When the prolific science fiction writer Harlan Ellison was asked to contribute an interview for a film project on the making of the TV show Babylon 5, he said, “Absolutely!” He just had one small stipulation: “All you’ve got to do is pay me.” “What?” the young woman on the other end of the call asked, as depicted in a video on YouTube. “You’ve got to pay me!” he replied. “Well,” she said, “everyone else …
Would you like to start a side business, but you don’t know where to begin? Are you fully employed and think you don’t have enough time? Too many family obligations? Not enough financial means? If you answered positively to any of these questions, you’re not the only one. Many people, just like you, dream of leaving the rat race but have family responsibilities that put demands on your time. And you might be short on …
We’ve all seen the Instagram posts: the sun setting over a beach in Koh Samui. The caption reads, “Work finished, going for Mai Tais and grilled Cobia #blessed.” Does it make you jealous? It shouldn’t. I’m writing this from my home office, looking out over another gray and dismal day in Yorkshire. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Digital nomadism can be a lot of fun and, for some people, it’s the perfect …
You started your dream project with gusto, but you’re just not getting the results you were expecting. You feel frustrated, disappointed, and flat. Reading about people who have made it only adds salt to the wound. Now the voices of the naysayers have grown even louder in your head: “What? Leave your full-time job? Embark on a writing career, NOW?” “Start an internet-based business? (Or whatever other phrase fits here for you). Are you crazy?” …
Business coaches… what and who are they? What support and benefit can a business coach truly provide to increase the success of your business? How could one help you develop as an entrepreneur and person? Why even bother to hire a coach? I answer these questions by sharing my experience of having a business coach combined within a mastermind group. My story unpacks the layered services, events, benefits, and results of a business coach to …
You love the thought of growing a successful business and an audience that craves your content. You look at top players in the field and think, “I’m going to be like them.” All sorts of ideas are floating around in your head, and you can’t wait to see your dreams come to fruition. You walk towards your desk, turn on your computer, and then… pop! The bubble has burst. Ten minutes later, you’re laughing at …
You can’t start your solopreneur career or freelance successfully without the right tools, especially if freelancing is your business and not just a hobby. Sure, you’ve probably got some of what you need lying around at home, but if you want to take a professional approach you’ll need to invest in the tools and technology necessary to make it easy to run a business that your clients will love. I’ve been freelancing for more than …
When you start a work at home or freelance business, one thing you need to do fast is manage your workload. There are dozens of tools out there to help you do that all requiring different levels of investment. But after more than 10 years of running my own freelance writing business, I found that one essential tool, that’s both simple and free, is Google Calendar. It’s the easiest way to get started with scheduling, …
Whether you recently started your business, or you’ve been at it for 20 years, there will always be more work to do and not enough hands to do it. So there you are, hard at work but your biggest ideas still not brought to life. As a busy entrepreneur, you’re faced with a common dilemma. Do you refuse to work more hours at the expense of staying stuck at your current growth level? Or do …
Now that you’ve started your own business your time is finally yours. Or is it? You unchained yourself from the corporate cubicle and said goodbye to the long commutes, scheduled break times, and clock watching. It’s a wonderful feeling controlling your own schedule and doing whatever you choose each day. But a lack of structure can also sink you right from the start. So many new entrepreneurs look forward to the freedom and flexibility of …