Career Flexibility Considerations

I became self-employed, safe in the knowledge that we could “survive” on my maternity pay. If I could make just £1500 per month, we’d be good. Only, they don’t tell you at “entrepreneur school” that you can’t just work for 20 hours per week at £25 per hour, minus a bit of expenses, and take your £1500. So I will. Here are 16 things you have to know about becoming self-employed: 1. “Self-employed” is completely the wrong way to think of this. You are NOT employed. If you think like an employee, you’ve already missed the point. 2. Every friend or family member you know will think you're mad or will be worried about you failing, or both. 3. Nobody will check in on you. If you want this to work, you have to make it work. 4. You will have no structure. Nothing. You have to decide what the heck you’re going to spend your time doing. My suggestion: do the things that bring in money. 5. You will have no priorities. You have to decide what deserves your attention. And just to say, ten-gazillion things could make it onto that list if you let them. 6. You can live without a logo. This is not a reason not to get started. 7. You are your own everything department.
When tech goes wrong, it's on you to fix it or find someone who can. Your accounts aren’t filed, also, this is on you. Make systems. 8. Clients can be unpredictable. Some may vanish without a word, and others might demand more than agreed upon. Set the rules for working together. Hold the power in the relationship. 9. Holidays will be a luxury if you don’t factor them into your business. Systemise your business so you can take time off. Price so you can take time off. 10. Marketing yourself is a daily job. If you’re not out there promoting, you won’t have clients when you need them. 11. You'll need to be a financial planner. Budgeting, saving for taxes, and managing irregular income is all part of the package. Find someone who can do this for you if you can’t. 12. You’ll crave the simplicity of a job you can go to and forget at the end of the day. You’ll also feel like a caged anminal if you ever try to be an employee again. 13. You’ll need to ignore everyone else. Comparison will make you paranoid. Stay in your lane. Stay focussed. Get really damn good at what you do. 14. There will be failures. Not everything will go according to plan. The first business might not even be “the one”. Learn and move on. 15. It won’t happen overnight. Overnight success is months and months of getting out of your comfort zone and sitting at your laptop in the evenings. 16. Support networks are invaluable. Find people who understand what you’re doing, they know how to get there faster. ——————————— I’m Zoe and I share posts like this that help you be the entrepreneur you want to be. Follow me for more.

I closed 5x my last salary in the last 8 months. If I had to start again... here's how I'd do it 👇 I would start with an ambitious but achievable goal. Let's say: $10K / month in under 90 days. Then I'd follow this blueprint step by step: 1. Create a plan Most people get stuck in planning. But as a planner, I'd feel lost without one. So I would spend 48 hours to: A) Think long-term Here I'd use Debbie Millman's Remarkable Life. 1. Close my eyes and imagine a day in 10 years 2. Let go of any fears and doubts 3. Write about the day in detail 4. Write until I can't possibly write any more B) Think short-term Here, I'd get more tactical. 1. Imagine the next 3 months 2. Map out major goals 3. Map out my daily routine Great, now I have a destination. And a direction - time to pick a skill. 2. Pick a skill I'd assess my skillset for value: - Ask my friends what I'm good at - Think about what businesses need - Think about type of work I love It could be: - Coding - Writing - Designing - Advertising - Automation - Lead generation For me, it's design. And every biz needs design. 3. Create a biz Most people overcomplicate this. I'd time box launch to 2 days. In the next 48 hours I would: 1) Pick a name (not than my personal name) 2) Make a site (keep it simple, one-pager for now) 3) Get generic emails (hello@ / support@) These are low ROI at the start - so I'd move fast here. Getting started is what matters. 4. Start telling people Most people crumble under peer pressure. I'd use it to my advantage. I'd tell everyone I'm starting an agency. Now I have people asking about it. I better do something about it. 5. Find my first 5 clients Here's where it gets real. Volume and persistence matter. I would: - Message my friends and family for referrals - Offer a reduced risk trial with a 'discounted' fee - Attend networking events with my target audience If I put myself out there everyday - I can't lose. 6. Nail the first call Now I'm not a salesperson. But what do I know? I know my craft. In the call, I would: - Be personable - Speak confidently - Show them my expertise - Ask questions (very important!) Also, I'd be prepared for 85% of calls to not be a good fit. It’s all part of the game. 7. Leverage results Now I have my first client. Time to overdeliver. I would: - Be easy to work with - Respond in under a day - Execute to a high standard Then ask for a testimonial and: - Add testimonials to my website - Add the work to portfolio link - Add the case study And then? 8. Rinse and repeat 💪 In summary: 0. Set a goal 1. Create a plan 2. Pick a skill 3. Create a biz 4. Start telling people 5. Find first 5 clients 6. Nail the first call 7. Leverage results 8. Rinse and repeat -- Hi! I'm Joumana - I built a $75K / month design agency for startups in 1 year. My goal is to help people where I can ✨

3 years and a half of our project in Madeira with Governo Regional da Madeira, it feels like a lifetime. What were the results of the Digital Nomads Madeira project? What can we learn from it? I will divide this post into three parts: the economic impact, the social impact, and the future. Economic Impact: - DNM has contributed around 30 million euros directly to Madeira's economy, with approximately 20,000 nomads visiting yearly (data from Nomadlist and our own). - DNM initially focused on the village of Ponta do Sol, a beautiful village that is now vibrant year-round, with restaurants full, and more people visiting, living, and spending money locally. While hard to quantify, local businesses are very happy, saying we have revitalized the village. - According to a Deloitte report for Invest Madeira, the registration of new tech companies in Madeira grew by 80%, demonstrating the significant impact of attracting talent on Foreign Direct Investment. Digital Nomads are mentioned 17 times in the document focused on attracting FDI to Madeira. - There have been over 300 news articles about DNM, from Sifted, CNN, The Washington Post, and many others. - Madeira is now known worldwide for its nature, quality of living, and as a great place to live and invest. - New businesses are emerging, including coliving spaces, cafés, vegan restaurants, and more. Social Impact: - Locals are returning to Madeira from major urban centers like London, Berlin, and Lisbon, attracted by the dynamic social life and international living now available on our islands. - Madeira is more international than ever, transforming from a tourism hub to a hub for living and investing. - It’s now easy to find entrepreneurs and people building incredible companies in Madeira, especially in tech, cybersecurity, and other high-knowledge areas. - People have found a sense of pride and belonging, even with the influx of new residents. - Events like Purple Fridays and other cultural gatherings have become popular, serving as meeting points for locals, expats, and nomads at a beautiful hotel and during sunsets. The Future: In Madeira, we have proven that attracting digital nomads with a well-planned focus on community, integration, and belonging has a massive positive impact on the economy and society. Madeira is now a model that everyone around the world is following. Madeira is seen as a leader, but if the work stops, we risk losing the advantage we have gained. Countries, cities, and islands like the Canaries, Romania, Thailand, Greece, Italy, and others are eager and working to take over the market. Will Madeira lose its advantage, or will it continue to grow the market and attract more Foreign Direct Investment and talent? Only the future will tell. For now, Madeira has shown the world that a people-centric strategy can significantly transform an economy and society, and we should celebrate this incredible achievement. #digitalnomads #madeira #remotework #fdi #talent

For 400+ years, we've been using this saying wrong - "Jack of all trades, master of none." The complete quote changes everything! “𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀, 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗲.” That last line changes quite a bit and is particularly relevant in today's age of technological disruption. In the early years of my career, I believed in picking one lane and going deep, and I did. That depth taught me the value of rigour and ownership. So yes, depth/expertise is extremely important. But here’s what I’ve learned over the last two decades ... In today’s typical career span, depth without adaptability and without the ability to become a 'serial expert', is more a limiting factor. Especially when industries evolve faster than degrees do. I believe what’s helpful is to … → Have 3-4 areas of high fluency (not surface-level knowledge, but real operating comfort). → And most of all, the ability to develop a new expertise every 3-5 years. For me, this looked like moving from law to business strategy, then adding enterprise sustainability expertise, and more recently, studying AI's intersection with ESG from a practitioner's lens. Each transition was built on the previous foundation rather than abandoning it or making a complete U-turn. In my opinion, mastery is still non-negotiable in a field of your choice, however, coupled with versatility, you can win the multi-decade career marathon!  How do you balance depth with breadth in your career? #CareerGrowth #Learning #Adaptability

Five years ago, I made one of the scariest and best decisions of my life. I traded a steady salary and job title for a blank calendar and a big question: Could I build something meaningful on my own terms? At first, every new client felt like luck. Every lull felt like the end. Then I stopped asking "what if this fails?" and started asking "what if this works?" Five years later, it has. Not perfectly. Not easily. But with a lot of growth and joy. Since then, I’ve worn every hat imaginable: Founder. Coach. Facilitator. Strategist. Recruiter. Bookkeeper. Copywriter. Some hats have fit better than others. But each has taught me something. Here are 5 lessons from 5 years of self-employment. 1️⃣ Freedom only works with structure When things go wrong, there’s no one else to blame, and that’s both confronting and liberating. Working for yourself means learning to hold yourself accountable. What keeps me grounded are small, steady rituals: Monday morning reflection sessions with my iPad and soy latte. Quiet introvert time after keynotes to reset. These moments help me show up, no matter how full the week ahead. 2️⃣ Follow your energy, not just your plan I design my days and weeks around my energy. Some of my best work has come from following what makes me feel alive. Creating the "Designing Your Life" framework after Danielle invited me to speak online at Liminal during covid. Crafting leadership programs that blend research and experimentation and now reach hundreds of professionals each year. Energy is data. When it’s high, I know I’m on the right path. 3️⃣ Relationships are everything Every opportunity has come through people. Elizabeth connected me to Lara, who brought me into Amgen, a partnership now entering its fourth year. Business is built on trust. Sending a thank-you note. Recommending someone else for a project. These are small acts that compound over time. People may forget your proposal, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. 4️⃣ Rest is strategic I almost burnt out in the first half of this year. That experience taught me some hard lessons. Now, I plan rest like any key deliverable. Whether it’s an Unyoked weekend with my partner or taking my dad to a health retreat, rest goes in the calendar first. Creativity sneaks in when you finally slow down. 5️⃣ Keep evolving Self-employment is one long experiment. What worked in year one rarely works in year five. I’ve redefined my offerings and refined how I talk about my work. Even my daily rhythms have changed. The through-line is curiosity. When I stay curious, I grow. When I get rigid, things stall. It’s what I remind every leader I coach: treat your career like a series of experiments. Adjust. Learn. Repeat. Five years in, I’m proud not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real. To every client, collaborator, and mentor who’s been part of the journey, thanks for trusting me to do this work alongside you. Here’s to the next chapter of Human Leadership Lab!

When I began side-hustling, it was out of desperation. I felt stuck at my corporate job in IT, had discovered the FIRE movement (I know, so 2010's millennial 😆), and was struggling with the reality that if my rheumatoid arthritis progressed, the likelihood of "permanent disability" preventing me from working full-time was high. Suddenly, the developing sources of income that wasn't location or job-specific seemed urgent. There's a lot to break down in terms of how I got my footing, but in interest of time, here are some things I wish I knew before/when I started freelancing: ✉️ Find a niche you can uniquely fulfill and thrive in. Look into multiplications of your skills/knowledge/talents. Niche down isn't a bad thing. I've read that focusing on things you don't mind doing (don't have to love it) but other people HATE doing is secret to wealth. ✉️ Keep finances simple as possible (no, you do NOT need that shiny app), keep monthly running costs as low as possible. You can always easily scale up in subscriptions, but it's much harder to cut things out (loss aversion). ✉️ Start small. Make small experiments, see what works, and begin to find that niche that you uniquely thrive in. Not everything you do will work out and that's fine. Flexibility is your biggest strength! ✉️ Get a separate bank account (doesn't need to be a business checking) and have a spreadsheet/bookkeeping software to keep track of money in/money out. I use Quickbooks and Quickbooks Checking for bookkeeping and business checking. ✉️ Pay your estimated taxes... both federal AND state (ask me why I emphasize state 🤪). Google due dates for every quarter. ✉️ Many would say it's too much, but I set aside 40% of my income for taxes, especially because you pay more taxes self-employed. Better to be over-prepared than hit with a shocking bill in April. ✉️ You're suddenly every function in a company: CEO, accountant, business strategist, lawyer, product, sales, marketing... And you're gonna hate parts of it, and love parts of it. Once your business starts rolling, it probably makes more sense to outsource parts you hate so you can focus on what makes your business shine thanks to ✨you✨ ✉️ Don't get distracted by the shiny gurus and get rich quick rhetoric. Even those people who seem to suddenly quit their jobs and make 6 figures were probably putting in the grind in the background. Get rich quick stories sell, but "I worked after my 9-5 for 4 years and finally made enough to go on my own" doesn't. Also, you really don't know who is telling the truth. ✉️ Focus on smaller # of high quality work. I think one thing that has set me apart is my "need" to provide the highest quality work I can no matter the amount being paid. In the short run, I don't earn as much. But it's so hard to earn trust and recommendations, so it's paid dividends. ✉️ Higher paying clients respect you and your skills more, and tend to be easier to work with. Do you freelance? Have anything to add?

40 lessons learned after 4+ years as a solopreneur: People often ask: “How did you build GGI into what it is today?” The truth? 1. Nobody is coming to save you. You’re CEO, HR, ops & janitor. 2. 100% ownership ≠ solo. Networks matter. Ask for help. 3. Showing up is 80% of success, especially on tough days. 4. Habits > motivation. Build sustainable habits in life. 5. Avoid burn outs. It costs more than one failed launch. 6. Be sincere. Small sloppy things compound. 7. Family can be advisors when you don’t have a board. 8. Block days for focus: marketing, sales, product, ops. 9. Know your why. It’s your flashlight on dark days. 10. Focus. Clarity saves time. 11. Your community will make or break you. Solopreneurship is lonely. 12. Learn relentlessly. Self-learners survive. 13. Don’t chase "trends". Chase purpose. 14. Learn sales. Your value won’t speak for itself. 15. Thick skin required. Public building invites hate. 16. Hit gym. Swim or do yoga. You need a fit mind-body. It's a fight. 17. Be true to values. People can see through dishonesty very quickly. 18. Someone will always dislike your product. Ignore them. 19. Act > read. Experiment beats theory. 20. Pricing is a hit and trial. There's no single answer. 21. Your network speeds you up, or slows you down. 22. Stop over-consuming content. Start creating. 23. Don’t ask everyone. Decide, then act. 24. Cut people off not rooting for your success. 25. Learn with humility, but verify. 26. Share authentic testimonials. It builds trust. 27. Always ask customers, not strangers. 28. Meditation is an investment. Do the inner work. 29. Never change multiple things. Experiment with one variable at a time. 30. Instant-result promises are scams. 31. Don't get overwhelmed in initial days. Just focus on product and comms. 32. Tools don’t matter early. Use what you know. 23. Sleep more. Clear mind = better choices. 34. If things work out, go back and thank those who helped. 35. Be respectful of people. Professionalism matters. 36. Celebrate small wins. It builds momentum. 37. Don’t argue with strangers online. It's usually a pig fight. 38. Be humble, life often has ways to humble arrogance. 39. Don’t model millionaires if you’re at zero. 40. You’re 100% responsible for your failures and wins. Final truth: none of this is set in stone. I'm sharing what worked out for me. Take what helps :) I am packaging everything I’ve learned in last 7 years of building GGI for policy roles into a short program for solopreneurs. You can refer details of Da Vinci Lab here: https://lnkd.in/d-sdtcKD If there’s one final lesson: always smile during the journey. Suffering is choice, not a compulsion ❤️ .

The self-employment survival guide It’s been nearly 12 years since I packed up my desk, handed in my pass, and stepped into the unknown world of self-employment. Here’s what I’ve learnt about staying sane, solvent and motivated when you’re building your own thing. Collaborate: You can't do it all. Don’t be afraid to hand over the IT, or your bookkeeping to a specialist. In the early days of self-employment I bartered my services with other self-employed people who were also starting out. Control your finances: Cash flow WILL be unpredictable. Get a decent accountant and ask questions all year round, not just at year-end. Keep money aside to pay your tax bill - 15% to 20% of your income. Pricing: The temptation to undercharge is strong, especially in the beginning. Charge for the years you've put into this, not the hours the client's getting. Comparisonitis: Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle. Keep your eyes on your own paper. If you’re going to compare anything, let it be how far you’ve come. You’ve made more progress than you give yourself credit for. Figure out your 'why': Mine was freedom, flexibility and family. Figure out why you’re doing it, and if what you’re doing isn’t working – change it. If you're not happy where you are move, you are not a tree 🌳. Visibility: You can’t be hired if no one knows you exist. Talk about what problems you solve, share your wins, and let people know how you help. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The clients who need you can’t hire you if they don’t know you’re there. Create repeatable offers: Create packages, processes, or products you can deliver again and again. It saves time, builds brand clarity, and helps you build without burnout. Build your safety net: Plan for the quiet months, for they will come. Whether it’s savings, a retainer client, or another income stream, do what you need to stay afloat. There's no shame in diversifying. Protect your energy: Guard your calendar, set boundaries with clients, and take real time off. Saying yes to everything is a fast track to burnout. Flexible consistency: Some months will be brilliant, others will suck. You will want to give up. Success comes from sticking with what works, and figuring out what to tweak. The only way to fail is to quit. I’d love to hear from other self-employed souls. What’s helped you survive? 👇🍿 📸 My favourite corner of my office, with my little furry incontinent companion blending into the background.

It's one thing to GO freelance, but how do you STAY freelance? That's what I'm covering in Career Freelancer, my weekly newsletter in its 12th week! Sharing a recap of lessons from the self-employed pros I've interviewed: 1. Freelancing should not be pursued entirely alone; building a sustainable practice requires intentionally creating and participating in communities with other self-employed pros. Natalie Nixon’s MTR (Move, Think, Rest) framework emphasizes that collaborating with fellow freelancers, through play, networking, and micro-retreats, helps solopreneurs avoid isolation and generate better outcomes. Read on: https://lnkd.in/eK6jz5Np 🧡 2. Career pivots are essential for long-term freelancing success; sustaining an independent career requires actively monitoring industry trends, economic signals, and personal opportunities to know when to shift focus. Martin Waxman emphasizes that freelancers should balance strategic planning with flexibility, testing emerging fields like AI while learning from missteps. Read on: https://lnkd.in/eNRrnxuU 🧡 3. Your freelance practice should be built around your unique strengths rather than simply following market trends or doing what's worked for others. Marielle Legair emphasizes that identifying your natural abilities, understanding your energetic blueprint through tools like Human Design, and aligning work with what genuinely energizes you leads to sustainable success. Read on: https://lnkd.in/eBDCvfkW 🧡 4. The freelance title you choose is a fundamental positioning tool. It should be clear, industry-specific, and distinctive to signal your expertise. All to help clients quickly understand what you do (and don’t do), and attract the right kind of work. Hussain Bandukwala’s use of “PMOpreneur” shows how a creative, focused title signals not just your services but specialty, authority, and deliberate career design. Read on: https://lnkd.in/e5WmwcRf 🧡 5. Freelancing as an introvert requires intentional energy management and values-driven decision-making; building a sustainable freelance practice depends on setting boundaries, focusing on meaningful projects, and creating systems that support both productivity and well-being. Goldie Chan’s approach emphasizes working in creative “seasons,” batching content, and prioritizing projects that align with financial sustainability, joy, creative challenge, and personal values. Read on: https://lnkd.in/eDdrVkHF 🧡 Don't forget to subscribe, it helps a ton!! https://lnkd.in/eAGW9jyU