Hi Reader, Konnichiwa! I'm back from my holiday in Japan and have been easing back into work. Gotta get that bread! Today, I want to show off these booklets. Because they're not any booklets, but booklets written by me for a client. And, they're published in hard copy, which is a big thing for me because most of my stuff is published online. So, behold. These booklets are on the Tripartite Standard on Contracting with Self-Employed Persons (TS-SEP), which is a set of recommended practices...
15 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Things can be tough if you're a small entity in the market. Just like how: Freelancers, as individuals, may get pushed around by clients that are bigger organisations with more bargaining power Small businesses are forced to close shop after landlords raise their rents sky high It's not a great position to be in. So, the next question is: What can we do about it? While it seems the answer is "nothing much", there are still some things we can do. So, rather than just throwing up my...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Last month, I was a guest speaker for the Arts Acceleration Programme, jointly organised by the National Arts Council Singapore and United Overseas Bank FinLab. The session I was in was called "The Art of Business as an SEP", and it covered strategies for turning what you love to do into a profitable business. While I wasn't the main speaker (startup instructor Patrick Ng was him!), I shared my freelancing journey and facilitated a breakout session for identifying your target...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Since I'll be out of the office for a bit this week, I'm taking some time out of my workday to write this newsletter earlier than usual, and while my inspiration still runs hot. I've recently been thinking about how different freelancers/self-employed persons have different types of work schedules. (In this email, "work"—when used as a noun and not an adjective—means the things clients pay you to do. And not the non-billable things you do to keep the business running, like sending...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Thanks so much for coming for Tuesday's Arts Acceleration Programme session: The Art of Business as an SEP! I hope you found it useful. If you have any questions for me, feel free to reply to this email. You're also welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn - click the "More" button on my profile, followed by "Connect". Now, on to this week's newsletter. Today's topic might be helpful if you're trying to identify your freelance business' target customers: Earlier this week, I chatted...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, March was a slower month for me. Although I still had enough work to keep me occupied, I didn't have the typical packed load, so I was telling myself to enjoy the more relaxed pace while it lasted. And yep, April looks set to be a busier month as I've been exploring a few leads. But even as these doors potentially open to reveal new paths, I've been reminding myself that opportunities come with obligations. That's because while closing projects is exciting and all (hooray for...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, When would you like to be paid for work? Probably as soon as possible, right? If I can, I'd want to be paid upfront before I start work. And in full. Unfortunately, I don't always get my way. Some clients, like big organisations and government agencies, have established finance processes that involve: Minimum 30-day payment terms (or longer đź« ), and/or Accepting invoices only after the work is completed If I want to work with them, I have to follow their playbook. This is usually...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, I recently renewed two client contracts for another year. 🎉 Here's my process for this in case you have a contract ending soon and want to increase your chances of getting it renewed. My renewal plans start when I sign the contract The contract usually states an end date for the engagement. So, after signing the contract, I immediately add a new to-do list task to follow up on contract renewal. I set the task's date to at least one month before the contract's end date. This way, I...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, PSA: I'm conducting a free workshop about contracts for Singapore-based freelance coaches on 27 Feb. More details below if you're interested! I've been getting more inbound leads for email marketing work ever since I was certified as a Kit email expert. I receive a few inquiries every week on average. Some people provide detailed write-ups of their issues, while others' descriptions are as short as three words. If I can't help or am not keen on the project, I'll politely turn it...
5 months ago • 3 min read