Things I Learned The Hard Way The business adventures of a freelancer

Ine Dehandschutter @matuvu www.matuvu.nu Bizcamp.be 2012

Monday 4 June 12

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Hi, I’m Ine, a (web)designer & photographer, currently based in Ghent, Belgium. (I’m also lead designer of Emphas.is) I have been a freelancer since 2000. And I made loooooads of mistakes during the years. You don’t have to! Enjoy this presentation. If you do, don’t hesitate to like & share it,

Monday 4 June 12

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Have A Dream To Die For because you will. suffer. cry. blood. tears. die. over and over again. Monday 4 June 12

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Outline Your Plan use S.M.A.R.T principle: specific.measurable.achievable.relevant.time framed. Monday 4 June 12

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Define Your Wage because if you don’t earn, you have no bread on your table. (define what you need by calculating all your costs) not earning enough? reconsider your business plan! Monday 4 June 12

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Get A Good Accountant a good accountant can save you a lot of money, but most of all a good accountant thinks along with you! Monday 4 June 12

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Don’t Sell Cheap never. ever. work for free. unless it is for your mom. Monday 4 June 12

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Find Real Clients when you can, ditch the friends, family and fools. they’re perfect for starters, but bad for pro’s. Monday 4 June 12

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Teach Those Clients learn from the 20% 80% rule: 20% stand for 80% of your trouble. keep the good clients, ditch the others. Monday 4 June 12

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Charge Fast and follow up your cash flow. don’t play bank to your clients. no money on the bank = no bread on the table. Monday 4 June 12

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Network it is the best way to find exiting new clients. or to find new partners. or to do fun stuff. Monday 4 June 12

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Surround Yourself the best way to loose your uncertainties is to talk to colleagues. unite with others. (consider co-working, join certain business groups, ...) Monday 4 June 12

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Measure, Evaluate measure everything you do. your time, your projects. your profits. learn from your mistakes. and do it better. Monday 4 June 12

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NO Learn To Say NO try it: nononono. it will earn you more. if not in money, in quality. Monday 4 June 12

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Save For Later don’t spend to ‘save taxes’. if you pay taxes you keep 50%. if you spend you keep nothing. Monday 4 June 12

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Live The Now make time for your personal life ‘later’ = ‘now’ it is gone before you know. Monday 4 June 12

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Most Of All Be Flexible be prepared to fail, to change, to adapt. sometimes stuff works, sometimes not. Monday 4 June 12

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It Is A Bumpy But Adventurous Ride

Monday 4 June 12

Thank You Ine Dehandschutter (web)designer & photographer & talker www.matuvu.nu @matuvu www.linkedin.com/in/matuvu www.slideshare.com/matuvu

Monday 4 June 12