Emma Jones | Managing business
Do you have content you would like to share with an interested audience of existing and potential customers? It’s never been so easy to package your content in a stylish way, and distribute it in a cost-effective way.
Enter the age of home publishing with Emma Jones.
A national advertising campaign highlighting Britain’s Brain Gain has been launched, spotlighting the rich talent pool amongst the UK’s 1.4 million freelance workers and highlighting their £82 billion contribution to our economic output.
The newspaper campaign and the Britain’s Brain Gain website reflects on the ability, imagination and effectiveness of freelance workers throughout the UK.
As electioneering and policy pledges seem to have started in earnest the PCG, the representative body for freelancers, contractors and consultants in the UK, is marking the New Year by calling on Government and policy framers to take a fresh approach to freelancing at the start of a new decade.
Download the Freelancers Manifesto
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
Freelance Advisor and financial planning expert Paul Cleworth has been analyzing this month’s Pre-Budget report to see if there are any gems for us freelancers and contractors.
We focus on how it affects contractors, the good and bad news as well as what opportunities there are for freelancers and contractors.
Linda Jones | Lifestyle & Time out
Agency director and mum of twins Linda Jones shares some expert tips on how to successfully balance the demands of a freelance career with those of a growing family.
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
Successful long term investment is not just about buying low and selling high. Stock markets rise and fall, and share prices are vulnerable to everything from political news to the weather. Trying to find your way around – particularly during times of high volatility and uncertainty – can feel like negotiating a minefield.
So how can we make sense of such a confusing world? It is probably time to go back to basics – stock markets may rise and fall, but the rules of sensible investment remain constant. Wealth Matters’ Paul Cleworth gives us the low down.
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
Permanent employees often have death-in-service cover as part of their contract of employment with typically ‘3-4 times your salary’ as the benefit, but for contractors who are often the only person who works in their company, there has been little scope to provide similar benefits, until now.
Paul Cleworth | Financial & Insurance
In conjunction with PCG, Wealth Matters have been running a number of Contractor Seminars this year. When it comes to investing they’ve found quite a few questions keep repeating themselves among the 250-strong contractors in the audience. Today Wealth Matters’ Director Paul Cleworth answers these questions for a wider contractor audience.
November 23rd, a date for your diary. Why? Because it is a day of recognition for the contribution that freelancers and contractors make to UK economy, a day to be proud of who you are and what you do. To help mark the day the PCG have launched a dedicated National Freelancers Day website.
Darren Fell | Guides, Resources
A must read for Freelancers and Contractors. Rarely do you pick up a book that answers all the questions. Not only does the new Contractors’ Handbook answer them in detail, it goes into areas I hadn’t even thought about – despite creating and running several successful businesses.
Andy White talks to Drew Griffiths of Mosaic about why companies hire freelancers and what they look for.
Podcast #14: Why we get Employed - the Company Perspective [12:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Andy White talks to Emma Brierley, Director of Xchange Team, about her book, Talent on Tap: Getting the best from Freelancers, Interims and Consultants, and gain some interesting insights into why freelancers get employed from the agency perspective.
Podcast #13: Why we get Employed - the Recruitment Consultancy Perspective [28:32m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Getting the job done in a timely and professional manner is a combination of both knowing how to do the job, and having the right tools with which to get the job done. If you are carrying around a battered old consumer notebook and struggling with a shortage of processing power or connectivity, then it [...]
In this economic climate there are few letters which are worse to receive than a letter saying that your client has gone into administration or bankruptcy owing you money. But the number of these letters being sent out is on the increase. As a freelancer or contractor you will rank behind the banks, the Revenue and employees for payment and the prospect of getting money out of a company at this stage is remote at best. How then to stop your debts going bad?
Leif Kendall | Lifestyle & Time out
Have you ever sat in a meeting about meetings, or a meeting to discuss an agenda, or a meeting to discuss the formation of a committee, or a meeting to discuss how the sales department should complete the new business acquisition form before giving it to the marketing department, and asked your aching brain: is [...]
The number of freelancers is steadily increasing across the UK and I have no doubt that freelancing is going to continue growing at a strong rate. If you work as a freelancer or are considering going freelance then you need to know where freelancing is heading.
Unless you live on another planet it is impossible to [...]
Small businesses in the UK are unhappy with the support they are receiving from the government, a poll has revealed.
The poll of 4,000 small traders and freelancers by the Federation of Small Businesses revealed the traders believe the Government’s efforts to stimulate the economy had so far made no impact.
Whatever you decide to call them, having someone to act as a commercial reality check in your business is invaluable. Finding someone with business experience who is prepared to meet and make you accountable could make the difference between meeting or missing your targets.
Benefits So how can a commercial coach/Non-Exec type person help your business? Here [...]
If you wanna get ahead, get a headset Bluetooth headsets get a lot of stick from a lot of people, largely because the general public seems to have taken issue with the idea of somebody going about their business with a hi-tech gadget so visibly attached to the side of their head. I wonder if glasses [...]
If you want to find out more about Freelance and Contracting then the Freelance Advisor team will be at the Digital Media Job’s Fair in Brighton today. We’ll be there From 12am – 8pm if you want to pop in for a chat and from 2-4pm we’ll be hosting a session especially dedicated to current and [...]
Regulations and legislation are part and parcel of any business and trading online is no exception. Healys solicitors have extensive experience in IT, e-commerce law and software development agreement. Here they sketch out some of the key factors you need to consider when trading online. Legal considerations when setting up an online business The remote nature of [...]
I talk to Steve Crouch about the latest IR35 case, Dragonfly Consultancy. This case highlights some very interesting points that contractors and freelancers need to consider when embarking on client projects. If you want to remain IR35 compliant, this is a must listen.
Small businesses go green Small businesses are ‘going green’ in a bid to save costs, an expert says. Erica Russell, a sustainable business advisor from Business Link, said many small companies were adopting recycling methods and using low-energy applications in an effort to cut down on costs.
“When switching off your lights could save you between 18 [...]
Emma Jones | Managing business
Whether it is networking, meetings, clients or conferences, marketing yourself is an essential skill for any freelancer or contractor. Freelance Advisor and author Emma Jones offers seven quick tips to help you shine Starting on the right foot: 7 steps to creating the right impression You only get one chance to create a first impression. To make [...]
Jo Blood | Lifestyle & Time out, Working from home
It’s no fun being average… but at least your desk and workstation have been designed with you in mind. If you’re above-average height you will know that it’s not quite so easy. Posture professional Jo Blood gives tall guys and gals a few hints on how to make their working environment work for them. Tall tales: [...]
Government unveils plan to help small business’ cash flow problems THE British Government will guarantee up to £20bn in loans to UK small businesses to help them manage cash flow problems in the current economic downturn.
Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson unveiled his “real help for small to medium businesses” plan this week, saying its aim was [...]
Dianne Bown-Wilson | Starting Out
Choosing to switch from full-time to freelancing can be a tough decision and the change will go a lot smoother if you have the help and support of those closest to you. Freelance Advisor, Coach and Consultant Dianne Bown-Wilson continues her series of articles on freelance career development issues for freelancers and contractors. Nearest and Dearest [...]
Freelancer News: by freelance news journalist Kasey Brunt Help needed for small software contractors, says report A GOVERNMENT system should be simplified to help out smaller businesses, a report has found.
The joint Intellect and the British Computer Society report has recommended the government procurement system allowing software firms to apply for public-sector contracts be made to favour [...]
Off on his travels again… tech-loving freelancer and electronic evangelist Jim Hatley grabs some essential items for work on the move (and gives us some novel uses for a digital camera). Essential items for your briefcase Continuing on from my briefcase fillers piece of last month, Id like to run through a few of the other items [...]
Leif Kendall | Guides, Starting Out
Updated for 2010 our free ebook guide to getting started in freelance is essential reading for newbies and experts alike.
‘Go Freelance’ is a complete 32 page guide, covering everything from starting out to running your business and staying motivated.
Download your copy today.
Darren Fell | Managing business
Freelance Advisor founder Darren Fell is a successful entrepreneur and all over the first page of results when you Google his name. We asked him to share the secrets of his success and he responded with this guide to marketing yourself. Marketing yourself for free, a guide. The big question running through everybody’s mind when they jump [...]
Andrew Walker | Managing business
Whether it is business cards, promotional posters or flyers for a club night there are many printing options and quality and colours will vary greatly. Print adviser and consultant Andrew Walker guides can help you decide where to get your printing done. Choosing the right printing method for your client Digital vs Litho Printing The two main printing [...]
Dianne Bown-Wilson | Lifestyle & Time out
In part one of this series consultant, coach and trainer Dianne Bown-Wilson explored the advantages of portfolio working. Today she helps us identify the tools we’ll need to put it into practice. Portfolio career: How to Designing a Portfolio Career comes down to achieving an appropriate and desirable balance in your life between need and want. Ultimately [...]
Dianne Bown-Wilson | Managing business
If you’ve recently retired or are thinking ahead to your remaining working years now could be a good time to consider developing a portfolio career. In this two part series consultant, coach, trainer and writer Dianne Bown-Wilson tells us why it is a good idea and how to go about it… Portfolio careers: the perfect pick [...]
Jo Blood | Lifestyle & Time out
When working in a client’s office why is it the freelancers and contractors who always get the bum deal? Are you fed up with always being allocated the worst chair in the office? Our ergonomic expert Jo Blood gives us a practical guide to promoting good posture and making the most of your office chair. A [...]
Off on his travels again… our tech-loving freelancer and electronic evangelist Jim Hatley grabs some essential items for work on the move. Essential items for your mobile office Today I am going to look at a few more items that are essential for life on the road. Working from home is fantastic, and is certainly one of [...]
Leif Kendall | Lifestyle & Time out
Ah… the life of a freelancer… feet up, TV on, sitting around in your dressing gown and your clients are none the wiser. But is this really the best way to approach your freelance and contracting work? Freelance Advisor and Web Marketing Consultant Leif Kendall asked the freelancers on the Brighton New Media list what [...]
Resident gadget guru and reviewer for The Times Jim Hatley shares some invaluable advice on disaster recovery for freelancers. If you have a home office and don’t have an IT helpdesk… Who you gonna call? If your entire operating system went belly-up on the first day of an important contract, how would you deal with it? Apologise, [...]
Free-roaming freelancer and technology evangelist Jim Hatley has been out and about putting a few mobiles phones through their paces finding out which work best for freelancers and contractors who need to stay connected on the road. Time to upgrade? Two great mobile phones for freelancers Mobile phones are big business, both for those who make them [...]
Congratualtions to the Farm Freelancer Award nominess Shortlisting has now been completed and Freelance Advisor, proud sponsors of this year’s Farm Freelance Award, would like to applaud these three fine freelancing nominees.
This year’s shortlist is:
Jonathan Aizlewood of Carbon Graffiti for his email design, marketing and web design services
Sarah [...]
In the wake of the results of the Kingston University survey on freelancers, we get reactions and opinions from John Kell of the Professional Contractors Group and Nathan Pope of Latitude Hosting and the Brighton Farm.
Topics Covered:
Growth in the freelance market Freelancer figures, statistics and research [...]
#11: The growth in the Freelancer Marketplace - Fact or Fiction (Part 2): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Rosie Sherry | Managing business
Look who’s talking: Monitoring buzz on the web As a freelance community builder and co-director of TheWerks web-socialite Rosie Sherry offers advice on monitoring your brand and filtering out the noise. Five sites for monitoring your brand online There’s no denying that the web holds huge amount of information. Most of it irrelevant to you or I, however [...]
Freelancing: The Choice of Champions If you’re thinking of starting contracting or going freelance then you need to take a serious look at the opportunites and options available to you. Freelance Advisor and Web Marketing Consultant Leif Kendall tells us that freelancing is not the easy option… but it is the most rewarding option. Want to become [...]
Freelance Advisor and Gadget Guru Jim Hatley loves his home hi-fi, but when freelancing work takes him out on the road he needs a powerful portable musical system to keep his music playing at the quality and volumes to which he’s become accustomed. Today Jim looks at how the Bose SoundDock provides a good-looking, great [...]
Kath Burke | Managing business
Compelling Content – Part 2 Brainstorming: Your ideal reader or customer A two-part series from freelance copywriter Kath Burke. In part one, Kath explained how you can understand why people buy you. Part two explores how to use brainstorming as an exercise in focusing on the content that really matters before you put pen to paper. Great writing [...]
Kath Burke | Managing business
Create compelling content your clients will crave In this 2-part series freelance copywriter and content consultant Kath Burke says the secret of writing great web marketing copy is in the preparation. Before you put pen to paper, you need to explore your clients’ deeper concerns and needs. Ah. If only you could magic up the perfect web [...]
Gorgeous gadget: the Sony VAIO AW11XU/Q
Life on the road can be tough. The contents of a suitcase are certainly no match for the comforts of home, but if you pick and choose your gear with a little care it doesn’t have to be all bad. We all need cutting-edge technology for the work that we [...]
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out
Mark Kirby’s piece on Time-Boxing for Freelancers this week got me thinking about all the time I could waste trying to find the perfect tools for the job. The irony of this is not lost on anyone I’m sure so, rather than waste unnecessary time on “productivity p0rn”, I thought I’d take Mark’s advice to [...]
Leif Kendall | Accountancy & Tax
With gloomy forecasts and images of screens full of flashing red numbers dominating the newspages we’ve been keeping a eye on what the state of the economy means to freelancers and contractors. And it’s not all bad news! Today Freelance Advisor and Web Marketing Consultant Leif Kendal gives us three reasons why freelancing might actually be a very good option during a recession.
Mark Kirby | Lifestyle & Time out
Getting things done throughout the day is what keeps the contracts and cash coming in. But how do we know which tasks we should be working on? And for how long? Freelance Advisor’s life-hacks guru Mark Kirby offers a smart solution to planning freelance work. In this post I’m going to focus on a simple technique [...]
Michael Rose | Managing business
Find freelancing advice and support by joining our community of freelancers and contractors on Facebook. By becoming a fan of Freelance Advisor you’ll get all the latest articles and advice, alerts when new content is added to the site, and you can help build the community by connecting with other freelancers and contractors in your area.
Help [...]
Andy talks to John Brazier of the Professional Contractors Group, Nathan Pope of the Brighton Farm and Darren Fell of Freelance Advisor, about their views of how the freelancing and contracting market is evolving over the next few years.
Whether you are a consultant or contractor, contracting or freelancing, the future could look bright for the [...]
#10: The growth in the Freelancer Marketplace - Fact or Fiction [26:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Michael Rose | Accountancy & Tax
The Professional Contractors Group (PCG), which represents UK freelancers and contractors, has warned the Government against “heavy-handed action” which would remove tax relief on expenses. The warning particularly concerns freelancers who work through ‘umbrella companies’ which oversee the offering of a number of freelancers’ services on large or long-term contracts.
“PCG supports the presence of umbrella companies [...]
Michael Rose | Managing business
If you are a freelancer or contractor living and working in the South then you could get your work in front of a top panel of judges from the BBC, Channel 4, Endemol and New Media Age. The Awards are also an excellent place to publicise you and your work – especially if it is [...]
Phil Illingworth | Accountancy & Tax
“I’m busy earning as a freelancer, but what about all those Pension plans?” It’s a common freelance problem. You’re hard at work earning money from contracts, but you also know you need to keep an eye out for when you’ll be less busy earning. In this new Financial Management series, Senior Pensions & Retirement Consultant Phil [...]
Michael Rose | Managing business
Freelance Advisor is on Twitter And you can follow us here. If you’ve not yet joined the twittering classes then you’re missing out on the latest social networking phenomenon – according to TwitDir, the unofficial Twitter Directory, there are now over 3,000,000 users and the Twitterverse is still growing.
If you’ve used Facebook and their Status Update box then [...]
Darren Fell | Accountancy & Tax
The importance of a strong legal framework can never be under estimated when establishing a relationship with a customer. What are we talking about? The key fundamental within business, a contract of course! If you’re mad enough to be working for any customers under a loose agreement or worse still a verbal agreement, stop and [...]
Michael Rose | Managing business
If you’re a freelance designer or programmer then attending the i-design 08 Portfolio Clinic Wednesday 17 September in London is a no brainer.
First it’s FREE and secondly if you’re currently looking for work or to expand your future client base then you’ll be able to meet 15 of the capital’s most respected and successful interactive [...]
Michael Rose | Managing business
Talking Shop – overcoming the fear of public speaking A new event aims to give confidence, talking techniques and a chance to practise communication skills for freelancers who need to get up and talk in front of an audience. Freelancers and contractors can live rather solitary lives, working from home or, head-down, coding away until the [...]
Michael Riazi | Accountancy & Tax
Accounts and Audit Manager Michael Riazi helps freelancers and contractors find the advice they need. Last month Michael gave some great advice on how to find an accountant that is right for our freelance business – this month he gives us ten things we should ask on our first meeting.
Before you choose an accountant… An accountant [...]
Helen Wilkinson | Lifestyle & Time out
Professional Personal Trainer and Massage Therapist Helen Wilkinson is on a mission to get us work-from-home types up off our butts and out there exercising. If the thought of getting out of your comfy swivel chair fills you with dread then read on… she’s got a few ides that might inspire you.
Kick start your exercise [...]
Darren Fell | Managing business
Are the streets of San Francisco paved with exciting projects, paying excellent rates? Is it full of perfect customers with realistic expectations? Freelance Advisor founder and serial entrepreneur Darren Fell took a trip to the epicentre of Internet start-ups in the hope of finding out what we can learn from our colleagues on [...]
Andy talks to Darren Fell of Freelance Advisor, about some techniques for working out what you should be charging. Topics Covered:
The role of networking; Online resources; Finding the perfect price point according to your skill; Selecting the rate you [...]
Paul Silver | Managing business
Freelance Adviser, Paul Silver, on casual networking events for freelancers and contractors. Making contacts, finding work, pitching, passing business cards, sharing skills and advice… and having a drink, or four.
In part one and part two we looked at the marketing process and what you are actually employed for, e.g. the way you think respectively.
Today we look at how to identify the unique features of product, you. Understanding the product – You, Your Abilities, Competencies & Transferable Assets Many of us realise that every interview has [...]
In Part One of this series, Bill Faust talks about how important it is to understand basic marketing principles in learning how to Pitch Yourself. The question he asks now is do we know why we are employed? Deciphering the needs of the buyer Most of us think it is because of our experience, this is partly [...]
In the last post we looked at the disadvantages of going solo. Now we turns to the ADVANTAGES of being freelance or self-employed… which is MUCH more fun!
You are the boss
You say what goes. If you want a lie-in or a day off, it’s up to you (but make sure you make the hours up [...]
In the spirit of getting stuck into the difficult jobs that you hate, but which still need doing, Ground Zero’s Jack Forester talks about some of the disadvantages of being self employed.
First, it can be very lonely starting out in business, especially if you are doing it alone. You tend to spend the majority of [...]
Michael Riazi | Accountancy & Tax
In today’s current climate it is essential to choose every aspect of your freelance business dealings carefully. This applies not just to your clients and suppliers but also to your professional advisors – especially a good accountant.
The right accountant will meet all your business accountancy needs, from the preparation of accounts and dealing with tax [...]
In this series, Bill Faust, author of Pitch Yourself, shares insights gained from over 30-years of industry experience. He discusses key factors for effective self-marketing, understanding what self-marketing means, reading your future employers’ desires and definining clearly what you, the product, have to offer.
This three-part series will take you from knowing you need to [...]
Leif Kendall | Managing business
Become CEO of YouCorp One of the joys of freelancing is that you get to do everything. But this omnipotence means you can’t hate the sales team for not bringing in new clients, because you are the sales team.
You can’t have a spat with Maureen in accounts because she hasn’t sorted your expenses, because you [...]
Andy White | Managing business
What’s personal branding all about? Is it important? What does it mean? Where do I start? Do I really need a strong identity or even a logo for my freelancing business? Is it really necessary to make ME stand out from the competition?
Expert, Al Welsh, has had years of experience within some of London’s top [...]
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