by Hope
The last week of December, I heard from a past client asking if I was available for a big role. I was so excited to hear from him. Not only was he one of my favorite clients, but, of course, I wanted more work. But I was also immediately torn as I felt a loyalty to my accounting client.
He and I scheduled a call for the second week of January to touch base. And the day before that call…I was laid off.
So while I was devastated in one sense, my availability opened up and need for work became urgent.
Round and Round of Calls
The first call went great. The role he described was a dream role. And we left that call with some things to think about. But no real plan.
The second call was a couple of weeks later due to some pre-scheduled travel on his part. And we were both prepared. It went great. And I came in confident that I could not only succeed in the role, but with a firm grasp of what I was willing to offer to get it. Firm boundaries.
By the third call we had come to terms as far as time commitment and finances. It was a compromise on both our parts, but for the first time, probably ever, I stuck to my guns. And came away feeling really good about the deal we had tentatively struck.
Fourth and fifth calls nailed down the details and introduced me to the leadership team. And as of the writing of this post, we have a signed 6 month contract. I will start next week.
The future looks bright.
The Details
I will be bringing in $6,000 per month as a part time independent contractor. We will re-evaluate at the 90 day mark and 6 month mark to discuss expanding the role and possible increase in rate. As a contractor, I am wholly responsible for all my taxes, FICA, etc. so I can’t just go budget $6K. But this is a huge step in the right direction. And I am so pleased!
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
