International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals
SELF-EMPLOYED Communication P R O F E S S I O NA L S Insider Profiles & Business Strategies
connect. grow. thrive.
The Free Agent Formula Lisa Johnson Brings Powerhouse Strategies to Solo Entrep r e n e u r s Finally! A Business Academy for the New Reality. The Consultant Economy, follow those who are making it work Six Global Market Shifts: What the Changing Landscape Means to Entrepreneurs How we got here— Before It Was Cool Founder Ron Iseri looks back over more than a decade
The
Solo Revolution!
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Market Shift — Small is the new BIG
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A rising tide lifts all boats.
At IASECP, our mission is to raise the tide of self-employed communication and marketing professionals.
The rising tide lifting all boats
Take The Helm Today!
Learn the Secret Formula for Self-Employed Success Classes are forming now | Visit: www.IASECP.com
IASECP Member Sue Palmer’s bookshelf reflects her values.
SELF-EMPLOYED C omm u n i c at i o n P R O F E S S I O NA L S Insider Profiles & Business Strategies
connect. grow. thrive.
Spring 2010
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Preferred Partner Kaya Singer shares her business philosophy.
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In The News:
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Partner Spotlight: Kaya Singer of Awakening Business | A business coach who gets results painlessly.
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How Did We Get Here—Since Before it was Cool? Twelve years have past. Our original Founder Ron Iseri talks.
Lisa Johnson: The Free Agent Formula Powerhouse Strategies for Solo Entrepreneurs
News IASECP’s new Self-Employed Academy helps creatives—like Graphic Designer Ian Henderson of HendersonianDesign.com —get under way fast.
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On the Cover
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Finally! A Business Academy for the New Reality. The Consultant Age
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For the Birds! Or life in the Twittersphere... the new water cooler
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Lisa Johnson, marketing pro, author and president of Reach Group Consulting, spearheads our inaugural issue.
Six Global Market Shifts: What the Changing Landscape of Business Means to Entrepreneurs Member Profile: A Writer Residence Magazine writer and editor Sue Palmer tells her story
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Expert Interview Ilise Benun: Ready to get serious about your business?
Trends, Tips & Tactics 22
Mobile WiFi + iPod Touch = Better and Cheaper Than iPhone
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Our Contributors, Thanks
Visit: www.IASECP.com
From the Bridge
Just Ask…
We’re a collaborative community that’s all about sharing and mentoring, so let us know what your challenges are and we’ll find the answers.
Who are we? Self-Employed Communication Professionals are business service providers in the communication and marketing industries. Our members range from recent graduates to seasoned professionals who focus on the creative work they love. Our 3-fold mission: Create a collaborative community for self-employed creatives to team up on projects to provide a fuller range of services and share their expertise. Teach our members to run profitable businesses by developing the Self-Employed Academy. The way business is done has changed. The academy teaches the new business model to help our members thrive in the new economy. Promote IASECP members’ services to the business community. We do this through: Monthly events, where members can meet others and learn from experts business development topics.
Barbara Saunders, IASECP Director.
Monthly email newsletter with updates on events, opportunities, creative business tips and member and industry news. A searchable online directory so members can team up for projects and — more importantly — to promote this talent pool to the business community. Get Involved The best way to grow your businesses is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals. So jump in and help out at events, join discussions, ask questions, serve on a committee, or take another member to tea. Find members to partner with and your business will thrive. Just because you work for yourself doesn’t mean you have to do it alone.
Mentorship and mastermind groups to brainstorm, support, and work with other solo professionals as we build sustainable businesses. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Send your comments, questions, suggestions or business challenges to us at the The Self-Employed International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals, 5273 Academy, a full NE 31st Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97211 or email to Magazine@IASECP.com. solo-business foundation Our crack team of self-employment experts, preferred partners, and long-time course and business workshops that cover the techno- professionals will find the answers for you. Do you have a resource or tip that logical challenges of the new you’d like to share? Send that in too, and we’ll be sure you get full credit. Ask us global economy. about advertising. This IASECP the only place to be seen by this unique group.
4 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
SELF-EMPLOYED C omm u n i c at i o n P R O F E S S I O NA L S Insider Profiles & Business Strategies
connect. grow. thrive. VOLUME 1, NO. 1 | SPRING 2010 The International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals is a collaborative trade association made up of communication and marketing industry professionals who act as outsource consultants on communication and marketing projects. PUBLISHER International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals www.IASECP.com EDITOR Magazine@IASECP.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Saunders, Newsletter Associates Magazine@IASECP.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS & WRITERS Myrna Daly Nancy Davis CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Barbara Saunders Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles & Business Strategies published quarterly by IASECP | all rights reserved Š 2010 5273 NE 31st Avenue, Portland, OR 97211 PHONE: 503-282-3694 | EMAIL: Magazine@IASECP.com www.IASECP.com
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T h e Free Age n t For m u la Li s a Jo h n s o n Br i n g s Powe rh o u se St ra t e g i e s to S o l o Ent re p re ne u rs
Lisa Johnson has a soft spot for entrepreneurs, and no wonder. The founder and CEO of Reach Group Consulting happily admits she’s a “start-up junkie” and gets an almost-illegal high from helping people launch their own businesses. Once her research uncovered the secrets of today’s fastest-growing companies she decided to level the playing field. The big companies have this information, she figured, so why shouldn’t solo and small businesses? The result is the Free Agent Formula, a step-by-step strategy for building a business geared to the Connected Age. Like following rabbit trails. That’s how the high-energy marketing pro describes her research on the changing economy. It was clear that the marketplace wasn’t just riding new trends, but undergoing a major transition: dinosaur corporations were stumbling and falling while nimble ones were growing. Then, around five years ago, “this new thing called social media started bubbling up,” Lisa recalls. A young musi-
cian told her how he was building a fan base and attracting promoters on MySpace. “Hmm,” she thought, a new way for people to connect. She applied her market researcher’s X-Ray vision to the front-runner entrepreneurs: “What are the successful ones all doing the same? What’s the common denominator?” The fast-growing freelancers and entrepreneurs were all doing similar things, she found. Most significantly, they had tapped new revenue streams and tuned into social media to reach and engage the Connected Generation, the young people who’d come of age with cell phones and Facebook. They’d spotted blogging’s potential early on, and knew — again, before the rest of the pack — that creating valuable free information was a new marketplace currency and could be as powerful as million-dollar advertising budgets. Clearly these free new tools and channels were giving entrepreneurs an advantage in this competitive marketplace.
6 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
“Things had changed,” Lisa recognized, “and young people who were embracing these powerful new ways to connect and influence one another were the change agents.” The author of Don’t Think Pink, and her company, specialized in helping companies understand and reach women. Now, she concluded, the distinctions weren’t male/female as much as connected/unconnected. By the end of the Reach Group’s study of Generation X and Y — the Connected Generation — Wikipedia and Craigslist had emerged. Philanthropy went online, with donors pledging support for microlending programs and other charities. Online classes turned up, and people began buying self-published content from the Internet’s new experts and rising stars via e-books and “webinars.” More recently, the Obama campaign is “the case study for engaging a connected online community,” she notes. The Reach Group was translating these seismic shifts for a roster of powerhouse clients when she began to hear a familiar refrain.
‘It was clear that the marketplace wasn’t just riding new trends, but undergoing a major transition.’
“I have this idea . . .” Usually it came at dinner, after a day of speaking or consulting, and usually from a woman in a high-level executive position, confiding the dream of starting her own business. And it met with a flash of recognition. Although she’s the CEO of Reach Group Consulting, Lisa Johnson is an entrepreneur at heart. She kept in touch with these fellow entrepreneurs, coaching and advising. “It was the same questions and answers, over and over.” The big companies had begun to decode the formula, but “nobody had done it for entrepreneurs.” A 20-hour flight to Asia was the window she needed, to begin the process of distilling what she’d learned for the solo business owner. The result was the Free Agent Formula, a roadmap for today’s entrepreneurs. With a draft in place, the team came together: Cheri Hanson, writer/editor, contributed case studies and operated as executive editor. Cassie Pruett, a recent college graduate and the Reach Group’s newest business partner, built the leaders guide and ferreted out the packet’s extensive resources. Lisa tested the formula in her own company and with pilot groups, and watched profits soar. One example: She was hired to give a presentation
for a major corporation. As the conference began, a case of beginner’s nerves gave way to a major uh-oh, as one speaker after another rolled out a PhD-worthy PowerPoint presentation. And the CEO of Reach Group had brought…stories. “All of my principles are through stories,” she explains. Despite her worries, the speech was a big success, leading to more invitations, and by the following year 80% of her income was from speakering fees. That component rounded out a three-part revenue stream: consulting, speaking, and books for sale in the back of the room. Creating multiple revenue streams is one of the strategies in the Free Agent Formula. “It’s what works in business right now,” Lisa explains, and it’s tested, proven — and available to IASECP members, as Lisa chose Portland to launch the course. A high-octane smile flashes across her face. “The world is our cupcake now,” she says. “As bad as the current economy is, there’s never been a better time to own your own business.” The new economy has leveled the playing field for free agents. by Myrna Daly, Writer & Mystery Author
quick tips Lisa’s Advice for Entrepreneurs • Remember why you wanted to be an entrepreneur. Sometimes we want more freedom and flexibility in our lives, but end up having less time in our own business. • Build a “brain trust.” Develop relationships with others you can call on for guidance and help with projects. • Look for cross-training opportunities: content creators working with web developers, for example. • Mix ages and stages. Newcomers and veterans can learn from one another. • Have a deeper conversation with other entrepreneurs. Ask, How are you using the new tools? • Take time to step back and analyze your business; don’t just grab at one thing after another. • Plan your strategy, then take the action needed. www.IASECP.com | 7
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Finally! A Business Academy for the New Reality. Most of us were told to go to school, get a degree, find a good job and work hard. The company will take care of you. Times have changed Our parents may have lived the dream but it’s obvious that times have changed. A degree no longer guarantees a stable future. People get laid off in droves, go back to school and buy another degree—and still can’t find a job. A brief history of Business Actually, the ‘corporate’ structure that we’ve come to know is fairly recent. Before that time, people were mainly free agents— OK, there was the whole Egyptian—Hebrew thing but…. People sold their time and skills to earn a living: blacksmiths, bakers, seamstresses. Only about 150 years ago, the railroad barons thought it would be cool to have people working for pennies to build their railroads so they, the barons, could make millions. These guys had all the
control and got all of the rewards. Unions appeared in the early 20th Century to demand that the workers got better compensation. Along came benefits, pensions, standard work hours, scheduled pay raises, and better working conditions—but still no control. The employers still held the leash. When employees began costing too much, they were ‘let go’. Little by little, employers began leaking away all of those hard-earned benefits until very little was left. Enter the age of Outsourcing— The Contingent Work Force The big guys hit on the idea of hiring experts (the people they just laid off) on a “per project” basis. There’s a thought. That’s pretty much how business had been done for the several thousand years before this whole train ride began. We have officially left the Industrial Age and entered The Age of The Consultant This is great news! Finally, the people who invested in their education now have complete control over their own careers! There’s only one problem. Nobody taught them how to run a businesses and all of the business models
8 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
being taught out there are focusing on the old way of doing business that has just collapsed. The way Business is done has changed With the advent of the Information Age came great technology that makes it possible for professionals to run their own profitable business without a huge overhead. But there is no place that’s teaching those techniques—let alone with the experience to shepherd new professionals along the unfamiliar path. Who better to instruct those new to self employment than those who have been through the fire and are actually using these new technologies and pioneering brand new business models for the New Reality? Introducing the Self-Employed Academy During the Summer of 2009, IASECP launched the brand new Self-Employed Academy to help our members learn not only the fun new technology available to them, but also how to structure their businesses to thrive from the beginning. We have combined our 12 years of experience in supporting freelancers (plus running our own solo businesses)
with the Free Agent Formula—and our network of service providers—to provide students with everything they need to get their own businesses up and running fast. Here are some of the topics we cover in our core business course and the Business Essentials courses now available on line: • The Secret Formula for Solo Business Success • Using the Revenue Quadrant to plan and develop stable income streams • CDs stuffed with tools for running a business • Video tutorials on how to use social media applications, building a quick, easy functional WordPress site • Strategies and checklists for building your own business empire • New business models, partnerships, affiliates, • The secrets of collaboration and more. And it all comes with personal coaching, mentoring and mastermind groups so even though you’re self employed, you’re never alone. Visit IASECP.com to learn more. by Barbara Saunders IASECP Director
C as e i n P o i n t
Graphic Designer Ian Henderson was given some warning that his position was coming to an end, but still it was a bit of a shock. He was the first to sign up for the Self-Employed Academy program and admitted that it was a bit different than he had first expected.
It didn’t cover a lot of dry bookkeeping or dusty business theories. In the first class, Ian was heard to gasp audibly as the personality exercise revealed a surprising trait that he could use in building his business: Ian’s a smooth-talking persuader. Part of what this new-style business academy did for him was open vistas that he had never considered—or even
knew were possible—before. Ian’s fertile imagination and extensive background explored business ideas like developing his own history tour business with an artistic twist or exploring teaching possibilities. All of his ideas were carefully recorded for later consideration as Ian choose to concentrate on his graphic design services. What really set Ian on fire was the idea of not just selling his services, but creating custom “products” to meet clients’ needs. A new concept for Ian, this would allow him to develop templates to make work more efficient so it would possible for him to make more money in less time and to become more of an asset to his customers at the same time. In Fall, Ian launched his website HendersonianDesign.com. Ian’s a natural networker and an excellent communicator— and his design work is clean and classy. He’s just exploring a new side to his personality: Innovator. www.IASECP.com | 9
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@Andrew303: iNap - iPhone app makes typing/mouse click noises so others think you’re busy while you take a nap. http://is.gd/sXlQ
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@NadiraHaniff: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Helen Keller
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Here are a few suggested Tweeps to follow: Christian Messer: @WhiplashDesign Mark Silver: @MarkHeartofBiz Carrie Bugbee: @CarriBugbee Taylor Ellwood: @teriel John Cleese: @JohnCleese (just for fun!) Got a follow suggestion? Send them to: Magazine@SECPpdx.com
10 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
Six Global Market Shifts: What the Changing Landscape Means to Entrepreneurs This is not your father’s marketplace: Nor will Dad’s carefully crafted business plan chart a course for today’s world. Hint: Keep an eye on the kids, and how they spend their time—and money. The world has changed—you’ve watched these trends gain momentum. Positioning your business to use the new tools and opportunities calls for strategy that gets results—not activity for its own sake. 1. Think Connected, Collaborative: Inclusive and connected is the new way; power no longer rests with an elite group. Today, the most powerful people exist at the center of a web: they love what they do, they contribute to the community and they participate in a dynamic, free flow of ideas and information. 2. Go Niche, Not Mass: Differentiate or risk disappearing. Mass marketing is dead: Vanilla equals invisible, unless it’s gourmet, triple-churned Ecuadorian vanilla bean. Today’s successful businesses are different and they know how to stand out from the crowd. 3. Small Is the New Big: Big-name brands were the old way. Today, people are rooting for—and buying from—the little guys, the ones who’ve learned that you don’t need a printing press to publish your ideas, or a sales rep in Beijing to take your business global.
4. Deliver Solutions, Not Spin: Solutions stand out in a crowded marketplace. People buy solutions. Today’s successful entrepreneurs can take a lesson from the way Google has moved from search engine to cultural phenomenon, and from noun to verb. They’re figuring out how to deliver real solutions and package their work to fit the way real people think, buy and use their products or services.
6. The Traditional Business Plan Is Incomplete: Today’s marketplace has a fresh new dynamic, and an innovative new formula is replacing the old blueprint for success. It’s not enough to recognize that the old ways of advertising and direct mail campaigns don’t work. Grabbing at every new thing that comes along leads to wasted time and money— limited resources for entrepreneurs.
5. Content Is King: Content is the new currency. The Internet gives everyone the power to bypass the traditional gatekeepers and tell the world who we are and what we can do. How to stand out from the crowd? Remember: People buy you. The best way to become a trusted leader is by developing smart, trusted content that reflects who you are and what your work is about. It “pulls” people to your business instead of pushing things at them.
How to pull it together and make it work for you? Create your own Free Agent Formula, a business that fits you—and today’s marketplace. You’ll work with fellow IASECP entrepreneurs, sharing ideas and measuring progress during six weekly classes with a supportive group and experienced facilitators. by Myrna Daly, Writer & Mystery Author , From: The Free Agent Formula
Want to learn how to adjust to the market Shifts? visit: www.IASECP.com www.IASECP.com | 11
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A Writer in Residence Summer 2008, writer/editor Sue Palmer got the earth-shattering news: her magazine editorial job was ending. Now what? There was never a question of what Sue was going to be when she grew up. Sue is a writer. The first writing project she remembers is from the fourth grade assignment about Fall. Even at that point she was trying to involve her readers—it was not a solitary activity. It was communicating with people. She initially began inviting readers into her world and then progressed to teaching them about the world.
World, and Teen Pin Ups—as the next career move.
Sue’s first writing job was an internship with the local New York newspaper. It was a challenge for her since she had to move beyond her shyness to interview people. First job after college was with IBM. She was a writer for the real estate and construction departments and created internal newsletters.
A Good Old Boy Profile Changes Sue’s Path She remembers doing a profile on Tom Wopat—the dark-haired guy from the Dukes of Hazard—that changed the direction of her career. Tom Wopat was looking for a old-fashioned girl. Her editor would not print the story because it wasn’t the racy enough. Sue wanted to champion traditional values. She made the decision to concentrate on writing that upheld her values. She felt a responsibility to young readers.
Her professional journey next took Sue to Manhattan, to a trade publication for the fencing industry. She found herself following the construction industry—although it wasn’t her chosen target market. She also explored travel writing for a conference project at the magazine. Even today, Sue writes for the construction industry with do-it-yourself how-to projects. It’s a core competency that she still draws from in her current writing. She even runs her own travel agency as an additional income stream. Sue moved to writing for teen magazines—Teen Life, Teen
She became a Christian and found that it changed her writing. By following her heart, she was able to engage the reader more. Her writing shifted to being a spokesperson for the readers. The motivation became a desire to change lives. Writing for teen magazines in the 80s was frustrating for Sue since it was not uplifting.
Sue began working with Catholic publishers and other Christian authors and speakers as a way to support her value base. She found herself coaching an author with his faith-based book and promoting his conferences. This really established her as an expert in her niche. Promotion and fundraising became one of her specialties. Niche Consistency Sue focused on who she was personally and then found
12 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
sue’s bookshelf Sue’s bookshelf is predominately on the spiritual side. She routinely reads: Little Keys Open Big Doors by Rachel Hickson The Last Disciple Series by Hank Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer The Christian Writers Market Guide by Sally Stuart
her market niche for her writing. It has remained a consistent role for her in developing her own business. Now she’d created her own business with the flexibility to move wherever she’d like. She’s from New York and looked forward to moving back. “It feels good to do things that I really enjoy doing and to be free to choose my own course,” says Sue. Setting a new course As her last magazine job came to a close, Sue looked for freelance projects, but she found that difficult. So when the end came, she began to write promotional materials for her bank. As she saw problems in their collateral material, she’d make suggestions. They asked Sue for advice on how to work with the editors—so she naturally fell into the consultant role. Finding the next step Even with solid skills and a clear niche, it can be hard to go from employee to a business owner. Sue sought out Kaya Singer—IASECP Preferred Partner—to help her set up her business and plan the next stage in her career. (See Kaya’s profile, page 14.) Kaya helped clarify her business from the some-time-inthe-future vision to a concrete battle plan. She also helped Sue connect with a web designer, get a business bank
account, define the clients she wanted to work with and clarify the services that she would do for them. “Kaya helped my business go from a dream to a reality. She held my hand, she helped me focus. She asked questions that had never occurred to me.” The first meeting “We started by talking about what the business I wanted would look like.” Kaya had a list of questions and developed a follow-up checklist to keep accountability. Then Kaya helped deal with the money fears that Sue was facing. They fine-tuned until there were very clear tasks to get to the target. Part of the value of working with Kaya was that she helped Sue deal with the emotional issues that come with the stress, procrastination, and other areas of making such a big life/career change. Kaya’s free-flowing personal approach worked well because it created a safe place to deal with all of the aspects. Happy Ending Sue got her business up and running in a matter a few months and moved across the country as well. by Barbara Saunders, IASECP Director
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work with kaya Sign up for Kaya’s free 30-Minute Business Strategy Session
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Explore strategies on how to overcome your limitations and develop your business. AwakeningBusiness.com
Approach the Coach Kaya Singer offers seminars on marketing, business planning, coaching programs, e-books, and articles. She’s looking forward to launching a new membership site and releasing her latest book. The journey Kaya wanted the freedom to express her creative energy and not to be boxed in by working for someone else. At 25, Kaya finished college as an art major, with an emphasis in ceramics. She moved to Oregon and was hired to put together an art program for Eugene Parks & Recreation. After discovering the Saturday Market, she thought, “I could do this!” Thus began her business making pottery. Her identity was that of a potter, though, not as a business owner … it was all about her art. After seven years, back problems forced her to quit.
“If my identity had been that of a business owner, I would not have quit. Looking back, I realize that I could have created the designs and hired other people to do the work, perhaps even have gone wholesale. There were so many ways I could have stayed in business as a potter. But I didn’t have the business mindset, and thought I had to do it all myself. And that was pretty much my story for years.” As a child, when asked what she was going to do when she grew up, she had thought about being a psychologist so she could help people. Understanding others’ thinking
14 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
processes intrigued her. With that new direction, Kaya went back to graduate school and got a master’s degree in counseling. Working as a counselor, she developed processes to help people be more authentic with themselves; to go out into the world and be who they wanted to be. It was the work of a life coach, but the term had not yet been introduced.
Three primary reasons for the struggle: 1. No marketing plan. A business owner must know who their client is, what’s their problem, and how to match their services to that need. 2. Not understanding the parts of a whole business. Small business owners need to set up an organization system, define goals, manage money, and so on.
With a desire to see the world, yet wanting to go to a place that spoke English, Kaya immigrated with her son and new husband to New Zealand.
3. Self-doubt. No experience or training in managing the business. They make decisions from a place of feeling small.
Kaya’s Awakening Leadership training and team-building workshops brought people wanting help with their businesses. She was energized working with people who wanted to get better at what they were doing and committed to making changes.
The Kaya Experience “I’m a kinesthetic learner,” says Kaya. “I learn by experience and by doing something – and for me, it’s visual. I find it works for me, and it works for most people.”
Throughout the years, Kaya had an identity as a potter, a counselor, a therapist, and a coach … now she’s a business owner. With little understanding of the world of business and money, Kaya did everything she could to learn (taking classes, going to workshops, reading books…). Her former husband—a true entrepreneur, operating several successful businesses—helped her learn about running a business. Kaya returned to Oregon and focused on helping small businesses. “Most of the people who are attracted to me,” says Kaya, “are service-based. People go into these businesses to follow their interests and make a difference. They generally start their business doing what they’re good at and have training or certification in.” Why the struggle? People want to make money, but may have no training in how to run a business. The average small-business owners don’t know how much income they need because they don’t do the planning part. The focus tends to be on getting one more client. Small businesses often don’t have a fully developed business vision. They start up and expect people to show up. In a service-based hourly business, if you don’t have a client, you don’t get paid.
Her preferred clients are either solo/self-employed business owners or those with a micro-business (with a small number of employees) who don’t have skills in running a business. People who seek help from Kaya are usually driven by a money issue—some want to grow a business, while others are big enough that they spend money but are not getting the results they want. “The only way to have both money and freedom,” says Kaya, “is to shift your mindset; think like a business owner.” Kaya helps small-business owners make that mental shift. She offers a free 30-minute consultation to get started. She works to narrow down the focus to identify their real issue, then discusses what needs to be worked on to deal with that issue. By end of the call, there’s a clear idea of how to work together. Before their first session, Kay has clients complete an assessment. The questions are individualized for each client and business. This evaluation forces each person to get clear about what outcome they want and where to start. continued www.IASECP.com | 15
The average time working with Kaya ranges from six to nine months, although some may take longer. Kaya’s clients often continue to work with her in some form, such as attending a seminar or working with her individually as other issues come up. Kaya’s Tips Networking is still the most powerful form of marketing, and the Internet has opened up marketing worldwide. Networking is a way for people to come together and share what they’re doing.
A desire to turn a product or service into a business, or be willing to take a risk to move the business from Point A to Point B. A willingness to look at themselves and understand that some obstacles might be inside. People have a natural tendency to defend their insecurities or self-doubt. Being a business owner is a very different concept than getting a job and working for someone else. Kaya will soon be launching a membership site soon called AwakeTeaHouse, so there will be more ways to work with her.
A Good Fit for Kaya: A willingness to do whatever it takes to get your business growing (attitude and commitment).
by Nancy Davis, Technical Writer
Get Kaya’s new book, Clear Your Focus, Grow Your Business 7 Simple Steps to Empower Your Business and Bring You Money and Freedom now at: AwakeningBusiness.com Here’s what one member says, “...Kaya’s kinesthetic approach and empowering pie charts helped me brainstorm all the possibilities of my company....” Christian Messer, IDMagazineOR.com
kaya’s bookshelf What’s on Kaya’s bookshelf? Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited—Began the focus for entrepreneurs to work ON their business instead of IN their business. Kaya learned that being a leader of your business means not continuing to work as a technician. Richard Kiyosaki’s The Cashflow Quandrant—From this, Kaya learned the distinction between self-employment and business. She also learned about revenue quadrants and has applied that in her coaching services. Jean Houston’s A Passion for the Possible—Kaya’s found the book to be very inspiring and the author to be a good role model as well. Kaya is publishing a new book called The Entrepreneur’s Handbook to Money and Freedom: 7 Lifesaving Secrets to Move Your Small Business from Struggle to Empowerment. Contact Kaya at (503) 493-1199 or visit AwakeningBusiness.com for more details about her book or her services. 16 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
IASECP’s 2010 Membership Benefit Package A directory listing includes a name and contact information—as well as a link to your website—with a 50-word service description. The IASECP directory is a great way for members to find partners to team up with, or for businesses looking for qualified experts in the creative communications industry. 20% off Lynda.com tutorials. The lynda.com Online Training Library® has a reputation as the perfect software training resource for independent creative professionals. Easy-to-use video format allows you to play, replay, skip around, and learn at your own pace. Subscribers have 24/7 access to thousands of real-world lessons taught by working professionals, and new courses are added weekly to keep your skills sharp. An introductory copy of our quarterly magazine, the Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles & Business Strategies. The annual non-member subscription rate is $36. The only one of its kind, this magazine goes inside the home offices of other solo-based communication professionals so you can see exactly how they’re running their businesses. We also profile experts who provide the unique services that we need. Plus you’ll find articles on Tips, Trends, & Tactics to help you stay on top of the things that streamline and grow your business. There’s info on collaborating, creating multiple income streams from work you’re already doing, upcoming events and programs and lots more. As always, members get 20% off the subscription. 60% discount on choice of Careington Group Health Care Discount Plans. * Vision & Dental group discount plan * Multi-Care group discount plan. Combines Vision & Dental discount plan with some health care services * Total-Care group discount plan. Combines Vision & Dental discount plan with other health care services Going Social. This 31-page booklet lays out the philosophy and strategy behind social media and details exactly how to build your team and create your own powerful social media plan. Social media the single most valuable marketing tool the solo business can use. Members attend our monthly teleseminars for FREE! Each month, we have an information-packed teleseminar with a business expert or one of our Preferred Partners covering a business topic that will help you run your business better and more profitably. Members who can’t make the live event get a special download link so they can listen to them whenever is most convenient. It’s an excellent—and super easy—way to stay up-to-date on the latest ways to grow your business. A special CD detailing the Six Global Market Shifts. In order to position yourself for success in this new economy, you’ve got to understand what’s going on. There have been drastic shifts in the way business is done over the past few decades. It can be overwhelming—not to mention frightening—but actually, these shifts are in your favor, if you know what to do. On this CD, we explain the changes and give you tips on how to adapt. This CD also contains a workbook and checklist for you to use to bring your business and services in alignment. 20% off all IASECP programs, classes and masterminds. We’ve got the only Self-Employed Academy that teaches the secret formula for solo-based communication professionals.
New benefits are being added daily—be sure to visit www.IASECP.com regularly to see what’s new!
www.IASECP.com | 17
blastfromthepast
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Serving Independent Creatives Since Before It Was Cool
Summer 2008: How Magazine had the first Creative Freelancers’ Conference in Chicago. The most repeated feedback from attendees was that it was such a powerful experience to gather with self-employed creatives in collaborative industries. In Portland, we’ve been doing that for more than a decade! Today, IASECP has nearly 1,000 names on its mailing list. There was a time when our numbers hovered in the 30s. We used to send out monthly bulletins that were little more than gussied-up meeting announcements; half went by e-mail, half were photocopied and addressed at Kinkos, stamped by hand and mailed. Much has changed in the 12 years since our first meeting in November 1997. Our monthly bulletin is one of them. Our range of services is another. And the number of selfemployed creative professionals we have the privilege of working with from year to year is a huge one. Other things have changed very little, and within these few constants lie the keys to our success and continued relevance. The agendas from our earliest get-togethers show practices even first-time visitors will recognize today: + Self-introductions. No one (unless they choose to do so; to my knowledge no one ever has) leaves a meeting
a phantom, an enigma, an unknown. Everyone gets to announce who they are and what they do. Some share more about their craft in the minute or so they have the floor, but everyone speaks. This is critical. In introducing this segment at our initial meetings, I’d point out, “You’re the CEO and chief promoter of your company. If you leave here today without approaching others in this room as potential clients, colleagues or collaborators, you’ve wasted two hours of time better spent in your office earning money.” It put everyone on the same wavelength, gave everyone explicit “permission” to connect, and we’ve benefitted as a result. + Participation whenever one can attend is encouraged. Open acknowledgment that client deadlines make regular attendance at meetings impractical. There is no latency period during which newcomers are expected to maintain a respectful silence until they’ve “earned” the privilege to speak, ask questions or voice opinions. We’re CEOs among CEOs in the real sense, and time is money.
Birth of a Community 1997
First meeting in November with less than 30 ‘freelance’ creatives.
1998
Oregon Media Production Association and Women in Communication relay meeting notices to their members. The Society of Technical Communicators soon followed.
2000
IASECP applied for, and received, money from the Portland Development Commission to print a descriptive brochure.
18 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
2001-2003
Writer, longtime OCIABC and IASECP member Steve Dodge served as IASECP facilitator. IASECP members donated several hundred hours to develop “Partners in Pride” brochures for Portland Public Schools.
2001-2003
IASECP raised money for area children’s charities through Our Children’s Store for two years.
+ An introvert-friendly culture. My mantra has always been, “Whatever makes us good creatives also gives us the tendency to be introverts.” It was always greeted with knowing smiles and nods of agreement. There are exceptions, of course, and those claiming the spokesperson gene for ShamWow are thought of as special. In practice, being introvert-friendly has exempted us from the costly business of devoting time and effort to chitchat thinly disguised as ways to establish superiority, mind games, name dropping, demonstrations of mastery over the latest buzz words and hyperbole to describe our talents and qualifications. It’s a wonderful way to save time and stay focused on getting work and getting it done. Born to be Wild IASECP held its first meeting in November 1997 in the Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center. Tom Unger, then president of the Oregon Columbia Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (OCIABC) had put me in charge. I was a self-employed writer and OCIABC’s vice-president at large at the time. I gleaned the names of the 20 or so people who attended the meeting from the OCIABC directory and a personal list of vendors. The interest and enthusiasm of that first meeting was contagious. We set the tone and developed a list of program topics for future meetings, and we piqued the interest and contributions of professional creatives who continue to support and nurture our activities to the present day. In the months that followed, the Oregon Media Production Association and Women in Communication offered to relay our e-mail meeting notices to members of their organizations. The Society of Technical Communicators soon followed. Fellow writer and longtime OCIABC and IASECP member Steve Dodge served as IASECP facilitator from 2001 to 2003. Between 2003 and 2006, photographer Bob Byrd and writer Sheree Fitzpatrick assumed leadership roles as co-facilitators.
2003-2006
Photographer Bob Byrd and PR writer Sheree Fitzpatrick assumed leadership roles as co-facilitators.
2004
SECP’s mailing list reaches 300 members in the Portland Vancouver area. It doubled by 2006 to 600 members.
2006
Under each “administration” IASECP continued to grow and expand into new territory. We had over 300 names on our mailing list by 2004 and over 400 by 2006. Unlike traditional organizations in the area, IASECP was, with few exceptions, holding monthly meetings and programs year-round. We developed an online presence, leaped light years ahead in our monthly newsletter produced by Newsletter Associates’ Barbara Saunders, and became a self-supporting and forward-moving organization. Change in the Wind Back in 1997, people knew that the word ‘creative’ referred to those ‘creating’ communication and marketing materials—but in the age of Google others began to use that term to describe other things. Refining our name was in order, hence we change the ‘creative’ to ‘communication’ 2007 saw the beginnings of the Self-Employed Academy. For a decade, we watched our members struggle with the “back end” of their companies. At the same time, we’ve seen unbelievable technologies being developed that made running a business so much easier, plus new business models growing from the need for freelancers to be more profitable. After two years of deep development and research, we launched the first-ever academy just for selfemployed professionals—especially those in the communication industries. 2010 is the year that we move international by becoming the International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals. This expansion allows us to connect with the huge network of others reaching for the same goal— liberation through their own employment.
Longtime IASECP member Barbara Saunders takes over as IASECP Director. Member benefits and special workshops are added to the services provided by the group.
by Ron Iseri Writer and Photographer
2009
IASECP launches a special ‘membership’ website and inaugurates the first and only Self-Employed Academy to help members and other solos run more profitable businesses.
2010
IASECP expands to an international association to bring ‘the world’ to our members—where ever they are.
www.IASECP.com | 19
guestspotlight
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Ready to get serious about your business? Come out of your cave. Get Connected to your Tribe... A conversation with author, speaker and Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun (www.Marketing-Mentor.com). In August, How magazine and Marketing Mentor held the second Creative Freelancers Conference in San Diego. Imagine that! A conference just for self-employed creatives on a national level. I was lucky enough to sit down and chat with Ilise Benun of Marketing Mentor about what an extraordinary time this is for those of us working for ourselves—especially in the creative services industries.
Water and weed the garden already! It’s a difficult time for everyone to shell out money for anything. But what happens in your garden if you hold onto the seeds? And what happens to the seeds you do plant if you don’t water them and rip out the weeds that are choking them? (It’s funny how those old parables keep popping up, isn’t it?)
Just jousting We talked about that term: Freelancer. It makes me squirm. My services have never been free and I’ve never lanced anything! Ilise described the term as the first stage of self-employment for creatives as they present themselves—almost apologetically—as just a freelancer.
So you’re not spending money, you’re investing in your business. Show up where it will do you the most good. It’s a combination of community building and getting help. Events that bring you together with others who are working for themselves gives you the opportunity to learn, share ideas, maybe even collaborate - which is what community is all about.
Then they get serious about their careers. How do you do that? First, you need to get around others that are making it work for themselves and then you plug in.
“People are finding that the jobs they thought they had are gone—or the security attached to them is gone,” says Ilise.
20 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
What matters now is developing the mindset of managing your career, with or without a job. Previously, people have been very passive. If they had a job, they just floated along until something changed. With the shifting economy, that can be a very dangerous mindset. By approaching personal career management aggressively and developing a connected network, it’s possible to take control. “What used to work doesn’t work any more.” Ilise insists that it’s so important to get this idea. It’s not just that the economy is “bad”. It’s that it’s changed. It takes effort and work to succeed. She shares the sentiment of one of her clients who has been working at developing a website and starting to network: “I just don’t want to do this!” cries the frustrated freelancer. It’s different; it’s new; it’s uncomfortable. But once people get over this initial roadblock, they’re exhilarated. It’s a little like when you learned to ride a bike. It was hard at first, maybe you fell off and skinned your knee, but then you realized that you were in control and could go anywhere you wanted. That is what taking your career in your own hands is all about. Working for yourself means you’re the one at the controls—not an employer or some faceless company with your fate in their hands. You get to decide how far and how fast you go and in what direction.
Remember that garden mentioned earlier? This is where the weeding comes in. Four hours on Twitter may be a great way to connect with other Twitterers, but it will drain your resources just as weeds will strangle your garden. Be aware of the tools out there, but chose only the ones you need. Last Fall, Ilise made the trip to Portland all the way from Hoboken, New Jersey to talk to IASECP members about pricing their services. Drawing from her recent book The Designer’s Guide to Marketing and Pricing, she suggested suggests getting very clear on your best client and then the best way to connect with them. Maybe just start with an email newsletter and leave it at that in the beginning. Ilise confided that her next book will be on money management (and maybe a little on time management too), so keep your eyes open. A parting word of advice from Ilise: “Don’t be afraid to work really hard and be patient.” Patience is the key. After all, no garden grows in a day, but there is always a harvest. For more info on Ilise, her books, and her coaching services, visit: Marketing-Mentor.com. by Barbara Saunders, Director, IASECP
You’re in charge—now what? Just like a little kid in a candy shop, all of the choices can be overwhelming. There’s marketing online and off. There’s branding. There’s social media. There’s online and offline networking and more books than you can ever read. There are websites and brochures and business cards—Oh My! Ilise suggests limiting yourself to just two or three marketing tools and focus on one at a time. When you’re working for yourself, your most valuable asset is your time. Be economical with it. Odds are you’ve got more time than money, right? Ilise advises that you learn to ‘spend’ it where it will have the most payoff and budget it just as you would your cash (you are budgeting your cash, right?). It may be easy and comfortable to sit in your jammies and Twitter. You tell yourself that you’re networking, then you realize that four hours have slipped by and you’re still in your jammies!
Marketing Mentor’s Ilise Benun presented to a sold-out crowd when she did a workshop for IASECP in Fall 2008. She talked to attendees about how to price their services and get all the work they need.
www.IASECP.com | 21
what’snew?
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tren d s , t ips & t ac ti cs
— a l o o k a t w h a t ’s o n t h e h o r i z o n
Mobile WiFi + iPod Touch = Better and Cheaper Than iPhone An iPod Touch plus a mobile WiFi router is better and cheaper than an iPhone. Our own Preferred Partner—and Mac Wizard Michael Pearce let us in on this tip. In a recent email update, Michael shared some information on the new mobile wifi that works with OSX and supports up to five users. The pocket cellular router gets you Internet anywhere there is a cell signal. It’s not cheap; the Verizon Novatel MiFi 2200 costs $270 and offers two plans: 250Mb/month transfer for $40 and 5Gb for $60. It’s less than an iPhone’s monthly charges so an iPod Touch and this service would give you Skype access plus full Internet for any laptop or desktop. At home you could turn on Internet Sharing and everyone on your home network could join in, even if they don’t have an AirPort card. This beats the Clearwire service which does not offer a Mac-compatible USB device (the base station is not portable) and has far less coverage than cellular service.
Those of us who already have iPhones and have been prevented from tethering our laptops to it for connectivity may get that feature with the new version of the iPhone OS. No clear statement to that fact has been made, but hope is coming from all the right places. The real point is that if you have a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot in your pocket, it is going to be cheaper than an iPhone contract pretty much anywhere, and can not only enable your iPod Touch to have an always-on connection, but let you make Skype calls and stream music without having to worry about the usual iPhone size limits, as you’re on Wi-Fi. You can also share the connection with five machines in total, including a netbook, for true on the go video calls and (gasp) Spotify (a digital music service that gives you access to millions of songs.).
It’s so great to see yet another option so that people aren’t limited to DSL and cable as their only options. Verizon has been making a USB cellular modem that works on Macs for some time; this takes that one step further. 22 | Spring 2010 • Self-Employed Professionals | Insider Profiles
by Michael Pearce Moonlight Mac MoonMac.com
Our contributors, Thanks! Myrna Daly, Writer, Editor & Mystery Author
Nancy Davis, Freelance Writer
Lisa Johnson: The Free Agent Formula, page 6 & Six Global Market Shifts, page 11.
Partner Spotlight: Kaya Singer, page 14.
Myrna Daly is a writer, editor, and publications manager whose work ranges from profiles of technology executives to stories of third generation family-owned businesses. She has contributed to Boys’ Life magazine, Oregon: State of Technology, Food Processing News, ROI, Portland State University’s School of Business magazine, and The Accountant, the magazine of the Oregon Society of CPAs. She is sole proprietor of Myrna Daly Editorial Services, specializing in newsletters, business writing, annual reports and other publications. Michael Pearce, Moonlight Mac Services
Mobile WiFi + iPod Touch = Better and Cheaper Than iPhone, page 23 Michael Pearce specializes in troubleshooting and system work as well as file/hard drive management and general Macintosh use, OSX, recommends, installs and instructs in the use of formatting and backup software. He is the author of many articles on Macs and was a contributing author to ComputerBits/Chips magazine for more than a decade. Ron Iseri, Writer, Photographer
How Did We Get Here—Since Before it was Cool? page 18 Over the years, Ron Iseri has used his writing, editing and leadership skills
Nancy Davis gravitated early to writing as a career. Her curiosity led her though many lives in high-tech companies as a technical writer, a Technical Publications manager, and a Managing Editor for corporate publications. Nancy wrote everything from awardwinning product and process documentation to press releases to newsletters and success stories. Through the years, Nancy has worked with small businesses as well by editing books, writing magazine articles and marketing collateral, and ghostwriting online blogs. Colleen Wright, SEO
For the Birds!, page 10 Colleen Wright’s passion is helping people leverage the Internet to increase website visitors, leads and sales. As owner of the Search Engine Academy of Oregon, she gets energized when her students experience visible proof of the power of Internet marketing. She was recently awarded a position on the Top 10 SEO Training programs list from TopSEOs.com.
to excel as a Corporate Communications Manager, Marketing Communications, and Document Production Manager. Ron now enjoys a passion for digital photography and investing. It was Ron’s foresight and leadership that recognized the importance of the freelance movement in the mid-90s and rose to meet the challenge.
Would you like to be a contributor to our magazine? Would you like to be featured or contribute to Self-Employed Communication Professionals | Insider Profiles & Business Strategies? Do you have a suggestion for an article or topic that we need to research and report on? We’d love to hear from you. Shoot an email to Magazine@IASECP.com right now. www.IASECP.com | 23
con n e ct . g row. t h riv e . w w w. I A SECP. c o m
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