If you’re like many freelancers, your answer to that question is probably “no.” Many freelancers dislike the marketing tasks associated with freelancing.

That’s one reason why we’re presenting this interview with Jonathan Kay. You see, marketing is Jonathan’s job–and he’s good at it. Very good.

Jonathan’s official title is the Ambassador of Buzz at Grasshopper (a brand that empowers entrepreneurs with a virtual phone system).

In Jonathan’s own words he is, “is extremely passionate about helping / meeting new entrepreneurs and always excited to learn about their unique journey.”

I asked Jonathan to share some of his tips and insights about marketing with us here at Freelance Folder. Specifically, I asked him to address how freelancers can generate referral business. I’m sure that freelancers of all kinds can learn from his advice.

6 Marketing Tips

I asked Jonathan six questions about how freelancers can better generate referrals. Here’s what he shared with us:

1. Most freelancers love what they do, but hate to market their freelance business. Can you suggest any ways to help freelancers dread marketing less?

Jonathan: Have fun with it. I mean just be yourself, and let your personality seep into your marketing. Remember, as a freelancer you don’t have to appeal to the “general public” (whatever that means), or even tens of thousands of people. You need to find your niche and, be as awesome as you can within those bounds.

I’ll give you an example. I met a really fun front end designer a few months back who helped me out with a project I was working on. She took a really creative approach to her website’s “about page,” and as a client of hers I really appreciated that. Here it is–Brimming About Page.

All she did was outline a cute, funny, “hypothetical” client conversation. But for me, it gave me some real insights into her personality, and just generally made me feel more comfortable working with her! It was simple, fun, and she was just herself.

2. I think one of the reasons that most freelancers don’t ask their clients for referrals or leads is because they dread getting a negative response. Are there any tricks to determining whether a client is good candidate for providing a referral?

Jonathan: I would venture to say it’s worse to not have enough business, than it is to get a negative response from a client =). But I know that wasn’t the question! I think the first “trick” would be to note what it is your client does. If word of mouth and referrals are a big part of their business, then they will inherently understand the value and most likely be happy to help (assuming they had a positive experience). I would also take into account a few other things:

• How much time have you spent “outside of the norm” walking them through things, helping them understand something, etc. (The more you put in, the more fair of an expectation it will be that your client would feel comfortable spreading the word.)
• Did they get great results from whatever work you did for them? (Stellar results are always a good opportunity to ask for a referral.)
• Trust your gut. Do you find yourself talking about things outside of your project with your client? Like sports or cooking or your kids? If you feel like you have established a good relationship, then asking the question shouldn’t hurt that (even if they don’t want to refer you).

3. What should you do if a client gives you a referral that doesn’t pan out (the client didn’t really understand your business or the referral can’t afford your services)?

Jonathan: I would simply do whatever I could to help the person they referred to me. Now that doesn’t mean try and offer them services you do not have expertise in. You should connect with them, listen to them, and either see if you can help them or connect them with someone in your network who can. Being the person who makes valuable connections for people goes a long way. It makes you memorable, and when those clients do end up needing a service you offer you will be in the forefront of their minds.

In regards to pricing, that can be a bit trickier. There will surely be exceptions to what I am about to say, and times where you need to “do a favor” just because of your relationship with the referrer. However, as a general statement I think it’s important to decide what your value is, and stick to that. If you are not in the ballpark of the client you are speaking to, simply find a nice way to connect them with someone you know who is more inexpensively priced. I would always, always thank the client who sent the referral regardless of whether it was a direct fit. If someone is consistently (more than 3 times) sending you leads that are not a fit, at that point you could politely correct their expectations. Just remember meeting new people is the best thing you can do for your business, so there is no reason to cut any ties unless it becomes a major time suck.

4. What about sending out a customer satisfaction survey after a job is done? Is this a good way for a freelancer to determine whether a client is really happy?

Jonathan: I think that is a boring, stale, and spammy way to find out if your client is happy. Customer satisfaction surveys are what some phone companies send after you talk with one of their “customer care representatives.”

Why not pick up the phone and call them a few weeks after your project? After all you probably spent multiple weeks if not months working with them, why end it by sending an impersonal email? Even better, you could send them a handwritten note saying you enjoyed working with them, really appreciated the business, and would love if they could provide any feedback. I would venture to say writing a hand written note could increase their likelihood to refer you as well!

5. What other tips would you give to freelancers regarding getting their clients to spread the word about their freelancing business?

Jonathan: Do anything you can to help the people you interact with. Literally anything. I meet a lot of people, and travel a good amount to different entrepreneurial events throughout the US….every person I meet knows someone in their life who is a “connector.” Be that person. Don’t just say you will make that introduction (or send them that link), make a note and when you get home actually do it. That type of follow up, and willingness to help anyone will create an atmosphere around you that will help your business not only grow, but flourish.

6. Do you have any other thoughts to share?

Jonathan: I know asking for referrals can be really awkward. But just think about it for a moment….If you don’t sell your business, who will?

You made the decision to be an entrepreneur, which means you will definitely have to do things from time to time that aren’t in your comfort zone. Referrals and new business is a necessary way for you to grow, make money, and generally survive. By all means, find a way to infuse your own personality into it; but don’t ever think for a minute that referrals are not a necessary part of being a freelancer, because they most certainly are.

Your Turn

Do you have a question for Jonathan or thoughts to share with the community? Leave a comment.

You can also reach Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanCKay or through email at jkay (at) grasshopper (dot) com.

I’ve know the company SumEffect software for over a year now and they make an awesome product called CoreCommerce. SumEffect software is an excellent example of a company that makes their own products.

I’d heard stories that the two owners Nick McDuffie (bottom middle) and Matt DeLong (bottom right) used to work for a regular design agency before starting their business from scratch. They were able to bootstrap the business together until they become a full-fledged small business, and one of Nashville’s best businesses.

I know that a lot freelancers dream about becoming a bigger business so I asked one of the owners, Matt DeLong, to take some time for an interview for us. If you’re thinking of transitioning from freelancing to a small company, stay tuned and I’ll share what I learned from Matt. (We already know that many great businesses start with freelancers.)

Getting Started in Ecommerce

Here’s my interview with Matt:

1. Please give a short summary about SumEffect. Roughly how many employees and customers do you have?

Matt: We provide an affordable way for you to start an online store. As of 2010, we have about 15,000 customers and will complete 2010 around $1.4m and expect close to $2m in 2011.

SumEffect currently employees 15 employees, with seven working in support, three in sales, three programmers and two designers.

2. What did you do before SumEffect?

Matt: I was a web designer for Interaccess/eBiz America in Nashville. Nick was a sales guy for the same company.

3. How did the idea for creating the company come around?

Matt: I noticed a lot of clients asking for ecommerce and there weren’t any good solutions back in 1999 to offer them.

4. What did it take to start the company? Did you have to take out any loans or find any investors?

Matt: $8k on a Visa to get us through the first several months.

5. When did you hire your first employee? How did you decide you could afford one?

Matt: Nick was selling more programming than I could keep up with in a month, so we hired a programmer. We figured we may be losing out on business because our turn-around times were getting longer and longer.

6. Do you ever hire freelancers or outside consultants? How do you know whether to outsource or to hire?

Matt: Yes, we’ve done both. We use contractors for temporary help with projects and hire full-time staff when it’s a more permanent need.

7. What was one of the biggest mistakes you made when starting up? How would you have avoided it if you could go back?

Matt: Too many to chose from. LOL.  After we started accepting credit card payments online around 2002, we had so many people ordering and downloading digiSHOP using stolen credit cards that our credit card processor at the time (card service intl) cancelled our credit card processing account and we were dead in the water for a few weeks. We should have implemented some of the anti-fraud tools that we use today back then.

8. Would you sell the company if Google offered to buy it for millions of dollars? If so, what would you do after the company sold? If you wouldn’t sell, why not?

Matt: I guess it would depend on how many millions. $3 million–No! $50 million–yes. Not sure what I would do with myself. I’d assume Google would require us to sign a non-compete agreement, so it would require us to walk away from everything we know how to do–our experience–everything…so it would have to be enough money to make it worthwhile.

9. What is it that you do every day?

Matt: No day is the same. We pay a lot of attention to our competitors and review our monthly progress towards our goals every week. This week, we are finishing up our 2011 planning and scheduling some events we may sponsor in the next 12 months.

10. What was your first cart as a company?

Matt: digiSHOP

11. What’s the difference between the two carts?

Matt: digiSHOP is a downloadable eCommerce shopping cart written in PHP/mySQL that starts at $349/license.

CoreCommerce is a hosted eCommerce shopping cart that starts at $19.99 / month.

12. What’s the most important thing SumEffect prides itself on?

Matt: Our 93% customer satisfaction ratings with our customers.

13. What do you do to set yourself apart from the competition? How do you keep track of your competition?

Matt: Besides the 93% customer satisfaction, we also release new software features every 3 weeks. Most companies do this once or twice a year. Google has a lot of tools to help us keep up w/ our competitors.

14. Do you ever read any business books or go to any business functions?

Matt: We read a lot of books, but haven’t done much with seminars or conferences. Do you know how many books you can buy instead of going to a $2500 conference? Experience is always the best teacher anyways.

15. What one piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to start their own company?

Matt: Make sure your concept is proven before committing to it full-time. We’ve seen too many people quit a full time job to pursue an untested idea only to discover that no one wants it–this can be mentally and financially devastating to entrepreneurs.

16. Is there anything you wish you could change about the company?

Matt: We make a lot of changes all the time, but wish we would have started CoreCommerce about five years earlier.

Your Turn

Do you have any questions for Matt about starting your own company or building software? Ask them here and he’ll answer!

Did you know that podcasting can be an effective marketing tool for freelancers too?

I recently interviewed Jeff Young, creator of the Catholic Foodie podcast. Jeff is a copywriter and social media consultant who was a teacher when he started podcasting. Recently, he left that life and became a full-time freelancer. Today, Jeff is going to share his experience with podcasting.

How Podcasting Can Help Freelancers

Here are Jeff’s thoughts on how podcasting can help freelancers:

1. What is podcasting?

Jeff: Podcasting is a form of “broadcasting.” Podcasts can be either audio or video, though audio is the most prevalent format. Basically, podcasts are internet radio shows (or internet TV). Some folks have referred to podcasting as audio or video blogging. And that would be an accurate description, as long as the audio or video episodes are included in an RSS feed. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is what makes podcasting what it is.

The magic of RSS “feeds” allow for instant notification of new content. What does that mean? Folks can subscribe to RSS feeds. And each time a new episode is posted, the subscribers are notified. Notification can be in the form of an email. Or it could come via iTunes or some other “feed reader” or “pod catcher.”

The wonder of podcasting is its convenience. Instead of being locked in to a certain time frame, the content is available 24/7 to those who want to watch or listen. Instead of having to DVR a program, or “record” a radio show for later listening, you simply download the episode to your computer or other compatible device (iPod, iPhone, Blackberry, or any other MP3 device). It doesn’t take a genius to see why this is so wonderful. I can listen anytime and… anywhere. Imagine. What an opportunity for businesses and freelancers!

2. How can freelancers use podcasting to attract prospective clients?

Jeff: Podcasting is part of the social media revolution. It is “new media.” As such, it presents the same benefits as social media to those who use it wisely.

I will say that the preeminent benefit podcasting delivers to freelancers is that it makes them an expert in their field. In this respect, it is a lot like blogging. Think about it. If you are able to produce consistent content about your specialty (which is hopefully something you are passionate about), it’s amazing how quickly you will be seen as an expert in your field. And we’re all looking for experts, aren’t we?

It seems like everybody and their dog has a blog nowadays. And that’s a good thing. But, you know, there are lots of folks who just aren’t into reading blogs. Instead, they like to listen to podcasts. If you are already a blogger, podcasting can expose you to a whole new audience.

The statistics on podcast listeners are staggering. There are over 50 million iTunes users in the US alone. Just Google the statistics on the number of commuters in the US. Wow. And most of those folks have iPods.

3. What is the minimum equipment and software needed to start podcasting?

Jeff: There is a wide range of options available when it comes to producing audio on your computer. I always advocate starting small. There’s no need to drop a lot of cash to get started. A $15 or $20 headset mic from RadioShack would suffice. I know folks who have started out with a lapel mic. Others started out using an online service where they just call in on their telephone to record. Start with what works for you.

In addition to a microphone, you will need a computer, of course, and an internet connection. You will also need software to edit and process the audio you record. If you are on a Mac, then you already have Garageband, which does a good job editing audio. Many podcasters download and use a free app called Audacity.

Once you have an audio file that is ready to go online, you will need a place to host that file. If you already have a website, then you can simply host your files on that server. Or you can sign up for a monthly subscription to a service like Libsyn. Libsyn is a very popular service among podcasters.

4. How do you get people to listen and subscribe to your podcast?

Jeff: Well, you have to just throw it out there. That’s the short answer. Of course, there are many things that you can do help people find, and subscribe to, your podcast. Here are just a few:

• Make sure your content is search-engine friendly.

• Submit your RSS feed to iTunes.

• Post your episodes on your website / blog.

• Use your social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) to let the world know that you have a podcast (and announce each new episode you post).

• Make it easy for folks to subscribe to your podcast (links on your blog, in sidebar and posts… Maybe a post teaching folks how to subscribe to your podcast).

• But, here’s the real secret to getting people to listen and subscribe to your podcast: Create good content! Have something worth saying! If what you say provides value, then your listeners will tell others about it. And isn’t word-of-mouth the best form of advertising?

5. I know you started the Catholic Foodie out of love for food and Catholicism, and not to promote your freelancing business. What results have you gotten from your podcast? Has Catholic Foodie helped you find clients? How?

Jeff: The Catholic Foodie turns two at the end of this month. I am amazed at how much it has grown in the last two years. It started out as just something for me to do for fun. I had no idea that it would ever become anything more than that. But so much has come from it. Here are a few examples:

• About nine months into it, I was asked to become an affiliate of the Star Quest Production Network, an international Catholic new media network.

• I just launched my own Catholic Foodie coffee, appropriately called the “Morning Offering” blend. (And you can sip on it in your very own Catholic Foodie coffee mug!)

• I have begun writing a cookbook. Shortly after announcing it on the podcast, a few publishers contacted me about publishing the book.

• I have been invited to speak at events. As a matter of fact, I am speaking in Washington, D.C. next month at an annual convention.

These are just a few examples.

The Catholic Foodie definitely has name recognition in certain “markets.”  And on the podcast and the blog I have let people know what my freelance business is all about. I have gotten clients because I am the Catholic Foodie. People have gotten to know me through the podcast, and they trust me. I have also had listeners refer their friends to me for their website and social media needs.

Not the Final Word

I enjoy podcasts very much myself. They certainly make cleaning the house bearable! However, I’ve never thought of myself becoming a podcaster, although I never say never.

However, the fact that everybody’s already blogging but very few are podcasting makes it a rich, new field for those who have the guts and commitment.

How about you? Do you see yourself podcasting in the near future? Why or why not? Let us know by posting a comment below.

If you’ve been a freelancer for any length of time, you probably know the name Ed Gandia. Not only is he one of the regular contributors here on Freelance Folder, but he’s also one of the co–authors of the helpful book, The Wealthy Freelancer.

Ed has another project up his sleeve, though. He’s part of the team behind International Freelancer’s Day, which is a free event for solo professionals (in other words, freelancers).

Recently, I caught up with Ed and had a chance to ask him a few questions about International Freelancing Day and about the future of freelancing in general.

What Is International Freelancing Day, Anyway?

I wanted to learn a little bit more about International Freelancer’s Day, so I asked Ed a few questions:

1. Ed, I understand that you are the driving force behind International Freelancer’s Day. In one or two sentences, can you explain what that is?

Ed: International Freelancers Day is a global initiative to celebrate independent workers everywhere and the tremendous impact they have on the economy. The celebration will connect freelancers, consultants, solopreneurs, independent bloggers and all other types of solo professionals through a free, two-day online video conference featuring 12 hours of presentations and 25 top-notch speakers.

2. What advantage will a freelancer get from participating in this event and why should freelancers be interested?

Ed: It’s very clear that, especially in this economy, freelancers and solo professionals are looking for better and smarter ways to grow and run their solo businesses, to boost their income and to create better work-life balance. International Freelancers Day will provide aspiring, new and seasoned solo professionals with the ideas, strategies and inspiration they need to take their “business of one” to the next level of success.

Plus, the event is completely free. Really! There’s no catch. You just have to register, which takes all of four seconds to do. And, you can attend only the sessions you’re interested in. Just take a look at the event schedule and plan your day accordingly.

3. How did you come up with the idea of International Freelancer’s Day?

Ed: One of my co-authors, Pete Savage, came up with the idea. He realized that every group under the sun has a “day” of their own. Teachers, administrative assistants, nurses, meatpackers, meteorologists—even waffles have “National Waffle Day.” So do cupcakes, margaritas and watermelons. (I’m not kidding!)

But freelancers and contingent workers, who now comprise a third of the workforce in the U.S. (and even a greater percentage in other countries), don’t have a day of their own to celebrate.

We wanted to change that. We wanted to bring attention to what’s clearly the biggest shift in the way work is being done. And for those of us who make a living by freelancing, we wanted to create an event where we could learn, network and share ideas.

Freelancing Tips from Ed Gandia

Ed was also generous enough to share the story of how he got started as a freelancer and provide a few freelancing tips:

4. I understand that you’ve been a freelance copywriter since 2003. Why did you decide to go freelance instead of choosing to do copywriting with an agency?

Ed: In late 2002, I set a goal to launch my own business (or buy an existing business) within five years. I was getting tired of the corporate grind. I wanted to chart my own course and build and grow something. Well, shortly after that, I realized that copywriting could actually be turned into a business. It was something I was already doing as part of my job as a software salesman.

So, I abandoned the idea of going the traditional entrepreneurial route in favor of launching a freelance practice. Because my objective was always to go out on my own, I never considered the agency route. I never saw this as a careers shift. I saw it as a way to create a business that didn’t involve employees, inventory and suppliers.

5. You’re also a coauthor of the popular freelancing guide, The Wealthy Freelancer (a book that I happen to be a fan of), if you could only offer a single piece of advice to a new freelancer, what would that advice be?

Ed: Continually market, market, market! Consistent and effective promotional efforts will help ensure that your project pipeline is full and that you never have to scrounge for work. Which means you can command the fees you deserve, pick the clients and projects you want, and have more fun! When you net it all out, smarter and more consistent marketing can solve most of the problems we face.

6. The freelancing environment is constantly evolving. If you could take a peek at the freelancer of the future (say in five year’s time), what skills do you think that freelancer would need?

Ed: You’ll need to be a good businessperson. Professional or technical skills alone are not going to be enough. You’ll have to be good at marketing, sales, customer service, “operations” (scheduling and running your day-to-day business), research and development (keeping up your knowledge base), cash flow management, and human resources (work-life balance). As we continue to move into a “gig” economy—and as more and more workers become freelancers, which will create more competition—your ability to run your practice as a business will be critical to your long-term success.

What About You?

Are you excited about the prospect of a day for freelancers? Will you be participating? What do you think about the future of freelancing?

Leave your answers in the comments.

Unfortunately, the care of our bodies is not always a top priority for many freelancers. It’s easy to get caught up in all our work–particularly because we enjoy it so much.

Plus, if you work from home, you have fewer reasons and opportunities to get up, walk and move. I know of at least one writer who can sit in front of her computer for up to six hours straight!

That can’t be good for anybody. In fact, research has shown that sitting for most of the day puts us at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Scott Tousignant, a fitness expert, recently agreed to share information about the importance of fitness for freelancers. I’d like to share with you a brief excerpt from that interview.

Seven Fitness Tips from Scott

Below are some highlights from my interview with Scott. We covered why freelancers are more likely to get out of shape, what we can do about it, and how to stay motivated.

1. You say the average person gains 30 pounds in the first year of working at home. What is your basis for saying this?

Scott: A lot of that information came from my own personal experience and from polling my friends who work online.

Even though I’ve been working out my entire life, the first three months I decided to focus completely on my online business and write my eBooks and create my programs. I dropped exercise for three months. I stopped working out. I wasn’t eating right.

I was mainly living off of what could give me a boost, because I wasn’t getting the boost that I get from exercise. So, I was resorting to coffee, caffeinated bars or Snickers bars and stuff like that.

And in those three months, I had put on 45 pounds!

I thought, “If I gained this much weight, I wonder what’s going on with my friends.” Through live events, masterminds and in forums, I asked people, “Did you gain weight after you started working at home?”

The average number that I kept getting was 30 pounds, not even for a year, but in the first six months. People were putting on weight really rapidly.

It’s funny because, at that time, I was attending a lot of live events. And I would see all my friends’ bodies changing–not for the better–each time I’d see them. Almost to the point where I didn’t recognize some of them after six months, because they’d put on so much weight.

2. Why do you think it’s easier for work at home freelancers to gain weight than those who work in an office?

Scott: They become so focused on the one goal of getting their business going, getting things off the ground. They’re really motivated to make this home business work and they just neglect everything else in the process.

Ironically, for most of us, our goals for working at home were all to create more freedom in our life, to have more time for our family, and we end up sacrificing everything that meant the most to us in order to build our businesses up. We just put everything on the back burner and focus on our business, focus on that one goal, and we end up doing more harm than good in the process.

3. What is the impact of our level of fitness in our daily lives and freelancing in particular?

Scott: When you neglect exercise and fitness, a lot of the time, you’re tired, you’re fatigued. And I remember during that period, in that three-month span when I just locked myself in the basement and I wasn’t exercising, I was lethargic. I couldn’t focus and get through the day.

It had a big impact in my life by gaining that weight and neglecting to exercise. I remember being so focused on the business and sacrificing all the freedom and everything I enjoy. Angie (my wife) kept reminding me, “Scott, I think you’re trying too hard.”

Sometimes you can try too hard and lose focus of what really matters. At that time, I finally listened to her and made it a priority to get my fitness back in order, spend time with the kids, and do the activities I enjoy.

I was actually working less, but ended up making more money. I was more productive in my business, because I may have gone from working 12 hours to eight hours, but I was getting a lot more done in that shorter time frame.

It’s amazing when you sit at your desk for hours at a time, how much of that time is actually wasted, because you’re distracted.

4. What short and effective workouts do you recommend for time-crunched freelancers?

Scott: I recommend the type of workout that my wife, Angie, and I created for ourselves, because we both work at home. It was a challenge to get to the gym and get in long, full workouts. We’ve found that it’s possible to get short and effective workouts in our home office, even with the limited amount of space.

We thought, “Let’s see what we can do in 10 minutes. It’s better than not getting any exercise at all. Let’s try these 10-minute workouts.”

We found after a few months that we were getting better results from shorter, more intense workouts than we were spending 60 minutes in the gym. It was transforming our bodies quite well. That’s when we realized we were on to something.

I’m talking about doing two 10-minute workouts every day. One is a resistance training workout, where you’ll either do body weight movements or use some dumbbells. This is to sculpt your body, to add some lean, sexy muscle to your body.

And then there’s a 10-minute cardio session, which is always some form of body weight cardio.

Both of them will help to melt the body fat, but the resistance workouts are more for sculpting your body, shaping your body. Together, both of them are great for skyrocketing your metabolism.

I like to break it into chunks because one 10-minute chunk is going to elevate your metabolism for several hours. But, then it’s going to dip again.

Let’s say four hours later, you decide to do the 10-minute cardio, you’re going to get another boost in your metabolism. So, your metabolism will stay elevated throughout the day.

It’s gives you a mental boost as well. Getting that exercise in will boost your mental clarity as you’re working.

A lot of times, I also add in a 30-minute walk or bike ride to my day. That time I don’t count as exercise or working out because it does so much more for me. I use that time to plan out my day, to clear my head.

For example, for freelancers, that’s an ideal time to brainstorm an article or a book or something like that.

I carry my Sony voice recorder when I go for a walk or bike ride, so I can record whatever ideas come to me. When I get home, I just play the recording and type out the article or blog post that came to me during my “exercise.”

It’s like killing two birds with one stone. I find that I write or think better when I’m out exercising. It must be all that oxygen pumping throughout my brain. And I’m completely focused at that time.

Whereas, if I’m in front of my computer, I might write a paragraph and then I get distracted by something. Someone tweets me, the phone rings, or something happens.

5. Why is this type of workout effective? Other people spend hours in the gym.

Scott: It’s more intense. When I created these workouts for myself, I took the workouts I was doing in the gym that were lasting 45 minutes to an hour. Where I used to take a minute to three minute-break in between each exercise, I reduced my rest time to five to 15 seconds. I just cut out the rest period.

I’m doing the exact number of reps and sets, but in a condensed period of time. I may not be able to lift as heavy a weight as I could if I gave my body more rest in between sets, but I find that these workouts produce the results I want.

Short, but intense, workouts elevate and accelerate your heart rate, and get your muscles pumped–a greater pump than you’ll get from 60 minutes of less intense exercise at the gym.

The short cardio workout is made up of short bouts of intense activity followed by 30 seconds of rest. In that short period, your heart is pumping more and working more than in a less intense but longer workout.

6. Is there an optimum time for doing cardio and resistance training? Or, does it even matter what time we exercise?

Scott: Whenever you have the most energy, I find, is the best time to do the weight training.

If you’re going to work out first thing in the morning, the cardio might be the better choice to do. When you first wake up, you’re not going to have the energy to lift weights.

Fuel your body with healthy, nutritious foods first and then a few hours later do your weight training.

There’s no real ideal situation, but I definitely like to have as much energy as I can when I lift those weights, because I want to produce the greatest contractions with those exercises and lift the most challenging weights that I can.

Our muscles are metabolic furnaces and the more we can work those muscles and build those muscles, the more calories we burn and add some sexy shape to our body as well.

7. It’s easy to fall off from regular exercising especially when you have a particularly busy period. What are your tips for staying motivated?

Scott: We all experience setbacks. I’ve been there. The best of the best go through it too.

The people who are able to persevere and push through are the ones who can look at those setbacks, the challenges, the reasons why they fell off the wagon, and learn from those experiences.

Ask yourself: What happened? Why did I fall off the wagon this time? Was it because I got distracted with work? Was it because I was so focused on this business that I had to put exercise aside for a month or so while I got this project off the ground?

If that is the case, how can you compensate for that so the next time you have a big project to complete, maybe you can’t do 10-minute workout chunks but you could break it up into five-minute chunks. Do whatever you can do to schedule it in and make it a priority in your day.

Maybe your setback was, you went away on vacation and couldn’t get your momentum back again. Just have a plan in place for the next time it happens.

Learn from these setbacks and challenges and be prepared for when they happen again. Have a plan in place for overcoming them.

Another way to motivate yourself is by having that strong, powerful “why.” What are your main reasons for working out?

When you don’t feel like working out, or you’re struggling through a workout, constantly remind yourself of your reason why. That’s the trigger that will inspire you to give it everything you’ve got.

It’s also good to focus on growth, especially if you’re in pretty decent shape already and don’t really need to lose weight. Focus on growth. Have a growth mindset.

This means you feel uncomfortable when you’re not improving yourself, whether physically or mentally. You always challenge yourself to get better, to become stronger, to constantly grow as an individual.

I also encourage everyone to become fascinated with your body. Look at yourself in the mirror, examine yourself. You may not like some of what you see, and that’s ok. You’ve got room for improvement. It’s awesome how you can take what you’ve got and make it more beautiful, sculpt it, improve upon it. The possibilities are limitless.

There are so many reasons to work out. A lot of people associate it with weight loss. But exercising is so much more than that. It’s so much more than trying to lose weight. It’s about achieving mental clarity, getting more productive throughout the day, and being strong enough to do certain activities.

All your life’s experiences are impacted by your physical fitness, strength, endurance, stamina. It has such a great impact on everything we do. It’s way more than just losing weight.

Those multiple things can inspire and motivate you to move on and work out every day.

My Parting Thoughts

I hope this post inspires you to get up and exercise. Scott recommends a specific type of workout that can easily fit into a busy schedule.

However, the best workout is the one you actually do. So find an exercise regimen that you enjoy doing, and do it.

Over to You

I’d love to know: did YOU gain weight when you started freelancing? Do you exercise? If so, what type of exercise do you do? And how do you stick to it?

Image by lu_lu

Most freelancers are in denial about their finances, putting off even thinking about them until taxes are due again–with grave consequences (as you’ll see later on).

However, recording and monitoring your “books” or records of financial transactions is an essential part of running a business.

If you’re just starting out, you probably do your own bookkeeping and tax preparation. As your business grows, you’ll be better off getting professionals to do it for you. Either way, you need to understand the basic processes involved in bookkeeping and accounting.

To help us get a better grip of bookkeeping, I have interviewed Monica Ross, President of Virtual Bookeeping. Read on to find out what tips a professional bookkeeper has for freelancers, especially those of us who want to do everything ourselves.

First Things First

Let’s make sure we understand the terms we’re using here. Bookkeeping refers to how you record a business transaction. Whether you use a notebook, a spreadsheet, or full-blown software to record your expenses and income, that’s bookkeeping.

On the other hand, accounting is a much broader term. There are many aspects of accounting–including bookkeeping activities, preparing and auditing financial reports, and understanding and advising on tax matters.

Therefore, bookkeeping is part of accounting. However, accounting goes farther. It includes analyzing and reporting financial information. For example, when you analyze how profitable your freelancing has been, you’re performing an accounting activity. When you prepare your own tax returns, you’re doing accounting.

Now that we’ve got the semantics cleared up, let’s move on to…

A Bookkeeper’s Tips for DIY Freelancers

Here’s my interview with Monica, a professional bookkeeper:

1. What are the most common bookkeeping mistakes freelancers (and other self-employed people) make?

Monica: The most common mistake I’ve seen is not keeping their books current. Most people wait until something is due (taxes, financial statements for loans, etc) and then try to put everything together hastily.

Another common mistake is not properly separating their personal transactions from their business transactions. They use the same checking accounts and credit cards for both personal and business transactions.

I’ve also noticed many self-employed individuals don’t keep all their receipts. You should obtain receipts for all of your business transactions including meals, gas etc. and not just large purchases.

2. What are the consequences of these mistakes?

Monica: Leaving bookkeeping to the last minute is very stressful. You also end up with a lot of inaccuracies when you do update you books. It’s a lot easier to remember what you did yesterday and today rather than last year.

It is better to keep personal and business accounts separate for two reasons. One, you don’t have to try and remember if a purchase common to both is for business or personal use. Two, it is better to have reconciled accounts in your books, and if the accounts are shared then you have to deal with twice as many transactions.

If you do not have a receipt for a disbursement that you’re claiming, and you are audited, the expense will be disallowed.

3. What is the most important tip to remember if I do my own books?

Monica: If you don’t already have an accounting background, you should take some kind of course that will give you a general idea of the accounting cycle and principles before starting your books. This will help to ensure your books are being done properly.

4. When should freelancers seriously consider hiring a bookkeeper and accountant?

Monica: If they do not have the necessary knowledge, then freelancers should definitely work with a bookkeeper and accountant. Also, when you become so busy that you no longer have the time to keep the books current, then it’s time to hire somebody else to do it for you.

I’ve noticed that most self-employed individuals give their books the lowest priority, thinking “I will do those when I have time.” I hear this all the time and then we end up with a shoe box of receipts and people panicking.

Freelancers should always consult an accountant for filing income taxes, and also if you are making a  major change in the way you are doing business.

Bookkeeping Benefits

Having an accurate record of your financial transactions is good for your freelancing business. With good bookkeeping, you can:

• Monitor the financial health of your business
• Create and stick to a monthly budget, so that you avoid cash flow problems
• Identify ways to cut down on costs and keep more of what you earn
• Prepare your taxes more easily, if you do them yourself
• Make your accountant’s job easier and possibly reduce the amount you pay for tax preparation
• Be ready for a tax audit, confident that you have all the documents to back up your tax forms

How Are Your Books?

As a part-time freelancer, I do my own bookkeeping and tax preparation. I used LessAccounting for about one year. It helped streamline the process of invoicing my clients, receiving payments and recording them. However, because I did not know anything about accounting, I soon found that I was doing many things wrong.

Finally, early this year, I switched to an accounting software that resides in my hard drive and decided to get serious with my finances. I worked with a bookkeeper to teach me how to record my transactions, customize the accounting software I’m using, reconcile my bank accounts, and deal with the fact that my transactions are in two currencies (US and Canadian dollar).

Since I will soon be freelancing full time, I expect that I’ll be hiring an accountant to do my taxes next year.

Another good option for freelancers is IAC-EZ. (Freelance Folder is fortunate to be sponsored by one of the best bookkeeping
platforms on the web, IAC-EZ.)

How About You

How have you been tackling bookkeeping and taxes? Are you a do-it-yourselfer like me? If so, what resources do you use to make sure you’re doing it accurately? And, how do you take the pain out of bookkeeping?

If you work with a bookkeeper and accountant, how has that experience been for you? How did you find the right professionals to work with?

Do share. You just might help another freelancer out.

PS: The Unlimited Freelancer has a list of many different financial software packages that are affordable and easy for freelancers to use. Check it out!

Image by TerryJohnston

If you’re a freelance writer and you’re looking for work, Deb’s blog is definitely a site you want to explore. Deb’s also been a contributor at a number of other blogs (including this one) and has authored several eBooks.

It’s fun to look at a freelancing success story like Deb’s and admire her amazing accomplishments. But, how did Deb do it? What does it take to start with nothing and grow your own successful blog network?

In this post, Deb Ng has graciously agreed to share some of her tips and insights with us here at Freelance Folder. I’m sure that you’ll agree that freelancers of all kinds can learn from her story.

Five Insights From Deb Ng

I asked Deb five questions about freelancing, and here’s what she had to say:

1. First of all, can you share your story with our readers? How did you get started as a freelancer? What were some of the initial challenges that you faced?

Deb: Like most writers I always loved to write. I never considered writing for a living though, not at first. Working in publishing in the mid eighties put the idea in my head, but I never pursued writing because I didn’t think it would pay the bills. In the late 90′s I taught myself a little html and built an extremely primitive website where I posted my thoughts on everything from baggy pants to black lip liner. I didn’t know it then, but I was blogging. Writing every day was wonderful. I couldn’t wait to come home from work so I could update my website, which at first was only visited by family and friends but eventually I had a few “regulars”. After someone suggested I start submitting some of my humor pieces I began looking into freelance writing.

I landed a humor column with my first ever pitch. That isn’t to say every pitch was successful, but getting that first gig gave me the confidence to continue. As it didn’t pay too much I didn’t even consider freelancing full time. It was just a little extra shopping money. It wasn’t until 2002 when I was pregnant and we bought a house in another state that I decided to make an attempt at full time freelance writing. I was going to have to leave my job anyway, this would be as good a time as any.

I still had my humor column and I began to land bits and pieces here and there. My first sale was to The Dollar Stretcher, a frugal living website and newsletter. I landed what I call a “cocktail” of opportunities. I wrote for a few web content sites, maintained a newspaper column, submitted to online magazines and even took on some private clients. My goal was to earn enough to justify not having to return to an office job within one year, and I’m happy to say, I met that goal. Now I’m earning primarily from my own writing and don’t even have to take on client gigs if I don’t want to.

2. What one piece of advice would you give to the freelancer who is just starting out? What’s the most important thing for them to remember?

Deb: I think the most important thing to remember is not to get disheartened. Freelancing is an emotional roller coaster, especially when starting out. One client may love you while another sends rejection. Remember that it happens to everyone and it’s all part of the gig. Also remember that it takes time to build up a client base. You may not be able to find full time work after a week, or a month or even a year. We all have different experiences.

Finally, I’m learning from newer writers that they’re frustrated by the mixed messages. All the different freelance writing bloggers offer different advice and they don’t know whose advice to follow. I want to tell you that we all draw from our own experiences and none of us are right or wrong.

Take the assignments that make you feel most comfortable, at least at first. Don’t worry about whether or not one of the “gurus” agrees with you. As you gain experience you can break out of your comfort level. Follow your course for success, not someone else’s.

3. Most bloggers never turn a profit from their blogs, let alone build a blogging network. You’ve done both. What do you think was different for you?

Deb: Maybe it’s perseverance? I blogged every day for five years. On the days I can’t get content up, someone else did. Plus, I don’t only post news, or a rant or lists of links, in addition to the fun stuff, I write lots of useful evergreen content. I hope that in five years searchers will land on my pages and what I wrote will still be relevant.

I spent a lot of time researching the habits of my community. Once a year, I ask them to partake in a survey so I know what we’re doing right–and wrong. Plus, I thoroughly analyze all my stats. Knowing everything you can about your community helps you write the content they’re clamoring for and help you create traffic and monetization strategies.

I also think it’s doing so well right now because it’s a full time effort. I’m not handling client projects full time while blogging on the side. The blog is now the full time effort and I believe that’s the difference. I give my blog network my all, and it’s finally paying me back for my hard work.

3. With the explosive growth in the popularity of social media over the past year, do you think that blogging will continue to be as important to small business owners and freelancers? Or, do you think that a freelancer can market themselves with just a portfolio site and an active social media profile?

Deb: Personally, I feel face-to-face marketing trumps all. I’m not sure why this scares so many freelancers. My preference is for conferences and networking events where I can chat with potential clients and collaborators and build up more personal relationships. However, I think social media will probably become the most important marketing and networking tool for freelance writers in the years to come. I don’t know that blogging is as important to freelancers as it is for businesses that are trying to build up a community and buzz around their product or service. A website or online portfolio and Twitter and Facebook accounts are just as, if not more effective.

4. The web is constantly changing and freelancing is changing right along with it. If you could peek into the future, what do you think you would find? What skills do you think tomorrow’s freelancer will need?

Deb: Tomorrow’s freelancer will need combined skills, for example, web design and writing. Clients want one stop shopping, they don’t want to have to go to the mall. They want to be able to trust one person for a variety of projects.

5. Tell us about some of your current projects. What exciting things can we expect to see from Deb Ng in the next few months?

Deb: As you know, I’ve been working hard on my network of blogs at Freelance Writing Jobs. I’m proud to say I built a profitable blog network on my own with no backing or venture capital. I regularly contribute to the BlogWorld, New Media Expo Blog, and ProBlogger. I have two ebooks in the works, “The Freelance Writers Guide to Social Media” and “Niche Blogging for Fun and Profit.” Finally, David Peralty and I have started HireVine. A job board for social media types…oh and Chris Garrett and I are also discussing a collaboration–and it’s a good one. I guess you can say I’ve been keeping busy.

Your Turn?

What have you learned from Deb Ng’s story? If you could ask Deb one thing, what would it be?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Thankfully, this variety and quality hasn’t changed, but today I want to mix things up a bit and get advice from other sources. I have taken the time to contact some of the most successful freelancers I know and ask them for any valuable advice that they would like to pass on to other freelancers. In this post, I’ve compiled and arranged all of their advice for you.

I had originally planned to ask more people, but the advice shared here is absolutely packed with detail and value that I think more would have been entirely unnecessary. The following tips are in no specific order; everyone involved has shared some great words of wisdom.

Enjoy…

Cyan Taeed

Who: Cyan is one of the founders of the Envato network and currently operates as the Marketplace Manager. She and her team first started with a site I’m sure you all know, Freelance Switch, and have now grown host to over 19 websites which include PSDTuts and Blog Action Day.

Wisdom: “The reality is that some, if not most clients don’t know if your work is any good. They do know how you make them feel. As a graphic designer, I realized that a lot of the time a client didn’t have much idea of the quality of my work. What they did know was that (most of the time!) I was enthused about their project, I bought them their favorite coffee when I came to see them, I was confident, and I got the project in on time. Now of course I didn’t always hit these marks, but I realized that if I ticked these boxes the client was almost always very happy, and often the actual work I produced became less important.

Now does that mean that one should not bother to do the best work possible? Of course not. You should always do the best work you possibly can and the bigger the client, the more likely they’ll know their stuff and recognize the quality of your work. You always need to do your best work because you never know who will see it and take you on for that dream project. But for your little mom and pop style client who are the bread and butter for so many of us, never underestimate the power of a positive experience. Often for them this will be far more important than the actual work your produce.”

Chris Garrett

Who: Chris hardly needs an introduction, since he has been a regular writer here at Freelance Folder. He is the co-author of ‘Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to A Six-Figure Income’ and is also a successful blogging and internet marketing consultant.

Wisdom: “It is hard to give one piece of most important advice because, as you know, there is so much involved. I would say though the most important factor in a freelancers success is the old adage “it is not WHAT you know but WHO you know”.

This translates to having an excellent network, both in terms of reach and in terms of quality. You need to be in touch with connectors, people who can refer work to you, help you when you are stuck, mentors, advocates, potential clients, marketing outlets — you name it.

Build your network before you need it. Social media is an excellent way to develop this network, so get active. Do not just go asking for stuff, be generous with your time and expertise. Give first. Create content, answer questions, do free work for people you like. Any time you do some work, get them to provide you with testimonials and referrals.

With a good quality network backed by excellent product and stellar customer service you will never be short of work.”

James Chartrand

Who: James is one of my favorite writers, sharing his words and his services via Men with Pens. He has managed to build a successful business which includes three other team members offering solutions from website design right through to copywriting.

Wisdom: “Freelancing is hard — really freakin’ hard. Sure, it offers a lifestyle of more freedom, more fulfillment and more satisfaction, but there are some tough knocks that every freelancer eventually has to take along the way.The most important advice I can give anyone – new freelancer or seasoned expert – is to be ready for them, be prepared and stay focused on your dreams. Your determination is going to be the most valuable resource that no one can take away from you, so hang onto it tight.When you’re determined, you can’t be shaken from your goals. You know where you want to be, and you have the confidence to make it. Your determination gets you past a bump in the road, a hitch along the way or maybe even around an obstacle. It’s the strength you can tap into any time you need it.

So find it, seize it… and get out there to make the life you want happen.”

Bojan Stefanovic

Who: A few of you may not be aware of Bojan, but you may have seen his work. He is one of the most talented designers I know and runs a very successful solo business, Logoholik. He also created the branding for one of my own websites which was featured in a popular, published book.

Wisdom: “Apart from usual: Be an optimist. Practice. Create. Be active. Be honest. Believe in yourself. Follow your passions. Make mistakes. Learn from them. Underpromise. Overdeliver.

I will add: use every possible way to show your potential clients that you are active in your industry. Use social media tools to find new clients (a good portfolio from past work is not always that breaking point to catch that promising new client. They love to see you in live action too!)”

Liz Strauss

Who: Liz was described by EatonWeb as one of the most influential bloggers online today. You’ll see why by spending just a few minutes on her site. She is the founder of the successful SOBCon and currently works with businesses (and individuals) to help them understand and benefit from the social web.

Wisdom:“Now, more than ever, trust is what wins the game. Great freelancers make it easy to see that work I hand over will be done with more care and expertise than I could invest myself. The best freelancers

• Show competence. They don’t apply unless they have the skills needed to complete the work successfully.
• Have credibility. What they say resonates with truthfulness. Great freelancers know their skills and talents and can talk about them with quiet confidence. They don’t display false humility nor do they oversell their abilities.
• Are relational. Their discussion of past work or current projects has a generosity of spirit. They understand that being good is only half of it and that being easy to work with is just as important.
• Are trustworthy. Great freelancers take responsibility for what they do. They do their best to understand the project goals so that they can make the same judgments and decisions the hiring manager would. A great freelancer invests in the same ways a full-time employee does.
• See the bigger picture. In that same vein, great freelancers want to know where their piece of the project fits into the bigger picture so that they know which issues they encounter are worth reporting back and which can be ignored.

In these ways, the freelancers that win every time take the thinking and worrying about that work off my desk and let me know I can work on other things without fear of letting that part go. Even the newest, least experienced freelancers who can demonstrate they are competent, credible, relational, trustworthy, and aware of the big picture will soon be in constant demand.”

David Airey

Who: David was mentioned on a previous post of mine recently for being someone who has used blogging to really stand out in his niche. David is a successful designer who tends to focus on logo work and is currently working towards completing his first book

Wisdom: “Be humble. No-one likes a cocky git. Ask questions too. People are most comfortable when talking about themselves, so show a genuine interest and build some rapport. Remember, it’s people we do business with. Not companies.”

 
Over to you guys: What do you think of this type of post? Would you like to see another collection including more freelancers?

Do you have any advice to add from your freelancing experience? I’ll see you in the comments…

Hey everyone! Today we have an interview with Liam McKay of Function – Web Design and Development. I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with Liam on multiple occasions both via his design blog and also via Twitter and I’m very happy Liam accepted the invitation for this interview! Hope you like it!

Jon: Hi Liam! First I’d like to thank you for taking the time for this interview. Can you tell us a little about yourself, what you do and where you’re from?

Liam: I’m a 19 year old lad from a city in the middle of England called Coventry. I’ve recently set up a blog/design company called Function. My role there is basically to keep things running and run the design side of things. I’ve been designing for a few years but only started to look at is as a serious career about 2/3 years ago. I had a job as a Junior Web Designer for a local company, but recently decided I would give freelancing a try; And so far so good!

Jon: Some time ago you launched Function, a design blog and portfolio site (which kicks some serious asses in my opinion). Why did you decide to start a blog? And also, why have the blog on the homepage instead of say your portfolio or list of services?

Liam: Function was the beginning of me sort of “reinventing” myself, and my style. I’d got a little bored of designing the kind of sites I’d been making, while I didn’t think what I was making was bad, I just always wanted to push things further and experiment more, and function gave me sort of a place I could escape and just let loose. 

The reason I decided to run a blog is because I felt that it gave people a chance to get to know me better, and better understand the things which make me tick and the kind of things I like, something which doesn’t really come across in a portfolio site.

Jon: What are your goals with Function? How do you plan to use this website to attract clients?

Liam: My goal for the blog was really to give myself a voice in the design world, I wanted a way of networking with like-minded people and being able to showcase my work and sharing some of my inspirations. I’ve already met a lot of great people and some clients that I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to otherwise.

 
I’m thankful for the design community for really getting behind me and my blog so soon, and in a short amount of time I’ve already had the pleasure of working with great people such as Danny Outlaw, Adii & Collis Ta’eed.

Jon: Did you study anything in particular like arts, design or programming? Or are you self-taught?

Liam: Most of what I know was self taught, it was never really my intention to be a web designer. I just started out playing around in Photoshop and soon found I could make some “great” (they were in my mind) Web Designs with it. As I wasn’t the best at school with things such as Maths and Science I knew that I wanted to be doing something practical for my job, and as the last year of school came and it was time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, I decided that I would go on a Multimedia course at college.

 
We covered everything from video & audio production to typography and art, but it was the web design projects that I was most interested in, and that’s when I realized what I wanted to be. College was a great place for me to polish some of my techniques and of course get a qualification which would help me get a job doing what I now loved.

Jon: What are the tools you simply couldn’t live without? Whether it’s an image editing software or an accounting app, we wanna know :)

Liam: I like to keep things simple I don’t really use many tools; Photoshop & Firefox will usually get me through most days. But I really love the array of tools available on Zoho – Everything from spreadsheets, databases, Project management software to invoicing etc.

Jon: Do you find clients through your blog and/or you use job boards or classified ads websites?

Liam: Well most of the clients I’m working with at the moment are on a ongoing basis; so I’m quite busy getting repeat work from the few clients I have at the moment. I’m really happy to have got this regular flow of work sorted so early in my freelance life as it means I don’t need to worry too hard about finding clients too much at the moment. I still get emails coming in about new projects and I’m always happy to make time for new projects, but there seems to be enough for me to do at the moment without having to look elsewhere for additional work.

Jon: What would be your best tip(s) for someone who is just getting started?

Liam: Network! Building up a network of people who have similar interests to you is always a good tip to get you started. In the months before I launched I started to build a network, and build some interest in what I was doing just by showing some samples of work on my blog. Networking has brought some great opportunities my way and I’m sure it will continue to.

Jon: What internet personalities influence(d) you the most? Who would you say are your ‘idols‘?

Liam: I never really had any influences when getting into design, but the people who influenced me to start blogging and working freelance would be Danny Outlaw & Anthony Zinni – I’d never really followed a blog before until I started reading the blogs of these guys, I was impressed with what they were doing and saw that a blog was an ideal way for a designer to connect with other designers.

 
They really opened my eyes to the design world and as a result of reading these two blogs I soon discovered many more and was quite overwhelmed by just how many people blogged in the design world, but I think that’s a great thing as it means theres always something new to read, always something going on, always something to aspire to and push you as a designer.

 
Two people I really admire mainly for their entrepreneurial skill would be Adii & Collis Ta’eed. They really seem to have a great understanding of some great ways of using their skills to make money. My main goal is to build up a network of websites & products one day, but for now I’m over the moon at just having the opportunity to work with such great minds, and hope to learn a lot from working with them.

Jon: What’s in your Ipod? And if you don’t have one, why?

Liam: One band who take up a good % of the space on my iPhone is The Prodigy, they’ve always been played at my house since I was about 6 years old. I don’t think I’ll ever like a band as much as these guys. You really have to play it loud to appreciate just how good they are. I’m also a big Coldplay fan, and find their most recent album amazing to work to! (Seriously try it) I really get in the zone when I have that album playing.

Jon: Thanks a lot Liam for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview! It’s really appreciated! :)

Jon: Hi Adelle, can you please tell our readers a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do?

Jon: Have you studied anything in particular or are you self-taught? What’s your background and how did you get started?

Jon: You have your own portfolio site (adellecharles.com), did blogging on Fuel Your Creativity helped you get new clients? How did blogging helped your design business?

Adelle: Funny that you ask that – I have been thinking about that for a little while. When Fuel Your Creativity started out about 6 months ago, I had no intention of ever mixing my portfolio with my blog. The main purpose of my blog was to help others “fuel their creativity” and engage with other creatives in the community, to network and to get my name out there as a blogger. I never thought twice about getting my name out as a “designer“. Strange as it may seem!  I’ve been thinking about incorporating the two more and have been working on a site design (fuelbrandstudios.com) hopefully set to launch by January – maybe sooner.

Jon: Please tell us, what are the tools you simply couldn’t live without? (software, web-app, etc…)

Jon: What would be your single best tip for people looking into a graphic design career?

Jon: Do you have any idols or mentors in the graphic design field? People you look up to and that inspire you, who are they and why do you like them and their work?

Jon: You already have over 8 years of design experience, but where do you see yourself in, let’s say another 5 years from now? Do you have some sort of exit strategy, or you can see yourself designing and working in this field for years to come?

Jon: The infamous question: Mac or PC?

Jon: Now the question I have to ask everyone I interview: What’s  in your iPod? :)

Jon: Thank you so much Adelle or taking the time to do this interview, really appreciated!:)

Jon: I hope you enjoyed this interview with Adelle. We will have more interviews soon, if you know someone who you would like us to interview, drop us a line.