Do you have a wonderful TV show, film, or stage show or production that you'd like to take to new heights?
Read moreMy Creative Entrepreneurship Journey and a New Blog Interview Series
The journey continues….
Since embarking on the creative entrepreneurship journey that is FreelanceMikey, I’ve been inspired on a daily basis by starting out doing relatively small jobs with big impacts. Where so many other people live for the weekend, I’ve learned to treat my weekdays ast days to be lived. Now, I spend my days helping ambitious people fulfill their need to get their creative ideas out into the world and I’m thankful for it every day. From creative writing and editing assisting clients with plays, screenplays, memoirs and novels, to the more specific personal one-on-one consulting to help propel personal and professional confidence in my clients, each job and each client gives me a variant on a practiced and consistent sense of purpose in what I do—not just as a creative and entrepreneur but as a air-breathing human being who likes to help people. To this point, my music and audio mixing work has been one of the most rewarding parts of my creative work: making music mixes and mashups for personal use for everything from wedding songs to dance recitals—and even a routine for America’s Got Talent got wrangled in there somewhere. In all cases and get the great privilege to help my clients dream just a bit bigger and express a deep love for what they’re doing. It’s a rich reward I will never ever take for granted in the least.
Read moreCreate With Us!
Business is expanding more quickly than I could’ve imagined, and for the better. The blog posts may continue to be a bit more curated or sporadic in the near term. Of course, if you would like to blog with us, more specifically, with me Mikey, Fill out your information at the “Work with us!” section at the contact page here and I’ll get back to you usually within 48 hours.
Keep creating,
Michael LaPenna
Set Off on the Path of Freelance Success
by Courtney Rosenfeld, gigspark.biz
Though once considered the fringe of employment, 16.5 million people work in the gig economy in the United States, a figure that’s set to grow as more and more companies outsource projects and professionals discover the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss, setting their own hours and often working from home.
This could be a golden opportunity for you, whether you’re tired of trudging to the office every day or looking for an extra source of income in retirement. Opportunity abounds in a number of specialties, from writing to designing to pet care to housecleaning. However, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the responsibility of running your own show and finding enough contracts to pay the bills, so here are some tips to keep things on track.
Set Goals
You need goals to stay motivated, move forward and be successful, says an entrepreneur writing for the Balance Small Business, who provides a list of resources that help you set realistic targets for your enterprise, whether they’re financial or related to finding new clients. Remember to divide them up into long-term and short-term goals so you have something to aim for every day when you start work. There’s no point in just saying, “I want to be a millionaire.” If that’s the dream, you have to make a plan for it.
Create a Cozy Home Office
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your office, so make sure you’re well equipped in a space that’s dedicated to work and nothing else. It will serve you well if you have a spare room you can devote to your enterprise, but setting aside a quiet corner in the basement or attic would also suffice. A natural source of light does wonders to keep up your spirits, especially when the sun is shining, while an ergonomic chair provides the comfort you need for long hours at the computer. If your home is lacking space, you could convert part of your garage into an office. If you don’t have a garage on your property, consider building a prefab steel garage and using it as office space. Steel structures are inexpensive and easy to maintain.
Stay Organized
According to a startup expert with Forbes, successful entrepreneurs all “batch” their tasks. This refers to grouping everything you need to do into categories, then doing one of those all at once. For example, set aside one morning for writing emails and the afternoon for developing a business plan, but keeping in mind priorities that need to get done that day, of course. This technique helps you avoid floundering in a jumble of random activities.
Manage Your Finances
One of the cardinal rules of running your own business is separating your business from your personal life, and the easiest way is by setting up separate bank accounts. Once that’s done, create a budget for expenses based on an average of what you make from month to month, as that varies. Remember that you are one of those expenses, so pay yourself on a regular basis by transferring money to your personal account. Be sure you have enough to keep up with loan payments, and use a home cost calculator to determine how much you can spend on property if you’re on the market.
Keep Marketing
The nature of freelance work means bouncing from contract to contract or project to project, so you can never cease promoting your services, or your revenue streams may dry up. With little cash to spend on advertising, choose a few inexpensive means of getting the word out, and batch them into your schedule. Social media channels are on your side, so make daily or weekly posts that include a link to your blog or website, and don’t be timid in asking for referrals from past and current customers.
Watch Your Health
When striking out on your own with a new business, you need to be at your best mentally and physically, so this is not the time to neglect your diet and fitness routine no matter how much you want to tap away at your laptop. Turn it off, put on your sneakers and head out for a jog, cycle or power walk. When it’s time to eat, load up on vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains while keeping sugar and fat intake at a minimum.
Starting up your own business may be a bit nerve-wracking at first, but once the revenue starts flowing in, you’ll begin to appreciate the freedom of being your own boss. It’s truly liberating, so enjoy it.
Image via Pexels.
Courtney Rosenfield started her career in the gig economy after several years of enviously watching others do the same thing. She started Gigspark to be a resource and a first step for people who are looking to join the gig economy, either to supplement their income or as a way to fulfill their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
Four of the Most Important Freelance Jobs to Hire Out for Your Small Business
by Courtney Rosenfeld, gigspark.biz
There are many advantages to hiring out freelance work for your business. If you run a small business, for instance, you may have realized that you don’t need a full-time staff. Or, perhaps you would like a full-time staff but can’t afford it. Either way, hiring freelancers can free up time and money for you to spend on growing your business in a way that would be much more difficult than if you were paying a full-time staff.
Yes, it still costs money. But it can cost less money than paying a staff over time, and the growth and reduced stress you experience will likely make it more than worthwhile. Determine what kind of projects you need done, set your budget, ask around for referrals, and review job boards. Once you have a candidate in mind, send them a test project. If they return a completed project to you on time that meets your standards, you may have a keeper. If not, keep looking until you find a freelancer in that specialty who provides the product you’re envisioning.
Finding the best freelancer you can at a price point you can work with will help you focus on the tasks you need to, and it will ultimately help your business flourish. While there are many different types of freelance work, these four are some of the most essential ones to consider.
Virtual Assistants
Any successful business owner will tell you that delegating tasks is vital to effectively running a company. When you delegate tasks that don’t come naturally to you and that will waste your time, you can spend time on things that grow your business. There are many tasks that can be taken care of by a virtual assistant, and looking on the right job board can direct you to qualified, reliable candidates. Essentially, a virtual assistant can do anything from administrative support and scheduling to customer service and data entry.
Web Designers
It’s no secret that an awesome website is necessary for any small business. There are many platforms available today that allow someone with minimal design knowledge to build a website; however, these websites are often easily spotted, and the limited features of these platforms can make it difficult for your site to stand out among the crowd. Bringing in a web designer can give you a unique, high-quality site with responsive design technology. Also, a professionally designed site will be more reliable, run more efficiently, and increase your company’s search engine optimization (SEO).
Content Writers
Providing audiences with written content has become increasingly important for small businesses of all kinds. Having a blog on your website that discusses industry-related subject matter and offers expert advice highlights your company’s credibility. Qualified content writers can write about topics your audience cares about in a readable way. Furthermore, they can clearly translate ideas that you don’t know how to put into words, and they can provide an unbiased view of your products and services.
Social Media Managers
Finally, hiring a social media manager can prove invaluable to your business. Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter offer affordable (and sometimes free) marketing tools, and bringing in a professional who knows how to utilize and manage those tools can free you up to work on the things you’re best at. A social media manager can lay out a strategic plan for your social presence, consistently post meaningful content, promote your brand and products/services, expand your customer reach, and ultimately boost your sales.
As a small business owner, virtual assistance, web design, content writing, and social media management are all jobs you should consider hiring out to freelancers. Remember to find the best candidate you can within your budget, and test them out before committing to multiple projects. Hiring qualified freelancers can free up your time to focus on the projects you do best so that your company can grow and thrive as much as possible.
Photo Credit: Burst
Courtney Rosenfield started her career in the gig economy after several years of enviously watching others do the same thing. She started Gigspark to be a resource and a first step for people who are looking to join the gig economy, either to supplement their income or as a way to fulfill their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
Coming This Fall to FreelanceMikey.com!
I’m back with a quick update about this blog. Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary patrons and readers!
Life is getting busy as I get ready to ebmark on several new endeavors, and with all this, I’m going to be transforming this blog into an information and interview portal into the hearts and minds of creative professionals from every walk of life from America to Indonesia and any and all points in between. (I’d go into space if I could). My goal is to take you on as many fun journeys into the worlds of creative business art and the art of creative business In ways that are at once focused and fun, comprehensive yet conversational.
Interviews and features will include any of the following:
Entrepreneurs
Educators
Business leaders
Visual artists
Musicians
Actors
Comedians
Novelists
Screenwriters
Playwrights
Graphic designers
Home stagers
Multimedia artists
Psychologists
Sociologists
Biographers/historians
Join me this fall as we take a journey into all this and more!
Don’t Call It a Comeback: The FreelanceMikey Blog Gears Up for That ‘New New’
A formal occasion (not my wedding)
Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary digital natives! After a long hiatus, I’m back to update you on all the goings-on of late with FreelanceMikey Creative Consultation and what has been the cause of this long but much-needed sabbatical. The FreelanceMikey blog has been dormant lately due to shifting dynamics in the business and in my own life of late. I’ve been focusing on my editing, music mixing, and keeping up my physical health working with a physical therapist (due to my cerebral palsy).
In this vein, I want to take time to appreciate your visit to the website and the FreelanceMikey brand and blog, and I absolutely thank you for your patience. (I’m also planning my wedding these days, so my life rolls on hard—both in and out of my wheelchair ♿️).
New projects, new locations, new interviews, and new horizons are in motion for all of the creative campaigns that my friends, colleagues, and I aim to bring to the fore in 2019.
Currently, there are a few projects very key projects underway including general project consulting and specialized projects. Formats and pricing and listed in the home menu. Go to our services page for more.
Most absolutely, I want you to know that going forward as always, I definitely want to further my mission in helping you be yourself fully in whatever medium you choose to explore.
May you move boldly and follow your bliss,
Michael LaPenna
#MondayMotivation: The Domino Effect and the Inspirational Story of Thaddeus Bullard
This is the inspirational story of Thaddeus Bullard…
More on Thaddeus Bullard at thaddeusbullard.com
Thaddeus Bullard was born to a preteen mother under horrible circumstances but was never given up on despite it all. This is that story.
So many times in life, we are given a choice to treat people a particular way. From our loved ones to our bosses, to the random person who asks for our help, we all have choices to make. This is the story of what happens when we choose kindness over indifference and the particular domino effect that can follow.
The following TEDx Talk by philanthropist, entrepreneur, and performer Thaddeus Bullard (who performs and wrestles as WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil) tells the tale himself in the TEDxUCLA video below.
Key points:
- Watch what happens when one man shows kindness to someone who is racist against him.
- Hear the inspirational story of the homeless couple Mr. Bullard invited to a restaurant for a meal and the “domino effect” and powerful catalyst it inspired.
Thaddeus (as Titus O’Neil) wears the WWE Tag Team championship with teammate Darren Young. (WWE.com)
TED Talks (short for Technology, Education, and Design Talks) have been known to inspire millions of people and to move arts, culture, and technology forward by new and interesting means, but this TED Talk is bit of an outlier just meant to inspire simple kindness, I suppose.
Just a little dose of Monday Motivation to make you smile a little brighter!
Every day, things we do knowingly or unknowingly, affect others. Sometimes it's a small effect, and sometimes it's profound and causes a chain reaction. If you're going to have an effect, why not make it a good one.
#ThursdayThoughts: Don't Give Up on Your Dreams; Adapt
Follow @commandinglife. Special thanks to Alex for the inspiration.
My friend posted this on her Instagram feed today, and I got really inspired to say something to you all. As many of you might know by now, I’m going through some life transitions such as my wedding and moving into a new home in a new place. Transitions like this happen to us all whether literal or more metaphorical. You may live in uncertain times. There may be judgment or prejudice, disagreement or turmoil. Regardless, please don’t give up.
What I’ve can gleaned from my own life’s transitions is to know that the tides of your creativity will never stagnate or be still so long as you keep a dream in your heart and a fire in your belly for that mysterious, ineffable thing that makes you wide eyed and hopeful just by thinking about it. I believe that mystery is your spark that will light your passions. Follow that bliss like a breeze wherever it will take you. There is magic that awaits.
Stay hopeful,
Mikey
Sage Advice from Anna Akana on How to Write a Script That Makes Sense
Anna Akana
Hey, people of the world! I’m back on the scene after a brief hiatus to bring you some sage Wednesday Wisdom from Anna Akana on how to write a script (and a pretty good script at that). Anna is someone whose work ethic, gumption, and generally humorous attitude toward life on this spinning spaceball we call a planet gives me cause to be very hopeful for the prospects of our generation where the arts are concerned. :)
Multimedia writer, actor, author, and awesomeness steward Anna Akana sits down to give her simple breakdown of what it takes to get started writing a script. Anna’s synopsis resonates with me in particular because it is a basic intro to screenwriting equipped with all the meaning and mastery of a Syd Field Screenwriting course or Joseph Campbell’s classic text The Hero with a Thousand Faces—but with a bit of a salve for all the nerves that a newbie writer might feel when jumping headfirst into the murky waters of a feature length idea with say, five pages of cohesive content and the rest of your text functioning about as well as a life raft with hole in it. Following Anna’s steps, you’ll at least stay calm long enough to keep your idea afloat until you can make something of it and have a working script that has a story to tell. Happy writing!
Anna Akana shares some great ways that you can turn your story into a script.
Updates on Business and Life Transitions
Hi All,
I just wanted to touch base with anybody who might be coming by the blog. Life transitions are moving things around a bit and I’ve also been focusing on my health as of late. I still would like to get more projects profiled on here at FreelanceMikey, so feel free to hit me back. I’m excited about some new projects in the pipeline along with planning my wedding for next year! More good to come! Be good!
Perez Hilton loves to 'Taste and Toast' with Ashanti Middleton!
I'm so happy for my friend and colleague Ashanti Middleton! It turns out that Hollywood gossip columnist and entertainment blogger mogul Perez Hilton really digs Ashanti's food vlog and restaurant review show Taste and Toast! I worked on T and T with Ashanti early on in its first season and I’m so glad to see it flourishing in its second season! After starting its journey in the foodie hubs and pubs of Brooklyn, New York, Taste and Toast with Ashanti Middleton has made waves in the Hollywood blogosphere all the way to Perez Hilton's home and heart. What a difference a year makes! Thank you, Perez Hilton! Taste and Toast and Ashanti Middleton are a culinary hit in high places these days! Follow the link for more deliciousness!
Click the link here to find out more, where you can watch the show, and find out how get your restaurant reviewed on the show. https://ashantimiddleton.com/optin-22445718
Bookmark this blog for more updates, conversations, and talks about creating here at FreelanceMikey.com.
Updates, updates!
Hey All,
Just a quick update from yours truly from the FreelanceMikey headquarters in beautiful suburban New York. I’ve had to take some time to handle my health in the past two weeks, but now it’s time to get back on the horse! I’m currently in the process of booking interview segments for the blog here on the FreelanceMikey website.
If you're a creative person who kind of views life from a 45° angle (as George Carlin used to say) or just looking to showcase your work in a way that is accessible, talkative, intuitive, and fun, contact me here or on Twitter and Instagram @FreelanceMikey! i’d love to talk shop with you about your contributing influences, meandering pathways, and your highest moments of creative clarity in life, art, business, personal growth, and more. I look forward to chatting with you soon!
12 Things Successful People Do Differently
There you are sitting at your desk, mulling over your bills, tired from a day at work filled with aching shoulders and employees who seem much more concerned with their time off than that end-of-day deadline for that latest campaign for that Bakery outside Boston.
You want more! You want greater heights to explore who you are as a business, as a boss, and as a creative being!
So how can you do all this without killing your time or your energy and maximizing effectiveness in all areas?
Here are 12 things successful people do differently to achieve maximum results in their businesses and lives without going over their limits.
Wednesday Wisdom: Dan Lok Explains the Difference Between Reading Books and Using Books
"I don't read books, I use them. That's a big distinction."
Entrepreneur Dan Lok explains the difference between just reading books and and using books to gain knowledge and using knowledge to gain wisdom that carries you throughout life and business! Check It out!
Dan Lok - Why I Don't Read Books
FreelanceMikey's Summary:
Knowing how to gain valuable experience comes from trying and figuring it out through implementation of information, not just knowing information. From experience comes wisdom. Be willing to mess up and learn from it. Wisdom, according to Lok, is also knowing what to leave out so you can simplify your understanding and deepen that understanding.
Be well!
Updated 5/23/18: New Blog Interview Series Coming! Conversations About Creating with Michael LaPenna
(We are slightly delayed due to the tornado-like weather that hit the New York area last week. Thanks for being awesome and patient).
Do you like art at 45 degree angles? Do you like people who paint spaceships and sing jazz? Do you like yoga AND psychology? So often, creativity is thought of as a static thing like painting, theatre, music, writing, and the like—but what about what's between those nooks and crannies, between the cracks, the twilight between all these?
I'm interested in the inspiration behind creative work and the lives inspired by that spark.
New things are coming your way and evolving starting with a new blog interview series called Conversations About Creating. Conversations About Creating will explore everything from creative yoga for for healing mental trauma, to neo jazz funk music artists to make you love life just that much more! Join me, Michael LaPenna, for free-wheeling, art-loving, music-jamming, sculpture-making, groundbreaking conversations With creative people from a wide range of fields and feels In the world of art, science, craft, writing, music—and a whole lot of good feelings! It’ll be good times with some good minds, and I can’t wait!
Don't miss Conversations About Creating coming in the coming weeks to FreelanceMikey.com!
New Goodness Coming Up!
Well, it’s been wild one—between unique screenplay projects and personal delays due to a death in the family—but have no fear, I’ll be back next week with greatness, (or at least a really fun, passable facsimile). Be good and do some good!
P.S. I might even do a post about visiting the David Bowie exhibit in New York City, or I could talk about my alma mater SUNY New Paltz’s production of Avenue Q that I’m seeing over the weekend. We shall see. :)
#MondayMotivation: Each Day Brings a New Opportunity To Create Something
Each day brings a new opportunity to create something...
I just want to drop you a line and remind you about your creative opportunities. Every day brings a new opportunity to create something: a moment, a dance, a friendship, a blog post, a song, a project, a job, a work of art, a work of craft. You can do ANYTHING THAT MOMENT GIVES YOU! Just play around, and see what you can come up with, and follow your bliss!
#MondayMotivation: How To Get What You Really Want: Nine Principles
Another installment of #MondayMotivation all about the mentality that helps you get what you really want out of life (or at least can get you there much faster than worrying).
The nine principles below illustrate Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's nine principles of manifestation for getting that which our most loving of hearts long for: purpose, direction, love, and happiness and the truest joys of life. They show us how to lift ourselves from the all too common doldrums of "I have a desire to be something,' to "I am something." As you go through the list, take a few moments to visualize each step as you read it.
As I have written about this topic at previous sites, I come from a more secular humanist angle here so that these nine principles apply to religious and secular readers equally. These techniques are cognitive techniques to train your mind to be more allowing of good things and positive thoughts in your day to day.
Nine Principles of Manifestation
1. Live from Your Highest Self - "I have an ability to manifest and attract all that I need and desire."
This is not a call to do drugs or to float whimsically out of your body and suddenly obtain that beach house in Miami you've wanted since you and Beach House Barbie dreamed of it when you were seven. It means to know you have a reason for existing and have found meaning in your work. Find meaning in your life's work and you'll find that even working long hours is a joy.
2. Learn to Trust Your Inner Wisdom - "I trust in myself and in the wisdom within."
Simply put, know yourself and what works the best for you. We all are different in this regard. Some of us are athletes, some doctors and some of us store clerks. Some of us are funnier, while others more serious. But what truly is paramount to success is knowing your strengths and weakness for your strengths give you confidence and your weaknesses keep you humble. It's all about knowing how you can help, but also recognizing when you need help from others.
3. Honor Your Worthiness to Receive - "I deserve to experience good things."
Quisque iaculis facilisis lacinia. Mauris euismod pellentesque tellus sit amet mollis.