This week I spent so so much time recording. Starting next Monday, I’ll be doing some video work to go with the post of the day. Yes, the email will link to it.
I was also recording the audiobook to go with my next book release. Next Tuesday you’ll get your copy of The Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Started and it comes with a free audiobook. It’s on for $.99 during preorder and will go up at the end of next week.
Don’t forget that Jason Resnick and I are doing a course called Stop the Cycle. The whole point of it is to help you…stop the freelance feast and famine cycle. I’ve done a few videos on it and Jason has recorded a bunch of podcast episodes.
You can see my videos here:
Jason’s podcast is called Ask Rezz.
I Shipped
Monday I wrote about the daily routines I use to bring calm to my day. Do you have routines?
Tuesday I put a video out about how I’m scheduling YouTube videos from my iPad.
Wednesday I gave you three questions to ask yourself to filter your tasks.
Thursday I review Traction, which is a marketing book about getting traction in your business. You can read the review or listen to it. Don’t forget to subscribe to Should I Read it so you don’t miss a book that matters.
I also published a review of Canva for Alpha Efficiency and a look at WooCommerce Analytics on the Liquid Web blog.
Friday Five
1. Ryder Carroll on thinking on paper
I very much enjoyed this short talk by Ryder. Of course, you shouldn’t be surprised by that since I wrote a whole book an Analogue Productivity.
This quote also stood out to me.
Because something is convenient does not make it efficient.
You can watch the video right here
2. Matt D’Avella on working less and making more
I’ve been loving Matt’s videos and this one is no exception.
Matt talks with Ryan about raising rates and the freedom that was felt when he got his first $10k project.
What did it feel like when you finally raised your rates to that level you thought was “crazy”?
Also, Matt doesn’t just leave it as a “charge more” call. He offers some deeper advice about it. He talks about understanding the process and fears that go with raising your rates.
3. Justin Jackson on Finances and Cutting Expenses
Jackson says in regard to his $4400/month expense burn:
This wasn’t as big of a deal when revenue was high. I was able to pay my expenses, and still pay myself a good salary.
But, just as Michalowicz predicted, when sales slowed down, my monthly costs weighed on me like never before.
Michalowicz wrote Profit First, which I reviewed and loved. It transformed my business and it’s helped pretty much all of my coaching clients. Even one of my friends that I took regular walks by the river with when it was nice out said it changed his business.
So, why haven’t you read it yet?
With Justin Jackson’s post, I love most as he talks about his target salary. The biggest issue I’ve seen with solo people is that they can’t ever take the plunge and then pay themselves less.
I had to do it this year. We had to cut family expenses on top of the deep business cuts I had done. But I have so much more freedom this year and so much less stress than last year.
The salary cut was worth it.
4. Another good money post, this one by Darius Foroux
This note made me smile from Darius Foroux:
“All my problems will be solved once I have a little bit more cash on hand.” Sorry to disappoint you, but that will never happen. As your bank account grows, your problems will too.
As Profit First advises, as your income grows so will your expenses.
Foroux gives us five tips to increase our net worth.
- Desire less
- Know how the economy works
- Avoid personal debt
- Save as much as you can
- Have a short-term strategy
Getting out of my personal debt (number 3) was a huge saver of so many parts of my life. I recommend starting there because if you’re pushing hard on debt #1 should follow.
Best book I’ve read to get out of debt was The Total Money Makeover. It changed my life.
5. Subscriptions can kill your budget
Here is a great illustrated guide to checking your Apple subscriptions from iOS. I didn’t have any I didn’t expect but I know my friend Jason recently did an audit of his recurring expenses and saved himself hundreds of dollars for the year.
In my upcoming book The Freelancer’s Guide to Getting Started I have a big chunk on managing your money. If you’re not running your budget well then you’re not going to be able to focus on your work because you’ll have some huge sword hanging over your head.
The axe of poorly managed money has killed many freelance businesses. I probably talk to one person a week that has out of control expenses that never matched up to what they could earn.
Don’t let this be you.
Thanks to Pixel Envy for pointing me to this resource.