Hi Reader, It’s that time of the year again…tomorrow, it'll be my third year of full-time freelancing! Three years on, the fun times continue to continue I'm still: Stressed when I'm stressed (because my schedule is full), and Stressed when I'm not stressed (because my schedule is not full). 😂 Feast or famine, as that common phrase goes. I'm currently in the "stressed when I'm stressed" season, because I have an upcoming trip and am working to wrap up projects before then. I also still...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, While most meetings are held virtually now, I'm still not a big fan of them. Why? Because of all the work that goes into attending a meeting. When I have a meeting, I set an alarm for 30 minutes before so I can prep for the meeting (e.g. updating my Zoom app, reviewing emails/notes) and ensure I join the call on time. Then, after the meeting ends, I might clean up the notes I took during it and send a recap email. I also need to shift gears and go back to what I was doing before...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Whether you're working on getting new projects or are in the thick of completing them, projects take time to "cook". (i.e. to do well, according to Gen Z slang.) Because unless you have a long line of people queuing up to work with you, you have to get your name out there to get projects. Not every person you approach will be interested in hiring you. You have to keep at it until you clinch those precious projects. But getting a project isn't the end of the story: it's the...
2 months ago • 2 min read
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...
3 months 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...
4 months 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...
4 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...
4 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...
5 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...
5 months ago • 2 min read