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May 10, 2018    |       10 comments

New Client – Starting Today

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I share on Tuesday that I finally settled on a course of work. I’m moving forward with laser focus on building my clientele for my consulting business again.

Today I start with my second new client. (I’m enjoying the part time job I started a few weeks ago.) Between the two clients, I have now committed to approximately 30 hours a week. All from home! I am so grateful.

In addition, I have been hired to do a redesign of a flooring company’s website. Woot, woot! Things are turning around and this time, I am not compromising my kids, my integrity or my dreams.

New Business, New Attitude

Between the book, Your Money or Your Life, our lower cost of living in this small town and my resolution to not give up my dreams again, I am in a better place mentally then I have been in a long time.

My financial goals have also evolved and are much more solid. In addition to a priority on paying off my debt, exemplified by my time here, and saving as I have been doing this past year, I also know that having ENOUGH is all I need.

Business Plan

I’ve got to buckle down and come up with my business goals now. But first, settling into a new work routine with my two new clients is the priority while getting the flooring website completed. I realize I have to find a way to scale up since my own hours are limited.

There is no local SCORE chapter here, although they are trying. I’m going to set up a meeting to get myself a mentor.  They say, two heads are better than one.

The name of the game is bootstrapping so I’m working on a new personal budget that will stop the quick drain of my savings while also giving me some money to put into the business.  My business cost priorities right now are to join the Chamber of Commerce ($190) and get some sort of marketing going locally.

With that being said, tell me what resources you would recommend as I find my new direction, looking into scaling my business which has been a one woman shop for 12 years and any tips or tricks you might have to starting over with a business.

May 9, 2018    |       16 comments

Choosing a Direction and Going for It

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Those who have followed me here know that the last few years have been absolutely insane job wise. I began as a contract worker in 2006 when my youngest son was 1 year old. That transition was the result of my desire to be home and raise my kids rather than traveling as I had done with my corporate IT job.

After losing my largest two clients who were with me 8+ years a couple of years ago, I made the decision to go back to corporate work. And thus the job search began…

Landing us here in Georgia after 13 years in Virginia. I thought I had a great W2 job. It wasn’t. Leaving me back as a contract worker in January and then unemployed in February of this year.

Make a Decision Already

I have really been floundering with direction the last couple of months:

  • Find another corporate job and probably have to move again. I’ve applied for over 200 jobs all over the country since November when I posted what was going on at my W2 job.
  • Take a local industrial job which would pay less but be steady. I have been minutes from accepting an overnight shift at a local plant. (Granted it was a 2 week temporary job.)
  • Rebuild my consulting business. And recently I have begun really pursuing more consultant type work through sites like Guru, Upwork and other advertised part time and consultant type gigs.

In my opinion, one of the things that contributes to my lack of success is my indecision about what I want and need. What will work for our family.

Decision Made

As of last week, after three weeks at my new part time job, and several more job interviews and consultant successes, I have decided to pursue building my consultant business back up with a vengance.

But I’m also going to expand my offerings tremendously. One of the things I hope to add in a Young Entrepreneur type workshop based on how our summer challenge goes. We shall see.

Plan of Action

I’ve been working on creating a plan of action. Marketing plan. Services and packages to offer. Timeline. And more.

Bootstrapping it all the way. I’ve been attending networking events, SCORE training and conferences and getting a lay of the land.

One of the advantages to Gymnast training in a larger city in another state is that I really have two markets to pursue physically while I also market online. I have dedicated time in both cities/states.

Do you think being laser focused on this goal will change my financial outlook? Have any resources you would recommend? Do you need a high tech virtual assistant?

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