The Importance of Community – Part I
Justin Knechtel lives in between the cities of Seattle and Bellevue, Washington, on Mercer Island. As the founder of the Northwest Freelancers Association (NWFA), an independent nonprofit organization, Knechtel works with freelancers throughout the entire Pacific and Inland Northwest.
Knechtel also created and runs The Small Potatoes, which is a design and consulting agency made up of freelance professionals living and working in the Pacific Northwest. The Small Potatoes works with small businesses, nonprofits, and startups to provide services on a pay-what-you-can-afford model.
When researching the topic of civic mindedness in freelancers, Knechtel seemed like the kind of freelancer who would have a lot to talk about on the topic. I wasn’t disappointed.
Video: Nigel Marsh on Work-life Balance
View engaging conference lectures, interesting how to discussions, and high quality freelance advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Nigel Marsh: How to make work-life balance work by Nigel Marsh. In this video he lays out an ideal day balanced between family time, personal time and productivity — and offers some stirring encouragement to make it happen.
Video: Clay Shirky on institutions vs. collaboration
View engaging conference lectures, interesting how to discussions, and high quality freelance advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Clay Shirky on institutions vs. collaboration by Clay Shirky. In this prescient 2005 talk, Clay shows how closed groups and companies will give way to looser networks where small contributors have big roles and fluid cooperation replaces rigid planning.
Tackling Stress with the “Breathe and Reboot” Method
Credit: Elenathewise on Photodune.
“Breathe and reboot.”
I say this to myself a lot; heck, today it was my status message on Facebook. It’s one of my mantras…when something has me really irritated, frustrated, stressed, or angry. I know better than to let those emotions overcome me. Okay, sometimes they win out–I’m an Italian from New Jersey–whaddaya want?
Most of the time, I know to breathe and reboot. Why? Because I don’t want to let one pesky letdown ruin my entire day–or my perspective on life.
When I thought about it, this concept is greatly useful for freelancers. We’re juggling a multitude of tasks and dealing with all sorts of people, so it’s likely that something (maybe more somethings) will disrupt your happiness during the day. What to do? Breathe and reboot.
Strange Business: Corporate Creativity That Doesn’t Suck
View engaging conference lectures, interesting how to discussions, and high quality freelance advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Strange Business: Corporate Creativity That Doesn’t Suck by Aaron With Editor in Chief Groupon Inc. In this video Aaron discusses the strange uncomfortable social experiments they perform in their marketing. Bucking all normal marketing rules, Groupon can’t resist executing its silliest, darkest, dumbest, and most pointless impulses on a grand scale. By launching one incredibly expensive joke after another with no clear tie to revenue, they believe they are creating more engagement.
Lisa Gansky, Ted Video: The future of business is the “mesh”
View engaging conference lectures, interesting how to discussions, and high quality freelance advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at The future of business is the “mesh” by Lisa Gansky. At TED@MotorCity, Lisa Gansky, author of “The Mesh,” talks about a future of business that’s about sharing all kinds of stuff, either via smart and tech-enabled rental or, more boldly, peer-to-peer. Examples across industries — from music to cars.
Why are so many things broken?
View awesome conference lectures, engaging how to discussions, and high quality freelance advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Why are so many things broken? by bestselling author, entrepreneur, and agent of change Seth Godin. In this video Seth gives a hilarious presentation at Gel Conference. He gives a tour of things poorly designed, the reasons why they are that way, and how to fix them.
The Health Benefits of Having Pets in Your Home Office
Credit: Lifeonwhite on Photodune
Those of us with a cat or dog know that our pets are like a member of the family. And, like the important members of your family, you just feel better with them around.
My chihuahua is never far from me when I’m on my laptop. As I’m writing this post, he laying on my outstretched legs. In the U.S., three out of every five homes have a pet. And these pets are more than just camaraderie—pets have been shown to have health benefits for humans.
Freelancer, the Lazy Bum – An Essay
Credit: Yuri Arcurs on Photodune
“Free” is both exciting and scary, always followed by skepticism. If something is free we wonder what the catch is, so no wonder the “free” in “freelancer” makes us shady people. I mean, how can we say we work if we don’t have jobs, if we just sit at our computers all day…at home! I mean, the only people who do that are lazy bums, right?
Freelancers are the black sheep of their circles, idealist flakes, slackers who embrace laziness, and are sources of embarrassment to their corporate parents. In an article on annoying questions freelance writers get asked, right here on FreelanceSwitch, commenters mentioned what they go through as freelancers:
- A freelancer and stay-at-home mom is asked, “but you’ll go back to work once your daughter goes to school, right?”
- A guy’s wife thinks he’s playing computer games all day.
- An author is excited about showing her mom a copy of her book not because she’s proud of her work, but just so she can show her mom that she works for a living and no, she doesn’t need to borrow $20, mom.
Why do people think we’re slackers for opting for freelance freedom? Freedom might be something we all say we want, but freedom is also highly feared and misunderstood.
Career Interview with a Freelance Radio Journalist
View awesome conference lectures, engaging how to discussions, and high quality freelance business advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Career Interview with a Freelance Radio Journalist by Creative Interviews. In this video Career interview with freelance radio journalist, Rene Gutel discusses the freedom and challenges of being a freelance journalist for NPR.
How To Grow Your Business With Content
View awesome conference lectures, engaging how to discussions, and high quality freelance business advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at How To Grow Your Business With Content by Michael Stelzner. Are you wondering why your business needs content? When you produce high-quality content, it’s a gift to your audience that they appreciate.
If you think of your business as a rocket, content is the fuel that moves it forward. Be sure to watch this edition of Social Media Examiner TV where Michael shares 6 awesome ways to grow your business with content and take it to the stratosphere.
Gary Vaynerchuk on the Thank You Economy at SXSW 2011 Interactive
View awesome conference lectures, engaging how to discussions, and high quality freelance business advice via video here on FreelanceSwitch.
This week we look at Thank You Economy – SXSW 2011 Interactive by Gary Vaynerchuk. In this video Gary, who sounds like he’s gone way over his daily coffee alotment, discusses The Thank You Economy, and how to tackle the ROI of social media and the humanization of business as he see’s it.
