August 2010
1 post
4 tags
Best Lessons from FreelanceCamp Fort Collins?
Now that you’ve had some time to reflect, what was the single best lesson from FreelanceCamp Fort Collins that you’ve put to use?
For Nick, it was: if your services are priced so low that you can’t afford to hire someone to help, you’ve priced too low (from @RedHeadWriting)
July 2010
20 posts
FreelanceCamp by the Numbers
When asked how much it cost to put on an event like FreelanceCamp, I decided to share all of the numbers. Both to satiate your curiosity and to help future volunteers, sponsors and organizers understand the quantity of money that is necessary to put on a well-run, professional event.
Money In
Ticket Sales: 845.00
Sticker Giant: 120.00
Cohere, LLC: 75.00
Digital Gunslingers: 75.00
The Hive:...
Cooperation in Business
Definition: being prepared to take on more clients without quality of work diminishing or potential to continue successfully as its size increases
Going from Start Up to BIG – communication isn’t as easy – and not as efficient
“Didn’t you get the memo”
When you have to say that = you’re not scaling well
Steve Blank is a venture capitalist, founded companies, and has a great blog on this topic –...
Business Scalability
Definition: being prepared to take on more clients without quality of work diminishing or potential to continue successfully as its size increases
Going from Start Up to BIG – communication isn’t as easy – and not as efficient
“Didn’t you get the memo”
When you have to say that = you’re not scaling well
Steve Blank is a venture capitalist, founded companies, and has a great blog on this topic –...
Session: How To Fire A Client
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
2:00 PM
Horror stories:
o Check out http://clientsfromhell.net/ for horror stories
Why/Who (to fire):
o Clients who don’t ever deliver the stuff you need to do you job done
o Clients that always ask for things out of scope / over and over / even after you have educated them on workflow.
o Clients who blame you when they make mistakes.
o Clients or...
Session 3 - Room 213 (Previously Room 107) - What...
- It is OK to turn down business, and how to know when to do that.
- Networking is crucial when it comes to making the right connections to the right clients.
- Especially network face - to - face.
- You usually aren’t going to get a client at a networking event, you’re going to get a referral out of networking.
- Networking is also useful not only for what you can get from...
Seesion: What I Wish I knew Before I Started...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
1:00 PM
Started by getting a feel for range of experience. Room ranged from people without a business yet to people with more than 5 years on their own.
Veterans Sharing ideas:
It is okay to turn down business and how to know when to do that.
o Story: Use to take work no matter what it was, hated the work so much she even subcontracted it out. In the end it...
Blogging for Business
Blogging for Business
1 pm, 28 July 2010
If you are going to have a business blog, it should be a part of an overall marketing strategy.
Creating content, especially for technical topics, where to find content?
Paying attention to what’s going on in the field.
Writing about things you’ve learned.
Solutions to problems - can generate a lot of traffic, because people are...
Marketing 11a.m. to 12 p.m. Rm105
Marketing 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Rm 105
Facilitator Nick Armstrong
TOPICS
What is marketing?
1. Strategic alliances
2. % of my budget I should be allotting to marketing
3. Types of marketing plans
4. The kitchen sink (what are the options for marketing)
What is Marketing?
When you think about marketing your business, what is marketing to you?
Teams: YOU Outsourcing Interns Evangelists...
Freelance Bartering
Freelance Bartering
11 AM, July 28, 2010
Controversial.
Comes down to having enough trust in the people you are bartering to make sure you aren’t going to get screwed in the transaction.
RESOURCE Message boards depending on the services you need.
DigitalPoint
WebMasterTalk
Brent - if I don’t know them I usually won’t barter with them
Trust isn’t just a matter...
Session 1 Notes:Room 107 - The Business of...
Big struggles - All of the crap that has to go along with freelancing - the “boring” business side of things - bookkepping, etc.
Business Structure
- Running an LLC through your personal taxes is the same as sole proprietorship. However, you gain the credibility of an LLC Business, access to business checking, etc.
- As an LLC, you can protect your personal assets from liability
...
Session 1 Notes: Branding (Rm 105)
Branding (Rm 105)
TOPICS
How to create a brand?
Define branding?
Why do you need a brand?
Branding product lines
Controlling your brand
Personal branding/corporate branding
Using your brand (elements)
When to bring in outside help?
FORMAT
Group facilitator Rue Smith (RFI Marketing) @RueSmith
1. Definition of branding: A brand – Perception of your company, both visually and community...
Session 1 Notes: Biz of Freelance
Main struggle of freelancing is the ‘business’ set - bookkeeping, finance, etc.
Setting up the business structure (LLC v Sole Proprietor v DBA, etc). Pass thru with an LLC provides benefits of an ‘entity’ - business address, accounts, cell phone pricing, acquire EIN for billing from an employer, writeoff direct to business entity, etc. Recommend...
Parking, Eating and Scheduling
Thanks for registering for Freelancecamp Fort Collins! Here are some important details that will help you get to the event with no trouble, be well fed and have a great day.
Directions
From I-25, exit Prospect and head west
Turn RIGHT on College Avenue
Turn LEFT on Laurel and go until you see Woody’s Pizza on your right
“Rockwell Hall-West” will be on your LEFT side.
...
I'm so excited for Freelance Camp
For the first time in Fort Collins, we’ll have over 50 freelancers and independent professionals from all over Northern Colorado in the same place. Come to share, learn and teach others. We’ll all become better freelancers through each other!
June 2010
1 post
3 tags
What is Freelance Camp Fort Collins?
Freelance Camp is a place to discuss and explore the different approaches to running a successful freelance business / service company. We have based our events on the Barcamp format, which is a network of user generated participatory events whose content is fully provided by the participants. Anyone with something to contribute or the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join.
Each camp...