Christina’s eyes followed mine and her mouth fell open. “You and Xavier Ross?” she whispered. “No way!”

I didn’t know if I should be embarrassed or insulted by her reaction.

“It was just a silly high school thing, really,” I said dismissively.

“Sure,” she said unconvinced. "Spill!"

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