Tag: entrepreneur

Self-Employed? Get Organised.

I’m writing this five years after landing my first client. If you’re just starting on your own or thinking about it, I know how overwhelming it can get. At this point, being organised is the best gift you can give yourself.

WHAT TO EXPECT | In this post, I will not go into branding and content creation. This is the backend of the backend and these are tools that will help you stay on top of your game.

✨ DESK SPACE

My first ‘office space’ was not an office at all. I have been working from home way before COVID-19 hit us like a storm. I used to work from the couch, at the dining table, from cafés – you name it. One thing I learned along the way is that it’s better to have a space dedicated to your work. Even if it’s just a small desk (I managed to fit one under the stairs) and a shelving system for files, paperwork, and books. I want work-related stuff to be at arm’s length – literally.

Mind you, I still go to cafés to work. It’s usually more to brainstorm on personal content ideas, find inspiration and write – rather than client work. But I find the change in scenery to be refreshing. Sometimes, much needed.

Stationery Essentials:

▶ Planner/Yearly diary – the physical kind to complement your online calendar. It will keep you more accountable and it feels good to tick or cross out tasks.

▶ Highlighting System – colour-coding your work schedule so that you don’t overlook anything.

▶ Sticky Notes (and a memo board) – perfect to pin ideas that pop out of the blues, scribbles, reminders & quick notes.

▶ List Pad – I promise you, you will thank me later.

▶ Filing System – We live in the digital age but you will still have papers to sort out and file. Especially (and I cannot stress this enough) for your VAT, TAX, and Social Security Contribution.

I have separate, transparent folders – labeled by date – for the above-mentioned which I keep in a simple white box I got from IKEA. Why transparent folders? I love knowing what’s in the folder just by looking at it instead of rummaging through it.

▶ Envelopes – Have them at hand. You’ll have VAT receipts and receipts to send eventually.

▶ Stamp/Stickers – with your logo. Having one or the other on your envelope gives off a professional vibe. Tried and tested! You can also have one with your return address.

✨ ONLINE PLANNERS

Now that you have your faithful diary/planner by your side, it’s time to set up an online version. For calls, meetings, and tasks, I use my Outlook calendar. If you want to assign tasks and have ‘stricter’ timelines and deadlines, may I suggest:

  • Outlook Live – Everything in one place: emails, calendar, to do list, tasks & notes
  • Asana – a great way to manage tasks and add projects – especially if you work with a team. Basic package is free of charge.
Source: https://asana.com/product/workflow-builder
  • Trello – Again, basic package is free of charge. The workspace is easy to use and manage + it’s also customisable.
Source: https://trello.com/guide/trello-101

There are loads of other web-based softwares to keep your tasks in check. A quick google search will uncover the long list of options!

✨ ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

Zipbooks has been my personal online accountant since the beginning. It’s easy to add expenses along the way, create and issue invoices. You will be able to keep records and transactions in one place.

  • It’s free of charge (for the large part – add ons/other options are at a charge)

Ideally, get in touch with a trusted financial advisor to guide you through the hoops and loops. If, like myself, numbers do not course through your veins, seek professional help. Still, accounting software is super for day-to-day operations.

Source: https://zipbooks.com/accounting/

✨ SOCIAL MEDIA PLANNING TOOLS

You’re running a business, staying on top of accounts, coming up with new product or service ideas, making sure your customers are happy, AND planning posts for social media (SM)? Well, yes and no.

Yes – if you are winding through the roads of self-employment, you will realise (if not already) that you will wear many hats.

No – acknowledge the fact that you do not have to do every single thing yourself and sometimes it helps to have, well, help – from the right people.

If you’re just starting out, outsourcing social media work may seem like a waste of money. I’ll be honest with you – if you know what you’re doing it might as well be. However, when your business picks up (or if it’s not your thing, to begin with), you can then start thinking about having extra hands on board to help with strategy and managing your socials. In the meantime, here are some SM planners that may come in handy:

Buffer – it’s great to start with. The basic package is free of charge and you can add up to 3 social channels (e.g. FB page, IG account & LinkedIn page) including 10 posts per channel.

Source: https://buffer.com/publish

Meta Business Suite – If you want to avoid the hassle of having an external planner like Buffer, this is your go-to planner & scheduler for Facebook & Instagram. It’s easy to use & you can customise your copy easily for one and the other.

Planoly – for Instagram. This is perfect to visually plan out your grid and schedule posts. Again, the basic is free and then you can have upgrades. With the free package, you can add 2 social profiles (e.g. IG & Pinterest) and have 30 uploads per month, per social.

Source: Planoly | https://pages.planoly.com/about

Mind you, our good old friend excel/sheets, works just fine as well. Edit in a calendar in your sheets and you can map out your timeline there. If you’re working with other team members, simply upload it on a shared drive and you’re good to go!

↠ MORE ON THIS! I’m sharing my self-employed journey on Instagram and will be showing what I find most helpful over there. Feel free to follow for tips & updates!

If you’re starting on your self-employed journey or even if you’re already on board that train, hopefully, you found some of this helpful! If you have any questions or would like me to write about a related topic, don’t be shy – get in touch!

Until next time,

Amanda x

Ready, steady, work?

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Inspiration hits when you least expect it.

Triggered by something as simple as rain. Weird? I have no idea how it works but as soon as the smell of rain hit my senses this morning, I felt the need to sit down and just write.

Having a one-year old running around (literally now), sitting down at my make-shift desk to work, research or write, feels like a ticking time bomb. Coffees get cold all the time. Thankfully, with the turn of the season, I can turn that into a glorious ice coffee. Win!

I’ve been working on a personal project of mine for ages and keep on hitting the pause button. For one, client work comes first. I don’t know about working mums out there but as soon as Beth’s head hits the pillow, I’m on my laptop, crossing out the never-ending to-do list. The lack of sleep doesn’t help either. Many a person suggested that I rest while Beth sleeps.

Self-care is a priority. I truly believe that you should take care of yourself first before anyone else (otherwise, you wouldn’t have the energy or be in the right mind to do so). But let’s be real. There are tons of things to do every single day and they’re not getting done on their own. You cross one thing out and add three more. It’s just how it goes.

So, I cherish moments like these. When it’s quiet and my cappuccino is still warm, the rain drums on the window (albeit for an extremely short period of time) and I write.

It’s not crazy all day, every week, mind you. I make it a point to start my day with a 10 minute morning yoga routine to stretch and get in the zone. Even with Beth climbing all over me. After that, I make a list of targets for the day. I try not to overwhelm myself with tasks. It’s better to get one thing done and do it right than start a million things and end up with a million loose ends.

How do you go about work and taking care of the kids? I’d love to hear your side of the story 🤗

Believe it or not, I ran out of list pads. Maduma launched their new products just in time and I’m in love with this collection 😍 This is not sponsored, I actually bought everything in the video. It’s my appreciation towards small local businesses (plus I 💙 the traditional Maltese tiles).

Amanda x

Here’s to new #beginnings!

The reason behind my online absence? Little Bethany 💙 She became my number one priority way before she came into this world. She is also the reason why I’m not getting any sleep. Not even a wink.

Working on my projects and taking care of Beth is a new challenge I’m diving into, head first. I cut back on some work for the first few weeks but am slowly getting back on track. It’s not like no one ever went through this before but it hits you right in the face when you’re actually experiencing it.

One thing you’re in dire need of if you’re a working mum is flexibility. I must admit that being my own boss does help. I can get work done when she sleeps, be it at four in the morning (I’d be awake anyway) or 11 at night. And perhaps also try to squeeze an hour of sleep in between. 

As an avid planner myself, I am now aware of how naive I was to think I had everything under control. Once a newborn was in my arms, I realised that planning was not going to be on the agenda any time soon. 

My clients were extremely understanding. I couldn’t have asked for a better lot ❤ I made sure to meet up with everyone before I popped. And together, we planned and scheduled most of the work. I wanted to make sure I had everything covered. And, I did. 

When my water broke, the first thing I did (after taking a shower & calling my better half), was to sit back down and tie loose ends. An hour and a half later I was in the labour ward. 

I quite like privacy and am not one to shower my social media with pictures of myself and my family. In fact, most people didn’t even realise I was pregnant. Not until after I posted a picture showing Beth’s tiny feet.

I’m also aware of the irony given my line of work. But being or becoming an ‘influencer’ has never been on my agenda. I have always been a behind-the-scenes kind of person.

Having said that, I will be sharing just a few pictures in the coming days on my IG account 👇

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It took me forever to write this blogpost! The minute she closed her eyes, I sprinted to my laptop. Inspiration hit and I wanted to pour it all down. It feels good to be back 💙 

Amanda x