Category: Freelance

  • Freelance as a Career Choice

    CollabMiami recently got invited by Miami International University of Art & Design to present to the student body freelancing as a business model. We cannot express the honor (and fun) it was. Presenting alongside five top creatives from the CollabMiami community, we took students from starting a freelance business all the way to billing for work done.

    Younger generations of workers are now choosing to steer clear from the traditional employer/employee work environment, to a less traditional, freelance career or what some call “micro-entrepreneur”. This trend seems to be a lot more common for the millennial generation. According to research commissioned by the Freelancers Union, 53 million Americans now freelance in some capacity. Of that, 38 percent are millennials, compared to 32 percent of non-millennials (i.e., people over 35).

    This choice was the subject of a recent workshop, The Business of Freelancing that took place at Miami International University of Art & Design in collaboration with CollabMiami featuring six panelists from different industries discussing their experiences in making freelance a career choice. The panelists included…

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  • Tips On Collaborating With Other Freelancers

    Successful creative freelancers build a business not just a place to exercise a skill. In this interview Amanda Abella interviews George Cuevas, founder of CollabMiami and discuss pressing creative business issues. Give it a listen and be ready to take some notes.

    Who are you? What’s your background? 

    George is the founder of CollabMiami, a group in Miami, Florida that is made up of creative freelancers. They get together once a month for meetups and work out of different different spaces all over Miami.

    George was born in Miami, and is of Cuban descent. He has freelanced since he was in high school, and he graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in design. After graduation, he found himself back in Miami and decided to change the way freelancers worked with ad agencies.

    With years of experience building creative teams, George decided to bridge the creative networking gap and created CollabMiami. Over the last two years, he has connected with hundreds of freelancers in the community.

    Check out the rest of the post.

  • So you want to freelance?

    Having founded CollabMiami, I’m often approached with questions concerning freelancing. Many just seeking guidance for the very next step in their freelance journey. Well, following are some observations that you might find helpful as you consider striking out on your own.

    Freelancing is a business
    Big revelation, huh? You’d be surprised how many treat freelancing like a hobby. A pet project. Now, that is not to say that a hobby cannot turn into a serious “business” venture. It certainly has been an entry point for many. Yet, for a freelancer to thrive they must have business processes in place to get work in the door and put money in the bank. Consider the process, beginning to end, of someone wanting to use your services. From the first phone call to final delivery, what steps need to be taken?

    A skill does not a business make
    Though you might be brilliant in a particular skill, that alone will not suffice when establishing a freelance business. Why? Because now you will have to wear hats you never thought you would. Remember those math classes you hated so much? Well, you better get good at numbers really quick because now it’s called estimating and invoicing. You want to pay the rent? Welcome to your accounting department. Thankfully there are plenty of amazing online services that can help with the processes that you might not be the strongest at. From marketing to accounting seek to automate areas that will allow you to dedicate more time to your higher-value strengths.

    It’s all your responsibility
    We all have aspirations to be responsible and in charge of something. Nothing wrong with that. But if you are easily offended by criticism, emotionally afraid to express your thoughts or to timid to say “Hello!” to someone you just met, it’s going to be a rough ride. As a business owner everything is your responsibility. There is nowhere else to pass the buck. So be prepared to humbly receive praise and responsibly take blame.

    It’s not all about you
    Freelancing is challenging and demanding. It will put a strain on you and all those around you. Before you kiss your full time job goodbye, make sure you have total support from those that are significant in your life. I’m not talking about an encouraging “Yes, honey, I believe you can do it.” sentiment but a full on, buy-in. Meaning, are they ok with you not having a regular paycheck… for a while? Not having extra expendable income… for a while? Working late… for a while? Asking them to help you for free… for a while? This venture is a family affair. Do not underestimate the positive encouragement close relationships can have when things don’t seem to be going exactly as planned.

    Trying is not the same as committing
    If you want to “try” something, try on a pair of shoes. If you want to freelance, you’re going to have to commit. Most of the successful freelancers I know had no Plan B or Exit strategies. They had a vision and adapted their circumstances to whatever opportunities where presented. None of them had concrete answers or a perfectly paved road before them. They did have a commitment to see their vision thru while using freelancing as a mechanism to get there. So if you’re giving freelancing serious consideration, follow it up with serious commit.

    Lastly, don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from taking your next step. Take comfort in what you do know and take the next reasonable step. Yes, it might seem crazy, intimidating and even rebellious, but then again, that is what makes freelancing such an adventure.

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  • Why CollabMiami?

    There are two questions I get asked often at CollabMiami meetups. The first being “How did it start?” Well, after a nine year project building and working closely with creative teams I knew I would miss that interaction as a freelancer. At that point I set out to find a way to build a similar community around me. I figured the best way to make like-minded friends is to invite them to a like-minded gathering. So, I invited anyone that would care to work alongside me at a coffee shop to join me. Mind you the thought in my head was that it would be like the late 1800’s when artist like Toulouse-Lautrec would meetup with a few artist friends and encourage and challenge each other along their fine art journey. Little did I know the ball I started rolling.

    The easiest thing was for CollabMiami to start meeting in coffee shops around Miami. Those that had internet and at least one table to gather around was good enough. Then the Arts & Business Council of Miami took notice that CollabMiami was gaining popularity and uniting a historically very disjointed industry group. Their support legitimized what has become a unique city-wide initiative. Soon after, some of the most prestigious coworking spaces in Miami were extending invitations to host CollabMiami Meetups. We have had meetups at coworking spaces, hotels, cafe’s, book stores and even breweries that have opened their doors to welcome Miami’s creative freelance community. Along with the monthly meetups we also hold GreetUps, Discussion Series Workshops and special events. I have personally been invited to speak on the subject of creative collaboration, the business of freelancing and addressing creative students.

    So what’s the second question? “What’s in it for me?” As shocking as it was to hear that question at first, the inquiry was honest and respectful. The funny thing was that the answer shocked him as much as he shocked me with the question. My answer… “You.”From the inception of CollabMiami the belief of a “real relationship” with “real people” has been tantamount to any business type of gain. [blockquote size=”half” align=”right”]From the inception of CollabMiami the belief of a “real relationship” with “real people” has been tantamount to any business type of gain.[/blockquote] Shocking I know, but just ask any freelancer that has attended a CollabMiami meetup about their experience. You’ll find that most connect with someone within the first 10 seconds of entering the room. How is this possible? People in Miami don’t even like people in Miami?! Well, when the predisposition of meeting with others is caring about others, things change. CollabMiami freelancers come to work on their projects without fear of someone stealing their idea. CollabMiami freelancers willingly help each other on the spot. CollabMiami freelancers encourage each other when faced with a tough decision. CollabMiami freelancers get excited about each others accomplishments. Lastly, CollabMiami freelancers become friends. I didn’t start CollabMiami because I needed more business. I started it because I wanted to find more like-minded friends in the creative industry. I wanted to “make friends, not contacts” which coincidentally, became our credo.

    It’s simple really. The way we live out our brand is believing that better relationships leads to better business. No catch. No pretense. No bait and switch. This my friend is coworking at it’s best.

    See you at the next CollabMiami Meetup.

  • 10 Ways to Avoid Insanity and Automate Your Email

    For many freelancers, email is the lifeline to their business. Whether initiating a conversation, reaching out to a new contact or just keeping up with what is next, it’s enough to make a considerable time dent in our day. If your aim is to not only minimize email distraction but to make it truly work for you, maybe automation is for you.

    Automating processes and tasks is essential to running a one woman shop, because it’s not like you have a full-time assistant.And one of the places it’s most useful? That damn inbox that won’t stop bringing in new things.#InboxZero is an elusive beast we chase after. And if you achieve it, you have another new email within minutes and you feel decrowned

    Check out the rest of this awesome post at Blog Bolder

  • Deal with good people, use a contract anyway

    The ability to have freedom of choice is something seemingly innate to freelancing. Where to work, how to work, who to work with. With this mind set it seems that having a contract is also one of those optional choices. Well, think again. As a freelancer your commitment is to run a business… and businesses include contracts.

    In the midst of working with a friend on a contract, he sent me an e-mail with the quote “You can’t have a good contract with a bad person.”* He hates contracts. A lot of freelancers and business owners do. They slow down projects and are a hallmark of the corporate world.

    Don’t miss the rest of this awesome post at Freelancers Union

  • How to become irresistible to clients

    All freelancers go through that moment of self-doubt. We are so excited to go into the future that it seems we jump without much mind as to what it takes… it is a real business after all. Check this post out.

    I had just quit my job at Microsoft to pursue my dream of entrepreneurship. I was inspired after reading so many stories of people who had created a dream lifestyle by starting a (deceptively easy-looking) freelancing online business. Coaches and consultants making 6-figures a month. Stories of 4 hour workweeks, virtual assistants doing all the hard work and clients zooming in from all corners of the internet all with glorious freedom from a boss. I had stars in my eyes and the fantasy was just too enticing to pass up.

    With over 16 years leading successful corporate marketing initiatives, I was sure I would be on the fast track to a booming online business quickly.

    But that day, sitting in my first business networking meeting, I wasn’t so sure. In fact, for a fleeting moment, I wanted my predictable job title, paycheck, benefits and comfortable work environment back.

    Because in that moment I realized how unprepared and alone I was. I had created a me-too business… and I didn’t know how to talk about what made me unique, different or compelling. I felt drab, boring and forgettable.

    Read this awesome post at How to become irresistible to clients

  • Style Over Everything

    Why carving out your own artistic voice is the most important thing you can do.

    Artist spend a lot of time looking at the market and trying to make their art fit a commercial mode. Should I paint with oils? But Acrylics dry faster! Watercolor or do I just go digital? What’s the next big interest?

    From the earliest age, we’re taught to strive for perfection. We’re supposed to attend the best schools, get straight A’s, and win Olympic gold medals while we’re at it. To achieve this, we need to have impeccable grades, flawless technique, and unmatchable skills. Once in a while, our society makes a half-hearted attempt to say, “be who you are,” but it’s usually within the context of a winner’s story — someone who wasn’t pitch perfect on paper but still ended up on top anyway.

    Read more at Style Over Everything – 99U

  • How to Sell Your Services to Past Freelance Clients

     

    Selling Services to Past Freelance Clients.

    Having a pipeline of potential business always seems to be a concern for most freelancers. We tend to focus on the task we got hired for and neglect the sales part of our business.

    Well for the professional freelancer keeping a healthy flow of potential projects on the burner is not an option. We can seek to continually find new clients or we can back up and resurrect our prior clients that might be waiting in the wings.

    Break out your modern rolodex and start searching for any clients that slipped through your fingers the first time.

    For most freelancers, that means email. Hopefully, you archive all of your email conversations for future reference. Alternatively, if you save project files locally or on a cloud service, search through past clients folders and look for names you may have forgotten.

    Read the rest of this awesome article on FreshBooks

  • Why I Stopped Calling Myself A “Freelancer”

    As you introduce yourself as a freelancer what reaction do you get back? How do you position your freelance business not to come off as a person in between “real” jobs? Freelancers are real business people having to deal with the entire business process. Consider the following as you introduce yourself the next time the opportunity presents itself.

    THE TROUBLE WITH “FREELANCER

    “The words you use influence others’ perception of you. What’s your first thought when you hear the word “freelancer”? Do you picture a college kid working out of her parent’s basement? Many people who call themselves freelancers don’t exactly think of what they do as a business. But they should.

    Saying you’re a freelancer doesn’t signal to others that you’re a know-what-you’re-doing, take-no-crap professional.

    That bias may be unfair, but it’s a reality. Clients too often see freelance arrangements as low-cost line items rather than strategic partnerships.

    Read the rest of this awesome post on FastCompany