"The Myth of Multitasking" is an often-discussed topic these days, for large corporations and small business alike. With the rapid changes in the way we view business, especially for the self-employed, it seems impractical—if not impossible, to focus on one task at a time. To be honest, the idea of single-task focusing sounded like a [...]
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Posted by: Akilah Richards, March 4, 2010
Comments: 3
Long story short, every freelancer needs a whiteboard because some ideas are just too big for a mere scrap of paper or computer monitor. But let's back up. That’s not the only reason that this freelancer, and many before me, have so thoroughly embraced the idea of an office whiteboard. Here are just a few [...]
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Posted by: Jennifer Escalona, February 11, 2010
Comments: 1
One of the most common pieces of advice new or prospective business owners receive is to “research your competition.” That’s all well and good, but how many times can you relentlessly explore your competition’s website or read glowing articles about them in trade magazines before you realize your research needs a little structure? And here [...]
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Posted by: Jennifer Escalona, January 28, 2010
Comments: 2
There are few office tasks as dreaded as filing. When I was an administrative assistant during my grad school years, filing was always, without exception, my lowest priority. And so my to-file pile grew taller and taller, and less and less stable, until finally there was nothing for it but to file it all away. [...]
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Posted by: Dustin Wax, January 25, 2010
If you’re a sole-proprietor or small business owner, chances are something has stressed you out this week, this day or probably even this hour. After all, it’s the holiday season. You’re likely buying gifts and making travel preparations, and depending on your industry, you’re either watching your business slow way down or, if you own [...]
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Posted by: Jennifer Escalona, December 30, 2009
Comments: 2
No man (or woman) stands alone. These days, that's the truth both in-person and online.
Would you keep your Twitter account if no one ever followed you?
Would you stay on Facebook if you never got "friended"?
Better yet: Would your business survive if no one cared what you said or worse yet, what you had to offer?
Collective [...]
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Posted by: Akilah Richards, December 21, 2009
For some reason, when I first heard about SCORE, I was skeptical. You mean an organization exists to help me with my small business? And its services are absolutely free? There has to be a catch. But when I had a particularly vexing tax question and nowhere to turn outside of paying a CPA, I [...]
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Posted by: Jennifer Escalona, November 30, 2009
Comments: 0
Last week I outlined five kinds of online tools every freelancer needs; this week I'm back with five more. Online tools are especially valuable for freelancers because a) they tend to be affordable and even free, b) they are accessible from wherever you find yourself working, and c) they shift responsibility for security, backup, and [...]
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Posted by: Dustin Wax, November 25, 2009
It’s a strange time to be a telephone user. While some people are sticking to the tried and true landline, at least 20% of all U.S. households use cell phones exclusively. While some people prefer to be communicated with via text and only text, others feel that texting is impersonal and draws out an interaction [...]
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Posted by: Jennifer Escalona, November 17, 2009
Comments: 0
Last month, I talked about where freelancers work (Working the Home Office and Get Out of the House: Alternatives to the Home Office); now I want to talk about how we work– the tools we use to do our job.
Whatever field you're in – writing, design, consulting, etc. – you no doubt have a set [...]
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Posted by: Dustin Wax, November 11, 2009