December Contest for Writers

I hope you are having a great holiday season.

Time for another contest! For the December contest I've got a mystery box full of writing books and writing related goodies to give away!!!

To enter:1. Read my book - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTCGDVF (ebook, hardcopy, whatever)2. Add a review on Amazon (good, bad, whatever)

That's it! You'll be entered to win! I will announce the winner on New Year's Day.

A Couple Things Your Small Business Needs in Its Marketing Arsenal

As a small business, you need to market yourself as frequently and as fervently as you can. If you don't, no one else will! So, sell your business by packing its marketing arsenal full of things that will help it to both reach consumers and entice them. Here are a couple tips.

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Knowledge on your part

Even if you are not your business’s marketing manager or even in its specific marketing team, you should still have knowledge on the subject. 

To obtain this marketing knowledge, consider taking accredited online MBA programs without GMAT that teach of the marketing basics. By taking such a course you wouldn’t have to bend your schedule too heavily to accommodate it as it is taken 100% online, plus you wouldn't have to go through the very time consuming GMAT entry test to obtain entry onto it in the first place.

And, once on the course, you would be able to learn all the marketing knowledge needed to provide you with a strong understanding of the subject; you can then use that knowledge to build your business with a strong marketing backbone.

Marketing tools

Tools are vital for creating, implementing, and managing a marketing campaign, and it’s always worth investing in these as early as possible. Analytics software is the most obvious part of this, but it’s also worth looking into content creation tools, too.

These tie directly into your marketing campaigns, since you’ll need quite a bit of high-quality content for them. There are plenty of these you can go for, such as cloud-based AI options like Nano Banana.

With the right tools, creating, implementing, and refining your marketing could be noticeably more straightforward.

A strong online presence

Something else that your business needs to be strong with is its online presence. Simply, a poor online presence can tank your business, and a strong one can bring in clients or customers by the dozens. 

To ensure that your business’s online presence is strong, you need to ensure that its online consumer reaching medium, its website, is up and active at all times. This doesn't mean just during the day, either. This means 24/7, 7 days a week.

When it comes to keeping your site up, you should enlist the help of what is known as UptimeRobot. What this ‘robot’ does is watch your website fervently at all times, and if it were to ever notice an instance of it crashing or being down it would notify you right away via email. Your job would then be to get the site up again before any potential customers may try, and fail, to log onto it.

As a small business, your business’s marketing procedures need to be as strong and as hardworking as they can in order to suffice for the lack of exposure it has compared to other, bigger businesses. So, make sure to pack that marketing arsenal full of the hints and tips love!

3 Mistakes All New Freelance Writers Make

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You’ve taken the leap and made the decision that could change your life: you’re going to try and make a go of a career as a freelance writer. Getting to this point often takes hours of worry, stress, and dedication to your art-- surely everything after this point is relatively easy by comparison?

Sadly not; in fact, when you’ve made the decision to be a freelance writer, the work is just beginning. Now you have to try and make your choice a viable opportunity. You’ve never done this before, so it’s inevitable that you’ll make some mistakes along the way-- isn’t it?

Perhaps not. Perhaps you can avoid the all-too-common “new freelance writer” mistakes, and launch your career with a bang. If this sounds appealing to you, then read on for the errors you’re going to want to avoid as you embark on this new chapter in your life…

Common Error: Unclear Briefs

When you pitch a brief, it is far safer to give too much information than not enough. Editors can spot a new freelancer from miles away due to the length of their pitches. A seasoned writer knows that editors want detail; they want facts, statistics, and a clear insight into why that writer is the perfect fit to write the piece they are pitching.

A pitch should be at least 200 words, contain at least two links to sources you wish to quote, and a brief background about you as a person. This helps the editor to know that you have the right idea, the evidence to back it up, and are exactly the correct writer for the piece.

Common Error: Not Taking The Financial Side Seriously

When you decide to try to make it as a freelance writer, you have to approach the entire task as you would when starting a business. You have to ensure that you tick all the bureaucratic boxes, register your company via the likes of yourcompanyformations.co.uk (if you're in the UK) or accredited registers (if you're in the US) and be aware of your tax obligations.

When you’re just getting started in the writing industry, going through all of the above feels rather overwhelming. It’s also demands time that you feel would be better spent crafting your latest pitch. However, if you neglect the finances, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble in the future. Put good practices in place at the beginning of your journey, so you can establish good habits.

Common Error: Not Finding Your Own Style

When you’re trying to write professionally, you will likely read a lot of work produced by other people. This is generally good; it’s research, helping to shape the way you write… but it is possible to go too far.

It’s vital that you define your own style; something that is unique to you, and makes any words you produce instantly recognizable. If you (sometimes unwittingly) copy another’s style, or write with a dull “boilerplate” style, then you may struggle to convince clients and editors as to why you specifically are worth commissioning. There’s a great guide to finding your own writing style at oxbridgeediting.co.uk, so read through and take the points to heart.

In Conclusion

If you can avoid the mistakes as mentioned above, you can be sure to get your writing career off to a flying start.

My book shows you how to avoid new freelancer foul-ups and guides you step-by-step. Get it here: The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Don't Let A Poor Online Presence Tank Your Freelance Business!

When it comes to trying to survive in the cutthroat world of freelancing, it pays to be able to reach as many people as possible. Because of this, the internet could not be more important to your overall success.

Sadly, far too often promising freelancers end up failing simply because they didn't fully understand how to use the internet to their advantage properly. However, just because something can be a challenge doesn't make it impossible. If you really want your career as a freelancer to be successful, then you've got to be able to create the best possible online presence. Here are a few simple and easy ways that you can do just that.

Fix your terrible web design

The biggest issue that many small or independent businesses have when it comes to their online presence is that their websites are often just terrible. There are plenty of things that can ruin a customer's experience of your website.

It could be that it's impossible or confusing to navigate, or that the functionality of the site is pretty broken, or it could simply be that it's incredibly ugly. The fact is that you need to think carefully about exactly what about your website needs improvement. One of the best ways to be sure that your website is always up to scratch is to use one of the many website builders available online.

Sites like https://WebsiteBuilders.com can help you compare different services to figure out which is right for you. Creating a website that people actually want to visit is the first step in building an online brand that people care about.   

Start using social media properly

It's become pretty clear over the last few years that not only is social media not going away, it's also an incredibly useful method of engaging with customers. However, far too many freelancers and businesses end up using it totally wrong.

You can't just fill your social media pages with ads and promotions and expect results. You need to create an identity online that people will actually want to follow and share. Otherwise, you're just going to be wasting your time with stuff that your customers simply don't care about.

Give your customers something to engage with

Customers don't want to be showered with advertising and promotions anymore. What they really want is content that they can actively engage in. This means that you have to produce things that will connect with customers on an intellectual or emotional level.

Blog posts are one of the very best ways to do just that since you're going to be able to give customers a peek into the human side of your business that they might not be aware of. That kind of thing can create a remarkable emotional connection that otherwise wouldn't be possible.

Of course, don't assume that your business can survive based purely on your online presence alone. You still need to think about things like connecting with customers in person, attending business and trade events, and focusing on high calibre customer service. Running any kind of successful business is a matter of being able to keep things as balanced as possible as much as you can.

Taking Your Writing to the Next Level

Being a freelance writer is an incredibly rewarding career (I should know, I've been at it for 19 years). You spend your days doing something you enjoy, while also getting to explore a huge range of new ideas, all while getting paid for the privilege. Of course, though, in a business like this, it can be hard to know how you’re going to grow when the time comes. Getting more and more work will eventually stop being a good thing (been there!). Instead of being excited and happy, you become overwhelmed. To help you to avoid this sort of issue, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to further and improve a freelance writing career.

Start Outsourcing

When you have too much work to handle, one of the best options you have is outsourcing. Like you, other freelance writers will always be looking for work, and you can often take advantage of this nice and easily.

Of course, in most cases, you won’t earn as much using a method like this. Instead of doing the work, though, you'll be giving it to someone else, and this means that the money is effectively free.

Websites like Freelancer are great when you’re first starting out. As time goes on, though, you’ll probably want to consider finding some people who you will be able to work with for a long time.

Before outsourcing freelance work, be sure to look at your contract. Some contracts will specify that you are not allowed to outsource and all of the work must be done by you, only.

Get Yourself Published

Passing your work to someone else might not always be the answer you’re looking for. Instead of increasing the amount of work you can do, a lot of writers will look for better work that pays more for less effort. 

Getting yourself published can be a huge step in the right direction when you’re trying to achieve a goal like this. Of course you need a great idea and time.

When you’re aiming for a deal for a book or other media method, you will have to go after companies with a lot of tenacity, as this market can be a very fierce one. Having a strong social media following can help you snag that book deal.

Or, you can self-publish using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. This is a free service and you have much more control over how your book is priced, how it is advertised and how much of a royalty you receive. This is the route I went with my book The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course.

Get Paid More

Part of getting paid more and working less is raising your rates. Granted, you'll lose some clients, but you will free yourself up to work with a higher level of clientele. This not only makes your bank account happy, but it will also raise your status as a writer.

Here's a sample email you can send your current clients when you plan on raising your rates:

The good news is my business is doing really well. The bad news is that I must raise my rates to accommodate my business' growth. So, I am letting you know that I will be raising my rates as of (date). Articles will now be (price) and blog posts will be (price). You are a valued customer to me, so I hope we can continue creating fantastic content together. 

Thanks so much for your loyalty and business,

Name

Add A New Face

Finally, as the last option to help your freelance writing business grow, it’s time to think about professionalism. It can be very hard to respond to emails, answer calls, and deal with other customer requests when you’re very busy with work. To help you with this, it would be worth researching virtual offices and the next business revolution.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder on the time you put into your writing career. Doing anything on a freelance basis will come with its challenges. When it comes time to grow, though, you have to make sure you’re prepared, or you could miss your chance at a better future.

Resources: The Food for Thought in Nourishing Your Business

There are so many essential components to a new business, that it can be very confusing for a budding entrepreneur to decide which avenue they need to go down to ensure a healthy starting off point for their brand new venture. Once the basics are in place, do you start to prioritize your needs according to the products, the employees, or the resources? Every aspect is as important as the other, but which one is the most invaluable asset when you are starting out? Let's make a case for the resources …

For The Workers…

In any industry, regardless of the unique skill sets your employees have, it is the resources available to them that enable them to do their job properly and complete their tasks efficiently. It is a cliché that a shoddy workman blames his tools, but you cannot argue this point when you're working in an industry like writing, where tools are almost as important as the people who use them.

From the perspective of an employee, we now work in an age where the tool, be it a computer, app, server, or the standard hammer and nail, are a important piece of the puzzle for any company to continue with their work.

While many are arguing the point that we are placing an over-reliance on tools, such as the internet, the fact of the matter is now that the industry has progressed so far, that we are unable to function without technological help. So, we are seeing the vitality of what tools and resources are to the employee side of things.

The one resource that benefits the employee more than anything else is knowledge. A lot of industries are addressing the idea of the employee taking their own education into their own hands, which we have seen with e-learning programs, but the employer has to provide these resources. The employee can seek out their own education, but if they are doing this without guidance, they may be veering quite far off course, which doesn't benefit the employer. So if the employee has access to a bank of knowledge, this means that the employee can develop their own skill set, which benefits the company, as well as their own sense of self-satisfaction and that they are doing a good job.

For The Business…

Every company requires a stable structure for it to function, and while every person is reliant on each other to do a good job, it is the resources, from the internal as well as the external, that ensure the business is ticking every box. Every industry relies on a certain set of fundamental tenets to keep the business running on an even keel, and the pool of resources that the company needs to operate from can vary from industry to industry.

The first thing to address as far as resources are concerned is in relation to your physical needs. An industry like the construction industry is reliant on the important tools to do the job, and so with every aspect of a company that relies on each individual moving part to help the company function as one, we've all seen the difficulties that businesses face when one aspect isn't working properly. In the manufacturing industry, the impact of a piece of broken equipment has a detrimental effect on the productivity and the profits of a business, the amount of downtime will equate to a loss of finances based on a lack of productivity.

So this means that a valuable resource in terms of the business is functioning equipment. Inevitably, businesses pick preferred suppliers of equipment and tools. And it is vital regardless of your chosen industry, that you pick preferred suppliers so you can build a positive relationship with them. Look at a company like Construction Trailer Specialists, they provide the most basic of equipment for any labour-intensive industry, trailers, and so whether you are running a building site, working on a farm, or laying sidewalks, some subcontractors provide a more total service based on the product they supply. And it is these businesses and clients that you are better off aligning yourself to.

This goes to show that your resources belie your relationship with those suppliers. While you can state that your relationships are the key part of keeping any business thriving, when you're dealing with contractors, subcontractors, clients and so forth, the relationship is built on these resources. You need certain resources to make sure your business is running effectively, and so your relationship with these suppliers can help you to get a discount on bulk buying certain tools. But at the end of the day, you can head to another supplier because it's your business that is the priority, not your relationship! The resources are the main thing that will keep your business working, your employees productive, and your customers happy.

For You…

You know better than anyone, when you are in charge of a business, the right resources won’t just put you above and beyond your contemporaries, but it adds an extra layer of professionalism. You, as an entrepreneur, rely on these resources, not just to improve your business, but to improve how you lead.

In essence, professional resources are your bread and butter as a business owner. We've seen the importance of LinkedIn influencers, and we've seen the big names in business delivering their twopenny worth on pressing issues of the day, from Richard Branson to Bill Gates, to Tony Robbins, and anyone else you would care to think of.

The great thing about being an entrepreneur now is that there are more and more apps and resources cropping up on a daily basis, such as Shapr, intended as the Tinder of business networking. By swiping left or right, based on your ideal colleagues and industry influencers, you are in the driving seat as to who you would like to align yourself with to build up your network, and by proxy, your pool of resources.

how to be a freelancer

Resources for the modern entrepreneur isn't just a good quality workforce, it is the people you are building relationships with. You cannot underestimate the power of who you know when you are in charge of a company, especially when you are starting out. While it can be argued that more companies are going out of business now than ever before, especially in the fickle nature of the startup industry. But the onus is now on the entrepreneur to make sense of the infinite amount of resources available to them, and to distil them into which ones will benefit the most.

The most difficult thing in any industry now, is to make sense of these resources. Lots of business owners hurtle forward into an industry they know almost nothing about, relying on their passion and heart to lead the way, and while the importance of taking risks in something that should be communicated to every single entrepreneur in the world, some people will act upon this impulse, without having done the relevant research.

This is where your resources come in handy. You also have a number of resources at your disposal that you can share to your contemporaries, and we've seen a lot of skill swap meetings, where people get to share different skills, and so we can all build up our basic skill set. But this is part and parcel of the networking game now. As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to share your skills so you can receive more knowledge, and resources to help build up your company.

Finally, you are the well of knowledge in which people will come to. So, you have to make sure that you are consistent, that you have an unending amount of curiosity, and have an infectious passion for your industry. People are going to be coming to you for ideas, inspiration, advice, a shoulder to cry on, how to cook the books, and the list goes on. You are a fundamental resource for your business, so you'll have to make sure that you are adequately fueled in this respect.

People talk about money being the ultimate resource, but this is only one piece of the business puzzle. These three aspects of the company, your workers, the business itself, as well as you, require the right resources. We are all aware of how to nourish ourselves so we can feel adequately fueled, but do you do the same for your business? Look at these three aspects, and begin to ask if you are giving each part the right resources. Resources needn’t be expensive, or complicated, but when you are looking to implement a structure, fund a company, or just to clue yourself up in the relevant business practices, it's the resources that need to be put in place.

The Health Hazards of a Writer... and How to Work Smarter

Writing might not seem like a perilous job on the surface. Our profession doesn’t require us to fight fires or catch criminals. We don’t have to deal with toxic materials or dangerous machinery. Meanwhile, the heaviest load many of us have to carry is a mug of coffee. But that's not to say that writing isn’t hazard–free. While us writers may not have to deal with many of the immediate dangers that other workers face, there are still many long-term health risks to look out for. Here are some of the biggest dangers a writer must face and how to overcome them.

how to be a healthy writer

Your keyboard

Writers no longer have to deal with writer’s cramp now that we’ve swapped out pens for computers.However, typing on a QWERTY keyboard can still cause a different type of repetitive strain injury (RSI)– one that has been linked to tendonitis and arthritis in the wrist and fingers.

I know. After more than two decades at the keyboard, I have carpel tunnel in both wrists. I don't want you to become like me, so here are some preventative measures:

• Take regular breaks. You may want to download software that will tell you when to take a break from typing, preventing your from developing an RSI.

• If you're using a laptop, buy a stand for it that raises the keyboard to an angle. This will really make a difference on the strain on your wrists.

• Adjust your seat height so your hands hover above the keyboard and are parallel with your elbows.

• Get an ergonomic keyboard with a soft wrist pad that lessens the strain on your muscles. If you use a mouse a lot, be sure to also get one that fits your hand well and a mouse pad with a padded wrist support. This type of mouse pad made a world of difference for me.

my office setup

Your keyboard could also be upsetting your stomach. Few of us clean our computer keyboards, yet studies have found that on average computer keyboards contain 20,000 times more germs than a toilet seat.

If you share a keyboard, or you just don't wash your hands as much as you should, your computer can be a great way of spreading illness-causing bugs. Take the time to clean your keyboard every few months. Use double-sided tape to get rid of any crumbs and dirt beneath the keys.

Your computer screen

Many writers spend their days staring at a bright white Word document on a monitor. Unsurprisingly, this is bad for our eyes. It’s particularly bad when you're in poor lighting or in the sunlight when there is screen glare.

Get the lighting to the right level by turning on a lamp or drawing the blinds. You may even be able to buy an anti-glare filter or download software that can automatically change the brightness of your computer screen depending on the time of day.

Another good option is  GUNNAR, which is the only patented digital eyewear recommended by doctors to protect and enhance your vision, according to the company. As writers, our devices expose our eyes to stress and harmful artificial blue light. Blue light may lead to trouble sleeping, cataracts, macular degeneration, dry and scratchy eyes and headaches. Staring at a computer screen before bed is also something to avoid as this can cause insomnia. The bright light of the screen tricks the brain into thinking it’s still day time and so reduces its ability to produce melatonin (the sleep hormone). Start trying an hour of no screen time before bed if you’re having sleeping problems – this includes TVs and mobile phones too. Read a book, take a bath or listen to some music.

Yah, I didn't believe it either, at first. I've found these GUNNAR glasses, which comes in several different styles, take a lot of strain off my eyes. As soon as I put them on I can feel my eyes relaxing.

GUNNAR glasses

If anything, you should be making sure that you’re taking regular breaks from the screen to help give your eyes a rest.

Your chair and desk

That’s right, your chair and desk may also be destroying your body. Many writers like to type while sitting down. This can result in a sedentary lifestyle that’s bad for our joints, our heart and our muscle development. Too much sitting down can wear away our abs completely over time and result in us getting a flabby belly. Constantly bent knees from sitting down can meanwhile bring on joint problems.

The best defence against this long-term health deterioration is to get up more often and stretch your legs. Some writers have even taken steps to buy a standing desk, forcing them to work upright. For example, I have a standing desk made by VERIDESK and I love it. I did have some questions for the creators. Here's what Jason McCann, CEO of VARIDESK had to say:

Me: If standing is better than sitting, why does it hurt so much more to stand up for long periods of time?

Jason: Our bodies weren’t made to stay in one position for long periods of time. Biologically, our bodies are made to move. The products VARIDESK has developed are height-adjustable, and were specifically designed to promote movement between sitting and standing throughout the day.

Me: Standing while typing and doing other tasks can seem awkward at first. Are there some tricks to getting used to using a standing desk?

Jason: The best trick is to not stand too much when you first start. You should listen to what your body is telling you – if you feel any discomfort, you should sit down. We’ve actually developed the VARIDESK standing desk companion app that gently reminds you to change your position. Our customers tell us that once they’ve used a standing desk for a while, they feel more productive and have more energy throughout the day.

Me: I've been to large companies that have added a standing option to their work areas. Do you find that this is a growing trend?

Jason: As office workers are focusing more on their health and wellness, we’ve seen them gravitate toward the idea of more mobile and collaborative work environments. Fortunately for us, VARIDESK has become an integral part of these active office setups, both here in the United States and globally. We’re energized by the prospect of helping people enhance their time in the office and live happier, healthier and more productive lives.

Alternatively, there are plenty of exercises while you sit down (known as deskercises) that can help you to flex these body parts and reduce the risk of long-term damage. Take breaks from writing to do a few of these exercises and keep your body healthy.

If you use a regular desk you need to take some precautions. A low desk could be causing you to slump, causing a strain on your spine. This can result in debilitating back pain. Make sure that your desk is the right height so that you don’t have to crane over it and combine it with an ergonomic chair. You can buy adjustable desks that can allow you to change the height to match different seated positions and even a standing position.

With my desk I use a yoga ball chair that cushions my spine, helps me sit up straighter and allows me to bounce and do exercises while working.

my yoga ball chair

What if you don’t use a desk? If you regularly place a laptop on your knees, this may also be causing some unwanted bodily damage – particularly if you’re a guy. Heat from laptops is thought to damage the testicles and affect fertility. Start using a desk or propping up your laptop somewhere where it isn’t in direct contact with your groin.  

Your workspace

Most freelance writers work indoors. Even with a laptop, it’s hard to predict the elements outdoors in the winter, while the screen glare in the summer can make it impossible to look at the screen. An indoor workspace may be more practical, but you should still aim to keep the space well ventilated and work by a window to give you some natural light.

A lack of vitamin D from the sun can cause many a writer to get depressed and a lack of fresh oxygen can cause fatigue and dullness of the mind. Protect your mental health by getting some UV rays and opening a window. Taking regular breaks and going outside (not cigarette breaks) can be healthy, too, and could even help your productivity when it comes to writing tasks.

Modern technology has allowed many writers to work from any location, so try switching it up as it could be good for your brain and your body. Taking a trip to the library or your local coffee bar to work for a bit will give you a new inspiring environment to work in, while also forcing in some physical activity into your day – much needed if you regularly work from home.

8 Ways To Market Your Freelance Writing Business Online

As a freelance writer, your job is more than just writing. Although the bulk of your work, and the way that you actually earn your money, is through writing, it’s not the only thing you have to do. In fact, you tend to wear many hats. From being the finance department and administrator, you also have all things sales and marketing to cover, too. And that can often make you break out in a cold sweat (I hear you!). But you have to become okay with it...at least until you can hire an assistant. 

So if you’re ready to start pushing your business forward and make sure that you’re able to do it in the best ways possible, you’re going to want to start marketing yourself. As a copywriter or website writer, the bulk of your work is done online, so it’s also a great idea to market yourself online. You can do that using these eight methods.

With Your Website

The first thing that can act like a great marketing tool for your writing business is your website. So if you don’t already have one, you’re going to want to think about getting one. Your website can be your hub for samples of your work that can show prospective clients, listings of your awards, you blog and more. Here's more about building your website.

And Your Own Store

You may even want to go one step further and have a website that is transactional too. With the right kind of website, like Tank Prints setup for network marketers, you may be able to offer a streamlined services to your customers like package deals. 

SEO

While we’re talking about your website, you’re then going to want to think about the SEO, too. If you’re not currently ranking too well in search listings, this is going to be something that you need to start working on.

Whether you choose to do it yourself, or work with an agency, you will find that doing your keyword research and populating your site should help you to gain more organic traffic and custom.

Here's an in-depth SEO guide to get you started.

Guest Blogging

Another side of SEO is also guest blogging, and this can also aid with your traffic too. If you’re new to guest blogging, then you’re going to want to come up with a strategy that you can work with in your own time. Again, this is something that you can choose to work on yourself or hire an SEO expert to help you with.

Social Media

advertising on social media for freelance writers

You’re also going to want to think about promoting yourself and your writing business on social media. This doesn’t always feel that easy to do, so coming up with a social content calendar can help you here. Not only should you look to identify what platforms you should work on, you should also try out different kinds of content to see what is going to work the best with your audience.

Advertising

Up next, there’s also advertising to think about. And when it comes to online advertising, you’re going to find that there are lots of different methods that you can work with. So, it may be in your interest to trial out a range of different methods. You may find that display advertising doesn’t give you as good results as PPC advertising. But you’re not going to know this until you try.

Affiliate Marketing

Then, you could also think about working with an affiliate marketing strategy. As a writer, it’s easy to see affiliate marketing as something that you should be making money from as a publisher. But when you’re a business, you can also set up your own campaign to help generate sales. This can be particularly relevant if you do sell your services as products on your site, or even if you have products such as ebooks and courses that you’ve created yourself.

Here's my ebook on how to become a successful freelance writer, step-by-step.

Influencers

Finally, you may also want to consider working with influencers. Influencer marketing is proving to be more and more effective in the online world - so why not get in on the action? You will find that there are influencers in your particular industry, such as bigger bloggers than yourself, that you can work with. This can often be a great way to promote your freelance writing business and harness the influence and audience of big players in the industry.

Struggling to Make Your Name as a Writer? Here are Some Boosts

No matter how talented you are, there will be times when being a freelance writer can be tough. There's a lot of competition out there, and one fact of the writing life is that you have to accept rejection as part of the process. Still, there are always things you can do to improve your standing. With that in mind, let’s look to a few examples of how you can boost your writing career.

Bring in More People to Your Website

If you don’t already have a website for your writing business, you should absolutely get one. I use WordPress, but Wix is also a good option.

Your site should actively promote your writing with samples and examples, and also act as a determiner of your brand to a certain degree. Keep your colors consistent with your logo and keep your writing style consistent as well.

If you are starting to struggle with your writing career, one of the best things you can do is to bring in more people to your website. You can do this by employing the help of SEO services or just ensuring that you have plenty of interesting and original content on there. An email newsletter could also help to achieve the same ends.

Find an Agent

If you don’t already have an agent, you really might want to consider finding one. This is one of the best ways you can give your career a little boost, especially if you write fiction. Having an agent can make the whole process of getting your name out there and getting published much easier, and most writers find that it really is worthwhile.

You do need to make sure that you don’t settle, and that you find the right one for you. This means an agent who appreciates your type of writing and someone you can get along with on a personal level. You'll develop a relationship with them perhaps over many years.

Branch Out

It’s perfectly possible that you have spent too long writing on one subject, or that you could do with changing it up a bit with a new niche. While you might have one major love in writing, you are probably adept at more than one thing.

It is absolutely worthwhile trying to branch out every now and then, even if it's just to give yourself a break on your usual niche. It also allows you some practice, which is good for your craft, anyway. What’s more, it might well be that a publisher decides to take you up after seeing something slightly different in your portfolio. It’s always worth a go if you are struggling to get where you want to go.

Make Handling Your Finances Faster With These Tips

As a freelance writer, you probably list money management as one of your biggest concerns. You’re in charge of all those financial matters, and it can drain a lot of your time if you’re not careful. Clearly, that’s not a positive thing because you want to be spending time on your actual work, not tracking numbers. It can be tempting to bite the bullet and hire an accountant, but that can be incredibly expensive. Instead, you should make use of these financial management tips.

Everything Should Start with Budgeting

Budgeting is where everything should begin for you when you’re trying to speed up your financial management. That might sound strange because your this takes up extra time, but it will save you a lot of time in the long-run. You have to be patient and play the long game if you want to be successful with all this.

Work Out Your Hours Worked 

If you charge customers for the work you do by the hour, you need to have a way of accurately and efficiently tracking your time. Tools like Hourly offer you the perfect way to do that. You won't have to spend time thinking about what rate you should charge, and there will be no disagreements between parties because it will all be tracked.

Don’t Mix Personal and Business Money

This is the golden rule of running a business. If you’re not completely focused on keeping your personal money away from your business money, you’re going to run into some pretty serious problems before long, especially when filing your taxes. 

Use the Latest Methods of Taking Payments

There are so many ways to take payments these days, you should make the most of everything that modern technology has to offer in this regard. If you don’t take payments correctly, you will find that you get left behind. So, read this mobile payments guide and find out where the latest trends are headed and where things are heading next. It will definitely pay off for you.

Tackle Late Payments in a Forthright Way

You can’t afford to allow clients and customers to pay you late. For a freelance, this kind of thing can be disastrous. To tackle this problem rapidly and stop it from becoming a common occurrence, you need to tackle it head on. Send reminders to your clients. Also, take payments upfront as much as possible.

Managing your money in a fast and efficient way is essential for freelance workers like you, so be sure to make use of these tips as soon as possible.

Long-Distance Relationships: Making Them Work in Your Freelance Business

Tech is evolving the business in big ways. One of the changes that many are still adapting to is the accessibility of work from far, far away. Not only does the internet allow opportunities to start working for yourself from home (as freelancers know!), but it can even allow you to start running a team from home, too, scattered across the country (or even the world). This is essential when your freelance business grows beyond your ability to handle it alone. Additional freelancers, virtual assistants and web designers can all become potential long-distance team members.Remote working comes with its challenges, however, and many businesses have failed to meet them. With both clients and employees, here’s how you make the long-distance thing work.

freelance writing long distance

Stay on the same page

There’s a lot of information that’s going to be easy to share from person to person. Certain sites they can use, certain rules of employment, and updates to old processes can be easily transferred. Some information might be a lot harder for your team to acquire, however.

For instance, the specifics of certain work processes and responsibility might not be so easily conveyed by sending an email every time you get a new team member. Instead, it might be best to create an online employee handbook that you can share much more easily than having to explain it anew every single time.

how to make an employee handbook

While you want to avoid making it like an instruction manual, your handbook can contain all the necessary information on how to do jobs, so newbies spend less time asking you questions. You will always have questions to answer, of course, but a well-written handbook can make them a much less frequent occurrence and in the form of an ebook, it will be very easy to send to new employees. 

Set clear expectations

Your employees need to know what exactly they should be accomplishing in a day. If you have repeating goals day-in, day-out, then posting deadlines can make sure everyone’s working on the same schedule as you. Otherwise, it might be worth having weekly conversations with team members to establish the specifics of their duties for the week and to set clear goals.

Communication is key

Whether you’re running a team or simply dealing with many clients for home, making communication as efficient and cost-effective as possible is going to save you a lot of headaches. Using online project management software or even a Google Sheet document can make it easier to share objectives with the whole team, for instance.

Meanwhile, if you have to make a lot of phone calls, then using video conferencing software or VoIP business phone systems can save you a great deal on your phone bills. It’s a good idea to set certain guidelines for which communication lines to use in which case for your team.

If they have a single question, for instance, an IM might be the best way to get a prompt answer. If they need help with a more involved part of their workload, then a call might allow both parties to exchange details more dynamically.

When to hire and when to outsource

The switch from an independent contractor to a business with employees usually comes when your responsibilities become too much for you to take on your own. However, it’s wise to really determine those additional needs before you decide whether going through the hassle of a new hire is worth it, or if outsourcing the extra work as a temporary solution might work better.

how to outsource

For instance, you’re not likely to have constant need of a website designer so it might make more sense to outsource them. On the other hand, if you’re running a content marketing team and you find you’re no longer enough to create all marketing content yourself, then it’s probably more cost-effective to hire an extra copywriter.

Get together once in awhile

Both with clients and with customers, the internet is a useful tool for providing a way to connect from afar, but it can’t quite match the positive impact of a face-to-face meeting.

meeting with employees and clients

Take the time to travel to long-term clients, showing them that they have the attention and dedication they need from a business and build a good relationship by putting a face to the name. Hosting team conferences with your employees can be a great way to build something of a company culture, a feature that’s easily missing when every individual works in isolation. Without that feeling of workplace bonding, they might not feel like a member of a team, and thus have one less reason to continue working with you.

Working remotely might be convenient to your team, but without some sense of belong in the business and some sense of team unity, it’s all too easy for them to feel like their job isn’t as fulfilling as a more traditional setup might be.

Make use of the flexibility

There are several factors of flexibility that remote working allows over the traditional working environment. The most obvious one is that it allows all members of the team to work from wherever they want, whether it’s their home, a café, or they might benefit from a co-working space. Unless you’re willing to buy them all their devices, it allows for a choice of hardware, as well.

But one extra element of flexibility to make more use of is the time they actually spend working. If having everyone stay on the same schedule isn’t as crucial to your business, then offering them the ability to work when they see fit, so long as they meet a certain deadline, can be a perk that many other businesses aren’t likely to earn. Not only can it help retain employees, but it might help you hire from further afield, where different time zones might otherwise get in the way of a team’s cohesion.

The Best Job Sites for Freelance Writers

awesome website content

Finding high-paying gigs as a freelance writer is hard. Luckily, you have me! Forget Craigslist. Here are some of the best sites for finding high-paying gigs.

• FW: Be sure to sign up for FreelanceWriting.com's Morning Coffee Newsletter

• Freelance Writing Jobs: This is one of my favorite places to look for high-paying gigs.

• Problogger: This is an amazing place to find blogging gigs that pay well.

• LinkedIn: If you're serious about making big bucks, this is where you go. Make sure to type "freelance writer" in the search bar.

• Writers Weekly: Angela Hoy updates her jobs page regularly and you can find some gems there.

Want more advanced ways to find gigs? Read my book:

The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Freelancers: Here's How to Maximize Your Workday

Stop procrastinating at work

Okay, I make jokes on social media all the time about how half of my workday is spent looking at Facebook, but distractions are a real problem for most freelance writers. The folks over at Activia Training have come up with this great infographic that can help you stop procrastinating and maximize your workday. You can read more here.

I'm a New Business- How Can I Prove I'm Legitimate and Trustworthy?

More people than ever are able to quit their day job and set up their own business- a venture they are truly passionate about and can pour their heart and energy into. While this is fantastic, it’s certainly not all smooth sailing. As a new business you’re a small fish in a large pond and need to prove to customers that you’re worth your salt. In general, customers like to shop with sites and brands that they know and trust, as they are understandably wary of scams and bogus companies. So as a new, up and coming business you need to show that you are professional and will deliver on the products or services you advertise. Here are some of the ways you can go about showing potential customers that you are who you say you are, and persuade them to make their first order.

Online Presence

These days your company has to make a good impression online, no ifs or buts. Even if you’re a local business that doesn’t sell online this still applies to you. People looking for local services will be scouring the web, so your business needs to be visible or you will lose out on potential customers.

The first way you can be present online is by having a good quality website created. Unless you’re an expert don’t try doing this yourself, while many sites make it easy to build basic websites these days it can still look amateurish. Invest money into this part of your business- a smart, professional and fast loading website will show customers you’re a legitimate company that can be trusted. While anyone with a bit of computer know how can put together a basic website these days for a scam, a high quality site shows people that this is less likely and it’s a site that can be trusted.

Social media is another critical element to get right. A good following and responsive pages show you can be trusted. Social media is just one marketing strategy of many you should be considering, you can get more information from theprauthority.com on this.

A smartphone app is another way you can be present online. This gives you a chance to get onto the phones of your customers and have your site and products just a click away. Plus, an app shows you’re legitimate since they have to be verified before being added to the app store. On top of this, scam websites wouldn’t go to the hassle or expense of having an app created, so the fact that you have one will reassure potential customers. There are lots of talented app designers online, take a look through some portfolios and find a designer whose work fits the image you want to create.

Finally, writing a blog is another way you can be present online, and again is something that a scam site wouldn’t go to the hassle of doing. A blog can help to grow your customer base, and plus it shows that  you also know what you’re talking about in the area you sell in. For example, if you sell clothes you could write about fashion and styling tips and advice, trends, celebrity looks and more.

Uniforms and ID Badges

If your business has a physical store, or your workers interact with clients or customers in any way (even via video chat), then uniforms are a good way to make your business look more professional. You can have a custom logo embroidered on things like tshirts, shirts and hats. You will usually pay an initial fee to have your logo added to the system, but after that you can order items of clothing for uniform whenever you like.  

An obvious point: the staff wearing the uniforms too should be behaving professionally too. Good training will ensure that everyone knows what they’re doing, how they’re expected to behave and how to respond to different questions and scenarios.

A Nice Workplace

getting an office for your freelance business

If customers or clients ever come directly to your workplace, for example if you’re a shop or an office, you will want to make a good impression. If your customers are underwhelmed, they could easily go and find another company to shop with instead.

The decor and aesthetics of your office are important. Neutral walls look clean and smart and maximise the light, making the office look more spacious. Living plants add a decorative touch and allow it to look professional without being too clinical looking. On the plus side, they have also been shown to boost productivity in the workplace too. Choose nice furniture, and ensure the office is kept clean and tidy so that it’s both functional and looks nice too.

Two Tips for Small Business

Running a small business is a process that has radically changed over the past decade. Before, you’d set up a brick and mortar store. You’d make a name for yourself in your local community and you’d rely on physical traffic through your store to make sales and generate a profit.

However, nowadays, with the rise of Ecommerce, we’ve become a lot more dependent on tech and the web. Now, Ecommerce is great. There are all sorts of perks that come hand in hand with it, such as reaching a worldwide audience more easily, operating at all hours of the day and night, and better opportunities for networking and brand collaboration.

But when we’re so much more reliant on tech, it’s important that we take measures and precautions to ensure that we succeed, no matter what may be thrown at us. So, here are a couple of pieces of advice that will help you to make relying on tech less hassle and more problem-free.

Make Sure You Have an IT Consultant

An IT Consultant is an essential contact for any company - no matter how big or small it may be. IT consultants can take a look at any issues you may be having with the tech you rely on and they will be able to offer advice to repair it or replace it as quickly and effectively as possible. There’s no point looking for an IT consultant once a problem has already occurred. This will only delay proceedings and will mean your business is out of service for a longer period of time - impacting sales and profits. Having an IT consultant ready and waiting will help you tackle issues immediately and get things back on track much more quickly. Now, there are two ways of going about this. You can have an in-house consultant or an outsourced consultant. In house consultants are ready whenever you are. However, so are outsourced and outsourced consultants tend to be a little more cost effective. This means that the latter is often the better option for small businesses in particular.

Update Your Software

Software updates exist for a reason. Those little pop up notifications we receive prompting updates aren’t there for the fun of it. But for some reason, so many of us click delay and ignore. When you’re running a small business that relies on tech so much, you need to make sure that you and any staff you may have are taking notice of these prompts and update software whenever updates are available. This will make your devices less prone to problems and hacking in the long run and prevent issues and wasted working hours.

These are just two pieces of advice that can make relying on tech a little less daunting. Tech is great for your company and your business’ progression. You just need to make sure you keep on top of things!

The Boring Side of Freelancing & Why It Matters

If you’re thinking of becoming a freelancer or have already made that transition, you probably want to learn about the freelance life. Today, it’s time to look at the boring things that often get overlooked, or at least, not talked about very often. Many of these things are important, though. And forcing yourself to spend time on the boring stuff could be the difference between success and failure as a freelancer.

Invoicing and Chasing

Of course, you’re going to want to get paid when you’re doing freelance work. No one wants their hard work to be for nothing. However, invoicing if pretty boring, and what’s even more tedious is the inevitable need to chase non-paying clients.

Anyone who has worked as a freelancer will have experienced late payments at some time or other. In some instance, those payments never arrive at all. It’s boring to do all that chasing, and it can get frustrating too.

Following Up

When you’re producing important work for people, it pays to follow it up. You need to be sure that the work you’ve completed was received in the right way. If that’s not the case, it can really throw a spanner in the works and destroy your reputation going forward.

By following up, you could get a chance to put things right if they went wrong. Doing all that following up is pretty boring, and it often leads nowhere. However, it’s not worth taking the risk of not doing it.

freelancing

Building Your Online Skill Set

You need to have the right online skills to succeed as a freelancer in the modern landscape. It’s all done online, and if you don’t have a strong online profile, then you won’t go far in most cases.

However, learning these skills can be frustrating and dull if they don’t really appeal to you. Not all freelancers are technically savvy, and they often just want to focus on the creative side of things. Tools like embedded BI at Izenda, among many others, can make life easier. And it’s often good to hire people and delegate tasks when you can afford to do that.

Handling Emails

Handling emails is something you do a lot of as a freelancer. On the one hand, you have people contacting you about all kinds of work, and you have to filter out the stuff you’re not interested in while responding to the stuff you are. You also need to communicate with other industry figures to boost your profile and move on up in your career. Pitching work to important people might also be an aspect of freelancing that you do, and it can get very repetitive and disheartening.

Just be sure to keep track of those that you're waiting for a reply from and to keep notes on people you want to contact. A simple spreadsheet can help keep that organized. 

Freelancing is not all fun and games. However, freelancing means taking the rough with the smooth, and this stuff matters.

Need step-by-step tips for becoming a successful freelance writer? Read my book:

The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Your Small Business Will Fail Disastrously If You Forget The Following

Failure! It's an ugly word, one that no small business owner wants to hear. Unfortunately, it's one many small business owners hear a lot. In fact, 8 out of every 10 small business folds in the first year. So to prevent your freelance business from being a part of those statistics remember to always do the following to give it the best chance of long-term success.

Put the customer first

Does the customer always come first in business? Most of the time. After all, they are the one ultimately paying your wages. Yet still plenty of small business owners seem to forget this.

Of course, it harms their business. With so many competitors out there why would customers stay where they weren't treated right? So as a business, you need to ensure that you provide the best service to you customers to retain them.

how to treat customers well

This is a multi-faceted process, but it includes being available for questions and reassurance, something that is vital if your business is online. Now, I'm not saying answering phone calls in the middle of the night. Make sure your business hours are posted on your site and that your customers know this. When your business is open, be sure to answer client emails, calls and texts quickly. And be friendly, gosh darn it!

Also, it's important that you keep your customer up to date with the delivery status of their order. Think about how aggravated you are when you order something from Amazon and don't get a tracking number. No one wants to be unsure when their item is coming after they have paid for it. A quick email update is all you need to send every few days to keep a client happy. Oh, and if you use route optimization software as part of your logistics, they will get their package faster, which will be a win for them and you, too.

Use specialized marketing programs

Another common mistake that small business' make is that they don't recognize the value of specialized marketing programs for the type of company and field they are in. Some make the mistake of thinking that they can handle their marketing in-house by reading a few posts online and sending out a couple of newsletters. You may need a little help, though.

marketing your small business

In particular, marketers offering specialized solutions like these comprehensive MSP marketing programs for managed service providers, are so valuable because they know the field that they are working in, inside and out. This allows them to create the perfect marketing strategy that will appeal to your target audience and allow your company to stand out from your competitors. Ensuring a consistent stream of leads to be converted into successful sales.

If you're just a one-person freelancing business, it can be a smart marketing tactic to create content packages for your customers. For example, freelance writers can offer monthly blog upkeep packages for businesses for a set price. The package can include weekly blog posts, social media shares and creative images for the blog posts.

Pay attention to finances

Also, ignoring the financial side of things can lead you down a path of woe. After all, money does make the world go round, and if you don't have enough of it, your business can definitely grind to a halt.

how to run a small business right

This is especially the case in the beginning stages of your freelance business if you don't have the correct funding to get your project off of the ground or to get your product developed. You need to learn how to deal with late invoice payments and company cash flow too.

Remember though that these can be resolved by having someone supervising the financial side of things, especially chasing the payments. This can stop a disastrous cash flow crisis before it's even happened. 

I use PayPal as my invoicing system. It's simple to use and if a client doesn't pay, I can file a dispute with PayPal. I've never lost a case because I make sure to get everything in writing.

Have comprehensive goals and strategies

Lastly, a ship without a rudder is destined to get into trouble, and the same goes for your small business. You will definitely need clear goals and a comprehensive strategy of how you are going to achieve these. Think of your goals as the destination, and the strategies as a map of how to make the journey.

setting business goals

I like to write out my business goals at the first of each month. Of course, you may not always keep to what is written down, since being successful in business some time calls for some quick thinking and flexibility. That is where having a plan B comes in.

In fact, it is perfectly acceptable to look at the business model you are using and realize that it isn't doing everything it can to help you achieve your end goals. Change it by diversifying the products and services you offer, reassessing the market, client and price point, and even launching your company under a different concept.

Pro tip: I've noticed that one of the big slip-ups for most freelancers is that they undervalue their product. If you undervalue yourself, then others will, too. Raise your rates to find clients with higher standards.

Need step-by-step tips to making big money as a freelance writer? Read my book:

The Fluff-Free Freelance Writing Master Course: The only course that gives you concrete, actionable information to building a successful freelance business without any fluff.

Field Sample: Getting The Scoop On Your Own Business

As a small business owner, you already have loads on your plate. From the work you do to the little jobs that come with it. Most people in your shoes have barely a second to spare. Some areas, though, are simply too important to slip under the carpet. At the top of this list is something all businesses should care about; what their customers think of them. To help you out with this area, this post will be exploring some of the different ways you can gather a sample of how people regard your business.

Reviews/Feedback Forms

Reviews are an exceptionally powerful thing. Like a lot of the little parts of business, though, they can also be tricky to understand. If you have a lot of customers, but don’t have many reviews, this is probably a positive sign. It means that people aren’t passionate enough to leave a bad review.

Of course, though, it can still be worth working on this area to make sure reviews are coming in hot and heavy. The more you get, the easier it will be to start making changes to your company to make it better.

Third Party Surveys

Sometimes, you need a way to ask customers what they think of you, without letting them know that you’re asking for it. To achieve this goal, consumer survey companies can be used to get the scoop on your company. Using other businesses when questioning participants, the people supporting you will be able to maintain discretion throughout the process. This is often the best way to get very honest feedback. Try a Facebook group poll or SurveyMonkey.

Special Events

Trade shows, local events, and all manner of other special gatherings present you with a great chance to talk to the people buying from you. The attendees at these sorts of events tend to be very varied, giving you access to a good range of people.

Simply watching how people react to your custom marquees will be enough to know if you’re doing well. Of course, though, you should also approach people directly to understand how they feel. If nothing else, this will show that you care what they think.

Customer Retention

Finally, this last option is something you already collect, though you may not realize it. When someone buys from you, it’s almost like entering an audition, and the customer is the judge. If you fail to impress at this point, it’s unlikely that they will ever buy from you again. But, if you do well, you could gain a loyal customer for life. It should be easy to tell if people are repeatedly buying from you. You might want to use the help of software like Excel to present and filter your information, though.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start tracking what people think of your business. Not only should you be reading reviews, but you should also be working to achieve the other goals on this list, as well. One isn’t enough, since your customers will come from everywhere.

Pay Fair, Play Fair: Creative Strategies To Improve Staff Retention

preventing employee turnover

In the lurch! That is where your freelance business will get left if you have a high turnover of staff. In fact, it can cause an enormous amount of disruption to your business, adding extra work to other employees and to you.  You'll need to fill these spaces and train the new people up. That is why high staff turnovers need to be avoided wherever possible, making staff retention something that needs to be high on any business owners or managers priority list. With that in mind read on for some creative strategies that can help with this problem if you're new to hiring -- and keeping -- employees.

Pay fair

One strategy that folks in charge of running a business can use to ensure a better staff retention rate is to pay fair wages. Yes, I know it's tempting to pay the least amount possible. However, paying just on, or under the goin

g rate is never a good idea. Remember when you were a struggling freelance writer, and your competitors (hopefully not you) were getting paid bottom of the barrel rates?

managing employee turnover

Low pay attracts the wrong kind of employees, ones that have to work there because they can't get anything else, rather than the ones that are at the top of the field. It also means that anyone you do employ is likely going to be on the lookout for a better-paid post, meaning your business is vulnerable to them leaving at any time.

To remedy this, pay a decent hourly wage or salary. Also, pay for overtime, and you can even incentivize longevity in your staff by offering increases in wages for long service. It is in these ways, you can use pay as an incentive to work for you, and to keep working for you, and so improve staff retention.

Play fair

It's not all about pay, though. You have to play fair, as well as pay fair, to encourage your staff to stay. So what does playing fair look like in the world of business?

dealing with employees

Well, in part it's about providing additional benefits to your employees that will reduce the risk of them jumping ship. This can include things like medical insurance, a bonus scheme, and even workers compensation insurance, a form of insurance that will protect your employees and your business if they suffer an injury at work.

In addition, it's vital to take a look at the expectations and working condition that you are providing for your staff. A healthy work environment, one that acknowledges and does something about major stressors can make all the difference here. For example, repeatedly imposing unrealistic expectations and deadlines can cause a lot of stress in your workers. While realistically assessing how long things will take, including breaks for stress-busting exercises is a much better idea.

You can even organize work-based wellness activities such as yoga, exercise, or meditation classes. Something that will help your employees deal with stress in their day to day work lives. Remember, if folks are less stressed, they are much more likely to enjoy their job, something that in turn makes it much more unlikely that they will up leave you, creating a staffing vacuum that you then have to deal with.

SOLO NYC: A Film About Freelancers in New York

I came across a pretty cool project about freelancers in New York, and I thought I'd share it with you. AND CO partnered with Soares to explore the freedom and entrepreneurialism that is frequently overlooked in the context of the so-called gig economy. The resulting piece, “SOLO NYC,” follows the triumphs and trials of four independent workers whose talents have led them to pursue their own career paths across a broad range of professional callings.

In the alleyways, back kitchens and matchbox studios tucked away in countless of bustling, yet remarkably unglamorous, neighborhoods wedged within the most vibrant city in the world, there’s magic is happening. Every damn day.

New York’s professional style understated yet relentless. Showing up, doing your best—and doing things a little differently—is the mantra of millions of people who rise with the sun to chase their dreams. With a little luck, and a lot of sweat, millions of men and women are making their career ambitions happen, and doing so outside of the traditional career path.

AND CO’s film “SOLO NYC” is an intimate look at the trials and triumphs of New York’s rising class of creative freelancers. Featuring Helen Levi, Alex Trochut, Adriana Urbina and Zipeng Zhu — Directed by Daniel Soares.

You can watch the film right there:https://www.and.co/solo.

“New York has always been about grit and relentless self-reliance—and this dynamic takes on a new meaning when applied to the city’s freelance workforce,” said Martin Strutz, co-founder of AND CO. “We made ‘SOLO NYC’ for the thousands, if not millions, of people wake up each day to chase their self-motivated career ambitions. They are thinkers, writers, creators and entrepreneurs, but most distinctively, they are independents.”

“The thread across all of my projects is a chance to feel something and then extend that feeling with the audience,” director Daniel Soares said. “This project was especially near and dear to my heart as it involved bringing to life the unique stories and perspectives of fellow freelancers who, like myself, call New York home.”

About The Cast

SOLO NYC

Helen Levi: Helen Levi is owner of Helen Levi Ceramics, and a freelance potter and photographer whose studio is based in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Born and raised in New York’s East Village, she has been profiled in Businessweek, GLAMOUR, ELLE, Vogue, Saveur and Bon Apetit, among other lifestyle and design publications. Levi began taking pottery classes in elementary school and continued through college, where she taught peers the craft despite studying photography. Today, a search for Levi and her work on Pinterest yields thousands of shares.

• Instagram: @helen_levi

• Twitter: @helenlevi

• Website: http://helenlevi.com/

Alex Trochut: Alex Trochut is an award-winning designer, illustrator and typography artist based in New York City. A native of Barcelona, Spain, his talents have been tapped by clients like Nike, Adidas, The Rolling Stones, Katy Perry, BBC, British Airways, Coca-Cola, Pepsi and The New York Times. Influenced by pop culture, street culture, fashion and music, Trochut’s unique style has made him an icon in his space, garnering accolades from the Grammy Awards (nominated for best packaging in 2016), Art Directors Club, the Type Directors Club, the Creative Review, and more. He has more than 50K followers and 1M views on Behance. In 2011, he published the compilation book, “MORE IS MORE.”

• Instagram: @trochut

• Twitter: @alextrochut

• Website: http://alextrochut.com/

Adriana Urbana: Adriana Urbina is an independent chef and owner of Tepuy Dining, a Venezuelan inspired pop-up dining company based in Brooklyn. Urbina has been featured in the New York Times, Huffington Post, and Eater and was recently named winner of the Food Network competition “Chopped.” Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she began cooking at age 12 and attained a double culinary degree from Le École of Alain Ducasse in France and Sumito Esteves in Venezuela. Since then, her pedigree has taken her to various Michelin Star restaurants before launching her own business in New York.

• Instagram: @tepuydining

• Website: https://www.adrianaurbina.com/

Zipeng Zhu: A former senior designer for esteemed design studios Sagmeister & Walsh and Pentagram, Zipeng Zhu runs an independently owned and operated creative studio, DAZZLE, from his Brooklyn home. His exuberant and colorful design, illustration and animation work has made him an icon and source of inspiration in the design community, with his projects garnering more than 400,000 views on Behance alone. Zhu grew up in China and moved to New York in 2009 to pursue his passion for design after abandoning his prior career path as a biochemist.

• Instagram: @ZZDesign

• Twitter: @ZZDesign

• Website: http://zz-is.it/