Myspace has received a bad rep over it’s short life. People using it the wrong way often pay with lost jobs, stalkers or worse. Over 60% of employers say they use Mysapce to check up on current and future employees and that number will increase another 20% in the coming years. However, is there a good side to Myspace that could help us as freelancers? You bet! I have tested this to see just what would happen if I used Myspace only to promote my work, network and share the ideas related only to my business and not my personal life.

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Today, I will be discussing a big obstacle for freelance designers…upgrades. While working with budgets and impending projects, your software of choices is a big player in the success of those projects and keeping them up to date is always a huge question—especially when you have companies like Adobe to thank for what seems like new and improved software every year or so. How can you stay up to date with the latest and greatest to ensure your quality of work is as good as it can be? Or do you even need to upgrade to stay on top? We tackle these dilemmas along with a guide to upgrading below. (more…)

We have all had it happen before. You are standing at a function, likely standing in a far off corner avoiding the one person you should meet and make contact with. You are prepared. You made sure to pack an extra stack of business cards in your pocket just for this occassion. However, there is a problem. Your feet are cemented to the floor….what happens now?

If you are like me, this is all too common. For several reasons, networking is just like the first day of school. Some people make instant contacts and friends, and the rest of us would rather gargle glass then make the first step. The important thing to remember is that you are not alone…think middle school dance. No one makes the first move. However, you can overcome this fear and become a networking guru in no time. (more…)

For the past several months I have juggled a full time career in the field that I freelance in. In this form, I get the best of both worlds with a steady paycheck creating websites and other materials while going home at night and working on other client’s projects. I feel as though I am freelancing all the time because I go to the office for one and home for the other, yet I am creating for someone at both jobs. The great thing about the full time job is that my creative freedom is very open. I would say more so than my freelance client’s. The only trouble is there aren’t enough hours in the day. Can you be happy with a steady paycheck and extra freelancing on the side? Or is it all too much at the end of they day?

Busy Busy

To be extra busy is to be my current life right now. Constantly creating and having a demand to find constant inspiration is sometimes overwhelming. I sit at home and work, and I sit at work and work all the while feeling the creative juices flow and stagger. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to run just a freelance business sans the steady paycheck and health benefits. Sometimes I dream of a wall with Multi-Designs, LLC painted above my office desk with an even bigger version outside the building I so luckily can afford. But then is this all wishful thinking? The steady pay and extra change isn’t bad when I can create for both worlds and in the end feel as though the reason I work has been successful each day.

What are some of your thoughts out there? For those that work both jobs or one or the other, what is your ideal dream job that you would like to have? Are you there yet?

More than one job title

While it is a relief to work for yourself and have complete control of your clients, projects, and life, there are a whole mess of titles that you possess as a freelancer. Freelancer, or creative consultant as I have been known to say, is just one hat that you wear. You must become an accountant, project manager, CEO, marketing director, public relations, administrative assistant, and customer service specialist. While these are just a few of the top titles you must possess and possess well, they only scratch the surface of what you must focus on when you are in the role of freelancer.

In the next few entries I will pick a part each of the above job titles and explain why and how you must implement them into your daily routine to become a better creative consultant.

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What to Do?

So when the time comes, and let’s face the fact that it will come, you may wonder what to do to get by with few to zero clients. First off, it’s not an easy time, but it does offer many wonderful plusses to a slow period.

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I had the opportunity to take such an adventure today, and it is very important to find things that get you away from the computer and out into the world that inspires you. It doesn’t hurt to take great photos while you are at it either, because when you come back, you’ll have something to remember those few hours away.

So whatever you decided to do for a few hours, enjoy it. Life isn’t always about sitting in front of your computer and working. The world is big and the cultures are strong, experience what you can and your work will improve!

Welcome to Career Choice 101

If anyone came up to you today and asked you point blank why you do what you do, would you have an answer? Would you instantly know the reason why your life has managed to meandor down the paths it has to this very point? Maybe. Maybe not. But regardless of how we know how we got here, part of your answer should spread the glee of your choices like wild fire.

I look back to my moment, and really wonder why I don’t have an exact point in time of when I knew that Graphic Design and Web Design would offer me a career of a life time. Sometimes you just do stumble upon something you really enjoy and then you pursue it. For me, I pursued it like crazy. For the years I went to college I literally breathed the field.  What better opportunity to really understand what the rest of your life will be like? Consume yourself in your passion and really test that passion. Eight hours later if your eyes are bloodshot and strained, your back is sore, and you still want to keep working, you know you love what you do. It’s not about shutting off from the world, but the number one reason to do anything is the want of it. It’s the drive that keeps you doing it even if your eyes are about to fall out.

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From beginning to the future come join the ride as we take freelancing by storm.