Let me begin by saying there are legitimate reasons to be wary of the ever expanding digital universe – a glut of junk information, loss of privacy, time wasting, and addiction. But there are also irrational fears at work based in part on our inherent resistance to change. Read more.
Posted in Business, Home Office, How to, Personal historian, Resources, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged Business, digital resources, digital universe, How to, Personal historian, small business, success, Tips
Thinking of giving up your current job and starting up your own business? Here are a few big mistakes I made and lessons I learned. Maybe they’ll save you some anguish. Then again maybe you’re smarter than I was. 
In 1980 I left my job at TVOntario, an educational broadcaster, and hung up my shingle as an independent documentary filmmaker. I had a passion for documentaries, a willingness to work hard, and a creative bent. What I didn’t have was two cents in my bank account. That was my first mistake.
The early years were tough. I had to borrow money from friends and get odd jobs to pay the rent and buy groceries. The effort expended on survival left little time or energy for filmmaking. Eventually I went on to be a successful documentary filmmaker but it was a lesson well learned.
Lesson 1: Don’t start without money in the bank. You’ll need enough cash in hand to cover at least a year of living and business expenses. The first couple of years will be lean.
My next big mistake.
Although I was enthusiastic, I had no documentary film experience and no body of work. Few were willing to take on an eager but inexperienced filmmaker.
Lesson 2: Gain experience and have something to show potential clients. Enthusiasm is important but clients also want to know that you can deliver. If you have little experience, highlight aspects from your previous work that indicate you can do the job.
For example, I drew on the fact that I had a Masters of Education degree. As part of that degree I had taken a course in the production and evaluation of educational media and had made a short animated film. I pointed to my work at TVOntario as a producer and as a writer of educational materials. It was a stretch but it illustrated that I was competent and had some “media” experience even if I hadn’t made a documentary.
Mistake number three.
I launched into my new business with no plan, no advice, and no clear idea of what was involved in being an independent documentary filmmaker. Not something I’d recommend to others. Had I known what to expect, it could have saved me from a good deal of heartache.
Lesson 3: Have a plan. Seek advice. Know what you’re getting into. You don’t need to turn this into a year long research and development project. But tempering your enthusiasm with a little dose of reality will serve you well. Trust me!
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Photo Credit: Alex E. Proimos
Posted in Business, How to, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged business start-up, documentary, Filmmaking, How to, lessons learned, mistakes, self employed, small business, start-up, Tips
I’m a “ham” at heart so I love to get in front of an audience, big or small. But when it comes to an important presentation where I know I’ve got to make a good impression, I can feel the pre-presentation jitters creeping in. Over the years I’ve learned some practical steps to calm myself. Try these the next time you’ve got to make a “big” presentation…Read more.
Posted in How to, Marketing, Personal historian, Presentations, Tips
Tagged Business, control nervousness, How to, Personal historian, Presentations, self employed, small business, Tips
No clients knocking on your door? Feeling discouraged? Thinking of quitting?
I’ve been there and know what that feels like. It’s no fun. So what can you do to get through the gloom and doom?
Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way.
Things happen – both good and bad. That’s life. Accept the fact that as grim as your present situation is, it will change.
When you catch yourself listening to the voices of gloom and doom nattering in your head, switch channels. Your thoughts are just thoughts. They’re not solid objects. Just let them pass without becoming caught up in them.
Take some time to examine your intentions.
What were your intentions when you started your freelance business? Was it to make a lot of money? Serve your community? Supplement your income?
How have your intentions changed? Do changed intentions require you to re-evaluate your marketing approach? Maybe your intentions are different and you no longer have the same passion that you started with.
Stepping back and examining your intentions may provide a clue to your present dilemma.
Looking at colleagues who are successful can lead to feelings of envy or incompetence. Likewise, identifying with others who are struggling like yourself can be demoralizing. You begin to think, “Why bother? It’s all hopeless.”
The quickest way to spiral into gloom and doom is to compare yourself to others. Avoid comparisons.
Close the door to your office, disconnect from your beeping electronic devices, and indulge in things that bring you real joy. Forget about your business for a couple of weeks. It’ll still be there when you get back.
Returning to your work after a complete break gives you more energy and gives you fresh insights into your business.
We all need support.
Thinking that you can do it all on your own is a recipe for disaster. Make sure you connect with people who can provide practical advice, a shoulder to cry on, and inspiration.
No one said it would be easy establishing a new business. Overnight success rarely happens. Unrealistic expectations about your success will inevitably lead to disappointment and doubt.
Be prepared for the long haul. It’ll take a couple of years of hard work before you begin to see the fruits of your labor. Knowing this will help keep you from despair when times are tough.
Last but not least, laugh more! Some days the old saying “If I didn’t laugh, I’d cry ” sums it up. We need to lighten up. Grim determination and a furrowed brow won’t make work easier.
If you need a quick fix of laughter check this out.
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Photo Credit: The Waterboy
Posted in How to, Personal historian, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged advice, Business, freelance, freelancer, freelancing, health, Home, Home Office, How to, lessons learned, personal care, Personal historian, small business, survival, Tips, work
Annie in the plum tree.
Groan. Don’t you just hate puns?
Anyhow, my cat Annie is a source of inspiration for my life and business. Previously I wrote 6 Lessons My Cat Taught Me About Time Management. I might add, she was quite pleased by the positive response that article received.
Here are some more of Annie’s pearls of wisdom.
1. Take time to play. Every day Annie insists we play at least once if not twice. If I’m not available, she’ll make up her own games. She’ll race madly about the house, dive into a stack of newspapers, or climb the plum tree. She knows the wisdom of the old saying “All work and no play makes…”.
Make certain to build play time into your daily schedule.
2. Exercise caution in any new situation. Annie doesn’t immediately take to new things. A new chair, plant, or visitor is carefully and gingerly approached, sniffed, and either tentatively accepted or rejected until she feels more comfortable.
Whenever you embark on a new project or work with a new client, you could emulate her behavior (well maybe not the sniffing part). Take time to do your homework and assess the situation before plunging in.
3. Claim your territory. Annie has claimed the backyard as her territory. She defends it vigorously from other cats. And for the most part they now leave her alone.
It’s important to claim your space in the business world. Be clear on what you’re offering and to whom. Then stand up and stand out!
4. Be curious. All cats love to explore. And Annie’s no exception. In the summer she spends hours in the backyard, peering into flower beds and checking out the next door neighbor’s yard. She comes in at the end of the day, tired and stimulated.
Curiosity is a tonic that keeps your business fresh and relevant. Be curious about your competition, potential new products and services, and interesting marketing ideas.
5. Be gentle but strong. Annie is petite, soft, and gentle. That is until she feels threatened by another cat. Then she puffs herself up to twice her size and lets out a blood-curdling scream. It seldom goes any further than that. The other cat receives the message and retreats.
I’m not suggesting you puff yourself up and start screaming at people who upset you. Even though this might satisfy the “inner cat” in you. What I am saying is that you must be clear that you will not be taken advantage of or treated poorly. Stand up for your rights!
6. Break the pattern. Annie’s a creature of routine. She has her favorite chair and set times for eating. She loves a snuggle while I’m watching a little TV at night. But she also mixes it up. She’ll decide to move to a different spot to sleep or skip the snuggle and be on her own.
It’s useful in our business to avoid becoming stale by doing the same thing over and over again. Follow Annie’s example and change things now and again.
Annie has looked this post over and approved its content. Whew! She can be so demanding.
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Photo by Dan Curtis © 2012 all rights reserved
Posted in Business, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged advice, Behavior, Business, Cat, Home Office, How to, Pet, self employed, small business, Tips, wisdom
Are you feeling harried, with no time for yourself, and overwhelmed by too much stuff? Imagine what it would be like to enter a place of spaciousness where calmness, openness, and deep satisfaction prevailed. It’s not impossible. Let me explain.
At the beginning of the year I wrote about my intentions for 2013 in Goodbye Resolutions and Goals. Hello Intentions! One of my intentions was to create more spaciousness in my life.
Here’s what I’ve done so far. It’s still a work in progress but here are some thoughts on creating your own spaciousness.
Creating spaciousness in the mind is a start.
I’ve been practicing Insight Meditation for the past 15 years. I realized that while my 30 minutes a day was better than nothing, it wasn’t sufficient to settle my “monkey mind”.
I’ve added a second 30 minute mediation session at the end of my work day before dinner. I’m finding that my mindfulness is better and I don’t feel as rushed. The simple act of carving out meditation time in my day has forced me to slow down. The mind feels more spacious.
Here’s my suggestion. Start a simple meditation practice. At first it can be just ten minute a day. The important thing is to get into the habit of doing it. Be patient. It takes time for habits to take hold. If you need some suggestions for meditation practice, check these out :
I’ve written about the power of “No” in an earlier post. It’s taken me time but I’m much better at protecting my space by using that one simple word. I’m also aware that as an introvert I need my downtime. Friends have come to respect the fact that I seldom do parties .
If you want to carve out some space for yourself, you need to be able to say “No” and not feel guilty about it.
No one is going to give you time. You’ve got to make it happen.
I discovered that unless I actually built free time into my daily and weekly schedule it too easily got used up with busyness. Now I’ve built a “fire wall” around my evenings and early mornings. And I’ve set aside several days in the week that are non-work, free space times to do as I wish.
I suggest you start by looking at where you can block out periods of time that are just for you. Schedule them into your day planner and be resolute about keeping those dates.
Stuff to me is anything that’s filling my space and that doesn’t have some decorative or practical purpose.
I’m not a “neat freak” and I can live with a certain amount of clutter. The problem I realize is that I’ve got too much stuff that has no purpose.
I’ve started a methodical process of sorting through my stuff. I’m removing titles from the bookshelves that I’m never going to read again. I’m donating magazine back-issues to the local library. I’ve got a box that I’m filling with “nick knacks” for the Hospice Thrift Boutique. There are dated and dead electronic devices that I’m sending to be recycled.
Look around you. What’s the stuff in your life? Start small by dedicating some time each week to eliminating items and opening up your work and living space.
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Photo by Dimitri
Posted in How to, Personal Care, Tips
Tagged clutter, creating, health, Insight, Intention, Meditation, mind, Mind monkey, No, personal care, scheduling, space, spaciousness, stuff
Want to give all those blog articles you’ve written a second life? I certainly do.
I’ve assembled 5 online services that allow you to do just that by capturing blog articles and editing them into an e-book.
Here’s my take on these services. I really like Anthologize but it isn’t compatible with blogs like mine that operate on WordPress.com. Ebook Glue downloads your whole blog and doesn’t appear to allow for editing. Papyrus only works with Chrome and Safari browsers and I use Firefox. I didn’t want to download a different browser just to use their program.
This leaves me with two services – BookSmith and Zinepal. Both look relatively easy to use.
I can’t wait to get started on my e-book. What about you?
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I call myself a professional personal historian because I consider what I do and how I do it to be professional. But what does that actually mean? And who really cares?…Read more.
Posted in Business, Personal historian, Self-employed, Tips
Tagged Business, Career, criteria, experience, expertise, hobbiest, Personal historian, professional, professionalism, self employed, skills, Tips
How well do you really know your Mother? Chances are, not as well as you think.
With Mother’s Day not far off ( May 12), why not consider putting together a little recording or booklet about your Mother? The following questions are a good place to start.
[ Note: These questions assume a traditional family with Mom, Dad, and children. I'm aware that the wording of several questions might feel exclusionary for same sex partners with children. That's not my intent. The questions can be easily adapted to fit any family. ]
If you found these questions helpful, you might also want to look at The 50 Best Life Story Questions.
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Image by iStockphoto
Posted in How to, Interviewing, Life stories, Questions, Tips
Tagged best, child, Family, family stories, Father, Home, How to, interview, Interviewing, Life stories, list, Marriage, Mother, Mother's Day, parents, Questions, questions to ask, stories, top
Recently I was reading an article by marketing provocateur Seth Godin. In his usual challenging manner he hit the nail on the head.
” The hard part isn’t charging a lot. The hard part is delivering more (in the eye of the recipient) than he paid for…Too often, in the race to charge less, we deliver too little. And in the race to charge more, we forget what it is that people want. They want more. And better.”
This got me thinking. A personal history book or video is a big ticket item for most clients. So what can we do to demonstrate that our clients will get get more than they expected?
Here are some ideas that come to mind:
When you have an initial conversation with a potential client, use words such as investment rather than cost, legacy rather than personal history, gift instead of book or video.
I sometimes use a new car analogy. I point out that as soon as you drive a car off the lot, it begins to depreciate. On the other hand, a Life Story appreciates over time. You can’t say that about many things.
It’s true that “Cousin George” can probably do the book for half the price. But does he have the experience and professional background to do a first-class job?
When people hire me, they know that not only are they getting an experienced professional personal historian but also a former award-winning documentary filmmaker. My work will be better than “Cousin George’s”. At least I hope so.
Look for ways you can make your qualifications stand out.
There are a number of ways to add extras.
Find those little extras that add more value to your work.
Have one of your beautiful personal history books to showcase your work. The quality will speak for itself. Point out the exceptional archival paper stock and inks that are used. Acquaint clients with the outstanding design elements.
You want to convey the message that these are “Legacy” books that will last for generations.
What clients may not appreciate are the positive feelings that arise with personal histories. It’s not just a book or video.
Parents and children talk about feeling closer to each other after engaging in a life story. Parents are touched by the thoughtfulness of their children undertaking such an endeavor. Still other recipients of a personal history find a new appreciation for their life accomplishments.
A personal history is a connection to the soul.
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Image by iStockphoto
Posted in How to, Life stories, Marketing, Personal historian, Tips
Tagged books, clients, expectations, How much to charge?, How to, legacy, Life stories, life story, Marketing, Personal historian, personal histories, Seth Godin, Tips, value, video
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