6 in 6 Archives - Page 4 of 5

Yes, You Can Collect Unemployment Benefits While Starting Your Own Business

May 20, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

I know, crazy, right?

Up until last week, I thought so too. But as of last Tuesday, (as I mentioned in my last post) I am officially enrolled in the CLIMB program here in Minnesota. CLIMB stands for “Converting Layoffs Into Minnesota Businesses.” The program pays enrollees to work on their own businesses for at least 32 hours a week.

“Working on your business” can include product development, making sales, working on client projects, your own marketing, (so I’m getting part of my 32 hours in by writing this blog post) training, bookkeeping or anything else that is part of running your business.

And the best part is, none of this work counts against receiving your unemployment benefits.

Up until now, I’ve received about $300 in unemployment on one particularly slow week. That’s it. Because normally, if I work for myself while receiving unemployment, any money I make gets deducted from my benefits.

The unemployment system here in Minnesota requires you to report your earnings when you do the work, not when you’re paid for the work. They deduct the amount you’ve “earned” from your eligible benefits, whether you have money coming in or not. This means my finances have been pretty tight for the last couple of months.

But now, all of that has changed for the better.

I found out about the CLIMB program through a friend who was dealing with the unemployment system here in Minnesota about the same time I was. She mentioned it when we got together one morning for breakfast to commiserate and share resources.

I applied for unemployment benefits as soon as I was laid off (as one does). So I was well into the “must spend 30 hours a week looking for work” situation. But the more I looked, the more I realized I wanted to work for myself again. Once I found out about the CLIMB program, I jumped at the opportunity.

To get these benefits, I had to qualify for the Dislocated Workers program. I attended a session where about 30 laid-off workers were walked through filling out and submitting an application to the program. (It was a bit weird, honestly.)

The Dislocated Workers program helps people who have been laid off from highly qualified jobs get the extra training they need get their next job. The program connects them with educational opportunities and (in some cases) pays for the training.

Once I was accepted into this program, I was assigned a Dislocated Worker counselor, who enrolled me in the CLIMB program. I presented him with my progress up to that point. I had already formed an LLC and I gave him the accompanying documentation. I also reported on my current clients.

He explained the entire program to me, then put me in contact with the CLIMB program representative. It took a couple of months, but eventually everything went through.

Last Tuesday, the CLIMB representative called to tell me I am officially enrolled and will receive my current unemployment benefits every week until they run out (sometime in October).

The great thing is, making money doesn’t affect my benefits. It’s encouraged. The CLIMB representative even gave me some “motherly advice.” She said to use my benefits to pay bills and invest everything I could back into my business.

Now, I know I can pay my bills, regardless of when my clients pay me. This is a huge weight off of my shoulders. I’ve lived on credit cards before. It’s not a fun game.

If you’ve been laid off recently and are thinking of starting your own business, find out whether your state has a Self-Employment Assistance program, or something similar to Minnesota’s CLIMB program.

According to a couple of people inside the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) program, Minnesota is a leader in innovation when it comes to unemployment benefits. Many states are following our lead.

According to the U.S Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency website, the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Labor have launched a new website to support state workforce and unemployment agencies who offer Self-Employment Assistance programs. https://sea.workforcegps.org/

Several states, including Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, New York and Oregon already have Self-Employment Assistance programs. Check with your state unemployment agency to see if they have this program and whether you qualify.

According to the Small Business Association website, you must:

Be eligible for and be receiving unemployment benefits
Be unlikely to return to your previous employment
Have a viable business idea, be willing to work full time on developing your business and be able to start and sustain your business until it becomes self-supporting.

I expect qualifications will vary from state to state.

Are you starting your own business after being laid off? Tell me about the resources your state is offering in the comments below.

6 in 6 Freelance Copywriter Progress Report – 2 Months

May 13, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

2 months in and I’m still reservedly thinking this freelance copywriter thing can work. This month hasn’t been as wonderful as I would have liked, but things are still heading in the right direction.

This has been a bad news – good news month. So I may as well start with the bad news.

Projects haven’t been going as smoothly as I would have hoped. I wanted to have my first two projects done by now. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened. Some of that is on me. Life can get in the way of doing what we want. Some of it is just the reality of timing and clients getting back to me with responses.

I am always respectful of the fact that I am only one factor in my clients’ businesses. And until I’m the thing on their desk that is “on fire” I will be pushed to the back of the line. So when I have to, I ignite the flame. Believe it or not, everyone wins that way. I get the responses I need and they get their marketing done without having to do it all themselves.

The difficult part of not completing these projects is not getting paid. Fortunately, I had some money set aside to cover myself during this time. Unfortunately, I’m steadily burning through that money. Having been a freelancer in the past, I am well aware of this ebb and flow. As another freelancer friend of mine said, “Sometimes you eat chicken and sometimes you eat feathers.”

Now onto the good news.

There is definitely work on the horizon. I signed one new contract this month and have completed the first draft. This particular client could become a regular, which makes me happy because I really like his niche and how he works. It’s fun to be the “voice” for people who have interesting ideas.

There are several other contracts either promised as soon as “things come through” or in the works. I also have potential clients contacting me about projects they’ll need further out, or on a “Hey, can you fit this in?” basis. This bodes well for the future, but I’ll be happier when everything is in writing. It’s just the way I am.

As I mentioned in my last 6 in 6 report, I won a free subscription to Bryan Harris’s Get 10,000 Subscribers course. So I’ve been building my own email list. My main focus for this new list is potential clients. It’s a monthly round up of blog posts, updates and copywriting tips. I figure it never hurts to stay on people’s radar.

If you’re interested in hiring me as your freelance copywriter, or if you want to keep me top of mind to recommend me on to others, please feel free to join the list here.

Of course, I always encourage people to join the weekly blog post notification list too.

And finally, a bit of “even better” news.

When I was laid off in January, I applied for unemployment benefits. (As one does.) Up until now I think I’ve collected all of $300 on a particularly slow week. Because I’ve been working for myself, the state says I’m making money and don’t qualify to collect my unemployment.

Here in Minnesota, the state unemployment insurance program has something called the CLIMB program. CLIMB stands for Converting Layoffs Into Minnesota Businesses. Basically, it allows people who are starting their own businesses to collect unemployment while working on their own companies.

As of this past Tuesday, I am officially enrolled in the program. This means I’ll get my full unemployment benefits every week, without being penalized for working on my own business. Quite the opposite. I’m required to work at least 32 hours a week on my own business. No problem!

I’ll still have to report my work activities every week, but that’s not a big deal. Having this extra income ensures I can pay my bills during the lean times and build my reserves back up when things are going well.

I’m going to write a post about this program next week, just because I think it’s so cool. Other states have similar programs, so if you’re in a similar situation maybe you can take advantage of it too.

Overall, I feel like I’m still on track to make my goal of making $6,000 a month in 6 months as a freelance copywriter. Not declaring official success yet, but I still have 4 months to go.

Questions? Comments? Encouragement? Please leave them below.

Time is Short – Follow Your Dreams

April 22, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

I was going to write something lofty and important about being a full-time freelance copywriter or small business person this week. Something that should have helped others to start or run their own small businesses.

But yesterday morning, a Minnesota Icon died.

Out of the blue.

Just in case you haven’t turned on the news or a radio station or been on the Internet in the last 24 hours, Prince died yesterday around 10:00 am. He was found unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN, less than half an hour from where I live.

We’re all in shock here in Minnesota. When I wrote this, there was a huge block party happening in front of First Avenue, the venue where Prince filmed Purple Rain. More are scheduled for tonight and tomorrow.

Growing up in Minnesota, in the eighties, you couldn’t help but be influenced by Prince’s music. He was the hometown hero. His music was everywhere, school dances, the radio, blasting out of boom boxes and on television. So while Prince wasn’t one of my all-time favorites, I do consider myself a fan.

Prince was a self-taught virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, songwriter, you name it. He was one of the most talented musicians of our time. Whether you like his music or not, ya gotta give the guy some credit. He really was fantastic.

Everyone comments on how eccentric he was. And he was. By all accounts, he was a fabulous, shy, little powerhouse of a man. He was most comfortable on stage performing. He was very private. But he was very kind and giving.

He supported other musicians in their careers. He gave free concerts. He held parties and concerts at Paisley Park. He’d show up at other musicians’ concerts and randomly join them on stage, playing some incredible music with them. You can read all the stories elsewhere on the Internet. He was an amazing guy.

He was also a very savvy businessman. He controlled his image very carefully, insisting that videos and pictures that weren’t authorized be taken down. He removed his music from most streaming services in protest of how poorly musicians are paid for their art.

And the crazy love symbol thing? For those who don’t know, that was actually a battle with his record label, Warner Bros. He felt he wasn’t being treated fairly when they tried to slow the release of his CDs. So to get out of his contract he changed his name to what became known as Love Symbol #2.

But this post really isn’t about Prince.

It’s about time.

It’s about the fact that we have no idea when Death will come for us.

So if you have a dream, do it. Follow your dreams now. That way when your time is up, you can say you accomplished the things you wanted to. Even if you failed at them. At least you tried.

I’ve failed numerous times. And each time, I learned something from that failure. And I can say I tried.

I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life. I’ve had the resources to follow my dreams, no matter how crazy they were. My incredibly tolerant and supportive family has helped me through a lot. I owe them big time. But they all understand that dreams are important and you have to follow them.

I have a degree in creative writing and theater. I wanted to be a full-time actor when I graduated from college. (Among my acting credits is being an extra in Sign O’ the Times, so there’s my Prince tie-in. One of the many benefits of growing up in Minneapolis.)

I’ve run my own business making costumes, primarily for people performing at Renaissance Festivals, but also for local theater productions. I’ve toured the country as a professional musician, playing at those Renaissance Festivals and as part of a Celtic band.

I’ve been very lucky to be able to follow my dreams, even if I’ve failed at some of them.

But if you don’t try, you’ll never know if you’ll succeed or fail.

Which is why I’m doing what I’m doing right now. Until I try being a full-time freelance copywriter, I’ll never know if I can do it.

So I’m encouraging you follow your dreams too. You don’t have to take the crazy leap of faith like I did. You can work your way into it.

Or maybe you have a dream that doesn’t involve upending your life. Maybe you want to travel because you’ve never left your home state, province or country. Maybe you want to learn to paint, just because. Maybe you want to become a sommelier, so you can say you did it.

Go do it. Even if you fail, trying can be considered a success.

Prince did it. He lived a spectacular life. I’m sure in amongst all his successes, he had some amazing failures too. It wouldn’t be life without them.

Follow your dreams. No matter how big, or small they may be.

Because we all get the same thing, we get a life. How we use it is what defines us.

Tell me about your dreams and how you plan to make them happen in the comments below.

6 in 6 Freelance Copywriter Progress Report – 1 Month

April 13, 2016 by Tanya Brody 2 Comments

One month ago today I started this blog with the goal of making $6,000 net a month in 6 months as a freelance copywriter. So I figured this would be a good time to check in to let you know how I’m doing.

I was laid off on January 20^th. By the beginning of March, I had 2 clients, both of whom came to me through referrals. Yes, I started this blog with 2 clients. That’s part of the reason I decided to write about the journey I’m on. I finally knew where I was going.

Since the beginning of March I have received signed contracts from both clients and each client has paid half of their fee up front, for a total of $5,750. That’s close to what I want to be earning a month net, but definitely not there yet. I’ve got some serious work to do.

I do have a project starting in May, but I haven’t received a deposit on that one yet. I have also been pursuing other potential clients, some of whom have approached me and some of whom I have reached out to. I’ll let you know when those pan out.

I’ve also been networking in every way possible, including offering my services to a non-profit my father is involved in. I’ve reached out to friends and family. I’ve used social media, job boards and various other channels to tell the world I’m a freelance copywriter looking for clients.

Some of those connections have paid off, with various people contacting me, asking if I’m interested in a project. As I write this post, I’m waiting to hear from a friend regarding one of those projects.

I’m not yet prepared to say this freelance copywriter thing is even remotely a success. But it does have the potential to become one. And the Universe, or (insert your choice of deity here), does seem to be steering me in this direction.

Here’s how I know.

As mentioned in an earlier post, people (including those of you reading this post) keep sending me support and potential clients.

I have managed to secure two client contracts, both of which I am enjoying writing.

I’m learning tons. Even if this doesn’t pan out in the end, I can honestly say it was a learning experience.

I attended the Brian Clark/Bryan Harris email list building webinar on Monday and won a free “Get 10,000 Subscribers” course. (If that isn’t the Universe pointing me in the right direction, what is? I have a lot of list-building work to do now. Phew!)

I honestly feel like I’m off to a good start. I’m not where I want to be yet, but hey, I’m logging my 1-month mark. I’m doing pretty well. Stay tuned to see if I keep going up or if I hit a snag somewhere along the line.

So… yeah. After being laid off and not knowing what to do next, I can honestly say that so far, this freelance copywriter thing is a good idea. Not sure if it’s my “forever” career yet (though I want it to be). But it’s so crazy, it just might work.

I’ll report in again in another month.

Cheers,

Tanya

How to Manage Your Time as a Freelancer or Business Owner

March 30, 2016 by Tanya Brody 1 Comment

One of the many joys about working for yourself is being in charge of your own schedule. Yes, you have more time to spend with your kids, friends, family, or whatever other impetus caused you to quit your “day job.”

But being in charge of your own schedule means just that; you’re in charge. No one is going to yell at you for not getting your work done, except you.

There are lots and lots of websites/articles/books out there that will tell you how to manage your time, especially when working for yourself. If that’s what you’re looking for, please go read those. I’m not going to reference those here.

I’m going to talk about what I do, and what I’ve found to be true as a freelance copywriter, a full-time musician and a professional costumer (all businesses I currently own or have owned in the past.)

So, if you want a dose of what being your own boss is really like, please read on…

If Nobody Does the Work, It Doesn’t Get Done

This is the first rule of working for yourself. Especially when you are the Chief Cook and Bottle-washer. If you aren’t there to do the work you’ve promised to clients or to create the products you’re planning on selling, no one else will do it.

This means you need to build free time, sick time and vacation time into your schedule if you plan on taking them.

We all know that being sick never comes at a “good” time. But if you allow yourself a little extra time within your schedule to do a given project, you give yourself a cushion for being sick, just in case. And more importantly, clients love it when you finish their projects early.

Be like Scotty from Star Trek. Over estimate your time and look like a miracle worker.

Want to go have lunch with your mom or take a day off to get a personal project done? Great! Go for it. But make that time up somewhere else during the week.

“But I’m master of my own destiny!” I hear you cry. “I should be able to do what I want.” Yes, you should. But working for yourself means working for your clients/customers. You’re still accountable to someone, regardless of who writes your paycheck.

So yes. Work four 10-hour days so you can take that extra day off. Work into the evening so you can enjoy Mom’s company at lunch. Working for yourself doesn’t mean having all the free time in the world. It means having the freedom to manage your time to suit yourself. That includes how much you work and when you work.

Want to take that vacation in the Bahamas or go see a friend for the weekend? Awesome. Do it. But again, build that time into your schedule, or be willing to bring your work with you and get some of it done while you’re away.

One of the many things I love about being a freelance copywriter, as opposed to some of the other businesses I’ve owned, is all I need to do my job is a computer and an Internet connection. That’s it.

Music ties me to specific places at specific times, even though I choose where and when I perform. Costuming meant a lot of equipment and materials, which are really hard to haul around with you. (So are instruments and CDs, for that matter.)

Compared to my previous businesses, working as a freelance copywriter while traveling is a delight!

Manage Your Day to Stay Sane

I will be the first to admit that I used to work crazy hours, especially when I was costuming. I would go downstairs to my basement workshop (most costume shops are in the basement, we costumers are notorious for this,) around 10:00 am and start working.

Sometime around 4:00 pm I’d look up and say, “Oh, I should eat something.” I’d go upstairs to the kitchen, make something to eat, bring it back down with me and eat while I worked. Then I’d keep working until 10:00 pm.

Don’t do this. Seriously. It’s bad for you.

I’ve altered my habits considerably since my youthful freelance costuming days. Here are a few simple steps I now follow to stay sane during my work day:

Get up and move around – Doctors, ergonomic professionals and pretty much everyone else agrees that this is absolutely necessary during the day for physical and mental health.This can be something as simple as getting up and stretching for a couple of minutes to getting away from a frustrating project to take a walk and clear your head. Do it. Your body and mind with both thank you.

Eat – Yes, this seems obvious, but if you read the first paragraph in this section, you’ll see how easy it is to forget to do this during the day, especially when you are deeply focused on a project.

Give yourself permission to stop – As a business owner, and the person responsible for, well, everything, it can be hard to do this. But you must. Sleep, relationships with other humans and time away from your business are incredibly important. Sometimes they can be crucial to solving whatever problem is at hand.So yeah. Give yourself a firm stop time every day and go do something else. (And yes, this time will change from day to day. See managing your time above.)

Figure Out How You Stay Focused

Everyone has their own way of getting into the zone.

Legendary copywriter Eugene Schwartz would set a timer for 33.33 minutes and concentrate solely on the project at hand. (Okay, he also drank coffee.) Then he got up and did something else for 10-15 minutes. He’d do this over and over, every day.

Other folks can multi-task, absorbing information from several sources at once, all while finishing whatever they’re working on, on time.

Me, I like to buckle down and work on something for a couple of hours, then take a 20-minute break. (Okay, I take some very short social media breaks in there, and I certainly research whatever I’m working on, but that’s how I roll.)

You will have to figure out what works best for you. Once you find it, keep doing it. Trust me, it will help.

Figure Out What Makes You the Least Distracted.

There are so many fabulous distractions to grab your attention, whether you work from home, a workshop or a coworking office space.

Your kids, your neighbors, your phone, your email, other folks using the same space, the construction work across the street. You name it, it is out to suck up your time.

At my house, it’s the cat, the laundry, the dishes, the birds at my bird feeders, or during the summer, all of the fabulous wildlife that visit me while I’m writing on the patio.

How can you not be distracted by that adorable face?

You need to figure out what will help you focus the most and distract you the least. Please notice I don’t say “will keep you laser focused all day, every day” because that’s unrealistic and unhealthy. But do find what lets you be the most productive.

For me, I need music. I love music. I don’t remember a time I didn’t sing and I’ve been musical in one way or another for most of my life.

However, it’s really hard for me to listen to music with words while writing. (And I don’t think my clients appreciate having weird lyrics sprinkled throughout their copy.) So I tend toward classical, electronica, jazz and music in languages I don’t speak.

I also have certain places I work in the house (or on the patio) that seem to keep me the most focused. No idea why, they just do.

When I was costuming, I listened to books on tape. They gave my mind something to focus on while my hands were busy.

Figure Out What Helps You to Stay On Task

I like having a list of things I have to do every day, or for every project. I use my calendar, Reminders on my computer or phone, and Trello to keep track of these.

Other folks use Post-It Notes, note books, alarms, or any number of other triggers to help them remember what they’re doing and when they’re doing it.

Feel Free to Throw All of This (and Any Other Advice) Out the Window.

Really, this is all about what works best for you. Everyone will give you their own tips, tricks, studies or whatever in an effort to be helpful. But ultimately, this is about building your ideal work situation. So feel free to experiment.

If the dog running to the window every 10 minutes to bark at the squirrels distracts you, send the dog off to daycare a few days a week.

If your family refuses to let you have a moment’s peace, commandeer a room with a door and say “You are not allowed to knock on, open this door or come into this room unless you are dying or the house is on fire.” Then hold to that. (They’ll never learn otherwise. Trust me.)

Most importantly, have fun! This is your life and your business. You chose this over working a “real job” because you wanted to enjoy what you do. So do it.

What has helped you the most when figuring out how to manage your time? Tell me about it in the comments.