I’ve never had a massive client issue, and I (begrudgingly) thank my employed life for that. Traditional employment has its downsides, especially as traditional career paths become much less reliable. If you’ve been employed and are paying attention though, you’ve probably learned a lot about communication, workflows, customer service, even your niche/industry. One of the […]
The Power of Firsts
Freelancing for me has been the fuel for beginning a new life. I walked away from a draining corporate career and the poor eating, spending, sleeping, social, and emotional habits that came along with it. The last five years for me have been an exercise in rebuilding — aside from a few, well-curated core relationships — pretty […]
The Problem with the Promise of “More Work”
I’ve come to believe that most employers are completely…utterly incompetent when it comes to dealing with workers whose lives (health insurance, vacation, work hours, compensation rates) they don’t control. It’s not completely their fault…the culture of work (at least in the U.S.), is, even with all the changes we’ve experienced in recent years, based around […]
5 Things They Won’t Tell You About Freelance Life
This post will help you with Phase 2 of the Black Freelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! When I started freelancing, I had zero concept of how freelancers lived. Entrepreneurs? Sure. I’ve got family and friends all over the place who’ve started their own businesses, but freelancers? As far as […]
Freelancing Changed My Relationship With Food
My father, being the Southern Black man he is, has zero qualms commenting on people’s weight. I’ve been horrified on multiple instances to hear him gleefully exclaim that someone was “gettin’ fat”…something that seems to be perfectly normal and acceptable conversation for his generation (they put less value on the amount of space bodies […]
Code School Offers Refund If You Don’t Find Work
This post will help you with Phase 2 of the Black Freelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! Ran across this article on Udacity today (via Wired)…apparently, the startup Udacity is offering a refund of your ~$299 if you don’t find work within 6 months after completing one of its Nanodegree programs. […]
I’m Missing My Cousin’s Wedding Because I’m A Freelancer
Everyone knows that freelancing means an end to that predictable paycheck, but it’s easy to forget how many parts of your life really hinge on having a steady flow of income. My closest cousin is getting married soon and I’m not going to be attending her wedding. It was a decision I had to make […]
Your Support Network Probably Won’t Look Much Like That White Guy’s You Follow…
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the Black Freelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! I ran into my youngest uncle yesterday. He stands a striking, but inviting 6’7″ and has always been nothing short of magical to me and my brother. He ordered suits from Japan and lived […]
Quick Thoughts: The Savior Of Black Economics — Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, Or Freelancers?
I really wish that we, Black people, would start addressing the “work freedom” question in more nuanced ways, simply because there is more than one path to economic wokeness. I’m a firm believer that we worship Entrepreneurs as the saviors of Black economics entirely too much. Not everyone is born an Entrepreneur or even enjoys […]
Retirement For Freelancers: Interview With RetirementSavvy’s James C. Molet
This post will help you with Phase 1 of the Black Freelance Foundations Workbook…if you haven’t started yours yet, download it now! One of the biggest financial risks you take as a freelancer is your retirement. Many traditional jobs offer contributions toward your retirement savings, or at the very least, incentive to save for the […]