Abundant Freelancer Advantage

19/05/2017

I've been asked "How do you remain productive when you have so much flexibility in your schedule and time? or "I don't know how to self-manage...how do I add structure to my day when I'm in charge?"

Have you wondered these questions too?

If so, listen up! When you're self-employed and in complete control of your work life, you still need to create some structure! But the key is to create structure that works for YOU. For example, if you're a night owl or are most productive during the wee hours of the night, you might want to schedule your work during that time. Pay attention to your preferences and what works best for you productivity-wise, and then try to build your work schedule with that in mind.

Here are a few things that help me...

*Paying attention to when I'm most alert and energized to get work done.
*Creating -- and for the most part sticking to -- a daily calendar system that I can visually see. When I see that I have time blocked out for a certain project, it feels like I have an appointment that I need to make.
*Including strategic breaks throughout the day so I don't get burned out.
*Not always wearing my PJs at home!
*Having an accountability buddy

Tell me: Do you struggle with productivity too? What has helped you?

16/05/2017

I always wanted to own a business and be self-employed, but I honestly didn't think that was going to happen until I was about 35. I thought I would have to be in the working world for quite a while and feel rather established before becoming self-employed. So when did it happen? When I was just 26 years old! I had literally only been in the working world for a mere 4 years after college and I most certainly wasn't established.

And how did it happen?

I took control of my life. In 2014, I told myself that there was no better time; so I made the decision to quit my job, start freelancing, and just did it.

I was completely scared, I was going against the norm and I wasn't quite sure what I was doing. But the point was...I did it. I took action. I dove head first into freelancing and have never looked back.

And while it was scary, it also felt and still feels incredible to be my own boss!

Do you want to own your own business or be self-employed too?
How would you feel if you never had to work for someone else -- that YOU call the shots? Relieved? Happy? Thrilled?

16/05/2017

YESSSS! New law in NYC that protects freelancers >>

"...the law mandates that freelancers be paid in full for work worth $800 or more, either by a date set forward in writing or within 30 days of completing an assigned task. The Freelance Isn't Free Act also aims to protect freelancers from employer retaliation, and can increase monetary consequences for employers who refuse to pay."

Read the article here: http://gothamist.com/2017/05/15/freelancer_law_nyc.php

Time to fight for that fair and timely compensation.

03/05/2017

Don't let a "no" bring you down!

I get it: rejection sucks. But instead of keeping this as a negative thing, turn this into a positive. If someone didn't want to hire you, that simply means it's not the good fit overall. You've done your best at trying to convince them you are the best for the project...but they didn't see it. Who knows why and, honestly, who cares :)!

The truth is...you will meet potential clients who will want to hire you for their freelance jobs. This 1 no just opened up the space for a whole lot of yeses!

01/05/2017

Imagine how it will feel to finally submit your two weeks notice and be a free woman.

Imagine finally being able spend time with friends and family on the weekends.

Imagine having full control over your schedule, who you work with, where you work, the type of work you do and how much money you make.

Imagine the endless possibilities of being able to craft your dream career and life with this type of flexibility.

"Like" if you want this too!

30/04/2017

With online freelancing, the possibilities are endless! You’re not limited to your city, county or even state for finding work. In fact, most of my clients are based in the US and Canada, but I’ve also worked with clients in the UK, Australia and France. The world is your oyster!

29/04/2017

Remember: Only YOU get to decide how much you charge or how much you're worth!

28/04/2017

Can you actually make a good living with freelancing?
Definitely!

I have more than tripled my rates since starting and I make more now than I ever could have if I stayed in the corporate or startup world. But a super common problem for freelancers is understanding how to create consistent income. I struggled with it early on but I eventually figured out a business model that ensured I had consistent freelance income. If you haven't already, check out my sustainable freelance income blueprint!

www.abundantfreelancer.com/sustainable-income-blueprint

28/04/2017

Wondering how to add your freelancing to your resume? Give your freelancing business a name! Early on I started using Dore Communications & Design, instead of just marketing freelancing.

Giving your freelance biz a name is much more professional!

27/04/2017

! The power of chunking >> https://www.tonyrobbins.com/productivity-performance/power-of-chunking/

When people don’t do things, it’s not because they can’t or because they don’t want to — it’s because of the way they are focusing, or “chunking.”

27/04/2017

"...freelancing allows introverts to pave their own career paths in a way that aligns and embraces their introversion. As a freelancer, you get to work wherever you like, schedule your own hours, and accept gigs from the clients or projects that interest you. And, in most cases, when you do have met with a client, theses are typically one-on-one meetings and not a large conference room setting."

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/292853

Introverts are naturally good at structuring their own time and don't get stir crazy working at home.

26/04/2017

Wise words from Marie!

26/04/2017

What's your biggest struggle when it comes to starting your freelance biz? Tell me here >> https://abundantfreelancer.com/survey

26/04/2017

Have you ever thought it was impossible to find a LEGIT work-from-home opportunity or online freelance projects? I used to feel that way too.

There are so many fake/scammer postings online. It really makes us online freelancers and remote workers seem like unicorns 🦄...like our projects and our work lives don't really exist. But that is so far from the truth!

So how do you actually spot a fake posting?

You should consider a few things: Are the expectations of the work and pay unreasonable or completely unrealistic? Are they guaranteeing work? Do they require a credit card for you to pay for something before working? Is it extremely vague? If so, I recommend running the other direction!

25/04/2017

While we wait to understand the full impact Article 50 will have on UK businesses employing European workers full-time, it’s clear that freelancers will come to play an even more pivotal role in the British economy than they already do.

25/04/2017

What happens when there's this huge sea of fake or not-worthwhile freelance project postings? How do you sift through all of this?

Well, to help combat this frustrating problem, I make sure I spend some time editing the search and feed filters in my freelancer marketplace site accounts. You can be picky about things like location, payment verified, client history, budget, desired experience level, etc. Play around with different variations of filters and you will find that your feed and project notifications will improve a ton!

22/04/2017

Stuck on how to create a great cover letter for a project??
Start by thinking about...

*What makes you and your work both unique and outstanding.

*Any awesome projects, data, stats or testimonials that highlight your best work that's related to this project.

22/04/2017

Have you been wanting to start your freelance biz but really have no idea where to begin or what to do? If only you had some guidance for getting started, right?

I've got your back! I created the Freelance Starter Kit so you could learn the essentials of creating your freelance foundation and start making progress towards your dream. This includes 10 key downloads from the Abundant Freelancer Advantage Course and 1 FREE BONUS.

Remember, in just 2 days (Sunday at midnight PST), the Freelance Starter Kit will be going up to its full-price of $37.49. Plus, the bonus ends tomorrow night too! This is your last chance to get the kit at the low price and snag the "How to Build a Freelance Biz While Working a 9 to 5 Job" for free.

Grab your copy here >>

https://abundantfreelancer.com/freelance-starter-kit

*Freelance Starter Kit*

Ready to launch your freelance business but not sure where to start? In the Freelance Starter Kit, you'll learn how to build your freelance foundation and what you need to do in order to get off on the right foot!

21/04/2017

Your personality, work ethic, and your unique background are just as important as your experience and expertise with your services or field!

20/04/2017

The biggest fear I had when I started freelancing was whether or not I would make enough money or even a sustainable income. How was I going to make ends meet? Would I be able to pay all of my bills? How could I make my income relatively consistent?
After almost 4 years of freelancing, more than TRIPLING my rates and dozens of clients and projects later, I want to share with you my FREE Sustainable Income Blueprint that literally took my freelance business from just mediocre to thriving!

In this blueprint, I'll share with you and explain the simple tweaks that made all the difference for my freelance income. Grab your copy here: https://abundantfreelancer.com/sustainable-income-blueprint

19/04/2017

I love weekend TV. I know cable is dying and I could easily binge something on Netflix, like I did recently with “13 Reasons Why” (it’s surprisingly really good btw!). But there’s something comforting -- nostalgic even -- about stumbling upon a show or movie you like on TV at the exact time you decide to sit down on the couch.

Cable networks usually play some of my favorite movies on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday, I caught the movie "The Holiday" in the afternoon. And I love that movie! In fact, I recently chopped off my very long hair into a summery bob like Cameron Diaz...she was my inspiration for the haircut :).

Anyway, if you haven’t already seen it, here’s the gist. It’s the story of two women, Cameron Diaz from LA and Kate Winslet from England, who switch houses for a “holiday” over Christmas. Both of them desperately need this vacation from their lives.

I used to feel that way too. When I lived in San Francisco, especially in the super foggy summers, I would whine about how I really needed a vacation....but more specifically, a tropical vacation. Part of it was because I couldn’t stand the fog but the majority was because I needed a break from my life….mainly my working life.

I bet you’ve felt the same way too. While most jobs offer a few weeks of vacation time throughout the year, it’s rarely enough, especially when it’s a job you don’t like. You want to escape and you can’t seem to get enough time-off away from the office, your boss, and the crappy position.

That all changed for me when I started freelancing. The freedom to choose my work, craft my career, and to be my own boss has been incredibly liberating for me!

Sure, I have my moments where I still crave that tropical vacation and I do love to travel, but it’s almost never because I want to escape my life. It’s because I enjoy traveling or because laying on a hot caribbean beach with a fruity cocktail and a couple of my best girlfriends simply sounds like heaven.

But most of the time, I’m happy as a clam during the workweek. I like where I work, how I work, when I work, what I work on, etc…

Is this something you long for too? Are you tired of working for the weekend or a full on holiday?

Then you must check out the Freelance Starter Kit! For just $29.99, you’ll learn the foundation essentials that will get you so much closer to a liberating freelance career. This awesome kit includes key downloads from the first 2 modules of the Abundant Freelancer Advantage Course. So if you have been contemplating joining the pilot group, this is the perfect introduction before committing to the full course!

Better yet? You’ll get to download it instantly upon purchase!

Get the deets on what’s exactly inside the Freelance Starter Kit here >>
www.abundantfreelancer.com/freelance-starter-kit

17/04/2017

Fear is usually what stops us from moving forward with something. I was scared to get started with freelancing mainly because I was afraid whether or not what I'd be doing would be good enough. But I had to just move forward through that fear and DO IT ANYWAY...because I knew the idea of staying where I was was scarier!

Can you relate?

16/04/2017

Did you know that it has been predicted that almost half of the US workforce will be working by freelance by 2020. So what does that mean? Well, for one, there is a huge growing demand for freelance services!

13/04/2017

I get asked all the time: how do you start landing more contracts with QUALITY clients?

Short answer? Avoid these major red flags from potential clients...

Negativity
Always trying to negotiate your rate down or asking for free work
Not respecting your time

13/04/2017

**Freelance does not mean you work for free**
You're running a business and making a living. If someone is asking you to discount your services severely or, gasp, work for free, run the other direction! Don't let someone undervalue your work.

Now, if you're wanting to build up your portfolio and are offering occasional free services to clients in exchange for a testimonial and a case study, that's another story. This sort of exchange works very well early on in freelancing but is by no means necessary to get started. Just make sure if you do this, it's you proposing the exchange -- if it's the other way around, they most likely will take advantage of the situation and that's no good.

13/04/2017

"Though women aren't earning equal pay in traditional jobs, new unpublished research by the freelance platform Lystable shows they are bringing in more than men in freelance fields including writing, videography and graphic design."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/elainepofeldt/2017/04/04/the-freelance-fields-where-women-out-earn-men/

Despite earning 80 cents on every dollar men make in full-time, traditional jobs, women are out-earning men as freelancers in writing, videography and graphic design, according to new research.

11/04/2017

Fear is usually what stops us from moving forward with something. I was scared to get started with freelancing mainly because I was afraid whether or not what I'd be doing would be good enough. But I had to just move forward through that fear and do it anyway...because I knew the idea of staying where I was was scarier!

11/04/2017

What is 1 thing you want most in your freelancing biz? Flexible schedule, working from home....? Comment below!

10/04/2017

Only have a few testimonials from past bosses? Ask a friend, colleague or co-worker for one! It can be based on your work ethic OR expertise in a certain area -- just make sure it's someone who will sing your praises :).