Freelancing for young professionals

I remember being given career advice many years ago. I was interested in art and music and becoming a vet. Well my academic record in maths and chemistry were considered to be below par for a career as a vet and art and music were brushed aside as worthless pursuits! The port folio career (or port folio life as I prefer to call it) was not even mentioned - neither was the possibility of freelancing or running your own business. Nowadays young professionals have much more choice and I recommend you look at freelancing as an option rather than being caught in a corporate culture that doesn't fit with your values or motivational drives. This blog post describes the reasons for moving towards freelancing as a way of protecting your future (the chances of being laid-off or being made redundant have increased), satisfying the need to grow and develop and exploring what it is you really want to do.

http://strat-talking.com/5-reasons-professionals-will-switching-freelancing-careers-2014/

5 tips for a small business turnaround

A small business turnaround means some hard decisions and hard work, but it is possible to get back on track.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/23/5-tips-small-business-turnaround/

Know your role

One of the key things I learned when doing account management is that my team were't just the people I worked with (other account managers). My team consisted of everyone who could either get in the way or help me to deliver excellent service to my clients. That included people who worked for my clients too! Perhaps the most important way of influencing them was to seek to understand what they did, why they did it and how they affected my clients' experience. I also needed to understand how I could add value to them and make their lives easier. Better to give value first and then ask for a favour. When you become a freelancer, and are often thrown into a team, this is even more crucial. Here's a useful blog post that explains a strategy for integrating effectively with a team quickly.

http://strat-talking.com/account-teams-vs-strategists/

Remembering Menolly the home office cat

She would sleep on her blanket on an office chair.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/information/my-home-office/home-offices-gallery-6/

What's the best business bag?

Coach Jane Minton of Wednesday Teatime explains how she moves easily between home, office and countries, thanks to her business bag, the shiny, pink trolley

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/18/opening-business-bag/

Taking stock after 3 years in business

Disabled entrepreneur Jane Binnion is back with a post on what she's learnt in her third year of self-employment, and it's something we can all benefit from

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/16/disabled-entrepreneur-work-progress/

This is how all home working cats should behave!

'She has to have half a hour on the knee or keyboard and then she’s happy in the basket.'

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/information/my-home-office/home-offices-gallery-6/

Back to employment wasn't the answer

Have you ever felt that working from home is too demoralising, and been tempted to go back to employment? Sarah Cruickshank decided the grass wasn't greener after all.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/12/back-to-employment-wasnt-answer/

3 places for online inspiration

Magazines are a great source of ideas for content. So are blogs, which I like to browse if I need a short break and a quick shot of online inspiration.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/11/3-places-online-inspiration/

Surviving redundancy - an inspiring tale.

Being made redundant is not a comfortable experience. Picking yourself up and going for another job is not always as straightforward as some people might say it is. However there are many stories of people who have been through the mill and come out the other side in a better place. Some have even changed strategy altogether and decided that they are not going to deliver value to a company that might toss them aside like a used handkerchief at the first sniff of financial difficulty! Instead they took a riskier strategy of becoming freelance or setting up their own business. Here's a story about someone who did just that. Sometimes making bold moves means that the universe works with you for a change!

http://strat-talking.com/surviving-redundancy/

The difficult task of managing people!

Leading and developing people is an art. Some people just seem to have the knack of doing it easily and effortlessly. Some of us are not so fortunate and struggle to cope. It's probably one of the most frustrating things about running a business. But what if there was a blue print which helped you to emulate those who do it so well? A process and a mind-set that could be easily learned and executed to help you lead and develop people with ease? Wouldn't that be great? And how much aggravation would it get rid of? Ali Stewart provides an amazing accreditation in doing just that. Taking away the pain for you to elegantly and effortlessly lead & develop high performance individuals and teams. And it's not only for business leaders. Coaches and trainers can learn how to deliver this training to their clients too. There is a new accreditation in January in Southampton so if you fancy upping your game have a look at what's on offer here.

http://www.leadinganddevelopinghighperformance.com/leading-and-developing/managing-people-biggest-headache/

What's in a Name?

Many people I work with find it hard to choose a business name. I remember when leaving BT having a conversation with a colleague about this. Since she was an excellent coach she got me to think about what I was known for and what I did best. On further exploration it was obvious that my name would be important and I had an unusual mix of both business skills & personal development skills. So the name was born 'Andy Britnell Business & Personal Development'. Does what it says on the tin! It's also stood the test of time apart from being slightly too long for various admin situations! My second business name was from a client "See a Man About a Blog", She told me that she said this to friends when she came to me for coaching. The main reason I chose this was that it was humorous, easily remembered and said what I was about. So there is a couple of suggestions and Strat-Talking take up the baton and give some more useful ideas to get your brand or business name right.

http://strat-talking.com/naming-and-branding-your-business/

Dealing with the Christmas slowdown

Getting over the seasonal hump requires a little planning for home business, so here are a few hints on how to manage the Christmas slowdown effectively.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2011/12/19/home-business-dealing-with-the-christmas-slowdown/

How to structure your first book

Writer’s coach Leda Sammarco is back to help you get started on your first book. Once you have found your story, you need to think about how to use it.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/09/structure-story-your-first-book/

Review of Mr Nutcase phone case

One of our home working review panel ordered a Mr Nutcase phone case and gives their verdict on the customer experience and the personalised case.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/product-reviews/office-product-reviews/mr-nutcase-phone-case/

Running a small business from home: so many choices

Judy Heminsley writes in The Guardian: there are many options for working outside a conventional office - co-working spaces, cafes, hotel lobbies, libraries and from your own living room. Find out what's right for you.

http://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2013/dec/05/working-from-home

Amazing Christmas presents from home businesses

Here is our Home Business Christmas ad 2013. We have a collection of gorgeous and unique gift ideas, made by home businesses with passion for what they do.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/home-working-topics/home-business-christmas-ad-2013/

PR for the home business owner

Top tips from Lyndon Johnson of THINK | DIFFERENT [LY] that every home business owner can use to ensure they deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, via the right channel.

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/12/03/pr-home-business-owner/