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by Margaret Reffell
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- Aug 30, 201939 min
11. {Interview} Freelancing and Finances with Shannon Simmons
Shannon is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Investment Manager (CIM), media personality, personal finance expert, financial literacy advocate and founder of the New School of Finance. Shannon is a best-selling author of the two books:-- Worry Free Money-- Living Debt Free0:18 -- Intro with Shannon Simmons2:15 -- What is your money history story? We explore how money is talked about within the household, and how families can reflect shame and secrecy around finances. It's time to get open about your finances!5:40 -- Do you talk about how your business is doing, whether it's good or bad? We talk about all the feelings that people have when talking about and handling money.8:35 -- Are you passionate about what you do, but scared to see if it's actually profitable? We dig into the emotional layer of taking a hard look at whether your business is actually profitable.9:55 -- Why Shannon chose to work Freelancers and how she made a niche for herself.11:48 -- TAXES! This is what you've been waiting for. How to organize your taxes and what you need to do when you're just starting off. How to wrap your head around income tax.15:50 -- EXPENSES! What are they? What's a write-off, and how to organize the money that is going OUT of your business. How do you know if something is a an expense? Find out here.23:25 -- What are some things that are not allowed to be expensed, and what in Shannon's experience has been the most bizarre expense attempts.26:00 -- How do media personalities and influencers determine expenses? We discuss how the landscape has changed since the emergence of all these new careers.27:20 -- We talk CRA and how they are a great resource for entrepreneurs. It's not a big bad agency who's out to get your money. We talk all about the role of Revenue Canada.31:30 -- What is the difference between income tax and sales tax? Let's clear up some muddy waters about GST/HST, sales tax and income tax.37:25 -- Where can you find Shannon, and what resources she has to offer.ResourcesHere's where you can find ShannonFinancial Services:http://www.newschooloffinance.com/http://www.shannonleesimmons.com/Books:https://worryfreemoneybook.com/Social:https://www.instagram.com/shanleesimmons/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 9, 201926 min
10. {Interview} Photoshoots and Visual branding with Irina Leoni
I'm super stoked to have my good friend Irina Leoni join me, she's a super talented photographer, brand strategist, and visual branding icon.Let's dive in to all things visual branding!1:00 -- Irina intro and how she started with photography and why she got into it3:30 -- How as a photographer does Irina make her subject feel comfortable, and how to make the most of the awkwardness of a photoshoot6:05 -- How Irina prepares her subjects for ALL the places photos will be used. Making sure you have pics not only for your website, but Instagram, Facebook, Twitter ADS and other people's website.10:30 -- The questions you need to ask photographers before you hire them t take your branding photos. Make sure they are specific to BRANDING!12:55 -- Is there value in mixing a combination of professional photos with candid shots? Yes! But, there is a time and a place.15:00 -- Smartphone photography, and how to make the most of the camera in your pocket16:20 -- When to upgrade to a professional camera, and how to not get overwhelmed by technology. Is a smartphone enough to start with?23:45 -- Start small with the equipment you have, and scale up when you outgrow your equipment. Not the other way around.Find Irina Here:https://www.instagram.com/iamirinaleoni/https://www.irinaleoni.com/https://www.power-portraits.com/https://www.visualbrandmastery.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Aug 2, 20191h 3m
9. {Interview} SaaS, Scaling and Working with Your Life Partner with Marie Poulin and Ben Borowski
I am so happy to introduce two good friends of mine. Marie Poulin, and Ben Borowski.Marie and Ben are co-founders of Oki Doki, as well as life partners.About Ben:Ben is a product designer and software developer with a fine arts background. After many years in agency-land, he started his own shop in 2010, and, after immigrating to Canada in 2014, founded Oki Doki with Marie. In his spare time he collects vinyl, pets shibas, and is a volunteer firefighter.About Marie:Marie helps small business owners bring their digital product & service ideas to life. She is a product and service strategist, and a master digital strategist. As if that isn’t enough, she’s an amazing designer and developer, as well and a permaculture enthusiast in her spare time.1:15: -- Current life situation and how Marie and Ben became life partners and business partners3:45 -- Finding out who has dominant skills in each area, and how to decide who takes the lead on what projects4:25 -- What were Ben and Marie doing before they joined forces.7:45 -- Check out Ben's journey on his immigration to Canada, taxes and all that's involved when moving a business across borders11:10 -- What it's like diving into the build not only of a digital product (SaaS), but structuring a full business with your partner at the same time.14:00 -- Why they choose to sell software as a subscription model, and how they came to solve the issue of the complexity of online courses.15:45 -- Here we dive in to the value that they provide as a boutique operation, supplying a premium customer experience, and scaling the unscalable.31:00 -- How a low cost of entry can lead into lifetime clients spending tens of thousands of dollars for further custom strategy and web experiences. 40:00 -- Creating more impactful work, scaling your happiness, flexibility, freedom and building a business on your terms44:00 -- How communication is when you work and live together. What routines and rituals do Marie and Ben abide by to keep on track, and how to handle disputes both inside and outside of the relationship47:00 -- Carrying over organizational techniques from the business into personal life, and vice versa. Work/life integration48:45 -- Routines, entrepreneurship, and setting up your daily routines.51:10 -- Startup and shutdown rituals54:55 -- Thinking about starting a business or project with a partner? Here's Marie's and Ben's tips for a successful relationship both inside and outside of the company.Where you can find them online:Marie:https://mariepoulin.com/https://twitter.com/mariepoulinhttps://www.instagram.com/mariepoulin/Ben:https://www.typeoneerror.com/https://twitter.com/typeoneerrorResources Mentioned:https://www.notion.so/http://tanyageisler.com/ (Imposter Complex Coach)https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitshttp://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 26, 201948 min
8. {Interview} Entrepreneurship and Mental Health with Dr. Sherry Walling
Today we dive deep into mental health, especially when it comes to entrepreneurs.** Trigger Warning **This episode contains talk about death, depression, mental health, and suicide. If this isn't a good time in your life to listen, skip it for now, we'll be here when you need us.Today we dive DEEP with Dr Sherry Walling of Zen Founder.https://www.sherrywalling.com/https://zenfounder.com/About Dr. SherryDr. Sherry Walling helps smart people do hard things. She works with leaders and entrepreneurs to tackle the common and uncommon challenges that go along with the pursuit of an extraordinary life. As a clinical psychologist, speaker, yoga teacher, podcaster, entrepreneur, and best-selling author, she draws from her professional expertise as well as her personal experience. Her best-selling book, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Shit Together, combines the insight and warmth of a therapist with the truth-telling mirth of someone who has been there.When she’s not in the consulting room or hopping stages around the world; Sherry can be found on her paddleboard, swinging from the rafters pretending to be a circus performer, or ushering her three kiddos through an art museum in some fabulous city. Let's jump in...4:30 -- Current rates and stats of mental health concerns within the entrepreneurs, with Dr. Michael Freeman and where those rates originate from. Is it correlation, or causation?10:30 -- The "all or nothing" stress, hustle culture, burnout and the toll extreme highs and lows take on your mental and physical health.12:45 -- Maintaining boundaries of downtime, shifting from work to downtime, and the Mr. Rogers Phenomenon.16:40 -- Introversion, Extroversion and Isolation. The power of tribe, and community and how it's beneficial to mental health.20:35 -- Suicide. Coping with feelings, and supporting a normalized conversation to help people open up about it. How to support friends, and yourself. Also, will telling a professional about your feelings get you into trouble? Have you committed? Find out here. (Spoiler: the answer is no. You should definitely talk to someone).29:54 -- Loss, grief and life. How to prepare for your death, how to prepare your family, and dealing with grief as an entrepreneur.35:00 -- Combatting the "what if..." monsters. Taking control over the things you have control over, and letting the uncontrollables go. We also talk about the benefits of journalling and what do do with the text you've journaled.39:15 -- Does work/life balance exist? The answer is it all comes down to how you feel. Don't let someone else dictate what works for you. Listen to your emotions, listen to your body. Get good at asking yourself "How am I doing?...", "How does this feel to me?"43:00 -- How to celebrate your successes, and avoid burnout.ResourcesDr Sherry Walling:https://www.sherrywalling.comhttps://twitter.com/zenfounderBook: https://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurs-Guide-Keeping-Your-Together-ebook/dp/B079SNX6NBVideo on Burnout: https://businessofsoftware.org/2018/08/stay-top-game-dr-sherry-walling-zenfounder-bos-usa-2017/Zen Founder Podcast:https://zenfounder.com/Canada Suicide Prevention:https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/crisis-centres/canadian-crisis-centres/Crisis Centres Canada:http://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/Toronto Crisis Prevention:https://www.torontodistresscentre.comUSA Suicide Prevention:https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 12, 201914 min
7. Motivation-Mindset-Mindfullness
Today we're all about motivation, mindset and mindfulness.Is it tough for you to stay motivated as a freelancer? Are you always wondering when you're going to "make it". Surprise! There's no such thing.Dive into this tiny gem all about changing your perspective, living in the moment and why living for the weekend means your s#!t is broken.In the episode I give some resources for mindfulness and changing your perspective.Eckhart TolleLouise HayNapoleon HillTony RobbinsRichard BransonJames ClearMeditation AppsHeadspaceCalmEnjoy!M Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jul 5, 201925 min
6. Is Freelancing Worth It?
Ah yes, the age old question. Is Freelancing reeeeaaaallly worth it?Well, there's a lot of factors at play, and we're going to dive into all of them. In this episode, we'll explore what type of lifestyle freelancing is suited for, when you should quit your job, and is there a right a right way and a wrong way?Find out.1:30 -- Start with Why. Start with your guiding star, why do you want to freelance? Time to self reflect.3:00 -- Auditing your family and person life. Is this the right decision based on your current situation, and moving into your desired situation. Children? Dependants? Debt? we cover all of it.4:44 -- Knowing your numbers, your expenses, your debts, your responsibilities and how you are currently spending your time and money.7:00 -- Do you like your current job? How long can you stay there while you build your side biz or do you need to quit ASAP?7:30 -- It's just as important to take stock of your mental health. Do you need to leave your job for your own sanity, and how fast do you need to make the transition? These are all questions that you need to consider. This is why the decision is so personal, and without answering these, there's no way to know if going freelance is both smart and/or sustainable.Be prepared to cut toxic relationships out, to be able to invest your time in thriving communities and supportive surroundings.9:30 -- We dive into all the pros and cons of freelancing, starting with ProsPros:-- Be your own boss-- You get to make decisions-- Flexibility of schedule-- Flexibility of who you choose as clients-- Unlimited earning potential-- No commute-- Pursue your passion-- Work from anywhere-- Choose your days off-- No clothes required :)-- Full control over niche and direction and scale of your business-- Creative FreedomCons:-- You need to make all the decisions-- Every client is essentially your boss-- Burnout while chasing $$$-- Isolation-- Travel while working can be expensive-- No one to help you solve problems (this is where community becomes important)-- You are responsible for all problems-- Responsible for all less-glamorous aspects of business-- No paid leave/mat leave/sick days/vacation days-- No Healthcare/Benefits-- Inconsistent income-- Distractions23:20 -- Jump to here if you want to know why I started Freelancing.M Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Jun 27, 201959 min
5. Accounting for Freelancers
Today I'm super stoked to be joined by my accountant Susan. Susan Watkin is a recognized and sought-after accounting educator, small business advisor, and start-up strategist. Working closely with business owners in all phases of their business life-cycle, Susan strives to help those owners take their businesses to whatever level they want to reach. In her approachable style, she’s upfront and pulls no punches when it comes to the reality of small business finance and all that it entails so that those she works with are given the tools for their future success. Susan is proud to be recognized as a leader in digital accounting technology, as well as holding a position as a trainer and writer for Intuit Canada, and part-time professor at both Mohawk and Canadore College in Ontario.Welcome Susan!PD: Please note that all the information we are covering in this episode relates to Canadian Freelancers. Some of the major concepts can be translated to the US and beyond, but just keep in mind where our area of focus is.Here's the following topics we dive into, and questions we have answers for:Interview Questions Susan Watkin The State of Finance Questions: 2:23 -- About Susan, what she does, who she serves and the services she offers.Interview Q's4:30 -- When you work with Freelancers and small business owners, what is their typical level of knowledge on finances, and do you think the school system is lacking in that area, given the rise of the “gig economy”? Specific Freelancing Questions: 6:55 -- SALES TAX: In Canada, when a person first starts out as a sole prop, do they need charge pay tax? If not, should they opt in to paying right away, and what are the advantages of that? 12:35 -- REMOTE WORK: Since many people are working remotely, we often work with people in different provinces and across borders. Who do we charge tax to, and how much? 19:17 -- INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS: Being remote, there are many times that we deal with US customers. Is it ok to charge in another currency? 23:22 -- EXPENSES: Let’s talk about “write-offs”. Can you clarify what a “write off” is? Because many people believe that it’s free money that you get back from the government. What are some major misconceptions about expenses?27:45 -- CRAZY EXPENSES & AUDIT POTENTIAL: What are the allowances of expenses when just starting out, and what’s the craziest thing someone has tried to justify expensing?31:50 -- INCOME TAX: As a general rule, do you have a guideline of how much of your sales you should put aside in the expectation of paying it for tax? 37:05 -- INCORPORATE VS SOLE PROP: People most will start off as a sole prop, but as they grow will consider incorporation. Is there a general guideline on when you should start to consider that? I know each case is different, but when should you start the conversation? 44:55 -- COMBATTING FINANCIAL OVERWHELM: For people who are overwhelmed by finances and stressed out about numbers, what advice would you give to help them stay on top of their cashflow?50:58 -- STARTING OUT: What’s the 2 major pieces of advice you would give to someone starting from scratch (I’ll also add a couple of my experiences from a Freelance perspective)53:46 -- INVOICING SOFTWARE: Finally, for a Canadian solo-preneur, is there a bookkeeping/online invoicing program you would recommend, also do you need one right out of the gate? (you can add referral links if you have them) Susan has also given us a wealth of resources. Here is everything mentioned in the episode:Free webinars/tutorials for small businesseshttps://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/tutorials/webinars/ For accounting/invoicing software:https://quickbooks.intuit.com/ca/pricing/ GST/HST Rulings:https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/rc4405/gst-hst-rulings-experts-gst-hst-legislation.html Startup Canada:https://www.startupcan.ca/ Find Susan here: susanwatkin.ca and Watkin-sbs.ca Twitter: https://twitter.com/WatkinSBS<p styl
- Jun 20, 201914 min
4. Niching Down and Building Authority
Sometimes niching down can freak people out. I get it, it can feel like you're alienating a portion of your audience but today we're going to dive into how to do it right while building authority. Let's go!Here's my 7 tips to niching down and building authority3:10 -- 1. Honing in on your niche, and identifying who you serve? This includes an exercise where we explore where there is overlap between what you're good at and what potential clients need.5:31 -- 2. Double your prices (or at least increase them). People tie money to value and expect to pay more for specialty services. You are now a specialty service!6:55 -- 3. Don't do something you hate. Let's explore the golden area that intersects "what you're good at", "what the market dictates", and "what you love". Many people are scared to go here because they think it's TO GOOD TO BE TRUE. Repeat after me, nothing is too good to be true.8:40 -- 4. Market Research. Who is out there in that niche? Can you connect to them? I've found that most people who do well in their specialty are happy to chat about it and answer questions. This combine with some preliminary Googling can help you get your footing when exploring your niche.9:37 -- 5. Tell people about your niche! Make what you do part of your introduction. Get your niche down to 5 - 7 words so you can clarify what you excell in and make an impact in a short period of time.10:57 -- 6. Paid Advertising. We dedicate most of time to organic growth, but don't dismiss ads. Analytics have come so far, and they're a relatively inexpensive way to reach an audience outside of your immediate circle.12:46 -- 7. Show up constantly, and provide value. You can try all the tactics in the world, but nothing will get more traction than doing the work. Writing pitch letters, breaking down how-to's, and writing guest posts may not be the most glamorous work in the world, but it's the work that makes everything pay off in the long run.Put in the work, and keep on going. You got this!M Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Freelance Freedom
Ever dream of living that "laptop lifestyle", mastering your side-hustle or taking business calls beachside in Ibiza? Join Margaret for her true-to-life depiction of Freelancing, and running a solo business. The wins, the losses, the horrors, and the triumphs. This weekly exploration digs deep into gig economy at its rawest. Tips and resources included in every episode. We went through it, so you don't have to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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