Being a remote professional often involves travel and work in… ahem… unusual locations. You may find yourself working on the road, in your car, at a library or coffee shop, onsite with a client, or anywhere in between. Desktops are great,  but they will tie you to a single work spot. They are usually stable and cheaper than the portable alternatives. That is, until recently.

If you are a power-user and you need to multi-task, keep a slew of windows open, and often push the limits of both your CPU and your RAM, your mobile options won’t be low cost.

If, however, you have started using some or many of the online options for thinks like book keeping, email, calendar, etc., a netbook may bridge the gap between portability and pocket-sensitivity.

For under $400 (and even below $300, as of today) you can now get an amazingly lightweight, highly portable, low-power computer with longer battery life than was possible just a year ago.

The first netbooks were rather light on HD size, but there are better options today and 120-250 gig drives aren’t uncommon. Promises of upcoming (June 2009) Ion-based CPUs will make these lightweights heavy-hitters in the remote professional market. Dual-core netbook options are rumored to be in the works and should be available by year end.

Some options have optical drives, others require a USB drive to load software. Alternatively, you can drop the CD or DVD into a network drive and load software via Ethernet or wireless connection.

If you can’t wait that long, look at the sale on the ASUS Eee PC 1002HA 10-Inch Netbook at Amazon (with a $50 rebate) — which has recieved excellent reviews from customers and techies alike. Today, Dell has released their own low-priced netbook called the Mini 1011 Bear with a base price of $299 and several upgrade options, according to a review article on Engadget.

So, if you plan to buy a portable machine in the near future, your options may be more diverse than they were the last time you looked. Weigh all your options and come up with the best option for your needs. If you buy a netbook,  be sure to get a 6-cell battery and max out the RAM options (2 gig minimum), for the best performance in these machines.

Have fun!

Wrapping that makes sense

Internet superstore, Amazon recently announced that they were offering recycled “frustration free” packaging for some of their top selling items this holiday season. This is one of the company-wide initiatives to be a bit more eco-sensitive. Aside from being eco-friendly, it also promises to reduce “wrap rage” this season, so we can all rest a bit easier.

Wood is the new metal

I just bought a couple new leather cases for my iPhone (the price was hard to resist — $6.00 for each one, complete with my personalized engraving on the back of each — thrown in for free!) I was feeling pretty good about my purchase until I saw a wooden, laser engraved iPhone case by Miniot out of Holland. Now, you will need to be prepared to pay alot of green to be THIS green with your iPhone… but isn’t it so pretty? I may be salivating over that one for awhile.

Even computers are showing up with wooden chassis — and some of those are easily renewable bamboo rather than hardwood. But a few (like the Asus) are discovering that function has to come before form. Asus had to rescind this bold, green move due to overheating issues. The newer model has just a bit of bamboo trim, and underpowered cpu and an inflated price.

You can also get bamboo keyboards, bamboo monitors and even a bamboo mouse.

Conserve by Comsuming Less

I’ve been watching the independent builders mod out uber-low power tiny boxes that allowed computers to run on itty bits of energy, but the pet project of the uber-geeks has now gone mainstream. Dell has come out with a “hybrid” computer that is low power (70% lower) and low profile for a greener office.

It even has a wooden cover option if you want to LOOK as green as you are. It’s all about recycled… from packaging to the “system recycling kit” for when you are finished with the computer. It’s also just a little larger than a standard external hard drive for easy grab-and-go options. It’s pretty easy on the eyes, too.

Do Your Part:

One of the biggest consumers of energy in your home office is that big, widescreen monitor. It’s nice not to squint, isn’t it? But setting your monitor to go off when not in use and powering down your hard drives and hibernating your computer after just a few moments of inactivity can also add up.

Even something as simple as using Blackle (a dark, energy saving version of Google) as your homepage and yoru primary search page will save quite a bit of energy over Google’s standard bright white page. (They claim over 900,000 watt hours have been saved through its use so far).

I tend to worry about things over which I have no control. It makes life more drama-filled than necessary. It makes parenting challenging. Heck, sometimes it makes breathing difficult!

Riding the economy’s roller coaster is a white-knuckled, teeth-clenching experience these days… especially THIS day.

It shook me today. I’ve been preparing for a “recession/depression” for several months. My debt load is probably lower than most peoples’ — but I still have debt. (I hate being in debt.) I live simply. I don’t have extravagant tastes. That all helps me to make it as a solopreneur.

My client-base is primarily real estate and that industry has been hard-hit of late. I don’t work with those new to the industry. My clients are the established, knowledgeable, experienced portion of the market. So when MY clients are feeling the pinch — it’s serious. When my clients go from immediate pay to 30/60 days, I get concerned.

But, for those entrepreneurs out there that are starting to worry, I’d like to share some sage advice from one of my clients (complete with my interpretation). I won’t identify the client because he admitted “I’m scared too” and that admission may alarm his agents. He said, “I’m scared too, Angela, but you are in a good place and so am I… we owe little and are not at the mercy of a big corporation for our weekly check. If it’s not working, we will reinvent ourselves!”

I took that information and sat on it awhile this afternoon. While I watched the stock market climb back up to a reasonable level (back above 10,000 for the DOW), I pondered the implications of what he said.

He’s right. As entrepreneurs, we are able to make adjustments, look for opportunities and jump on them in a way that others can’t. We do have the flexibility to “reinvent” ourselves, to refine our vision, or to completely rebuild our set of goals.

Another client commented (sometime last week) that there would always be work for someone who was knowledgeable in their field. He said the economic slow down would do two things: Clear out the “chaff” from his industry (real estate) and create an even stronger demand for my own services. He said, “People who need help will be less willing to offer work to those who are unproven and those who are less talented.”

Although his compliments made me blush at the time (and offer me an opportunity to brag a bit now), the fact is… when money is tight, you go for the “sure thing” in business and in personal decisions.

So if you are an established provider, there really isn’t a reason to worry. It may get interesting for awhile, but we will be fine. It may help to remember that these issues aren’t an issue for a particular country, they are world-wide.

We are participating in a global economy and no country will be its own little universe again. What happens from here on out will cause ripples across all oceans. That’s something that I find both comforting and alarming. It requires thinking about my tiny little business on a much bigger scale.

For those new to the industry, make friends with the “old hands” and show your stuff. The best way to land work in tough times is through the recommendation of trusted providers, subcontracting and concentrating on your best offerings.

If you aren’t advertising your niche or special skills, do it. If you haven’t established a short list of your best service offerings, there’s never been a better time. Choose them, communicate them and make sure they are “front and center” on your business website.

Just because there is a sluggishness in the economy does not mean we can afford it in our businesses. Now is the time to work harder and rise faster. These are the times when opportunities arise and disappear quickly.  Be ready.

And remember, in this era when mega-corporations are failing and floundering and drowning… you have the reins of your business. Here, at least, you have a choice on how your income is made and how your bottom line reads. Small businesses are the backbone of economies — we work even when others don’t.

(Photo from MorgueFile.com by MarkeMark.)

I’m hard on computers. I’m always pushing the limits. I replace my hardware every 12-18 months. I have to. Heck, I wear off the letters on my keyboards every 6 months. My family laughs about it and no one ever wants my “used” keyboards.

I was sick and tired of rebuilding my system. I went to Linux to avoid the rebuild of XP that happened every 6-12 months, when the OS went from “speedy” to “getting slower” to “crawling.”

The only cure was to wipe the hard drive and reinstall the OS. This process rendered me unable to earn a living (or sleep) for 2-3 days while I tried to pull everything back. It’s not like I wanted to rebuild my machine so often. I didn’t. It made me crazy.

The Move to Linux

With Linux, it was easier. Once you got it working, it usually stayed that way. And, if there was a problem, you could reload the OS and pull your data back in pretty easily. The only problem was when I started poking around in Terminal, sometimes a “tiny” change would hose my whole system.

After spending weeks “tricking out” my Linux box and making it function flawlessly to do what I needed, I took extra time to make it pretty. I like pretty.

Form IS Function!

My father fusses that I spend too much time customizing. We share technology “finds” and argue about computers/software/hardware a lot. It’s our “thing.” For him, computers are a hobby. For me, they are also a tool to get my work done. Sometimes I confuse the “hobby” portion of my work with the “income producing” portion and this causes me headaches.

My Dad swore I’d like Linux better if I’d go with the standard look and feel – and just regen in minutes (unlike Windows) if it started acting flaky.

That would certainly take less time for a new set-up, but I liked having a witch hat for my personal files, a hard drive with a lock icon for my data backups, a globe for my Internet, etc.

I like pretty — but I also like efficient. It takes me less time to glance for a visual clue and click than to read through a list of generic folders with the contents listed in text on at the bottom. As many times a day as I clicked each one, this is a substantial time savings.

Two monitors are better than one

I always worked better with two monitors in Windows, but I had real problems getting two monitors to work with Linux. I decided to fix it by going and buying two identical monitors – so there were no conflicting driver issues.  I didn’t care how much it cost anymore, I was tired of poking at my machine. I wanted it to work.

I was lured over to the Apple display at my local Best Buy by the huge monitor on the back wall. It just happened. Honest! The monitors were so pretty and BIG. I wiggled the mouse on one machine and what popped up made my eyes go wide!

Then I got angry.

The layout on the iMac was amazingly close to what I’d spent days building on my Linux box. And, I’d never touched a Mac. Not EVER.  I left in a huff, without my two new monitors.

Sacrifice or simplification?

In recent months, I’ve tried lots of paths to simplify my life, many of which only complicated things. I didn’t need a new computer, but I did need to get a better display. I did need something that would work for all the windows I keep open. I liked the multiple desktops of Linux, but I needed more real estate on my monitor.

My father suggested that I ditch the idea of two monitors and buy a single large widescreen. He spouted off the math on how I would gain by having a 24″ widescreen instead of two of the 19” square variety. He won. I decided to buy a single large monitor.

I went back to Best Buy. I saw the iMac again. It had a 24” widescreen monitor, and the iMac had the rest of the computer built into the back of this flat screen. It was fascinating. It also had one cord. ONE. “No more rat nests of cords trailing down the back of my desk,” I thought. It had pretty lines, it was sleek. And, if it was as enchanting on my desk as the iPhone had been in my pocket… I’d be in heaven.

I looked at the Mac Pro Box. It had more cords, I could get into that box and change things… then I realized that was not a good thing.

I returned my gaze to the iMac. I wouldn’t take it apart, because there was no upgrade – other than maybe a little RAM in the future.

I was tired of having my weekends sucked away by a computer hardware or software upgrade/crash issue. If I were really planning to focus on writing and online work, a Mac would serve as well as Linux or Windows, right? Maybe better, since it wouldn’t derail me from from my main focus to go on some hardware/software tangent.

Learning about the Mac

I had done a bit of research on the OS after my first encounter. (Late at night, so no one would catch me at it. I even cruised the computer section of the Apple site. Shhhh!)

OS X is Unix based, like Linux, only with a slicker interface and it comes “ready to plug and play.” This was becoming more appealing to me by the second.

I talked to some folks that had Macs. I ignored those who had never used a PC – those who spouted the same hatred about PCs I’d blindly spouted about Macs. I did pay particular attention to those who knew a little about Linux and who had been PC aficionados before going to the Mac. I kept hearing, “It’s bulletproof.” I kept hearing, “There’s no maintenance.”

I started to want one.

I finally decided that if I was going to buy a new monitor, I’d have to rebuild my Linux box. It’s one of those things about Linux, video stuff is tricky. And, if I had to spend the time to rebuild a Linux box, I could probably use that same amount of time to learn a new OS. A Mac OS. I justified my desires.

And that’s how I ended up buying a new iMac.

Travels with Mia

I’ve always named my computers (and my cars). They have usually been male gendered. My iMac, Mia, is a little different. Still just as strong under the hood, she’s a bit more concerned about her appearance. (She likes being pretty.) There’s room on my simple desk for more than just a computer… and there’s room under my desk for my feet! I don’t get tangled up in cords every time I try to plug or unplug something.

I’ve had her almost a month now and I’ve never regretted it. Not once. My father quit speaking to me for awhile and threatened, “Don’t say ‘Mac’ at me anymore!” But, aside from that, there have been no issues.

Having a Linux box made high-end tweaks in Mia’s Terminal much easier than they would have been if I’d only had PC experience — but most users would never even need (or want) that. I find that the tech community online for the Mac OS is strong and helpful like the Linux community. There’s even some crossover.

The time machine function does automatic backups – I really like that. Mia works beautifully with my iPhone and external drives (although I did have to reformat them initially). And the biggest payoff? I’ve had more time to handle the other areas of my business and my life that needed an overhaul.

These days, it’s more about the big picture and less about spending countless hours with the gritty little details in my life. The more “grit” I eliminate, the more clearly I can see my life and my business.

Of course, Mia’s nice big screen only improves the view.

If you are interested in learning more about running a services business online, you are in luck! RemoteProfessionals.com has a great lineup of professional outsourcing mentors who have the information you need to get started quicker and easier with fewer costly mistakes.

Jodi and I have been working on this mentoring program for freelancers and virtual assistants for several months. It was created to help save others the time, effort and mistakes that often accompany launching a new business. Basically, we wanted to find the experts to cover those areas that we wish someone had told us when we launched our own businesses so many years ago.

Even if your services offerings are perfect, you still have to run a business. It’s not as simple as it appears…But it can be easier with a little mentoring.

This 12-week program will include a one hour conference with a different specialist each week. The topics include: financial planning, branding, niche selection, time management, taxes, data security, social networking, online marketing, contracts, and more!

Visit RemoteProfessionals.com to learn more!

When you are a remote professional, making a sweeping business change is a big step. Your business identity becomes inextricably intertwined with your personal identity. After a few years on the web, you consider your business URL in the same way you do your physical address. Like a cross-country move, any big change can be traumatic.

If the time has come to narrow your scope, deepen your niche or completely reinvent yourself online, there are a few steps you can take to make the transition a bit smoother.

Get an unbiased opinion… or two or three

Because you are so “close” to the project, having outside opinions from people you trust is paramount. There are things that you simply won’t see solo. Your business may often seem to be a solitary venture, but this is a place where you need to reach out to your network. Don’t fall in love with one option before seeking feedback. Go to the “floor” with your top three or four ideas.

If you blog, post your ideas there and see if any readers will offer suggestions. If you have a professional network, toss your ideas out and get feedback from peers. If you have family members that aren’t too close to your business, get their impressions of your new direction.

Once you have narrowed the field, pay a marketing consultant or business planning specialist to give a professional opinion on the pros and cons of your plans and how they will affect your bottom line and your ability to market your new brand. You don’t want to put all this effort into something that won’t help you in the long run. A single meeting may make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your efforts.

Take all these opinions and really listen to what was said. Keep notes on all the feedback for a couple days of agonizing push-me, pull-me evaluation. Once that period is over, pick the one you love. After all, you should be in love with your business name and concept. You will spend much of your life building, growing, nurturing and living with it. It should be something you love.

Plan ahead

Don’t jump into the transition. It’s going to be a challenging project. It will require a great deal of pre-planning to make the move smoothly. Start with the baby steps…

Your new URL

• Your URL should be a brand that you can love and one you can quickly take to heart and adopt as your online “alterego.”
• Select a URL that carries a keyword or two if possible. It should be short, focused and possess a little “zing” to capture attention. Make sure the URL will serve you from a marketing perspective. Why would you rebrand in a way that actually HURTS your online marketing?
• If at all possible, use a “.com” URL. Forget .net, .info, and all the upcoming extensions. Select a .com for a timeless and established look.
• The URL should be your legal business name. Register it as “MyCompany.com” to give you the advantage of “silently” promoting your URL whenever you give your business name. Even websites and directories that don’t offer a web link will accept this type of legal business name.

The Omni-important Tagline

• Forget the pain and agony of developing an elevator speech. The classic wisdom of a 30-second regurgitation of who you are and what you do and what value a potential customer would find in hiring you is soooo outdated and old school. (Besides, that is the purpose of your website!)
• Don’t assault strangers with all this information. You will only make them sorry they asked. Thirty seconds will seem like a lifetime to your marketing “victim.”
• Instead, develop a self-apparent business name with matching URL and a tiny 5-6 word tagline that clarifies your unique marketing position. You can use this combo on your voice-mail, business cards and in person, when asked what you do.
• It will take some time and quite a bit of effort to find the perfect combination of so few words. If well-executed, it will pay huge dividends and will make you memorable.

Marketing Materials

Over the years, I’ve spent thousands of dollars on all the marketing “fixings” including letterhead, multiple logos and images, envelopes, branded note cards, custom postage stamps, business cards, business websites, blogs, custom rubber stamps (with my logo), embroidered denim shirts, t-shirts, ball caps, table spreads (for events), etc, etc.,

Of those items, the most effective have been my business cards for in-person face-to-face encounters and my website/blog. Of the printed materials, I’ve used the branded notecards more than all the other business stationery combined. When I drop a physical note to a client, a peer or a prospect, I prefer it to be a personalized, handwritten item. The rest of the time, I use email and/or PDFs.

How you handle this will depend on your business and what niche services you offer. The more online your business, the less printed materials you will need… so your mileage may vary.

Before you automatically reorder all the stuff you had in the old business name, determine what really works for you. Don’t reorder out of rote. If you ordered 1000 custom envelopes three years ago and you still 995 of those, it’s probably not the best use of your funds.

Enjoy a Clean Slate

If you are rebranding, it’s a wonderful opportunity to purge any old ideas you have about how to run a business online. You have, no doubt, learned a great deal as a result of your “hands on” experience. Advise yourself in the same way you would advise someone who is just getting started.

Think about all of your “if ONLY someone had told me…” moments. Think about all the wasted time, money, and effort you expended when you first started.

Then, take a deep breath and plan. Make sure you don’t do any of that this time.

My Clean Slate

Personally, trying to keep my blog separate from my business website, and managing multiple branded websites was a mistake. I’m not a big business and I have no need to project that image. I should have accepted that fact early on.

People hire me as much for my personality as for my skills. It was weird to realize that, but it shouldn’t have been… after all, I accept or decline clients based on that “gut” feeling I have about them. Working so closely, and being happy with that situation, requires a good rapport. It just does.

Accepting that makes it easier to develop a single site (which contains a blog) to maintain.

Keep Records

You will be going (temporarily) backward to re-brand when you change your business. It’s a fact. There are places all over the web where you have promoted your old brand.

Keeping a record (a spread sheet will work fine) of all the places that you “find” your old brand will help you transition. Change all your profiles to reflect the new business identity. You will probably be surprised how many you have online. Going through your password list is a quick way to determine the identities you need to rebrand right away.

Legal Stuff

Don’t forget to change your business name legally; even if you are using a DBA you need to register it. Do the paperwork for any required business licenses for your area. Secure a new EIN, if necessary.

Change the information with your bank and PayPal accounts. Let your current clients know how to make out future checks/payments.

Redirect Traffic to Capture Visitors

Apply a Google-friendly 301 permanent redirect to capture as much of the old site(s) traffic as possible. Use your website’s 404 logs to determine when people are looking for something they don’t find.

Fix/forward every link. It will take time, but it’s worth the effort. You don’t want to lose visitors by frustrating loyal readers.

Re-Introduce yourself

Once you are up and running, take the time to go to your favorite blogs and websites and comment to help establish the new identity. Social networking can actually make this process easier. Some platforms allow a username and URL change without any problem (like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), while others will only allow a URL change and you are stuck with the same username or the prospect of opening a new account and trying to recapture your friends (like StumbleUpon and ActiveRain).

Do a press release. Produce a little fanfare. This is a big deal! Celebrate it.

A Final Thought: Be Sure

Before you start this process, be sure it’s necessary. It involves a tremendous amount of effort and should not be undertaken lightly.

If a change is needed, it’s better to make that transition sooner, rather than later. The availability of good URLs is diminishing by the second and unless you have already captured the URLs you may want to use in future years, merely getting the perfect URL can be a costly endeavor.

Don’t forget to have fun recreating yourself!

For the past week, every spare moment has been dedicated to the search for my own personal Holy Grail for my entrepreneurial business … A project management tool for the freelancer who collaborates with others.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? I’ve reviewed dozens (literally) of the options currently available. From the over 60 options I’ve seen, I’ve narrowed them down to just a few and then gone searching again over and over.

When I discovered Worketc.com, I started rethinking what I’d like this project management tool to do. I thought that maybe there was an “all-in-one” option out there that would replace all the little web-based apps I have started to use as well as the others I’m still seeking and/or evaluating.

Worketc.com has almost everything I want… close, but no cigar. I may have to settle for it, but before I’m willing to “settle” for anything, I wanted to define exactly what I want and search one more time.

In a perfect world, I’d be able to find a system that has all the tools I need to work more efficiently (from anywhere) the way I already work. I am no longer willing to change the way I work, the service I offer to facilitate the tools I use. Enough of that already!

With that in mind, I’ve created my “wish list” in two parts. One part is “Must Have” items and one part is the “it sure would be nice” list the third portion is me dreaming a bit, but still…

The program must have:

1. Simple intuitive interface
2. Tasks list that is sortable by project and by assignee
3. Email notification of assigned and completed tasks
4. Quick glance of latest activity on each project
5. File uploads area
6. Meeting notes area
7. Client login
8. Ability for clients to see progress
9. Client task list that they can check off

Would be nice:

1. Internal email
2. Contacts Management Database
3. Journal function
4. Searchable Notes area
5. Ability to create tasks via email
6. Timer (punch clock) and time sheet
7. Simple invoicing
8. Simple accounting
9. Multiple calendars (for each involved party, listing their tasks)
10. Ability to import calendars into Outlook and to subscribe in gCal

In a perfect world:

1. An offline option that syncs with the online option
2. Interactive whiteboard area for visual tools when meeting with clients
3. Ability to upgrade to self-hosted on my server
4. VOIP option built in for use with client and collaborative meetings
5. Ability to record and store whiteboard/telephone/webinar meetings in the project file area
6. Ability to host up to 20 people for a webinar
7. Ability to backup to/use from a thumbdrive
8. Skinnable and brandable
9. Logon widget for wordpress for clients to use from my website

I’ve said for some time that my business really isn’t that complex, and it isn’t. A tool like this would meet most of the needs I have in an easy-to-use, customer-friendly and portable option.

I love CashBoard for my timer, invoicing and simple accounting online. I’d like it even better if I could merge those features into an all-in-one freelance solution like this to work from anywhere. I can imagine the day when I would only need to find a computer with a browser to work from anywhere, and then could sync that data with my own freestanding version daily at my own computer as an “onsite” backup.

With that freestanding version, I could also continue working even if the Internet was down or unavailable or otherwise “wanky” and then sync the next time I connected. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Today, I’m back to the drawing board again. Now that I’ve finally reviewed enough to know what’s available and have considered more thoroughly what I need, what I want and what additional features would make it a “silver bullet” for my business… I need to try to find what will most closely meet my specs.

After the third round of shorting, I have a list of ten (some free, some paid) including (in no particular order):

• Webasyst.net
• EasyProjects.net
• 5pmWeb.com
• CentralDesktop.com
• CreativeProOffice.com
• OfficeZilla.com
• Sosius.com
• ProjectOffice.net
• OnstagePortal.com
• MyQuire.com
• WorkETC.com

But I may go back to the proverbial drawing board again. None of these offers everything I want, and many only offer a small number of the items in my “must have” list. The weekend is still young.

By the time this weekend is over, I’ll have found a workable solution — even if I can’t have all my desires filled by a single option. I’ll review again and pick the best of the lot and get my data settled in a new home. I’ll let you know what I find.

In the meantime, if anyone has a suggestion that will satisfy my list, I’d LOVE to hear from you!

Ok, my office “situation” was beyond unbearable. I had actually started queuing up the Flickr slideshow of Uncluttered Office Spaces to try to inspire myself. My “borrowed” desk was supposed to be temporary, but it had become way too permanent. It was too tall, which meant that my feet were dangling from my deskchair and I was “reaching up” to type. I sit at my desk alot, I type alot. I was starting to experience weird aches and pains. I couldn’t wait any longer.

So here’s a shot of my un-touched up, uncleaned, uncleared desk. Look quick, because I may lose my nerve soon and pull it down and vehemently deny that MY desk ever looked like THAT. Right now, I make myself feel better by knowing that this IS, after all, the before. :O)

There, confession made. Complete with photographic evidence. So I looked at that mess and tried to determine what was essential to my work and happiness, and what was just extra stuff.

I determined that since most of my “stuff” was digital these days, that I only needed a few things that weren’t on my computer. I also decided that having my daughter’s desk right beside mine was not the best choice.

So I moved her into the adjacent room (where I can still see her while she’s completing her homeschooling assignments). I also moved my desk away from the window to avoid the early afternoon sunbeams that often blinded me.

I also moved the printer to a closer proximity (you can’t even see the printer in the “before” photo.) I pulled the cheap (but functional) kidney shaped computer desk from Serenity into the house and set it up with only the bare necessities. I’m keeping only those items I need every day at fingertip access. The rest, I’m tossing, donating or storing elsewhere.

It’s liberating!

I’ve also recently reworked the way I handle my finances, the way I keep my books and store my client files (the few that are actually physical paper). These items must be easy to access, so they are on the shelf to the left of my workspace. There’s even a place for my new, wonderful, PERFECT purse on that same shelf so those essentials can be reached without getting up.

My new space looks like this:

I do have a cluttered framed print above my desk — it’s plastered with a slew of my favorite photos. Not serene, not feng shui, but I love it and it makes me happy to focus on those photos and those memories at a glance while I’m working.

The light is a clip-on metal with a conversion “swirly” fluorescent bulb that really brightens up my work area without wasting energy. I tamed the tangle of cords and used twist-ties to group them and keep them unknotted.

The “new” desk is missing something, my largish stereo speakers and the huge base unit. I’ve replaced them with the tiny ones you see on the top of the new desk. They sound pretty good, but they can’t thump like the other ones could. That’s ok. I’ll make the sacrifice.

This isn’t the “ultimate” office, but it’s much closer than what I had before. I still need to add a rolling storage cabinet with a hanging file folder drawer in the bottom and a shallow drawer on the top. I’d like to have it outfitted so the printer will live on top. (I’m still looking for that cabinet.)

I’d also like to have a “hot file” for the incoming papers between the time they are received and the time I handle them (pay the bills, complete the project, file the papers). I’d like to hang this folder-sized hot file on the wall beside my desk.

But for now… I have to run and get my desk dock for the iPhone (thank goodness Apple designs things sleek and small!)

A recent NYT article chronicles the stress of being a full-time blogger, entrepreneur and participant in the Internet information industry. So, after staying up until nearly 3 a.m. last night working on my “new look” for WickedBlog — with proper validation, a new layout and a WordPress update (that I did all by my lonesome!)… I have to wonder if I’m not part of this craziness.

I’ve noticed the weight gain, the failure to eat properly and the lack of exercise — especially lately. But I keep telling myself that my life will calm down soon, that it will get better, that I’m “investing” in my future. I’m serving clients, dealing with children and family issues, maintaining my websites, blogging and doing constant research.

Hmm… maybe I’m merely continuing my life-long habit of “burning-the-candle-at-both-ends” and I’m just CALLING it something new. Food for thought. Definitely!

Are you just getting started as a virtual assistant, freelancer, remote professional or outsourcing provider? Are you wondering how to find the clients? Manage time and billing? How to get your business on the web?

Maybe you are an old hand and providing services remotely (like me) and what you REALLY want to know is how to gracefully “fire” a client that is no longer a good fit, or you may want to determine if it’s time to try your hand at blogging, or maybe you want to update your existing website to be more effective for your mature business model?

If you want an economical way to find solutions for any of these issues, you may want to sign up for the RemoteProfessionals.com Mini-Conference to be held on April 17th. It’s a great way to get answers from the people in the know!

Presenters include:

• Tiffanie Lyon of Lyon Sales Institute, LLC
• Marsha Kopan of Executive Secretarial Services
• Anna Baron of the Virtual Link
• Karen Reddick of V-and-E-Services
• Mike Price of MLBroadcast.com
• Andrea Pixley of AndreaPixley.com

If you are interested, move quickly. Registration for the virtual assistant mini-conference closes soon, and the workshop sessions are limited to only a handful of earlybirds — keeping the workshop classes small makes them more effective! I’ll be there… maybe you will be too!

(NOTE: And if you are just starting out… you may be interested in the one year “startup membership” given as a complementary bonus to all non-members who purchase all-day access!)

The new space-hungry multimedia applications coupled with consumer desire for the convenience of external “plug and play” drives have resulted in a host of new possibilities for data portability and ease of use for the remote professional.

The cost to store data is plummeting. In 2007 I saw the price of a 500 gig drive cut in half in a matter of weeks. Having the “space” to store your stuff is no longer the same issue it might have been a couple years ago.

I just picked up an external terabyte drive for under $250 and a portable drive (about the size of a deck of playing cards) that holds 250 gigs of information and cost less than $140. As an “old-time” geek, I find that incredible.

Many of the newer small portable drives don’t even require external power, so a short USB cord is all you need to carry. Simple “lipstick” flash drives with 16 gigs of storage space can be purchased without breaking the bank.

There are a number of Open Source programs that make it possible to plug in an external drive into a host computer and use the hardware (cpu, monitor, video, peripherals) to run personal programs without leaving a “footprint” behind. (For Apple fans, you can even use your iPod or your iPhone to run the software!)

What does this mean for you? You can now buy an external drive of any size that meets your needs and carry it to a client’s site rather than carrying an entire computer. You can also take it on a trip, to a library, or even to a friend’s house. You can plug it in any usb drive to open and run files, perform diagnostics, access your personal data, send emails, look up your usernames and passwords and never leave any trace of your personal information on your client’s computer. You are simply “borrowing” the hardware to view, edit and manipulate your information – the software programs and data reside on your drive.

If you are new to “portable apps” and would like a basic tour, visit http://portableapps.com/ to get an “all in one” package of applications for Windows OS and Mac OS (Linux is coming soon). My favorites from this line-up are:

• GIMP Portable – an image and graphics manipulation program (it’s the program I use, full size, in my office)
• FileZilla Portable– the best, easiest FTP client I’ve ever used
• Miranda IM Portable – IM from anywhere!
• Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition – my favorite browser in a portable platform
• Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition – take your email with you (get the version with an address book)
• MPlayer Portable – I’ve been a fan of this program since my Treo days, when it was the only program that made movies work seamlessly on my smartphone.
• VLC Media Player Portable – great portable option for multi-media entertainment (and the one I use on my Linux box)
• OpenOffice.org Portable – all the office software basics in your pocket (and compatible with the commercial “big boys”)
• 7-Zip Portable – compression/archiving program to manipulate most common file extensions.
• KeePass Password Safe Portable– I love this program on my main computer and find it handy to be able to take this secure, encrypted file with all my critical data wherever I go.

If you are a rebel and would like to pick and choose your own apps, try any of the following websites to pick and choose your programs for any use:

• http://pendriveapps.com/
• http://www.portablefreeware.com/
• http://www.usbspace.com/
• http://www.no-install.com/ (requires registration)

You may also want to use the portable option to try out new or beta software without risking your main machine’s set up. Lifehacker offers an example on safely trying the Firefox 3 beta from a flashdrive.

If you are interested in running Linux on a portable, check out http://www.pendrivelinux.com/ for more information.

To keep your data secure on these small (and infinitely easy-to-misplace) devices, install a copy of TrueCrypt, a highly-acclaimed opensource “on-the-fly” encryption program – just in case.

Now you know how to work from anywhere by borrowing a computer, rather than lugging your own, without any worry about privacy or confidentiality issues for your data or your client data. And, when you are finished working you simply pull your drive from the USB port and take it with you. Now THAT is portability!

I’ve struggled for years to find the perfect accounting solution. I saw a T-shirt the other day that capsulizes my love of math. It read: “English Major – YOU do the math.” It fits.

Can I do it? Sure. I can do lots of stupid stuff… like plucking the hairs off my legs rather than shaving them. Or like calculus for example. Been there, done that. But it’s not my favorite activity. Calculus is tied with root canals on my extensive list of things I enjoy in life — albeit these two contenders are rather LOW on that list. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should — and it doesn’t mean you want to.

At my age, I’d prefer if my math were simple and my books were even more so.

While looking around for easy invoicing options, I found a few solutions that may be of interest to others who are trying to do the same or others who are tired of required updates from Quickbooks, battling with Peachtree or trying to figure out Microsoft Small Business Accounting or the Linux baby: GnuCash.

Maybe you just want an easier way to send and track time and invoices. Or maybe you don’t want to be tied to a particular computer or geographic location. In any of these cases, you may want to check into these online invoicing options: (more…)

If you followed the steps from last month’s clutter-busting article, your desktop is clutter free and you can now find all the files you need on your computer. You have probably archived and put away old client files and have found that you are more efficient on a daily basis. Right? Congratulations!

Now let’s talk about making your office as comfortable as it is efficient.

Buy a decent chair

If you spend as much time in front of your computer as I do, the first thing you need to do is buy a quality desk chair. Consider this an investment and take the time to adjust it to ergonomic perfection.

Many chairs are rated for the hours used per day. The higher the hour number, the higher quality the construction. Skip the bargain aisle at your local super-store. Resist the temptation to buy online. You really need to “test drive” your next chair.

A quick guide to selecting a traditional desk chair

• Adjustable height (your thighs should be parallel to the floor and your feet should be flat on the floor when seated)
• Back support (you need lower and upper back support to resist the slouching in the back of your chair or slumping forward in it)
• Properly sized seat (it should allow at least 2 inches on each side of your hips and between the end of your chair and your knees to prevent circulation problems)
• Fabric and wheels (the fabric should breathe and there should be enough wheels to avoid “tipping” when you lean in the chair — four isn’t enough)
• Arm rests (these should be adjustable to make them the right height for all tasks to help prevent repetitive stress injuries)

You may cut costs by locating office supply liquidation stores, by checking the local second hand stores and watching the sale and discontinued models at your local office supply or office furniture store.

If you want to read more on every aspect of desk chair selection, visit ChairWheel, a blog about all things desk chair related including exercise ball chairs, kneeling chairs and saddle chairs.

Bring your work into the light

The last thing you need to add to your work day is more stress in the form of eye-strain. Selecting the proper lighting for your work area will improve your outlook and decrease those squint-enhanced wrinkles.

Don’t begin work in the dark. Make sure that the room light has adequate high-wattage bulbs.

If you need additional task lighting, survey your desk to see if you have room for a desk lamp. If you don’t have room on the desk surface, consider a clip-on style light to attach to one edge of your workspace or a floor lamp if you have the space beside your desk. If neither of these are an option, consider using an adjustable task light option that will hang on the wall behind your desk or on the side wall.

You may also want to consider they type of light you are using. Full-spectrum lights are a blues-fighting option for the winter months, while compact fluorescents are a great green choice to help you cut the electric bill. Halogen and “Eye Saver” bulbs make close work and reading easier.

Whichever type you select, make sure you can adjust the light level for the activity at hand and that any task lamps have casings that stay cool to the touch for easy, safe adjustment.

Soothe your eyes and clear your mind — naturally

Technology isn’t a substitute for the natural world… not even at your desk. When you are working you need to take the time to refocus your eyes, and your thoughts, away from the monitor several times per hour.

You can do this by looking out a window if you are lucky enough to have a good view of the outside world from your desk. Even without a good view, or any window at all, you can still enjoy nature on a smaller scale at your desk.

Add something natural to your workday by pulling in a plant. If you don’t have the desk space for a table-top plant, purchase a potted tree or larger plant that can sit beside you while you work. (I have a vine on the bookshelf next to my desk that brightens my workspace.) I also have a tall, narrow “tank” on one corner of my desk occupied by “Ink” my male beta fish. His home is about 6 inches in diameter and stands about two foot tall, so it takes up very little space on the desk’s surface.
I highly recommend a beta. They require little attention and very little food. Mine is a bit of a character and will “tap” on the glass if I haven’t fed him before sitting down to begin my day (or if he’s bored). A small fish tank will offer you something soothing to watch while you think through a tough project.

Do whatever works for you, the point is to bring a little nature and a little joy to your workday to help remind you to keep your balance and to make your work environment a bit more enjoyable.

When you work for yourself, there’s seldom time to make your office as enjoyable as it is productive.

Organizing, streamlining and “shoveling out” your office can be the key to internal peace as well as improved productivity but finding the time and the energy to handle these tasks is never as simple as clearing surfaces or filing papers.

Creating an optimum office environment requires considering the physical comfort of your office, the “virtual” as well as the physical clutter that invades your space and developing systems that keep you happy and productive.

Physical files

As a remote worker, you probably don’t have to juggle as many physical paper files as a traditional office. You do, however, posess some important papers that you will need to keep.

Banks of physical filing cabinets are opressive. I use a single file drawer for my “finger tip” files. All the other files are archived away from my office. Keeping my physical space clean and clear helps me to think.

At the end of each tax year, I clear out the information that relates to the previous tax year and move it to storage in a less convenient location (my attic). I place these files in plastic bins and label them accordingly. If I ever need the files, I have them, but since I implemented this system, I’ve only had to access my archives a couple of times.

I don’t need more than one drawer to keep my current client files, legal files, tax information, receipts and billing information. Old client file are archived. Current client work (completed during the previous) is archived along with tax information, billing and receipts from the previous year.

I’d like to say I found my perfect filing cabinet solution — but I haven’t. I currently use an open-top bin that slides under my desk. Eventually I will find (or build) the perfect one-drawer file cabinet with two index card drawers at the top and a slide out shelf for my thesaurus with a dictionary on top and a printer cubby. I’ve made several sketches, but I’ve not finalized the design yet.

Desk Clutter

If you don’t have a clear place to work, you don’t work effectively. I find that I’m easily distracted if I let the top of my desk get out of hand. If you can’t dust your desk in under a minute, you have too much stuff there.

• Get rid of the knick-knacks
• Eliminate the “piles” of paper
• Pay the bills and file the stubs
• If you haven’t had time to look at the magazines and catalogs lounging on your desk by now, you probably won’t — so discard/recycle them
• Handle the things on your desk ONCE – and put them where they belong — don’t merely “shuffle” the papers

Computer Clutter

Inside and outside of many computers dwells a mire of mess. Outside you have cords, cables, peripherials, connectors and other things that you may or may not even need anymore. (Anything that you haven’t used in the last six months, probably doesn’t need to be taking up valuable space.)

During my recent string of moves, I’ve noticed I don’t really use the flatbed scanner as much as I thought I did, and that thing is a beast! Ditto for several other external devices. I’m paring those down in favor of an all-in-one printer/fax/scanner.

Get rid of any wires you can. Bundle and tame the ones you must keep. (I use a label maker to tag my cords at both ends so I don’t spend time “following” the cords to figure out where they go.) Also, if you aren’t using a good UPS (uninterrupted power supply) or a high-end surge protector, now is a good time to invest in one.

Virtual Clutter

It’s easy to believe that if you don’t have to physically shuffle the files, that they don’t exist. Computer files that aren’t well-organized are time-sucking annoyances. It not only takes more time to find the files you need, but you spend more time (and money) on your full system backups.

(NOTE: Before you start cleaning out computer files, be sure you have a full system backup. If you are running a Windows system, force a restore point.)

If you want to recapture some space quickly, start with the software programs you don’t use. Getting rid of those will clear up space quickly and easily. If you haven’t used a program in the last year; chances are you won’t. Some of the programs you have used in the last year may be just as easily handled by another program you use regularly. Check. Don’t keep anything installed that you don’t use.

Put the old program disks with your archived paper file folders if you think you may need them again. If not, then donate them to someone who will use them (like maybe a VA that’s just starting out and could use the boost!)

Find a logical way to organize the data files you need on a daily basis for quick access. Whatever works best for you is what you should use. I use custom desktop icons to “visually” organize all my primary files. I find that I can absorb a visual icon quicker than I can read a folder name/description below a typical file icon. I even have mugshots of my clients on their individual folders under my master “clients” folder. It makes it super-fast to find what I need.

I keep all my essential “use them all the time” files under a master folder called “Wicked” — with a witch’s hat icon. This shows how things are organized under that folder:

For files that you may be needed in the future, archive them to an external drive. If you have archived client files on your machine, burn them to a CD or DVD and slip them down in the paper file for that client so you can find them quickly if needed. (You can get stick-on sleeves for file folders at any office supply store to make it easy to retrieve the DVD if/when you need it.)

Organizing your files, eliminating duplicates and archiving old information will make your time in front of the computer a more enjoyable and productive undertaking.

It will take some time — probably more than you realize to get things in shape — but you will regain that time investment in just a few weeks. It’s worth it. And… if you begin this process now, you will be completely organized as the new year begins and your year-end tasks (and taxes) will be easier. Now wouldn’t THAT be nice?

Next time, I’ll cover ways to improve your physical office environment in ways that go beyond merely clearing clutter.

Outsourcing service providers are a growing segment of the population. With astronomical gasoline prices, the spread of broadband and communications networks, it’s no surprise that more individuals are seriously considering alternative work styles.

Two years ago, Jodi Diehl and I started www.RemoteProfessionals.com, and this year we are launching a new membership level to help individuals interested in establishing their own services business to begin outsourcing. (more…)

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If I were starting my business now, with the benefit of the wisdom I’ve gained along the way, I would do a few things differently.

For instance, I’d select my ideal client type first. I wouldn’t try to serve everyone – or anyone – just to get a business started. I would have been pickier in the early, lean months despite my appetite for those first clients and I would have listened to my “gut” when it told me to decline a project.

I know now that if I’d done this one thing, that I’d have developed a healthy, sustaining and profitable online business faster… with far less pain.

I firmly believe that helping others is the best possible way to success. I’m a Karma girl. My business was built with a four-pillar foundation:

1. I maintained my faith in my own ability
2. I offered the best individualized service possible
3. I worked tirelessly (and didn’t give up even when things seemed hopeless)
4. I stayed abreast of new developments in my industry and my client industries

Recently, I asked some of my peers to share their best advice for those just starting out. I think you will enjoy the following wisdom from those who have “been there, done that” as full-time career outsourcing services providers.

Question: Who should begin this career? How can I know if it’s a good fit for me?

Answer: (Katie Baird of LooseEnds.net)

I guess the first thing I’d ask is: “How comfortable would you be with completely remodeling and building a house on your own?”

If you are able to juggle all those details, you would probably be a good candidate for this career path.

If you aren’t comfortable with that, if the thought of everything coming at you all at once makes you want to hide, you should probably consider keeping a more traditional job or remain a subcontractor and plan to assist other entrepreneurs rather than dealing directly with clients and building your own business.

Question: What do I need to know first?

Answer: (Karen Drebes of CoordinatorGroup.com)

You have to know the products and programs you plan to use to serve your clients. The more you know, the more money you will make and the less time it will take you to complete projects.

Educate yourself about what you want to provide. This career path is not a “wing-it” situation. You need to have the experience before offering services. You can’t learn on the clients time (or on their dime) and you have to bring something to their party.

You can’t just decide to go into business, hang out your virtual “shingle” without preparation and expect to make a living.

Question: How would you recommend I determine out what services to offer?

Answer: (JJ Murphy of WriterByNature.com)

Base your services on what you know and what you most love. I would recommend that you attempt to subcontract first to get an idea of what the industry standards are and what’s expected from you by successful peers and future clients.

This would also help you identify your strengths, your weaknesses and you get a “built in” mentor for the people that you are helping with overflow. It’s a great learning experience and helps you to build important professional relationships. In this way you can also find out what services are hard to secure and which ones are in highest demand in your choice industry.

Join a networking group of people who were already successful. That’s what I was told to do and it’s what I did – and that made all the difference.

Question: What should I know about selecting equipment for my office?

Answer: (Jeri Winkler of TheSecretAssistant.com)

Having the right equipment for your area of expertise is important. Since I do a lot of mailings, a good printer and paper folder are essential for me. Of course you need a good phone (which is easier said than done) and a good computer (one that is up-to-date, not something that’s a hand-me-down). Treat your business like a business from the beginning.

The one thing that I couldn’t live without now is my wireless router. Now I can take my laptop outside and work in my Gazebo or anywhere else in (or out of) the house – without dragging wires along behind me.

I work long hours and it’s difficult to sit at my desk all day long. The router makes me portable and comfortable.

Question: How can I fast-track myself for success as a new provider?

Answer: (Evy Williams of BrochuresByDesign.com)

Networking with other outsourcing providers and associations is the most important thing you can do. When I networked with others, my business bloomed.

Get your name out there and talk to people, volunteer, and stay visible to enjoy the quickest way to success. For me, it was like a domino effect and I am still feeling the effects of that from when I started four years ago!

Question: What else do I need to know to be successful?

Answer: (Judy Vorfeld of EditingAndWritingServices.com)

Know yourself. Know what you have to offer. Be passionate about your career and nail things down by analyzing yourself and your goals. Create a good business and marketing plan that projects 3-5 years into the future. Take the time required to promote your business, so others know you and know what you have to offer.

Networking is key. I’ve learned so much from fellow virtual assistants over the years and have done my part to help others. I’ve hired other VAs, have shared clients and have been hired by peers. These days, things are changing too fast for people to try and go it alone.

Be willing to analyze your target market, and then when you open for business, always give clients more than they expect. This is sometimes difficult, but there are always life lessons that may be of value later. Keep a good attitude at all times.

Continue to improve your skills and always make time for a balanced personal life… away from the office.

Question: What about pricing my services? Any suggestions on how to do make a real living as a virtual assistant?

Answer: (Lynne Norris of NorrisBusinessSolutions.com)

Don’t under price your services. In the beginning, I took work I didn’t really want for less money than I should have because I was desperate – or I thought I was. The problem was long term, because it’s difficult – and sometimes impossible – to get those early clients raised to a proper rate later.

I wish I had taken more time to determine a living wage from the beginning, that took into account the cost of doing business, the non-billable hours required to run the business and the actual value of the time I was spending to serve clients.

Don’t give up. These days, I turn away work, but it took almost four years for me to wise up and make the decision to work with only those people I adore and accept only those projects I really love.

Question: What about doing the books? Do I have to do them myself?

Answer: (Kimberley Thomas-Catanzaro of On-LineSecretary.com)

You need to be organized. You should not procrastinate in doing essential tasks, especially things like your books. If you don’t have the time or desire to do the tasks that need to be done, hire someone. Learn to delegate. Keep excellent records.

The biggest problem I see is people trying to do their books themselves, and (come tax time) it has to be reentered, recreated from scratch, or reviewed for errors – all under a time crunch.

Question: What’s the secret to being happy working as a VA or freelancer?

Answer: (Bronwyn Robertson of TheArtsVa.com)

Know your clients. That’s most important. You have to know who you plan to serve. Beyond that, my best advice is to set a livable wage and stick to it and make sure you have a good contract. And the one that was the toughest for me in the early years… always decline work that doesn’t appeal.

Question: How do I know if a client is a good match?

Answer: (Jodi Diehl of SunfrogServices.com)

Do an interview to make sure you are comfortable before entering into a relationship. Do not accept every project that walks in the front door. It’s ok to say no. No matter how hard it is to get clients in the beginning, you shouldn’t accept just any client. Success depends on synergy and compatibility.

Question: How can I make a living serving only those clients that “appeal” to me?

Answer: (George Montgomery of BusinessAndTaxPlanning.com)

Keep track of the income and where your clients and customers come from. Fill their needs and keep them happy. Determine your skills and make sure that they match.

If that’s not what you really want to do, transition your business to serve what you enjoy. Take the business where YOU want to go and do what YOU want to do.

We all hope our experiences will help you as you begin your own path as an entrepreneur. If you are ready to start your business, there’s no better time than now.

“Leap and the net will appear”
- Zen saying

Here’s the press release for the event:

(Lexington, KY, USA) July 17, 2007 – Have you ever considered working for yourself? Want to know the truth about the virtual assistant industry? Want to know if it’s the right path for you? The outsourcing business is booming and solopreneurs are creating successful careers by marketing their skills online. RemoteProfessionals.com, (www.Remoteprofessionals.com), a networking organization for independent service providers, is hosting a free panel discussion teleconference event to answer questions of those new to the industry and those interested in learning more about this career path. (more…)

It seems that once you get a few good, national clients, the people at home start to notice you. Local businesses are interested in this “offsite help” or “remote professional” concept. I was recently asked by a friend if I would be working with the locals now that I’m living in the city. My answer? “I’m not interested.”

Why? For me, the “cons” outweigh the “pros” of working locally. Have you weighed out the pros and cons to determine if a local client list is more beneficial than a long distance one? Maybe you should…

Benefits of working with local clients:

• You are available for face-to-face meetings.
• You “know” your clients in a more concrete way.
• You can travel onsite to see how they operate.
• You can deliver something across town quicker than you can overnight it.
• You are in the same time zone so workday hours mesh.
• You are more likely to work with the subordinates, instead of just the boss.
• You may find that the number of projects you are assigned increases because you are local and/or more involved in the business.
• You can take your clients out to lunch occasionally and find other ways to build that working relationship with personal contact.
• Word of mouth marketing may be stronger on a local level and you may grow a local client base more quickly than a national or global one.
• You can market locally by joining local networking groups and business clubs and feel less “isolated” in your work.

Possible problems with working with local clients:

• You are expected to be physically present when there’s a crisis.
• You spend more time traveling to the client’s site (and if you don’t charge for travel time, you lose billable hours).
• You may experience a resistance to work done “virtually” when you are physically close. (“Can you just come in, it’s so much easier if I can just show you what I need…”)
• You can’t use “off hours” to complete projects and deliver them using the time difference (so you may work later).
• You may experience fewer eggs in your business basket: clients who lean on you more (because you are close) may monopolize your time and prevent you from maintaining a variety of clients.
• You may notice a less distinct line between “employee” and “independent contractor” — be sure to review the IRS guidelines on employee vs. contract labor.
• Getting paid may actually take longer. (Waiting when the “check is in the mail” takes longer than immediate electronic, credit card or PayPal funding.)
• You may spend more time being PC and less time doing the work when you are physically close to the client.
• You are easier to find and may encounter clients when you are off the clock, when you are at school functions, even at the grocery store.
• Your “business attire” is completely different when you have local clients that may “drop by” than when you have distance clients that never see how you dress to work.

That gives you ten pros and ten cons for cultivating a local client base. Personally, I have one local client that I maintain. The rest are long distance. Why? I find that on the average, local clients are “needy” compared to my national clients (my current client being the exception). I find that local clients expect me to drop everything and help when they have a crisis. I find that they plan less and are less likely to try to problem solve on their own before picking up the phone and calling me to come in. And, I like having the option to work in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. My days of the daily “power suit” are long gone. Thankfully, my “local” client is still a couple hours away, so I don’t have “drop in” surprises in my home office.

What do you like about local clients? What do you like about national/global clients? Help build the pros and cons list!

Want to call information for free? Willing to listen to a 15-second audio ad to avoid the usual information charges? Maybe you are out on your cell phone (like I was this weekend) and need some info to save drive time? (more…)

As remote professionals, we are required to maintain a rather “high-tech” office with leading edge tech tools, programs and equipment. Often, we get “caught up” in our technology. If we are bitten by the tech bug, we can end up with a bundle of these tools that cost us more time than they save. Something as simple as buying a new cell phone requires research, time and sometimes hours of programming. Ditto for a new “land-line” phone system for a business.

How do you determine what’s “just enough” and what is “too much” where office and technology tools are concerned?

Needs Assessment

Once a year, you should assess your current “mission critical” programs and hardware to determine if you need to upgrade or replace them. It’s a good idea to do this before the end of your fiscal year, to expense out what you need on the old year, or to know that you need to hold it for the upcoming business year.

Remember that if you upgrade or replace, there will be a learning curve. Even what appear to be “simple” upgrades will impact your productivity and the amount of time required to turn around projects in the immediate future. Don’t replace mission critical software and hardware during your busy season. Schedule these changes when you will have time to acquaint yourself with your new gadgets and gizmos.

Software Purchase Considerations

First, you should only buy software (and hardware) you actually need to provide the services you offer. For example, don’t buy the latest version of “Dreamweaver” unless you already are a web designer/web programmer or you plan in the IMMEDIATE future to learn this new, complex software program.

Our industry is filled with the best intentions to learn new skills which require new tools. Don’t purchase until you have the time, the money and the desire to take on a big new educational leap and can honestly sacrifice the billable hours to do so. If you buy it now and it’s a few months before you can muster up the strength to begin learning it, your program will be the “old” version.

Alternative: Online Options

Consider lowering your investment in software by utilizing online alternatives like Google Docs, Backpackit, or Zoho rather than purchasing and installing all the software you need.

• Lower cost (usually free)
• No installation or upgrades needed
• Uses most common file formats
• Most allow you to save your personal documents on your own computer
• Storing them online means you can access your files from anywhere

Warning: Read the privacy policy carefully for any online service providers and beware of storing sensitive information online on someone else’s server.

Alternative: Open Source Options

Consider the plethora of open source options for paid software programs you currently use. I’ve found several extremely useful and high-performance open source programs: Gimp for image manipulation and Open Office for basic productivity programs and WordPress for my blogging engine. (These actually crash less often than the “big name” programs I used before.)

• Cost is either low or free
• Updates are also low or no-cost
• Security on these “group effort” program are pretty good
• Programs tend to be stable once they are listed as non-alpha/non-beta versions

Warning: Regular updates will have to be done on open source options and some (but not all) require a higher level of technical expertise than the commercial versions.

Hardware Purchase Considerations

When purchasing a new computer, resist the temptation to buy the “latest and greatest” model. Unless you are in a high-tech niche where the clients or the industry requires cutting edge equipment, you will save hundreds of dollars and many hours of your time each year if you drop back one (or more) steps from the top of the line.

Personally, I find the pricing “sweet spot” for a new computer at one or two generations back. This is usually a machine that has been on the market for a few weeks or even a few months and has been recently “trumped” by the next shiny model. The prices are cut to clear out the old and make way for the new and the only sacrifice is usually a tiny bit of CPU speed (which you probably won’t notice unless you are handling multimedia projects) and maybe a new flashy feature or two.

Going one or two steps back also retains the value of the computer for you as a user and prevents the need for a near-future replacement. I would not buy a computer model that is more than 7-8 months old, however. Technology becomes outdated too quickly to invest your time and energy into tweaking a new system with all your software and your personalized settings if you are going to be replacing it in less than a year or two.

Recognize that “one device to do it all” options are great, but are usually more expensive and will require more time to learn than simpler options. So, if you don’t need all of the extra bells and whistles, avoid the fancy stuff.

Maintain What You Use

Do not update your software to the latest version immediately. Do so only as you must to keep your security levels high and to stay in step with the version the majority of your clients are using. Deciding NOT to be on the cutting edge will save you money and it will save you time. It will also ensure that you don’t become one of the many unsuspecting and unpaid beta-testers for newly released (and usually extremely buggy) software.

• Run regular diagnostics and maintenance programs on your computer
• Update your adware/spyware/anti-virus programs and run full-system scans religiously
• Create regular, timely backups (at least once a week — preferably daily)
• Get critical security updates for your software and operating system
• Use a firewall, use strong passwords, don’t share your business machine with family members

When working in our industry, a solid working system that’s a little older is much better than the latest and greatest that crashes in the middle of a project or makes you burn the midnight oil to figure it out before you can begin your next workday. Keep your perspective and remember that technology is supposed to serve you and simplify the way you work. If that’s not happening, you may want to re-evaluate your tech tools.

Technology is great fun for the geeks among us, but it can absorb big chunks of what SHOULD be billable time during your workday… so proceed with caution, consideration, and care.