“If I had seen further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” -Issac Newton
I’ve been down in D.C. for the week and have met a ton of interesting people, many of which are freelancers who are trying to build their businesses. Each of them wanted to know how what secrets I had for them. I have no secrets (expect be prepare to work your butt off and love it), but I can share what I have learned. Here are some items on How to Freelance:
I. Fuel : Why Drinking Coffee is Great for You
Before you begin, make sure you are energize and ready to take on the world. Here is a few reasons why coffee is a great way to start you day and get you ready to build your business. To read the article, click here.
II. The Idea: How to Start a Million Dollar Business
Every business, even a freelance one starts with an idea. Here are a few ways to find that idea and start a million dollar business. To read the article, click here.
III. Freelancer Toolkit: 201+ Amazing Tools and Resources for the Freelancer
Every freelancer and small business owner needs an arsenal of tools [...]
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Tagged free lancer, freelance, freelance designer, freelance designers, freelance it, freelance writer, freelance writing, freelancer, freelancer jobs, freelancers, freelancers toolkit, freelancing, how to freelance, i freelance, it freelance, what is freelance, work free, workfree
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“My idea is that every specific body strives to become master over all space and to extend its force (–its will to power:) and to thrust back all that resists its extension. “ -Nietzsche
My mother has been trying to quit smoking for years. She wants to quit and has tried a number of things-cold turkey, gum, the patch, you name it. She just does not have the willpower to do it. Do you know someone like this? And how about you? Is there something that you wish you could train yourself to do? Maybe you want to exercise more, eat better, or control your alcohol intake. Having the willpower to do all or any of these things is achievable, if it’s done correctly. Here are a few simple steps to train your willpower:
I. Set the Stage: In order to truly master your willpower, set limits and parameters for yourself. Be specific about what you want to accomplish and by when. Lay out the road map for yourself, so you know what you’re trying to tackle.
II. Start Small: Instead of rushing into things, ask yourself, ” What are my milestone goals as I work towards my end goal?” Break it [...]
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Have you ever wanted to jump off a roof? You’re not alone. During parkour training, they teach you how to do it and successfully.
What is Parkour?
According to Wikipedia, Parkour is the non-competitive sport of traversing mainly urban landscapes by running, climbing and jumping. Participants run along a route, attempting to navigate obstacles in the most efficient way possible, using only their bodies. Skills such as vaulting, rolling, swinging and wall scaling are employed. Parkour can be practiced anywhere, but areas dense with obstacles are preferable and it is most commonly practiced in urban areas.
Parkour Basics
Watch this video to understand so basic positions and moves:
Now, while using these basic principles, here is guide on how to jump off a roof:
1. Cue Motivation Music: Before you begin, get your ass-kicking soundtrack in place. Here are a few crowd sourced ideas:
Meron Langsner’s pick:
Emily Torres’ pick:
Naomi Pierce’s pick:
And of course, who could forget the song during the Ocean’s Twelve “Laser Dance”.
2. Run: In order to gain speed to leverage later, give yourself enough runway to get a running start.
3. Jump Forward: When jumping, jump forward. This will allow you to attain momentum horizontally and further your reach.
4. Leg Extensions: As you’re approaching the ground, [...]
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The following post is an article for Sparksheet, on brands and transmedia. Below is the extended version of the article.
What is it about a great story that stays with us?
In its simplest form, storytelling is an act of cultural preservation – from drawing on a cave wall to commenting on a friend’s Facebook status, the process of sharing information between two people is an innate part of being human.
But in an age where the distribution and sharing of stories across multiple channels is increasingly accessible (and people’s attention spans even more divided as a result), how do organizations get their stories out to an increasingly fragmented audience?
Enter Transmedia.
A Transmedia refresher
Transmedia storytelling, as explained by JWTIntelligence, “involves narrative threads tailored for different channels (from mobile to big screens, from social to traditional media) and audiences (gamers, readers, Tweeters, etc.)…For brand marketers, this means that rather than striving for consistency across multiple touchpoints, the goal is for different channels to communicate different things (within the overarching strategy), with an emphasis on putting the brand community at the center.”
A popular example would be the companion media to 2003’s Matrix Reloaded. The Animatrix, an original series of short animated stories, worked in tangent [...]
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Tagged brand image, brand positioning, branding, branding strategies, emotional branding, importance of branding, marketing branding, personal branding, storytelling, the storytellers, trans media, transmedia storytelling, transmediterránea, what is branding
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In many countries, if you are looking to buy something then you are expected to haggle. It is a part of the culture. It is much easier than you may think to get a deal and According to America’s Research Group, consumers who haggle are successful 80 percent of the time, and not just while traveling. So, are you ready to start haggling? Here are 9 Ways to Haggle Like a Pro:
1. Do Research: If you are buying something off of a vendor cart, more often than not there will be one or more cart that has the same item. Shop around and see who has the best price before you start to negotiate.
2. Be Nice: Shop owners remember who’s friendly to the staff and are more willing to haggle with someone who has been pleasant than someone who has been rude. Remember, a smile goes a long way.
3. Know the Inventory: By observing the inventory in a market or store, as well as what people are drawn to, you can easily see what sells and what doesn’t sell as well. The biggest deal will come from the items that don’t fly off the shelf or are not well placed for [...]
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My name is Ja-Naé and I drink coffee. A lot of it. There is something about the smell of a fresh brewed cup; the warm liquid sliding down my throat; and the invincible feeling that I could conquer anything after having my first cup in the morning. Are you with me?
On my birthday a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to do a coffee tasting hosted by Starbucks of their newest Reserve coffees. To discover notes like I would in a wine; to identify subtle differences between the smell of my cup of Sumatra Tapanuli and how it mixes with my taste buds; it was indeed an adventure. I am so grateful to Shashi Bellamkonda, Katie Kotchka, and Starbucks for this fantastic great gift (click here to read the Capital Cooking review by Eric Wilkens).
After the tasting, I became curious about my beloved cup O’Joe. Just how good is coffee for you? Should I really be drinking 3-4 cups a day (yes, it’s true)?
The short answer is yes. Here are a few reasons to drink coffee on a daily basis:
Health Benefits: Web MD states that a growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:
less likely [...]
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Optimism has been a shared trait amongst some of the most successful people in history. But what is optimism and more importantly, is it something that can be learned?
Definition of Optimism –noun
A disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
You can decide which attitude to have – who would you rather be? When an optimist is faced with bad news or a challenge, they react in a specific way. They:
Don’t take it personally.
Can see that there are external forces impacting the situation.
View negative situations as minor obstacles that can be conquered.
But how do you not take it personally? How can you not blame yourself for the things that go wrong in your life? How can you not worry when things are going so well that the other shoe is bound to drop at any moment? If this is what you know and how you normally react, how can you change such a core behavior?
Everyone feels that way once in a while. You are not alone. The key is to turn it around and work the situation to your advantage before it gets out of control; [...]
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You know the saying, “Some people are just lucky,” right? We’ve all heard it. My friend Dan is definitely one of those people. No matter what he does, it always works out for him. Do you know anyone like that?
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I have. -Thomas Jefferson.
The truth is “luck” is just a characteristic in success people and here is how you can create your own luck:
I. Position Yourself: Lucky people will constantly put themselves in a position to be “lucky”. They show up to the table, they connect and they tell others what they need. They know nothing will happen if they just sit back and wait for it.
II. Prepare: Lucky people usually prepare for the great things that happen to them. Whether it is doing creative investigation work to network with the right people or taking facts and skills learned at an earlier time and applied to a new situation, lucky people always prepare for situations.
III. Solutions: Lucky people know that there is more than one way to make things happen, so they are constantly in search for ways for things to go there way. And if they cannot find a solution, [...]
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Do you shy away from the unknown or do you welcome the unexpected? Ever since I was a little girl I have thrived on curiosity and questioning things. However, many colleagues I know in business stick like glue to the familiar. They rely on the routine things that have served them in well in the past, and avoid anything new and different. This attitude can maintain stability, but if you’re not curious you are doomed to the same experiences without ever growing in business or in life.
This article by Donald Latumahina at Lifehack tells of the virtues of curiosity. Curiosity gives you a fresh perspective, allowing you to discover fresh ideas. Being curious makes you more observant and opens up new worlds and possibilities you wouldn’t otherwise consider while also adding the spice of variety to your life.
Some of my best ideas for projects, as well as some of my best adventures, have come from stepping outside of my comfort zone and following my curious nature.
For these reasons, curiosity should be a quality you cultivate. So here are some things you can do to be more curious in your life:
Do Not Ignore the [...]
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We all dream about living somewhere else, right? Even if we love where we live now, it is the romantic notion of trying something new, something exotic. Am I right?
I posed this question on Facebook this morning, “If you could move anywhere, where would you go and why?” Here are some of the answers:
“I live where I most want to be. Not sure why anyone would do otherwise.” -Michael Troiano
Though I agree with Mr. Michael, I am somewhat nomadic in nature and like to test out places before I decide to hang my hat and call somewhere home. Why? before I commit to a significant move, I want to know that I can be equally as happy in my new location as I am in Boston.
For the freelancers out there, here are 3 ways to discover new cities and which location would make you happiest.
I. Air BnB: The beauty of being a freelancer is that you can work from anywhere. So, why not sublet your place out and try out a new city for a month. I love using Air BnB because of the built in community component, rating system, as well as the variety of housing possibilities. You can [...]
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