Linkswitch #86, Conference Pricing, Secret Formula, Inner Calling

International Freelancers Day Its About Time!

International Freelancers Day (IFD) is a global initiative to celebrate independent workers, their entrepreneurial spirit and the tremendous impact they have on economic growth. The celebration will center on a free online conference of the same name.

This fully online event is the biggest-ever free (yes, it really is free!) Web conference exclusively for solo professionals. It features 4+ hours of educational video presentations delivered by 17 high-caliber speakers in the areas of freelancing, self-employment, solopreneurship, marketing, social media and personal development.

Is Conference Pricing Out of Control?

Youve surely experienced the letdown of registering for a conference, only to find that it costs $1,000 (or more) to attend (not including travel expenses). Isnt that a bit extreme for two days worth of training? Then again, is that the only way the conference organizers can cover the high costs of planning such an event? Lets see

How to be a Leader: Practical Advice for the 99.9% of Us Who Arent Steve Jobs

I think its a given that we cannot be effective leaders if we first dont understand how to submit to authority and follow leaders who are placed over us. Submitting to authority is an unpopular concept these days. But unpopular or not, its a reality we all live with. The true test comes when we tell our boss or client, "This is what I think we should do. Can we move forward? and they say, "No. When a client says that, its a lost sale. But when your boss tells you that its a different matter entirely.

My Secret Formula for Creating Super-engaging Blog Content

I often challenge myself to find the most unlikely subject and see what blogging lessons I can squeeze out of it. While some things are a complete stretch and really wont work, there are some surprising lessons you can pull from just about anything, if youre creative enough.

Designing office space for a world of web workers

As more and more people use the internet to make their work mobile and free themselves from being shackled to the office, its not just workers lifestyles that are going to change our physical work spaces are bound to as well.

Is the customer always right? How to avoid difficulties with clients

There are many things that the life of freelancing can offer you, from flexibility, more down-time with your loved ones and of course the freedom of being your own boss. However, theres one thing that any freelancer no matter their industry can never escape despite the fact that youve given up the office life, and this is walking through the potential minefield of dealing with difficult clients.

Finding Your Passion and Inner Calling

Now, following your calling is understandably easier said than done. How do you even go about the crucial step of discovering your calling? If you are not one of the lucky few, who somehow landed themselves what they truly love, what can you consciously do about it?

15+ Things You Can Do In 5 Minutes to Help Your Freelancing Business

In this post, Ive listed some tasks that each take approximately five minutes (give or take a little) to complete. While these tasks may seem simple (and of necessity, they are), they can still make a difference in your freelancing business.

Frugality Wont Make You Rich

Lately, Ive read statements in personal finance books where people claim that "frugality wont make you rich. They make the valid point that if you cut out some small thing say, a $5 daily expense you wind up with less than $20,000 after ten years. "What good is that if it brings you misery? they ask. "It cant possibly make you rich! They miss the point. Frugality itself doesnt make you rich. Instead, it increases the possibility of getting rich through other means.

You, the Creative+ (Creative Plus)

I love Dilbert as he seems to be able to explain the world in simple-to-understand terms, even the more complex nuances of human nature and culture. And the recent "creative comics have had me rolling even though they speak to stereotypes which sadly arent completely true, especially across the wide expanse of different "kinds of creative types out there.